DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-066, April 9, 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 1227: Sat 0800 on WRN1 to Europe, Africa, Asia, Pacific Sat 0855 on WNQM Nashville 1300 Sat 1030 on WWCR 5070 Sat 1830 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2100 on DKOS usually, http://www.live365.com/stations/steve_cole Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB [new] Sun 0630 on WWCR 3210 Sun 1000 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 1900 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sun 2000 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Mon 0100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [last week`s 1226] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Tue 0300 on SIUE Web Radio http://www.siue.edu/WEBRADIO/ Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WORLD OF RADIO 1227 in mp3 recorded from 7415 at 2200 UT April 7, already available April 8, but this week it was a phone-feed to WBCQ: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_04-07-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_04-07-04.mp3 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 1227 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1227.html WORLD OF RADIO 1227 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227.rm DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Here`s where to sign up. There may be a delay in approval if I do not recognize your name and / or e-mail address. If your yahoo profile does not give this info, please send me a separate e-mail with your true name, location and brief reason for wishing to join the group --- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ (Glenn Hauser, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Radio Amani has now its own website: http://www.radioamani.com (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ASIA [non]. RFA SCHEDULE IN A-04, VALID TIL OCT 30TH, 2004 RFA currently broadcasts at 1100-0700; there are no transmissions between 0700 and 1100. Daily programming including Mandarin for 12 hours, Cantonese for two hours, Uyghur for two hours, and Tibetan for eight hours. J04 = til Sept 4th. S04 = from Sept 5th, 2004. RFA uses IBB ttransmitters in IRA/I=Iranawila Sri Lanka, SAI/S=Saipan, TIN/T=Tinian N Mariana Islands And relays in HBN/P=KHBN Palau Isl, IRK=Irkutsk-RUS, TWN/N=Taiwan, UAE=Al Dhabayya-UAE, WER=Wertachtal Germany, WHR/W=KWHR Hawaii. Additional transmitter sites have been researched but deleted from this list upon request of RFA to suppress this info, to avoid pressure from China upon the host countries. Are we to assume that China has no way to find out this sensitive info except through DX publications? [gh] RFA A-04 updated schedule of April 9th, 2004 0000-0100 LAO 12015I 13830 15545T 0030-0130 BURMESE 11540 13680T 13820I 17835S 0100-0200 UYGHUR 9350 11520 11895UAE 11945UAE 15405T 17640T 21470T 0100-0300 TIBETAN 9365 11695UAE 11975WER 15225T 15695 17730 0300-0600 MANDARIN 13670T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495 17525 17615S 17880S 21690T 0600-0700 MANDARIN 13670T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495 17525 17615S 17880S 0600-0700 TIBETAN 17485 17510 17720 21500T 21690UAE break 1100-1200 LAO 9355S 9545T 15560I 15635 1100-1400 TIBETAN 7470 11590 13625T 15510UAE 15695 17855S-(from 1200) 1230-1330 CAMBODIAN 13645T 15525I 15670 1300-1400 BURMESE 9455I 11540-S04 11765T 13745T 15680-J04 1400-1500 CANTONESE 9780T 11715S 13790T 1400-1500 VIETNAMESE 9455S 9635T 11510 11535-S04 11605N 11680I 13775P 15705-J04 1500-1600 TIBETAN 7470 11510 11705T 11780UAE 13825 1500-1600 MANDARIN 7540-S04 9455T 9905P 11765T 12025S 13690T 13725T 15510T 15680-J04 1500-1700 KOREAN 7210IRK 9385S 13625T 1600-1700 UYGHUR 7465 9350I 9370 9555UAE 11750I 11780T 1600-1700 MANDARIN 7540-S04 9455S 9905P 11795T 12025S 13690T 13715I 15510T 15680-J04 1700-1800 MANDARIN 7540-S04 9355S 9455S 9540T 9905P 11795T 13625T 13680T 13715T 15510T 15680-J04 1800-1900 MANDARIN 7530-S04 7540-S04 9355S 9455S 9540T 11520-J04 11665N 11700T 11740T 11995S 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680-J04 1900-2000 MANDARIN 7530-S04 7540-S04 9355S 9455S 9605T 9905P 11520-J04 11700T 11740T 11785T 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680-J04 2000-2100 MANDARIN 7530-S04 7540-S04 9355S 9455S 9850T 9905P 11520-J04 11700T 11740T 11785T 13625T 15680-J04 2100-2200 MANDARIN 7540-S04 7105T 9850T 9900N 9910P 11700T 11740T 11935T 13625T 15680-J04 2100-2300 KOREAN 7460 9385S 9770T 12075T [new time] 2200-2300 CANTONESE 9355S 9955P 11785T 13675T 2230-2330 CAMBODIAN 9490I 9930P 13735T 2300-2359 MANDARIN 7540-S04 9910P 11785T 13640T 13800S 15430T 15550T 15680-J04 2300-2359 TIBETAN 7470 7550Y--S04 9365 9395-J04 9805UAE 9875T 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 9975-S04 11540-J04 11560 11580 11605N 11670T 12110I 13735S 15560P Korean 1400-1500 UT has been deleted, and replaced by an extended 2100-2300 UT morning transmission (various sources, updated on April 9th, 2004 by Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 5049.98, ARDS Radio Humpty Doo (presumed), 0945-1000, Mar 19, Vernacular talks with mention of Australia, 15331, but covered by China from *1000 (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 6115, Voice International-Darwin, *1800, NEW morning service in English to Asia, very early! (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. RUPERT OUTGROWS OZ -- Australia sadly bid farewell to its biggest company April 7 as media giant News Corp. announced it had outgrown its home base and was moving to the United States. The company is one of Australia's best business success stories -- nurtured by media mogul Rupert Murdoch from an afternoon newspaper in Adelaide that he inherited from his father into the world's fifth largest media company. Prime Minister John Howard said it was "a pity" but added he understood the commercial reasons why Murdoch had to abandon Adelaide which had been his base for five decades. Despite his global reach, Murdoch continued to hold the company's annual general meeting in his former hometown and while he travelled the globe building his empire, Australians considered him their own. Murdoch has already renounced his Australian passport, adopting US citizenship in 1985 to circumvent US ownership laws. The media group is worth about 51 billion US dollars and derives 75 percent of its revenues from the United States. Analysts said the time had come for News Corp. to be incorporated in the United States rather than Australia and for its shares to have their primary listing on Wall Street and secondary listings in Sydney and London. Murdoch said the move was designed to draw more investment from US fund managers who are sometimes precluded from investing in foreign companies and gives News Corp. access to cheaper capital to fund future acquisitions (AFP via SCDX/MediaScan April 7 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. US "PLANS TO FINANCE ANTI-DRUGS RADIO STATION IN BOLIVIA" The Website Narco News, which reports on the drug war and democracy in Latin America, says that in June 2003, confidential reports leaked from the Ministry of Defence in Bolivia revealed that the US Embassy was to finance the establishment of the "Tricolor" radio station (a reference to the three colors of the Bolivian flag) in the town of Chimoré, to be run by the Bolivian armed forces. Broadcasting at up to 15 kilowatts the station will reach all across the country [which thus indicates it will use shortwave], disseminating discouraging messages to the coca growers about the supposed war on drugs and terrorism. Narco News says it was former president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada`s government that made these commitments to the US, but the commitments are now being fulfilled under the new administration. In the Rinconada region, construction has begun on new police/military barracks. There are also rumours circulating about the installation of the "Tricolor" radio station in the Chapare. The Narco News Bulletin http://www.narconews.com # posted by Andy @ 09:22 UT April 9 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. 4820/7255, R Botswana has still no signal on SW (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, Mar 30, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. This morning at 0510 UT I heard an unID Brazilian on 5015. Program was religious format. No ID was heard. I didn't hear this station before, maybe longer program? Some help needed. Thanks. 73 abo (Andrée Bollin, Germany, April 9, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 5015 kHz, Rádio Pioneira Teresina with an excellent signal tonight. I recall tuning past and on this frequency recently and nothing was even close to this loud. A little fading is observed and a weak station is underneath (was not there at tune in), but Pioneira is rarely below S8. It's mostly S8+ to S9. First discovered this loud around 2320 Apr 9. Now past 0145 April 10 and still about the same level. All religious programming in the periods I listened. I heard 5 time pips at 0100 and the actual WWV time at the 5th pip was 01.00:08. Eight seconds off --- that must be a record for a Latin American station! Listed for 1 kW in PWBR and WRTH but sounds more like a minimum of 5 kW. Right now, it's stronger than Rádio Brasil Central on 4985 (10 kW) and about the same as Rádio Clube do Pará on 4885 (2 kW in PWBR, 5 kW in WRTH). (John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, USA, JRC NRD-515/K9AY Loop, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4895, R. IPB Novo Tempo, Campo Grande, MS, 0850-0920, Apr 03. New name!!! Portuguese religious talk by two males and Christian music, ann: ``Novo Tempo, Novo Tempo``. Talk about a biblic course: ``Encontro com a vida``. Ann and ID at 0917: ``...na Rádio IPB Novo Tempo...``; other ann.: ``a programação do todos os sábados do Rádio Novo Tempo...``. Speaker give a phone number and a web on Internet. TC, 34333 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 3255.05, R. 6 de Agosto, Been following this for a while and found that it signs on at *0930 daily with NA and canned full ID. However, the signal comes on earlier (5-10 minutes) and appears to have extremely weak music until the NA begins and the audio picks up, but I can't be sure (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. U S A. RFE CHIEF WELCOMES RADIO NEW EUROPE LAUNCH | Text of press release from Radio Free Europe web site on 9 April Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) President Thomas A.Dine welcomed the creation of "Radio New Europe," an independent, nonprofit successor to the recently closed Bulgarian Service of RFE/RL. Dine said, "Radio Free Europe" proudly passes the torch to Radio New Europe, which will continue to broadcast free and unfettered news and information in the best tradition of RFE/RL." Under the guidance of Radio New Europe's chairman Gueorgui Stoychev, who was until February director of RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service, Radio New Europe will continue popular programs such as "Blitz" and "Studio Bulgaria", employ many of the same staff, and broadcast on its frequencies in nine Bulgarian cities. Radio New Europe plans to pursue other innovative programming ventures and aims to become a leading independently funded public radio in Bulgaria along the model of public radio stations in the US and Europe. Stoychev said: "We will continue to build on the mission and legacy of Radio Free Europe. We have changed our name and sources of funding, yet we remain a non-profit foundation and are very pleased to be able to continue the promotion of democratic values by providing our audience with the same crucial coverage of events that has served the Bulgarian people for over 50 years." Radio New Europe, no longer funded by RFE/RL, is seeking funds to maintain its broadcasting mission from a variety of sources including local and international grant-making organizations, corporate sponsorship and advertising. President Thomas A. Dine will visit Bulgaria on 25-27 April to participate in the official launch of Radio New Europe. Source: Radio Free Europe web site in English 9 Apr 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) & GERMANY ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC [non]. UNITED KINGDOM, 15470, R. Ndeke Luka, Bangui, via Woofferton (250 kW), *1830-1930*, Mar 29, new summer frequency ex 11785 via Dhabayya, both brokered by Merlin. Afropops and news and talks in French and 1910 in Sango. 1915 French ID, but still frequency ann of 11785! Audio loss was noted for four minutes and the transmitter signed off in mid-sentence. 45444 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** CHILE [and non]. Voz Cristiana has been heard until 0500 on 6070 (now 5995? [no]) with "Fútbol de primera, la radio del mundial". This is a US stationed sports network, whose program now gets the added bonus of a shortwave relay. Their home page at http://www.laradiodelmundial.com/index2.htm does not give a great deal of information on affiliate stations, but WJCC, Miami, 1700, is one of them. They also relay Voz Cristiana from time to time. Voz Cristiana´s studios are in Miami and their satellite signal is downloaded by numerous Spanish speaking stations in Latin America (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. 9930/17510 [via KWHR Hawaii], World Falun Dafa Radio: This is the correct name of this radio, and not ``Dada Radio``, as several times reported. I have received a QSL-card, for an e-mail reception report from PO Box 93436, City of Industry, CA 91715, USA (Massimo Cerveglieri, Italy, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) Dafa ** CHINA [and non]. DXing in Kansas mainstream press : PROJECT HAS GLOBAL AIM --- Students interview Chinese premier, send letters --- By Barbara Hollingsworth, The Capital-Journal Richard Wilds' students at Capital City School have been sending letters to radio stations around the world for 20 years. They ask for maps, pictures and other mementos, and the stations usually respond. But last month, China's leader, Premier Wen Jiabao, answered a letter to China Radio International. He recognized the students during a news conference in Beijing, where he also quoted Chinese poetry for the students. "It was really fun," said Wilds, who has tracked the developments from Topeka. "You had CNN and everything. He said, 'you all have to wait. I have my questions.'" Wilds is a short-wave radio junkie. Listening late into the night, Wilds taps into English broadcasts on foreign radio stations and takes note of what is said. Then his students take those notes and write to the radio stations. They mention what Wilds heard and ask their own questions. The lure of free mementos prompts students to write more letters. It is a program Wilds began when working with children at Topeka State Hospital. "Then I came over here and continued my project," he said, "but the idea has been the same, and that was to help students understand the world in ways they don't do in books." Students have been writing letters to radio stations in foreign countries that their teacher, Richard Wilds, tracks through World Band Radio. Juana Cruz, a senior, has written to radio stations in India, Japan, Turkey, Australia and Sweden. She received a book with English translations of Chinese phrases after writing to China Radio International. She turned to the Internet to learn more about China and Chinese pronunciation. Between 30 and 40 students are writing letters this year. On Wednesday, Wilds handed out freebies that had arrived in the mail. Sometimes students receive a small token -- a postcard recognizing that the station received their letter. Also handed out Wednesday were a key chain, map and pictures. China sent intricately designed and painted paper that is cut into different figures. "If they don't give us something, we don't write them back," Wilds said. He has noticed that Taiwan has begun sending nicer mementos since China paid attention to their school. The students usually ask a few questions -- some of which are answered on shows that respond to listener questions. For the Chinese leader, the students' questions ranged from the serious (How would you explain China's rise to world prominence in the areas of economy and space?) to silly queries (What kind of shoes do you have?). "I asked China about their animal population and if they still raised pandas and if they still have reservations for animals," ninth-grader Jennifer Frantz said. She is waiting for a reply. Stories about Capital City School students and a list of their questions for the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao can be found on the Chinese Radio International Web site at http://www.crienglish.com The stories are written in English. The students' questions also have been included in the Chinese show "Listeners Garden." "Impatiently," she said, "but still waiting." The Topeka Capital-Journal, KS, April 8, 2004 For pictures and additional info go to: http://www.cjonline.com/stories/040804/loc_china.shtml (via Sergei Sosedkin, IL; Ulis Fleming, MD; Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) Sniff --- they are not true DXers, just in it for the goodies. And staying up late at night is optional, an hoary stereotype --- certainly not necessary to hear CRI (gh, DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. I wonder how easy it was to hear Radio Sawa from Arta, Djibouti on 1431 kHz. Heard them 2015 UTC in spite of all electronic noise with S7 signal and excellent reception. First an ID followed by the news in Arabic. Good reception really was a nice surprise. 73´s Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, April 9, Rx: AOR 7030+, Ant: Wellbrook indoor ALA 1530P-active loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1431 kHz, 2015 UT, Radio Sawa, Djibouti. Huge signal from the last activated Sawa relay. Arabic. A different program from the Kuwait outlet on 1548. It should be full schedule now (Rocco Cotroneo, northeastern Brazil DXpedition, ``last week`` as of April 8, AOR 7030 + E-W 100 mt wire on ground, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Very up-to-date information about stations in Ecuador: http://www.miagencia.net/paginas_web/medios/guayas_am.htm 8/Abr/2004 20:46 Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That particular page lists AM stations in Guayás province (gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 3279.6, La Voz del Napo, Tena, 0335-0345, Apr 01, Spanish religious talk and hymns, no ID heard, but quite strong: 35343 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) I have received a very nice letter from Padre Dorigatti Humberto, an Italian father who went in this mission in the year 1947 and who is the radio manager. He says not to have time (and resources) enough to answer our letter, as he has to do all by himself. The radio is dedicated all to Indios, with two hours, in the morning and in the evening, in Quichoa language, and then, after the news, they broadcast the radio network ``Radio Maria``, with their religious programs. This spring Padre Dorigatti will come here in the north of Italy, and I hope to be able to speak with him. By the way, nine months, spent my letter to reach Ecuador (Massimo Cerveglieri, Italy, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. 15595, R. Voice of Eritrean People will from Apr 18 broadcast its programmes to the Horn of Africa and the Middle East at 1730-1830 on this new frequency. This was announced by the station 1730, Apr 04 in Tigrinya (BBC Monitoring via Sennitt on Media Network). Ex 13690 (Ed, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. ERIK BETERMANN, DW HEAD: RADIO SEES A RENAISSANCE Novinite - Bulgaria Erik Betermann is Director General of Deutsche Welle TV and radio broadcasting for abroad for two years now. [Bulgarian angle] ... http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=33197 (via Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo - Uruguay, dxldyg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. DW-RADIO LAUNCHES NEW ONE-HOUR PROGRAMME FOR THE U.S. --- The English Service started a new prime-time radio news magazine for the U.S. market on 5 April Expanding on its current 30-minute broadcast, now available worldwide on shortwave, Newslink Plus will integrate more specialized features into the program to provide listeners with both news and sound-rich features from its studios in Bonn, Germany. The program will be taken down live via satellite by Chicago-based distributor WFMT Networks at 9:00 pm EDT and will be immediately transmitted on the public radio satellite as a live program. Stations have the option of using the program live or time shifting it for later broadcast in the evening. There will also be an option to broadcast the first 30 minutes of the program. Greg Fitzgerald, DW-Radio’s marketing and distribution coordinator in the US, said the program is being produced specifically to meet the format needs of public radio. Said Fitzgerald, "Newslink Plus will be produced with the format features most public radio stations request, including the ability to begin the hour with an NPR newscast". Why another international news broadcast for the US? One thing public radio listeners were clear on during the war in Iraq was the importance of a variety of viewpoints from around the globe. Says DW- Radio´s editor-in-chief, Uta Thofern: "Even if not censured, the media everywhere in the world cover events from their national perspective, a trend that is enhanced during crises. The more strained international relations are, the more important becomes international news coverage." United Europe is expanding politically and its currency – the Euro – is becoming increasingly important in world trade. Tension is still high in South-eastern Europe as ethnic hatred continues to fuel violence in Kosovo. And with international terrorism now at Europe’s front door, European-American efforts to fight terrorism have never been at a more critical juncture. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of viewers will be focused on the Summer Games in Athens this year with one eye on the competition and the other on security issues. As the largest international broadcaster in central Europe, DW-Radio is uniquely situated to cover this dynamic region of the globe. Grahame Lucas, Head of News and Current Affairs at DW-Radio´s English Service: "Our producers in Bonn work hand in hand with the teams of our 30 other languages services which – together with our correspondents - provide expertise from around the world." Fitzgerald adds "there is no better way to get a new perspective on a major international issue than from correspondents and producers working in a radio system far removed from the Washington beltway". Fitzgerald continued, "Newslink editors and producers don’t rely on the New York Times and Washington Post as their primary guideposts. Most of the editors in US newsrooms don’t have access to the European news resources available to Deutsche Welle’s news team, because most don’t speak the language and the news agenda in Europe is very different. There`s no better way for DW-Radio to celebrate its 50th year of broadcasting than to export its major news offering to the US audience on the public radio satellite. Deutsche Welle distributes a wide range of multimedia worldwide in 31 languages, and employs the most modern digital technology available for production and transmission. It relies on a multinational-multilingual team of 1500 people from more than 60 nations at its Radio, TV and Online divisions. In the summer of 2003, DW-Radio moved from its Cologne production center to a facility that is probably the most modern broadcast center in Europe. In Bonn, DW-Radio now produces its programming in languages as diverse as Amharic, Urdu, Bengali and Ukrainian, and, of course in English. DW-WORLD.DE, the network’s Internet component is one of the most visited web sites in Europe. For more information, contact DW radio`s US distribution office in Boston at (508) 653 1644, EMAIL: dwusa @ mac.com (From : DW Website via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) Puff alert! DW already had well-established SW broadcasts in English to North America, but gave them up (gh, DXLD) ** HAITI. Glenn:-- With all the recent mentions of Haiti, I'm surprised to see no reference to 4VEC, which was the old 4VEH MW outlet on 1035 kHz --- this 10 kW puppy was a nighttime regular all over the Southeast in the late 1960's. Regards (GREG HARDISON, CA, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ah yes, I remember it well (gh) ** HONG KONG. 8749, Weather Broadcast, 1033-1038 April 9. Noted a woman giving weather in English. Signal was just above noise level at my location, so caught only a word here and there during the broadcast (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 8749U, Weather Broadcast *1033-1040* Much better reception today April 9; could copy about 85% of what the YL said. Weather forecast for various areas, example: Area A, Area B. At the end there was a special announcement, "Do not come in on 8725 kHz when you give me your position reports this evening over." There was a pause, and the message was repeated. SINPO 24443 (George Maroti, NY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 8749(USB), Hong Kong Royal Observatory. 1034-1040* 4/9, woman announcer with English weather report for the Hong Kong to Philippines yacht race. Weak signal with occasional words distinguishable. From 1039 to 1040 two long pauses in the announcements with final announcement at 1040. What happened to the Radio HK weather broadcasts on 3940 for this event? (Bruce Churchill, CA, Japan Radio NRD-545 with Wellbrook ALA-1530 loop beamed 132 degrees, ibid.) I checked the frequency at the same time and (as expected this time of day) nothing from Hongkong here. Instead Turkish (I presume) radiotelephone conversation. I think 8749 is (or was) maritime coastal station transmitting frequency of duplex SSB channel 811. Most probably these weather forecasts are transmitted via the Cape d'Aguilar HF station in Hongkong. If this year no RTVHK is mentioned in the transmissions, maybe we can call these as "utility transmissions". Earlier years the weather forecasts for the race were transmitted on 3940 also via Cape d'Aguilar, but produced by RTVHK, so those transmissions could be counted as RTVHK broadcasts (something like R St Helena). This is just my humble opinion. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) This is correct. Reception reports should be sent to the coastal station rather than RTHK, although RTHK did provide verifications when the weather reports were on 3940 kHz (Richard Lam, Singapore, ibid.) ** INDONESIA. 3265, RRI Gorontalo, 1130-1147, Sun Mar 21, relay of ``Kang Guru Radio English Show`` in English from Australia ``Education in Australia``. At close they mentioned they would be back next week at the same time. Then Bahasa Indonesia. 35543 (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 15125, RRI Jakarta, 0800-1300, Apr 04, is back irregularly in Bahasa Indonesia towards East Asia. Scheduled 0600-1300 (Roland Schulze via Wolfgang Bueschel, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. Nostalgic Offshore Music Radio If you have memories of the music played by the UK's offshore pirate stations during the 1960's and 70's why not give internet station "Offshore Music Radio" a try. If you access the website http://www.offshoremusicradio.com you can see the DJ's and if you page to the bottom of the page you can even apply to be one yourself. They also have an on-line shop selling offshore pirate radio memorabilia. As is usual on international stations all times mentioned are GMT/UTC/Zulu, but unlike SW stations programmes are in stereo. The jingles may be familiar too --- playing the hits from the forts and the ships 24 hours a day! See you on Sunday 1800 hrs (Andy Cadier, UK, April 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. 17735, R. Pedar, via Merlin, Rampisham, On Apr 05 *1730 opened with a hymn about Pedar (Father) and then same kind of program, 35333 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) Tuned into this frequency at 1725 on Fri Apr 02 to catch the sign on and found them already in progress with Farsi talks and local music. Frequent ID`s and off 1828. Monitoring on Sa 03, Mo 05 and Tu 06 revealed schedule to be *1730-1830* Monday to Friday. 9740 has RFE/RL in Arabic *1800-1900* (Michael Ford, Staffordshire, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. On March 25, the Danish Parliament had a public Hearing about the legal and future aspects of the Iraqi War a year ago. It was broadcast live on TV by DR1 and of particular interest to DX-ers was the final contribution by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Government of Iraq, Mr. Hoshyar Zebari (51) who is Kurdish born and has had an active role in the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) from his previous exile in London. (For several years, KDP has been broadcasting the clandestine station ``Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan`` on 4085! Ed). Three of his brothers were killed by Saddam Hussein because of his political activities against that regime! In his long speech he stated amongst others that 70% of the Iraqi population feel better now when Saddam Hussein and nearly all his close supporters have been captured or killed by the U.S.-led Coalition. Two of the highest priority goals for the present Government are to establish good relations particularly to the closest neighbours (Iran and Kuwait) whom the Saddam regime initiated wars against, and to demonstrate that the new Iraq is aiming to become a democratic nation. After that speech I will not be surprised if we get the External Service from Baghdad back on the air maybe already in 2005. At present there is a political need for that, but first a real Iraqi Parliament has to be elected and the financial support established (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. Re: MEDIA IN IRAQ - UPDATED 7 APRIL 2004 [excerpts!] MAIN AM STATIONS INTENDED FOR IRAQ (kHz) 1314 - (US-run) Radio Free Iraq via Abu Dhabi Source: BBC Monitoring research 7 Apr 04 (via DXLD) BBCM continues to list 1314 for Radio Free Iraq (RFI) with the incorrect location "Abu Dhabi". In IBB schedules, Radio Free Iraq on 1314 has always appeared as "ERV" = Gavar in Armenia, with two daily transmissions with 1000 kW ND; the Al Dhabbaya ("Abu Dhabi") transmitter in the United Arab Emirates on 1314 has not been used for this purpose; it is fully used by BBC. In addition, since the start of the A04 season, 1314 is no longer listed on the RFI website http://www.rferl.org/listen/shortwave/shortwave-iq.asp and also did not appear in the IBB A04 schedule published on 28 March (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, April 9, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. RADIO CAMPAIGNER ADMITS DEFEAT [misleading headline] 09 April 2004 --- A campaigner fighting to overturn the granting of a licence for a long-wave radio station has admitted defeat after a two- year court battle. Bride man Nick Cussons won't appeal against a high court judgement to reject his petition of doleance against the Communications Commission's granting of a licence to Isle of Man International Broadcasting. However, he is backing Ramsey Commissioners' call for a public inquiry into the licence and the building of a platform to house the radio antennae in Ramsey Bay. Mr Cussons said: 'I would like to thank those who have supported me. To coin a phrase, this is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.' http://www.iomonline.co.im/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=870&ArticleID=771998 (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** JAPAN. R. Tampa did change its slogan to R. Nikkei on Apr 01 and continues its domestic SW service. Due to its slogan change, we in the Japan SW Club are looking forward to issue of new QSL-card with a new slogan (Toshimishi Ohtake, Japan, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. 4830, R Kashmir, Jammu, was noted Mar 25 till 1743* on 4850. On Mar 26 they also signed on on 4850 but quickly changed to the normal 4830 at around 0030. (Someone must have found the error by then) (Jose Jacob in DX-India via DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** KENYA. 1134 kHz, 0155 UT, KBC, Kitale. First time for me on this frequency. English network, parallel with 1386 and 1305. Sign on (Rocco Cotroneo, northeastern Brazil DXpedition, ``last week`` as of April 8, AOR 7030 + E-W 100 mt wire on ground, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** LESOTHO. Still inactive on SW (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, Mar 30, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. 5990, Junglinster, 0700-0730 with DRM tests, obliterating everything from 5980 to 6000; also noted in mornings at 2000-2200, blocking 5980-6000. This is scheduled for 24-hr operations. 6095, Junglinster, DRM, scheduled Tu-Su, wideband hash 6085-6105, 0700-0800 and 1800-2000 (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD ** MALAWI. 1422 kHz, 2100 UT, MBC Malawi Broadcasting Co. According to WRTH this is Chitipa with just 1 kW, but signal is strong these days also in Rio de Janeiro and I had never noted this before. Sign off at 2200. I also got a parallel, just once, on 675 at 0313. Shortwave is off (Rocco Cotroneo, northeastern Brazil DXpedition, ``last week`` as of April 8, AOR 7030 + E-W 100 mt wire on ground, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** MAYOTTE. 1458 kHz, 2035 UT, RFO Mayotte. French. Not a new one, but charming. This is the Radio France d'Outre-mer, in this tiny island in the Indian Ocean (Rocco Cotroneo, northeastern Brazil DXpedition, ``last week`` as of April 8, AOR 7030 + E-W 100 mt wire on ground, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 4810, XERTA, R. Transcontinental de América, Mexico City, 1010-1028, Mar 21, Spanish, international pop music, ID: ``Rádio Transcontinental``. 1150 religious ceremony, fading out, best: 25332 (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. 4830, Mongolian National R, Altai, *2100-2110, Apr 03, Mongolia is now on Summer Time (ex *2200). Instrumental Interval signal, announcement in Mongolian, National Hymn by Choir, 2104 news read by man and woman, 34333, heard // Murun 4895, but no other frequencies audible (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) 4895, Mongolian R., Murun, 2233-2305, Apr 02, Mongolian, pops, talks, jingles and presumably ann; 45332 and a rather distorted audio too (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 5985.85, R. Myanmar, 1517-1529, running a few minutes late, usual marching music, English news stories about the activities of the State Peace and Development Council, ID ``Myanmar Radio, Yangon``, slogans about the economy, poor (Ron Howard, CA, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** NAMIBIA. Both 6060.00 and 6174.95 are on 24h but rather irregular lately. Both frequencies noted off on several occasions in past few weeks, mainly 6060. When only one frequency used, it is always 6174.95 (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, Mar 30, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** NEPAL. 5005.33, R. Nepal audible from 2340 Apr 9 with decent strength and clarity (A. Koutamanis, Netherlands, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. On April 5, 2004 I received a E-QSL from Radio New Zealand, Rangitaiki, 15340 kHz. March 12, 2004 sent reception report via Web report form and received new full data E-QSL card in 26 days. V/S Adrian Sainsbury, Frequency Manager QTH: Radio New Zealand International, P O Box 123, Wellington. Web report form at: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/qsl_web.php (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {wrong credit : see 4-067} ** OKLAHOMA. And the discussion of KGYN-1210 led me to search around out of curiosity and find this picture that could show one of the masts of this station: http://www.amarillonet.com/images/headlines/052798/housing.jpg (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I would not be so sure that mast is KGYN. I don`t recall any housing under construction in the area, and there are lots of other, 2-way masts around Guymon. Just checked it April 10 at 0123 and good signal here talking about 5th annual KGYN-sponsored Easter egg hunt, at a lake, and approaching big cold front expected to freeze out crops. Should not be that much signal here after sunset. Booming in with ID at 0157, country music, sports scores; 0201 ABC News. At 0208 the signal vanished; must have finally gone DA-west? Faded back in but much weaker than before (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1210, KGYN Guymon OK, 0520 [EST] 4/1 C&W music, weather forecast. 0539 more weather, "KGYN". Heard under partly nulled WPHT. New Catch! (Larry Russell, MI, MARE via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. OKC`s KOMA-AM 1520 has dumped the Carol Arnold talk show and two reporters. Why did they think more radio rightwing garbage would be a ratings winner? (Frosty Troy, Observerscope, Oklahoma Observer April 10 via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. 9736.97, R. Nacional, verified a postal report with an e- mail reply in 6 days from Héctor Díaz who attached JPEGs of the Radio Nacional building façade and a night time photo of the Palace. Station is glad to be active after four years of inactivity and seems happy to receive reception reports (Rich D`Angelo, PA, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** PERU. 6047.1, Radio Santa Rosa presumed the one here 0645-0652 April 9th, continuous talk by man, poor strength, barely above my local noise level. I later downloaded DXLD 4065 and frequency matches Mark Mohrmann's log (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth Garden City, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6047.14, R. Santa Rosa, 0908-1108 April 9. Religious discussion between M and W, into Rosary/prayers at 0917 to at least 0945. ID by M at 0954, then another beautiful canned ID by M over instrumental music as: "...palabra de Dios. R. Santa Rosa...Lima Peru", and into soft instrumental music. Still audible at 1045 and still in at 1108. Tnx Mark Mohrmann for tip (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 6046.82, R. Santa Rosa, 0858-0920, April 9, Spanish, Instrumental music at tune-in, OM with full ID announcement at 0901, talks with YL via telephone, "Santa Marías" at 0917. Fair at best with propagational noise (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The above two logs overlap in time, and disagree on the precise frequency (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Glenn: I was doing a quick bandscan of 31 meters this morning and caught, of all things, R. Victoria on 9720 at 1059 (4/9/04): long ID announcement with slogans ("Informativa, educativa ... ésta es Radio Victoria, una radio para todos" and "Atención, Perú ... Radio Victoria, radio para todos") with sfx and music into religious inspirational music to (M) and (W) talk at 1107. Fair signal with noise and increased fading as the sun came up here. If I have ever logged them in the past, it has been a long. long time. They are not listed in the 2004 PassPort "blue pages" and WRTH 04 has them on 9722. Perhaps on today in honor of Good Friday??? If I am not mistaken, Victoria is an evangelical or pentecostal outlet (Jim Clar, Rochester, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9720.04, R. Victoria, 1053-1107 April 9. End of talk by M and Ranchera-like music. Romantic music, then live M voice-over with TC, announcer name, mention of tarde several times (sked??), sierra, "la voz de la tarde". 1100 program promos, one mentioning "6 de la tarde". Nice program intro/ID at 1103, then talk by live M. Canned announcement at 1105 starting with "Atención Lima, atención Perú...". Some announcements were muffled while others quite clear. Seemed to gradually weaken. Slop QRM from 9715 didn't help (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 9720, R. Victoria, Lima, 0735-fade out 0915, Mar 29, Portuguese religious program by Brazilian preacher; 35433 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) 9720.0, 0140-0159, Mar 18, R. Victoria, Peru, until 0200 (Dario Monferini, Mount Etna, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** PERU. 5014.5, R. Juliaca, Juliaca, 1030-1120, Mar 13, 15 and 18, active here! Religious conversation in Spanish, ID`s, 25332 (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) Do not mix with R. Altura which moved to 5014.38, cf. DX-Window no 242 (DSWCI Ed. Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) Nor with BRAZIL ** PORTUGAL. From Mar 31, Rádio Difusão Portuguesa (RDP) and Rádio Televisão Portuguesa (RTP) are together on their new postal address: Av. Marechal Gomes da Costa, 37, 1800-255 Lisboa, Portugal. Please have a look at their new logos on: http://www.rtp.pt/web/sites/rtp_nova_imagem.htm (Fernando C. Ferreira, Leiria, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Re ``VOR is also not involved in providing air time for foreign relays via SW transmitters in Russia (DW, RNW, CRI etc.) or domestic customers (like Radio Studio). There is only one exception: the German-based Radio Santec (Universelles Leben church) which since many years sub- leases air time from VOR`` Although not on SW, two programmes may be worth mentioning in this context: Evangelskoye chtenie (Gospel Reading?) in Russian: 1500-1600 mt.t..s 612msk 1170arm 2000-2100 daily 612msk 1089arm Peredacha ob islamskoy kulture i tsivilizatsii (Transmission about Islamic Culture and Civilisation) ex-Islamskaya Volna in Russian and Arabic: 1500-1600 ..w.f.. 612msk 1170arm I don't know what is VOR's relationship to these; at least they don't sound like normal VOR programming, although they play VOR IS in the beginning and don't give any specific ID other than program name. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RWANDA [and non]. Re INTERNATIONAL: IBRA Radio A04 --- The '?' frequencies on the right are the ones given by IBRA. 6055 is via Radio Rwanda, 11690 via the DW transmitter, as in B03 (Silvain Domen, Belgium, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: ``R. Rwanda is on 11690???? See 1730 entry. Surely that`s DW Kigali site, unlike 6055.`` --- As far as I know actually not unlike, since the 6055 transmitter is installed at the DW station. According TDP the original 50 kW Philips transmitter was replaced by an Asea Brown Boveri 100 kW in 1992, certainly delivered in one bunch with the new ABB 250 kW units that replaced the original Marconi's for DW's own use. I understand that the 20 kW Radioindustry Zagreb unit installed in 1984 was meant for Radio Rwanda, too (I seem to recall that there used to be a 19 metres outlet alongside 6055), while the 5 kW Philips from 1975 could be an RTTY transmitter once used for internal communications with Cologne. And the listing of IBRA radio 1730-1800 on 11690 is a straight collision with the VT Merlin schedule where Kigali-11690 is shown for FEBA in Somali 1700-1757, alongside with Arabic 1903-1957 on 9690. Or have IBRA and FEBA anything to do with each other? As a reminder, Kigali is also in use by RFI now, 0600-0657 on 17770 (French). {4-067} By the way, four pictures of the site can be found at http://www.dxradio-ffm.de/WELT.htm (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also on same page, shots of Sines, Antigua, Pifo, and Dubrovnik (gh) ** SOMALIA. Now a letter regarding R. Galcayo on 6980: My name is Ahmed Haji-Jama, Canadian citizen of Somali origin, webmaster of http://www.radiogalkayo.com and resident of Toronto, Canada. My hobby is Somali Radio. Radio is by far the most influential means of communication in Somalia, a highly oral society. Please see many links about Radio Galkayo (on this website! Ed). Also, please see at the end on the website four messages from two brave Canadian Journalists, members of Canadian Journalists for Human Rights http://www.jhr.ca/ who are planning to go to Galkayo by September, stay there for few months and help Radio Galkayo. Also, please see the Radio needs (attachment) we sent to the 2 Canadian journalists. They are confidant in reaching most of the contents. However, they may need help in one of the contents, i.e. FM Transmitter with an antenna. Anyway, the best thing is coordinate things with them, see what they can do and what they can`t, then share with your resource group on Finland, governmental or otherwise, to chip in and help as well. The needs of Radio Galkayo are immense. They may need computers, tapes, motors and even incentive, even if minor, for the young volunteers, internet/website cost (which really very few from our Diaspora shoulder), etc... Finally, please find below some of the requests from Sam Voron, just published this week! Sam is an great asset for Radio Galkayo and we regard him high! Thanks a million, Ahmed Haji-jama, http://www.radiogalkayo.com RADIO GALKAYO AND PEACEBUILDING IN SOMALIA A Proposal to Strengthen Radio Galkayo A community Radio Galkayo, Puntland 15 March 2004 Introduction Since the collapse of Somalia`s central government in 1991, Somalia has remained in a state of statelessness. Civil war still rages in some parts of the country. In other parts, such as Puntland State of Somalia, peace building and self-governing initiatives have taken root. And as Puntland evolved into a self-governing entity, peace promotions within and with neighboring regions or clans have taken a new urgency. Radio Galkayo or ``Radio Peace`` as previously known has filled the void. It has for the last thirteen years remained the sole voice promoting peace in the region and throughout Somalia. In these difficult times, it is noteworthy to remember that Radio Galkayo has played a vital role during the civil war and this post-conflict period. However, because of a lack of staff experience, lack of encouragement and motivation, lack of suitable equipment, and numerous other problems related to this post-conflict environment, daily programming demands constant vigilance, and in that process Radio Galkayo continues the dissemination of programs based on the needs of the larger community. Day-after-day the community needs and related services needed keep growing. And Radio Galkayo remains the only community and non-commercial radio throughout Puntland and surrounding areas. And as a matter of fact, `Radio` remains as the sole source in which the local people get information; of course an information that can bring people together and that can create a peaceful atmosphere where development and stability take root. Objectives Our original goal, vision and objective of Radio Galkayo was to undertake and provide non-political information with the concept of a `Free Community Radio` being fully utilized To establish community based radio in Somalia To enable the community to have a window to speak and communicate with each other In addition to that concept of providing voice for the voiceless, Radio Galkayo has made its objective to provide responsible reporting that contributes to a culture of peace and fair reporting. In Puntland, Radio Galkayo has also consistently supported and encouraged democratic development and good governance in the region. During this post-conflict period, to maintain a consistent, balanced and peaceful messages, it is important to train local journalists to devote more time in community news, economic development projects, and in promoting the achievements of our most admired community members. Training To create quality programs is easier said than done. Therefore, to make a programming leap, it would be quite advantageous to have Western educated journalist partake skills training programs for local journalists. Firstly, Western journalist would instill professionalism in the broadcasting booth. Secondly, their help will make programming more efficient. And finally, a friendly atmosphere where different cultures co-mingle will be created. We expect this and will encourage it to be an atmosphere where each will benefit from the other. Infrastructure To achieve above objectives and develop fully trained staff, we need to maintain or expand the existing infrastructure. Currently Radio Galkayo has a basic shortwave transmitter, an FM transmitter, and miscellaneous but `really old` recording equipment. To maintain and expand quality programming, Radio Galkayo needs the following equipment: # Description II in $ USD a) FM Transmitter with an antenna a second-hand min each 10,000.00 b) 3 Double Cassette Decks standard deck each 200.00 c) 2 Mixers depending on the brand and features each 3,000.00 d) 4 Studio microphones dynamic mics for studio each 500.00 e) Mini disk recorders digital 8 hr / 256mb recorder each 250.00 Total Costs $13,950 Conclusion By working together, learning from each other, and leaning on each other, together we can contribute to peace, stability and development in Africa. Let us stay together! Sincerely yours, Hassan M. Jama `Jidka`, Director of Radio Galkayo (via Torre Ekblom, Espoo, Finland, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 729 kHz, 2025 UT, R. Veritas, Cape Town, religious, thanks to John Plimmer suggestion. This used to be the R. Punt Gesels transmitter. It should still be 20 kW, but signal was excellent all night long (Rocco Cotroneo, northeastern Brazil DXpedition, ``last week`` as of April 8, AOR 7030 + E-W 100 mt wire on ground, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN -- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "GreenScan" water scarcity Friday: Good Friday public holiday, special on Nordic Food Saturday: "Sweden Today" Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" Bounce and Shirley Clamp Monday: Easter Monday public holiday special (SCDX/MediaScan April 7 via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. Finally a Tajik QSL card. For years I have been trying to QSL Radio Tajikistan without any luck nor reply from them. I again decided to send it via a DXer friend in Tajikistan but he went a step further. He told me that I may never get a reply from them, so he personally designed this beautiful QSL e-card. I don`t want to delete this from my box but I must else it will full. So I am a looking for a DXer or club that is willing to host this ecard in their website. Very glad for this (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suggested he use yahoo briefcase ** U K [non]. BBC Tajik 1500-1530 on 11945 and 13740: Both via Cyprus (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. THE ODD WORLD OF U.S. SHORTWAVE --- U.S. shortwave broadcasters consider themselves rebels - and are proud of it. by James Careless, RW --- Special Report 04.07.04 Radio's renegades. That's how many broadcasters view privately-owned U.S. shortwave radio stations. They've got a point; when it comes to the conventions of commercial AM/FM radio, this country's 25-odd shortwave stations are anything but conventional. In fact, the U.S. shortwave broadcast industry is sufficiently different from domestic AM and FM that it has its own lobbying group, the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (online at http://www.shortwave.org ). A look at its membership list reveals stations unknown to most U.S. broadcasters, such as WMLK Assemblies of Yahweh, KAIJ Two If By Sea Broadcasting Corp., and WRMI Radio Miami International. Missing from the shortwave ownership list are names like Clear Channel and Infinity. Most U.S. shortwave stations are owned by religious groups, while a few others, such as WRMI and WBCQ, are commercially owned. Restricted access Why is U.S. shortwave so different? First, AM and FM are local or regional in coverage, while SW is national or international, thanks to the way radio waves propagate in the 5,000-30,000 kHz area of the spectrum. Like familiar AM signals at night, amplitude-modulated shortwave signals literally bounce off the ionosphere, allowing them to reach thousands of miles beyond the horizon. However, shortwave signals do this all the time, depending on which of the SW bands are used. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [somewhat outdated sidebar: with WGTG, WWFV but not WWRB; etc.] FCC-Authorized U.S. Shortwave Stations KAIJ Dallas Two If By Sea Broadcasting Corp. KFBS Northern Mariana Islands, SA Far East Broadcasting Co. KHBN Medorn, Aimeliik, Palau High Adventure Ministries KIMF Pinon, N.M. International Fellowship of Churches KJES Vado, N.M. Our Lady's Youth Center KNLS Anchor Point, Alaska World Christian Broadcasting Corp. KSDA Agat, Guam Adventist Broadcasting Service Inc. KTBN Salt Lake City Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana Inc. KTWR Agana, Guam Trans World Radio Pacific KVOH Rancho Simi, Calif. High Adventure Ministries Inc. KWHR Naalehu, Hawaii LeSea Broadcasting Corp. WBCQ Monticello, Maine Allan H. Weiner WEWN Vandiver, Ala. Eternal Word Television Network Inc. WGTG McCaysville, Ga. Blue Ridge Communications Inc. WHRA Greenbush, Maine LeSea Broadcasting Corp. WHRI Noblesville, Ind. LeSea Broadcasting Corp. WINB Red Lion, Pa. World International Broadcasters Inc. WJCR Millerstown, Ky. World Wide Gospel Radio Inc. WMLK Bethel, Pa. Assemblies of Yahweh WRMI Miami Radio Miami International WRNO New Orleans Good News World Outreach WSHB Furman, S.C. Herald Broadcasting Syndicate Inc. WTJC Newport, N.C. Grace Baptist Church WWBS Macon, Ga. Charles C. Josey WWCR Nashville, Tenn. WNQM Inc. WWFV McCaysville, Ga. Blue Ridge Communications Inc. WYFR Okeechobee, Fla. Family Stations Inc. Details: www.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/stations.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The rule of thumb: higher shortwave frequencies bounce best during the day; lower SW frequencies work better at night. Combine this with seasonal ionospheric variations and the sun's 11-year sunspot cycle, which affects how well SW signals bounce, and one can see that shortwave stations need a number of frequencies assigned to each of them. Second, in the United States, the SW bands are reserved for international broadcasters. "When the Voice of America was founded in 1947, it was prohibited from broadcasting domestically, in order to prevent the government from propagandizing to its citizens," says Larry Magne, editor in chief of "Passport to World Band Radio." "The FCC decided that if this rule applied to the VOA, it should also apply to domestic shortwave broadcasters as well." Fuzzy business model However, according to NASB President and WRMI General Manager Jeff White, the FCC's restriction has an important loophole. "The current rules do not say SW stations cannot broadcast to the U.S.," he said. "They say stations cannot broadcast programs that are intended exclusively for an audience in the continental United States." As a result, U.S. shortwave broadcasters typically target countries such as Canada and Mexico, with their signals coincidentally blanketing any U.S. territory that happens to be in the way. For instance, WRMI's 50 kW North American feed originates from a Florida-based periodic yagi antenna pointed towards Vancouver at 317 degrees. "With this heading, we manage to legally cover virtually all of the continental United States," White said. Then there's the issue of revenue. Although some U.S. shortwave broadcasters - religious groups such as EWTN Global Catholic Radio and Adventist World Radio, for example - don't count on making a profit, others, like WWCR, WCBQ {sic} The Planet and WRMI, definitely do. But although there are believed to be 600 million shortwave listeners worldwide, including about 5 million in North America, no Arbitron- style ratings service exists to report what they're listening to. Without ratings, it is difficult to impossible to sell commercials. As a result, profit-minded U.S. SW stations make their living by selling airtime to whoever wants it. Typically, this tends to be religious or political groups. The religious programmers run the gamut from mainstream to fringe, while political programmers range from Cuban dissidents to right-wing militia groups. In some cases these programmers work live in the station's studios. However, it's more typical for them to send in prerecorded programs on cassette, CD or MiniDisc, or to send in their shows by phone or, increasingly, over the Internet. The cost? "We charge anywhere from $25 to $65 an hour, depending on the time of day and the number of hours purchased," said Allan Weiner, WBCQ owner and general manager. Based in Monticello, Maine, the station uses three converted commercial/military transmitters, some home-built antennas and a 1950s-vintage mobile home converted into a studio building. At WRMI in Miami, Jeff White sells airtime for $1 a minute. Meanwhile, WWCR in Nashville, Tenn., charges anywhere from $15 for 4.5 minutes to $160 for 59.5 minutes, depending on whether you're buying on a one- day, weekly or Monday-through-Friday basis. With four 100 kW transmitters - a single 50 kW transmitter is considered to be the bare minimum by the FCC - WWCR has more reach and a more sophisticated transmission/production plant than WCBQ {sic} or WRMI. Thus, given the FCC's restriction on domestic broadcasting, the issues of propagation, audio quality and static associated with amplitude- modulated shortwave and the lack of a measurable audience, the commercial SW market is not one for the faint-hearted. Add the general public's lack of awareness of the medium - "People ask me all the time how they can pick up Radio Miami International on their AM/FM receivers," White said with a shrug - and one can see it's a tough business. "The handful of truly commercial stations may generate anywhere from less than $200,000 a year to perhaps a few million," he added. "These are not Clear Channel-type operations." Paying the bills These broadcasters are willing to put up with poor production quality and content; this comes with the turf of selling airtime blocks. They can tolerate downright weird shows. "I remember one show where the guy was doing a chant to the angels," White said. "He just kept chanting the same thing over and over again for 15 minutes." In fact, U.S. SW broadcasters are willing to put up with almost anything from their clients, as long as they pay their bills. "It is still a free country and they have a right to say a lot of things," said WWCR General Manager George McClintock. "We pretty much let anyone say what they want," said Weiner. "Our listeners demand that we be as open and free speech as possible. They crave it. They demand it." Besides, "The FCC doesn't really monitor the content on U.S. shortwave," White said. "I don't think they see that as their mission or concern. They are more worried about whether a station's technical parameters are correct." That said, U.S. shortwave broadcasters often suffer grief from their clients' programming. Even radio's renegades have their limits. For instance, WWCR learned that neo-Nazi Ernst Zundel was using his airtime to deny the Holocaust. "We threw the program off," said McClintock. Zundel had been broadcasting in German, and WWCR's operators didn't understand what he was saying. Even so, many Americans associate U.S. shortwave with far-right broadcasts. This is ironic, given that most of what McClintock calls "militia money" stopped flowing to shortwave broadcasters when the dreaded year 2000 finally arrived. Apparently the New World Order's "non-collapse," in McClintock's words, severely hurt the militias' ability to solicit donations from listeners. All in all, U.S. SW broadcasters operate in a strange, Twilight Zone kind of world, but one that they relish. Passport's Magne believes that U.S. shortwave broadcasters enjoy it so much that they don't want the FCC to loosen its archaic restrictions on domestic shortwave. "The truth is that they like it the way it is," he said. "If the rules were changed, it could open the floodgates to more competition." An unfair accusation? Not according to WRMI's White. "We discussed changing the rules at the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters' convention a few years ago," he said. "In fact, the FCC asked for our help in doing so. However, after some discussion, a lot of people came to Magne's conclusion: that we're all better off just leaving things as they are. After all, under the current regime, the FCC pretty much leaves us alone. If the rules were changed, then they might get serious about enforcing them." "If it works for you, leave it alone," said McClintock. Granted, the FCC shortwave rules are "as loose as a goose," he said. But "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." (Radio World via Harry Helms, DXLD) ** U S A. 9955, WEWN Vandiver AL, 4/4, 1400-1600, although a very easy catch in my part of North America, they played the entire "St. John Passion" by Johann Sebastian Bach, approx. 90 minutes of beautiful sacred music (Dave Tomasko, Downers Grove IL, MARE via DXLD) Maybe more around Easter; online schedule detailed? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. GOT ANY NEW IDEAS FOR PRESENTING CLASSICAL MUSIC ON RADIO? MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO WANTS THEM By Tom Strini, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - 8 April 2004 MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO WANTS YOU TO COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY TO PLAY CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE RADIO. http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=23557 MPR, with a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, has launched its Classical Music Initiative. Its purpose is "to make a substantial investment in new program strategies, new ways to listen and new talent for classical music production," according to a news release. MPR invites interested parties — music and radio professionals and the general public — to submit project ideas. MPR will select a limited number for development, provide financial assistance, mentoring and production help. The resulting programs will be broadcast on MPR and offered to public radio stations nationwide. Proposals should consist of one to three pages outlining: (1) the concept; (2) the experience and talent the creator of the proposal will bring to the project; (3) how the project will address the guidelines; (4) why the idea is too good to pass up; and (5) contact information for the proposal creator. Proposals can be mailed to: Mary Lee, director, Classical Music Initiative, Minnesota Public Radio; 45 E. Seventh St.; St. Paul, MN 55101. Proposals also can be e-mailed to mlee @ mpr.org (C) 2004 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. MESQUITE STUDENT RADIO STATION DIALS BACK THE DECADES By Cary Darling, Star-Telegram Pop Culture Critic MESQUITE - Stumbling across KEOM/88.5 FM on the dial is like tripping into one of those pesky black holes that science fiction is forever warning us about. A universe of broadband and Bernie Mac suddenly shape-shifts into a world of White-Out and Waltons. KEOM, a noncommercial station operated by the Mesquite Independent School District, has taken as its mission the ability to teach its high school kids the fundamentals of broadcasting, be a community listening post and champion the music of one decade -- the '70s. . . http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/8383584.htm?1c (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. On the air in Manteca, AM 1700 (California, Part 15) By JASON CAMPBELL Staff reporter of the Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2004/04/04/news/news01.txt Rick Collette isn't the sort of person you'd anticipate launching a community radio station. The new Manteca resident travels back and forth across the Altamont daily to work in the Bay Area -- and has a job that most would consider stressful to say the least. Collette, who moved to Manteca from Memphis to take a job as the Vice President of a dot-com shortly before it folded, took his love for music, and his enjoyment of his new surroundings, out onto the airwaves -- literally. Inside of the garage of his Northeast Manteca home, Collette spins records and breaks out tracks that people haven't heard in decades. He just hope that his newfound hobby, Part 15 radio station AM 1700, is something that the whole community can enjoy with him. "I was thumbing around on-online on pirate radio newsgroups, and found a link that showed me how to do it legally," said Collette. "I couldn't believe it -- I knew this was something that I had to do." Sitting behind the microphone wasn't something new for the Unix Systems Manager and father of two. He started out working as a Disc Jockey early on -- working weddings and parties, and eventually at radio stations. Little did he know that at one time he would have his own Pop 80's station in a small family town in California. "Music is something that I've always been interested in," Collette said. "I really don't listen to what I play now -- my taste is very quite different." Under FCC regulations, people can broadcast on their own as long as the transmissions don't exceed 100 mega-watts of power. While it sounds like a lot, stations like KGO of San Francisco broadcast at around 50,000 mega-watts [sic!!], and border blasters -- international radio stations aimed towards the US -- double that amount. Collette claims that it's the grounding that allows his station to broadcast up to four-miles away -- reaching almost every corner of Manteca. "We have the best grounding on the planet here," said Collette of what anchors his antennae. "That's why it's able to get to the entire city -- it's really great. While he occasionally gets behind the microphone to talk to his listeners or put together some of his favorite songs, don't expect to find a political agenda. The closest he gets to politics is the sticker he has in the studio that says "Speak the Truth" -- something he feels rules out politics altogether. "The rule here is that if you're going to speak, you're going to speak the truth," Collette said. "This station definitely isn't politically motivated -- this town is too diverse to have an agenda. "We're not here to offend anyone." One of the only other requirements is that anybody who gets behind the microphone has to keep things clean -- Collette wants to know that his children can tune it at any time during the day, and be comfortable about what's being talked about. Because of that, he's hoping to take his newfound discovery to the people of Manteca. "I just hope that somebody out there who has a little extra space would be kind enough to let us use some of it," Collette said. "That way we could get this thing into it's own quarters so it can officially be its own station." Since the station is in Collette's garage, running a show in the hot valley summer is all but out of the question. Also, liability issues around having people coming in and out of his garage all day make it somewhat unnerving to think about. Until Collette gets everything officially squared away, he's sticking with the mainly automated format ran though a computer system. "We're hoping that somebody has some extra space that they'll be able to loan to us," Collette said. "That would make the idea to have different people doing different sorts of shows -- it would change the landscape of music." Even though the automated 80's hits remain as the music programmed for the station, Collette still likes to break out and dust off his old vinyl to take him back to time that was so much simpler. "When I was a teenager and living in Newark, New Jersey, I was a 40- minute train ride from CBGB's," said Collette of the famed punk-rock club in New York City that helped launch the bands responsible for the movement. "It was amazing." Sitting underneath his turntable is his record collection which ranges from traditional 80's bands like The Cars to the controversial KISS -- but he still likes listening to a lot of the cutting edge music being produced today. It's the commercialism that sometimes throws him off. In a day and age when in order to make it big you have to me MTV friendly, and underground bands are turning faster than the hands on a clock, it's sometimes hard to find something unique. "It's all going commercial so fast," said Collette. "But the thing is that music is music -- it's all either going to be rooted in jazz or the blues." Regardless of the music industry, Collette still plans on cranking out his tunes -- which were recently brought to the streaming internet medium -- to the people of a city he has grown to love. "This is all about the community -- I'd like to see churches come in here, and people who want to plan an hour of music that they absolutely love," Collette said. "This is more of an expression of music, and that's a great thing." For more information about the station, visit http://www.am1700.org (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. 1610 AM Camas, WA on 4/10/04, 0157 utc M "This is 1610 AM, the joint cooperative radio broadcast for the city of Camas and Georgia Pacific. Further info will be available later.`` This is repeated over and over (Bruce MacGibbon, Gresham, OR, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Bring back WLIB: New liberal radio programs can`t replace local treasures http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/181142p-157312c.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) AIR AMERICA RADIO --- 1400-KVTO, Berkeley, CA, and 1430-KVVN, Santa Clara, CA, will join Air America Radio Network sometime this month. (F. Olding Munny [Art Blair], Folsom, CA, IRCA April 9 via DXLD) ** U S A. EDITORIAL --- Cheers for Fake Laughs April 7, 2004 Now that the applause has subsided (Applause subsiding) and the tears have dried (Sound of tears drying), we pause a taped moment for this Thursday's first anniversary of the passing of Charles Douglass, TV's affable Svengali who invented the laugh track. (Uproarious laughter, applause.) From its start, TV cherished fake -- and it cherished nothing more lasting than the real laughs Douglass recorded during a Red Skelton pantomime (Chuckles) and played back on command for years to underline even the lamest sitcom line. (Gasp!) The idea, of course, was to create cheaply in millions of far-flung living rooms a sense of success and the communal theatrical experience of people murmuring, chuckling, laughing, guffawing and being driven to humorous hysteria by the words and sight of someone standing alone in front of a Cyclopean camera. (Prolonged murmurs of disbelief.) Fake laughter assisted comedians' timing while addressing the primal fear of the former vaudeville stars who launched TV: the sounds of a silent audience. (Silence). Until then, real people pretty much knew for themselves when to laugh: When they felt amused. (Laughter.) But TV felt the need to suggest when laughter was appropriate for invisible dullards sitting at home. (Loud laughter, then enthusiastic applause.) Tracks now enhance the forced laughter of tired audiences in repetitious tapings. (Zzzzz.) Tracks even suggest how intensely viewers should laugh. (Puzzled chuckles leading to hesitant guffaws, swallowed quickly by silence.) Douglass, once a radio engineer, won a 1992 Emmy. (Prolonged applause.) Nobody suggests one friendly man is responsible for the mountains of fakery now permeating modern American life -- the fake flowers, hair, e-mails, enhanced bodies and forced photo-ops posing as news without news but with cameras anyway. (Gentle boos.) Nor did Douglass invent the phony mix of politely intense and meticulously diverse male, female, white, Asian, Latino and black audience members behind today's political candidates. (Gasps of disbelief, then boos.) For years of laugh tracks, now run by laptop, no one noticed the sound of the very same people, many no doubt as gone as Douglass, laughing through countless TV programs. (Nervous laughter.) Nor the fake cheers added to so-called live music albums. (Rimshot!) Today, a majority of TV sitcoms still rely for the sounds of success on Charlie Douglass' genuine fake laughter. A few shows survive fake-laugh-free (Cheering), notably "The Simpsons." (Doh!) Douglass died at 93. (Mass sighs.) But his guffawing gizmo lives on and on and on. (Hesitant applause building immensely, merging into prolonged chants: "Char-lee, Char-lee, Char-lee!") Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. N.C. PUBLIC RADIO STATION SPANS GLOBE IN ALL AVAILABLE MEDIA [registration required; WCPE? Bet they don`t mention *shortwave*] http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/national/8375870.htm?1c (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. CLEAR CHANNEL FINED $495,000, DUMPS STERN --- By Jennifer Frey Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, April 9, 2004; Page C01 Clear Channel Communications and shock jock Howard Stern felt the force of the Federal Communications Commission's new get-tough stance against on-air indecency yesterday, when the FCC for the first time issued a fine based on "individual utterances," which could cost the company $495,000 for a single Stern broadcast last April. Clear Channel reacted quickly, permanently severing its ties with Stern, whose show already had been suspended from its stations for the past six weeks after another on-air incident the company deemed vulgar. The FCC also announced that it has instructed its enforcement bureau to open an investigation of Infinity Broadcasting Corp. for the same show. Infinity broadcasts Stern on 35 stations, including local station WJFK (106.7 FM). This marks the first time the commission will investigate a broadcasting chain for a complaint that was originally made against another network's station. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A63071-2004Apr8?language=printer (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. FACING BIG FINE, CLEAR CHANNEL DUMPS STERN SHOW The Wall Street Journal April 9, 2004 By SARAH MCBRIDE Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL After being hit with a $495,000 fine over airing the Howard Stern radio show, Clear Channel Communications Inc. said it is dumping the shock jock from the six Clear Channel stations that had carried it. The Federal Communications Commission, which confirmed the big fine Thursday, upped the ante, saying it now has trained its sights on the show's syndicator, Viacom Inc.'s Infinity Broadcasting Corp. Infinity could be hit with up to $1.49 million in fines if the FCC finds it aired the same material on its 18 stations that carry the show. . . http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB108145404170278199,00.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) From http://www.howardstern.com --- Howard's Response To The FCC's Actions: "This is not a surprise. This is a follow up to the McCarthy type "witch hunt" of the administration and the activities of this group of presidential appointees in the FCC, led by "Colin Powell Jr." and his band of players. They and others (a senator from Kansas City to a congresswoman from New Mexico) are expressing and imposing their opinions and rights to tell us all who and what we may listen to and watch and how we should think about our lives. So this is not a surprise. It is pretty shocking that governmental interference into our rights and free speech takes place in the U.S. It's hard to reconcile this with the "land of the free" and the "home of the brave". I'm sure what's next is the removal of "dirty pictures" like the 20th century German exhibit in a New York City Museum and the erotic literature in our libraries; they too will fall into their category of "evil" as well (Howard Stern, April 8th 2004 via Dan Srebnick, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. WITH NEWSLINE: NEW SEATTLE ACCESS NUMBER --- This note to listeners who get [Amateur Radio] Newsline by telephone access from Seattle. Joybubbles, WB0RPA, tells us he has a new easy to remember number for that line. Its area code 206-333-6397. How is that easier to remember? Try it this way: 206-333-NEWS. And we thank WB0RPA for the information and for sponsoring the line (WB0RPA via ARNewsline April 9 via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup, DXLD) ** U S A. WNNR 970 TRANSMITTER TEST IS A GO FOR EASTER SUNDAY EARLY AM WNNR 970 Jacksonville, Florida will have a transmitter test on April 11th, 2004, from Midnight to 1AM, (0000 - 0100 hours) Eastern time [0400-0500 UT]. Sporting News Radio normally airs, but the network programming will be interrupted as we use test tones, morse code, and other kinds of tones along with many Winner 970 Sweepers, legal IDs, a few sound effects, and "bumper music" (like we use to segué in and out of talk shows). No song will be in its entirety aside from the SSB. Verieletters will be issued for correct reception reports. Bonus points for those who can name the four NRC members who lend their voices to the test. Reception Recordings and return postage requested and Return Postage for QSLs... 73 and good luck WNNR 970 Test's Snail Address: Ron Gitschier, Engineering Department WNNR 970 Radio 8384 Baymeadows Rd, Suite 1 Jacksonville, FL, 32256 I'll be in the (RF) field, so I won't be able to take phone calls at the station. DXers desiring QSL Veriletters please enclose return postage. I'd like to encourage DXers to send a recording of their reception so I can compare signal propagation for different bearing directions and present them to the G.M. Format can be in whatever media the sender normally uses (except wire-recordings, phonographs, and DAT tape). I can use CD (audio/MP3/data) cassette, Mini Disc, Reel tape, and even eight-tracks. With advance notice I can also accept mp3 recordings via this email address. Email me without the attachment first, then when I acknowledge, you can send the mp3, or post it on your website for my retrieval/review. Good luck DXers. The audio content is geared toward the DX community during this experimental test period. Those who are aware of the old WVOJ 970 Address, It is NO LONGER at University Boulevard in Jacksonville, FL. Only the Lord knows what would become of any correspondence for that location. I'd like to also encourage DXers to thank GM Bernie Daigle for the DX opportunity to log WNNR in thier reports. (This is a brand-new company) (Ron Gitschier, The Winner WNNR 970, April 9, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. A Change at KNX-1070 --- has been operating around 5 or 6 Hertz high for several years. Today 04/08 they are within a small fraction of one Hertz of being precisely on frequency. I am speculating that they have put some new equipment on line, possibly an IBOC exciter. Allied A-2515 receiver. Homebrew external sync detector, frequency measurement system. Two 35 ft. Ewe antennas at 218 and 293 degrees (Albert Lehr - Livermore, CA, April 8, IRCA via DXLD) Right. I believe the IBOC has a synthesizer to generate the carrier frequency. Probably is based on a high-stability 3-4 MHz crystal. The old AM stereo generators had decade switches to set frequency. Frequency could be changed in a few seconds. My frequency-measurement equipment is down cold for the time being. It followed me to California in our household goods shipment, and is back out in our garage for the time being (Charles A & Leonor L Taylor, Greenville, North Carolina, ibid.) ** VATICAN CITY STATE. 1611 MW, Vatican Radio started DRM experiments on Mar 28, according to the English page http://portale.italradio.org (Luigi Cobisi, Italy, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. R. Nacional de Venezuela logged 4/8 --- I wonder if anyone else in the group has logged R. Nacional de Venezuela of late(?) I caught them this (local) afternoon 4/8 at 1941 UT: Light "música tropical" at 1941 on 9540 kHz (curiously, I have 9550 kHz written in my logbook but I am sure I must mean 9540???) to a "Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Antena Nacional" ID/slogan at 1943 into a (W) with talk in Spanish. The ID was at a fairly good level but the audio of what followed was so weak as to be nearly unreadable as to content. Are they back on the air --- testing maybe?? I had understood that the station was inactive (Jim Clar (Rochester, NY), dxld yahoogroup via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have not seen any reports of RNV 9540 for a long time, but who knows, they may fire it up occasionally for tests. However, caution, if it was really 9550 you heard, I would suspect Habana, which does relay RNV on Sunday mornings (so far on other frequencies), and this may have been some kind of test from there. Further checks needed; I missed it Friday afternoon (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** ZIMBABWE. 3306 and 4828, R Zimbabwe were not audible in Denmark Mar 23-27 (Erik Køie and Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) R. Zimbabwe is still on 6045 during the day and 3306 during the night, with switch-over times now at 1630 and 0500. National FM, however, has changed from 4828 to the previously used 5975. Both channels are on 24 hours a day, as far as I can tell. 5975 suffers lots of interference at night, at least here, so I wonder if more changes are coming soon? (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, Apr 2, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) 3306, R. Zimbabwe, 1805(fade in)-2130 and again just before fade out 0400, Apr 03 and 04. Thanks to the above reply from Vashek Korinek, I heard the station in Vernacular with a lot of beautiful Afropop and ``Radio Zimbabwe`` ID`s. In the news Zimbabwe and Harare were also mentioned. There is a lot of utility noise on the frequency, so it is only audible here in LSB, 33333. Nothing heard on 4828 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 7 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ MICROSOFT GOES WITH EUREKA 147 An article on today's Techweb says Microsoft has joined the world DAB forum, and seeks adoption of use of its codec for Media Player 9 to work in the context of Eureka 147. The article discusses penetration so far of Eureka and dismisses HD radio (Ibiquity) as being "in the early stages" http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20040408S0002 Perhaps with their 'clout' they could encourage development of Eureka in the US so we can see HD head to the dustbin (Bob Foxworth, FL, April 8, NRC-AM via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE BPL FIGHT: HAM RADIO VS. BPL IN PENN YAN N.Y. If you have been wondering what Broadband over Powerline interference will do to your ability to communicate on the high frequency bands, here is a very graphic illustration. Take a listen: --- Penn Yan NY Audio - BPL Noise --- That recording of the 15 meter phone band was recently made by Dave Hallidy, K2DH, operating mobile in Penn Yan, New York and posted to the Rochester VHF Society website. It was made the weekend of the CQ WPXSSB Contest using a Yaesu FT-100D transceiver, a Tarheel Screwdriver antenna and recorded at a time when the band was loaded end to end with high power contest stations. And while you cold detect a few of them, the majority were covered up by the BPL grudge. --- Penn Yan NY Audio With Signals Covered Up --- In an Internet posting Mark Hoffman, K2AXX, who is Chairman of Rochester group described it as frightening to hear. He encourages all ham radio clubs and other organizations to contributed to the ARRL BPL Defense Fund as a way of fighting this threat to the ham radio bands. (K0BC, K2AXX, K2DH, QCWA via ARNewsline April 9 via John Norfolk, DXLD) Audio: http://www.arnewsline.org THE BPL FIGHT: TIME TO GO TO COURT? And Hoffman is not alone in his concern. Others on the Internet are circulating a more drastic approach. Some hams advocate taking the matter to court and try to have the interfering BPL providers charged with being a public nuisance or as a threat to our national security. (Various Internet Posts, ARNewsline April 9 via John Norfolk, DXLD) THE BPL FIGHT: OPPOSITION GOES PUBLIC IN SOUTH AFRICA BPL is also a big concern in South Africa and that nation`s national ham radio society has voiced its concern to the public about the introduction of Broadband over Powerline Communications in that nation. SARL --- the South African Radio League did this during the program ``Technologic`` which aired on Africa`s DSTV Business Channel. Society president Graham Harlett, ZS6GJH, was interviewed at the National Amateur Radio Center. He said that the SARL is opposed to Power Line Communication because of its inherent interference to High Frequency radio communication. He noted that the interference is not limited only to frequencies used by Radio Amateurs. That it includes the military, civil emergency agencies and some broadcasting stations as well. Harlett, says that extensive tests carried out in Europe, the USA and Japan has clearly shown this. A transmission line that carries power will become like an antenna at higher frequencies and render the high frequency spectrum unusable. Harlett, who is a managing director of a South African consulting company voiced another concern as well. One that has not really been talked about in the United States. That of ingress to Broadband over Powerline systems from other radio spectrum users including hams. Harlett says that radio transmitters in close proximity to users of BPL are likely to cause interference to them because of the antenna effect of the long, unshielded powerlines. Technologic was broadcast on Monday March 29th and has been repeated twice since its initial airdate (Q-News via ARNewsline April 9 via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UTILITY ENCOUNTERS MIXED SUCCESS IN AVOIDING AMATEUR SPECTRUM WITH BPL NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 8, 2004 --- Amateurs in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area say electric utility Progress Energy and Broadband over Power Line (BPL) equipment provider Amperion have had ``some success`` in their efforts to avoid using Amateur Radio spectrum on overhead lines in their BPL field trial areas. But problems persist, and the process is far from quick and simple, says ARRL North Carolina PIO Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, who has been among local amateurs closely monitoring the Progress Energy/Amperion BPL trial. Their experiences could indicate what amateurs may face in areas where BPL is widely deployed. ``The mitigation process at this iteration of Amperion`s hardware is neither simple nor precise,`` Pearce said this week. Progress Energy/ Amperion essentially are attempting to ``notch out`` or completely avoid ham radio frequencies, since hams have been the only HF users so far to file interference complaints. Complicating the effort, he says, is that the process is largely hit or miss, requiring field monitoring and feedback and sometimes another attempt to nail the target. On March 5, a BPL home demonstration in Wake County south of Raleigh provided an opportunity for area amateurs to briefly take their concerns directly to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who was on hand for the show. Pearce says he and Wake County ARES Emergency Coordinator Tom Brown, N4TAB --- an engineer with extensive RF experience --- met this week with Progress Energy network engineer Bill Godwin at the so-called Phase II BPL trial areas to review the BPL spectrum in use. Amateurs also monitored the system using an Amateur Radio mobile station some 75 feet from the line. Equipment included an ICOM IC-706MKIIG and an Outbacker Perth Plus antenna. ``Bill Godwin had a chart showing where BPL could operate and avoid ham bands, and Amperion had adjusted its system to comply with that chart,`` Pearce said. Among other issues, Amperion missed the mark on 20 meters --- starting a BPL signal block on 14.300 MHz instead of 14.350 MHz, he pointed out. ``That may be a hardware or software problem, but more likely it was an error calculating the spectrum needed,`` Pearce said. In addition, he points out, the BPL spectrum block edges ``are not brick walls`` but taper off, with progressively weaker carriers remaining audible up to 100 kHz away, depending on the noise floor. ``There is a fairly immediate 10 to 15 dB signal drop that defines the edge of the block,`` he said. ``The remaining signals are very weak but would bother a home station within a city block or two of the power line.`` He says the amateurs recommended compensating for this, so residual carriers also fall outside the ham band. ``The goal in eliminating the ham spectrum would be so that the BPL could be placed on a line in the immediate vicinity of a ham.`` Pearce reports the 17 and 12 meter amateur bands fell inside the spectrum blocks and have been notched, but the notch isn`t perfect. ``They might be 40 dB down --- just audible in the noise, while the main carriers were S7 --- but they are clearly there.`` Pearce predicted even that level of interference would bother an amateur station within a city block of the line. An effort by Progress Energy to have an Amperion operator available to make adjustments on the fly while amateurs observed fell through when the operator failed to show without explanation. He said Godwin ``apologized profusely.`` All of the North Carolina amateurs` recent observations have involved overhead power lines. ``The underground lines do radiate locally near the pedestals that house the BPL repeaters,`` Pearce noted. Unclear at this stage is whether the ``notching`` scheme will work in a more-dense BPL environment. Pearce said Godwin identified three 6+ megahertz blocks of available spectrum --- 7.3-14.0, with 30 meters notched; 14.35-21.0 MHz, with 17 meters notched; and 21.45-28.0, with 12 meters notched. ``More spectrum can be used below 7 and above 30 MHz, but Amperion prefers to remain between 7 and 30 MHz,`` Pearce said. ``If this spectrum can be rotated between line segments, and the notches can be deepened some, they may satisfy the concerns of hams for the Amateur Radio spectrum.`` But, he adds, no efforts are under way to avoid other shortwave frequencies. ``We appreciate this proactive attempt,`` Pearce said. ``We will point out again that there are other public uses and users of the spectrum in between the ham bands.`` Amateur Radio operators ``cannot sit back and say, `Well, our problem`s solved. Good luck with yours!``` Pearce says. ``For this reason alone we can still consider BPL a flawed concept,`` he continued. ``If it appears that every time a utility makes progress, we raise the bar, that is not so. We have been inclusive in identifying a variety of spectrum users from the beginning.`` Although he credits Progress Energy and Amperion with cooperating to resolve amateur interference issues piecemeal, ``we just want to make sure that everyone understands where the goal line stands.`` Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What a batch of nonsense. As a shortwave listener, I use ALL frequencies from 3 to 30 MHz. That entire range must be ``notched out``. With this tactic, hams are pitted against SWLs and SW broadcasters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SWL'S CAN FILE BPL INTERFERENCE COMPLAINTS BPL (broadband over powerlines) is new to Canada and coming on fast and furious. It`s been deployed already in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and there are possible upcoming deployments in Ottawa, Sudbury and possibly in the province of Québec. American hams/SWL's have been struggling with BPL for about a year now. I'm forwarding this item written by Gary Pearce KN4AQ on how in the American context it would be possible for shortwave listeners to file interference complaints to shortwave broadcasts due to BPL interference. The regulatory situation in Canada is a bit different, but some of this might be relevant to us --- especially the ITU regulations. Our rough equivalent of the FCC Part 15 rules is RSS210. 73 (Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, Ham Radio Editor, "Listening In" Magazine, ODXA, http://www.qsl.net/ve3sre ODXA via DXLD) Viz.: Part 15 prohibits interference to licensed services from unlicensed devices, but do you need to have a license yourself to complain about interference? Can SWLs complain to the FCC if they receive interference from BPL systems? Yes, they can, with limited exceptions, according to Chris Imlay W3KD, ARRL General Council: "There is no doubt that international broadcast listeners have standing to complain about interference to the reception of foreign broadcast signals. One does not have to be a licensee of a transmitter in order to receive harmful interference from a United States based RF source and have standing to complain about it. No shortwave listener to a United States international broadcast station can complain because they are not in the target audience, but interference to non- U.S. based SW transmissions are fair game. The FCC and court cases on standing to file various petitions, etc. with the FCC are complex, but the cases are clear that the allegation of suffering actual electromagnetic interference to reception of a broadcast service, even one generated internationally, from a domestic RF source, is sufficient in every case to demonstrate standing to file a complaint." Further, ARRL Dave Sumner K1ZZ points out that International Telecommunications Union Radio Regulations require member nations to protect HF communications from harmful interference: RR 4.11 reads: "Member States recognize that among frequencies which have long-distance propagation characteristics, those in the bands between 5 and 30 MHz are particularly useful for long-distance communications; they agree to make every possible effort to reserve these bands for such communications. Whenever frequencies in these bands are used for short-range or medium-distance communications, the minimum power necessary shall be employed." RR 15.12 reads, "Administrations shall take all practicable and necessary steps to ensure that the operation of electrical apparatus or installations of any kind, including power and telecommunication distribution networks, but excluding equipment used for industrial, scientific and medical applications, does not cause harmful interference to a radiocommunication service and, in particular, to a radionavigation or any other safety service operating in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations." The US is an ITU member nation, of course. 73, (Gary Pearce KN4AQ editor, SERA Repeater Journal, Cary, NC http://www.sera.org 919-380-9944 (via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, April 9, ODXA via DXLD) ###