DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-228, December 21, 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 NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1212: Mon 0430 on WSUI, Iowa City, 910, webcast [last week`s 1211] Mon 0515 on WBCQ 7415, webcast, maybe 5105 Wed 1030 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1212 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1212h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1212h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1212.html (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1212.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1212.rm UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Glenn, Very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, and thanks for all your work in 2003. Cheers, (Matt Francis, DC) And to you, and everyone who contributes without which there would be no DXLD and no WOR (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. CHRISTMAS ANNIVERSARY FOR ABC SYDNEY ON SHORTWAVE - VLI In the Christmas edition of Wavescan each year, it is our custom to choose a Christmas radio station and tell its story. This year, we choose another shortwave station that was inaugurated during the Christmas season many years ago, and the choice falls upon the now silent Home Service shortwave station that was on the air in Sydney, Australia. It was on December 22, 1948, that a small 2 kW shortwave transmitter was officially inaugurated at Liverpool in New South Wales under the Australian callsign VLI. A few days earlier, local radio listeners noted test broadcasts from the new transmitter on several different channels in the international shortwave bands. The large ABC radio station located at Liverpool on the southern edge of the city of Sydney was established in the year 1938 for mediumwave coverage of Australia`s largest metropolis. The two main transmitters carry the national and state service for the ABC and these have been on the air under the callsigns 2BL & 2FC. A few years ago, the historic callsign 2FC was relinquished and the national programming for the Sydney area is now on the air under the generic callsigh 2RN. Two other mediumwave callsigns have been in use at Liverpool; 2JJ which is now identified as Triple J on FM, and 2PB which carries parliamentary broadcasts and news relays. The new shortwave unit was implemented for coverage of coastal areas north and south of Sydney where mediumwave coverage was poor at the time. Initially, two channels were in use and these were scheduled as follows:- VLI2 6090 kHz Morning & evening VLI3 9500 kHz Daytime However, on June 1, 1951, the numeric designators were changed and VLI2 became VLI6 and VLI3 became VLI9. Two years later again, the 9 MHz channel was dropped and the transmitter was on the air full time on just one channel, 6090 kHz. Quite suddenly and unexpectedly, at 1402 UTC on October 7, 1983, the VLI transmitter malfunctioned and left the air abruptly. The official cause was stated to be the failure of the main transmitting tube. The small transmitter was soon afterwards removed from its location against one of the big 50 kW mediumwave transmitters and all of the wooden poles, all painted white, that carried the feeder line to the rhombic antenna system were also removed. During its 35 year history, station VLI carried a composite relay from both 2BL & 2FC, and its signal was heard quite reliably well beyond the coastal areas. Many QSL cards were issued to confirm the reception of VLI, and they were always the regular ABC QSL cards that were in use at the time. Just as a matter of interest, the callsign VLI was in use back in the year 1919 for the New Zealand ship, ``Aorangi`` (AY-or-ANG-gee). Then in January 1943, the VLQ transmitter at Pennant Hills that was on the air with the programming of ``Australia Calling```` was re-designated as VLI. Two years later, Radio Australia dropped the usage of the station at Pennant Hills and the callsign VLI was deleted. However, three years later again the call was taken up for the 2 kW transmitter located at Liverpool. And that is the story of the Christmas station VLI that was inaugurated on December 22, 1948, just 55 years ago (Adrian Michael Petersen, AWR Wavescan Dec 22 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035, Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Thimpu, 0100-0135 (fade out), Dec 5. Really strong signal here in Italy at the start of programs. It is the first time that I could listen to it so well: a real easy listening. Start, ID and usual traditional/religious music. Signal going down after 0135 (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) Also heard tentatively 1400-1459, Dec 8, Dzongkha female reading news (?), entrancing vocals sounded Tibetan rather than the usual subcontinental fare, in the clear after co-channel R. Australia s/off 1358 but blocked again by BBC Oman 1459, annoying splatter from SWR 6030, at best 22332 (Martien Groot, Holland, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thanks Henrik, [Klemetz] for all your information about Radio Uncía 4722.86 kHz. Has been on air every 2 days so perhaps can we listen to this new station tomorrow Sunday. 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador SWB América Latina, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Look carefully at that name, not Única but Uncía oon-SEE-ah (gh, DXLD) ** BURMA [non]. NORWAY: 5945, Democratic Voice of Burma at 2355 20 Dec in Burmese/Kachin. I procured a language sked awhile back, etiher via Cumbre or WOR. Kachin was listed on Saturday. A good signal most nights despite extreme QRM (Liz Cameron, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC Radio Holiday specials --- Finally, some info from the CBC about its radio specials this year. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/holidays/index.html (Ricky Leong, QC, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. BROADCASTING COMMISSION ISSUES ANNUAL REPORT | The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has issued its annual report highlighting the status of television, radio, broadcasting distribution, (including cable television and satellite) in Canada. The following is a bulletted summary of the report, published as a press release by the CRTC's website on 18 December. Subheadings as published, all currencies are Canadian dollars (1 CAD = approximately 0.75 US dollars) Television - There are 631 English language, French language, Aboriginal and ethnic television stations in Canada. These include 23 CBC/SRC stations, 17 private CBC/SRC affiliates, 91 Canadian private commercial stations, 105 Canadian specialty services, 20 Canadian pay and pay-per-view services, as well as 93 foreign satellite services. - Viewing by English language viewers to Canadian drama and comedy programs remained at only 11 percent, as in the previous two years, foreign drama and comedy programs accounting for the remaining 89 percent of viewing. In contrast, the viewing share for Canadian drama and comedy programs by French language viewers increased from 43 percent in 2000 to 46 percent in 2001, 48 percent in 2002. - In 2002, Canadian programs garnered 76 percent of the total viewership to French-language programs and 32 percent of the total viewership to English-language programs. - Revenues for conventional English-language private television fell slightly (1.7 percent) from 2001 to 2002. At the same time, revenues for English-language specialty, pay and pay-per-view services increased by 10.8 percent. Revenues for English-language digital specialty services totalled $48.7 million in 2002. From 2001 to 2002, revenues for conventional French-language television increased by 3.3 percent, while those for French-language specialty, pay, and pay-per- view television increased by 10.7 percent. Radio - Canadian radio services comprise 99 CBC/SRC stations, 608 commercial AM, FM and digital stations, and 131 community and campus stations. - Revenues for English language AM and FM stations increased by 2.7 percent, while those for French language stations grew by 5.3 percent from 2001 to 2002. - Since the coming into force of the CRTC's commercial radio policy in 1998, Canadian radio stations have made commitments totalling close to $120 million in support of Canadian talent. - In August 2003, the Commission awarded 56 licences for transitional digital radio stations in the Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Windsor markets. Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings (BDUs) - Competition for cable services comes mainly from Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite distribution undertakings and multipoint distribution systems (MDS). These competitors have reduced the share of the large cable undertakings (Class 1) from 80.5 percent in 1999 to 72.4 percent in 2002. - Approximately 82 percent of Canadian households receive basic service from a BDU. - Subscriptions to DTH services totalled 1,959,677 and their share of the market reached 21.2 percent in 2002. Subscriptions rose by nearly 440,000or 29 percentfrom 2001 to 2002. This growth was derived from former cable subscribers and new subscribers in areas without cable access. - The number of subscribers to digital services (including cable TV and DTH) increased from 3,050,518 to 3,594,691 between June 2002 and June 2003. - By the end of November 2003, the rates of 4.7 million, or 70%, of the subscribers of the large cable undertakings (Class 1) had been deregulated. Internet - 64 percent of Canadian households owned a computer in 2003. - In March of 2003, 68 percent of Canadians had access to the Internet from home, work, school or some other location. 12 percent of Canadians had wireless Internet access. - In 2003, for the first time, there were as many subscribers to high speed Internet as to dial-up Internet. [Passage omitted on CRTC background] Source: Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, Ottawa, in English 18 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CHINESE OFFICIAL: NEW OVERSEAS CHINESE TV STATION "FALUN GONG PROPAGANDA TOOL" | Text of report by Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She Sydney, 18 December: A spokesman of the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney said today: "New Tang dynasty Television" [Chinese: xin tang ren dian shi tai] with its headquarters in the United States has self- claimed as a mass media but it is in fact a propaganda tool of the "Falun Gong" cult [xie jiao] organization. It is hoped that the Australian people, especially the overseas Chinese and Chinese residents in Australia will not be duped and utilized by them and also will not support them or take part in their activities. The spokesman said: "New Tang dynasty Television" plans to hold its "First New Year's Eve Party for the Chinese People" in New York on 18 and 19 January next year and broadcast it to the whole world through satellite communications. In order to produce programmes for the evening party, the "volunteers" of "New Tang dynasty Television" may want to "interview" some overseas Chinese or Chinese visitors in Australia. The spokesman pointed out: "Falun Gong" is same as Japan's "Aum Shinrikyo", being a complete cult organization. It has caused the death of more than 1,700 people in China and is still poisoning those who are unaware of the truth. In the name of practising Qigong to improve health and under the fig leaf of disseminating "truthfulness, benevolence, and forbearance", they have used all kinds of tactics to cover up their true nature of being a cult, their anti-China propaganda and anti-Chinese activities, as well as their activities to smear China and the Chinese people. The spokesman noted that "New Tang dynasty Television" planned to hold the so-called "First New Year's Eve Party for the Chinese People" in the name of disseminating Chinese culture. Its real purpose is to spread cult doctrine and anti-China propaganda. It is an insult to Chinese culture as well as to the overseas Chinese and Chinese residents in foreign countries. It is hoped that people will clearly understand its true nature and will not be duped by them. Source: Zhongguo Xinwen She news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 18 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. SANTA MARIA DE LA PAZ RADIO OUTGROWTH OF PEACE MOVEMENT FOUNDED AFTER 40 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR Medellín, Dec 14 (CRU) --- A radio station growing out of a peace movement. It has happened before in the world, notably for the shortwave station Radio For Peace International in Costa Rica. But this is the first time it has happened in Catholic radio. In the December 13 issue of Conexión-Digital of Buenos Aires, two radio DXers, Björn Malm in Ecuador and Henrik Klemetz heard the new HJXZ Santa María de la Paz Radio 1560 AM from Medellín. Mr. Malm captured a station identification on tape http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ and Mr. Klemetz found its website http://www.santamariadelapaz.org Its website contains a great deal of information, attractively clustered under a series of windows that open when keywords spread across the top of the mast are clicked. The first is about the organization. ``In 1991, a group of faithful Catholics, tired of the situation of violence that affects Colombian society, and convinced that only in God can the roads of a true and integral peace be found, had the initiative of promoting the construction in Medellín (Colombia) of a a sanctuary in honor of the Most Holy Virgin under the title of Santa María de La Paz (Holy Mary of Peace), in order to ask God, through the mediation of her maternal health, the priceless gift of peace for the whole country and the world.`` Colombia has been through a torture chamber for 60 years. An endless, pitiless war among two Marxist guerrilla groups, the larger being FARC; paramilitaries; and the Colombian government has killed 100,000. The paramilitaries were created by citizens who were tired of the depredations of the Marxist guerrillas who attacked, murdered, raped, and kidnapped almost at will. In recent years, the U.S. has greatly increased military aid to the Colombian army, and they have made steady gains against the guerrilla forces in recent years. That has brought much criticism from the Church and international pacifist groups. But the Colombian people are tired of the guerrillas and support the army. The Church is in favor of negotiations, despite the fact that two bishops and several priests have been killed in the last two years, including the outspoken archbishop of Cali who thought it useless to negotiate with merciless guerrillas when they used such periods of negotiation to regroup and reinforce themselves. Some laymen support the bishops, as does the Santa María de La Paz group. ``October 12, 992, in commemoration of the Fifth Centenary of Evangelization of America, the Santa María de la Paz Corporation was founded, a nonprofit entity, to try to materialize this work in honor of the Most Holy Virgin who, God permitting, will be a symbol of permanent and true peace that we want to construct among all. This apostolic initiative has counted on the help and support of the entire Colombian ecclesiastical hierarchy and the Holy Father John Paul II who, since 1993, has welcomed with approbation this initiative by written communication and, afterwards, by means of papal blessing of the image of Santa María de La Paz on April 10, 2000.`` One of the things that the corporación (we would use the term organization or foundation) intended to do from the very start was to found a radio station. ``Actually, the Corporation promotes efforts to put in operation the radio station ``Santa María de la Paz Radio.`` Motivated by the impulse and spirit of our listeners, we are looking for our own outlet and a broader programming that would also be a source of help to develop our future sanctuary.`` That desire bore fruit recently with the purchase of the commercial radio station Emisoras El Poblado 1560 AM The move itself is a bold one, because Medellín already has three Catholic radio stations: stations HJIL Radio Minuto de Dios (of that Movement) 1230 AM, HJTA Radio María Colombia 1320 AM, and of a fairly new group of laymen and priests, HJDN La Voz de la Misericordia 1530 AM. The question one automatically asks oneself on learning this is, ``Does Medellín need another Catholic radio station? What is distinctive about Santa María de La Paz Radio? The website says yes: ``The project of Santa María de la Paz – Radio, born of the necessity of making available a pulpit from which the Word of God can be spread, from which the doctrine of the Church can be promoted, and true devotion to Most Holy Virgin can be awakened and spread among all Colombians, as well as the principles of a civilization of love and an authentic Christian culture of peace, which constitutes a profound necessity felt in these moments of violence and grave social disruption.`` One of the distinctive marks of Santa María de La Paz is its emphasis on peace. A second objective is an emphasis on professionalism in broadcasting, something not always found in Catholic radio: ``We are proposing to ourselves the goal of a station in which one works with a great sense of responsibility and professionalism.`` Another is its willingness to open its microphones to every orthodox Catholic point of view and activity, giving the many movements, organizations, religious orders, and groups airtime to do their own programs and present to the Colombian public what they have to say. ``The axis of programming will be everything related to the Corporation and its message, but the station will be open to the different charismas in the Church. A good part of the programs will be produced by representatives of different communities, groups, apostolic movements, entities, etc., coordinated by an editorial committee and the director of the station. In this manner we can offer to listeners a great wealth and diversity of colors, tendencies and spiritualities that take into account the distinct circumstances of listeners and that will be a reflection of the multiple variety of the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church.`` What programming does Santa María de La Paz offer? The website states its philosophy and goals. ``Inside of the unity of criterion of programming, Santa María de la Paz – Radio will be dedicated entirely to the work of Evangelization, with full fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church, by means of representatives of the Corporation and other people who reflect and represent the diverse Catholic institutions, spiritualities, and charismas that want to participate. This work team will be charged with producing the programming that is broadcast. Santa María de la Paz – Radio will seek to accompany listeners 24 hours a day, orienting them in their spiritual lives, responding to their inquietudes, resolving their doubts, and fomenting their practicing their faith as Catholics.`` A look at the program schedule shows daily broadcasts of the Liturgy of the Hours --- Lauds at 6 a.m. and Vespers at 6 p.m., but there is no Matins, midday prayers, or Compline. Surprisingly, there is no Holy Mass, not even on Sundays. There is a Liturgy of the Word (the readings) on Sunday morning, but that is it. Perhaps because the station seems to be rather new, it lacks the equipment and personnel to offer daily Mass and the rest of the Liturgical Hours. The station does believe in ``strip programming.`` There is little variety from one day to the next, except for Sundays. The Monday through Saturday schedule is 6:00 Lauds 6:30 Speaking with God 7:00 Chronicles of Peace 8:00 To Live in Christ 9:00 Devotion of the Day (varies) 9:30 The Rosary 10:00 Ask and You Will Receive 10:30 In Rhythm with Jesus 11:00 Coloring Hope 11:30 The Rosary Noon We Travel in the Faith 12:30 A Voice that Clamors in the Desert 1:00 The Rosary (every half-hour the mysteries change) 3:00 Chaplet of the Divine Mercy 3:30 In Rhythm with Jesus 4:00 Community of Listeners 4:30 Coloring Hope 5:00 Devotion of the Day (varies) 5:30 We Travel in the Faith 6:00 Vespers 6:30 The Holy Rosary 7:00 Chronicles of Peace 8:00 To Speak with God 8:30 To Live in Christ 9:30 A Voice That Clamors in the Desert 10:00 The Rosary (the mysteries change each half hour) 12:00 Repeats of the day`s programming You will note that, starting at 5 p.m. daily, excepting Vespers, the programs are a repeat of the programs of the morning and afternoon. There is a great deal of Rosary, more than from any other Catholic radio station we have seen in these pages, more even than from Radio Maria. The Rosary is prayed 11:30 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., 6:30 to 7 p.m., 10 p.m. to midnight, 12:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., and 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. These recitations amount to 7.5 hours out of 24, surely a commitment to praying the Rosary for peace! Of interest, too, is that the programming apparently features very little instructional programs that one finds spread through the broadcast days of EWTN, Radios Maria, and similar stations. In all the programming there is present that stated emphasis on peace, the raison d`être of the station. ``The Devotion of the Day`` features that of the Poor Souls on Mondays, the Angels on Tuesdays, St Joseph on Wednesdays, the Eucharist on Thursdays, the Way of the Cross on Fridays, and the Blessed Virgin on Saturdays. Sundays are dedicated to the Trinity. ``Crónicas de Paz`` (Chronicles of Peace) is a teaching program, offering the teachings of the Church on peace and Mariology. ``Hablar con Dios`` (To Speak with God) is a meditation on the topics of the scriptural readings from the day`s Holy Mass, with a view of implementing them in everyday life. Santa María de La Paz is an affiliate of EWTN`s Radio Católica Mundial and broadcasts special programs from time to time. Programs special to Sundays are ``The Liturgy of the Word`` at 6:30 a.m., ``Church Solidarity`` at 7 a.m., ``Dare to be a Saint`` at 4:30 p.m. and again at 5:30 p.m. The rest of the day is pretty much like the weekdays, and some of the programs are broadcast at the same times they are broadcast during the weekdays. In short, one gets the impression that the topics and programs offered by Santa María de La Paz Radio are limited. The web pages offer much more and those who can read Spanish will find a great number of subjects and pages to interest them— on peace, on Mary, on art, on the Rosary, on apparitions, and so on. Catholic Radio Update sent an e-mail asking them to describe their new station and how it offered a distinctive programming, but there was no answer. Database Medellín: HJXZ Radio Santa María de la Paz 1560 AM (1,000 watts). Corporación Santa María de La Paz (s.f.l.) Calle 10, 42-22, Medellín. Tel: +574 2662487. E-mail: webmaster@santamariadelapaz.org. Website: http://www.santamariadelapaz.org/index.html (Catholic Radio Update Dec 22 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Glenn, 9560, UT Sunday 0200, South Korea via Canada came through loud and in the clear. No sign of jamming. Maybe someone finally figured it out (John H. Carver Jr., Mid-North Indiana, Dec 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. Starting this season, R. Prague will introduce a monthly quiz during the mailbag feature in the Sunday transmission. They are also going to introduce a new mini feature on Czech science (Edwin Southwell, England, Radio World, Dec World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 7560, Dejen R., via Samara [RUSSIA], 1705-1735, Sat Dec 13, Tigrinya talks about Ethiopia, Tygria, Somalia, some local music, 1730 perfect ID, very good (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, via Dxplorer, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD). Has replaced 12120 where I have not heard it since Nov 15 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, ibid.) ** GOA. 9819.9, AIR Pangim (approximate Portuguese pronunciation is "pãzhi" with both vowels being nasal) (both Pangim and Panagi forms are present in the AIR stations e-mail address list), 1316-1334, Dec 9, Indian Vernacular; 33442 with some QRM from a station on DRM mode (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** HAITI. HAITIAN POLICE SHUT DOWN OPPOSITION RADIO STATION By MICHAEL NORTON The Associated Press 12/18/03 6:37 PM http://wizzer.advance.net/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0799_BC_Haiti-RadioRaid&&news&newsflash-internationa PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- Police stormed and shut down a pro- opposition radio station, smashing studio equipment in what they said was a search for weapons, witnesses said Thursday. Police later displayed guns and grenades they said were found Wednesday on the roof of Radio Maxima in the northern city of Cap- Haïtien. State-run television reported 11 people were arrested, including station employees. The raid came as police shot and killed a teenage boy Wednesday during clashes with anti-government protesters in the northern town of Trou du Nord, independent Radio Metropole reported. Demonstrators in Trou du Nord went on to torch several government buildings, including the telephone company and city hall, according to radio reports. State-run television showed items that police said they seized, including two assault rifles, a pistol, grenades and camouflage fatigues. Police spokeswoman Daphne Orlando, in the capital of Port-au-Prince, said she didn't immediately have information about the raid. Tensions between supporters and opponents of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide are on the rise in Haiti. At least 22 people have died in protests since mid-September. Radio Maxima's owner, Jean-Robert Lalane, survived an assassination attempt by an unknown gunman on Nov. 25, and the station has been threatened repeatedly by government partisans for its calls on Aristide to step down. Aristide has said he opposes violence and favors a free press. But Haitian media groups accuse police of regularly harassing journalists. This year, the France-based group Reporters Without Borders placed Haiti 100th in its press freedom ranking of 166 countries. Some 30 Haitian journalists have gone into self-imposed exile in the past two years after receiving threats. Haiti's government and opposition have been locked in disagreement since flawed 2000 legislative elections that the opposition says were rigged. Aristide's opponents have stepped up protests in recent weeks, and the government accuses them of trying to spoil state-sponsored celebrations Jan. 1 on the 200th anniversary of Haiti's independence from France (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4925, RRI Jambi with news in Indonesian till 2315 Dec 11. Music program with dangdut songs till 2330. IS of the station and ID. News read by OM . Signal S3, 33333. Also heard at 2200 on 12-12 with S3 but 24232 (Zacharias Liangas, 11+12.12, Retziki, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 4790.0, RRI Fak-Fak, 2112-2215 (fade out), Dec 15 and 16, rare catch here with long talks in Bahasa Indonesia, native songs, 2129 interval signal on string instrument and clear ID: ``Radio Republik Indonesia`` followed by probable local news read by man and woman, 24442 when best on Dec 15, weaker on Dec 16 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. 2003 CLANDESTINE ACTIVITY SURVEY BY MATHIAS KROPF The activity of political clandestine stations broadcasting on shortwave has remained almost unchanged from one year ago and is now at 1718 Weekly Broadcasting Hours (WBHs), down 14 WBHs from the previous year. Clandestine activity to target areas on the Asian continent has increased by 8% to 1415 WBHs. On the African continent activity has dropped by 48% to 125 WBHs. Activity to America and Oceania has remained unchanged at 162 and 16 WBHs respectively. The number of active target areas (countries) worldwide has decreased by one to 21. When compared to one year ago, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, South Korea and Somalia are no longer active, while Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Uganda are new or reactivated target areas. The three most active target areas worldwide are Iraq with 748 WBHs (+252 when compared with one year ago - the highest activity to a single target area since this survey was started back in 1986), North Korea with 217 WBHs (unchanged) and Afghanistan with 189 WBHs (+52). (via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. LISTENING ONLINE IS ABOUT TO TAKE OFF. Yinka Adegoke reports on a radio revolution Monday December 15, 2003, The Guardian In one of the more unusual examples of the BT Broadband campaign to encourage take-up of faster internet access, a drawing of a man is shown lugging a desktop PC on his shoulder. The message is that broadband can enable your PC to become a radio. And with Oftel's announcement last week that more than 3 million people in the UK now have broadband, the likelihood of online radio finally moving into the mainstream is becoming very high. Industry watchers believe online radio will be a significant beneficiary of the growth in broadband access. In the US, where there is a far more mature broadband market, online radio listening has rocketed. The latest Arbitron/Edison Media Research study into internet audio/video usage in the US shows that one out of five Americans, aged 12 and older, have used internet audio or video in the past two months... http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,1106992,00.html (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. SATELLITE RADIO EXTENDS ITS ORBIT By DAVID POGUE Published: December 18, 2003 RADIO is awesome, isn't it? It's free, it's on whenever you want it, and you can choose from among eight or 10 stations. About the only people who could possibly complain about it, in fact, are people who have to listen to it. They'll tell you that the music you hear on the radio is mostly the same cloying pop junk, played over and over. That 20 minutes of every hour is ads, played over and over. And that as you drive, the signal comes and goes with the territory. Two years ago, two companies - XM and Sirius - came up with the same solution: pay radio. Each went to the trouble of blasting private satellites into orbit. Each beams 100 channels of clean, static-proof digital sound down to XM and Sirius receivers in the cars and home stereos of monthly subscribers. So why would people pay for radio, when they have a free alternative? Because satellite radio is fantastic - a cultural source unlike any other. It's so addictive, the Sirius manual actually refers to its customers as "users." . . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/technology/circuits/18stat.html?ex=1072781139&ei=1&en=0d3e622098b4eb89 (NY Times via Richard Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) ** ITALY [non?]. Sorry for the last minute news. We are running an unscheduled test using 100 kW on 13840 kHz Shortwave in anticipation of the special Christmas programs for IRRS-Shortwave using 250 kW that will take place on Dec 24 and 25. (more on this with a separate message). We are on the air with special Christmas programs on 13840 kHz using 100 kW from 0900 to 1300 UT on Sunday Dec. 21, 2003. It`s actually the first time we use high power broadcasts on this frequency. Reception reports are very welcome. Please email them to: reports @ nexus.org - Thanks. 73, (Ron Norton, NEXUS/IBA/IRRS, Dec 21, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** JAPAN. NHK World Radio Japan present a live entertainment programme series from six different prefectures, presented in front of a public audience. Each features a pair of guest singers and music by local bands and introduces local specialities and characteristic aspects of Japanese life, which differs from one area to another. The live programme on Sat Feb 7, 2004 is from the Yoshiumi Community Hall, Yoshiumi Town, ``Hello from Ehime`` (Arthur Ward, Radio World, Dec World DX Club Contact via DXLD) so every two months? (gh) ** JAPAN [non]. Hmm, got this email as below. The only reason I mention this, as the cult was on shortwave, I think via a Russian transmitter. I didn't get a QSL from this lot, but any on the reflectors that did? Didn't the bloke who ran it got the chop, for that subway massacre? anyway anyone got the book? Any reference to shortwave transmissions (Johno Wright, The Producer, Australian Radio DX Club, via DXLD) Viz.: Dear Sir/Madam, Recommending a new book on defeating cult terrorism in Japan, which may be of interest to readers always in search of unique and new literature especially as some of the cult's activities were conducted in Australia. AUM SHINRIKYO --- JAPAN'S UNHOLY SECT I am the author of a book on the Japanese cult, Aum Shrinrikyo [sic] which released sarin nerve gas into a Tokyo subway system in 1995 killing and injuring thousands. It was considered an act of terrorism from a cult whose belief was the destruction of mankind. The deadly cult, Aum Shinrikyo, is still on the United States list of terrorists and below is a brief synopsis of this book ``Aum Shinrikyo --- Japan's Unholy Sect" and after the Sept 11th incident, the issue of terrorism has become a topic of great concern to everyone. It is a chilling story of terror, murder and atrocities committed in the name of twisted religious beliefs, the forerunner of Sept 11th, long before terrorism became the business of everyone committed to live in peace and safety. The cult extended their activities to Australia when Shoko Asahara, the founder, purchased a farm in Australia to test sarin on animals. A little about this book: On the 26th of March 1995, sarin gas was released in a Tokyo subway station crammed with morning rush hour commuters and all hell broke loose. In the aftermath of anguish, death, painful injuries and broken lives, the deadly action was traced back to a cult called Aum Shinrikyo. What lay behind this ferocious lashing the cult had given to the orderly, uncluttered society Japan was so proud of? What dark sinister secrets lay behind the walls of the Aum Shinrikyo compound in Kamikuishiki? Tsutsumi Sakamoto, a Yokohama lawyer took up the challenge of finding answers to these questions and one cold, gray November morning in 1995, the young attorney, his wife and ten month old son disappeared without a trace. This is the chilling story of how a young lawyer sacrificed his life and that of his poignantly young family to stem the reign of terror of the cult's guru, Shoko Asahara. He spoke out from his lonely hillside grave and was heard at last after six long years. He had died to right a social wrong; the rest was up to the living. This book is available from: Tower Books Pty Ltd Unit 2/17 Rodborough Road Frenchs Forest NSW 2086 Australia (Mr Michael Rakusin) Tel: 61 2 99755566 Fax: 61 2 99755599 email: miker @ towerbooks.com.au Thank you kindly for reading this mail. Regards (via Johno Wright, ripple via DXLD) ** KASHMIR [non]. Cland, 6100, R. Sedaye Kashmir, talks by OM in Hindi or Hindi like language, 1506 with interval music. 1512 talks by OM and possible ID Radio Sedaye? Signal S7 on 18.12. On 19.12 at 1438 with a Hindi song then with religious like chanting. Signal suffers from DRM? Signal (Zacharias Liangas, 11+12.12, Retziki, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Radio Marabu wird am 25. Dezember 2003 von 14.00 bis 16.00 Uhr deutscher Zeit (13.00 bis 15.00 Uhr UTC) mit seinem Weihnachtsprogramm auf Kurzwelle auf der Frequenz 9290 kHz zu hören sein. Eure Moderatoren der Weihnachtsparty sind Marcel Fischer und Frank Göbel. Radio Marabu transmit this year`s Christmas program on shortwave on the 25th of December 2003 from 1400 up to 1600 hours German time (1300 up to 1500 hours UT) on 9290 via Latvia. Your hosts are Marcel Fischer and Frank Göbel. RADIO MARABU e.V. - Postfach 1166 - D 49187 Belm - Germany Tel.: 05406/899484 -- Fax: 05406/899485 E-mail: marabu@radio-marabu.de -- Homepage: http://www.radio-marabu.de Europe´s radio station for alternative music (SW pirates egroup via Jem Cullen, Australia, ripple via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Eduardo Corona, an XE1 ham who says he has a good antenna system, wants to set up a modest SW broadcast station. Thinks the current government may be more open to such an idea (interviewed by Jeff White at the 9th Mexican DX Meeting, last July-August, Tizayuca, Hidalgo, on Viva Miami, via Radio NASB on WRMI UT Sun Dec 21 at 0330 on 7385, notes by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOLDOVA. 5960, R Pridnestrovya, Tiraspol, *1700-1740*, heard regularly in December Mo-Fr with strong signal here in Denmark. I sent a reception report a year ago to Radio Pridnestrovya DMR, ul. Rozy Lyuksemburg 10, MD 3300 Tiraspol, Moldova and in June I got the first letter in English thanking me for the report and signed by no less than four persons! On Dec 13 I received the real QSL-letter with full data signed and stamped by ``Mr Vlad Butuk, Chairman of QSL-Buro``. Below the QSL on the A-4 paper is their full schedule written in English and on the backside is a detailed map of the long and narrow break-away and unrecognized DMR Republic (about 30 km wide and 250 km long) with text in Russian. Mr Vlad who is ``engineer of technician servis`` wrote in an enclosed note in beginners English: ``Sorry, but we have to kept your waiting. Some problems before. Now is all OK. Many thank`s for reception report. We hope you will listening our radiobroadcast next time. All the best to you and your family. Merry Christmas!``. According to the QSL-letter the broadcast schedule ``Radio DMR`` is: 549 kHz 150 kW Broad band 0500-0530 Russian 999 kHz 500 kW Art-150 1800-1830 Russian 5960 kHz 1000 kW Sgdra rotation Mo-Fr 1700-1742 English/French/German 74 MHz 200 W Ver polarization Everyday Russian/Ukrainian/Moldavian 100.7 MHz 200 W Ver polarization 0357-1000 1200-0100 `` `` `` 105.0 MHz 1500 W Ver polarization 0357-1000 1200-0100 `` `` `` 106.0 MHz 1000 W Ver polarization Everyday `` `` `` 106.4 MHz 1000 W Ver polarization 0600-2200 `` `` `` E-mail: radiopmr @ inbox.ru Website: http://www.president-pmr.org Reception here was very poor on 5960 during the summer, so it is time now to send them a reception report! (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** NAMIBIA. Both 6060 and 6175 are on 24 hours. Heard Dec 3 with good strength and modulation. 6175 has been off for the past day or two, but noted back on Dec 16 (Vaclav Korinek, RSA via Dxplorer, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Radio Netherlands has traditionally been an excellent verifier, usually sending a QSL within two weeks for an email reception report. However, since their budget crises began last summer, I haven't received a QSL from them. I sent an email reception report for the Madagascar relay on October 6. No reply yet. I hope they have not instituted a non-QSL policy. (I'm also watching for a QSL for my latest Radio Netherlands reception report, sent on November 25 by regular mail with an IRC.) (Andrew Lisowski, Springfield, VA, Dec 19, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Andrew, Thank you for the information. I received a QSL from Radio Netherlands several months ago, as did my grandson, Brandon. They are still verifying reports. It was sent by e-mail and the turnaround time was three months (Duane W8DBF Fischer, MI, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI confirmed on new 9870 before and after 1500 UT Dec 21; good here, should hold up later than 6095. Not 9770 as I saw listed somewhere (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORWAY. The last broadcast from the Norwegian SW transmitters will be on Dec 31 at 2230-2255 (R Denmark) on 7465 (Kvitsøy) and 7560 (Sveiø). Some technicians at Kvitsøy have been dismissed, but the future of the equipment has not yet been decided (Erik Køie, Denmark, Dec 4, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. 5080.3, R Pakistan, Islamabad, 1635-1650, Nov 30, English current affairs program with reports on Afghanistan and Taliban, good (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, in Dxplorer, Dec 03, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) WRTH 2004 says the News & Current Affairs program on SW is scheduled: 0200-0400 on 6205, 1300-1800 on 5080, both 100 kW Islamabad, in Urdu and English. Specific times for English not specified; can anyone find out? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 9580.5, PBS, Marulas, Valenzuela (= Metropolitan Manila) has transmitter problems. On Nov 25 they suddenly signed off at 1004*. On other days they are heard on 9619v instead (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Radio Romania International is very friendly to SWLers. They still have a Listener's Club with certificates and a different QSL every month (Andrew Lisowski, Springfield, VA, swl at qth.net via DXLD) I had all sorts of problems getting a verification from Romania. No answers to e-mail inquiries, ever. I sent several reception reports by air mail with two IRC, nothing. A year went by. I finally sent them another e-mail and was not quite so polite, reminding them I had been totally ignored for over a year. Two weeks later I received a letter apologizing for their oversights, but no verification. However, they did assure me one was coming soon. It never arrived. I contacted them again. No e-mail reply. About a month later a QSL did arrive. The post mark indicated it was mailed ten days before, so it was not a case of being lost somewhere in the mail system. Shortly after that I received another letter, an apology for their delay and a second QSL card. They do try, but apparently it is kind of a hit and miss operation there (Duane W8DBF Fischer, MI, swl @ qth.net via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 7325, Adygey R., Maykop, full data bilingual (that is Adyghian and Russian) card in 5 weeks, v/s Sima Bagova. Address as per WRTH/Passport except the postal code is 385000 instead of 352700 (Vaclav Korinek via Dxplorer, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) Thus the correct postal address is: ul. Lenina 54-83, 385000 Maykop, Resp. Adygeya, Russia (DSWCI Ed., ibid.) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA Radio B'03 schedule changes wef 5th Dec 2003 -------------------------------------------------------- 1200-1230 smtwtfs TIBETAN 15240 DHA (ex 15170) 1400-1415 smtwt.. URDU India 9885 DHA (ex via Armavair) 1400-1500 .....fs HINDI 9885 DHA (ex via Armavair) 1415-1500 smtwt.. HINDI 9885 DHA (ex via Armavair) 1903-1957 smtwtfs ARABIC 9605 KIG (Added) 1730-1745 s....fs AMHARIC 6180 DHA (Deleted) Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Dec 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. This article mentions SIBS shortwave.... TUNED IN TO THE GOOD OIL 20.12.2003 - By MARY LOUISE O'CALLAGHAN Sunday December 21, 2003 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3540394&thesection=news&thesubsection=world Solomon Islanders in the border province of Choiseul listen avidly to a session of Talking True [sic] Pic: Mary-Louise O'Callaghan [caption] All eyes might be on the swarm of giant black butterflies that has just fluttered in through the open sides of the tropical leaf hut, but all ears this morning are tuned to Talking Truth, the live talkback radio programme which for the past five months has enabled Solomon Islanders to exchange information about the Australian-led intervention into their country. This particular morning the programme has relocated to the remote province of Choiseul, close to the Solomons` maritime border with Bougainville. And the questions are coming not from anonymous phone callers but from a live audience of more than 100 people gathered in and around the local police leaf house. It's just after 10 am but already the steam is rising off the ground and the sun glancing off the blue seas surrounding this remote island community which, like the rest of the Solomons, relies on radio for virtually all their information about what is going on in their country. (They do not have a television station.) One of the first to ask a question is Alpha Kimata, a former member of Parliament who was finance minister at the time of the 2000 coup. Many of the questions contain vital nuggets of information for three men, the leaders of the intervention who form the Talking Truth panel today: the civilian co-ordinator of the regional assistance mission to Solomon Islands, Nick Warner; the Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Ben McDevitt, and Colonel Quentin Flowers, who is commanding the regional military contingent. A young Solomon Islands police officer, John Foru, asks what is going to be done to assist the police in remote provinces such as Choiseul. They have been trying to cope for more than a decade with the spillover from the Bougainville conflict while experiencing a chronic lack of funds, transport and manpower. McDevitt takes the microphone, explaining the plans to radically reform and revitalise the police force and how he hopes he can bring other government agencies back in to play their roles in monitoring the border. Heads nod in approval. Talking Truth is the brainchild of communication strategist Kate Graham and, like the intervention itself, has proved something of a breath of fresh air for Solomon Islanders who have spent a good part of the past four years getting the real news by reading between the lines of the sole daily newspaper, the Solomon Star, or listening to the latest rumours sweeping the local market. Returning this year to run the information campaign of the Solomon Islands Government's Intervention Taskforce, Graham drew on her experience working for institutions from both sides of the Solomons conflict, first with the Solomon Islands Peace Monitoring Council, who in 2000 had to implement a now-defunct peace agreement, and then last year with the much maligned Royal Solomon Islands Police, some of whom had taken part in the coup. She knew immediately that Solomon Islanders needed to be able to hear information about the intervention straight from the horse's mouth from a neutral, non-political source they could trust. "Talking Truth strips back the spin," says Graham. "The information is taken straight to the people without interpretation or middlemen. "People in towns and villages put forward questions and the men and women making the news - Australians, New Zealanders, Pacific Islanders, Solomon Islanders - answer them live." It's proved to be a lively two-way exchange which, like any live programme, has had its surprises. In one of the first programmes, a caller confronted Solomon Islands Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza over his alleged involvem[ent in?] murder. "Keep him on the line," mouthed McDevitt, according to the show's moderator, the savvy Solomon Islands journalist, Dorothy Wickham. Ben then quietly left the studio to take the call in another room, not realising that all the while he was conducting his impromptu interview of the witness, he was also holding up the only line for calls into the show. Wickham's no-nonsense style and her journalist's instinct to probe has helped to give Talking Truth its edge. And its credibility. Johnson Honimae, general manager of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, which broadcasts Talking Truth twice a week, believes the programme has played a central role in Solomon Islanders' understanding and acceptance of the intervention. "The Talking Truth programme has become a household name in the past several months," says Honimae, who is a former broadcast journalist himself. When a three-week gun amnesty was declared soon after the arrival of the intervention forces in August, the programme proved a crucial means for communicating not only the progress in the collection of weapons but the clear message that this was the last chance for people to hand in a weapon without facing the full force of the law, says Paul Tovua, the chairman of the intervention taskforce ultimately responsible for the show and a regular participant in it. "We were able to get the message out very clearly that this was the last opportunity to hand in their weapons," says Tovua. Because SIBC broadcasts on short-wave throughout the entire Solomons archipelago its reach is nationwide. "I've had people in deepest Malaita say to me, 'I heard that on Talking Truth'," says Peter Noble, the New Zealand defence official, who is the deputy special co-ordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), as the intervention is officially known. A programme regular, Noble says he has witnessed a change in people's level of understanding of the intervention since he first arrived in July, largely as a result of Talking Truth. "When we first came here I think there was quite a bit of anxiety about what is RAMSI, what are they going to do and what does this really mean for Solomon Islands? "Talking Truth was one of the only mediums we had of at least getting the messages out to the people and satisfying their need for knowledge in the face of curiosity and anxieties." Issues aired have been as diverse as why there was a need to recruit a greater percentage of women into the police force to what the stabilisation of budget finances means to the man or woman in the street, says Graham. There have also been occasions when the programme has provided timely feedback for the leaders of the intervention, giving them insight into how their actions are being interpreted by Solomon Islanders. Now the first stage of the intervention has successfully stabilised the security situation, a question repeatedly coming up in the latest programmes is what is the intervention doing about the endemic corruption that has so affected public life in the Solomons over the past decade or more. Taking the microphone more often than not to answer this particular question is Warner. A former director of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, Public Relations branch, he recognised from the start that the support of Solomon Islanders was crucial to the success of the intervention. "Just as important as locking up the guns or the criminals, has been communicating the purpose of all this to ordinary Solomon Islanders," Warner said. "If we get that right, we're more than halfway there." * Mary-Louise O'Callaghan is based in the Solomon Islands; she has been covering the South Pacific for the past 16 years. Copyright 2003, NZ Herald (Via Kim Elliott, DXLD) So WHEN is it on??? Sometime in the local morning, when there would not be much DX propagation on 5020 ** SOMALIA. 6980.0, R. Gaalkacyo, 1725-1732*, Nov 30, local music, Somali talks, prayers, weak and poor (Vaclav Korinek, RSA in Dxplorer, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ** SURINAME. 4990.0, R Apintie, Paramaribo, 0355-0450, Dec 13, various music (North American, Caribbean, Latin American), ID 0448 "Radio Apintie" in Dutch, 35443. Reactivated here after a long absence! The station confirmed my reception report sent by e-mail in 36 hours. V/S: Charles Vervuurt, Director Radio Apintie, P. O. Box 595, Verl. Gemenelansweg #37; Tel 597 400450; Fax 597 400684; Email apintie @ sr.net (Samuel Cássio, Brasil, Dec 16, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) Also tentatively heard 0645-0700 (fading out), Dec 16, fast talk by two men, ex 4990.9, 14221 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) Also heard 0857-0900, Dec 14, Christmas music, nice ID at 0858, then man in Dutch mentioned "meter band." Talk 0900, then mix of religious music and talk. Decent signal, better than I remember them from before. A treat to hear Dutch from South America again! (Jerry Berg, MA, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) 4989.98, R. Apintie, 21 Dec 0748-0815, Nothing but nonstop music, including "Silent Night" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". Was fairly good at the start, but strength dropped way down after 0800 and was barely audible at 0815. Frequency seemed to vary slightly as well (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Hi, At the end of November I heard two unidentified Taiwanese stations, one on 1368 kHz and the other on 1476 kHz. They were both having talk show programs and phone ins, talking mostly in Taiwanese dialect, but also adding some Mandarin. The only 'identification' which I was able to get was 'AM yi-san-liu-ba' (i.e. "AM 1-3-6-8") from the station on 1368 kHz. Programming was not religious. On 1368 kHz the program was about beauty skin care products, on 1476 the show was about going to work, talk about the work, is it boring etc. Does anyone know the identity of these two stations? I suspect they both are from Taipei. Very many thanks for any help, Kind regards, (Jim Solatie, Finland, dxing.info via DXLD) 1368 is former AM 1593 Buddhist station, QTH Kaohsiung, website: http://www.am1386.com.tw It is renamed as Voice of Jinxi. And 1476 is clandestine station, more and more pirate station appear around the island. There are more than 5 stations logged in Taipei QTH. BTW: 2100-2300 UT will broadcast Buddhism program and music. Hope you can easily ID it (Miller Liu, Taibei, Dec 20, ibid.) Thank you, Miller, very much for your comments and help! Do you have any contact information to the station on 1476 kHz? I would also like to ask which other frequencies are used by these clandestine stations in Taipei? Kind regards, (Jim Solatie, Espoo, Finland, Sat Dec 20, ibid.) 1476 is transmitted from Kaohsiung, S of Taiwan. The only contact info is vending hotline 886-7-3309077 and 886-7-5363333. Such stations don't announce their name, address. Mostly, the programs are all in Taiwanese. Durg vending is the only content. I had deleted my pirate log, but they usually broadcast above 1000 kHz. I'll keep the log for you later. [Later:] During local daytime, I log only two pirate MW station in Taipei -- 972 and 1458. The latter one listen understandable in NFM mode. Vending hotline is respectly 886-2-89825599 and 886-2-29769887. Once shift to next program timeslot, vending hotline will change too (Miller Liu, Dec 21, ibid.) ** UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC [and non]. CAIRO CLANDESTINE ANGERED THE BRITISH (historical) Inflammatory broadcasts from Cairo's "Voice of Free Africa" clandestine station were a thorn in the flesh of the British Foreign Office in the late 1950s, according to recently released UK government documents. The documents also reveal that Foreign Office (FO) mandarins were equally perturbed by the tone of Radio Cairo's offial broadcasts to "British Africa" and that they kept a close watch on clandestine radio developments in the Middle East. In a "submission" date 19 November 1959, a Mr Hopson of the FO observed that, "the so-called 'Voice of Free Africa" transmits for 40 minutes daily in Swahili. Although this station (about which the Egyptians allege they have no knowledge) claims to be situated 'in the heart of Africa', it is known to be broadcasting on a Cairo Radio frequency. It has been heard since 1957. "Its programme, introduced by drumbeats, consists of horn music followed by a political talk. These talks are vitriolic in tone (Europeans are invariably referred to as 'white dogs') and are designed to encourage racial hatred and incite Africans to violence and rebellion. Their effectiveness may be to some extent limited by the Swahili used". In a typical broadcast, speaking about the British colony of Kenya, the station is quoted as saying: "The imperialist dogs of Kenya, together with the settlers, are now doing their best to kill the fight for freedom ...The new intrigue hatched by the Government of Kenya and the settler dogs will be destroyed and will fail because of the strength of the struggle and fight for freedom which is spreading ..." In the same submission, Mr Hopson speaks about "the fuss which the Egyptians have been making" about the "comparatively harmless BBC Arabic broadcasts" and adds that "it (is) worthwhile to draw attention to the much more objectionable broadcasts from Cairo Radio to British Africa." He adds: "Cairo Radio broadcasts daily in Swahili, Somali and Arabic for listeners in the Horn and British East Africa. These broadcasts are designed to sow dissension and to create anti-British feeling. They are not only offensive in tone but frequently contain grossly distorted and inaccurate accounts of events in British territories. "While they have been continuing in this vein for several years, their violence has in no way abated in recent months. Thus, it seems certain that the UAR Government (meaning United Arab Republic, a union between Egypt and Syria) has in no way withdrawn or circumscribed the free hand given to Cairo Radio to attack and undermine the British position in East Africa". In another document, dated 6th April 1959, a Mr Carless of the FO reported that: "An anti-Qasim clandestine radio called the Voice of Free Iraq ... was heard yesterday broadcasting on 9770 kcs. at 1715 GMT. We are trying to obtain a fix on its location. The most likely presumption is that station is under UAR control and situated in Syria." (Note "Qasim" (one of several spellings for the name) was the pro-Soviet leader of Iraq) There is also a copy of an FO telegram to the British Embassy in Tehran concerning a "new clandestine radio" broadcasting to Iran. The telegram, summarizing a BBC monitoring report, said: "A station identifying itself as the National Voice of Iran broadcasting in Persian was intercepted when it signed on at 1800 GMT today on 6025 kc/s with good reception. The station announced that it broadcasts on 50 metres daily at 1800 and 1900 GMT." The Tehran embassy cabled the next day that: "Iranian authorities are worried about this station, which can be heard clearly in Tehran, and we understand in many other parts of Iran. Indications are that it is being listened to widely. ...As from this morning, station is reportedly jammed by an Iranian station. General belief is that clandestine station is located in Southern Caucasus, East of Julfa." The documents also report the start of Radio Prague's broadcasts to Africa and a suggestion, from the BBC at Caversham, "that the French in Algeria are jamming Cairo broadcasts to the Maghreb" (Roger Tidy, UK) ** U S A. I realized while driving 35 miles into work on Monday morning that I had another senior moment in writing the Commentary on the purchase of CX12 Radio Oriental 770 AM in Montevideo, Uruguay. I said that it was the frequency of the old National Broadcasting Company flagship station in New York City, WEAF, later WNBC (and for a brief period in the 1950`s, WRCA). Wrong. The old NBC station frequency was 660 AM; the 770 AM clear channel frequency was that of WJZ, also owned by NBC. Let me explain. Until 1943, the National Broadcasting Company owned two networks, NBC Red and NBC Blue, supposedly named for the color on the toggle switches on the master control board in Rockefeller Center. In 1942 the FCC ruled against one company owning more than one network, and forced NBC to sell one of them. It chose to sell the weaker, NBC Blue, to Edward J. Noble, who renamed it the American Broadcasting Company. WJZ, the NBC Blue network flagship station, became WABC 770 AM about 1950. After the decline of network radio, ABC made it into a top 40 station, and next to WTIX 1450 AM & 690 AM New Orleans, it is probably the most famous Top 40 station ever. So, 770 AM is WABC, not WNBC. In any event, it was not so long ago that I would never have made this kind of mistake; you could name any city of size in the country and many small ones and I could give you at least some of the radio stations by call letters. My memory is not what it used to be, and now I must check every thing. Learn from me and don`t get old. Curiously, the major networks all owned clear channel stations of 50,000 watts in New York City during the glory days of network radio: NBC Red had WEAF 660 AM, NBC Blue (later ABC) had WJZ 770 AM, and CBS had WABC 880 AM (this WABC had nothing to do with the WABC of the American Broadcasting Company; the original WABC 880 AM was on 860 AM at first and was owned by the Atlantic Broadcasting Corp., hence the call letters), --- all curiously with a single double-digit frequency --- 660, 770, 880! The Mutual Broadcasting System station was 50,000- watt WOR 710 AM, but it did not own WOR; the owner was the Bamberger Broadcasting System. Some time about 1948, CBS became aware that its flagship station`s WABC call letters were confusing the public. So, it persuaded WCBS 1230 AM Springfield, Illinois (itself a very old station founded by two men in 1922), to part with its call letters, which the FCC then assigned to the CBS 880 AM station. The WABC call letters would go in a year or two to the ABC station on 770 AM, and WJZ was lost as a pioneer three-letter call until Westinghouse asked the FCC to grant it to the Baltimore television station it bought in 1957. WEAF became WNBC, which it remained until General Electric Corp., owner of NBC, sold the radio network to Westwood One, and the flagship station WNBC was sold to Infinity Broadcasting Corp. in 1992, which turned the 660 AM frequency to all-sports with the call letters WFAN. Ironically, Infinity is owned by Viacom, which owns CBS! Fans of Johnny Carson will remember the personal attacks he made on the president of General Electric at the time. A word about the Mutual Broadcasting System, gone with the wind. Mutual was owned by several of its affiliates in the biggest markets, hence the name; unlike with the other three networks, Mutual was owned by (some of its) affiliates, not the other way around. In New York, Bamberger`s WOR 710 AM was one of Mutual`s owners. Mutual never got into television, and eventually that decision spelled its demise. Westwood One bought the network, but it no longer operates although Westwood still owns the name (Michael Dorner, Catholic Radio Update Dec 22 via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO SONIDERA -- 'PIRATE' RADIO IN THE BARRIO Pacific News Service, News Feature, Marcelo Ballvé, Dec 18, 2003 http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=9623245bcca0d53be6086e6cb9c69c5c OAKLAND, Calif. -- Walking unsteadily across an Oakland rooftop, 26-year-old Wilson Barriga Posada holds an eight-foot radio tower in his arms. He wields it like a clunky, high-tech javelin, planting it near the edge of the roof so that he can dangle wires to his sound system on the sidewalk. Posada's plan for the day: a do-it-yourself FM radio music broadcast, in Spanish. His target audience: the heavily Latino Fruitvale section of Oakland. His style is the underground, DJ-driven sonido style, which combines dashes of techno and hip-hop to a musical foundation based on tropical rhythms like cumbia and salsa. Posada says Sonido is "authentic" and popular with Latinos, but virtually non-existent on commercial Spanish-language radio. "Pirate" radio, or "microradio," as its advocates prefer, has strong roots in Northern California. Free Radio Berkeley, the most well-known microradio venture, was founded in 1993 by activist Stephen Dunifer and ceased operating in 1998 after a legal battle with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Other micro-power broadcasters, such as Berkeley Liberation Radio and San Francisco Liberation Radio, have been battling to stay on-air. Posada, a former Free Radio Berkeley DJ, says that in the 1990s he saw a need for Spanish-language microradio to bring the movement's ethos to a more diverse audience. "The fact is that the so-called minority, now majority, communities that are here in California, the people that really need these (microradio) projects to be working for them. We weren't connecting with them." he says. In April 2003 Posada launched his Radio Sonidera 102.5 FM in Fruitvale, with help from Dunifer and other microradio activists. For now, Radio Sonidera broadcasts only on weekends. Sometimes Posada broadcasts from behind a mobile taquería in a parking lot; at other times it's the bed of a beat-up pickup that Posada's off-and-on technical adviser, Ruben Tomar, uses to wheel around the equipment. On an overcast Saturday last month, Posada, who wears his hair buzzed with a bushy rattail sprouting from the back, broadcast in Fruitvale's shopping district in front of a café. Sympathetic owners let him plant the antenna on the roof. Posada says he doesn't mind the risk such visibility entails for a microradio operator. Latino families gathered around to watch the sidewalk show. Posada, microphone in hand, intermittently shouted out his station call letters, handed out promotional flyers to passersby and took cell phone call requests. Meanwhile, he shuffled CDs in and out of a boom box on a wobbly fold out table. "Bueno, bueno, bueno," he'd say between songs. "Seguimos aquí en la 102.5 FM, en Fruitvale." Posada grew up in a working class family in Mexico City. His parents were migrants to the metropolis from two poor interior states, Guanajuato and Michoacán. Posada immigrated to the United States by himself at the age of 20 -- searching, he says, for the latest in music, radio and media knowledge. He drifted through various musical infatuations -- salsa, then punk, then, hip-hop, until he found the sonidero style, which allowed him to combine it all. Like the spontaneous music of the original Jamaican reggae DJs of the 1970s, the process of making in la música sonidera is an intrinsic part of its identity. Sonido is created by charismatic DJs, the sonideros, who perform in clubs in Mexican cities, especially in Mexico City's peripheral neighborhoods, teeming colonias, and increasingly in U.S. urban areas with large Latino populations. Posada says much of his playlist is recordings of these concerts. The sonideros interact with the audience as they speak over the tunes, rhyming, cracking jokes, or intoning the fans' names. A danceable cumbia or salsa track is mixed with other sounds -- everything from electrónica to rap. Posada himself may play the role of a sonidero as he talks over a track. Sonideros' shows are burned onto CDs as they perform. After the show the CDs are sold, "like tortillas, except more expensive," Posada says. In turn, these CDs are copied and re-copied by fans. The digital dissemination of the music means that sonideros can even facilitate transnational communication. Often, says Posada, a DJ in México will take a request and give a "shout out" to an audience member's relative living in Los Ángeles or elsewhere in the United States. As he lays down the tracks, the DJ will sometimes say, appropriating an expression often used in a derogatory way: "This one's going mojado-style, (wetback-style), across the border." "This music is not depending on commercial conduits to spread itself," says Posada, though he says some FM stations in Mexico City and L.Á. are beginning to produce a slicker, more diluted version of the sonidero style. Both sonidero music and microradio, he says, "are on the margins of commercial music culture." Tomar, Posada's occasional adviser, estimates that with 20-watt capacity and no-frills equipment, Radio Sonidera potentially reaches 60,000 people. That's no threat to Spanish-language media conglomerates like Univisión, which has three FM frequencies in the area, but it's definitely an alternative -- at least during the limited times when it is on-air. The FCC has cracked down on microradio stations this year, especially in the San Francisco area. Meanwhile, recent FCC-approved rule changes in media ownership, activists say, will make it harder for community- based radio stations to secure a slice of the FM dial. Posada wants to expand Radio Sonidera to include daily morning and evening broadcasts. "If I succeed in what I am trying to do, then that's a political statement of a kind -- that people like me won't be smothered and disappear in anonymity." (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. Topic: FCC PERMITS CERTAIN OBSCENITIES, The f*#!-ing Golden Globe Awards! Posted: Dec. 16 2003, 11:02 In a recent television show, ``The Golden Globe Awards,`` one of the winners came up to the microphone and said: ``Thanks for this f----ing award!`` A torrent of complaints went out to the FCC and in a move that some find incomprehensible, the commission has all but authorized the use of the F-word so long as it does not depict sexual activities. No, I`m not making this up. You can see the FCC`s actual statement on the subject in a MEMORANDUM OPINION on the FCC`s website. Pay particular attention to paragraph 5, where the use of the word is rationalized. This FCC opinion is not limited to commercial broadcasters. It in fact applies to all such ``indecency laws`` and as a result, also to amateur radio. So, the next time you hear someone using the F-word on the air, just note that it`s a free speech issue, and a word which the FCC says is OK, depending on the circumstances of it`s use and whether or not there is an actual sexual connotation to the remark. Personally, I don`t know how you can separate the two in the context of the F-word, but, the FCC apparently has figured it out. It appears that the Hollywood has again succeeded in lowering national community standards by yet another notch. What`s next? See: http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2003/DA-03-3045A1.html for the complete opinion. P.S. - Despite the FCC ruling, QRZ will continue to prohibit the use of the word on this website. -fred (Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ Founder, QRZ.COM via John Norfolk, DXLD) see http://www.qrz.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=3&t=50857 for the beginning of the thread on this subject ** U S A. FCC`S POWELL FEELS THAT TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING TOO QUICKLY FOR FCC RULES FCC Chairman Michael Powell says that the telecommunications industry needs to start with a clean slate when it comes to regulations. Speaking recently at the University of California at San Diego, Powell said that technologic innovation is happening so quickly now that current rules can`t keep pace. Powell went on to say that the result is a mishmash of regulations that do not treat all technologies are equally. He says that the situation is becoming even more complicated as companies begin to offer a wide range of services using new technologies such as voice over the Internet. To help reshape regulation of the telecommunications market, Powell said he would like to provide as much freedom as possible for entrepreneurs interested in evolving technologies. You can read the complete story on-line at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/wed/business/news_1b10powell.html (CGC via Amateur Radio Newsline December 19 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON SEPARATE ANTENNAS FOR IBOC http://beradio.com/ar/radio_currents_47/index.htm#antennas Washington - Dec 8, 2003 - On July 24, 2003, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) submitted a report to the FCC regarding the use of separate antennas for the analog and digital components of a hybrid FM IBOC signal. The report includes field tests prepared by an ad hoc technical group, and recommends that the Commission permit certain FM stations implementing IBOC transmissions to use separate antennas for analog and digital signals. The NAB report is available electronically at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecf under MM Docket No. 99-325. The FCC seeks comments on the conclusions and recommendations made by the NAB report. Stations may voluntarily initiate hybrid IBOC transmissions on notification to the FCC. The initial grant of interim IBOC authority restricted stations to use of facilities similar to those evaluated by the National Radio Systems Committee. As a result, stations are currently restricted to transmission systems that combine the digital and analog signals into one antenna. Many broadcasters, however, have expressed interest in using separate antennas for the analog and digital signals. Separate antenna configurations can be more efficient and less expensive than single-antenna designs. Consequently, the NAB convened the ad hoc technical group to determine whether broadcasters could use this approach without causing interference to the host station’s analog signal or to other FM stations. Based on the completed field tests, the NAB report proposes that the FCC permit FM stations implementing IBOC operations to use separate antennas for digital transmissions provided the following criteria are met: The digital transmission must use a licensed auxiliary antenna; The auxiliary antenna must be within three seconds of latitude and longitude of the main antenna; The height above average terrain of the auxiliary antennas must be between 70 and 100 percent of the height above average terrain of the main antenna. The report also recommends that the Commission authorize use of antennas specially designed with interleaved or stacked elements for analog and digital signals. Comments are due on or before Jan. 8, 2004, and reply comments on or before Jan. 23, 2004. Note: MM Docket No. 99-325 (via Art Blair, DXLD) ** U S A. COURT-TO-FBI: NO MONITORING OF IN-CAR CONVERSATIONS A federal appeals court has ruled that the FBI and other police agencies may not eavesdrop on conversations inside automobiles equipped with dashboard communications systems. Amateur Radio Newsline`s Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the details: The court decision stems from action brought in a case where the FBI got the assistance of a vehicle monitoring company to monitor conversations in a passenger car equipped with such a device. The Appeals Court said a District judge was wrong to have granted the FBI its request for the surreptitious monitoring. David Sobel is the General Counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. He says that the problem the appeals court had with the surveillance was not based on privacy grounds at all. According to Sobel, the court deemed that the FBI was actually interfering with the contractual relationship between the service provider and the customer. In fact, it was doing so to the point that the service was being interrupted. If the surveillance had been done in a way that was seamless and undetectable, Sobel says the court would have had no problem with it. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale Arizona. The decision is binding only in California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, and other states that fall within the 9th Circuit`s jurisdiction. (CGC, C-Net, others via Amateur Radio Newsline December 19 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 6045, "R Zimbabwe" heard late 0130-0210 on Dec 12, very nice African music with a male DJ. Some QRM from close channels but overall from fair to good. No Asia. Also on 6035 no Bhutan but La Voz del Guaviare (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, DSWCI DX Window Dec 17 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ 73 ARCHIVED Buckmaster archiving 73 Amateur Radio Today on the Web: Buckmaster Publishing is archiving the entire 43 years of 73 Amateur Radio Today on the Web. 73 debuted in 1960 and ceased publication with its September 2003 issue. Buckmaster now has a test version of what eventually will become a fee-based service on its HamCall.net site http://hamcall.net/cgi-bin/73.exe and invites comments from the amateur community at info@buck.com (ARRL December 17 via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SHORTWAVE AS MUSIC ++++++++++++++++++ WILLIAM BASINSKI, DISINTEGRATION LOOPS II (2062) From CD review in City Pages (Minneapolis) weekly: http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1202/article11755.asp The world doesn't end with a bang or a whimper -- it unravels slowly with the crisp paper sound of a Chinese yo-yo held upside down. And when it finally comes undone, William Basinski will be there to capture it. Two years ago, just before September 11, the New York sound artist rediscovered a collection of analog tape loops he had mixed together from samples of shortwave radio static back in 1982. When the Twin Towers fell, Basinski was in his Manhattan apartment, digitally processing the magnetic tape, which had begun to disintegrate due to its age. Playing those fragile compositions back, he discovered an eerie meditation on the ephemeral relationship between music and the mind. Just as each sad strophe expires, it loops back upon itself like a memory that can't be removed -- proof that some things take on permanent significance only in death. That the only way to preserve something is to let it break down completely. (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ ARRL SAYS HAM ANTENNAS DON`T HARM BIRDS Amateur radio towers and antennas are not hazardous to migratory birds and the ARRL has asked the FCC to exempt them from any environmental regulations that the FCC might enact. This is the gist of a League filing that has asked the regulatory agency to specifically exempt ham radio installations from routine environmental processing relative to their impact on these creatures. Our Avian specialist Joe Moell, K0OV, has more: As previously reported here on Amateur Radio Newsline, environmental groups have claimed for years that broadcast, cellular and communications towers and antennas are responsible for the wholesale slaughter of migratory birds. According to their Web site, TOWERKILL.COM, a single 1000-foot tower near Eau Claire, Wisconsin has been shown to be responsible for over 121,000 bird deaths from 1957 to 1994, 123 different species in all. Based on an average of 1200 birds per tall TV tower per year, one environmentalist claims 1.2 million birds die every year by colliding with the towers and their extensive guy wire systems, usually at night. And that`s just the towers over 800 feet high. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, as of 1998 there were almost 40,000 registered towers in the continental USA with height above ground greater than 200 feet. Due to the rapid growth of the Personal Communication Service industry, it is estimated that there are about 5000 new towers being erected every year. The majority of tower kills are east of the Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific Coast. Tall towers with extensive guy systems directly in the spring and fall migratory paths are the worst offenders, but environmentalists say that short towers on hilltops can be just as bad. So why aren`t there piles of avian carcasses at the foot of most tall towers? It`s because scavenger animals clean up the areas before dawn. Groups such as Forest Conservation Council and Friends of the Earth took FCC to court for not having a sense of urgency in dealing with this issue. This resulted in an FCC Notice of Inquiry released last August wherein the FCC sought more information on the effects of communications towers on migratory birds, and what new regulations, if any, should be imposed. And the American Radio Relay League decided to add itself to the list of about 250 commenters, to protect the rights of radio amateurs. According to the ARRL Letter, the League`s reply comments were filed on December 1st. They point out that, according to studies by agencies such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, communications towers below 400 feet are almost universally considered to be non-contributors in the bird mortality issue. ARRL goes on to state that typical ham radio fixed antennas and support structures range from 50 to 120 feet, although a few may go as high as 200 feet. They rarely go any higher because of the requirements to gain FAA approval and adhere to government mandated painting and lighting requirements, not to mention the cost and siting restrictions involved putting up such a massive installation. Most ham towers are located mostly residential areas, well away from the flight patterns of migratory birds. The bottom line: The ARRL concludes that short, unlit ham radio antennas should not be candidates for any additional regulation, because they are not a threat to our fine feathered friends. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I`m Joe Moell, K0OV reporting. The FCC Notice of Inquiry on bird safety drew upward of 250 responses by the time the commentary period had closed. (ARRL, K0OV, Amateur Radio Newsline Dec 19 via John Norfolk, DXLD) RECORDING CATCHES (from NRD525/535 yahoo group) What is the best way to connect my 525 to my computer to record catches? I tried the four audio outputs from my radio to my computer and all of the connections introduce computer hash. I am using a laptop with a "mic" input, the only one on the computer. Do I need an isolation transformer of some kind? (Bill Harms) -------------------------- I have had no trouble with recording off my receivers (including two 525's) - however I have used the line-in, not mic input. If you don't have a line input on your laptop, you may want to consider an external soundboard like Creative Soundblaster MP3+, it connects to a USB port and has two phono inputs for stereo audio. Can be fastened to the laptop cover with velcro. I use this one on one of my (none line-in) laptops and it works like a gem. Creative says USD 59.99, maybe cheaper elsewhere. Btw I have found that recording off the 525's external speaker output is just as fine as using the line-out, since you can adjust output level with the AF Gain. The audio quality seems to be identical. (Regards, Bjarne Mjelde Berlevag, Arctic Norway) ------------------------- For recording, try Total Recorder from http://www.highcriteria.com It lets you record in most formats, including wav and mp3 in many bitrates, and it has a user-selectable time buffer so that you won't miss an ID because you were too late to hit the Record button. Can also be used for automatic recording at specified times and duration. Extremely easy to scan an audio file since you can jump forward or backwards at intervals you choose (2, 4, 8, 16 seconds etc). You can also select a part of the recording and save the selection. A registered standard version costs USD 12, the trial version is fully working but restricted to recording 40 seconds at a time. Another useful too which I haven't tested is RecAll Pro, from http://www.sagebrush.com It can be VOX activated (Regards, Bjarne Mjelde Berlevag, Arctic Norway) ---------------------------- Bill, I use two programs for audio recording on my receivers (one of which is a 5255). The first program is called Yamp 2.3... pretty conventional in operation but with a really nice graphic display and it has a built in timer function. http://www.softuarium.com/index.htm The second program is called Loop Recorder. I discovered this one from a link at Radio Netherlands. It is a great audio recorder program that in normal operation runs a continuous recording loop. The default is 10 minutes. At any time you can change it to continuous and then stop, edit and save. http://www.looprecorder.de/ This is a great program for those of us who are slow at turning on the recorder. As long as you get to it within the fixed loop period you can change it to continuous and never loose the beginning of the program. I have tried a number of other programs but found myself gravitating towards these two. They are not free but they are not expensive either. I can't recall seeing a laptop without a line in before... many without a mic input except on their docks. Anyway, always want to use a high level input if you can. (73, Jerald) (all via SW Bulletin Dec 14 via DXLD) FCC ALLOCATES ROAD HAZARD SPECTRUM Slashdot is tonight linking to a story on Iwon that says the FCC has approved spectrum for road hazard/notification use for motorists. Somewhat amazingly (to me), the writer of the story, one Jonathan Salant, gives no clue as to what KINDS of frequencies are involved. I'll have to assume it is now in a range that was previously unavailable for HD radio broadcasting. There are interesting quotes as well. This is probably not a MW item but may have an effect on deployment of HAR/TIS radio. The implementation may be as much as 10 years out. http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20031217/D7VG8UJO0.html (Bob Foxworth, Tampa, Florida, Dec 17, NRC-AM; also via Harry van Vugt, Ont., via DXLD) http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ivi/demo1.htm (Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada) 5.85-5.925 GHz, per the FCC's news release: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-242309A1.pdf No threat to broadcasting, and perhaps this will finally stick the fatal fork into the flawed "Safetycast" nonsense... s (Scott Fybush, NY, Dec 17, NRC-AM via DXLD) FCC SETS ASIDE RADIO SPECTRUM FOR SMART CARS By Jonathan D. Salant Associated Press Posted on Thu, Dec. 18, 2003 http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/7520000.htm WASHINGTON - A flashing light in your car lets you know it's safe to change lanes. An alarm warns you at an intersection that another driver is speeding through. A beeping sound tells you you're getting too close to the motorist in front of you. The information would be broadcast from sensors along the highway over special frequencies that no one else could use. Though the technology is still five to 10 years away, the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday set aside an area of broadcast spectrum to transmit those signals, rather than have them share space with electronic toll sensors, cell phones and garage door openers. The idea is to reduce the 6 million crashes that occur each year on U.S. highways, which kill 42,000 people and cost more than $230 billion, according to the Transportation Department. ``We're making it safer for everyone who relies on the roads,'' FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy said. ``There were a couple of cars ahead of me this morning that would have used this collision avoidance system.'' The warnings could be received within 100 yards of the transmitters, and thus are only for communications between vehicles or between a vehicle and a sensor along the road. ``This new radio spectrum will help prevent crashes, bring important real-time information into cars and let drivers concentrate on driving,'' Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta said. Transportation Department officials are testing the technology at an intersection in McLean, Va., where sensors can automatically warn a motorist when another car is approaching, helping to avoid collisions. Not everyone is enthusiastic about the technology, however. ``A lot of these systems are based on the idea that if you could simply warn drivers in advance of an impending crash, the driver could take action to prevent the crash,'' said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the industry-funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. ``But drivers don't always do the right thing. They don't take the appropriate action. Warning them ahead of time has no benefit.'' Mineta said the new frequencies also could be used at railroad grade crossings, and to allow emergency vehicles to control traffic signals. (San José Mercury News via Jilly Dybka; also Washington Post via Mike Cooper, DXLD) WTFK???!!! FCC SETS ASIDE RADIO SPECTRUM FOR 'SMART' CARS Jeff Nesmith - Cox Washington Bureau, Thursday, December 18, 2003 Washington --- Someday your car may warn you of a traffic jam ahead, or even pay for its own gasoline wirelessly. That day moved a step closer Wednesday when the government formally reserved a small section of radio spectrum to support highway safety and ''smart'' transportation systems. The Federal Communication Commission adopted licensing rules for using the radio frequencies between 5.850 and 5.925 gigahertz (the ''5.9-GHz band'') for dedicated traffic communications. A variety of communications will be collectively known as the Dedicated Short-Range Communications system. Over that system, cars will one day communicate with each other and the highway, drivers will pay for gasoline or even drive-through hamburgers, and public safety agencies will deliver timely safety and driving delay information, advocates say. ''This is an enabling technology that does not have immediate commercial potential,'' said John Collins of Mobility Technologies, a Pennsylvania company involved in installing intelligent transportation systems. ''However, the idea behind it is to create a high-speed means of communicating between vehicles and between a vehicle and the roadside,'' Collins added. Leaders of the fast-expanding industry hailed the action as comparable to creation of the Internet. ''It's a very important step in the evolution of ITS [intelligent transportation system] technology,'' said Neil Schuster, president of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. ''Many intelligent transportation technologies are already in development and in use, but to integrate them, you need communication. This will make it possible,'' he added. Schuster said safety and traffic flow innovations that the technology makes possible will save thousands of lives and billions of dollars. More than 43,000 Americans die in 6 million vehicle accidents each year, and more than $300 million is lost to fuel wasted in congestion, medical costs and other consequences of traffic problems, he said. Schuster said he expects many existing intelligent transportation technologies to be drawn to the new communication system and others to be developed. Innovations will range from more information about highway conditions surrounding a driver to futuristic systems in which cars and buses are operated without drivers, he said. Global positioning systems and computer mapping technologies already are used to assist drivers, and some companies are marketing radio-operated safety systems for truckers. In its vote, the FCC formalized its decision that the 5.9-GHz band should be used primarily for public safety with limited non-safety uses. (c) 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) I thought Safetycast was dead before it got started, and forgot all about it. I know that Safetycast was planned for an initial trial-run in Florida but thought it never made it beyond the test stage. (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, NRC-AM via DXLD) Alas, it's still alive - the latest development is an experimental authorization issued to them to test on 91.7 in a single county in Florida. For those who still aren't familiar with Safetycast, it's a system that's supposed to allow emergency vehicles to override broadcast frequencies to convey important emergency messages ("There's an ambulance behind you...MOVE OVER!") via a transmitter mounted in the vehicle. The thing has been the buzz of the radio engineering lists for months now, as the experts try to figure out what kind of power you'd actually need to run to override the signals of high-powered broadcasters - for instance, with my close proximity to so many Rochester signals, I get several AM stations with field strengths of something like 80 or 90 mV/m, and I'm within the 90 dBu contour of at least three FM signals, so overcoming those would take some serious signal levels - which in turn would mean LOTS of interference to those signals for listeners well out of the range of the actual emergency situation. If the system were implemented by my county's sheriff road patrol, let's say, it would either be drowned out in my RF-laden neighborhood, or it would have to run so much power that it would cause significant interference when used in less RF-heavy areas. Now add to that the fact that the EAS system depends on broadcasters receiving other broadcasters' signals over the air. If a police car drives by the radio station just as the local EAS primary is broadcasting a test or, worse yet, an actual alert, there's the real potential that the station may never hear the EAS signal. (Safetycast says it can eliminate this possibility by registering EAS receiver locations and using GPS to silence Safetycast transmitters within a 1000' radius of those receivers - but how would that work for someone like Fred at WLIO, who gets EAS from stations as far distant as WOWO. I'm guessing ANY transmission on 1190 in or around Lima would kill his WOWO reception at WLIO...) Or what about my QTH, with the town police station 1000 feet to my east and the fire station 400 feet to my west? Will my home radio reception be knocked out every time a police car or fire engine is dispatched? (Safetycast says people like me can register their locations and have the Safetycast disabled within 1000' of them, too - but all it would take in my small town is a half-dozen like-minded people to register their locations, and the thing wouldn't work anywhere in the central part of town.) None of these objections has thus far fazed the folks at Safetycast - in fact, nowhere on their Website will you even find any mention that the technology they're sellling has yet to receive FCC approval, and may never get approved. I'm sure they mean well, and I'd hate to accuse them of being a bunch of scam artists, but they are at the very least not very well educated on the laws of physics. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) The big problem (IMHO) is what happens when these transmitters get out "into the wild". You may have heard a few weeks back about someone in Detroit selling equipment to trigger those infrared devices that turn stoplights green for emergency vehicles. I would have to imagine a device that allows you to tell every car on the road to pull over and let you pass would fetch a pretty good price on the black market. Especially given its alternative value for forcing your advertising into every radio ((Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) Seems to me that the solution might be to place it on 108.1 MHz, and make all receivers after that date capable of listening for the signal as a separate, muted source. When the radio hears the transmission on 108.1, it would then react accordingly. The spec should specify that the signal be transmitted in digital, and that the transmitter contain a Smart GPS knowing the direction of travel. That way in cars with Onstar and GPS, the system could be designed so that if the driver was not near the approaching emergency, or the emergency vehicle passed, the radio would ignore further transmissions. It slays me how some companies can come up with such evasive ways to damage what we have/use now. With this, digital radio, and other things --- the solution is simple. Don't mess with what exists. Oh well. Got to go change spark plug wires on my car. Hopefully they`re not digital, and will still work with the analog engine. |grin| (Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) CONTESTS ++++++++ The 6th Russian DX Contest will take place on 6-16 February 2004. Contrary to the previous ones, now it's a really international event. The Contest consists of two air-listening parts and a quiz. First of all, I invite everyone to participate. Then, if anyone can provide some prizes (of any value), that's heartily appreciated. I'd prefer any kinds of DX literature (historical books, CD disks, fresh editions of DX handbooks, subscriptions to paid DX services, etc.). If you have anything to offer, please contact the organizer at dxc2004@d.... [truncated by yahoogroups] I'm planning to create a special contest page at http://dxsignal.info putting there links/banners of all persons/organizations who offer prizes for the Contest. I have already got agreements with Anker Petersen (Denmark) and Jim Solatie (Finland) - they will provide some good stuff for contest performers. The rules are already online as a PDF file. See them at http://dxsignal.info/read/RDXC_en.pdf The document is also available from my English homepage, http://dxsignal.info/indexen.htm All clubs and DX editors are free to distribute this news (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, organizer of the Contest, Signal Dec 14 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ URSIDS METEOR SHOWER PEAKS TOMORROW A reminder that the Ursids meteor shower lasts from Dec 17 to 25, and will peak on Dec 22. I have noticed a few reports of unusual propagation today on the Skywaves list [VHF]. (Mike Terry, UK, Dec 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###