DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-108, July 17, 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 1238: Sat 1830 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB [maybe] Sat 2030 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sat 2300 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0630 on WWCR 3210 Sun 1000 on WRN1 to North America, webcast; also KSFC 91.9 Spokane WA, and WDWN 89.1 Auburn NY; maybe KTRU 91.7 Houston TX, each with webcasts Sun 1100 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sun 1500 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org 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 1237] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Mon 0900 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org 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 1238 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1238h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1238h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1238.html WORLD OF RADIO 1238 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1238.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1238.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1238 in the true shortwave sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_07-14-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_07-14-04.mp3 [WBCQ itself is downloading instead of taking a phone feed, so quality of the mp3 files should be improved, we hope from now on] WORLD OF RADIO ON RFPI RFPI has posted a new program schedule for June-July-August, dated June 26; the doc version shows, as best I can figure it out, WOR now scheduled in UT: Thu 2000, Fri 0000, 0400 [and further repeats at 0800, 1200, 1600?] Sat 2000, Sun 0400, 1200 [and also Sun 2000, Mon 0400, 1200?] Sat 2300, Sun 0700, 1500 [and also Sun 2300, Mon 0700, 1500?] The Sat 2000 is a change from 2130, etc. No mention of CONTINENT OF MEDIA, tho it would eventually appear on RFPI as a WOR Extra. RFPI is still QuickTime webcasting only (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1238, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. Details of current Kalodzicy operation: Belarussian Radio, 1st Program 0300-2200 daily 6115 kHz, 75 kW, non-directional (for local listeners) 6080 kHz, 150 kW, to Ukraine 0400-0600 daily 11735 kHz, 250 kW, directed to Russia 0900-1000 daily 11960 kHz, 250 kW, directed to Russia 1500-1700 7105 kHz, 250 kW, directed to Russia 1500-1600, Mo-Fr, regional radio broadcasts instead of BR1 (open_dx - Sergey Alekseychik, Hrodna, Belarus, Signal July 15 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Amigos DXistas, Diexistas, DXer, Desde algún tiempo tengo contacto con el Padre Estanislao de Radio Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza- Bolivia con testes en 5500 y 5945.2. Reenvio email recibido. 73s, QRV *Rogildo F. Aragão, Quillacollo - Bolivia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Parroquia Tupiza radiovirgenderemedios @ hotmail.com wrote: De: "Parroquia Tupiza" Assunto: RE: ¡Saludos desde Tupiza Data: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 15:40:53 -0400 Querido Rogildo! Te agradezco de veraz [sic] por la preocupación de difundir nuestra humilde emisora; todavía no trabajamos con la onda corta, porque las antenas no están listas, ya tenemos resolución suprema para 3330. Queremos cubrir nuestra parroquia con la frontera con Chile y Argentina, una parroquia más grande de Bolivia con 70 comunidades y las alturas desde Tupiza 2850 hasta 4580 [metros] de altura y muy montañosa sin caminos; por eso sólo vamos a transmitir en la noche 20,00 - 22,00 porque sólo hemos recibido permiso para esta frecuencia. Después veremos porque hay que ver económico? [sic] Estamos en cadena con EWTN de Hermana [Madre] Angelica. FM 89.5 trabaja en Tupiza 24 horas, con transmisor de 60V y buscamos bienechores para comprar algo más fuerte y propia Antena Parabólica. Por ahora televizión por cable nos manda una señal por cable. Somos una Familia religiosa Misioneros Redentoristas; tenemos Seminario en Cochabamba --- Villa Esperanza cerca de Tiquipaya. y una parroquia "Nuestra Señora de la Paz" allá. Nuestra dirección de Tupiza es: Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Candelaria" y lo mismo de Emisora. Casilla 198 y mi tel. cel 71612201 y de emisora 2 694 4662. Es la única parroquia. Somos 4 padres, 2 polacos y 2 bolivianos, tenemos un Internado para los jóvenes del campo para que pueden estudiar. Así un poco de informaciones para que entiendas y tengamos una amistad de amigos. Por ahora nada más, que Dios Te bendiga, un abrazo fuerte. P. Estanislao Odroniec, yo fuí párroco en Cochabamba hace 3 años en V. Esperanza (via Rogildo Aragão, Bolivia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Says they are not on SW at the moment, because antennas aren`t ready, but their authorized frequency is 3330, and will only broadcast at 0000-0200 UT. No mention of 5500 or 5945.2 in this note; I don`t recall their being reported on the higher frequency, but apparently someone heard them there (Glenn Hauser, DX LSITENING DIGEST) Radio Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza-Bolivia, escuchada antes con testes en 5500 y 5945.2. Listen to the ID in the DXing.info audio archive. http://www.dxing.info/news/ Recording of R.Virgen de Remedios http://www.malm-ecuador.com/ 73s, QRV (Rogildo F. Aragão, Quillacollo - Bolivia, July 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. No próximo dia 26, a Rádio Educação Rural, de Coari (AM), completa 40 anos. A exemplo de outras emissoras do interior da Amazônia, ela cumpre importante papel social de integrar e informar os povos da região. A boa notícia é que a emissora conseguiu um canal para operar também em AM, com 10 KW. Em breve, poderá ser sintonizada em 560 kHz, propiciando assim que também os ouvintes da cidade de Coari (AM) e arredores tenham maior facilidade em captá-la. Por enquanto, a emissora segue transmitindo em 5035 kHz, das 0945 às 0100. Contatos podem ser feitos pelo correio eletrônico: radiocoari @ portalcoari.com.br aos cuidados de Sidomar Alfaia. Todas as informações são do Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). BRASIL -- Após ser captada, durante bom tempo, em 6180 kHz e gravar identificação informando que ``emite em 6175 kHz``, a Rádio Nacional da Amazônia está sendo ouvida em 6190 kHz. Os relatos são de diversos dexistas do mundo inteiro. O sinal é excelente também no Sul do Brasil. BRASIL -- Mais uma informação do Paulo Roberto e Souza de Tefé (AM): a Rádio Municipal, de São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM), pode retornar à sua freqüência de 3375 kHz, a qualquer momento. O Paulo ligou para a emissora e recebeu a informação do funcionário José (que diz `quebrar qualquer galho na emissora!`) de que um técnico da INFRAERO está ajeitando o transmissor da emissora (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX July 16 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Glenn, I'm having no luck finding a reference for this one. Any ideas? 11500, Radio Bulgaria; 1749-1759:35*, 15-July; W in English with Bulgarian news; ID spot at 1754. SIO=1+42/few ute bursts and cleanest in LSB. I'd guess this is a relay from outside Bulgaria. Can't find a frequency sked on their English web section, so sent them an e-mail. (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Harold, Well, I checked EiBi`s current comprehensive schedule at http://eibi.gmxhome.de/hp/bc-a04.txt and found this: 1730 1800 BUL Radio Bulgaria E WEu 9500 11500 So it`s a typical RB frequency ending in two zeroes; very much doubt it is a relay. 73, (Glenn to Harold, via DXLD) ** CANADA. CRTC REFUSES TO RENEW LICENCE OF CONTROVERSIAL QUEBEC RADIO STATION --- Canadian Press Tuesday, July 13, 2004 http://www.canada.com/components/printstory/printstory4.aspx?id=5de79e06-3996-4e3f-a4c0-7ee2f57024d3 Canada's broadcasting watchdog has refused to renew the licence of a controversial Quebec City radio station after ruling it repeatedly broadcast insulting and offensive comments. The comments were in violation of the Broadcasting Act, the CRTC said in a ruling Tuesday. Among the comments cited were ones about African students at Laval University, about psychiatric patients and about a rival morning man implicated in a teen prostitution ring. The CRTC said CHOI will be yanked from the airwaves on Aug. 31, and the watchdog also issued a call for new applicants to fill the empty spot on the dial. Complaints about CHOI were "with respect to the conduct of the hosts and the spoken word content that is aired, including offensive comments, personal attacks and harassment," the CRTC said. The complaints focused primarily on a weekday morning show hosted by Jean-Francois Fillion that included a segment by radio personality Andre Arthur. The show has been the target of 92 complaints since Genex Communications Inc. bought the station in 1997, the CRTC said. In 2002, following 47 complaints, CHOI was given two years by the CRTC to change things. But 45 additional complaints were lodged over the following 18 months, the regulator said. Genex president Patrice Demers accused the CRTC of muzzling freedom of speech and said he would appeal the ruling to the Federal Court of Canada. "This is the first time that the CRTC has not renewed a licence because of expression of ideas," he told a news conference in Quebec City. When asked how he felt about the ruling, he said he was angry and disappointed. Demers added that "380,500 listeners will see their favourite station closed on Aug. 31 because of a decision by some Ottawa bureaucrats." CHOI was one of two Quebec City stations whose hosts attacked rival morning man Robert Gillet following his arrest in connection with an investigation into a teen prostitute ring. Gillet - who was later found guilty of paying for sex with a 17-year- old prostitute, but is appealing - has sued Fillion and Arthur for defamation of character. Gillet filed a complaint with the CRTC following his arrest in December 2002. Among the remarks cited by the CRTC were comments that said Gillet travelled to Thailand and the Czech Republic. "Look, is there someone at FM 93 (Gillet's station) who didn't know that Robert Gillet made, and still makes, regular trips to two of the most popular places for child prostitution in the world?" the CRTC quoted CHOI as saying. The CRTC also published a second, unrelated complaint that said Arthur suggested on May 8, 2003, that psychiatric patients should be euthanized: "Fill up the rooms, and then there'd be a switch, and once every four months, they press the button and just a little bit of gas comes out, and then you go in and pick it all up and put it in bags." The CRTC also looked into a Nov. 3, 2003, complaint that said Arthur described most African students at Laval University as the children of brutal dictators: "They're the sons of plunderers, cannibals who control certain Third World countries," the CRTC quoted Arthur as saying. In 2002, the CRTC imposed a code of conduct on the station as well as an eight-second delay for their broadcasts. Demers was also hauled before a public CRTC hearing in February, in which he repeatedly defended the controversial remarks as fair comment. Florian Sauvageau, head of the journalism program at Laval University, expressed concerns that the CHOI ruling threatened freedom of expression. He noted that the complaints centred on one morning show and didn't directly involve all of the station's employees. "The CRTC has deprived afternoon journalists and hosts of their means of expression, even though they didn't cause the same problems as the morning (crew)." But Sauvageau added the comments continued well after the CRTC raised red flags, leaving the watchdog with little choice but to crack down. The CRTC said CHOI would be only the sixth station to be yanked off the airwaves since the watchdog's creation in 1968. All of the stations closed were in Quebec. © Canadian Press 2004 (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) FREE-SPEECH FIGHT ERUPTS AFTER CRTC BANS STATION --- TOP QUEBEC CITY RADIO OUTLET IS ORDERED TO SHUT DOWN OVER HOSTS' OFFENSIVE ANTICS By TU THANH HA, With reports from Louise Gagnon and James Adams Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - Page A1 In a Canadian first yesterday, federal regulators yanked the broadcasting licence of CHOI-FM, Quebec City's most popular radio station, because of a long-running pattern of offensive comments by its morning hosts. Setting the stage for a fierce debate over freedom of speech and the power to regulate airwaves, station owner Patrice Demers vowed to go to court to save his $25-million, 35-employee business. "You just witnessed an act of censorship that is totally unjustified and incomprehensible," he said. "I will probably lose $25-million because I stood by my hosts and gave them freedom of speech." It is only the sixth time since its creation that the CRTC has not renewed a licence. But until now no station had been banned solely for airing crude comments. "This is the first time that the non-renewal is based on a pattern of verbal content as exclusively as this one is," Charles Dalfen, chairman of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, said in an interview. While the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has been cracking down on American stations, Canadian broadcasters tend to police themselves. After a previous string of complaints, CHOI agreed to join the industry's watchdog. However, the CRTC said the hosts' behaviour only got worse. "This was a unanimous decision of the panel. We felt there were no other options," Mr. Dalfen said. In the world of CHOI, one could muse about gassing psychiatric patients, remark on a famous woman's breasts and encourage people to steal satellite TV signals. The controversy centres on Jean-François (Jeff) Fillion, who hosts the 6 to 10 a.m. slot, and André Arthur, of the smaller sister station CKNU, who co-hosted a now-defunct 30-minute segment with Mr. Fillion. Mr. Arthur, he of the many clashes with the CRTC and libel lawyers, has filled airwaves for three decades with his sharp-tongued comments. Mr. Fillion, who cites Howard Stern as a model, has been a star only since 1998. The pair have ardent supporters who feel that they rightly scare the city's elite. But while few of their targets would claim sympathy for the two hosts, there were concerns over the CRTC decision. "Does that justify closing a station? I'm not sure," said one Quebec City personality who had been attacked by Mr. Fillion. "I feel no grief for him but just because one guy acts like an idiot, it's too bad the station is paying for it." Marc-André Blanchard, an expert in media law, said the CRTC has set a bad precedent. "There shouldn't be that type of government authority over whether or not an enterprise should live, based on content," the lawyer said. In a separate notice, the CRTC opened applications for a new Quebec City station, saying that it already received bids. Mr. Demers called the move "odious." Licences normally last seven years but CHOI got only a two-year renewal in 2002 because there had been 47 complaints. The station promised to regulate itself, to stick to a code of ethics and to become a member of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, the industry's watchdog. But the bad behaviour continued and 45 new complaints arrived, the CRTC ruling said. "In view of the licensee's inflexible behaviour, its lack of acceptance of its responsibilities and the lack of any demonstrated commitment to rectify the situation, the Commission cannot reasonably conclude that [the station] will comply . . . if its licence is renewed." CHOI's licence expires Aug. 31. The money-losing station sat last in ratings when Mr. Demers bought it in 1996. Since then, it ranked first, with up to 300,000 listeners. Mr. Fillion's show has 80,000 listeners and he was the top morning man, in part because his rival, FM 93's Robert Gillet, was charged in a teenage prostitution scandal, handing much fodder to the CHOI hosts. Even after CHOI joined the CBSC, Mr. Fillion was on air saying about a psychiatric patient: "Why don't they just pull the plug on him? He doesn't deserve to live. The guy's a freaking burden on society." About a female TV host, he talked of "her incredible set of boobs" and added that "the size of the brain is not directly proportional to the size of the bra." Mr. Arthur, commenting on foreign students, opined that "in Muslim countries and countries in Black Africa, the ones who are sent abroad to study are the sons of people who are disgusting . . . the sons of plunderers, cannibals." The CRTC's decision, while a surprise, comes against a backdrop of heightened concern among politicians, regulators, lobby groups and some broadcasters about "indecent programming" on radio, television and the Internet. Less than six weeks after Janet Jackson had her famous "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl, Texas-headquartered Clear Channel Communications yanked veteran shock-jock Howard Stern's syndicated show from six of its radio stations, denouncing the program as "vulgar, offensive and insulting." Earlier, the FCC fined the stations a total of almost $500,000 (U.S.) for "knowingly and willfully broadcasting obscene material." Another Clear Channel employee, Todd Clem of Florida, better known as Bubba the Love Sponge, also lost his eight-year-old radio program around the same time because he participated on-air in a "sexually explicit conversation." The decision can be read at http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/decisions/2004/db2004-271.htm (source? Via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** CANADA. CHOI Decision --- The CRTC has signed the death warrant for Quebec City's most popular radio station. On Tuesday, the broadcast regulator said it would not renew CHOI-FM's license when it expires at the end of August. And that decision is creating waves. Loosely translated, the morning host reacted to the news, saying "we can't pretend things are going well at the station". Two years ago, the CRTC told the station that it had better get its morning hosts to clean up their language --- or else. The complaints had been rolling in about Jeff Fillion. And the insults and offensive comments kept making it to air. A weather girl's bra size was said to be higher than her IQ. Hospitals were urged to euthanize psychiatric patients. And university students from Africa were called the children of murderous despots. Whatever you think of those statements, CHOI-FM's fans are furious at the CRTC decision. And there is a huge listener base. The latest radio ratings show the station had more than 380-thousand listeners in the Quebec City region, where about 700-thousand people live. And yesterday that support showed CHOI-FM set-up at various spots around town giving out bumper stickers. Patrice Demers also hopes to stop the CRTC from pulling CHOI-FM off the air. He's the owner and president of the station. He was in Quebec City. CHOI Panel Joining us to discuss the impact of this CRTC decision are two media watchers. Peter Desbarats is the former dean of journalism at the University of Western Ontario. He was in London, Ontario. Ron Cohen is the chair of the Canadian Broadcast Standard Council and he joined us from Ottawa. Listen to The Current: Part 1 (Due to streaming policies, some segments may be altered or not available) http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2004/200407/20040715.html An brief unrelated item is first in this file (via gh, DXLD, tnx tip from Joe Buch, swprograms) ** CANADA. CBC on Sirius: see INTERNATIONAL VACUUM ** CANADA [and non]. CRTC APPROVES AL JAZEERA FOR CANADIAN VIEWERS CTV.ca News Staff http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1089894102595_32?hub=topstories Canadians will soon be able to watch Al Jazeera television, after the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved it for distribution in Canada Thursday. The Al Jazeera application was filed by the Canadian Cable Television Association in spring 2003, and includes numerous other "ethnic services" from around the world. Each of the elements was decided independently. In all, the CRTC approved nine new non-Canadian, third-language networks -- including ones featuring Spanish, German and Romanian programming -- while six were denied. The application to offer the Qatar-based Al Jazeera through Canada's direct-to-home satellite networks was contested by the Canadian Jewish Congress and other groups, which said it disseminates "anti-Semitic hate speech." Al Jazeera is often referred to as the "CNN of the Arab world" and is often the first to broadcast messages and videotaped statements from militants in Iraq and belonging to al Qaeda. In its ruling the CRTC said distributors of Al-Jazeera in Canada will be required to guard against the broadcast of "any abusive comment." That could mean the editing or deleting of some content. "In light of not wanting to ban it because it is, after all, a bona fide service...but fearing that the record showed a large number of abusive comments, we felt someone had to take responsibility for it," commission chairman Charles Dalfen told Reuters. Earlier this week, Al Jazeera unveiled its code of ethics, vowing to "uphold journalistic values" and to be sensitive to the victims of the wars and disasters it covers, their families and viewers. Among the applications rejected by the CRTC Thursday was Italy's RAI International. Despite the support of more than 100,000 Canadians who signed petitions, the RAI application faced opposition from the Toronto-based Telelatino, which currently broadcasts about 50 hours per week of programming from RAI (via Fred Waterer, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CHINA. Re: ``On 16m, I came upon DRM 17575-17585 around 1340. What could that be? There is nothing on the DRM schedule via Media Network (unless VOR punched 17580 by mistake instead of 15780), but RN is scheduled in analogue: 1300-1400 Madagascar 17580 085 250 Dutch SE Asia No trace of that signal with the DRM buzzing away, tho Madagascar often put a good signal in here, far from the targets. Could this actually have been RN with an unannounced DRM test from this facility? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just received this reply from my technical colleague Jan Peter Werkman: China on 17580 with DRM. See forum at http://www.drmrx.org for all non-coordinated DRM transmissions :-) Maybe a complaint from Glenn at this forum would help :-) (Andy Sennitt, RN, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked again July 16 around 1312, and RN was coming in nicely in Dutch on 17580, tho DRM seemed underneath it. BBC Thailand on 17760 was very weak. The previous occasion had above normal reception from the Far East. However, at 1345 recheck, nothing but DRM noise heard on 17580, as before. Anyhow, I am hardly in the target area (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS NORTHERN. 6150, R Bayrak International. While on Cyprus, I tried to listen to Bayrak on this frequency at several times, but it is not on the air! The domestic service in Turkish language is on the air on 1098 MW. The reception conditions are very good - 55444 in Paphos at Midday. Programme I heard was a report about the bomb attacks in Istanbul and Ankara (Eckhard Roescher, Dessau, Germany on holidays in Cyprus, DSWCI DX Window July 14 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 3810, HD2IOA, Guayaquil, Emisora de señales horarias. 0535 "Al oir el tono serán las 0 horas, 35 minutos, 0 segundos". Esta emisora no aparece en la página dedicada a estacionas de señales horarias del WRTVH 2004, pero hace años sí, y la emisora sigue en activo, o bién estuvo inactiva y volvió al aire. 25222. (Julio 13 y 14). (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7165.42, African Union Radio via R. Ethiopia, Jul 8 1921- 2000, 32332-33333 English, talk and African pop music. ID and frequency and address announce at 1953. French ID at 1959 by woman and man. Thanks for Infomation from Kenji Hashimoto (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. Según el DXer japonés Takayuki Inoue, Radio Verdad, Guatemala en 4052.5 kHz usa ID (anuncio del nombre de la estación) en japonés, que él mismo registró, cuando él visitó la estación en mayo este año. Él ha visitado a más de 1000 estaciones latinoamericanas, y ha dejado IDs registradas en japonés. Él dice que Radio Tarma, Perú, Radio Nacional de Huanuni, y Radio Illimani, Bolivia usan obviamente sus IDs en japonés (Takahito Akabayashi, Tokio, Japón, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII [and non]. This forum report is dedicated to the memory of my old friend, neighbor and fine DXer Chuck Boehnke here in Hawaiian Paradise Park, Pina, East Hawaii. I knew him for about 22 years and even helped him select HPP as his future home and DX location when he was contemplating retirement from the Palo Alto Police Department. I suggested it, and we both moved to HPP about the same time, 1983 (at that time I was teaching and DXing in Saudi Arabia). I am rather inactive these days due to pressure of work and high QRN levels at my home in HPP, but a quick band-scan this morning noted outstanding signals from AIR-1368 with Western-influenced Indian pop music, booming Australia-1557, and possible BBC Orfordness-1296 which is by far the most frequent European here. Within the next 3 months I hope to develop an off-power, QRN-free (comparatively, at least) DX shack on land I own in Glenwood, near Volcano; this should be one of the best Beverage sites in the USA. If anyone would like to volunteer to string Beverages, bring antenna matching boxes, etc., they can write me. They can bring tents and bedding to the remote, rainy location, or book rooms at hotels in Volcano or Hilo. Volunteers welcome (Richard Wood, PO Box 2895, Kailua Kona, HI 96745, Western DX Forum, IRCA Soft DX Monitor July 17 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. CBC On Sirius Satellite --- A few months back, when this potential deal was first announced, there was some ambiguity regarding whether USA subscribers would be able to hear the Canadian programming. That ambiguity has now been clarified. The partners definitely intend to include USA listeners in the allowable audience. This is from the Spacedaily.com web site: http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-04zzzl.html CRTC OPENS DOOR TO MORE RADIO CHOICES FOR CANADIANS Ottawa ON (SPX) Jul 09, 2004 Partners CBC/Radio-Canada, Standard Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio welcomed Thursday's CRTC announcement regarding the launch of public consultations on satellite radio services in Canada leading to a public hearing in November 2004. The partners have filed an application proposing a new Canadian- controlled company that will offer Canadian subscribers approximately 100 digital audio channels, including over 60 commercial-free music channels and a diverse array of some of the world's best information, sports and other entertainment programming. Among them will be Canadian channels from CBC/Radio-Canada and Standard Radio. If licensed by the CRTC, the new subscription-based service will immediately be available to Canadians across the entire country, from urban centers to the most remote regions. The four CBC/Radio-Canada services also will be added to the Sirius line-up in the U.S., providing established and emerging Canadian recording artists and performers with access to a North American audience. "This represents a unique opportunity to extend the reach of CBC/Radio-Canada services and package them with the best of the world for distribution on this emerging digital audio platform," said Robert Rabinovitch, CBC/Radio-Canada's President and CEO. "Satellite radio will expand the choices available to Canadians, wherever they live, increase the exposure of Canadian performers to U.S. audiences and open the door for new innovative services. As Canada's national public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada must be present on this new and significant delivery platform." The CBC/Radio-Canada offering will include two new music channels (one English, one French) featuring a mix of new Canadian music and emerging artists, live concerts, studio sessions, stories and sounds from across Canada. CBC Radio One and Radio-Canada's la Première Chaîne will also bring distinctly Canadian voices and journalistic perspectives to Sirius' diverse information and entertainment line-up, which already includes BBC World, National Public Radio and Public Radio International. "As this country's largest privately-owned broadcaster, we are very excited about being able to reach Canadians in their cars, homes, cottages, boats and virtually anywhere else they choose to set up their satellite receivers," said Gary Slaight, President and CEO of Standard Radio Inc. "Over the years, Standard has had an unmatched track record in supporting Canadian musical talent, including both new and established artists, with our radio stations across Canada." "As part of our venture with CBC/Radio-Canada and Sirius Satellite Radio, we will ensure that the new platform will provide access for Canadian recording artists not only to a wider Canadian listenership but to the much larger North American audience. We must seize this opportunity now." If licensed, the partners' agreement would ensure that Canadian performers, writers and creators gain broader exposure to audiences across Canada and the U.S. Canadian artists and performers also stand to benefit financially from additional copyright fees and from the investment of five percent of gross revenues in Canadian talent development. "In partnering with CBC/Radio-Canada and Standard Radio, we are joining forces with two national broadcasters who share our commitment to top quality programming and who have a strong commitment to the development of new and emerging talent," said Joseph P. Clayton, President and CEO of SIRIUS. "Satellite radio has rapidly emerged as a significant new delivery platform that has met strong consumer acceptance. Sirius expects that it will reach close to 1 million subscribers in the U.S. by the end on 2004." "A Canadian-owned and controlled satellite radio service will offer Canadians, no matter where they live in the country, unparalleled music selection, insights and perspectives, as well as an unmatched lineup of sports, news, talk and entertainment." "We are proud to be associated with this venture that paves the way for an orderly introduction of satellite radio in Canada." ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (via Joe Buch, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Re: then why is it headed BAHRAIN? --- gh This radio service (reported as "Radio One" or "Information Radio") is operated by the US Navy Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO) which is located in Bahrain. Website with complete contact details: http://www.nsa.bahrain.navy.mil/TenCom/marlo The activities of MARLO are described as "the mission MARLO is to facilitate the exchange of information between the US Navy and the commercial shipping community in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility". (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) We are aware of the Bahrain HQ connexion. But it has just been confirmed that the actual transmissions are from at sea, as it says in this item. Therefore they should be headed INTERNATIONAL WATERS, or perhaps BAHRAIN [non]. Unless they happened to be in port, or within territorial waters of Bahrain, which extend how far? (Glenn, ibid.) Acc. to various online sources, Bahrain's territorial sea extends to 12 nautical miles (about 22 kilometers). 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, ibid.) ** KOREA NORTH. NORTH KOREA ESTABLISHES WEB PORTAL | Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 14 July: North Korea was found on Wednesday [14 July] to be operating its first Internet portal site to sell merchandise and propagandize its socialist system to the rest of the world. The existence of the portal site became known when the July issue of "Korea", a monthly photo journal issued by a sub-organization of the North Korean Workers' Party, carried an advertisement. It said Pyongyang's state-run Korea Computer Centre began providing information service through its homepage named "Nanara" http://www.kcckp.net in June. The server of the Internet portal was found to be in Berlin and its domain was registered with the WHOIS, the international domain registration body, on 28 May. More than 16,000 Internet users have already visited the web site although it is still in a test period before full-scale opening. But "Nanara" did not inform when it will go into normal service. The new site provides up-to-date news articles from the North Korean Central News Agency, the weekly Pyongyang Times, two monthly magazines, "Korea" and "Kumsugangsan", and a quarterly magazine, "Foreign Trade of DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]". Free e-mail and internet shopping mall services as well as various information on North Korea are also provided, but use of such services is limited to registered users. The new site brings to nine the number of known online propaganda services directly operated by North Korea. Source: Yonhap news agency, Seoul, in English 0652 gmt 14 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. The ITU sites list has just added the following new site: 30-JUN-2004: add KWT Kuwait, KWT 29N31 047E41 This could mean that the IBB shortwave transmitters (at least 3 x 250 kW) planned since 2001 are now materialising, so look out for tests or new frequencies! The coordinates put the new site NW of Kuwait City. According to the original IBB plans, the shortwave expansion would be co-located with the 1548 MW transmitter. 1593 MW according to the latest Geneva Plan updater is located at Kabd, which is the Kuwait government main site south of Kuwait City (Olle Alm, Sweden, July 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The question is wHether the TDP info about 6 x 500 kW ABBs installed in 1990/91 is correct: 1990/91 was the time when Kuwait was occupied by Iraq, so I think it is unlikely that these transmitters were installed during this period. It was also the time when the transmitter centre in Kabd was bombed and the transmitter hall was destroyed --- cf. http://www.funet.fi/pub/dx/text/NEWS/MN/mednet920213 The question thus is: were these transmitters installed before Iraq's invasion in August 1990 (that would mean they were destroyed) or were they installed after the war and are thus still available? Or were some of these delivered in 1990 before the war (and destroyed) and some after the end of the war in 1991? 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) Hello Olle and Everyone, Thanks for this information and I will certainly be on the lookout for anything new. There doesn't seem to be anything on SW currently in Arabic so we may need to look for other languages such as to East Africa??? The last printed copy of the TDP I bought from Ludo Maes showed that RK at Sulabiyah [same as Kabd?] contained eight ABB and three THC 500 kW transmitters. I can only think of a maximum of 5 being on air at any one time --- that's how I also count them from Mauno's schedule in the WRTH update - which leaves three "spare" units. Mauno (or is it Sean) lists 9 X 500 and 1 X 250 and adds "leased to other broadcasters". Which other broadcasters, Mauno? Has the IBB been using them, unknown to us, or who else? (Noel Green, Blackpool, UK, ibid.) ** LEBANON [non]. 756 MW, Almashreqya Radio which is a Clandestine from Israel to Lebanon. I noticed that the sign on of that station is at 0500 and the sign off is at 1100; as I recall that station used to sign off around 1200 last summer when I checked them during my vacation in Alexandria. A new time schedule !? (Tarek Zeidan, Alexandria, Egypt, Jul 1, DSWCI DX Window July 14 via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. NOT BORED AT THE BORDER: The latest round of musical-frequencies has been inflicted on the Tijuana/San Diego region, with infamous station mogul Jaime Bonilla shrewdly moving his XEPE/Tecate from 560 to the wide-open 1700 kHz spot at the top of the AM dial. You may recall the interference complaints lodged against the 560 outlet by cohabitants KSFO (Disney) in San Francisco, and more legitimately, KBLU (Clear Channel) in Yuma. This latest band-hop gives XEPE a signal over much of the West, as the nearest co-channel stations are in Texas (Brownsville, and in the Dallas area). The sound is well-engineered, in Stereo, with good fidelity and signal strength. This pretty much kills any chances of hearing the Brooklyn-based Lubavitcher pirate on 1710 in SoCal (and I have tried, hearing only occasional weak carriers around Midnight PDT using a Yaesu FRG-7700 with a tuned/amped Ferrite loop from Radio Plus... but no discernable audio). Besides that, this station is now causing NO interference to any other previously established signal anywhere in or near SoCal. On the other hand, it appears XESS has moved from 780 to 620; it sounds like it's putting out around 2500 watts of power. Not too huge of a signal from this one in Los Angeles, but its nighttime skip will probably drive the engineering staff nuts, over at Emmis' KTAR/620 in Phoenix, Arizona's first broadcaster dating back to 1922 (as KFAD). That, in turn, should brighten the day at Clear Channel, license holders for KTAR's chief competitor, KFYI/550 --- the signal of which was severely curtailed last Fall by the original placement of XEPE, on 550, from Tecate. Also affected by the new 620: KIGS in Hanford, some 180 miles North of L.A. in the San Joaquín Valley. Reports indicate that officials from the FCC and from the office of Mexico's Director General de Telecomunicaciones have broken bread and/or butted heads on the overall issue of border frequency placement. While the 1700 move is a sensible one, the placement of a new area station on 620 surely must be the result of either bribes, or glue-sniffing bureaucrats. Also, Ensenada's XESDD has apparently taken up residence with a relatively weak signal on 1030, the next-adjacent frequency to Bonilla's own KURS/1040 in San Diego; thus I rest my case (Greg Hardison, Broadcast Band Update July 16 via DXLD) The full Update appears in the dxld yahoogroup ** OKLAHOMA. SIGNING OFF --- Commence mourning -- the alternative minded KSYY 105.3 FM is `The Spy` no more. What does this mean for OKC radio and fans of musid outside the mainstream? http://www.okgazette.com/builder/BuilderFPnew.asp?DocDate=7/07/2004&Prefix=FPnew&PathIn=E:%5Cinetpub%5Cwwwroot%5Cinex140%5Cbuilder%5CDocIn&RelPathIn=builder/DocIn&MenuDate=7/07/2004 (Oklahoma Gazette July 7 via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. KBVV-FM/Enid PRICE: Undisclosed TERMS: Terms unavailable BUYER: Educational Media Foundation, headed by President Richard Jenkins. Phone: 916-251-1600. It owns 95 other stations. This represents its entry into the market. SELLER: Enid Educational Broadcasting Foundation, headed by Trustee Wesley Byrd. Phone: 405-237-6480 FREQUENCY: 91.1 MHz POWER: 410 watts at 312 feet FORMAT: Religion COMMENT: N/A (via Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So now it`ll become even more of a satellator, still with religious programming; EMF has several different networks, none of them really ``Educational``; station list: http://www.emfbroadcasting.com/stationlist.aspx (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALESTINE [non]. 702 MW, Al Quds Radio which is a Clandestine from Syria to Israel. They sign on from 0530 and sign off at 1400. By the end of the transmission the announcer said the following message "Dear listeners, we hope you enjoyed our programs for today and looking forward to meeting you tomorrow from 8.30 till 17.00; our medium wave frequency of 702 will stop transmitting right now but you may enjoy the rest of our programs on Al Quds FM on 107.4 FM band``. Then they started playing songs. I stayed tuning to 702 for almost another 5 minutes or so and then 702 went silent. That means there is a 24 hour transmission of that station, but it is from 0530 till 1400 on 702 and 107.4 as Al Quds Radio. For the rest of the day they are on 107.4 FM as Al Quds FM (Tarek Zeidan, Alexandria, Egypt, Jul 1, DSWCI DX Window July 14 via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Re 4-106, the car for 72,500 kina --- For your interest, 72,500 Kina works out to $USD 23,325. A fair chunk of change for a very poor country! (Walt Salmaniw, BC, WORLD OF RADIO 1238, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Guy Atkins must have used a slightly different conversion factor, coming up with less than $23K (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. 3172.69, Radio Municipal, Panao, Pachitea, Huanuco, 174 kb 1030 UTC 14/7 2004. Very good signal from Radio Municipal this Wednesday morning. Comments and recording at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3172.61, Radio Municipal, 1018-1033 July 15, a period of music followed by a man in Spanish comments. Signal was rather weak, but best I have heard (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, 545/tripole/Homebrew preselector, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. Re the recent item about R. Polonia`s media program, the times mentioned were for winter. Per John Norfolk`s current DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS, the SW airings are now Tue 1730-1750 on 7285, 7265; Thu 1230-1250 on 11820, 9525. 11820 has been known to make it to North America (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** QATAR [non]. Al Jazeera authorised via satellite to CANADA: q.v. ** RUSSIA. Sergey Kolesov has received a QSL card from Russian pirate Radio Samorodinka with a lot of info about the station and the political situation in Russia. In addition to AM broadcasting in English and Russian (info is almost equal in both languages and repeated at least once), CW information is transmitted after the programme. Frequency: 3922.5 kHz. Power: 10 Watts (average). Each programme is numbered by QTC, for example, QTC No. vs-253 was transmitted on the 02.02.2002 when Sergey was able to hear the station. Antenna is on the level of the 5th floor of a 9-floor building with total length of 18 m. Station is working mostly in CW with some info in AM. According to station owner, Mr Shishkin, its purpose is directly appealing to the authorities keeping in mind that all bands are monitored and recorded by the state security service. Secondary purpose is educating minor personnel of the state security service. Programmes are for local use and not intended for foreign audience generally. For the purpose declared, only 1 watt is enough but he increased it to 10 watts in order to give a chance for local inhabitants to listen. Transmitter is able to produce 150 W output but antenna losses reach 50%. Transmitter is self-made and produces currently 80 W in CW and 20 W in AM. According to monitoring, 5% of transmissions reach DX listeners; therefore each info is repeated 20 times [hmmm, is there a fallacy here? --- gh]. Situation is better in areas close to Moscow. He is not really interested in reports for single programme but in multiple reports giving statistics of readability of each programme (Paul Watson, Radio Without Licence, July World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RUSSIA'S STATE-RUN MAYAK RADIO GETS NEW BOSS | Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 16 July: Sergey Kurokhtin has been appointed chairman of the Mayak state radio broadcasting company. The press service of the All- Russian State Television and Radio Company [VGTRK], of which Mayak forms a part, said that the company chairman, Oleg Dobrodeyev, had signed the order appointing Kurokhtin today. A company spokesman said that 44-year-old Sergey Kurokhtin is a graduate of Moscow State University journalism faculty. For the last three years he has been director of the Mayak 24 radio station and also head of the Mayak news programmes direction. From 1990 to 1994 he worked as director of the Radio ROKS radio station, after which he was coordinator of the Radio Russia news programmes direction. From 1997 to 1999 the journalist managed the TV Centre television channel news service, and from 1999 to 2000 was deputy chief editor of the "Vesti" programme. Sergey Kurokhtin has replaced in the director post Andrey Bystritskiy, who has been appointed head of the "Vesti" programme on the Russia TV channel. The Mayak federal radio company broadcasts to all of Russia's regions. Its familiar "Moscow Nights" jingle can be heard in virtually every home in the country. The radio company has two daughter companies, Yunost and Mayak-24. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1129 gmt 16 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOR: What's New --- In the next edition of JAZZ SHOW we'll tell you of the legendary jazzman Alexander Varlamov, whose 100th birthday is marked on July 19th. Alexander Varlamov was born on July 19th 1904 into a family with extensive musical and artistic traditions. Varlamov loved jazz the moment he first heard it. He always revealed a profound knowledge of Louis Armstrong's repertoire but he was most fascinated by Duke Ellington. Even though abounding in success, the life of Alexander Varlamov was not devoid of tragic episodes. You'll hear more about that in JAZZ SHOW – on the air from Monday, July 19. The program is on the air at 1530 UT on Monday, at 0130, 0630, 1430, and 1930 on Wednesday, at 0730 on Thursday, and at 0830 and 2030 on Friday. We wish you all good listening (via Maryanne Kehoe, swprograms at hard-core-dx.com via DXLD) Add one sesquiminute to those times (gh) ** SOUTH AMERICA. RADIO PIRAÑA INTERNACIONAL: (rpi @ writeme.com Casilla 159; Santiago 14, Chile) 6307.25; Jul 13, 0301-0317+, only musical program with SINPO 15331-25332; very low sig. According to e- mail, broadcast with a power of only around 13 watts, output normal will be around 20 watts (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Free Radio Weekly via DXLD) _,--, .-'---./_ __ /o \\ "-.' / \ // _.-'._\ `"\)--"` [art presumably by Harold Frodge, FRW] 6307.32 kHz, Radio Piraña Internacional, 2320, 2 Julio, escuchada muy bajito en Rosario; canción que menciona la palabra "Amigo", tipo cumbia, a las 2326 canción con el estribillo "Me muero por tu Amor". 15231 (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, Conexión Digital July 17 via DXLD) 6307.33, Radio Piraña Internacional, 0156+, 3 Julio, con comentarios de Jorge García, y musica LAm, llegando con 24442. ID a 0158 "...seguimos escuchando más música, aquí, a través de Radio Piraña Internacional...". (Gabriel Ivan Barrera, Argentina, ibid.) ** SUDAN. THE NEW SOUTH SUDAN SHORTWAVE STATION STARTS TESTING ON 9310 From http://splmtoday.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2228 "Test Transmission Radio Voice of New Sudan 28 June 2004, New Site The Voice of New Sudan, a new radio station based in southern Sudan, will start broadcasting a test transmission today 28th June 2004. The Voice of New Sudan, a new radio station based in southern Sudan, will start broadcasting a test transmission today on 9.31 mghtz on 31 meter band. Exact testing times have not been confirmed but listeners can tune in at around 6 to 8 am and 4 to 6 pm (Yei time). [UT +2, so 0400-0600 & 1400-1600 UT] The broadcast will be widely heard in Africa and may extend to Europe and the Middle East in due time. In due time, listerners in the rest of the world could listen to the broadcast through the internet. Listerners can write the Voice of New Sudan through: voiceofnewsudan @ eikmail.com " ====================== The transmitter site is most probably "New Site". Jeremy Groce of SRS kindly advised me the location of "New Site" as follows: ---quote--- The SPLM has a sort of base at what is commonly referred to as New Site, just southeast of a village called Narus. This is in Eastern EquatoriaL region of southern Sudan, just over the border with Kenya, about halfway between Lokichoggio (Kenya) and Kapoeta (Sudan). ---unquote--- If the Voice of New Sudan QTH is "New Site", that's also the home of Radio Peace. Let's keep our ears on 9310 kHz. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, July 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1238, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As I pointed out, tho few have picked up on this, propagation/coverage maps for R. Peace, 4750, were centred on a place called Waw (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And here is the latest inside engineering info about the south Sudan station "Voice of New Sudan" 9310 kHz received a few minutes ago (14 July 2004): ------- "Dear Jari: The New Sudan is not testing at the moment. We did run tests for three days and then had to stop due to some transmitter parts we need shipped from the manufacturer. I am leaving today to return to South Sudan and we should be testing again starting next Monday or Tuesday. The site is called "New Site" as is located near Narus in the south and about 1 kilometer from the Voice of Peace. Please keep listening as we are anxious to get any reports. We will probably test during the daytime hours to start with between 10 AM and 6 PM local Sudan time. (+3 UTC). [so, 0700-1500 UT; which is it??] The transmitter is a 50 kW new Elcor transmitter from Costa Rica. The antenna is an omni all band dipole. Hope this helps." ------- (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, July 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1238, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is the separate time zone confirmed? Sudan has UTC +3h now otherwise. 73s, Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am not sure what `Yei time` refers to, but I checked the WRTH 2004 and it shows UT +2 both yearound for Sudan; did not have time to research it further before WOR 1238 was recorded (Glenn, ibid.) Confused Sudanese local times --- Glenn, others, Ref. recent postings: Sudan switched a few years ago from GMT+2 to GMT+3. However, I have occasionally seen people referring to "Old Sudan Time", meaning GMT+2. The supposed site for this new station is close to the Kenyan and Ugandan borders, both of which use GMT+3. However, the edict for the change to GMT+3 came from the central government, and so it is possible that the southerners might want to assert their independence by being on a different local time. There are precedents in other parts of the world (e.g. Bosnia, former USSR, Nepal) for countries/regions doing this. Also, the reference to "Yei time" may suggest GMT+2 as Yei is further to the west, close to the border with the DRC. As usual, this year I am helping Mauno Ritola with some updates to the WRTH, and I have already noted that the entry for Sudan should read GMT+3. I'm afraid this escaped my attention in previous years. Regards, (Chris Greenway, Kenya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. Effective from June 16, 2004, RTI has new frequencies for its Indonesian program as follow: 1. Prg 1 & 2 : 1000-1200 utc : 11725 khz/25m & 11940 khz/25m 2. Prg 2 : 1200-1300 utc : 11635 khz/25m & 7105 khz/41m 3. Prg 1 : 1400-1500 utc : 11875 khz/25m (unchanged) 4. Prg 2 : 1500-1600 utc : AM 1422 khz 5. Prg 2 & 1 : 0400-0600 utc : AM 927 khz (day before today program) (Lim Kwet Hian, Jakarta, July 12, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TURKEY. A letter from Messenger regular David Crystal in Israel regarding the Voice of Turkey and its ``Live from Turkey`` program on Tuesday nights on 9785 at 1850-1920 UT --- ``The transmitter is 500 kW but I guess it is not audible in North America,`` he writes. ``This is a call-in programme, but there are no callers except me and one person in Sweden. I don`t know why. Very good freedom of speech. Hardly any cost to the participant. You can speak to all of Europe for up to 20 minutes by phoning 90 312 491- 2008. You will be asked for phone number, and will not be asked what you want to talk about. They will then call you back and you will talk over the air at their expense. ``Recently I talked about the Eurovision popular song contest, which was held in Istanbul. It is a European and Israeli event, and I don`t know if you see it in North America on TV {if you have a satellite dish you can pick up a live broadcast; otherwise it comes on later on MuchMusic --- Sue Hickey, ed.}. The lady in the VOT studio was angry she had not been chosen to emcee the contest. The woman who was chosen called the Baltic States `Balkan` and nobody corrected her. ``Live from Turkey is an ideal form for advertising DX clubs. I suggested this over the air to encourage people to participate. I delayed describing CIDX because our membership fees are too low, and my listeners are all elsewhere. But nobody took up the challenge, even though all DX clubs are in decline. So I have begun to describe CIDX over the Live from Turkey programme, reluctantly. ``Of course, you can participate in Live from Turkey without being able to hear the program over the air. Think it over.`` (CIDX Forum, July CIDX Messenger via DXLD) For quite a while this show was instead on the 2300/2200 UT broadcast which reaches North America, but participation was scarcely better (gh) ** TURKMENSITAN. MOSCOW EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER DISRUPTION OF RUSSIAN- LANGUAGE BROADCASTS IN TURKMENISTAN 11:33 2004-07-16 http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2004/07/16/55008.html Moscow is concerned over the disruption of Mayak Radio broadcasts in the former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan, the Russian Foreign Ministry's PR department says in a comment. The Turkmen Foreign Ministry claims that Mayak radio broadcasts have been suspended temporarily, citing the need to re-equip and repair receiving and transmitting installations. With this in mind, officials in Russia have expressed hope that Mayak broadcasts to Turkmen audiences will resume in full as soon as the repairs are over and that the works will not take long to complete. Mayak broadcasts on FM, Medium Wave radio, and via cable stopped this past Saturday, July 10, and it is still unclear when the broadcasting will resume. Turkmenistan's Communications Ministry says that the disruption of the cable broadcasting of programs by three national radio channels and Russia's Mayak Radio was caused by the breakdown of outdated equipment, such as amplifiers. Also, it has been decided that the Turkmen radio Vatan, which has no FM or AM frequencies of its own, will take over Mayak's frequencies, the ministry reports. Until recently, local audiences could listen to Mayak 18 hours a day, and programs offered by this leading Russian broadcaster won high popularity with ethnic Turkmens as well as Russians. This was Turkmenistan's only Russian-language radio, as all national channels broadcast in the Turkmen language. Now that Mayak broadcasts have been suspended, audiences in Turkmenistan cannot access any Russian news media outlet without satellite antennas. Programs by the Russian television network ORT are available locally in two-hour rebroadcasts only and subscription for Russian-language periodicals closed back in July 2002. © RIAN (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** TURKS & CAICOS. FYI, The 106.3 KIST-FM in Providenciales runs a 7.5 db gain yagi beamed east to cover adjacent islands at 250 ft AAT. Transmit power is 500 watts. 105.9 in Providenciales and 94.9 in Grand Turk are both also licensed to operate at 2 kW. South Caicos has two religious stations, 105.5 and 107.1 (Jerry Kiefer, Port Orange, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [+ non]. US ARMY WANTS HF RADIO JAMMERS The US Army Communications-Electronics Command is conducting a market survey of high frequency radio jamming systems for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases. The systems will be installed in commercial or military vehicles. Targeted signals include ground and skywave signals, voice and data in the HF radio band. Systems will require support for 10 to 15 years. posted by Andy @ 09:24 UT http://medianetwork.blogspot.com Full details of the survey: http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2004/07-July/15-Jul-2004/FBO-00620127.htm (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Since reading about the frequency change from 5105 to 17495 for the Radio Caroline relay via WBCQ (M-F 2000 UT), I have been trying to catch this. Nothing heard till tonight July 15th - from tune in at 2030 when album music and Radio Caroline IDs and announcements were heard on 17494.8 kHz with a rather weak signal - but in the clear without any interference (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, July 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17495 had a breakdown on July 14, and some programming, including WORLD OF RADIO was moved to 9330 for the time being (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U. S. A. Annotated WBCQ Program Guide Anomalies and Recent Observations - July 17 --- This page contains the latest observations and other unexplained or otherwise unscheduled things observed coming out of Monticello or related to WBCQ. Saturday, July 17, 2004 Timtron hosted Allan Weiner Worldwide on July 16, 2004. Allan called in from the deep south with more travel stories, and Tim and Allan announced some schedule changes as follows. Beginning Sunday, August 1, EVM Jewish Radio Network will be on 5105, Sunday through Thursday, from 8 PM to Midnight EDT. The Sunday evening "Area 51" block of programming will move to Friday or Saturday. Christian Media Network has cut back programming on 17495 from 8AM to 2 PM EDT, to noon to 2 PM EDT weekdays. They have cut back programming on 9330 from 8 PM to 1 AM, to 9 to 11 PM EDT weekdays. Note that because of the CMN cutback that 9330 is off the air from 5 to 9 PM ET weekdays. [except when needed, as above --- gh] Moved Planet World News back to 2:45 PM ET on 7415//9330 and removed 5105 simulcast and Saturday broadcasts (via Larry Will, dxldyahoogroups and the WBCQ Program Guide via DXLD) ** U S A. PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 12th STREET S.W. WASHINGTON D.C. 20554 News media information 202-418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202-418-2830; Internet http://www.fcc.gov or ftp.fcc.gov TTY (202) 418-2555 Wednesday July 14, 2004 IHF-00046 Report No. RE: APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR FILING, INTERNATIONAL HIGH FREQUENCY The applications listed herein have been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return any of the applications if, upon further examination, it is determined they are defective and not in conformance with the Commission's Rules and Regulations and its Policies. For more information concerning this Notice, contact Tom Polzin at 418-2148; tpolzin @ fcc.gov TTY 202-418-2555. Note: At present, technical data regarding these applications is not available via internet reports. However, all IBFS technical data may be downloaded in a database format from the following web location: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/database/fadb.html IHF-ASG-20040614-00001 P WSHB Herald Broadcasting Syndicate Current Licensee: Herald Broadcasting Syndicate FROM: HERALD BROADCASTING SYNDICATE, INC. TO: LESEA BROADCASTING CORPORATION Assignment --- Application to assign the license of International HF Broadcast Station WSHB, Furman, South Carolina from Herald Broadcasting Syndicate to LeSea Broadcasting Corporation. Page 1 of 1 (DOC-249614A1.PDF via Jim Moats, DXLD ** U S A [and non]. MUSEUM SHIPS AND SUBMARINES TAKING TO THE AIRWAVES (Jul 15, 2004) --- The 2004 Museum Ships Special Event weekend Saturday and Sunday, July 17-18 (UTC), offers operators a chance to work some rare and unusual stations and collect unique QSL cards and certificates. More than 80 museum ships and subs worldwide are expected to take part in the event, which is sponsored by the USS Salem Radio Club. Club members will operate K1USN aboard the USS Salem (CA-139), the world's only preserved heavy cruiser, and WW2MAN from the Seehund U boat (U-5075) from their moorings at the US Naval Shipbuilding Museum in Quincy, Massachusetts. There's more information, including a listing of vessels planning to participate, on the K1USN Web site http://www.qsl.net/k1usn/event.html Stations working 10 participating vessels are eligible for a certificate by sending a copy of log pages showing these contacts and a self-addressed, stamped envelope large enough to hold an 8-1/2 x 11- inch certificate (or send $2) to Bob Callahan, W1QWT, 56 Acorn St, Scituate, MA 02066. (ARRL via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroups) In an effort for the European ships to make contact with U.S. Museum ships we request that all U.S. ships monitor the following frequencies at the following times for European ships. July 17, 2004 at 1030Z, CW on 7.025 MHz and 3.565 MHz as a secondary frequency. Also the European ships will be on SSB on 7.055 MHz and 3.625 MHz at 1000Z. U.S. Ham do not have phone privileges on these frequencies but you can answer on CW. Also many of the US ships are asking European ships to also monitor 14.052 MHz CW at 1400Z and 0700Z if possible. While operation on any amateur frequency is allowed here is a list of suggested frequencies: SSB 3860 7260 14260 18160 21,360 kHz 24960 28360 50160 kHz CW 3539 7039 10109 14039 18079 21039 24899 28039 50109 kHz Some ships will also be on 3880 kHz - 3885 kHz and 7290 kHz Amplitude Modulation with either their ships original equipment or modern equipment. IRLP Node 4320 145.39 MHz Scituate, MA repeater and Echo link node NS1N-R 443.600 MHz. Note: The Scituate repeater maybe connected to the New England Network so try connecting to reflector 9877 (http://www.qsl.net/k1usn/event.html via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) ** U S A. SIUE's Web Radio has switched its format to all '80s music. The change, which took effect Thursday, was due to low audience ratings. Before the change, Web Radio disc jockeys played country, rap, hip-hop and rock. "Web Radio has been struggling to find an audience since the station signed on in January (2003)," Web Radio President E. [read full article] http://www.thealestle.com/news/2004/07/07/News/Web-Radio.Changes.Format-691894.shtml Web Radio changes format By Kelly Schomaker Published: Wednesday, July 7, 2004 Article Tools: Page 1 of 1 SIUE's Web Radio has switched its format to all '80s music. The change, which took effect Thursday, was due to low audience ratings. Before the change, Web Radio disc jockeys played country, rap, hip-hop and rock. "Web Radio has been struggling to find an audience since the station signed on in January (2003)," Web Radio President E.B. Stevenson said. The majority of the Web Radio staff said a format change was necessary for Web Radio to find an audience. "Ever since 104.1 The Mall went off air, we are the only '80s radio station in Downstate Illinois and metropolitan St. Louis," Stevenson said. Stevenson added that 104.1 The Mall played more new-wave music, unlike Web Radio's format. "Web Radio will play strictly '80s pop-oriented hits, in which it has to make the Top 40 on Billboard's pop charts between Jan. 1, 1980, and Dec. 31, 1989," Stevenson said. Stevenson also said the student-produced shows such as "The Mix," "L'il Bit Country," "Aaron's Opry" and "Fusion Beats" will remain part of Web Radio's schedule along with new programs that may come in the fall. The Web address for SIUE's Web radio is http://webradio.siue.edu Web Radio is a 24-hour listening program that provides live music from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and automated music overnight. Students interested in Web Radio should contact Stevenson, who works at WSIE, or WSIE General Manager Frank Akers, the Web Radio adviser (via Stevenson, DXLD) Also note that World of Radio, Continent of Media and Mundo Radial have survived the format flip at Web Radio. The following schedule is in effect until August 19: WOR: Monday-Thursday Various Times (mainly around 1430 UT) COM: Alternating Monday-Thursday Various Times (mainly around 1430 UT) MR: Alternating Monday-Thursday Various Times (mainly around 1430 UT) (E. B. Stevenson, SIUEWR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FUTURE OF WXEL CAUSES CONCERN AS BARRY CONSIDERS SALE Seven years ago, Palm Beach County's public television and radio stations were $2 million in debt and working off a transmitter crippled by a lightning strike. That's when Barry University stepped in. Today, WXEL has $6 million in net assets and on July 4 converted its television station into a digital signal, with digital radio following later this year. But in preparation for a change in leadership -- Barry's sixth president took office earlier this month - - the private university hired a consultant to examine whether WXEL- Ch. 42 television and WXEL-FM 90.7 will remain under the institution's control. . . http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zwxel15jul15,0,4385366.story?coll=sfla-business-front (Sun Sentinel via via Dino Bloise, South Florida, USA, DXLD) ``Converted`` -- does this mean analog ch 42 has been turned off already? I doubt it (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. LOW-POWER TO THE PEOPLE: TINY FMS A CLEAR ALTERNATIVE Monday, July 12, 2004 By Robert Morast The (Sioux Falls, S.D.) Argus Leader SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - It's all about the honks at Xtreme 92.1 FM. For the low-power FM radio station located on the third floor of a building here, success isn't measured in advertising revenue or drive- time ratings. "We have a thing where we say (on the air) if you're driving by the studio, honk," says Rick Wright, the station's program director. During an average afternoon in the studio, the honking is noticeable enough to let the DJs know there are fans of a tiny radio station that has no promotion and a broadcast radius that doesn't always reach the east side of town. . . http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/07/12/biz_biz1lowpow.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. CORRESPONDENTS' REPORT: Engineer extraordinaire Lyle Henry checks in via the CGC Communicator, to set us straight on the KYPA 1230 transmitter site move: "Actually, the switch to the KBLA towers in Echo Park (not Silver Lake) happened on 24 May. Radio Korea (who leases all available KYPA broadcast time) reported a significant signal strength reduction on the Westside, (also in) South Bay, and Orange County. Last Wednesday (6/9) a transmitter was returned to Oak Street (the original site), the antenna matching network was 'borrowed' back from Mike Dorrough to whom it had been given, and KYPA began operating full time from Oak Street around 6 PM. I don't know how long this will continue, but I understand that field strength measurements are being made to see what the actual difference between the two sites is. Apparently, however, the difference is much greater than a move of only 3.5 miles would be expected to produce, especially considering the calculated greater efficiency of the KBLA tower. Tower #6 is being used. Not all of the equipment has arrived yet to upgrade the KBLA doghouse networks and it is operating at 10 kW non-directional on tower #1. Although the 5 unused towers on 1230 were detuned using the current sampling loops on each tower, it may be that the site is somewhat directional on 1230 and that more precise detuning when the new networks arrive will improve the circularity of the 1230 signal. Lyle informs that the whole mess should be straightened out on or about August 1; he also reminds us: "...that the old 1230 signal is anything but non-directional even though it is licensed as such. An endfed flat-top antenna is always directional, typically with maximum signal off the far (open) end of the antenna, which would make the Oak Street 1230 stronger toward the North than in other directions. However I do not know that that is what the measurements show. But they will certainly show some directionality." (Greg Hardison, Broadcast Band Update July 16 via DXLD) Full Update appears in the dxld yahoogroup ** U S A. TV Engineering veteran Bill Pasternak reacts to the recent spate of events involving Air America: "The big problem with AA is not the management. Rather it's the programming. Most of it is just not entertaining. Period. What has made right wing talk such a big seller is that it is 100% personality driven. Much like Top 40 in the 60's was. But AA went on with very few real "personalities" who had the "drive ability" of a Sean Hannity or Rush. Rather, it depended almost entirely on "preaching" the liberal cause while forgetting that 99.9% of the audience tunes in to be entertained. That will work in parts of NYC -- like my old home of Brooklyn, but it won't even sell across the river in New Jersey -- or even across Gravesend Bay on the borough of Staten Island. Radio is supposed to entertain. If it does not provide entertainment -- the audience tunes out. That`s what`s happened to AA." Pure & simple, ol' buddy --- but Management did nothing to help. A "Wall Street Journal" piece published on June 21 notes the money drain, starting with a $70,000 party thrown by AA in Manhattan, the night before the Net's April 1 launch. According to the article, former Los Angeles AA-market head Bob Visotcky has yet to be reimbursed for his expense in attending the bash. One of the honchos behind AA, Evan Cohen, admitted that the Net had raised only $6- million in operating funds, as of its launch date; many investors were led to believe some $30-million lay in reserves. As noted in the "WSJ": "When the problems came to light, 'we realized that we had all been duped,' says David Goodfriend, the company's acting chief operating officer. Messrs. Cohen and (co-owner Rex) Sorensen say they didn't mislead anyone about the company's finances. They say they planned to invest more over time but didn't because of cultural differences with other managers. Both resigned in early May." Also, a host of other AA execs walked within days of that development. The article goes on to detail numerous financial debacles affecting Air America, much too voluminous for the Update to reproduce. I know personally that AA's L.A. affiliate KBLA/1580 had contracted with an obscure traffic reporting service for such info; due to incompetent management on both ends, not one report ever made it to air. A supreme irony is that AA's NYC flagship, WLIB/1190, showed its best audience numbers ever in the 25-44 demographic, in the first Ratings survey taken after AA's debut. AA has made inroads into several other significant markets, but it does seem that right-wing Talk has a bit more "cheerleader appeal", a cultural derivation taken directly from the days of the Reagan administration (Greg Hardison, Broadcast Band Update July 16 via DXLD) full Update appears in dxldyg ** U S A. [NRC-AM] Aircheck NPRM FCC The enumerated rights of the Constitution may not apply to a corporation although a it is a "fictitious person" - as corporate entities are known. In a time when digital editing and rerecording is so simple, I'm not sure that a recording PROVES anything, however, as a matter of self- defense IMHO every station should record every stream broadcast 24/7, however, it should not be available to the "enforcement specialists" - that's apparently what they are calling the current crop of no-nothing RI's these days, although "paper and gate checkers" would be more apt - absent a duly executed search warrant by a federal judge or to the FCC at all unless the station introduces it as a defense to a Notice of Apparent Violation. IOW no fishing expeditions. That's my not so humble opinion. However, it's probably a done deal. Unlike the days long ago, THIS FCC - who IMHO is unworthy of the name - only issues NPRM's AFTER they have decided the rule they are going to enact. IMO their action is un-American. It another example of government bureaucrats indirectly and unequally taxing small broadcasters. It probably violates the Paperwork Reduction Act, or would if paper were required. A 5th amendment challenge might be interesting in the case of an individual licensee, but the odds are high that it would fail to pass muster at court. Essentially, the 5th probably would not be applicable to material already published (IOW broadcast) to the world. My solution, when this thing passes, is recording with a cheap audio card in mono at a poor voice bit rate. Burning a month at a time to CD, and if an "ES" comes around one of the stations we take care of, having them insert it in a player with non-functioning fast forward, giving him/her a set of ear crushing cans and saying, "enjoy." If they want a copy it would be available on written request, but only a copy (Phil Alexander, CSRE, Indianapolis, NRC-AM via DXLD) I might venture a guess that the defense would be "nobody's forcing you to take out a broadcasting license". It seems to work for implied- consent laws (for fighting DUI) - and it's a lot easier to make a case for taking out a broadcast license being voluntary than it is to argue that a driver's license is voluntary! That doesn't mean I don't share Phil and Paul's 5th Amendment concerns. Seems to me the easy solution is to encourage decency organizations to do the recording (Doug Smith W9WI, leasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com ibid.) Interesting argument. However to gain access to the public airwaves to invoke one`s right to free speech on those airwaves one must have a license or be granted access by a licensee. That is an established precedent. Just as the pirate movement found out. So requiring one to keep recordings as a requirement of the license to make it easier for enforcement is a 5th amendment violation in my book. The difference is driving is not a right. Free speech is (Paul Jellison, CO, ibid.) Free speech may be but broadcasting over the radio isn't. After all, if one had a 1st Amendment right to broadcast, the FCC would have no basis to "bust" pirates. Many of our rights have practical limits, often when they collide with the rights of others. (10,000 people have the right to assemble peaceably in an anti-government demonstration in the Nashville Arena. An attempt to hold that rally in the middle of I- 65 will receive a rather different reaction! I have the right to tell you who I think you should vote for. I don't have the right to take over WLW's airwaves against management's wishes in order to do so.) That said, it's been held the government must use the least restrictive method available to reconcile competing rights. Requiring broadcasters to record their own programming is not the least restrictive method, when it's perfectly practical for third parties to do the recording. -- (Doug Smith W9WI, ibid.) Would you want the plaintiff to have all the evidence? Were I to defend against an action, I would want my own evidence. Evidence that I could be reasonably sure wasn't tampered with. I think I see this from that perspective. Not that it's a violation of the Fifth Amendment, but that I want control of the documentation. If some entity came up with a tape that alleged that a jock said @#$%^ on the air, I would want a recording that said that it didn't happen. The day will come when a station will have just that sort of scenario happen. I want my clients to be defended. And if the gummint says we have to do that, so what? Operating and program logs have to be retained for a period of time, along with EAS printouts. An inspector can review those and issue fines based on what's found. Where's the Fifth Amendment claim on that? A computer and a copy of Total Recorder costs far less than even the cheapest EAS Type-Accepted equipment. That's been mandated since 1997. Cost is not an issue. Compliance with some mandatory recording regulation will be cheaper and easier than EAS rollout was. Bottom line: If the FCC decides it has to be done, it will be done. I think that the current anti-shock jock attitude they have will make it happen. And it won't affect DXers one iota, so for my part, I'll let this drop (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, ibid.) ** VANUATU. Re 4-106, the first time reported for 7260.137, should have read 0945 [not 0623]. My apologies for several mistakes and to those who caught them. Running with little sleep night after night causes me to occasionally miss the proper keys (Walt Salmaniw, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just like internship? :-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ FCC CHAIRMAN REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR BPL (Jul 16, 2004) --- Speaking in Menlo Park, California July 15, FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell again asserted that broadband over power line technology ``holds the great promise to bring high-speed Internet access to every power outlet in America.`` Powell`s statement followed a demonstration of BPL technology at AT&T Labs co-sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company and AT&T. ``What I saw today has the potential to play a key role in meeting our goals to expand the availability and affordability of broadband,`` Powell said. ``The future is bright for powerline broadband. We`ll continue at the FCC to explore ways to support this technology while protecting other services from interference.`` (ARRL via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) DRM +++ NASB BEGINS DRM BROADCASTS TO NORTH AMERICA The following news release was issued today by the DRM Consortium. Please note that although the broadcasts begin officially on July 24, there will be a test transmission on Saturday, July 17 at 1700-1730 UTC on 11900 kHz, via Radio Canada International/CBC. [Yup, a buzz there at 1724 UT check; or is it just my computer noise? --- gh] For Immediate Release: July 16, 2004 Contact: Siriol Evans, DRM, pressoffice @ drm.org NASB To Add To DRM`s North American Broadcasts Schedule Washington --- The Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Short-wave Broadcasters (NASB), a DRM member since 1999, will send DRM transmissions into North America starting on Saturday, July 24. The NASB programming will be sent from the Sackville, New Brunswick, transmitter site of DRM member Radio Canada International/CBC, and will reach the Eastern U.S. and Canada. The NASB`s members are 19 privately owned, U.S. licensed, short-wave radio stations. Its associate members include non-U.S. licensed broadcasters, manufacturers and others. DRM broadcasts of the following DRM members are also available in North America: BBC World Service; Deutsche Welle; RCI; Radio Netherlands; Swedish Radio International; and Radio Vaticana. DRM transmissions of China Radio International, Radio Kuwait and TDP Radio (a commercial, dance mix station from Belgium) also reach North America. For the latest DRM Live Broadcasts Schedule, visit http://www.drm.org NASB will transmit the program Voice of the NASB via short-wave to North America on Saturdays, starting at 1700 UT, at 11900 kHz. Voice of the NASB is a half-hour variety series jointly produced by various NASB members and associate members. It comprises documentaries, travel reports, mailbag programs, religious dramas, music, and station profiles. NASB has been sending DRM transmissions to Europe since 2003 via the Rampisham, England, transmitter site of DRM member and NASB associate member VT Communications. These transmissions will end on July 18th. "The success of our DRM broadcasts to Europe via VT Communications has proven to us beyond any doubt the tremendous capabilities of DRM to transmit programs with FM mono quality and with no fading, static or interference,`` said Jeff White, outgoing NASB President and Producer of Voice of the NASB. ``We now look toward our home turf of North America, and we are delighted to bring DRM programs to listeners in the U.S. and Canada in the coming months with the help of CBC.`` ``The NASB broadcasts are a great addition to the growing range of DRM content available in North America,`` says DRM Chairman Peter Senger. ``We applaud NASB`s participation, and we invite broadcasters from around the world to join in providing radio listeners with DRM`s superb clarity and excellent reception.`` About DRM 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 82 members from 27 countries. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, universally standardized, digital on-air system for medium-wave, short-wave and long-wave. DRM gives broadcasters the capability to enhance new or existing audio programs with complementary text. DRM also enables broadcasters to wrap speech in multiple languages around a single music stream, extending the reach of existing audio content. More than 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. DRM`s Live Broadcasts Schedule and additional information are at http://www.drm.org (English), and the DRM Koordinations --- Komitee Deutschland web site (German) is at http://www.drm-national.de 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 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 Short-wave Broadcasters, Sangean America, Inc., TCI, a Dielectric Company, Via Licensing Corporation (U.S.A.); and Radio Vaticana (Vatican City). (via Jeff White, DRM North America, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ DAYTIME SUMMER MW-DX OPENING Below is the usual MW pattern in my location in the early afternoon (0900-1300 UTC) in summer: 540 Kossuth R, fair 567 R. Romania Actualitatsi, fair 603 R. Romania Actualitatsi, good 630 R. Timishoara, very weak 675 UR1, weak 702 R. Slovensko, weak/very weak 756 R. Romania Actualitatsi, very weak 909 R.Cluj / R. Romania in German and Hungarian, weak/fair 936 V. of Russia, after 1200, excellent 999 V. of Russia, after 1200, weak 1026 Kanal Kultura (BLR), very weak 1053 R. Iashi, fair 1152 R. Romania Actualitatsi, very weak 1314 R. Romania Cultural, very weak and not regular 1494 R. Moldova 1, weak 1530 R. Romania Actualitatsi, weak/very weak 1548 V. of Russia, after 1200, weak But I've become a lot surprised when turned on my radio at about 0930 17 June. See which additional stations propagated in the daytime (up to 1230): 558 TRT R. Denizli (or was it TRT1?), at about 1030 576 BNR Christo Botev 648 UR1 648 R. Plovdiv 684 R. Beograd 1 702 TRT4 711 R. Nis 729 ERA NET 792 V. of Greece (at 1055 SINPO 45444!!!) 810 DW/R. Skopje (at 1140 SINPO 45444!!!) 828 BNR Christo Botev 855 R. Romania Actualitatsi 864 R. Blagoyevgrad 873 R. Stara Zagora 882 R. Crne Gore 891 TRT R. Antalya 918 R. Slovenija 1 927 ERA NET 954 CRo 2 Praha (?) 963 R. Shumen 981 ERA Spor 1008 ERA NET 1017 TRT R. Istanbul (yes, it was local service!), at 1015-1100 1044 R. Makedonios 1 1089 Albania, R1 1143 BNR Horizont 1161 BNR Horizont 1179 R. Makedonios 1 1224 BNR Horizont/R. Bulgaria Above stations appeared and disappeared, so certainly there was not stable reception. You know, some of listed station are rarely heard even in winter. There was a serious ionosphere disturbance that day. (open_dx - Alexander Mak, Lutsk, Ukraine, Signal July 15 via DXLD) Not per the below GEOMAGNETIC INDICES Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary May 26 2004 through July 14 2004 Tabulated from daily email status Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Aurora Index 5/26 102 6 2 no storms minor 4 27 103 4 2 no storms no storms 2 28 102 5 2 no storms no storms 4 29 x x x x x x 30 101 18 3 no storms no storms 7 5/31 100 13 3 no storms no storms 10 6/ 1 95 14 2 no storms no storms 8 2 90 19 3 no storms no storms 6 3 x x x x x x 4 x x x x x x 5 89 12 2 no storms no storms 5 6 85 10 2 no storms no storms 6 7 88 14 3 no storms no storms 7 8 89 7 2 no storms no storms 8 9 86 10 3 no storms no storms 7 10 85 15 3 no storms no storms 6 11 83 10 2 no storms no storms 8 12 84 9 2 no storms no storms 4 13 88 7 1 no storms no storms 3 14 95 8 2 minor minor 2 15 100 15 3 no storms minor 7 16 109 18 3 minor no storms 6 17 112 10 2 no storms no storms 6 18 111 8 3 no storms no storms 5 19 108 10 3 no storms no storms 5 20 113 8 2 no storms minor 4 21 119 4 1 no storms minor 6 22 116 5 1 no storms no storms 5 23 117 3 2 no storms no storms 2 24 113 4 1 no storms no storms 3 25 108 5 1 no storms no storms 1 26 103 4 2 no storms no storms 4 27 99 9 2 no storms no storms 7 28 97 5 1 no storms no storms 6 29 89 15 3 no storms no storms 5 6/30 85 22 3 no storms no storms 7 7/ 1 82 18 2 no storms no storms 4 2 81 19 3 no storms no storms 7 3 x x x x x x 4 80 8 3 no storms no storms 8 5 79 5 1 no storms no storms 9 6 78 5 2 no storms no storms 6 7 79 6 1 no storms no storms 2 8 x x x x x x 9 82 4 1 no storms no storms 8 10 87 6 3 no storms no storms 8 11 93 8 2 no storms no storms 6 12 104 11 3 no storms minor 6 13 125 15 3 minor minor 4 7/14 127 16 2 moderate minor 7 ********************************************************************** (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 29 ARLP029 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA July 15, 2004 To all radio amateurs SB PROP ARL ARLP029 ARLP029 Propagation de K7RA We`re putting out this bulletin a day early this week. K7RA will be out of town, and Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, who often writes the bulletin in K7RA`s absence, is giving a talk on 160-Meter propagation over the weekend at the Pacific Northwest DX Convention, near Seattle. See http://www.wwdxc.org/ and specifically http://www.wwdxc.org/convention/2004conv.htm for information. Carl wrote a great piece for the propagation section of the ARRL Technical Information Service site, which is reached via the URL at the end of this bulletin. Titled ``Propagation Planning for DXpeditions,`` it is good reading for anyone interested in the practical applications of HF propagation. The direct link to his article is, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/propplan.pdf You will need Adobe Reader to view the article. Sunspot numbers and solar flux rose this week. Average daily sunspot numbers were up 54 points above last week`s average. Sunspot 649, a big one, came around the sun`s eastern limb this week. Helioseismic holography shows more sunspots on the far side of the sun, so the short-term trend for solar activity is up. Big news is a huge X-class solar flare that was detected at 0140z on July 15. If a coronal mass ejection is heading toward earth, it could mean big geomagnetic storms. Currently the prediction made before the flare was for planetary A index of 12, 20, 12 and 10 for Thursday through Sunday, July 15-18. Predicted solar flux for the same period is 140, 140, 135 and 135. Several readers sent in articles this week about solar storms last October and how the effects are still being felt at the edge of our solar system. The Washington Post ran an article about it last week, which you can read on the web at, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A37614-2004Jul8? language=printer For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service propagation page at, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html Sunspot numbers for July 8 through 14 were 17, 32, 58, 98, 118, 129 and 149 with a mean of 85.9. 10.7 cm flux was 81.8, 86.7, 93.3, 104.4, 125, 149.5 and 138.1, with a mean of 111.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 5, 8, 14, 13, 16 and 9, with a mean of 10. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 1, 4, 5, 13, 12, 11 and 6, with a mean of 7.4. NNNN /EX Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup) X-CLASS FLARES AND A LOOK AT THIS WEEKEND'S PROPAGATION Hello, at the time of writing this NW7US Propagation Bulletin [and when was that? header shows mailed at 1518 UT Fri July 16 --- gh], we are recovering from an X3-class X-ray Flare. This is the fifth X-class flare in the last day and a half. This flare measured X3.6, the strongest of the five. And there is more on the way. Active Region 649 (as numbered by NOAA, 10649) is about to cross the central part of the Sun. Within about 3 days it will directly facing us. Although this region is not particularly large (it is not visible to the unaided eye), it is demonstrating its volatility. Each of these flares has been spaced by approximately 8 hours of relative inactivity. Region 649 maintains its beta-gamma-delta topology indicating that more strong flaring activity is very likely. Meanwhile, a new, very dynamic, active region is popping up from around the East limb promising continued strong flaring activity. The compact magnetic structure known as a "magnetic delta," is where opposite polarity sunspot umbrae are located within a single penumbra. This particular type of magnetic configuration supports unusually high magnetic gradients as well as strong levels of magnetic shear. This is what we're seeing in the beta-gamma-delta topology of Region 649. When we see strong atmospheric pressure gradients in Earth's atmosphere, combined with changes in wind direction with height (wind shear), we typically see the formation of tornadoes. This is the same sort of thing that is happening on the Sun. Strong magnetic gradients along with strong magnetic shear with the complex twisting produce powerful magnetic explosions. So far, these X-class flares eruptions have not apparently been associated with significant coronal mass ejection (CME) activity. We don't yet know from this latest flare if there was a CME associated with this one. It is expected that one or more of these events will be associated with a coronal mass ejection. If that happens in the next few days and into next week, we'll see an increase in auroral activity (northern lights). Those of you interested in this phenomenon are encouraged to stay informed during the next week. These flares cause nearly immediate disruption of HF ionospheric radio communications. The stronger the x-ray flare is, the higher the frequencies will be that are absorbed. X-class flares are in the strongest flare category. Flares are classified by their intensity, the lowest category being A, followed by categories B, C, M, and finally X. X-class flares can cause the absorption of radio signal energy well past 20 MHz. Minor solar flares (C-class) will not affect frequencies much beyond 5 MHz. The x-rays from these events penetrate into the lower ionosphere and ionize the D layer, that layer which acts as a sponge, soaking up radio signals. The more ionized the D layer, the higher the frequencies that are absorbed. Thus, radio signals from distant locations that travel through the daylit ionosphere that is influenced by a flare's x-ray radiation are absorbed and become inaudible. These fade-outs last only minutes for minor flares, to maybe an hour or so for the largest of flares. Once the flare is exhausted, the x-ray radiation fades, and the ionosphere recovers to its normal level of ionization. If a CME arrives, however, we could see the geomagnetic activity turn stormy, which will cause longer-term degradation of HF propagation, as well as trigger auroral conditions. Geomagnetic activity has the affect of lowering the ionization of the various ionospheric layers, which brings down the maximum usable frequency over a given signal path. This lowering is much like what happens at night, when the ultraviolet radiation of the sun is blocked, and the ionosphere settles down. The stronger and longer the geomagnetic storm, the more depressed the ionospheric propagation becomes. So, over the course of the next few days, we can expect periods of radio fade-out. If there are coronal mass ejections associated with this flare or new flares, we can expect next week to become a bit rough in terms of overall propagation on MW and HF. However, the stronger the geomagnetic activity, the more likely-hood of some VHF activity via aurora. The good news? The increase in solar activity is opening up the middle and high portion of the HF radio spectrum. We expect the 10.7cm radio flux to increase to 150 or better over the next week. This is great for DXing on the higher frequencies. Will there be any F layer VHF openings? It is possible! Let's see what transpires. Tune in and stay alert! 73 de Tomas, NW7US (AAR0JA/AAA0WA) : Propagation Editor for CQ, CQ VHF, and Popular Communications : : Quarterly Propagation Columnist for Monitoring Times Magazine : : Creator of live propagation center - http://prop.hfradio.org/ : : Member, US Army Miltary Affiliate Radio Service (MARS) AAR0JA : : 122.93W 47.67N / Brinnon, Washington USA - CN87 - CW/SSB/DIGI : : Website, software, database design - http://newwebmakers.com/ : : Washington State Army MARS, State Army MARS Director - AAA0WA : : 10x56526, FISTS 7055, FISTS NW 57, AR Lighthouse Society 144 : (via swl at qth.net via DXLD) ###