DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-089, June 6, 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 1232: 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 [previous 1231] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Mon 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1232 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1232h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1232h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1232.html WORLD OF RADIO 1232 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1232.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1232.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1232 in MP3, the true shortwave sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_06-02-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_06-02-04.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO ON RFPI: The QuickTime stream appears to be on autopilot and/or they are still having problems downloading new shows: Sat June 5, no sign of WOR at scheduled 2130 or 2300, but at 2330 recheck, WOR 1228 from April 20 had just started! ** AFGHANISTAN. Kabul University`s new campus FM radio station, media library and computer training and Internet centre for journalism students have been inaugurated as the highlight of UNESCO`s World Press Freedom Day activities in Afghanistan. The inauguration ceremony, held on the 4th May, 2004 was officiated by the Minister of Higher Education, Sharif Fayez, the Rector of Kabul University, Mohammed Akbar Popal, the Dean of the Faculty of Journalism, Kazem Ahang, and UNESCO Country Director, Martin Hadlow. The new campus radio station, which broadcasts on a frequency of 106.7 MHz FM with 600 watts, is based in the University`s Faculty of Journalism and will serve both as a training tool for journalism students and an educational out-reach voice for the University in its efforts to further engage the local community. The equipment for the radio station was funded by UNESCO and supplied through the Mallard Company in the UK. It was installed by a UNESCO consultant. Further professional radio operations training is being provided to Faculty of Journalism staff by two technical experts funded by the Gov. of France. The computer training centre, also located within the Faculty of Journalism, was funded under UNESCO`s INFOYOUTH programme and comprises eight computers and a high-speed Internet connection. The facility enables students, especially girls and women, to have dedicated access, free of charge, to global information and e-mail connections without leaving the Faculty premises. UNESCO`s two Afghan IT specialists are providing training to staff and students in a range of Internet and computer applications. The new media library for students and staff contains thousands of books received after a UNESCO global Internet appeal. The message seeking assistance was carried on UNESCO`s Webworld web-site in early 2002. At that time, the Faculty of Journalism`s dusty reference shelves contained a few old magazines and only one book, Das Kapital by Karl Marx. Now, thanks to the UNESCO appeal and the generosity of donors worldwide, the shelves are stocked with some of the latest media, journalism and technology titles sent by individuals, publishers and universities in the USA and Canada, UK, France, Germany and other countries in Europe, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, as well as from Africa and Latin America. A significant book collection was donated by the international NGO, Freedom Forum, which had closed its reference library in London and offered the books to Kabul University. The collection was air- freighted to Afghanistan at the expense of the international broadcaster, CNN. UNESCO has also provided new shelving, chairs and tables to the library, along with a computer to enable the books to be properly indexed. The Government of France is making available technical assistance through the funding of an expert librarian. In opening the three facilities, the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Fayez, noted the value of the resources to journalism students in now enabling them to study both practical and theoretical aspects of their craft. The Rector of Kabul University, Professor Popal, and the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Ahang, recalled the situation two years ago when the Faculty premises were almost devoid of equipment and materials. Now, they had some of the most modern digital and electronic equipment available anywhere. In his address, UNESCO Kabul Director, Martin Hadlow, said that Kabul University journalism students were the editors, publishers and broadcasters of the future. ``Their grounding in craft-skills and freedom of expression principles within the Faculty of Journalism will help to ensure high standards of reporting in the developing democratic environment of Afghanistan`` he said. ``The tools are now here to enable them to learn how to do their work in ensuring citizens receive impartial, balanced and independent access to news and information``. Previously, UNESCO also funded the renovation of Faculty of Journalism offices, including the provision of computer equipment, office furniture and student desk/chair combinations for lecture halls. In February, 2002, eight Faculty lecturers and professors were sponsored by UNESCO to attend a one month `training of trainers` and skills upgrading course at the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Additional support is being provided to the Faculty by a range of partners, including the Ecole Superieure de Journalisme at Lille University in France which has, under Government of France funding, provided training and curriculum development expertise and a study exchange programme (Martin Hadlow via Mark Nicholls, May 26, DSWCI DX Window June 2 via DXLD) ** ARABIA. ANALYSIS: GROWING POWER OF ARAB MEDIA | Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring at the World Editors Forum in Istanbul on 2 June The growth of pan-Arab satellite TV has been positive in many ways, but those positives might be outweighed by negatives, in the view of Hazem Saghieh, a commentator with the London-based Al-Hayat. He was speaking at the final session of the World Editors Forum in Istanbul on 2 June, which focused on the rising power of Arab media. With the decline of Arab nationalism in the last two decades and the rise of sectarian and national alliances, satellite TV channels in the Arab world can be seen as the contemporary replacement for those institutional intermediaries, such as political parties or trade unions, that had previously been able to unite societies as a whole and reach Arab "hearts and minds", Saghieh contended. The success of Arab TV "in breaking the Western, and particularly the American, news monopoly in the region can only be positive, just like the breaking of any monopoly. The same can be said of its achievement in getting Arab viewers used to criticism of their rulers and governments - something that would have been unthinkable before the 1990s," he said. Al-Jazeera, the most popular and influential channel, pulls in 30 million viewers for its political debate programmes. In Saghieh's words, it has become "the most popular political party in the Arab world". Pan-Arab stations also provide a window to the wider world. Those that broadcast debates with Americans and Israelis help to "demystify the 'enemy' and show him to be a normal human being like the rest of us". "However, the phenomenon of Arabic satellite television is not without its drawbacks, some of which are so serious as to make the positive aspects seem almost theoretical," Saghieh went on. Political bias is a problem. Lack of experience with free _expression can lead to scandal- mongering. "But what is worse is that the satellite channels are also selective in their criticism, seeking to avoid condemning their rulers and the governments that finance them," the Al-Hayat editor concluded. "Double standards" over Al-Jazeera There is a double standard at work in international criticism of Al- Jazeera, said Maher Abdallah, head of International Affairs at the Qatar-based channel, who mounted a spirited defence of its position and performance. It has been accused of showing bias, of being close to terrorists and Saddam Husayn, of showing too much blood and of "sanctifying martyrs". "Yes, we have been showing a lot of blood, there is no denying it," Abdallah said, asking: "Is it civilized to kill hundreds of thousands of people to civilize them, but uncivilized to show some of those dead? Will someone explain this to me? How can you kill hundreds of thousands to civilize them, and you don't even bother to count the dead? Yet you expect me to follow suit? When Al-Jazeera shows a couple of pictures of dead and mutilated bodies, suddenly we are uncivilized." Western media, notably the New York Times, have acknowledged they were misled about the reasons for going to war in Iraq and are now more critical of US policy than they were at the start of the war. But when Al-Jazeera criticizes the war, it is accused of being biased or worse, Abdallah said. "When we say it, we are instigating. When CBS does it, or the Washington Post, nobody talks about treason. What we've been doing is showing the same thing, though exclusively Al-Jazeera." Arab media as an emerging power Ian Ritchie, currently Associated Press vice-president for Global Business and the former CEO of pioneering satellite TV channel MBC, provided an overview of the Arab media market, from a historical, political and economic perspective. "I do believe Arab media offer an excellent opportunity economically, but for a variety of reasons they have been unable to operate successfully or profitably," he said. Advertising expenditures in the Gulf totalled 2.8bn dollars in 2003, up 17 per cent on 2002. Half of that went to television, and 87 per cent of TV advertising went to the pan-Arab satellite channels. Print media took 45 per cent of the advertising revenue. "But these are entirely misleading figures - ratecard numbers are discounted by about 75 per cent," Ritchie points out. In fact, ad spending per capita in the Arab world is only 6 US dollars, compared with 369 dollars in North America, 117 dollars in Europe, 23 dollars in Asia/Pacific and 7 dollars in Africa. "Why is this so? Most Arab media organizations are not set up to make money," Ritchie commented. "Political objectives - that is the issue that controls everything." But things will change, and Mr Ritchie forecast a growth in new media. In addition, regulations will loosen, new investors will enter the market, market research will become more professional, multinational advertisers will spend more and the Arab world will become a growing and important market place. "In time the political role will diminish, while commercial opportunities will expand," he predicted. The printed press has influence too Even before the proliferation of Arab satellite television, the Arab press, particularly in Lebanon, had an influential role to play, thanks to the power of national newspapers, said Gebran Tueni, editor and publisher of the Lebanese newspaper Al-Nahar. "It is an error to squeeze the history of the Arab press to a boom in TV... It was well before the birth of Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya and other satellite networks that the power of the written newspaper word had an enormous role in shaping the course of events, particularly in Lebanon," he told the Istanbul congress. The press in Beirut have never been state-owned, state-subsidized or state-run. All newspapers have been financed by the private sector and enjoyed enormous freedom and a high level of professionalism, he said. This had allowed the Beirut press to perform a continuous active role, even during the Ottoman Empire and the French mandate. "It has never stopped struggling for independence, freedom and respect of human rights," Tueni recalled. Nowadays, it cannot compete with the satellite stations in the domain of live and immediate coverage, but it is proving its ability to influence the course of events and provide testimony that the power of the written word is unassailable. It is doing so largely through analyses, diversity of opinions, transparency and incessant championship of democracy and human rights. The role of the press in the Arab world should be to support reform and provide a platform for its advocates, free of government financial shackles, Tueni urged. "There can be no democracy without press freedom," the Al-Nahar editor concluded. Source: BBC Monitoring research 4 Jun 04 (via DXLD) See also SAUDI ** ARMENIA. A recent letter from Beth Chick at Trans World Radio`s Vienna address says reports are welcome but TWR cannot give locations on Asia sites; they will verify QSL with ``Central Asia``. This was in reply to a report for English on 5855 (Allen Dean, Lancashire, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) What a crock; are the Central Asian countries ashamed of broadcasting this? BTW, it is a matter of contention whether Armenia is in Asia or Europe, in any event far from *Central* Asia! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 1512, Assumed 2RN Newcastle, previously heard here. Weak man and woman down in noise MAY 16 1028-1042 (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 1629, Aussie X banders do not maintain frequency very well. Cacophony of heterodynes here from numerous stations. Same situation on 1638 (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. ORF Report from Austria in English now has a 25 minute weekend edition with a review of the week`s events and a 5 minute Mailbag feature. Best reception here is Saturdays and Sundays at 1205 and 1235 on 17715 despite the frequency being intended for Asia. Also heard at 0505 and 0535 Sundays on 17870 to Middle East. Schedule to North America is 1505 and 1535 on 13775 Sackville, 0105 and 0135 (Sunday/Monday) on 9870 and to Latin America 2305 and 2335 on 9870 (Mike Barraclough, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11925.20, 0110-, Radio Bandeirantes, Jun 2. Poor to fair reception with Portuguese talk, parallel to 31m on 9645.04 which is at fair to good level. Lots of static crashes. Mentions of São Paulo (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. The host of the Maple Leaf Mailbag Ian Jones announced on May 16th that the programme is planning to issue a set of three QSL cards. They are looking for input from the listeners in designing the QSL cards. Pictures of listeners, their shortwave radio sets, pets, other hobbies, sports or place of residence are some of the topics welcomed for consideration. The pictures must say something about the listener. Their addresses are: The Maple Leaf Mailbag, Radio Canada International, P. O. Box 6000, Montreal, Canada H3C 3A8 or email rci @ montreal.radio-canada.ca For listeners from India: The Maple Leaf Mailbag, Canadian High Commission. P. O. Box 5207, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110 021, India. For listeners from Islamabad, Pakistan: The Maple Leaf Mailbag, P. O. Box 3390, Islamabad, Pakistan (Jonathan Murphy, Ireland, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI via 17490 in English is heard on air again and from tune in 0645 June 5 and still on air at 1000 plus. Strength of signal suggests it's aimed at Europe and maybe via either URU or KAS. The programme is in hourly segments and plays part of the anthem on the hour plus a Mandarin ID. 73s from (Noel R. Green [Blackpool-NW England], Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) See UK [non]: blox Ezra China Radio International --- Another new frequency for English: 17650 1600-1657 53543 (co-channel WHRA). CRI's 17650 is already there from at least 0800, co-channel Radio Japan via ASC (Silvain Domen, Antwerpen, Belgium, June 5-6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) What is it with CRI?? They seem to be going out of their way to collide with existing frequency-users, expecting to muscle them aside by sheer force? NOT a good neighbor, and hardly the only way China is not (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. STATION PROFILE: CHINA RADIO INTERNATIONAL International Broadcasting from the Mainland By Richard A. D'Angelo As the world continues to evolve, the need for news and opinion from a variety of sources becomes more essential each day. China Radio International ("CRI") provides the Chinese mainland point of view with regularly scheduled English language programs to a worldwide audience. The station broadcasts home and world news, reports, commentaries, and features on current events. However, the real highlight is an opportunity to enjoy the culture of Mainland China when music features are presented. Background China is located in Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam. Geographically, it is the world's fourth-largest country after Russia, Canada, and the United States. It has a population of about 1.3 billion people. China's climate is extremely diverse; tropical in the south to sub- arctic in the north. The terrain of the country is mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in the west with plains, deltas, and hills in the east. China is beset with frequent typhoons, about five per year along southern and eastern coasts, and damaging floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and droughts. For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the 19th and early 20th centuries, civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation overwhelmed China. After World War II, the Communists under Mao Zedong established a dictatorship that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens [HUNDREDS] of millions of people. After 1978, his successor Deng Xiaoping gradually introduced market- oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision-making. Output quadrupled by 2000. Political controls remain tight while economic controls continue to be relaxed. Economy In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market- oriented system. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization. Also, it increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small- scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. In 2002, with its 1.3 billion people but a GDP of just $4,400 per capita, China stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the United States (measured on a purchasing power parity basis). Agriculture and industry have posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. As a result of its hybrid system, the government has often experienced the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (windfall gains and growing income disparities). China thus has periodically backtracked, tightening central controls at periodic intervals. The government struggles to collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals and to reduce corruption and other economic crimes. In addition, the government continues to keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. Over 100 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long- term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Major industries include iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, telecommunications. Resources consist of coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest). China's major agriculture products include rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, oilseed, pork and fish. The Station China Radio International was founded on 3 December 1941. As China's only state-run overseas broadcaster, CRI aims at promoting understanding and friendship between the people of China and people throughout the world. When CRI was first founded, there were only 15-minute Japanese programs each day. Now, over sixty years later, CRI broadcasts 211 hours of programs each day on a worldwide basis in 38 foreign languages, four Chinese dialects and standard Chinese. Covering the globe, CRI's programs include news, current affairs, and features on politics, economy, culture and science and technology. The English Service of China Radio International offers over 60 hours a day of broadcasts for listeners around the world. The English Service broadcasts are heard by millions worldwide and focus on satisfying its listeners with informative, timely and interesting programs. In 2002, the English Service received approximately 160,000 letters from more than 100 countries. In 1984, the English Service launched a domestic program broadcasting 22 hours a day in the Beijing area. Today, CRI provides English coverage to around 20 cities domestically within China primarily targeted to people visiting China for tourism and/or trade. The programs focus mainly on news but include a variety of features and music shows. In recent years CRI has rented AM and FM transmitter time in foreign countries to supplement its shortwave broadcast output. The station continues to work with foreign broadcasting stations to exchange transmitter hours and to jointly produce some programming. CRI exchanges transmitting facilities with Radio Canada International, Radio France International, Radio Exterior de España and the Voice of Russia. Also, CRI maintains relay facilities in Brazil, Cuba and Mali. In 1990, China Radio International introduced its now popular bimonthly newsletter, The Messenger. The newsletter provides feature items about current events in China, short, informative interviews with leaders or personalities, cooking tips and nice photographs of Chinese life. With an eye toward strengthening ties with listeners, The Messenger always features a selection of listener letters. China Radio International broadcasts in English to Europe, North America, the Caribbean Sea, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the South Pacific, East and South Africa and West and North Africa. Check out Alan Roe's Schedules and Mike Barraclough's DX News column for the latest times, frequencies and transmission sites for English language broadcasts from China Radio International. Daily programs begin with news and other reports such as China related news, world news, sports, business news science news or press clippings. Generally, this segment runs for about 30 minutes in each broadcast. Other rotating features include People in the Know, Biz China, China Horizons, Voice from Other Lands, Life in China, Cutting Edge, Listeners' Garden, Reports on Developing Countries and In the Spotlight. Traditional Chinese music can often be heard between featured programs. Although the program lineup doesn't sound too exciting, CRI is worth listening to for another news perspective from one of the world's fastest growing economies. The station is very listener friendly and encourages listeners to write to them with comments and suggestions. The English Service of China Radio International is very friendly and encourages listener reception reports. They maintain a website http://www.crienglish.com CRI's website (CRI online) was officially launched at the end of 1998. The station's English Section can be reached electronically at crieng @ cri.com.cn Of course, the station can also be reached through traditional postal service at: China Radio International The English Service P. O. Box 4216, CRI-2 100040 Beijing, China Although not a true DX Target like so many of the stations featured in the Shortwave Center [reference to NASWA where this article also appeared] over the years, China Radio International provides an interesting perspective about life in this East Asian country. The station is very friendly and encourages correspondence from its listeners. Give China Radio International a listen and remember to report your China Radio International logs to Edwin Southwell for the Shortwave Logbook. Those interesting QSL verifications should go to Mark Hattam for inclusion in the QSL Report column. Also, remember to provide some in-depth programming analysis to Arthur Ward for the Radio Topics column to share with other club members (World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA [and non]. 13750.7, 0102-, World University Network, Jun 2. Cahuita at fair level with ramblings of Dr. Gene Scott. Parallels noted include: 6090 (Anguilla) good, 9724.96 (Cahuita) good, but over cochannel ?Golos Rossii, 13845 (WWCR) excellent. When rechecked at 0455, 9724.95 is very strong, 13750 is off, 5029.1 fair and 6149.92 fair (both also Costa Rica), 6090 excellent, 7375 is off the air, and 5935 (WWCR) excellent, 5755 (KAIJ) excellent (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. EN CUBA CAPTAN PROGRAMAS DE VARIAS TELEVISORAS EXTRANJERAS. --- TOMADO DE LA EDICION DEL PERIODICO "EL NUEVO HERALD", MIAMI MIERCOLES 2 DE JUNIO DEL 2004. El Nuevo Herald | 06/02/2004 | http://www.miami.com/mld/elnuevo/news/world/cuba/8812824.htm EFE, LA HABANA --- Desde la semana pasada, muchos habaneros fueron sorprendidos al observar en sus equipos de televisión la presencia de trasmisiones de canales hispanos, que emiten desde Florida, Estados Unidos, y de cadenas estadounidenses, con programaciones de telenovelas, películas, seriales humorísticos y competiciones deportivas. Las programaciones de emisoras de radio y televisión extranjeras que en los últimos días se han estado captando con nitidez en La Habana se debe a una situación climática que la favorece, explicó ayer la empresa Radio Cuba. Una nota informativa divulgada por la televisión estatal cubana indicó que ``la transmisión de la señal a través de las capas bajas de la atmósfera en la región denominada troposfera, en determinadas épocas del año y durante períodos relativamente cortos sufren variaciones que las convierten en un conductor ideal''. Radio Cuba indicó que esa circunstancia ambiental favorece ``la propagación de la señal de televisión hasta distancias muysuperiores a las habituales''. En Cuba existe un servicio de televisión por satélite al que sólo tienen acceso legal las empresas y técnicos extranjeros y los representantes, y funcionarios diplomáticos. Pero, al margen, algunos cubanos se han ingeniado fórmulas piratas que les han permitido captar señales de canales hispanos y norteamericanos que emiten desde EEUU. La empresa cubana indicó que por los cambios climáticos ``en los últimos días se ha percibido la presencia de transmisiones emisoras de radio y televisión extranjeras en nuestro país, en ocasiones con cierta nitidez para posteriormente desvanecerse, al igual que puede ocurrir con nuestras transmisiones en países cercanos''. Consideró que ``lo impredecible y la variabilidad de la formación de este fenómeno así como su baja probabilidad de ocurrencia, menos del 5 por ciento del tiempo no permite que se tenga en cuenta a la hora de planificar un servicio de radio difusión y/o televisión''. NOTA: BUEN TROPO PRA LOS CUBANOS. Cordiales 73's (Oscar de Céspedes, June 2, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Seems to me the Commies ought to be prepared to jam this DX invasion when it happens (gh, DXLD) LA TV NORTEAMERICANA LLEGA A CUBA --- TOMADO DE LA EDICION ELECTRONICA "LA NUEVA CUBA" JUEVES 3 DE JUNIO, 2004. LA NUEVA CUBA LA TV NORTEMERICANA LLEGA A CUBA POR FENÓMENO ATMOSFÉRICO Terra Argentina --- Info-Search: Máximo Tomás, Dept. de Investigaciones, La Nueva Cuba, Junio 3, 2004 Los isleños no sólo pudieron descubrir Univisión, Fox, NBC y Warner Bros. También conocieron los anuncios publicitarios, prohibidos en las señales del gobierno. LA HABANA, junio 02.- Muchos cubanos se sorprendieron esta semana al ver nítidamente en sus pantallas de televisión programas estadounidenses gracias, según el gobierno de Fidel Castro, a un inusual fenómeno atmosférico que facilitó la transmisión de señales. La corresponsal de La agencia Associated Press (de origen norteamericano) pudo constatar que se ven mejor los canales estadounidenses que los isleños. Las señales [FM] de radio estadounidenses también se escuchan con claridad. No se perciben, sin embargo, los canales TV Martí ni Radio Martí, que el gobierno estadounidense trata de transmitir a Cuba con propaganda anticastrista. Cuba ha bloqueado las señales de ambos canales durante décadas. Sin embargo, los canales comerciales se pueden percibir debido a un fenómeno atmosférico que cada año limpia las capas superiores y facilita la transmisión de las señales, reconoció el gobierno. "Están entrando muchos (canales), la nitidez es magnífica y la transmisión bastante constantes", dijo a la AP Luis Batista, vecino de Alamar, una barriada al este de la capital y quien detectó las transmisiones "por lo menos desde el viernes pasado". Miles de personas escucharon, por ejemplo, el discurso del presidente George W. Bush sobre Irak en inglés --- aunque pocos entendieron su contenido --- mientras otros se entretuvieron con dibujos animados, noticieros deportivos o telenovelas. Todo intercalado por anuncios publicitarios, un género desconocido para la audiencia cubana con sus señales a cargo del gobierno y donde tales promocionales están prohibidos. Vecinos consultados consignaron al menos una docena de canales en sus pantallas, tanto en español como anglófonos, entre ellos Univisión, Fox, NBC y Warner Bros. Las zonas de mejor recepción fueron las barriadas costeras o los edificios de mayor altura. "En determinadas épocas del año durante períodos cortos dichas capas (de la atmósfera) sufren variaciones que las convierten en conductor ideal... favoreciendo la propagación de señales de televisión hasta distancias muy superiores a las habituales", reconoció un comunicado leído por en el noticiero local. La nota indicó que el mismo fenómeno es temporal y en sentido contrario pudo ocurrir con los canales cubanos hacia las naciones vecinas. Ubicada a unos 100 kilómetros [no menos de 150! ---gh] de Estados Unidos, la isla tiene un fuerte conflicto político con su vecina del norte desde hace 40 años. En ocasiones el presidente Fidel Castro criticó duramente a las televisoras y radios privadas del exterior sobrecargadas de publicidad y a las cuales acusó de servir a los intereses de los poderosos. Aparejado a este singular fenómeno, los cubanos vivieron este fin de semanas un clima más caluroso de lo habitual, cercanos al máximo histórico para la temporada alcanzado en 1999. Fuente: Terra Argentina Cordiales 73's (via Oscar de Céspedes, Conexión Digital via DXLD) See also UKRAINE ** EL SALVADOR. 17834.8, R. Imperial (presumed), 2001-2015 June 5. Religious talk in Spanish by excited man. Signal fading badly, good on peaks, then down into higher than usual noise level. SINPO 34222 (Jim Evans, TN, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** GUAM. 13362.0, 0518-, AFRTS. Jun 2/ Fair to good reception of AFRTS on exactly 13362 and not on split frequency 500 Hz higher. Time line today, then business news (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Now that IBB has left 1188 it perhaps should be recalled that Radio Liberty is still carried via the Jászberény shortwave transmitters, or have these relays ceased, too? Latest schedule I have is 0200-0300 Russian on 9520, 0300-0400 Tatar on 9760, 0400-0500 Russian on 7295 and 1600-1700 Uzbek on 11835; basically transmissions previously Holzkirchen was responsible for. The last three minutes of Marcali-1188: http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/040529_a3.ram (try later; at present the streaming server is down once again) Note the hideous clipping on the jingle at about ten seconds into the recording; this is no fault of the recording, it was transmitted this way. No idea if RFE/RL or Antena Hungaria is to blame; anyway I was meanwhile advised that no special circuits to Hungaria are maintained; instead AH picks up (or picked up if the Jászberény usage has ceased, too) the appropriate satellite feeds, in one case only containing this http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/040403_a5.ram instead of VOA News Now as Kim was hoping for (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. Hello Glenn, Re Friendship Radio - I was one who checked for this station, together with a UK DX friend, but the only very tentative signal heard was on the second occasion on 17450 around 1400. But this was so weak and indistinct that the transmission could not be identified - it could have been 'anything' but Friendship. I made several scans and might have been unlucky in doing so when the station wasn't on air. There seen to be two things to mention about this station [at least]. I believe this band of frequencies is for maritime usage, and some maritime activity could be heard on a slightly lower frequency. Secondly, is it likely that a frequency above 17 MHz would be used from the North Sea - to where? Certainly not nearby Europe, but it would probably be heard further south, as previously reported. At my location in NW England I struggle to hear WMR on 15810 at better than faint level. If the manager proposes to carry out more broadcasts please "encourage" him to state a definite time on air. And BTW, have you any suggestions about what "friendship music" is!? Not more whales [backwards] I hope! (Noel Green, England, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Audio Recordings of KNDF Pyongyang - 1 June 2004, 1058 UT: DPRK.mp3 --- Sounds like ordinary bubble jamming to me. As far as I know South Korea routinely jams especially the mediumwave frequencies used by North Korea, not only 1080 (the 1500 kW at Haeju formerly used for the clandestine program) but also other main frequencies, specifically 657 and 819. By the way, here is a picture of ``aerials just south of P`yongyang``: http://www.globaltravels.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/links.htm Seems to be mediumwave cage antennas, so probably either the 657 or 819 facility (I seem to recall that Kangnam, the listed site for 657, is south from P`yongyang, but I just can not spot it on the map now). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. Cland, 6325, V. of Iraqi Kurdistan. A nice signal with Arabic pop songs at S9 or 44444 at 1701, 5 June. YL with ID, V of Iraqi Kurdistan,``sawt al demokratiya el kurdistani`` and songs continuing (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, http://www.geocities.com/zliangas Pesawat penerima: ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102, Chibo C300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m Australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Re: ``9290 at 1015 May 9, Kaufradio, pop, oldies, CD ads, website http://www.kaufradio.de – in German, SIO 454 (Robertas Petraitias, Lithuania, HF Logbook, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Must have missed that one before. That was a Sunday, may have been a one-off, infomercial? (gh, DXLD)`` --- Yes, this was apparently a one-off test so far. I was told that Kaufradio is seriously looking for shortwave airtime in "East Europe", and on this occasion I had once again to explain that Voice of Russia doesn't operate any transmitters. I do not know whether or not they contacted Radioagenstva-M in Moscow for airtime on RTRS facilities as I advised... About Kaufradio: A look at http://www.kaufradio.de/topthema.html should immediately show that this is a homeshopping station. They are on 1.5 GHz DAB in Berlin and at times also on FM 104.1 (the "100 % DAB" promotion channel). A while ago Kaufradio was also testing via the Berlin-based DRM transmitters on 1485 for some time. (Make no mistake when hearing DRM noise on 1485: Also Südwestrundfunk maintains a test transmitter at Kaiserslautern on this frequency.) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA [and non]. 1475, SABAH, Kota Kinabalu (presumed) APR 17 1048-1054 strongest TP carrier ever heard here in Florida. At 1049 threshold level audio with snatches of music and woman's voice, then for about 30 seconds at 1050 a soft woman's voice rose out of the noise. It was not strong enough to determine the language. From there until 1054 occasional traces of music and woman's voice down in the noise. Local sunrise this date 1102. Modulation seems to be very low on this station. It is going to be difficult to pin this one down with no parallels and weak modulation. I believe this station comes in via a very rare gray line propagation. It has a bearing of 330 degrees from Florida and would normally be heard only November to February as the Japanese stations are. However I have logged strong carriers or audio from this station on thirty-one mornings since 1998, thirteen times in August and September, fifteen in March and April, two in October and one in November. Checking http://www.spacew.com/www/realtime I find a perfect gray line from Florida to Sabah during August, September, March and April. The signal peaks between nine and seventeen minutes before Ft Myers sunrise. I have read that gray line reception rarely or never occurs on the broadcast band but I can't find any other explanation for this anomalous reception pattern. Incidentally, this gray line runs from Florida through Georgia and up through Chicago/Milwaukee area. Sabah 1475 is now gone but will reappear in August. Thailand 1575 is long gone but should surface again starting in November. It peaks in December and January and is fairly easy to identify during its VOA Burmese program 1130-1200 when it is parallel with Sri Lanka 9890 (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** MARSHALL ISLANDS. 1098, V7AD, Majuro, MAY 20 1032-1040, woman in English apparently reading news, mostly in noise with occasional peaks. Easily identified as it nulls at about 290 degrees, much further north than the down under stations. Not needed (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. 1503, Radio Sport MAY 3 1034-1054, excellent signal but not 100% readable due to frequent bursts of static from nearby thunder storms. Discussion about recent and upcoming matches in England and Australia. Not sure which sport, possibly Rugby. Mention of Black Cats versus England. Mention of the Advertiser newspaper and commercial for cleaner floors. Threshold level audio also noted MAY 11, 13, 16, 17, 18 (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Re: Voice of Nigeria: 7255 ``broken". DXLD may 31: On Sunday 30 there were two transmitters working normally 11770/15120 (unlike most other days recently). So possibly the distorted one is No. 3 of the new ones, or an old one. BTW, I don`t think that the historical record is correct. In 1990, and throughout the 90s there was only one transmitter in regular service, while during the 80s the situation was better. I believe that some other history of VON I read somewhere is correct, saying that five transmitters were bought in the late 70s. The question to me is now, if the distorted one is the last of these five, used throughout the 90s, or the first of the new ones, which possibly replaced the last old one in the late 90s. I remember that 7255 already sounded terrible in 2000 again, before, in 2001 the signal improved and the 2nd transmitter started on 15120 again. This week, there was only a reduced service around 0600-0800/0900 and 1800- 1900/2000 UT on 15120. No live broadcasts, only old, prerecorded programming or continuous music. Good signals and fine audio however. Also last Monday when there was VONscope as scheduled the audio was surprisingly bright (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: ``Their website says: 5 new Brown Boveri transmitters in 1989; 3 new Thomcast AG in 1996: inexcusable.`` -- And the new Thomcast transmitters were obtained because the Brown Boveri's were already unusable by then. These Brown Boveri's for their part were obtained because the transmitters installed around 1980 were broken with only erroneous operation of a single one still kept on 7255. I would say: Unbelievable (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Radio Pakistan has been heard today at 0541 on 15100 // to 17835. Fair to good signal at S9 max or SINPO 33433. In contrast 17835 is with S0 though still audible (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is that time right? Starts at 0800? ** PAKISTAN. I remember that they made such a switch from 13 to 19 metres already a decade ago, so there should be no doubt that they again did it simply due to the declining sunspot figures (although 13 metres should still work quite well). Anyway this is certainly still the same transmitter, also used on lower frequencies at other times of the day (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 4960, 0830-1400 June 5, Catholic Radio Network with a much different reception pattern than the previous evening. First noted at threshold level 0830, with music and barely discernable English language announcers. The signal rose very slowly in strength 0900-0930. By 0935 the level was fair to good, with prayers and possible Latin mass excerpt. A strong het came on the frequency at 0954:38, which I think was R. Federación Shuar firing up the transmitter (Federación has been noted on the frequency about every 3rd day over the last few weeks of daily recording of 4960). Both the Ecuadorian and PNG station were at equal levels at 1001, and they took turns dominating the frequency for the next hour. Vatican Radio IS at 1005, audio of George Bush through 1008, and then a strong buzzing utility signal appeared co-channel from 1043 to 1241, wiping out both voice broadcasts. From 1242, CRN was in the clear, although only at a fair level with a recorded mass. Surprisingly, the signal of continuous contemporary religious music grew to fair-good strength by 1315, one hour last local sunrise. Fade-out was finally at 1400 (Guy Atkins, Puyallup, WA USA, Mod. RA6790GM / R75, 450 ft. W, 700 ft. NW Beverage Antennas, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 4960, 1000-, Catholic Radio Network, Jun 6. From 0955 tune-in. Much stronger signal with talk mostly by YL. Vatican Radio IS at 1000. Interview with male subsequently (?Marcel) in English. Although stronger, more atmospheric noise. Best heard with my K9AY. No sign so far of LA station. As yesterday, signal improved. By 1010 fairly easy to follow English news broadcast (i.e. stories from Geneva, etc.). Same female announcer, whom I'm finding a bit hard to follow compared to the male. Vatican IS once, again at 1014:12. 60th anniversary of Normandy invasion at 1020. National Network on 4890 measures S9 at my QTH compared to S3 to S5 for CRN. Vatican IS again at 1033:30 followed by Gregorian type chant followed by definite ID by YL as 'This is the Catholic Radio Network broadcasting from ?'. First time I've heard a positive ID! (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4960, Catholic Radio Network, Vanimo. 1108-1147 June 6. Tuned in to hear a religious documentary in process, hosted by two individuals. The signal was actually quite good, with peaks of s5 to s7 on the sloper, pointed off towards the southeast (off the back end). The problem was static clashes, the buzzing utility on the lower part of 4960 (Best heard in USB / ECSS) and an annoying noise that came on periodically (suspecting a local noise problem). Heard the programing to 1129, closing anthem, then 1132 female speaker with some comments but signal was slowly deteriorating. This was followed with a program of hymns, and short comments between the selections. If the combined problem with the noise and the Utility was eliminated it would have made for a really nice logging. Re-checked at 1205 and the station was gone (Edward Kusalik, Coaldale, ALBERTA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4960, CRN, 1142 June 6 with music program hosted by woman. Songs such as Amazing Grace. ID at 1201 as "This is Catholic Radio Network." No sign of R. Federación, which I suspect was off because today is Sunday. 100% readable, at a level of some of the better received 90 mb PNG's. This one will come in real well on a good opening to PNG (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. Rádio Difusão Portuguesa Internacional A home page institucional da Rádio Difusão Portuguesa Internacional foi renovada, e agora, o domínio http://www.rdp.pt é redirecionado para o endereço http://www.rtp.pt que agrega todo o conteúdo institucional do grupo de Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. O formato gráfico foi reformulado, permitindo navegação mais intuitiva e com o conteúdo bem organizado. Dentro do portal no endereço http://www.rtp.pt/wportal/grupo/ está a apresentação de todo o grupo, ressaltando sua reestruturação e as novas instalações. O portal apesar de apresentar conteúdo multimédia e os streams de audio ao vivo de suas emissões, apresenta navegação rápida e ótima qualidade de som. Lembrando que a grade de programação está atualizada e que a RDPI está renovando seu espaço DX com colaborações do DX Clube do Brasil e de Cassiano Alves Macedo, produtor e apresentador do Encontro DX da Rádio Aparecida, e também, respondendo às cartas de ouvintes de todo o mundo. Este espaço está a cargo de Isabel Flora. Vale uma visita virtual, e também nosso apóio a RDPI por estar investindo nas ondas curtas, levando uma programação eclética e sintonizada com os eventos atuais, para todo o mundo. Hoje, no Espaço DX, foi levado ao ar colaboração do DX Clube do Brasil, na voz de Karl Leite do Rio Grande do Norte, e entre outros temas, foi divulgado nossa parceria com o Grupo Radioescucha Argentino, pois entendemos a importância deste intercâmbio para o desenvolvimento da atividade dexista, e a subseqüente divulgação deste marco. 73s (Sarmento F. Campos, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil June 2, radioescutas via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Re: ``I am struck by the remarkable, distinctive, characteristic "Radio Moscow" tone quality that I remember so well from forty years ago. I wonder if it is entirely possible that the SAME wood-panelled rooms are being employed, as in days of yore?`` --- Just take a look at http://www.vor.ru/English/Narrators/narrators.html to find the wood-panelled studios, complete with either MC012 small cardioid or MC219 large cardioid Oktava mikes. And do not miss the Mechlabor tape recorder on one of these pictures! As far as I know meanwhile some Dalet systems are in use at VOR, but apparently the studio design itself remained untouched, as was the case with most of Deutsche Welle's studios at Cologne. ``There is a glow, a bloom of rich resonance around voices, with lots of short-duration acoustical reflections, that creates an ambient halo that is so very different from the plangently dead American or BBC announce studio sound (with all resonance sucked into Sonex foam; non- parallel walls; and probably spring-loaded rooms on rubber isolators.)`` --- I absolutely agree. And this dead sound is in many cases (except the BBC Worldservice I think) the result of close-miking, especially with microphones like Elektrovoice RE20 (a mike I strongly dislike after once trying it) or Shure SM7, designed for almost being eaten by the announcer. Not to speak about headsets at all... ``I not only marvel at the tonal character of the miking, but can tell that *some* form of processing is being applied that "gates" the signal level at a certain low amplitude, shutting off the faintest background sounds. I would imagine that this is being done right in the mike channels of their mixing console.`` --- Ah yes, the famous Moscow gating. Well, obviously it is applied at the transmitter sites to mute background noise on old cable circuits, since the gating is gone from transmissions using satellite feeds now. But the feed to Taldom still consists of such an old line, and consequently some broadcast engineer was really amused when hearing the DRM transmissions from there for the first time. He added, that unfortunately the low bitrate codec killed the faint mains hum in the background (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. RUSSIAN CHANNEL ONE TV'S POZNER PONDERS HIS MEDIUM, FREE SPEECH, "LIMITATIONS" Russian TV personality Vladimir Pozner has given some very guarded replies to questions about media freedom in Russia today. In an interview with Russian Ekho Moskvy radio, he commented on the absence in Russia of any television channel which could be described as truly public. Russian TV, he said, "is conditioned a great deal by those in power". He said that election coverage, in the run-up to both the parliamentary and presidential polls, was "strictly controlled". "To prohibit something or to intimidate someone is a very poor method. Eventually, more often than not it leads to a situation in which you end up with a dissident, shall we say, rather than a journalist," Pozner thought. The following is excerpted from Pozner's interview with Russian Ekho Moskvy's Yelena Afanasyeva, broadcast on 30 May; subheads added editorially: [Presenter] Good evening. This is "Telekhranitel", a programme about what is essentially TV and those who determine and maintain what it essentially is. I am Yelena Afanasyeva. Every Sunday, between 1700- 1800 [1300-1400 gmt], you and I will host a discussion about the personalities, programmes, events and anti-events that influence the development of Russian TV. And in the studio today we have a man who is probably, if not No 1, then most certainly in the top 10 of them. He is Vladimir Vladimirovich Pozner, president of the Television Academy, presenter and - well - just Pozner. [Passage omitted] No public TV in Russia today What is television: is it primarily about business, politics, art, or media? [Pozner] For me personally, it is a means whereby I communicate with the viewer. In Russia in general, in my view, television today is undoubtedly about business, on the one hand, but in a way that has a very strong connection with politics. This is my take on TV in Russia today. There is no public television in Russia, which would not depend on those in power and would not depend on money. Television as it is now is a commercial venture as it relies on advertising a lot. On the other hand, of course - in the case of the main TV channels but not only them, for example regional channels - TV is conditioned a great deal by those in power, be it the federal or local authorities. All of which results in a business-political entity, a rare animal indeed. Things to "bear in mind" on Channel One [Presenter] And can you live with this animal, on the air and in the structure of our TV with which you work? After all, you have always made it clear that you are not on the staff of the channel, although you are on the air on Channel One. [Pozner] Yes. I have probably been lucky to date, and happy at work, in the sense that I am free to do what I want. Sure, there are occasional - what did they say on the second channel, Russia TV: was it glitches during the naval manoeuvres? - so I also have glitches occasionally, although I largely can do what I think important and necessary. Of course, Channel One pays for "Vremena" and, thus, is entitled to know what it pays for. It can't be a pig in a poke. So Konstantin Ernst, Channel One's director-general, and I discuss not only what will be debated but also by whom. I see nothing untoward about this. This is normal. In general, however, I realize how very difficult it is to work in television today. [Passage omitted] So there is Channel One. There is its director-general, who is responsible for the channel and with whom I have a good working relationship, the fact of which I have always been open about. In the final analysis, he is responsible for the channel, which is something I also have to bear in mind. So I can't really blurt something out simply because I feel like it, mainly for him then to be held responsible. [Passage omitted] Meeting with Putin [Presenter] Some time last winter, in January I think, you tried - at a meeting between the president and several TV presenters - to ask Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] - your namesake - about the Kremlin's attempts if not at censorship then in some way to influence what is aired, including in "Vremena", with some phone calls about some things to be cut. Is this true? [Pozner] Yes, there was indeed such a meeting, in January, at which the president asked us to tell him what we thought was of concern, and for this conversation to remain off the record. Generally, a journalist follows a set of rules, so when someone tells you that something is off the record and is not even to be used as a backgrounder, that is to say as a reference to an anonymous but real source, you have to respect that. So I cannot really answer your question. [Passage omitted] Election coverage "strictly controlled" [Presenter] More recently, have you had to withhold, not to air, some information known to you, because of one of those rules? [Pozner] Probably not. But I can say that nevertheless - in the run-up to the elections to the State Duma and to the presidential elections - we were strictly controlled. [Presenter] By the channel? [Pozner] By the channel, which quite obviously was accountable to other power structures. This concerned matters such as who could be interviewed and what could be discussed, or more precisely what should not be discussed. Yes, there was that. So, strictly, it did not concern some information that had come to light. Rather, it was really a policy. My understanding is that those in power were worried. They want to carry out some reforms, I don't doubt that, and are extremely edgy about anything that could conceivably get in the way of that, which was very obvious in the run-up to the elections. And although I did not have to suppress information - as in: I know something but will not air it - there were of course limitations, such as: no, this one cannot be interviewed, or that should not be discussed. Yes, there were such things, and there were clashes. [Passage omitted] A dissident or a journalist? [Presenter] Do you not think that those in power have now placed severe limitations on the ways in which their activities could be analysed? [Pozner] Of course they have. Those in power always limit that. The difference is that when those in power are intelligent, they can use TV to their advantage. The United States is an excellent example of how this is done. There, there is criticism of the authorities, as there should be, yet the authorities there know how to use TV. To prohibit something or to intimidate someone is a very poor method. Eventually, more often than not it leads to a situation in which you end up with a dissident, shall we say, rather than a journalist. [Passage omitted] "Vremena" live in Far East [Presenter] Our listeners could now well experience a very odd sensation, that they are in a parallel universe, when literally in seven seconds [as "Vremena" begins in European Russia] you will be on Channel One and say: Hello, I am Vladimir Pozner, and this is the "Vremena" programme. Briefly, how does this work? [Pozner] Briefly, my programme is broadcast live in the Far East, when it is 10 a.m. in Moscow. [Passage omitted] So, it is then broadcast as a recording, as we can't really ask our interviewees - often members of the government for example - to pop in a second time the same day so as to broadcast it live once again. It is, you will agree, unrealistic. So it is a live broadcast in the Far East, and is then repeated on satellite again and again. The "Frankenstein" episode [Presenter] Does it ever happen that bits are cut out of the programme? [Pozner] There have been occasions on which we were cut. For example, when there was an interruption [to power supply] - [Presenter, interrupts] No, I do not mean technical issues here. I mean political, matters of principle. [Pozner] Once. It has happened once. [Presenter] Can you tell me what the subject was? [Pozner] It was after the State Duma elections, with Rodina's showing strong. So in my commentary I compared it to "Frankenstein", the 18th- century English author Mary Shelley's novel. [Presenter] I thought that that had been aired. Or was some of it removed? [Pozner] Some of it was cut, in particular the bit that he created this monster out of corpses, which gave some people a fright, shall we say. But that was the only occasion. Konstantin Ernst realizes full well - and I have said - that if this ever happens again, it will certainly send me a signal that that is it. [Passage omitted] Source: Ekho Moskvy radio, Moscow, in Russian 1310 gmt 30 May 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) see also TATARSTAN ** SAUDI ARABIA. ANALYSIS: SAUDI RULERS EASE THEIR GRIP ON THE MEDIA | Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Media Services on 28 May Saudi Arabia is known in the West as the most secretive country in the Middle East. However, the Saudis are currently trying hard to discard that image. Since the events of 11 September 2001, Saudi Arabia has faced pressure to come out of its shell and reform its policies. This is apparent in a few aspects of life in the kingdom, such as the recent government meetings that looked at the schools' national curricula and conferences to discuss reform, the unprecedented airing of the sessions of the Majlis al-Shura (Saudi parliament) and more recently the reporting of terrorist attacks in several parts of the country. However, the media in Saudi Arabia are still very much controlled by the government. This is not unusual in the Middle East, particularly in state-owned and state-run media. Recently, the Saudi government has started to ease its tight grip on the state-run media. There has been more openness from the government to media coverage than in the past. In 2003 the Majlis allowed partial television coverage of its proceedings and allowed journalists to attend the sessions. Also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun holding regular news conferences and briefings for journalists. In 2004, in an unprecedented development, the Saudi government launched its own news satellite channel to face growing competition from pan-Arab TVs. Indeed, Saudi Arabia itself is the leader in this field with the launch of Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) in the early 1990s out of London. MBC has recently moved to Dubai. Private radio and television cannot be based in Saudi Arabia, but leading local businessmen and investors are behind numerous Arab satellite channels such as the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya - a pan-Arab 24-hour news channel - and pay-TV networks such as Arab Radio and Television (ART) and the Rome-based Orbit. The Broadcasting Service of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia operates within the Ministry of Culture and Information. It is the state-run body that regulates and controls all TV and radio broadcasting. However, the powerful Higher Media Council is headed by Interior Minister Prince Nayif Bin Saud, who is believed to be the real master of the media in the kingdom. Press There are more than a dozen daily newspapers published locally in Arabic and a few in English. All newspapers in Saudi Arabia are privately owned, but their publishers and editors are appointed or must be approved by the government. Any newspapers based in Saudi Arabia have to obtain a royal decree to do so. In principle, there is no legal restriction on freedom of _expression in the kingdom. However, in practice censorship is strict and criticism of the government is automatically censored. It is an unwritten law amongst editors and writers that any _expression of opposition and any form of criticism of the government in general and members of the ruling Al-Saud family is not accepted or tolerated. The Saudi government questioned several journalists for articles and commentaries critical of the religious authorities and conservative Muslim theology, particularly following the attacks by car bombers on residential communities housing foreigners in Riyadh, on 12 May 2003, in which dozens were killed. However, newspapers have reported recently on previously taboo subjects such as political, economic and educational reform, women's rights, corruption and religion. In addition, criticism of US policy towards the Muslim world in general and the Middle East in particular has been rampant since the US war in Afghanistan in 2001. In February 2003 the government granted a charter to a professional journalists' association, to include both men and women. The association's goal is to organize journalists, coordinate relations with employers and support the development of job-related skills. Prior to September 2001, newspapers only published news on sensitive topics after the information was released by the Saudi Press Agency or when given authorization from a government official, but this has now changed. Newspapers currently publish news and stories, particularly those on attacks in the kingdom, without seeking government clearance. However, the Saudi daily newspaper Al-Watan reported in February 2004 that Saudi newspaper sales have fallen to record lows and the print media are experiencing distribution problems. The paper noted that "while some papers regularly sold 120,000 copies in the 1980s at a time when the country's population was some 10 million, newspaper distribution today seldom exceeds that figure although the population has more than doubled since then". There are two Saudi-owned, London-published daily newspapers, namely, Al-Sharq al-Awsat and Al-Hayat, which are distributed widely in Saudi Arabia and throughout the Middle East. They are both seen to have a great degree of freedom and to exercise their own style of self- censorship in order to comply with the government's rules on issues of particular sensitivity. The editors and staff of both these papers are from across the Arab world. These are the main papers published in Saudi Arabia: Al-Jazirah, daily in Arabic Al-Riyadh, daily in Arabic Al-Yawm, daily in Arabic Al-Watan, daily in Arabic Ukaz, daily in Arabic Arab News, daily in English Al-Masa'iyah, evening paper in Arabic Al-Hayat, daily in Arabic Al-Sharq al-Awsat, daily in Arabic Riyadh Daily, daily in English These are two Saudi-owned dailies published outside the Kingdom: Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Arabic daily, published in London. Al-Hayat, Arabic daily, published in London. Television Saudi state-run TV consists of four channels: Saudi One, which is the main channel in Arabic; Saudi Two which is an English-language channel; a sports channel; and the recent 24-hour satellite news channel Al-Ikhbariya. The television sector is owned and operated by the government. Government censorship is exercised on all television output, particularly on imported programmes. The television sector witnessed a significant development in 2004, with the launch of the first 24-hour news satellite channel, Al- Ikhbariya, in an effort to communicate the Saudi point of view to the rest of the world in an increasingly competitive market. This government-owned Saudi television channel was observed to always be the first to broadcast news and pictures of all the recent attacks in the kingdom. The first newscast upon its launch was read by Saudi Arabia's first ever female news presenter, wearing a head scarf according to Islamic tradition as well as Western-style clothing. On its launch, the director of the channel said: "The aim of Saudi Arabia's fourth state- run TV channel is to present a new image of the Gulf Arab state". Mohammed Barayan, the director of the Riyadh-based channel, told Reuters: "The American media put out things about Saudi Arabia that are not true - like that Saudi Arabia is not fighting fundamentalists. We want to tell the world about our country, to give a new image." Radio The Saudi Ministry of Information and Culture says that it is the responsibility of Saudi broadcasting (both radio and television) to concentrate on religious, educational, social and cultural programmes. According to the Saudi Ministry of Information and Culture's web site: "Saudi external radio broadcasting places the emphasis on Islamic solidarity and also has a proselytizing function." The role of the Call of Islam service is "to promulgate the message of Islam and defend the Islamic faith against the assaults of hostile ideologies". Saudi Arabia's main domestic radio service in Arabic from the capital, Riyadh, broadcasts 24 hours a day on FM, MW, SW, satellite and the Internet. Other services include: a second domestic Arabic-language service from Jeddah, a music/foreign language service for listeners in Saudi Arabia, the Call of Islam service from Mecca and the Holy Koran service from Riyadh. The radio broadcasts are all available via the Internet. Radio web site: http://www.saudinf.com/main/h21.htm Aramco Radio The Saudi Aramco oil company operates two 24-hour FM radio stations broadcasting English-language music and entertainment programmes from studios in Dhahran targeted at Aramco employees in the Kingdom. News Agency The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) is part of the Ministry of Culture and Information and has offices in several cities, including Cairo, London, Tunis, Bonn and Washington. It transmits news in Arabic, English and French 24 hours a day. SPA also carries features, commentaries and news analysis amongst its services. Web site: http://www.spa.gov.sa International media There are several million satellite-receiving dishes in the country, which provide citizens with broadcasts from international radio and TV stations. The TV channels include pan-Arab satellite stations such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, CNN, BBC World television and the US government-funded Arabic-language satellite TV channel Al-Hurra. The radio stations include BBC Arabic and BBC World Service radio in English, the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East and US Radio Sawa. Foreign radio broadcasts can also be received on mediumwave and shortwave, but Saudi Arabia has not authorized foreign broadcasters to set up local FM relays. Internet The Internet is a significant source of information for Saudis. By April 2003, there were 21 operational Internet Service Providers (IPS), providing Internet access to some 1.6 million users. However, since its arrival in the country in 1999, access has been restricted by the government's Internet Services Unit. The government is known to have blocked thousands of sites in the past, including ones covering politics, health, women's rights and education. To get round this censorship, many Internet users go through satellite dishes, which are quicker and cheaper than official Internet service providers. In October 2003, this was banned by the authorities. Opposition in exile The London-based Saudi Islamist dissident organization Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia - MIRA - operates Sawat al-Islah (Voice of Reform) radio via satellite. This radio station, launched in December 2002, is the first and only opposition radio broadcasting to Saudi Arabia from abroad. Programming includes news, cultural broadcasts, live phone-ins and talks, all critical of the Saudi regime and ruling family. Dr Sa'd al-Faqih, the head of the movement, holds discussions on subjects related to Saudi Arabia. Some of the output is also relayed on shortwave during the evening - the shortwave outlets are believed to be from transmitters in Norway. MIRA alleges that its radio broadcasts have been subjected to jamming by the Saudi authorities. Since May 2002 MIRA has operated a satellite TV channel, also called Al-Islah. Both these stations target Saudis in Saudi Arabia, the Arab Gulf states and the Saudi diaspora. MIRA was formed in exile in 1996 to advocate peacefully for political, economic and social reforms within Saudi Arabia by mobilizing Saudis to make demands, according to the movement's web site. In October- November 2003 MIRA called for Saudis to participate in peaceful protests in Saudi cities against the ruling family of Saudi Arabia. While not itself calling for violence, the movement says repeatedly that many people inside Saudi Arabia believe that only violence can be effective against ruling family. It adds that in its view, the level of violent protest in the kingdom is likely to increase. MIRA operates various web sites, including: http://www.miraserve.com http://www.islah.org http://www.islah.tv http://www.alislah.info All the above links redirect ultimately to the same home page - http://www.yaislah.org Some of the movement's web sites have English as well as Arabic versions. Source: BBC Monitoring research 28 May 04 (via DXLD) see also ARABIA ** SEYCHELLES [non]. SOUTH AFRICA --- 11885, FEBA Radio via Meyerton. Full data details with site (along with verification for Russia) on QSL card depicting a Market in Cyprus. Along with a schedule, the V/s indicated (in the accompanying letter) this information: ``Our office in Cyprus only deals with Arabic programs, so any other reports need to be sent to Mr. R. Whittington of FEBA Radio, Ivy Arch Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 8BX UK." Reply in 71 days from Annie Hall, Administrator at FEBA Radio in Cyprus (Edward Kusalik, ALBERTA, June 6, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TATARSTAN. RUSSIA. On The Tatarstan Wave has a new series of 4 QSL cards which carry a set of comics on radio themes. Reports should be addressed to QSL Manager, P. O. Box 134, Kazan 4201 36, Russia. 2 IRCs are needed to cover postage outside Russia (Ildus Ibatullin, Russia, Signal via June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Schedule is 0400-0500 15140, 0600-0700 9690, 0800-0900 11925 (Observer, Bulgaria via Wolfgang Bueschel, ibid.) ** TONGA [and non]. After a very poor DX season it looks like the late spring/early summer down under DX season, which peaks in June, may be very good. From my most wanted list, Tonga has been putting in a good carrier on occasion, and I hope to get a decent tape on it this season (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net, Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) Ray`s fantastic MW DX logs in this issue are at: AUSTRALIA, MALAYSIA, MARSHALL ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, UNIDENTIFIED ** UGANDA [non]. The latest content posted at the Radio Rhino International website appears to be from April 1st, so it appears to be quite unlikely that they maintain transmissions from abroad (remember, this is/was a Germany-based operation, backed by the Cologne citizen radio group). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. CUBA: Reminds me on the disastrous fire at the Kiev radiohouse about a decade ago. Then also all shortwave transmitters (and at this time RUI still used most of the installed capacity) aired only silent carriers, making me wonder what has happened (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If the feed from the studio is lost for whatever reason, the transmitters should either be switched off or run some music or other fill from the site. Duh! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Radio Ezra return on SW. I listened today this station on 17490 kHz sign-on at 0900 UT, with SIO 522, strong QRM on the same freq. from China. 73 (Davide Tambuchi, Italy, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Ezra signed on today, June 6 0900 as announced. Unusable on 17490 41431, as CRI is blasting away on that one (Silvain Domen, Antwerpen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As predicted several days ago by people monitoring the new Chinese outlet. Why didn`t Ezra or the Russians do something about this in the meantime? It will be interesting to see if the Ezra transmission is able to get away from this by next week, or ever, during its new run, 13 weeks?? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Washington, D.C., May 28, 2004 -- The Voice of America will expand its programming to Africa by doubling its Afan Oromo and Tigrigna language broadcasts to Ethiopia, and Tigrigna broadcasts to Eritrea. Beginning May 31, VOA's two programs will increase to one half-hour daily, Monday through Friday. "These expanded broadcasts will allow VOA to build upon our traditionally large audience in Africa and provide our listeners with even more news and information," said VOA Director David S. Jackson. "This expansion also continues our effort to increase broadcasts to audiences in the Horn of Africa region." VOA added hour-long weekend programs to its Amharic schedule in 2002. VOA's Amharic broadcast schedule will remain at 1800 UT, seven days a week, at existing frequencies: 11690, 13670, and 13835. VOA will broadcast in Afan Oromo at 1600-1630 UT (7-7:30 PM local) and in Tigrigna 1630-1700 UT (7:30-8 PM local). Additionally, both shows will be heard on new frequencies: 11705, 11790, and 15205. In another change, the Portuguese Service of VOA's Africa Division will inaugurate a program June 1 tailored for Angola called Angola Hoje (Angola Today). This new program will replace Linha Direita, Linha Aberta (Direct Line, Open Line), which will end on May 31. Angola Hoje will be broadcast at 1700-1730 UT (6-6:30 PM local) on the medium wave frequency 1530 and the following shortwave frequencies: 7290, 11775, and 15545 (Press Release via June Australian DX News via DXLD) ** U S A. WHRI heard 6/6 7315 0045 DXing With Cumbre 34443 7535 0100 ID... announced via WSHB Cypress Creek-SC 45444 Their website shows the new frequency schedule, but no mention of the WSHB transmitter (Silvain Domen, Antwerpen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What`s going on here?? Why does their frequency schedule show `WHRI` as using the former WSHB frequencies, while legal IDs actually say WSHB? If they have really bought Cypress Creek, they could, of course, and presumably would, change the calls, but what becomes of the Indiana site known as WHRI? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. According to the May 28 edition of Ask WWCR, there are no plans for WMQM 1600 Memphis to carry Air America, and it should not be listed as a `coming soon` on their website (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Still is June 6 ** U S A. NEW BILL COULD PAVE WAY FOR US COMMUNITY RADIO Two US Senators yesterday introduced a bill that would allow the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to license small community radio stations with a range of 3.5 miles. The proposed legislation seeks to undo an appropriations rider passed in December 2000 by Congress, which was persuaded by large commercial broadcasters that local radio would likely interfere with their radio signals. Congress directed the FCC not to grant community radio licenses until it had studied interference issues. In February, the FCC told Congress that an independent study conducted by MITRE Corp. found that low-power stations "do not pose a significant risk of causing interference to existing full-service FM stations." In response to the finding, Senator John McCain drafted the Low Power Radio Act of 2004, which would lift congressional "third- adjacent minimum distance requirements." Those rules say that if there is an existing radio station at 91.3 on the FM dial, no new radio station can be established at 90.7 or 91.9 within 90 kilometers. These restrictions have made it impossible for any low-power station to be licensed in any of the top-50 radio markets, said Pete Tridish, technical director for the Prometheus Radio Project, a nonprofit group dedicated to low-power radio. Not unexpectedly, the National Association of Broadcasters, which led the struggle to require more study, disputed the methodology used, and believes McCain's bill will inconvenience, not help, listeners. "Listeners should not be subjected to the inevitable interference that would result from shoehorning more stations onto an already overcrowded radio dial," said NAB president and chief executive Edward O. Fritts. (Source: Wired News) # posted by Andy @ 10:05 June 5 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 9620.9, 0504-, SODRE, Jun 4. Tantalizing het heard on this frequency, but spoiled by CBC Northern Quebec service on 9625, but they are signing off as we speak. Should make SODRE a possibility after this time (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1314, UNID Trans-Pacific, Strong carrier bearing 277 degrees MAY 23 1017-1035 with typical DX type fading. Must be new station as I check this frequency daily and haven't heard a trace of a carrier for some time. Bearing places it in Marshall Is or Kiribati most likely, or could be further west in Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, or Solomon Is. Any help on this one? (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net, Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1611, UNID TP's, MAY 1038-1044, voices in jumble of stations, sounds like graveyard channel (Ray Moore rsmcomm @ usa.net, Ft. Myers, FL, Antenna system: 23" spiral loop, preamp. Receivers: Drake R8, MAR-6, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA - 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF SW VOICE COMMUNICATION. I have in my hands an interesting article in French published on ``La Science Moderne`` Nr 12 1925, Paris, France, written by Mr. Guy Malgorn, a Navy Lieutenant. In the article he discusses the effects of directional antennas to be used on the shortwaves and descriptions of these systems and latest -- -to the date --- tests. I also notice, from the article, that May 30 is the 80th anniversary of the first voice communication between England (Poldhu) and Australia (Sydney)! This transmission took place on 92 meters, using a final power of 19 kW and 8 kW modulation power. The article stresses the importance of directionality for the transmitting antenna system. The antenna length at Poldhu was three wavelengths, at half wavelength height. The article goes further to the ``latest`` tests made on Jun 12, 1924 between Poldhu and a ``little`` receiving station at Buenos-Ayres (sic) [ARGENTINA], (5800 nautical miles) with good results. In this case the wavelength was 92 meters with an input power of 21 kilowatts, and an irradiated output power of 17 kilowatts. A ``récepteur parabolique`` (sic) (parabolic receiver, mmm... guess the correct word should be antenna) was used to concentrate the energy towards South America increasing the gain to 300 kilowatts compared to a non-reflector antenna. Later, it reads, that the shortwave station at Poldhu has made communication with Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, New York, Glace Bay... It mentions that commercial shortwave stations are under construction in England, Canada, South Africa; and projected in Australia and India. The article mentions Senator Marconi`s opinion that --- as a result of these experiments --- it will be possible to build ``economic and efficient`` stations using this means, assuring direct services among distant points in the Globe and a large number of emission hours per day. The article is illustrated with some drawings and photos of Poldhu and other directional antenna at other place. Here is the French transcription of the article (only relevant parts are included). --- ``Telephonie sans fils par Ondes Courtes`` par Guy Malgorn, Lieutenant de vaisseau La Science Moderne Nr 12 1925, Paris, France Un essai de telephonie sans fils avec l`Australia fut alors tenté. Des dispositifs éxperimentaux improviseés au Poldhu permirerent por la première fois la transmission de la parole de l`Anglaterre à Sydney, le 30 mai 1924. La longueur d`ónde était de 92 metres. La puissance fournieaux au lampes d`émission était de 19 kilowatts, celle fournie aux lampes modulatrices était de 8 kilowatts. Aucun reflecteur ne fut employé. Ce resultat constituie un record pour le rapport de la distance à la longueur d`onde, car Sydney, par le route la plus corte est aproximativement à 189.000 longueurs d`onde du Poldhu. Il est intéressant de constater que ces grandes porteés ont été realisées sans l`emploi d`amplificateurs, mais il a été démontré que des réflecteurs convenablement contruits, même de talle moyenne, augmenteraient énormément l`intensité des signaux. ... L`appareil employée au Poldhu comportait une antenne et un réflecteur haut d`une demi-longueur d`onde et large de trois longueurs d`onde. L`antenne était alimentée en quatre points par un système de feeders, le chiffre d`amplification polaire horizontal fut trouvé de 30 environ. ... RESULTATS DES DERNIERS ESSAIS Les essais effectués le 12 juin 1924 entre Poldhu et une petite station de réception a Buenos-Ayres (5800 milles marins) ont été des plus satisfaisants. La longueur d`onde était de 92 metres et la puissance dans les lampes principales était de 21 kilowatts. La puissance rayonée était de 17 kilowatts. Un récepteur parabolique était utilisé pour concentrer l`energie vers l`Amerique du Sud et donnait une intensité de champs dans cette direction correspondent à un rayonnement d`environ 300 kilowatts par une antenne sans réflecteur. Depuis, la station à ondes courtes du Poldhu a communiqué avec Rio de Janeiro, Montreal, New York, Glace Bay... Des stations commercieles à ondes courtes sont en construction en Angleterre, au Canada, en Afrique du Sud; on en projette en Australia et dans l`Inde. Tous ces résultats, dit le sénateur Marconi, montrent qu`au moyen de ce système il serait possible de monter des stations économiques et efficaces à faible puissance qui assuireaient des services directs à grande vitesse avec les points les plus éloignés du globe pendent un grand nombre d`heures par jour. ... --- I am aware that around these days it also happens the 80th anniversary of the amateur record between Carlos Braggio (Bernal, Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Ivan O`Meara (Sydney, Australia). (I am at a cybercaffe computer since my monitor is on repair. When I recover my PC monitor I would be in position to make some scanning of the article`s photos, or the full article if anyone is interested. There are several pages to work with, since it is somewhat lengthy. There are other interesting articles in French inside this 1925 heavy volume, among them ``Wireless in Maroc`` and other minor reports and articles regarding the advancement of the ``TSF`` - the wireless - of those days. Cheers (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, May 28, DXLD) TUNING IN TO LIFE By ANDREW J. SKERRITT Published June 6, 2004 Sunday Journal ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I climb into my car, buckle up, back out of the parking lot. I turn right, then left, and stop at the red light. As I wait, I reach forward for my radio dial. Hitting the AM button, I scan upward, static emanating as I climb, 800, 910, 1000, 1110. Immediately, static fades, replaced by a clear tone. John Hancock, voice of WBT Newstalk 1110, beams in. As the red light changes to green, I forge homeward. "It's 25 degrees in Charlotte tonight. Expect snow and sleet south and east of the city," the announcer says during the periodic traffic updates. Neither the temperature nor the forecast matters. Outside my car, the night is a balmy 58 degrees. I'm a distant eavesdropper. I listen to Charlotte, N.C., radio during my 50-minute commute from the north Tampa suburbs into the city. I am Walter Mitty at 60 miles an hour... http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/06/Floridian/Tuning_in_to_life.shtml He won't be pleased by nighttime AM IBOC (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) DRM +++ NEW USA DRM GROUP MEETS IN WASHINGTON AND ELECTS LEADERS News Release For Immediate Release: June 1, 2004 Contact: Jeff White, drm @ wrmi.net Washington --- A coalition of more than 20 broadcasters, network providers and manufacturers interested in implementing Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmissions in the US held its first meeting on May 6th at the headquarters of Radio Free Asia (RFA) in Washington. The group elected Jeff White, who recently finished his term as President of the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters, as its Chairman. It also chose Mike Adams of Far East Broadcasting Company to lead its International Broadcasters team, and Adil Mina of DRS Broadcast Technology (formerly Continental Electronics) to lead its Transmitter Manufacturers team. RFA`s Technical Operations Division is a DRM Supporter. The meeting included a presentation by DRM Commercial Committee Chairman Michel Penneroux of TDF, who outlined DRM`s global implementation plans. The USA DRM Group is the latest of DRM`s national coalitions. DRM has assembled alliances of broadcasters, network operators, regulators, manufacturers and retailers in key markets worldwide, in preparation for DRM`s commercial launch. "Now is the time for U.S. based broadcasters, as well as international broadcasters who want to reach U.S. audiences, to get actively involved in DRM implementation," said Jeff White. "Broadcasts from DRM Members BBC World Service, CBC/Radio Canada International, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Radio Sweden and Vatican Radio are already available in the U.S., as well as those of China Radio International and Radio Kuwait." DRM`s Live Broadcasts Schedule is at http://www.drm.org Those interested in participating in the USA DRM Group may contact Jeff White at drm @ wrmi.net. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, digital on-air system that is universally standardized for shortwave, AM/mediumwave and longwave. It provides clear, near-FM quality sound and excellent reception. It gives broadcasters the capability to enhance new or existing audio programs with complementary text, and enables producers to wrap speech in multiple languages around a single music stream, extending the reach of existing audio content. Nearly 60 broadcasters worldwide have begun DRM transmissions, including international, national, local, commercial and public broadcasters. A second-generation DRM consumer receiver, MAYAH`s DRM 2010, is already on the market, with the launch of a variety of DRM products coming soon. About the DRM Consortium DRM`s founding Members joined forces in 1998 to create a digital system for the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. The consortium has expanded to include 81 Members from 27 countries. DRM Membership offers companies full, pro-active involvement in the consortium as well as voting rights. DRM currently offers an easy-access participation option called DRM Supporter. Created to foster rapid DRM adoption and implementation in markets worldwide, the DRM Supporter label is designed for companies and individuals interested in any aspect of digital radio, from broadcasting to manufacturing, publicity and sales. DRM has 22 Supporters from 8 countries. DRM Members Commercial Radio Australia (Australia); Nautel Ltd., Radio Canada International/CBC (Canada); Academy of Broadcasting Science of China (China); RIZ Transmitters (Croatia); HFCC (Czech Republic); ESPOL, HCJB World Radio (Ecuador); Digita Oy, Kymenlaakso Polytechnic (Finland); CCETT, Radio France, Radio France Internationale, TDF, Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (France); ADDX, Ahead Software AG, APR, Atmel Germany GmbH, Coding Technologies GmbH, Deutsche Welle, DeutschlandRadio, DLM, Sender Europa 1, Fraunhofer IIS, Georg-Simon- Ohm --- University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg, IZT, IRT, Medienanstalt Sachsen-Anhalt/Digitaler Rundfunk Sachsen-Anhalt, Micronas GmbH, Robert Bosch GmbH, Sony International Europe, SWR Südwestrundfunk, TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin AG, T-Systems International GmbH, University of Applied Sciences - FH Merseburg, University of Hannover, University of Ulm, VPRT (Germany); Antenna Hungaria, Communications Authority Hungary (Hungary); Basamad College, Tehran (Iran); Hitachi Kokusai Electric Ltd., NHK (Japan); Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (Libya); Broadcasting Centre Europe, RTL Group (Luxembourg); Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Malaysia); Agentschap Telecom, Nozema, Radio Netherlands, Technical University Delft (Netherlands); Radio New Zealand International (New Zealand); Telenor/Norkring (Norway); Radiodifusão Portuguesa (Portugal); RTRN/Voice of Russia (Russia); Government of Catalonia, Universidad del País Vasco, (Spain); Swedish Radio International (Sweden); EBU, International Committee of the Red Cross, ITU (Switzerland); Arab States Broadcasting Union (Tunisia); BBC, Christian Vision, Imagination Technologies Ltd., QinetiQ, RadioScape Ltd., VT Merlin Communications, WRN (U.K.); Broadcast Electronics, Inc., Dolby Laboratories Incorporated, Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, DRS Broadcast Technology (formerly Continental Electronics), Harris Corporation, Broadcast Communications Division, IBB/VOA, Kintronic Laboratories, Inc., National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters, Sangean America, Inc.,TCI, a Dielectric Company, Via Licensing Corporation (U.S.A.); and Radio Vaticana (Vatican City). (via Jeff White, June 1, DXLD) MAYAH 2010 DRM RECEIVER The first DRM consumer portable receiver, the Mayah DRM-2010, has been shipped to those who pre-ordered it the Radio Netherlands Media Network website reported May 26th. Their technical department is testing it but initial reactions on their comments board are not positive. Stig Hartvig Nielsen in Denmark, who is planning to use DRM on his World Music Radio station, says: "I had been looking forward very much to receiving my Mayah DRM receiver but what a disappointment. The reception of DRM stations is very very poor and only the very strongest stations are sometimes audible. The loudspeaker of the set is very very poor sounding worse than a normal receiver at one tenth of the price of the Mayah. If this is how DRM is going to perform --- with lots of breaks and a very metallic sound --- then DRM has no future. I have been listening to Radio Netherlands on 9815 with an outdoor aerial connected to the set. I am getting OK audio at 80% of the time, silence at 10% of the time and distorted audio at 10% of the time. That is probably the best I have experienced. Deutsche Welle and Radio Luxembourg are both very irregularly heard.". Andy Sennitt replies: "The speaker in the radio is terrible. When I heard it yesterday my immediate reaction was "what awful audio" But of course this is not the finished article. They are already working on a second generation version. I think it is important that we do not regard one company's first generation implementation of the technology as a fair reflection of what DRM can do. I have been fortunate to hear DRM via a PC sound card and the quality can be as good as mono FM when a high bitrate is used. There are others working separately on their own designs. The problems with the Mayah are, in my opinion, due to the limitations of the receiver rather than DRM itself." I checked the Mayah website May 29th and Mayah was quoting a price of 802.60 Euros for the set (Mike Barraclough, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) If Mayah don`t know how to make a decent speaker, which is very old technology, what are they doing attempting `new` technology?? (gh, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC INDICES Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno @ yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary April 8 2004 through May 25 2004 Tabulated from daily email status Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Aurora Index 4/ 8 98 13 3 no storms no storms 9 9 94 17 2 no storms no storms 9 10 90 18 3 minor minor 7 11 88 12 3 no storms minor 6 12 90 9 2 minor minor 7 13 91 14 3 minor no storms 8 14 93 8 2 no storms no storms 4 15 95 5 1 no storms no storms 5 16 97 4 2 minor no storms 7 17 x x x x x x 18 98 8 2 no storms no storms 8 19 109 12 2 no storms no storms 9 20 113 8 3 no storms no storms 5 21 111 7 1 no storms no storms 3 22 113 9 3 no storms no storms 8 23 117 8 3 minor no storms 4 24 115 16 2 minor no storms 5 25 112 11 3 minor no storms 3 26 107 14 3 minor no storms 5 27 100 7 2 no storms no storms 6 28 95 5 2 no storms no storms 5 29 90 10 3 no storms no storms 6 4/30 89 4 0 no storms no storms 4 5/ 1 x x x x x x 2 94 x 1 no storms no storms 5 3 98 7 2 no storms no storms 5 4 91 8 2 no storms no storms 5 5 87 10 2 no storms no storms 7 6 89 18 4 no storms no storms 7 7 86 12 2 no storms no storms 8 8 85 18 2 no storms no storms 7 9 87 9 x no storms no storms 8 10 93 8 1 no storms no storms 4 11 x x x x x x 12 90 10 3 no storms no storms 6 13 99 14 3 no storms no storms 9 14 101 17 3 minor no storms 7 15 110 8 2 no storms no storms 4 16 115 10 2 no storms no storms 5 17 118 6 2 no storms no storms 7 18 111 6 3 no storms no storms 4 19 108 9 3 no storms no storms 4 20 109 13 3 no storms no storms 6 21 105 16 3 minor no storms 6 22 107 12 2 no storms no storms 4 23 102 10 1 minor minor 4 24 104 15 3 no storms minor 10 5/25 105 15 3 no storms minor 3 (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ###