DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-051, March 20, 2004 edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.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 For restrixions and searchable 2004 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 1224: Sat 1930 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2130 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2130 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2200 on DKOS usually, http://www.live365.com/stations/steve_cole Sun 0030 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0330 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0730 on WWCR 3210 Sun 1100 on WRN1 to North America, webcast; also KSFC 91.9 Spokane WA, and WDWN 89.1 Auburn NY; maybe KTRU 91.7 Houston TX, each with webcasts Sun 2000 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sun 2100 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Mon 0200 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB [NEW] Mon 0430 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [last week`s 1223] Mon 0515 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Tue 0400 on SIUE Web Radio http://www.siue.edu/WEBRADIO/ 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 1224 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1224h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1224h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1224.html WORLD OF RADIO 1224 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1224.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1224.rm ** AFGHANISTAN. The new 100 kW shortwave transmitter to Kabul was already mentioned in DXLD 3-196. Here an item from http://www.becil.com/Tenders.html ------- Notice for invitation of Applications for Pre-qualification of Vendors for Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning and Training if 100 kW Short Wave Transmitter at Kabul, Afganistan. BECIL invites applications for pre-qualification from reputed manufacturers/system integrators for Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning and Training of 100 kW Short Wave Transmitter and accessories at Kabul, Afghanistan. The last date of receipt of applications is 7th February, 2004. The application for pre-qualification must be supported with following documents : Major Activities of the company Turn over for figures of last 3 years Supply record of last 5 years ------- So it seems we have to wait for some time before this one is on the air (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFRICA. Hello Everyone: I am leaving for Africa May 15th; I would offer this. If you have a reception report of an African station that you just CAN NOT get verified, I am willing to attempt to hand deliver your report if I am in country! For sure I will be in Angola, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan and West Africa. I am selling my home and will no longer be accepting postal mail as of April 30th. You can E Mail me at: n52w113 @ hotmail.com and if agreeable, I will E Mail you my postal address. Please be prepared for this; I would ask that anyone sending a report, please consider making a small donation in US cash, for a co-operation fund (coined Nigel Pimblett), if need be; alternatively, wouldn`t it be nice just to leave a little gift with the V/S after years of their kindness and cooperation. A donation is not mandatory; I am sure greatly appreciated. Please, I make NO GUARANTEES about getting QSL's, the only promise I make is this, I will do everything legally possible to get to the particular station. I have been across Africa overland, hitch-hiked and am really looking forward to being in Africa again, this time from the comfort of an expedition outfitted Toyota Land Cruiser; age brings wisdom and a bad back, hi, hi. I would like to thank the following people for their help with technical questions, balun construction, E Mail support, the donation of a Wellbrook K9AY unit, spare parts and their friendship, in no particular order: Bill Smith-USA, Ed Kusalik-Canada, George Maroti- USA, Andy Ikin-England, Vince Stevens-South Africa, Don Moman-Canada, Vashek Korinek-South Africa, Ulis Flemming-USA, Nigel Pimblett-Canada, Jim Boucher-Chad, Mickey Delmage-Canada, Sheldon Harvey-Canada, David Abell-Equatorial Guinea and Mel Brownlee-Sudan. 73. (Joe Talbot, VA6JWT, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, March 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. After you had another excerpt of an e-mail thread on this matter I would like to add that I put a big question mark behind Gjirokastër as site of 5057 (silenced around 1989). Of course any publication will list it as such, but I wouldn't be surprised if this site information was just another lie beside Krujë for Cërrik and Lushnjë for Fllakë. Probably 5057 was in practice operated from either Cërrik or Shijak. And there are clear signs that 1215 and 1395 share one transmitter, but TWR lists 1395 as ``only`` 500 kW now. So no transmitter pair seems to be in use on 1395 anymore and herewith only two transmitters at Fllakë in service at present, making me wonder if the third one is still operational? Usual suspicion: Perhaps the third unit already had to be cannibalized for spare parts? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Re: Australian X-Band at a Glance Glenn: Contact details such as mailing addresses, websites, emails and more are not included. The 4-digit postal codes are those of the transmitter site because this is where confusion often reigns. In many cases, studios are hundreds or thousands of km away. Remember, this is 'at a glance' not 'in detail' :) One correction (based on local monitoring in Perth): add: 1620 Balcatta 6021 (Perth) Radio 2 MOR; delete 1629 Mundaring 6073 (Perth) Radio 2 MOR. 73's (David Ricquish, Wellington, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. RCI A-04 Schedule: 4 April to 30 October 2004 Arabic 0230-0259 ME 5840hb 9635sk 11835vi 0330-0359 ME 7125we 9645sk 11900vi 1915-1944 ME 11965we 15200mo 17820sa 93.3vol 93.4vol 93.6vol 2115-2144 ME 1233rm Chinese 2200-2229 China 9525ki 11810ki 12035ya 2300-2329 China 9525ki 11715ya 11810ki 13660ya 15360sn English 0000-0057 AS 9640ki 15205xi 0100-0159 NAM/Carib 9755sa 11990sa 13710sa 0200-0257 India 15510xi 17860xi 1200-1259 AS 9660ya 15190ya 1200-1459 NAM/Carib 9515sa 13655sa 17800sa 1300-1559 NAM/Carib (sa+su) 9515sa 13655sa 17800sa 1500-1557 India 15455xi 17720xi 1800-1859 AF 9530we 11770dh 13730we 15255sk 2000-2059 EU 5850hb 7235sk 11690sk 13700sa 17870sa 2100-2159 NAM 9800sa (DRM) 2200-2229 NAM/Carib 5960sa 13785sa 15170sa 2229-2359 NAM/Carib 5960sa 13785sa 2230-2259 China 9525ki 11810ki 12035ya French 1300-1529 NAM/Carib 13785sa 17820sa 1400-1559 NAM/Carib (sa+su) 13785sa 17820sa 1900-1959 EU 5850hb 5995sk 7235sk 13700sa 15325sa 17870sa 2000-2059 AF 5995sk 11965we 15325sa 2130-2229 NAM/Carib (mo-fr) 15300sa 17880sa 2200-2259 NAM/Carib (sa-su) 15300sa 17880sa 2200-2259 AF 11755as 2229-2259 NAM/Carib (mo-fr) 15300sa 17880sa Language Lessons 1300-1329 China 9660ya 15190ya 1430-1459 China 9680ya 11890ya Russian 1500-1529 Rus 6055ki 9920hb 11935we 15325ra 1600-1629 Rus 11935wo 15325ra Spanish 0000-0029 CAM 11825sa 11990sa 13725sa 2300-2329 Carib/LAM 11825sa 15455sa as = Ascension mo = Moscow ra = Rampisham rm = R. Monte Carlo sa = Sackville sk = Skelton sn = Singapore vi = Vienna vol = V of Lebanon we = Wertachtal wo = Wofferton xi = Xian ya = Yamata [via Andreas Volk-D, ADDX via Wolfgang Bueschel, re-arranged from spreadsheet by Alan Roe, DX LISTENING DIGEST] Are you sure this is complete? What about Ukrainian and Portuguese?? Or are those definitely not to be on SW??? (Glenn to Alan, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, I cannot say for sure about the Ukrainian/Portuguese broadcasts - all I can say is that the details I have retyped are derived from an Excel spreadsheet that I *assume* originated from RCI (forwarded by Andreas Volk via Wolfgang Bueschel) which definately doesn't show those languages (Alan Roe, ibid.) The Merlin schedule in question (Chakroborty sent out today) shows still RCI Ukrainian at 1530-1600 via WOF 11935 300kW 075 deg, and RMP 15325 500 kW 076 deg. I think the composer guy at RCI technical department left out this Ukrainian service entry, when changed the xls sheet page 1 to 2 (line 77 to 86) ... But I didn't see any Portuguese entry in the past, neither in printed RCI B03 leaflet, nor in WRTH B03 RCI schedule. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Concerning Ukrainian: I would assume that this late reprieve is already considered in the Merlin file but not in the RCI schedule that appears to be distributed earlier. And a previous DXLD item indicated that this was indeed a quite late reprieve that obviously resulted from somebody becoming aware of the rebroadcasting agreement with Ukrainskoye Radio. Concerning Portuguese: The RCI Action Committee states that ``all that can be confirmed is that there will "probably" be a weekly program of perhaps 15 or 30 minutes``´. This of course hardly looks like a shortwave transmission (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In the meantime I received printouts of the new RCI schedules from Bill Westenhaver, headed MW/SW/FM, so that means they do not include internet-only and satellite-only broadcasts. Nothing about Portuguese, which would presumably rely on FM rebroadcasting in Brasil. Skipping over the Week of Confusion version, the sked from April 4 shows a gap at 1530-1600 between two Russian broadcasts, where it seems likely Ukrainian would go back in as noted above. BTW, the Russian at 1500 on 11935 is Wertachtal, while at 1600 the same frequency is Woofferton, whilst 15325 is Rampisham for both (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. WHAT'S KILLING AM RADIO You hop into your old pickup -- the one with just the AM radio in the dash -- and head out to work one morning. But much as you fiddle with the tuner and the volume, all you get is static. It's a reality for a growing number of British Columbians: all quiet on the AM front. On Jan. 12, Quesnel radio station CKCQ made its case to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to let it switch from the AM to the FM band. Wild Country, as it's known, plans to move from 920 AM to 100.3 on the FM dial. With that, the good regulator willing, Quesnel will join other communities including Prince George, Vernon, Cranbrook and Fort St. John with no AM station whatsoever. AM radio is disappearing in small and even mid-sized radio markets across Canada, and industry watchers are beginning to wonder whether broadcasters will begin to abandon money-losing AM frequencies in big cities as well. Until recently, it would have been unthinkable. In the 1960s and '70s a radio frequency was practically a licence to print money. The future looked brighter still; the city would grow, but competition could not. There were only so many frequencies on the dial, after all, and they were almost all taken. The last two decades blew a cold wind across the radio dial, however. Advertisers had new, more targeted places to spend their marketing dollars: direct and database marketing, special events, specialty cable and finally the Internet. Audiences were dwindling too. Young listeners, once radio's core market, were both less numerous than they used to be and more inclined to get their music elsewhere -- from television, from clubs, from taping and downloading. Popular music splintered into genres and tribes too small to generate the kind of vast audiences advertisers cared about and too fast for program directors to keep up. The industry's answer was consolidation. Five years ago the CRTC opened the door for broadcasters to own up to four stations in any one market, two AM and two FM. A handful of big companies swallowed up independent stations and regional chains. By syndicating programming, spreading costs across several stations and targeting listener groups with new formats, companies such as Corus Entertainment, Standard Broadcasting, Rogers Media, Chum Ltd. and the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group set out to restore profitability to radio in Canada. Broadly speaking, the strategy worked. According to the Radio Marketing Bureau, industry-wide revenues rose a healthy 6.5 per cent to $1.15 billion for the year ended Aug. 31, 2003. That was double the rate of growth for advertising spending in all media. Not bad for an 80-year-old technology that many had written off as irrelevant years ago. The bottom line does not look too shabby either. In 2002 the radio industry as a whole recorded profits before taxes and interest of 15.9 per cent, Statistics Canada reports. But the overall health of radio only tells part of the story. All those profits and more have come from the FM dial. FM stations posted a 24.3-per-cent profit margin in 2002, and seven out of 10 stations were profitable. By contrast AM stations averaged a 6.8-per-cent loss in 2002, their 13th annual loss in a row. Faced with those kinds of numbers, it becomes less a question of why small-market stations are abandoning the AM band than what exactly is keeping the rest of the AM universe on the air? "It's a sustainability question," says Richard Cavanagh, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' vice-president of radio. "Operators out there are asking themselves the same question." Could the day come when broadcasters simply cut their losses and abandon their AM frequencies? "It's conceivable," Cavanagh concedes. Part of AM's downside is the cost of the equipment involved. AM transmitters require tall towers on a couple of acres of land, subject to property taxes and substantial energy costs. By contrast, an FM transmitter could fit in your average garden shed. Faced with the prospect of replacing one of two $100,000 AM transmitter towers, CKCQ's owner, Cariboo Central Interior Radio Inc., instead decided to switch bands. "We can put an entire new FM station on the air for the price of that one tower," says company president and managing director Terry Shepherd. Still, the factor really driving the flight to FM is signal quality, Shepherd says. Given the choice between the tinny, mono sound of AM and FM stereo, music listeners will gravitate towards FM every time. It isn't even FM so much as compact discs and high-fidelity home and car stereo systems that have spoiled listeners for the AM sound, Shepherd theorizes. "They flip over to a mono AM and it's not there for them any more," he says. Even the commercial-free CBC has been moving its AM service to FM in the hinterland, hence the new, band-neutral moniker "Radio One." The situation is different in larger markets that can sustain all-day talk radio, and where there are usually no FM frequencies to switch to. In recent years only one format has proven sustainable on AM dial: news/talk. There seems to be room in every major market for one big, money-spinning news and information station such as Vancouver's CKNW, Victoria's CFAX, Winnipeg's CJOB and Edmonton's CHED. Even mid-sized markets boast the odd AM station broadcasting a successful mix of local and syndicated talk and junior hockey broadcasts, such as CKOV in Kelowna and CHNL in Kamloops. "That's been the most viable format and the stations that have done well at it over the past 10 years or so are those that have been in the format for a long time," says Doug Rutherford, vice-president of Corus Radio's western operations, which includes CKNW. Even then, these "heritage stations," as Rutherford calls them, cannot match the profitability of their FM sisters because of their high operating costs; they require big local news teams and marquee talk- show hosts. (On FM, it's the music that's the star and music comes cheap.) Beyond those heritage stations the depth chart on AM falls off precipitously. Virtually all music formats have been tried and tested, and the only one with a hope of finding a niche is "memory music" from the 1940s and '50s, whose mostly older audience is less demanding of sonic perfection. That's typically the default format that broadcasters resort to when their experiments in talk radio don't pan out. Rogers has pioneered all-news in several markets with modest audience success. Sports talk has succeeded in some markets but not in others. Corus is trying to cultivate an audio equivalent of Maxim magazine with its "guy talk" Mojo stations in Vancouver and Toronto. Still others draw on religious or foreign-language programming. With no profits to speak of as yet, most of these formats still represent "a leap of faith," says Corus' Rutherford. Individual stations' profit and loss statements are not publicly available, but it's doubtful that any of the also-ran AM stations in the Lower Mainland (other than CKNW) are actually turning a profit. "It is certainly a struggle to make the stations on the AM band in Vancouver pay for themselves," admitted Jim Pattison Broadcast Group president Rick Arnish. "If all the station groups in Vancouver could do it, we'd convert them to FM tomorrow if there were enough frequencies available." In the past three years, Pattison has converted five of its 19 stations from AM to FM, leaving just three on the AM side, including "adult favourites" outlet CKBD AM600, which this summer hired a suddenly unemployed Rafe Mair in a bid to "turn the tide" on the balance sheet, Arnish said. The move paid off in listenership this fall, as CKBD garnered a 5.7-per-cent share of the audience at any one time. But even being the No. 2 commercial AM station in the market does not necessarily translate into profits. To save money, CKBD employs voice tracking, which means the nighttime announcer actually records all the patter between songs in a shortened daytime shift. That way, the station needs only have a single studio engineer to run the show through the night. Other, talk-oriented stations turn to syndicated programming to cut costs, though that trend has never taken off in Canada the way it has in the United States, where there are literally hundreds of markets to share the costs of a Howard Stern or a Rush Limbaugh. No matter how they trim costs, the vast majority of AM stations still lose money, relying on their money-spinning FM twins to subsidize their operations. The only thing keeping them from abandoning their frequencies, some say, is the promise of digital radio. "That's why a lot of us are hanging on to the AM frequencies at this point in time, is to convert the AMs to digital once digital is accepted," Arnish says. With digital radio, all stations, AM and FM alike, would be broadcast over the same digital band with the same excellent sound quality. And existing radio broadcasters with an existing audience base would have the first crack at the new digital transmission licences. Still, he concedes, the emergence of digital radio is probably more of an "if" than a "when." A number of Canadian stations, including 14 in Vancouver, have already been licensed to transmit a digital signal. The trouble is electronics manufacturers are not making digital radios on a grand scale. No major automakers are installing them in cars. There is more static on the airwaves in that the CRTC has licensed a European standard known as Eureka. However, American broadcasters are leaning towards a different standard called IBOC (in band on channel). "I think Eureka's dead. IBOC's going to be the digital standard," Arnish says. He expects it will be five to 10 years before affordable digital radios hit the market. And even then, will consumers already switching to MP3 players, CD burners and streaming media care enough to upgrade their radio hardware? "It took forever for FM to be accepted in this country," Arnish recalls. And that was in a world with fewer listening options. Neil Gallagher, general manager of Chum's three-station cluster in Vancouver, isn't holding his breath for digital either. But that doesn't mean he's giving up on AM -- quite the opposite. He believes that after years of cost-cutting and reformatting, urban AM is on the verge of recovery. The problem with AM has not been the signal -- which most listeners can't distinguish -- but rather the programming, Gallagher argues. "It's like going to a bad mall. For a couple of years there's no good stores, then all of a sudden you get some good stores," Gallagher says. Chum brought all-sports-talk to Vancouver with The Team and is now developing Canada's first talk radio format for women at CFUN. Gallagher expects The Team to break even within two years, and CFUN shortly after that as the new formats develop an audience. They will never top the ratings, but they can attract a viable niche, Gallagher says. He notes how sports-talk station The Fan has just a two-per-cent audience share in New York City but is one of the top- grossing stations in the U.S. because it serves a hard-to-reach audience of men in their peak earning years. "The easy answer is to look at it and say AM radio is dying. Well, it isn't moribund. What it is is that we have to convert it," Gallagher says. And that process will be neither easy nor quick. "You have to educate your clients. You have to educate your listeners. You have to develop on-air personalities. It's a lot harder than just playing records." Likewise industry consultant Pat Bohn sees life in AM yet as the ranks of listeners 50 and older -- the ones most likely to listen to talk and oldies -- swell. AM revenues appear to be falling because stations are switching to FM, he says, and any new AM stations are non-commercial campus or community radio. But if you limit the sample to commercial AM stations in Vancouver such as CKNW, News 1130, The Team, CFUN and Mojo, the top line is looking up. "I would bet that those five properties are doing more revenue from the Vancouver market than was coming out of the (entire) market for AM radio five or 10 years ago," he says. And even if AM stations do no better than break even, they provide services such as news and traffic reports for their more profitable FM sisters, as well as prestige for their owners, Bohn says. They will never generate 40-per-cent margins like their FM sisters, he says, but "they're covering their share of the pie. They contribute. They're not dragging it down." (Vancouver Sun March 6 via Eric Flodén, BC, IRCA via DXLD) I found this article quite interesting --- and generally accurate. As an effort to clarify and elaborate on his report, I sent the following e-mail to the author: ========================================================== Mr. McCullough, I was directed (by way of an AM radio hobbyist forum) to your March 6 Vancouver Sun column about AM radio and wanted to interject a couple of points. First, while AM stations often have more than one tower (to directionalize their signal pattern), the towers are not required to be particularly tall. FM is the mode that benefits from tall towers -- - the taller the better. The reasons are technical --- but that's the gist of it. Also, AM stations in major markets in Canada HAVE pulled the plug. As a former Winnipeg broadcaster, that's the only city I follow closely - -- and in the past 10 years, two "heritage" AM stations have bit the dust. One, CKRC, decided to call it quits almost 10 years ago. Among their reasons for switching to FM was their flood-prone transmitter site near the Red River. It's my personal belief that they saw the writing on the wall, and knew that AM would never regain listeners lost to FM. Shortly after the first of this year, CKY in Winnipeg ceased AM programming --- fired up a new FM service --- and will shortly shut down the AM transmitter forever. This 50,000 watt powerhouse had an immense coverage area and prior to CJOB's talk format success had been the market ratings leader for years (Tom Bryant / Nashville TN, IRCA via DXLD) Further to your comments about the towers: if anyone looked at the article on-line (I did not record the URL, sorry), there was a photo that puzzled me. According to the caption, it was of an AM radio tower on Mt. Seymour -- but I thought it had to be an FM tower (Eric Flodén, ibid.) I really believe that Vancouver is a bit of an anamoly in the AM world as AM seems to be very healthy here as opposed to many other large NA cities. It would however be nice to see a little less QRM! (Steve McDonald, NRC AM via DXLD) Two comments: 1) the FM band seems pretty full in Vancouver -- I am not sure where a station would go if it were to want to migrate to FM; 2) as a runner & walker who takes a portable radio on these outings, I sure do notice that AM has shortcomings. For example, CBC Vancouver (CBU-690), even with its great signal, I still lose it downtown among the buildings, or in an elevator, or parking garage. FM performs much better in these instances. (as my portable, I use a wonderful Sangean DT-300VW - and in the office in Vancouver, a CC Radio) CBC Ottawa (Radio One) is on FM, where I just spent 5 weeks -- and doubt if I lost any programming due to interference/shortcomings of the FM band. The only AM (ugh the stations on AM there are bad - or at least not to my tastes) I tried there other than DX was Oldies-1310 when I needed a beat to run with -- but I never tried it in any of the tough reception areas. CKWX-1130 has a monster signal here and I can get them in almost any downtown locale -- but the supposed ratings leader (at least it still is for news/talk), CKNW-980, completely falls away though big chunks of downtown. AM-600 (with my hero, Rafe Mair doing talk in the mornings) is a real challenge -- but then to be fair, unlike the other AMs mentioned, they are only 10 kW. But then, when I leave the metro area, given the mountainous terrain, I lose both AM & FM in short order. THAT is why I went for the SW in the car and so not regret it (Eric Flodén, ibid.) [and non]. Eric and all, The VS look at AM radio is quite stimulating. However, there are several thoughts I would like to add. First, this idea that the grass is greener on the other side of the hill is a very short sided concept, i.e. AM to FM. The FM band is getting so full of stations that none of them come in well. Secondly, who is the moron that decided that more power means less interference, that's really dumb. Thirdly, there are two sides to every radio experience, the transmitter and the receiver. I invite any of you over to listen to the first decade of rock and roll on my National 183-D tuned to KXOL 1660 in the evening. This is a moving experience to say the least. In other words, manufacturers like C Crane and others need to be supported by the last chance (us) buying decent receivers! I could go on and on but that won't do anything but bore everyone. AM is the greatest thing in my radio life of many years and I going to fight to the end. Food for thought. Regards (KF6GNI John, IRCA via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. SNOWBIRDS GO WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD Out in the Mojave desert, American fugitives from family or the law have camped out for 40 years in Mad Max-style Slab City. But as DOUG SAUNDERS discovers, they've been joined by some unlikely neighbours -- sun-seeking Canadians, who have brought along a little peace, order and good . . . well, not government By DOUG SAUNDERS UPDATED AT 1:00 PM EST Saturday, Mar. 20, 2004 NILAND, CALIFORNIA -- The last sort of person you'd expect to meet in this sun-blasted expanse of rusting heaps, leather-skinned loners, Mad Max solar contraptions and endless dust storms would be Valerie Molenkamp, a polite and witty grandmother from Vancouver Island in tennis shoes and pressed white blouse. But here she is, sharing jokes with a circle of bedraggled mountain men whose dirt-soiled T-shirts and free-range facial hair testify to their determined refuge from human civilization, or at least from the obligations of family life. Ms. Molenkamp, poking her head under the awning that covers the assemblage of derelict buses known as the Oasis Club, exchanges gossip in the sort of refined diction that would not be out of place on CBC Radio 2. . . http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPPrint/LAC/20040320/CENTRE20/TPFocus/ (via Gerald T. Pollard, NC, DXLD) Also mentions Slab CB Radio station ** COLOMBIA. 2200.08, HJMK, Emisora Ideal, Planeta Rica (2 x 1100), Mar 19, 1001, apparent sign-on ID into announcer with talk, // a weaker 3300.12 (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. RADIO CLUB ZAGREB AT AGE 80 9A6AA has told the Ohio Penn Newsletter that the Radio Club Zagreb is celebrating its 80th anniversary with a special on the air event. There will be three stations active daily through December 24th using the prefix 9 Alpha Eight Zero. Look for the calls 9A80Z, 9A80ABD and 9A80ADE and QSL as directed. The Radio Club Zagreb was founded on March 29, 1924 and is one of the oldest radio amateur radio organizations in Europe (Modern DX via Amateur Radio Newsline via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** CYPRUS [non]. Concerning the Riga-Ulbroka transmitter: Bernd Trutenau pointed out that Merlin coordinated the 9290 frequency for the Latvian transmitter operator but is not entitled to broker any airtime there. Instead the transmitter company seems to rely on the Anoraks scene in this regard. The Sonnet Radio project of a Cyprus-based journalists school was supposed to lease airtime at Ulbroka through Merlin, but the wording at http://www.rtidigital.com/Technical%20Info.htm seems to indicate that this was a misunderstanding. (To recall: Back in last year transmissions via Kvitsøy were announced and QSL cards with a picture of the site already issued, but the closure of the Norkring shortwave transmitters spoiled these plans. At present still only a remark "TBC" is posted on the Sonnet Radio website concerning test transmissions and the audio stream there is off, too. Perhaps the show is already over before a single beep ever made it on the air?) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REP [and non]. A04 RADIO PRAGUE - SUMMER PERIOD 2004 Program UTC kHz m kW Area CZECH 0830-0857 11600 25 100 S.W. Europe 21745 13 100 E. Africa / Middle East 0930-0957 21745 13 100 S. Asia / W. Africa 1100-1127 11615 25 100 N. Europe 21745 13 100 S. Asia 1230-1257 6055 49 100 C. Europe 7345 41 100 W. Europe 1330-1357 13580 22 100 N. Europe 21745 13 100 E. Africa 1530-1557 5930 49 100 W. Europe 17485 16 100 E. Africa 1730-1757 5930 49 100 E. Europe/Asia/Australia 17485 16 100 C. Africa 1930-1957 5930 49 100 W. Europe 11600 25 100 S. & E. Asia/ Australia 2100-2127 9800 31 100 W. Africa 11600 25 100 S. & E. Asia/ Australia 2330-2357 7345 41 100 S. America 9440 31 100 N. America 0130-0157 6200 49 100 N. America 7345 41 200 S. America 0230-0257 7345 41 100 N. America 9870 31 100 GERMAN 0630-0657 5930 49 100 W. Europe 7345 41 100 Europe 1000-1027 6055 49 100 C. Europe 9880 31 100 W. Europe 1200-1227 6055 49 100 C. Europe 7345 41 100 W. Europe 1500-1527 5930 49 100 W. Europe 1630-1657 11810 25 250 W. Europe* [Samara, Russia] ENGLISH 0700-0727 9880 31 100 N.W. Europe 11600 25 100 0900-0927 21745 13 100 S. Asia/ W. Africa 1030-1057 9880 31 100 N. Europe 11615 25 100 N. W. Europe 1300-1327 13580 22 100 N. Europe 21745 13 100 E. Africa 1600-1627 5930 49 100 N. W. Europe 17485 16 100 E. Africa 1700-1727 5930 49 100 N. W. Europe 17485 16 100 C. Africa 2000-2027 5930 49 100 N. W. Europe 11600 25 100 S. & E. Asia/ Australia 2230-2257 7345 41 100 N. America 9415 31 100 0000-0027 7345 41 100 N. America 9440 31 100 0100-0127 6200 49 100 N. America 7345 41 200 0300-0327 7345 41 100 N. America 9870 31 100 0330-0357 11600 25 100 Middle East/ S. W. Asia 15600 19 100 SPANISH 0800-0827 11600 25 100 S. W. Europe 15255 19 100 1400-1427 11990 25 100 S. W. Europe 13580 22 100 1800-1827 5930 49 100 S. W. Europe 13580 22 100 1900-1927 5930 49 100 S. W. Europe 13580 22 100 2030-2057 5930 49 100 S. W. Europe 11600 25 100 2130-2157 9800 31 100 S. W. Europe 11600 25 100 S. America-East 2300-2327 7345 41 100 S. America 9440 31 100 0000-0027 11665 25 100 S. America ** [Ascension] 0030-0057 7345 41 100 C. America 9440 31 100 S. America 0200-0227 6200 49 100 C. America 7345 41 200 S. America FRENCH 0600-0627 5930 49 100 W. Europe 7345 41 100 S. W. Europe 0730-0757 9880 31 100 W. Europe 11600 25 100 S. W. Europe 1630-1657 5930 49 100 W. Europe 17485 16 100 C. Africa 1830-1857 5930 49 100 W. Europe 13580 22 100 W. Africa/ S. W. Europe 2200-2227 7345 41 100 N. America 9415 31 100 RUSSIAN 0400-0427 9445 31 100 E. Europe 11600 25 100 E. Europe / S. W. Asia 1130-1157 11615 25 100 E. Europe 21745 13 100 E. Europe / S. W. Asia 1430-1457 11645 25 100 E. Europe 13580 22 100 E. Europe / S. W. Asia 1800-1827 7390 250 E. Europe *** [Novosibirsk] Transmitters at Litomysl-CZE 16E10 49N48 except: * Relayed via Krasnodar-RUS 39E00 45N02 [= Samara –wb] ** Relayed via Ascension 14W23 07S54 *** Relayed via Novosibirsk-RUS 82E58 55N04 SATELLITE TRANSMISSIONS via Czechlink All programmes listed in the shortwave schedule with the exceptio Eurobird 1, 28.5 deg. East, Transponder F3, 12.607 GHz, Polarisat TRANSMISSIONS via World Radio Network Program UTC Satellite / Transmitter ENGLISH 0900-0930 Eutelsat Hotbird 5, 13 deg. East, 12.597 GHz for Transponder 94, Vertical, 27500 Msym/s Europe FEC 3/4, DVB MPEG2 Select Audio Channel WRN English ENGLISH 0900-0930 Astra 2, 28deg. East for SKY digital EPG channel 872 UK&Ireland ENGLISH 0200-0230 Telstar 5, 97deg. West, 12.177 GHz for Transponder 27, Vertical, 23000 Msym/s N.America FEC 2/3, DVB MPEG2 Select Audio Channel WRN Eng (English) 1200-1227 Astra 1B, 19deg. East, 11.612 GHz GERMAN 1500-1527 Transponder 27 (MTV Deutsch), Horizontal for Audio Subcarrier 7.38 MHz Europe 1200-1227 Eutelsat Hotbird 5, 13 deg. East, 12.597 GHz 1500-1527 Transponder 94, Vertical, 27500 Msym/s FEC 3/4, DVB MPEG2 Select Audio Channel WRN Deutsch 2100-2127 Local FM Outlet for Berlin Mon-Thu 97.2 MHz For transmission times and details of other Radio Prague programm http://www.wrn.org/listeners/schedules/ LOCAL FM TRANSMISSIONS Program UTC Frequency Area 92.6 MHz Prague & Centr. Bohemia ENGLISH 1707-1727 100.7 MHz Centr. Bohemia Mon-Thu 100.0 MHz Príbram 100.3 MHz Mlada Boleslav 100.4 MHz Rakovnik 100.5 MHz Kutn Hora, Kladno Valid: 28 March 2004-30 October 2004 (via Andreas Volk-D, ADDX March 11, converted from xls. to .txt format by wb; also via Swopan Chakroborty, India, English segment also on WORLD OF RADIO 1224, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. (presumed) 3499.79, La Voz de Riobamba (3 x 1150), Mar 14, 1015, Andean vocal followed by ads, weak signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess you meant 3449.79 (gh) ** FRANCE. Looks like another RFI strike is underway. I've been listening since 1100 UT today (Friday, March 19) and have heard mostly fill music. There have been a couple of newscasts. Explanations that programs were being interrupted because of a strike began airing about 1500 UT. Fill music isn't entirely French -- just heard "Beast Of Burden" by the Rolling Stones (les pierres roulants?) (Mike Cooper, Mar 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR's 2045-2230 broadcast in English for Western Europe on 9445 noted instead on 9450 from approx. 2150-2154 UT --- returned to 9445 around 2154. As did not tune in until 2150, duration of this off frequency is not known (Steve Bass, Ohio, Mar 18, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. More 'clandestine' or more likely hidden registrations ...: based on previous seasons G Radio Ndeke Luka, Fondation Hirondelle F Radio Taipei International LAT Ulbroka Latvia - some UK pop station services AFS Sentech R Veritas MDG Voice Of The People (Zimbabwean peace) MDG Voice of Hope Sudan TWN Hmong Lao R. Lao (Wed/Fri) 1=Sun..7=Sat 3215 1630-1655 53 MDC 50 20 1234567 2803-311004 Malagasy MDG NEW RNW 3965 2200-2300 27 ISS 250 345 1234567 2803-311004 Chinese F NEW TDF 7120 1659-1755 47E,48,52E,53 MDC 50 265 1234567 2803-311004 English MDG NEW RNW 7240 1000-1100 57N MEY 100 0 1234567 2803-311004 English AFS NEW SNT 9290 0000-2400 27,28 ULB 100 250 1234567 2803-311004 LVA NEW MER 9365 2100-2200 37,46 ISS 250 190 1234567 2803-311004 French F NEW TDF 12060 0427-0457 47E,48,52E,53 MDC 250 325 1237 2803-311004 Special MDG NEW RNW 15260 0100-0200 49S TAI 100 250 46 2803-311004 G NEW MER 15320 0427-0457 47E,48,52E,53 MDC 250 335 1237 2803-311004 Special MDG NEW RNW 15545 1900-2000 46E,47W WOF 250 152 1234567 2803-311004 G NEW MER (Wolfgang Büschel, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Are the CBS/RTI transmissions via Issoudun and the opposition programmes via Talata Volonondry brokered by Merlin at all? The latter ones are usually published on the RNW website, so not hidden by RNW itself. And Sentech also use(d) to lease airtime directly to small customers, so Merlin not necessarily has to be involved here either (Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also LATVIA ** INTERNATIONAL. "Non-official" broadcasts via relays - A04 as known on 20/03/2004 --- DXA375-Silvain Domen, Belgium. Free to copy and distribute. Compiled from monitoring and info distibuted via: BC-DX, DXLD, EDXP, HFCC, ILG Clandestine Radio.Com, http://www.clandestineradio.com Clandestine Radio Watch, http://www.schoechi.de/crw.html The Italian DX website, http://www.bclnews.it Nagoya DX Circle, http://newswire.ndxc.org/ or http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/ DTK: Deutsche Telekom EDC: Educational Development Council MNO: Merlin RNW: Radio Netherlands TDP: http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html WRN: World Radio Network Disclaimer: due to some conflicting reports, some UTC, freqs and sites may be tentative *Dejen Radio A04 ------s 1700-1800 12120 RUS Samara Tigrigna (TDP) *Democratic Voice Of Burma A04 ID: Democratic Myanmar a-Than smtwtfs 1430-1530 5910 KAZ Almaty Bu (WRN) *Hmong Lao Radio A04 ID: Xotvooj Cua Tsa Kom Cua Ngem Ah Cua ---w-f- 0100-0200 15260 TWN Taipei La (MNO) *Mustaqbal (EDC for Somali minority in Ethiopia) A04 -mt-t-- 0630-0700 15370 UAE Dhabbaya So (MNO) -mt-t-- 1200-1230 15370 AFS Meyerton So (MNO) *Que Huong Radio-The Country Radio A04 ID: Que Huong Radio -mtwtfs 1330-1400 9930 HWA Naalehu-HI V (TDP) *Radio Free Vietnam (based in California, USA) A04 ID: Dai Phat Thanh Viet Nam Tui Do --t-t-- 1600-1700 9930 HWA Naalehu-HI V *Radio Free Vietnam (New Orleans maildrop) A04 ID: Dai Viet Nam Tui Do -mtwtf- 1230-1300 9930 HWA Naalehu-HI V (TDP) *Radio Pedar (Father Radio) A04 -mtwtf- 1730-1830 17660 G Woofferton Fs (MNO) *Radio Voice Of Hope (Sudanese peace) A04 smt---s 0430-0500 12060 MDG Talata Volondry E/Vern. (RNW) smt---s 0430-0500 15320 MDG Talata Volondry E/Vern. (RNW) *Radio Voice Of Iran (based in Los Angeles, CA) A04 ID: Radyo Seda-ye Iran smtwtfs 1530-1730 11520 UZB/F? Fs *Radio Voice Of Oromia A04 ID: Radio Sagalee Oromiya -m----- 1730-1800 12120 RUS Samara Oromo (TDP) *Radio Voice Of Oromo Liberation Front A04 ID: Radio Sagalee Qabsoo Bilisummaa Oromiyaa -m--t-- 1700-1730 12120 RUS Samara Oromo (TDP) *Sudan Radio Service (EDC Sudanese peace) A04 -mtwtf- 0300-0500 11665 G Woofferton E/Vern. (MNO) -mtwtf- 1500-1700 17630 G Woofferton E/Vern. (MNO) -mtwtf- 1700-1900 17660 G Woofferton E/Vern. (MNO) *Voice Of Ethiopian Salvation (Medhin) A04 ID: Yih Ye Ethiopia Medhin Dimts New s------ 1830-1930 12120 RUS Samara Am (TDP) *Voice Of Khmer Kampuchea Krom A04 ID: Vitthayu Samleng Khmer Kampuchea Krom --t---- 1400-1500 15660 RUS Vladivostok Ca (TDP) *Voice Of Liberty (Eritrea) A04 s------ 0400-0500 15675 RUS Samara Tigrigna (TDP) *Voice Of Mesopotamia A04 ID: Dengi Mezopotamiyah smtwtfs 0500-1600 11530 MDA Grigoriopol Ku (TDP) [collides with WEWN after 1500 --- gh] *Voice Of The Eritrean People A04 ID: Ezi Demtsi Hazbi Eritrea s------ 1800-1930 7125 G Skelton Tigrigna (MNO) s------ 1730-1800 17860 G Skelton Tigrigna (MNO) *Voice Of The People (Zimbabwean peace) A04 smtwtfs 1657-1755 7120 MDG Talata Volondry E/Shona/Ndeb. (RNW) (Silvain Domen, Belgium, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. I listened yesterday evening (March 17th) on 9740 kHz and found Radio Pedar in the clear, but with a little delayed programme start at 1830:15, so missed starting ID. Mentioned Radio Pedar in the programme though. I checked and found a website http://www.channelonetv.com for the presumed organisation, Channel One TV, and also a postal address. I tried to send a reception report to the given e-mail address, info @ channelonetv.com but it couldn't be delivered by Hotmail. Best wishes from (Björn Fransson, DX-ing on the island of Gotland, Sweden, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. Glenn, RTE's long wave broadcasts started officially today, March 17th. Here is a copy of the station`s notification: RTÉ RADIO 1 NOW ALSO ON LONG WAVE 252 RTÉ is pleased to announce an extension of their radio services, with effect from March 17, 2004, St. Patrick's Day. From then, RTÉ Radio 1 will be available throughout the island of Ireland, in Britain and parts of Europe on Long Wave 252. Following tests on LW 252 last September, RTÉ Radio received valuable feedback and considerable encouragement regarding the service from listeners throughout Ireland, the UK and further afield. Detailed observations on signal strength were posted and comments on the proposed service were very positive. The launch of RTÉ Radio 1 on Long Wave 252 (khz) is an exciting opportunity for radio listeners in all of Ireland, who will now be able to hear Radio 1 on one single, strong frequency. This is also an opportunity to provide a better service to those listening in the UK and parts of Europe where the same output on LW252 will also be heard. This service is of particular benefit to car listeners to maintain the quality of station reception as they move through different transmission areas. RTÉ Radio 1 is Ireland's most listened to radio station. It has been on air since 1926. The station contains an engaging mixture of talk radio, music, news and current affairs and a broad range of drama, entertainment and features programmes. Daily shows include Morning Ireland, Marian Finucane, the Creedon Show, Liveline with Joe Duffy, Today with Pat Kenny and Five Seven Live. Programming on Long Wave 252 will include RTÉ Radio 1's sport and religious choices, currently available on Medium Wave in Ireland. While recognising that its core remit is to domestic audiences, RTÉ has always maintained and funded overseas distribution with the purpose of bringing our content to a wider community of listeners. RTÉ provides a uniquely Irish voice and viewpoint, both on issues relating directly to Ireland and on events around the globe. RTÉ seeks also to reflect Ireland's increasing diversity, its place in the wider world and to serve as a progressive force in reflecting and shaping the cultural life of the nation. RTÉ is excited about this initiative and hopes listeners everywhere will continue to enjoy RTÉ Radio 1 and experience a piece of Ireland wherever they are. We'd like to hear from you if you can hear us! RTE address for reports on long wave reception is longwave@rte.ie Regards, (via Paul Guckian, Ireland, March 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Israel Summer Time [starts] April 7, 2004 at 1 AM local. U.S. DST (where applicable) April 4, 2004 2 AM local. The Spring/Summer Israel Radio schedule is not available yet. 1. There are terrible financial problems that may mean the dismissal of many staff and the unions are threatening to strike over it. The IBA may have to vacate IBA House because loans have not be repaid to the bank for its construction. 2. The Arabic TV channel (the Israeli Middle East TV network) will probably close on 1st April. Some programming including the English news (which will be at 6:00 to 6:30 PM local) will probably move from the Israeli Middle East/Arabic network to IBA 3 (cable channel 33). 3. There is a plan to merge radio networks probably Alef + Moreshet and Gimel + 88. If it happens, there is no word yet on how it will impact foreign language broadcasts now on Reshet Alef (including English). If it sounds familiar, merging radio networks has been discussed before. 4. Israeli mobile phone numbers will change as of April 20, 2004 From Orange Israel's website http://www.orange.co.il old number new number 050 xxxxxx 050 5xx xxxx Bezeq 051 xxxxxx 051 7xx xxxx Bezeq 052 xxxxxx 052 2xx xxxx Cellcom 053 xxxxxx 052 3xx xxxx Cellcom 054 xxxxxx 054 4xx xxxx Orange 055 xxxxxx 054 5xx xxxx Orange 056 xxxxxx 050 6xx xxxx Bezeq 057 xxxxxx 050 7xx xxxx Bezeq 058 xxxxxx 052 8xx xxxx Cellcom 059 xxxxxx 059 xxx xxx Jawwal 064 xxxxxx 052 4xx xxxx Cellcom 065 xxxxxx 052 5xx xxxx Cellcom 066 xxxxxx 054 6xx xxxx Orange 067 xxxxxx 054 7xx xxxx Orange (Doni Rosenzweig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR [and non]. Hi Glenn, March 18 I heard Azad Kashmir Radio, Islamabad on 4790 kHz in English 1605 UT with "This is Radio Pakistan, giving you the news". From the opposite side at same time I heard AIR Jammu with program in Hindi on 4830 kHz. Pretty same reception, maybe 4830 kHz was slightly better. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. The 5950 recently observed by Steve Waldee would be a completely new frequency for North Korea I think. The circumstance that it was // the former Voice of National Salvation frequencies just says that it carries KCBS since this program is now transmit on these channels, at least judging from earlier reports. I wonder if the official declaration of these transmissions as belonging to the ``Pyongyang branch of the National Democratic Front of South Korea`` is of any practical importance at all. Hard to say when knowing basically nothing about the organizational structures of the broadcasting services in North Korea, but the most mundane scenario would be that both 1500 kW transmitters at Haeju, the one on 1053 that previously carried Voice of National Salvation and the one responsible for the official KCBS service on 1080, are now simply connected to the very same incoming circuit while the ordinary KCBS feed was plugged into the ex-VoNS shortwave transmitters as well (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. Nuevo_Esquema_de_KBS-RCI_en_español ESQUEMA DE EMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL DE KBS RADIO COREA INTERNACIONAL A partir del 28 de marzo de 2004 Este es el nuevo esquema de horarios y frecuencias, desde el domingo 28 de marzo de 2004, del Servicio en Español de Radio Corea Internacional: Para Europa: De 07.00 a 08.00 UT por los 13.670 Khz De 10.00 a 11.00 UT por los 15.210 Khz De 20.00 a 21.00 UT por los 9.515 Khz Y también de 20.00 a 20.30 UT por los 11.775 Khz. vía Sackville, Canadá (*) {This would be a brand new transmission -- gh} Para Latinoamérica De 01.00 a 02.00 UT por los 11.810 Khz De 10.00 a 11.00 UT por los 11.795 Khz vía Sackville, Canadá De 10.00 a 11.00 UT por los 9.580 Khz (*) Para los oyentes latinoamericanos esta emisión via Sackville puede ser igualmente audible por lo que serán bienvenidos los informes de recepción también en este horario y frecuencia. Recuerden la dirección postal en Sudamérica, más económica y accesible: KBS Radio Corea Internacional, Casilla de Correo 950, S2000WAJ - Rosario, ARGENTINA (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Mar 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. See CYPRUS [non] ** MALAYSIA. Monitoring Reminder. Malaysia will go the polls tomorrow to elect new parliament. Vote counting will commence after polls close at 0900 UT and first results are expected at about 1330 UT tomorrow (From Richard Lam SINGAPORE, Mar 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. Hi Glenn, Radio Malaysia´s Radio 4 comes with good and clear signal in English on 7295 kHz until 1555 UT. That´s the opening time of the Voice of Turkey on the same frequency. So after that, no R Malaysia on 7295. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, March 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Hi Glenn, I think you've had an article on Radio Huayacocotla recently in DXLD but maybe not this one from: Toward Freedom online magazine (Spring 2004) http://www.towardfreedom.com/mar04/campesinos.htm (not sure if the print version of the magazine would include photos also) 73s, (Alan Pennington, Caversham, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: VOICE OF THE CAMPESINOS Shortwave radio is nurturing community in rural Mexico [by] ZAIDEE ROSE STAVELY The sound of a trombone emerges from the foliage of the northern Veracruz mountains. It plays a single note, then another. As trumpets, cornets, tubas, and drums join in, musicians march out from the pines. They have walked miles to reach Pie de la Cuesta and participate in the celebration. Blasting away, they take their places in the line. Another nine bands are already waiting. One group of musicians is decked out in matching blue suits. Others sport ponytails and Che Guevara T-shirts, while many wear baggy jeans and baseball caps. The drums are decorated with the names of the bands and colorful images of deer, mountains, starry skies, and roads winding their way between houses. A young indigenous woman runs between the bands with a minidisk player, recording songs for the radio. This is Lucrecia Linares, Tepehua radio announcer for Radio Huayacocotla, a shortwave community radio station that transmits in Spanish and the three indigenous languages of the region - Otom', Nahua, and Tepehua. The station's directors and announcers have come to this Otom' community for a special celebration of Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. In the last year, the station has helped finance instruments for eight new bands, two composed mostly of young people. That makes a total of twelve bands in the municipality of Texcatepec. The procession meets two bands from the community as it winds around to the center of town. As it proceeds, a crackling radio blasts from a one-room wooden shack with a corrugated tin roof: "Radio Huayacocotla, la voz de los campesinos, XEJN, transmitting for you at 2390 Khz with 500 watts of power for the Sierra Norte of Veracruz." Even in Pie de la Cuesta, seven hours on foot from the town of Huayacocotla, where the station is located, people listen to the shortwave station. The programming includes rancheras and norteñas, regional music such as banda and trios huastecos, birthday greetings, community announcements, plus informative shows like one covering human rights, and another about raising cattle. The news is transmitted in Spanish twice a week, and in the indigenous languages weekly. Building an Audience Lucrecia Linares, who lives in nearby Tlachichilco, didn't listen to Radio Huaya much at first. "I thought it was like all the others, but it's not," she explains. "This radio is for all people, rich and poor." What she likes best are the radio novelas; those without television listen to Radio Huaya's audio dramas every day. For Radio Mita (in Otom') or Radio Lacaxcajak (in Tepehua), the main audience is indigenous people of the mountains. The languages spoken, local music, and interviews in rural areas mean that this radio station "is the people," claims coordinator and Otom' announcer Pedro Ruperto. Ten years ago, young people in Huayacocotla didn't like the music on the community radio, he explains. Now, with banda music on the rise, people hire indigenous bands for parties. "Young people want to learn to play an instrument now," he tells me. Many of the older people from indigenous communities in Texcatepec tell the broadcasters that they see the bands as a way for young people to be reintegrated into the community. Some bands have traveled to Huayacocotla to record in the studio; others are just learning. But today, everyone has been invited to play together. And that's what they do. Although the bands take turns at the start, by afternoon they all begin to perform together. As a pink sunset descends over the mountains, it's difficult to distinguish the tunes filling the air. Across the ravine in Huayacocotla, the telephone rings in a bright building painted with a mural of green mountains, groups of indigenous people, and a man with a microphone. Inside, a man sits at a typewriter, surrounded by piles of old tapes and records, and answers the phone. "Hello," says the voice at the other end. "This is Diego Alberto calling from New York. I would like to dedicate Las Mañanitas to my daughter, who is turning three today." Every day, Radio Huaya receives calls from indigenous and mestizo Amigros to New York. In a region with few phones and an unreliable mail service, radio has become a form of two-way communication. Migrants working in carwashes, on construction crews, or as delivery boys send messages to receive money orders and phone calls, or just to say hello. A large number of the announcements made six times a day are messages like: "Angelina Garcia, please go to the telephone booth in El Papatlar on Saturday at ten to receive a phone call from Isaac," or "The family of Pablo Ricardo, don't worry, he arrived safely at his destination." Radio Huaya also receives between 800 and 1000 hand-delivered letters a week. Announcer Ricardo González explains that many come from surrounding indigenous communities with the merchants who visit Huayacocotla for the weekly market. And the letters aren't the only proof that the radio's 500 watts are working. "In the indigenous communities, the people know you," explains Ruperto. "You arrive and they ask, 'Who are you?' Pedro Ruperto,' you say, or 'Ricardo Gonzalez,' and they hug you." Turning the Tortilla Radio Huayacocotla dates back to the 1965 establishment of a radio school. It closed in 1973, but two years later, Jesuits were invited to establish a community radio project, based on programs in South and Central America. One of the first changes was to convert the antenna from a "clothesline" to a tall vertical tower. The Jesuits also focused on problems such as foresting resources and kaolin (fine clay) production in the mestizo communities. Alfredo Zepeda, one of the first Jesuits to arrive in Huaya, laughs as he remembers how they used to play protest music by Silvio Rodr'guez instead of local music from the region. "In those days, I didn't even know how to say hello or thank you in Otom'," he says. "I knew Otom' was spoken, but you never saw them or talked with them or had any real contact." In the early 1990s, all this changed. In Texcatepec, directly across the ravine from Huayacocotla, land disputes led to outbreaks of violence. Every day people organizing in the valleys were kidnapped, tortured, or killed. "We turned the tortilla around and tried to see the world not just from Huaya, but from the indigenous communities," explains Zepeda. In 1995, soon after the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, Radio Huayacocotla was one of many community stations the government closed down. For three months, due to supposed "technical errors," the "Voice of the Campesinos" remained off the air. Authorities told Zepeda, "You are broadcasting coded messages." Zepeda's answer: "That code is Otom'." In fact, Radio Huaya is one of only two community stations in Mexico with permission to transmit, but just on short wave. Although the signal reaches at least 1700 short wave radios in the region, people still come into the station to ask how they can make their radio receive Radio Huaya. Because it is short wave without filters, programs sometimes turn up in unwanted places; on television sets, for example, or the speakers in the Catholic Church. Radio Huaya is currently one of 43 Mexican stations in the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) seeking permission from the Secretary of State to broadcast on an FM or AM frequency. They include indigenous radio, urban youth stations, and radio geared toward women. Most have no legal standing. One group in the northern state of Sonora was told to prove they had at least one million pesos (about US $100,000). Even then permission wasn't guaranteed. For the government, community radio stations are easily bunched together as "pirate, clandestine, guerrilla and subversive." In the past, it has used the army to investigate and report on them. AMARC México Director Aleida Calleja says most of the complaints come from private commercial station owners. "Mexico is number one in media monopolies," he explains. According to AMARC, two families control 86 percent of the country's television, and 13 groups manage 90 percent of radio. Although the government promised not to make any moves against the stations during negotiations with AMARC, it has attempted to close down several in Oaxaca, Michoacán, and the outskirts of Mexico City in the last year. Radio Huaya has asked for permission to broadcast on AM twice in the past. After a denial in 1978, the station received permission from the Secretary of Communications and Transportation to transmit on 1350 Khz in 1984. But the government never followed through. Even without access to an AM or FM frequency, however, the station is becoming a powerful voice for indigenous autonomy. LINKS --- The community radio movement is growing in more than 100 countries. For more on efforts to build solidarity and international cooperation, go to the AMARC site at http://www.amarc.org/amarc/ang Zaidee Rose Stavely has a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She lives in Mexico City (via Alan Pennington, DXLD) ** PERU. 4420.33, R. Bambamarca, Bambamarca, 132kb/62sec. 03/2004. Listen to this nice ID. [announces frequency as 4418! ---gh] 6536.11, La Poderosa, Huancabamba, 157kb/74sec. 03/2004. Has changed the name many times, now it is "La Poderosa". [very good quality] You are very welcome to listen to my recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, March 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. NEW MEDIUM WAVE TRANSMITTER FOR NATIONAL RADIO | Text of report by Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text web site on 17 March People in Temotu Province are now able to listen to the national service of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation [SIBC]. Radio Hapi Isles is now available on medium wave following the installation of a new transmitter at the provincial capital Lata, last week. General manager of SIBC Johnson Honimae, said Radio Temotu has been down for some years now due to the inability of the corporation to replace the old medium wave transmitter. Mr Honimae said a new medium wave transmitter was purchased under the technical equipment rehabilitation project funded by the Republic of China [Taiwan]. He added that funding for the rest of the equipment and installation costs were met by the Australian government through its Community Peace and Rehabilitation Fund, CPRF. The new transmitter and other equipment were installed by two overseas engineers and SIBC's own technicians. General manager Mr Honimae said the corporation greatly appreciates the assistance from the Republic of China and Australia which has enabled listeners in the remote Temotu Province to hear SIBC's national service broadcasters clearer. He said people in Temotu Province can now listen to SIBC's national service on the medium wave frequency 1386 kHz as well as on the short wave frequency 5020 MHz. Mr Honimae said SIBC has yet to decide what time Radio Temotu would be able to broadcast local programmes as there are other issues to sort out, including staffing and housing for the necessary staff. He however appeals to the Temotu provincial government and the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority to ensure there is a consistent power supply in the provincial capital Lata. This is because SIBC cannot continue to run Radio Temotu on its standby generator. Source: Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text web site, Honiara, in English 17 Mar 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SWEDEN [and non]. RADIO SWEDEN'S ENGLISH SCHEDULE A-04 Here is the upcoming Radio Sweden English broadcast schedule for the period beginning March 28, 2004 (all times UTC unless otherwise indicated): Europe and Africa/Middle East: Satellite: 12:30 daily, 16:15 weekdays, and 17:30 hrs daily except Sundays on Hot Bird 5 (12.597 GHz V, SR 27500 FEC 3/4, audio channel A2122) and Sirius 2 (SVT Europe -- 12.379 GHz H, SR27500, FEC 3/4, A0028) 20:30 and 01:30 hrs via the World Radio Network on the same Hot Bird transponder, as well as via Sky Digital on Astra 2 on channel 872. We're also broadcasting to Africa and the Middle East via WRN on Intelsat 707 3.9115 GHz Right-hand circular polarization, Symbol Rate 8.022 Mbaud, FEC 3/4, audio channel A2103 E, in MPEG-2, Audio Stream "WRN1", at 14:30 UTC/16:30 CAT and 23:30 UTC/01:30 CAT. The WRN relays can also be heard in South Africa on SAfm 104-107, and on the MultiChoice digital direct-to-home service on PanAmSat 4, 68.5 degrees West, Audio Channel 51, and on AfriStar channel 627. Shortwave: 13:30 hrs 15735 kHz 17:30 hrs 1179 and 6065 kHz (not Sundays) 19:30 hrs 1179 and 6065 kHz 21:30 hrs 1179 and 6065 kHz Asia/Pacific: Satellite: Via WRN on AsiaSat-2 on 4.000 GHz, Vertical polarization, MPEG-2 DVB, Symbol Rate 28.125 Mbaud, FEC 3/4 (Select WRN1 from audio menu), and AsiaStar channel 1302 at 14:30 UTC/00:30 AET and 23:30 UTC/08:30 AET. Shortwave: 01:30 hrs 9435 kHz 12:30 hrs 13580 and 15735 kHz 13:30 hrs 15735 kHz 21:30 hrs 9880 kHz North America: Satellite: Via WRN at 3:00 PM EST (12:30 PM PST), and 9:30 PM EST (6:30 PM PST) on Telstar 5 Transponder 27, 12.177 GHz V (SR 23000 FEC 2/3). Radio Sweden is now being relayed via WRN across America on the new Sirius Satellite Radio, on channel 111. Across Canada on CBC Overnight 2:05 AM local time (weekend times may vary) Shortwave: 01:30 hrs 6010 kHz (via Sackville, Canada) 02:30 hrs 6010 kHz (via Sackville, Canda) 12:30 hrs 15240 kHz 13:30 hrs 15240 kHz Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. CHINA (TAIWAN) 9780, CBS-Radio Taipeh International. Has been following their election coverage since 0900 UT, one hour after the polls close in Taiwan. Coverage is still ongoing, but now getting weaker. This channel suffers QRM from CNR2 (From Richard Lam SINGAPORE, Mar 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. Funny program on RTI: I got quite a chuckle out of Andrew Ryan and Ellen on Radio Taipei International tonight. I had not heard this program before, but they are funny! If I understood correctly, she is a TV soap opera actress. Both speak beautiful English. Both the females I heard on Radio Taipei tonight sounded rather sexy. I think they go out of their way to get foxy sounding ladies, as I have heard several different ones in the past. Works for me! This program came on at 9:30 EST, I think, it was in progress when I tuned in, so it may have started closer to 9:00 PM EST. It was on 9680 Khz. Absolutely worth listening to! (Duane W8DBF Fischer, MI, Mar 19, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Visiting transmitter sites can and is a fun activity. Many years ago, when I was stationed in the UK with the Air Force, I managed to get tours of MSF at Rugby (the bank of 15 steam cooled tubes 1 foot high all pulsing blue/white at 1 second intervals, and the walk-through tuning coil will be etched into my memory). VOA transmitter site a Woofferton (a nice three wings building with transmitters running down the six walls) and the BBC studio tour in London, were a very fun part of the hobby. I got a tour of the USCG Loran station in Estartit, Spain and the Radio Nacional España transmitter site a few miles to the south when I visited that part of the world. You never know what you can get into unless you ask nicely (Bob Combs, New Mexico, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. I tried to sort out what will happen with VOA English as of March 28. Could it be that ||| 0300-0700 Sat-Sun to Africa actually concerns this transmission every day? Until now it runs Sat-Sun 0300-0700 but Mon-Fri 0300-0630 only, so probably that's what the Sat-Sun refers to? If so a possible schedule could be 0100-0300, 0400-0600 and 1200-2400 if VOA News Now will be really cut down to only 14 hours a day anymore. If so one of course has to wonder if VOA will still retain the News Now brand with such a fragmentary schedule. Or will some English shortwave transmissions contain no live News Now anymore but instead whatever recorded stuff? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1610, MD, WPAS --- Mike's WPAS unID on 1610 is from the Patuxent Naval Air station, Maryland. I heard them last September (2003) at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland. (WJH-MD) (Bill Harms, MD, IRCA Soft DX Monitor March 20 via DXLD) 1610, MD, WPAX, Patuxent River. Thanks to Bill Harms, MD, who was able to ID my previously UNID station with the "WPAS" ID. The correct ID is WPAX, and the station is located at the Naval Air Station. It provides information to base personnel. Bill advises there is a website which references the TIS: http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/tester/8_47/local_news/26502-1.html (MH-NC) (Mike Hardester, NC, ibid.) Surely not really WPAX; plus some numbers, or totally made-up call? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO BIT BACKFIRES BIGTIME --- In an effort to get around the indecency issues, CLEAR CHANNEL WKLS (96 ROCK)/ATLANTA's "REGULAR GUYS" morning show were going to tape a porn star -- DEVINN LANE -- doing her act during the stopset. Then they were going to play the tape backwards on the air so listeners could tape it and hear her act. Those who didn't tape it would only hear a tape playing backwards, thus no profanity. Apparently, someone forgot to take the mics out of program while they recorded the bit. ALL ACCESS has a copy of the broadcast. It's the audio of a HONDA commercial running, and under it you can hear DEVINN's description of what she wants her partner to do. It starts out kind of hard to hear over the commercials, but it gets much clearer. Please be warned the language is very explicit. If you want to hear it, just click here /sounds/wklsporn.ram [sic] Ironically, THE REGULAR GUYS had just been put on WPLA/JACKSONVILLE just two days ago to replace BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE after WPLA was cited in the FCC fines. The porno segment didn't run on WPLA, as it was recorded during a local WKLS stopset. Of the incident, CLEAR CHANNEL/ATLANTA RVP PAT McDONNELL stated: "We are conducting a swift and thorough investigation of this morning's WKLS 96 ROCK broadcast. Our preliminary understanding is that a microphone was left open accidentally during a commercial break. The on-air personalities known as 'THE REGULAR GUYS' are suspended pending the outcome of the investigation." (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. Interesting thread about Radio Free Brattleboro's court case This thread and another related thread are developing at http://ibrattleboro.com Welcome to iBrattleboro Monday, March 15 2004 @ 06:53 PM EST rfb - INSIDE THE COURTROOM Monday, March 15 2004 @ 03:08 PM EST Contributed by: cgrotke Fifty people filed through metal detectors at the Post Office today, filling the courtroom to witness the case of United States of America vs. Larry Bloch and rfb. The judge began by asking some legal clarifications of the US's attorney, David Kirby. "Is this request pursuant to 401-A?" Yes. "Where is your authority for this injunction? The statute says writ." Kirby said that a writ of mandamus is simply old language for an injunction, and said the Act of 1934 was old. Larry Hildes, lawyer for rfb, jumped in and stated that "our sense is that the FCC wants to get B under A. They want the best of both worlds and we think it should be A or B but not a hybrid." Kirby said that this is standard and there was a case to back it up. Hildes also took issue with Kirby's language, specifically his calling rfb a "pirate" station. Jim Maxwell, lawyer for rfb said that he would like to call some witnesses, people from the FCC and the community. The judge said that he was not going to grant any consolidations today. Kirby said that he can't contest that shows won't be heard, but nonetheless it is a case of irreparable harm. "We don't contest the factual assertions that community programs will be curtailed." Maxwell said that rfb filed first for protection from the court. "rfb provides an irreplaceable service. We want to show that silence is irreparably harmful to the community." The judge said "I'm interested in whether you can get a license at all. It's a crucial issue." Hildes pointed out that no licenses for 10 watt stations are available. "Does public good outweigh regulation? The issue hasn't been addressed by courts. The US loses nothing by shutting it down. The town loses everything." The judge asked if there was precedence for this. Maxwell commented that the people precede the FCC. "The FCC abuses its discretion and places us in this court. We come to this court for relief." Kirby said that any argument saying the FCC fails to act is wrong. "It has acted, creating the LPFM Act, with 80 pages of provisions. Under that order there is a two tier system set up." The judge asked if anyone could get a LPFM license. Kirby said "There are two tiers. The first is 100 watt, and there is even an applicant for one here in Brattleboro that would want the 107.9 frequency. A license is pending." By whom, asked the judge. "Vermont Earthworks." says Kirby. "Once the 100 watt stations are placed, then the FCC will consider 10 watt licenses. It's a question of engineering. When they say the FCC has failed to act, the want to overturn the Act." "When will 10 watt licenses be granted?" asked the judge. "What happens in the mean time?" Kirby said that 10 watt stations cannot broadcast. The judge quoted from an FCC document that says that LPFM stations do not interfere and recommends that stations be opened up. "What's this?" Kirby stated that there were major markets where 100 watt stations can't exist. "There are interference problems." Here in Brattleboro, he felt that in time there would be space for stations like rfb in the future. The judge said "If rfb were to apply for a license they wouldn't get one. A futility argument could be made." Kirby said that rfb could not get a license. Someone else would have to start a station. "They couldn't apply now?" Correct. Maxwell submitted Exhibit F, the FCC's report to Congress saying that these stations are not a threat. He then called Larry Bloch to the stand. Bloch stated that he is not doing business as rfb, then gave a a history of the community station's mission to just serve Brattleboro. Starting at 1 watt and following FCC guidelines for operation, the collective of people who are rfb created the station. The group makes decisions by consensus, which can be a slow but effective process. He said that rfb is now at 10 watts "a perfect size for this town." "When the station began there was no licensing program, so if we could broadcast and behave, we'd serve the community needs and build support." Bloch detailed the FCC letters and visits asking for a license or authority to broadcast, and the steps the station took to get that authority from the community. He said that rfb is not a pirate, adding "the FCC are the pirates, taking licenses away. That's a theft. rfb wants to be legit and licensed. He was then cross examined by Kirby. "Has rfb applied for a waiver?" No. There is no information about how to apply. "Are you aware of the 1934 Act prohibiting broadcasting without a license?" Laws are people made and serve communities. The FCC has abandoned its responsibility. "Do you see something in the Act that allows towns to have authority?" The judge interjected, asking if that wasn't a legal question. Kirby continued "Larry's appearance here is quasi-legal.." Bloch said "When a law is not being enforced, the people have to enforce the law ignored at federal levels, until the federal government decides to..." Kirby said "You believe anyone can broadcast?" to which Bloch replied "No". Kirby asked "Do you agree major markets can't bear 100 watt licenses?" Bloch replied "Not really. I'm not an engineer and we aren't arguing for 100 watts. We just want to broadcast here to our town and only our town." "Are you aware that the order allows 10 watt licenses down the road? So you understand you were broadcasting illegally?" No, said Bloch. "You didn't pay attention," said Kirby. "Is the apartment in your name?" Bloch said there is no "apartment" but there is a rented commercial space. "You signed the lease...?" Yes, said Bloch. "So you sign documents for the collective?" pounced Kirby. Yes, said Bloch, papers need to be signed to be officially non-profit. "Who else is on the list?" inquired Kirby. Bloch stated that he didn't want to say, but would if it would otherwise be contempt. "Who?" said Kirby. Under pressure, Bloch said that Steven Twiss also may have signed something. "What's your position listed on the documents?" asked Kirby. Hildes objected to Kirby being argumentative and not relevant, and the judge agreed. "What's your wattage?" asked Kirby. "10 watts" says Bloch. "Yes, but do you test that?" asked Kirby. "Yes" answered Bloch. "To FCC standards, according to the engineer." Maxwell objected, stating that this questioning was "beyond the scope" of the case being heard. The judge agreed. Kirby said "But will this station interfere... it is of significance that they control the signal." He added "Nothing further." Maxwell asked Bloch one final question. "The letter they sent said license or authority to broadcast, right?" Bloch said "Yes." Maxwell called Pat DeAngelo. Kirby objected. DeAngelo took the stand. She was asked about her job with the town and asked if she was there for the resolution. She said yes, and also attested to the recent town vote in favor of giving rfb the authority to broadcast 1740-787. DeAngelo said she "fervently" supports rfb, and stepped down. The judge then stated that under the injunction rule the court can combine with a trial on merits, and, in view of that, he was ruling "No" to the request for a preliminary injunction. Further hearings were needed. He wanted to hear more argument about rfb's "authority" issue. Maxwell said that the authority of the vote is in the Constitution. Hildes said that States and people can exercise this authority when the FCC abandons its regulation. Hildes said that there were 9th and 10th amendment arguments to be made. The judge said "I'd like to hear them." He added that he wanted to hear more from the government regarding the 401A vs 401B issue, and wanted rfb to distinguish cases, such as US vs. Szoka in the 6th Circuit raising issues between forfeiture and injunction. "You'll be making a free speech argument I presume, and will probably allege and prove futility, correct?" Yes, said the rfb legal team. The judge wanted to know when and if the FCC will have a 10 watt licensing procedure. "They do," said Kirby. "The 100 watt ..." And also what is a waiver? "OK," said Kirby, adding that he thought it meant that the FCC could waive a license if it wanted to. The judge asked if there was any criteria for obtaining a waiver. Hildes said he knew of no examples. Kirby had no answer. The judge said that he denies the preliminary injunction and requests the parties submit further briefings before presenting evidence. "How long do you need?" he asked the lawyers. Maxwell requests a year, jokingly, then seriously adds that because this is pro bono work they would like 60 days. Kirby says case law is clear and this should happen sooner rather than later. The judge says "45 days will be given to submit the memos to law - April 30th. The rebuttals until May 21. Then I read them and decide if there is a hearing. The motion to consolidate is consolidated." Kirby said that they were against it but had no objection, adding "it's your discretion." With that the judge rose and left the courtroom. People filed out into the bright, crisp morning sun in front of the Post Office and discussed what had just happened. rfb - Inside the Courtroom | 6 comments | Create New Account Newest First Oldest First Flat Nested No Comments Threaded The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say. Authored by: CujoTheSeraph on Monday, March 15 2004 @ 03:48 PM EST What amazed me was how the DA dodged the question that the judge posed: are ten watt licenses available? His response went something like, "Well, there are plans. Two tiers...yadda yadda yadda...rule [insert number here] says that there will be licenses...yadda yadda yadda...law, FCC, licenses later after 100 watt applications are processed...yadda yadda yadda..." The bottom line: had he said no, he could have told the truth and saved ten minutes and lots of wasted words. Is it that hard to just say no?! :-) --- Jim [tagline:] "There's nothing in here except a bunch of useless bones and organs!" -- Ren and Stimpy Authored by: CujoTheSeraph on Monday, March 15 2004 @ 03:54 PM EST We've linked this story to http://www.livejournal.com/users/corruption_man , by the way. Thanks for saving us the time of typing it up in detail! (all via Leigh Robartes, March 15, DXLD) ** U S A. WSM SHIFTS STUBBS, FOCUSES ON 'CLASSIC COUNTRY' MUSIC By PETER COOPER Staff Writer Giving fans what they want to hear, program chief says On-air changes at WSM-AM 650, including the shift of disc jockey Eddie Stubbs' 6-10 a.m. Classic Saturday show from the AM airwaves to the Internet and to satellite radio, have listeners, country music stars and radio executives finding different answers to a few questions: What is ''classic'' country music? What are the best means to preserve WSM's 78-year country music legacy? Can WSM draw more listeners by having air personalities talk less about music history and play songs from a more regimented playlist, one that de-emphasizes decades-old twang and places a spotlight on what program director Brian Landrum calls ''familiar country music from the '60s to the '80s''? Stubbs has gained a reputation for his professorial knowledge of the unfamiliar. His willingness to play and to talk about what he calls ''deep catalog'' country music has won him a Country Music Association Award, garnered profiles in big-city newspapers and earned the respect of musicians such as Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart, who has called Stubbs ''a statesman'' for the genre. But ''unfamiliar'' isn't the rage in radio right now. ''Today, radio stations are more programmed to be consistent in their sound, 24 hours a day,'' said Lon Helton of industry trade magazine Radio & Records. And Stubbs' love of country's shimmering obscurities isn't in keeping with the station's desire to give the public a more familiar ''Country's Greatest Hits'' sampling. With Stubbs' Saturday show off the AM airwaves, The Grand Ole Opry, the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree and Hairl Hensley's Sunday night bluegrass program are the only shows on 650 AM to veer from Landrum's consistent play list. The likelihood of hearing older, less universally known country music on WSM, the most famous and historically significant country music station in existence, is slight. WSM listeners will hear the Oak Ridge Boys' Elvira, but probably not hear The Bailes Brothers' We're Living In The Last Days Now. ''We studied the market and talked to the fans, and we put together a mix of what we felt like they were telling us 'classic country' music is to them,'' said Landrum, who started at the station last April. ''The most popular classic country songs will be played more because that's what the audience wants to hear.'' When changes were instituted late last summer, Stubbs and other air personalities began playing from a consistent catalog. An exception to this was Stubbs' Saturday morning show, which two weeks ago was replaced by Bill Cody's more streamlined Classic Country Weekend show. Stuart is less interested in ''most popular'' than he is in the thought that some country music heritage has been lost in the shuffle. ''This is a brokenhearted affair. It's the homogenization of America, and WSM has fallen suit,'' Stuart said. ''I believe in the future of country music as much as the past. My question is, 'Why do we have to disinherit our forefathers and put all that in the Dumpster to put a new face on the station?' Shame on WSM.'' Stubbs did not speak to the decisions, citing station policy in referring media requests to Landrum. But Opry member Vince Gill, weighed in: ''This is sad for me. It is one of the few things I looked forward to listening to on the radio,'' Gill said. ''This show is truly one of the only opportunities to educate people on how great this music has been. And to call this progress is a travesty.'' Landrum said Stubbs remained a valued part of the on-air staff, but that sub-par ratings for the Saturday show forced a change. ''You can see from other things they've done to be more mainstream, their ratings have actually been going up,'' Helton said. ''It's difficult to try to serve as an educational institution when you're really an entertainment medium.'' Chris Richards of Nashville, an avid Stubbs listener, was disheartened by the changes. ''After the summer, a majority of the songs Mr. Stubbs played at night were obviously not his choices,'' Richards said. ''His hands had been tied, and you could just hear it. The man WSM still promotes as 'The Dean of Country Music University' has effectively been given a stack of seventh-grade textbooks and the keys to a middle school classroom.'' Landrum and Steve Buchanan, senior vice president of media and entertainment at WSM's parent Gaylord Entertainment, emphasized that the Classic Saturday show had not been canceled, just moved to satellite radio and to wsmonline.com. The station will begin charging $6.50 per month for high-band Internet listening access, including access to archives and special shows, beginning on Monday. Those listening on low-band will still receive the station's stream at no charge. Landrum and Buchanan also said the Grand Ole Opry, which is owned by Gaylord, would remain on the air as the station's flagship program. ''We're trying to keep the station unique while continuing to grow,'' Landrum said. ''The most important goal is to keep those WSM call letters alive as a country music station.'' (c) Copyright 2004 The Tennessean (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. ARRL president to be nationwide radio show guest (Mar 19, 2004) [meaning UT Sun March 21 --- see below] ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, of Dallas, will be the guest of overnight radio talk show host Art Bell, W6OBB, on the Saturday, March 20, edition of the syndicated program Coast to Coast AM http://www.coasttocoastam.com/ Haynie and Bell will discuss various implications of the FCC`s Broadband over Power Line (BPL) initiative, now a Commission rule making proceeding, and likely will take callers. Their interview is scheduled to air during the show`s first hour (Sunday, March 21, 0600 UT). The toll-free call-in number for Western US listeners is 800-618- 8255. For Eastern US listeners it`s 800-825-5033. First-time callers may use 775-727-1222. The ``Wild Card Line`` --- for any caller --- is 775-727-1295. The popular four-hour interview and call-in program, distributed by Premiere Radio Networks, airs live nightly from 10 PM until 2 AM Pacific Time on 430 stations (not all affiliates follow the same broadcast schedule) and is available in every state. Listeners also can hear the show via the Web. Subject matter ranges from the controversial to the bizarre and often includes discussions on UFOs, space, mind and time travel and unexplained psychic and scientific phenomena. Bell, once the primary host of Coast to Coast AM, has stepped back into the role of weekend and substitute host. George Noory is the program`s primary host (ARRL March 19 via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VECs PROPOSE NEW ENTRY LEVEL COMMUNICATOR LICENCE Posted: Mar. 16 2004,08:59 [by AA7BQ on qrz.com] From: Fred W5YI, Chairman, NCVEC Rules Committee {I think VEC means Volunteer Examination Coordinator} The National Conference of VECs filed a Petition for Rulemaking on March 1, 2004 proposing their version of a new entry-level Amateur Service license and redistribution of some HF frequencies to General and Amateur Extra Class licensees. The petition, which is somewhat similar to the one filed by the American Radio League, requires no required demonstrated Morse code proficiency for any license class ... including Extra. The NCVEC proposed the same HF/VHF/UHF bands for the entry level class as the ARRL and both petitions grant more privileges to all classes. The VECs proposal, however, allows wider voice subbands and less exclusive CW/digital frequencies. The NCVEC petition also places more emphasis on the use of 15 and 10 meters for entry-level voice operation than does the ARRL. The VECs proposed an additional 50 kHz of 80-meter voice spectrum over the ARRL proposal and 25 kHz more 40 meter voice spectrum for both the General and Extra Class. At 15 Meters, the General Class would get an additional 75 kHz of voice spectrum over ARRL proposal; Extra Class, an additional 50 kHz. The frequency privileges proposed for the new entry level class which the VECs want called the ``Communicator`` Class are: 80 Meters: 3950-4000 kHz (voice/image), 3550-3675 kHz (digital/CW). 40 Meters: 7250-7300 kHz (voice/image), 7050-7150 kHz (Digital/CW). 15 Meters: 21350-21450 kHz voice/image), 21050-21150 kHz (Digital/CW). 10 meters: 28.300-28.500 and 29000-29700 kHz (voice/image), 28050-28150 kHz (CW/Digital). All bands 6 Meters through 70 cm: Full Amateur privileges. The NCVEC envisions that all Novice Class operators would automatically become Communicator Class licensees as of the effective date. At the same time, Technician and Tech Plus amateurs would be upgraded to the General Class --- Advanced Class licensees would become Extra Class. The VECs believed that there was no other effective way to redistribute Novice/Tech Plus spectrum to the General and Extra Class without this automatic upgrade feature. This means that some 350,000 Tech/Tech Plus and 85,000 Advanced Class would not be testing for an upgrade to the next class. This amounts to about 60 percent or all current licensees and those in the two year grace period. On the other hand, the VECs anticipate a greatly expanded demand for entry-level ``Communicator``) testing and license preparation material. Some 40,000 Novices would be automatically upgraded to the new entry level which would not only contain their existing frequency bands, but additional HF/VHF/UHF bands as well. The NCVEC proposes that existing Novice, Technician, Tech Plus and Advanced Class operators be issued a new Communicator, General or Extra Class license document upon their next renewal. The new privileges will kick in, of course, as of the effective date. The Novice, Technician, Tech Plus and Advanced Class licenses will be permanently retired. The VECs suggested that Communicator Class call signs might come from the authorized but unallocated NA1AAA through NZ0ZZZ call sign block. Proposed entry level transmitter power is proposed to be 100 watts when the operation takes place below 24 MHz; 50 watts above. This is the same as the ARRL proposal. In addition, the NCVEC proposed mandatory low voltage to the final transmitter amplifier stage and that only commercially manufactured transmitters be used by Communicator Class licensees. Communicator Class licensees may not install repeater or remote base stations, be a volunteer examiner or establish a club station. Communicator Class licensees must pass a simple 20 question multiple- choice written exam and will be required to obtain, read and certify their understanding of the Part 97 rules. The VECs Question Pool Committee feels that it is impossible to cover the FCC rules in what would be a relatively few questions. The ARRL proposed 25 examination questions. This petition was reviewed prior to submission by all 14 of the VEC`s around the country, and was approved by a 2 to 1 margin. While some areas of disagreement were to be expected, the fact that such an overwhelming majority of the VEC`s approved the NCVEC petition speaks well for its being representative of the true feelings and opinions of those most in tune with the examination process and the needs of the Amateur Radio community. This is further supported by the fact that the NCVEC and ARRL petitions are similar in basic concept, and in fact agree on most issues. Taken together, these two filings appear to be speaking in a unified voice as to the needs of the future of Amateur Radio in the United States. The FCC acknowledged receipt of the Petition for Rulemaking on March 4, 2004. It is not known when it will be distributed for initial Public Comment. The ARRL Petition has not been assigned an RM (rulemaking) file number yet either. Download a zipped version of the full 24 page petition (25 kb) in MS- Word format here: http://www.qrz.com/communicator_petition.zip Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ Founder, QRZ.COM The above posting and responses can be found at: http://www.qrz.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST&f=3&t=57770 (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. HAM RADIO PRAISE: PAUL HARVEY DOES IT AGAIN Call this one deja vous [sic]. A few months back, nationally syndicated radio commentator Paul Harvey heaped praise on the Amateur Radio Service. Now he has done it again. On his Friday, March 12th noontime broadcast the commentator again took note of ham radio and the emergency services we provide. He noted that in any national emergency and with all of the nation`s sophisticated technology, in any real disaster our country still relies heavily on its Amateur Radio operators. Harvey characterized hams as being ready, willing and able to coordinate with emergency services while keeping the public informed to a degree that commercial radio stations cannot. He then singled out the Tri-State Amateur Radio Club of Cresco, Iowa, noting that this group will be honored by the Points of Light Foundation on March 29th. Harvey concluded his report saying that President Bush has called for more citizen involvement in civic activities. Harvey says this includes a lot of people and organizations, but none more unsung and certainly none more unpaid than the hams standing by around the clock. If you missed Paul Harvey`s latest on ham radio its not to late to hear it. The show is archived on the Paul Harvey website. Just go to http://www.paulharvey.com and click on the Friday March 12th noon report. It`s about 7 minutes into the broadcast (via e-mails via Amateur Radio Newsline March 19 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY RAISES CONCERN OVER VOICE OF AMERICA IN BOTSWANA Moyo raises concern over US radio station --- Herald Reporter THE Minister of State for Information and Publicity in the President’s Office and Cabinet, Professor Jonathan Moyo, yesterday expressed concern over an American radio station broadcasting anti-Zimbabwe propaganda from Botswana. The minister raised this issue during a meeting with Botswana ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Mothusi Nkgowe, who paid a courtesy call on him at his Munhumutapa offices. Mr Nkgowe told journalists after the meeting that he had discussed the American radio station and the alleged ill-treatment of Zimbabweans in Botswana with Prof Moyo. "I was not aware of this issue until the minister raised it and I will take the issue up with the authorities in my country. "Since the 1970s Botswana has had a relay station for the Voice of America and this was established to help the coverage of Radio Botswana. I am not aware that there is now a station specifically to broadcast more about regime change in Zimbabwe." The radio station in Botswana, together with others in the Netherlands and Britain, has been at the forefront in broadcasting anti-Zimbabwe propaganda. . . http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=30114&pubdate=2004-03-19 (Zimbabwe Herald March 19 via Ulis R. Fleming, DXLD) Rest of story not about radio. Amb. Nkgowe must be really out of touch. Studio 7, the VOA service especially for Zimbabwe, has been on the Botswana MW relay transmitter 909 kHz since the program`s inception, M-F 1730-1800. I`m sure it`s not ``anti-Zimbabwe`` -- just anti-Mugabe, or as VOA would maintain, merely telling the objective truth. The state, it`s him, that megalomaniac thinks (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SHORTWAVE MUSIC +++++++++++++++ THE HAM BAND RETURNS ...Remember a CD of Amateur Radio songs that began: ``Is this frequency in use? (static) Is this frequency clear? (static) Hello CQ, CQ, CQ...`` Of course, we are talking about the album Seek You from a group called The Ham Band. Now they`re back and they are taking the airwaves by storm with their new music video titled ``Come And Join Us On The Airwaves.`` For those of you who don`t remember, the Ham Band burst on the country music scene about a half dozen years ago with their CD ``Seek You.`` A CD chock full of ham radio songs and even a real QSO that`s still available over a direct sales website. The group is made up of entertainers Andrew Huddleston, OZ1XJ, is wife Lissa and some of the very best session musicians that Nashville has to offer. Andrew and Lissa do the music part of their CD`s here in the United States but the vocal tracks are recorded in picturesque Aarhus, Denmark. That just happens to be where this very talented couple live. Now you can get to see some of Denmark`s countryside as well as see and hear Andrew and Lisa perform with the on-line release of their new ham radio music video. You will need Real Player to see it and we do suggest you have a high speed connection such as cable modem or DSL. Just take your web browser to http://www.hamband.com scroll to the bottom of the page and click on video. Then click on the word ``here,`` turn the audio up a bit and enjoy the Ham Band`s latest as seen from, a rather lofty perch. If you ever wanted a way to explain to a non ham what Amateur Radio is about, this music video will definitely do the job (Amateur Radio Newsline March 19 via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###