DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-112, July 23, 2004 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING 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 OUR RADIO SCHEDULE has been reworked to include direct, or almost direct audio links at each web- and broadcast time: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1239: Sat 0800 on WRN1 to Europe, Africa, Asia, Pacific Sat 0855 on WNQM Nashville 1300 Sat 1030 on WWCR 5070 Sat 1830 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2030 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sat 2300 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly 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 0230 on WRMI 7385 [NEW] Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous 1238] 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 1239 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1239h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1239h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1239.html WORLD OF RADIO 1239 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1239.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1239.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1239 in the true SW sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_07-21-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_07-21-04.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO via BRITISH TELEPHONE TOO Following the recent announcement that WOR is now heard via ACB Radio Mainstream, it is worth pointing out that ACB Radio is available via the telephone for listeners in the UK via the local rate number of 0845 3330855, and selecting Option 1. This service is powered by Phoneanything.com, which provides a general service of all manner of information on a different telephone number. This different number is mentioned on the opening announcement when you dial the 0845 3330855 number, so don't be confused and think you have misdialed. All 4 of ACB Radio's streams are available via this telephone service which, to the best of my knowledge, is available *only* in the UK (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, United Kingdom, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. U.K./UAE [to AFG] 17700/11795, "Salam Vatandar": An E-mail report with RealAudio attachment sent to several E-mail addresses shown on the Internews website http://www.internews.org brought a friendly reply from David Trilling david.trilling @ internews.org a Program Associate at Internews Afghanistan, who happens to be a Boston native and who was appreciative of the info on their signal. He shows the Afghanistan postal address same as "Internews Afghanistan" at http://www.internews.org/about/contact.htm and an Afghanistan telephone number on his E-mail, so I assume he is actually located there. He says that the broadcast is from Merlin via "one of their transmitters in Central Asia." (But see mail indicating 17700-Rampisham-UK, and 11795-Al Dhabbaya). They don't have anything written up on their SW program, which just began in mid-June, but he thought there would be something up on their website soon. He sent along three attachments about their work. They are: (1) "Radio Project Update (June 8, 2004)," a general review of Internews activities in Afghanistan; (2) "Internews National Program Initiative (March 20, 2004)," an explanation of the "Salam Vatandar" (note spelling) initiative, including a program schedule; and (3) "Tanin Production and Network Update (February 2004)," which includes detailed descriptions of some of the programs shown on the schedule in #2. From #2: "Internews Afghanistan is building a network of 40 FM txs throughout the country which will be used to broadcast a new national program called Salaam Vatandar to large portions of the country's rural population for the first time ever. The national program of independent news and information will be broadcast for three hours every day 90 mins in the morning and 90 mins in the evening using satellite link to transmitters and radio stations positioned across the country. The program will guarantee a flow of information about the up-coming presidential elections, the reconstruction process in Afghanistan and target specific groups like women, children and those people living in rural areas who often live in an information vacuum." (Jerry Berg, MA, DXplorer July 16 via BC-DX via DXLD) Caught tail end of Merlin test loop on 11815 at 0227 UTC. Signed off 0230 (Sheryl Paszkiewicz, WI, DXplorer July 22 via BC-DX via DXLD) Seems another Pashto/Dari service to AWAIT for AFG audience, brokered by MNO, via Rampisham-UK outlet. Usually 500 kW 85 degrees according MNO Radio for Peace schedule. See tentatively 0030-0100 9845 RMP 0200-0230 11815 RMP 0430-0500 15470 RMP 0730-0800 17640 RMP 1000-1030 17745 RMP (Wolfgang Büschel, July 22, BC-DX via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. New units at Shijak, but RT English usually uses Cerrik site 100 kW also (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. 6030, R. Okapi, 2100-2300 (peaking around 2215) July 22 (Bob Padula, Vic., EDXP via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 3279.xx, Radiodifusora Cultural Católica "LV del Napo" 124kb 07/2004. Just one Ecuadorian station has a regular schedule, a station almost 100% active: La Voz del Napo, Tena. I have changed the layout of my ID-site a little bit hoping you will enjoy listening to the audioclips even more! Comments and recordings at http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Radio Orient (indeed appearing to be on 24/7, at least they are still on now, after 2200) is a signal that seems to match my memories of France Inter on 1350. I think it is safe to assume that TDF simply fired up the very same transmitter again (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. More about Stasi spying in West Germany: http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1432_A_915181,00.html http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_962813,00.html (BC-DX July 23 via DXLD) ** INDIA. PRASAR BHARATI PRETENDING TO BE PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER: TULLY --- Express News Service New Delhi, July 20: British journalist and writer Mark Tully today lamented the absence of true public service broadcasting in India and called upon the UPA government to ``free`` the country`s radio. Calling Prasar Bharati Corporation a pretender to the title of `public service broadcaster`, he said: ``Here, the budget for the corporation is prepared by the government, the director-generals are civil servants, new channels are started at the whims of ministers --- how can there be public service broadcasting in these circumstances? True public service broadcasting is immune not only from commercial pressures but also political ones.`` Delivering the 12th annual lecture in memory of British journalist Rosalind Wilson, he criticised those who, he said, were manipulating the country`s public service broadcaster. ``The shortsightedness of the Indian politician has amazed me. The audience are assumed to be idiots, unable to recognise that what is dished out in the name of public service serves only the interest of the government. Rajiv Gandhi`s experience in 1981 and more recently, the exercise involving the new DD new-channel have proved firmly otherwise. In fact, the government media can`t even do the government`s job,`` he said. Accusing today`s journalism of being obsessed with fame and the profit motive, he said, ``Judgements about what will be written about in newspapers and shown on TV should be made by journalists, editors, writers and others whose job it is, and not by advertisers. While it is necessary to cater to the audience`s interests, true public service broadcasting can`t go flat-out for audiences, there has to be a balancing act,`` he said. He denied that the multiplication of channels catering to every need has made the public service broadcaster redundant. ``Niche channels are well suited to people who know what they want, whose interests have been cultivated. But the task of the public sector broadcaster is to expose its audience to new interests and widen their horizon. In its absence, audiences will be ghettoised by the specialised channels,`` he warned. Dedicating almost half of his lecture to the praise of the radio, he implored the government to unshackle the medium. ``In India, wherever I go, people say `radio is dead,` but in Britain, it is very much alive and kicking. In fact, Britons spend more time listening to the radio than watching TV,`` he said. He put the blame for stifling the medium on law-makers and asked them to allow others beside the official broadcaster to use government-owned transmitters. ``There is chronic misuse and underuse of resources in this medium, which I consider it the best way to reach those people who are not targeted by advertisers --- the same ones that the Common Minimum Programme rightly seeks to shift the attention to,`` he said. (Indian Express, 21 July`2004 via John Figliozzi, swprograms via WORLD OF RADIO 1239, DXLD) ** INDIA. PRASAR BHARATI CLAIMS HAVING EARNED MORE THAN IT SPENT IN 2004 NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati, managing Doordarshan and All India Radio, may be making a hue and cry about the high cost of acquiring sporting events for telecast, but has said that during 2002 and 2004 it has earned more that it had spent on acquisition of rights. Quoting figures provided by Prasar Bharati, information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy today informed the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) that in 2002-03 Prasar Bharati's expenditure on sporting events was approximately Rs 630 million, while the revenue generated was over Rs 1.5 billion. During 2003-04 while Rs 670 million was spent on telecast rights, etc, revenue earned amounted to over Rs 1,300 million. Reddy did not clarify whether the amount mentioned for 2004 also included the Rs 500 million deposited with Supreme Court in the wake of a legal controversy involving Doordarshan and Ten Sports over the telecast of cricket matches during the Indo-Pakistan series played in Pakistan. Reddy also informed fellow parliamentarians that DD, being a public service broadcaster, did not operate a profit and loss account. In reply to another question relating to Prasar Bharati, Reddy has clarified that the organisation was "not facing shortage of funds due to its expansion" activities, but was under a financial burden due to "additional liabilities on account of payment of various taxes and levies imposed on it." (Reddy is lobbying with the finance ministry for exempting Prasar Bharati from paying various taxes as it has been registered as a trust doing work for the benefit of public at large. The tax sops, if they come through, would include largely income tax.) While denying that DD's revenue model has been badly hit, the I&B minister also said that the pubcaster has earned Rs. 930 million in the first quarter of this financial year (April - June), compared to Rs 480 million clocked for the corresponding period previous year (Source? via Mukesh Kumar, Muzaffarpur, INDIA, DXLD) ** IRAQ. UP TO 10 NEW SATELLITE TV CHANNELS SAID PREPARING TO LAUNCH | Text of report from Baghdad by Hani Ashur headlined "Ten new Iraqi satellite TV stations ready to launch; journalists in worst situation", published by London-based newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi on 21 July With the absence of censorship over the media in Iraq and with the lack of any law regulating the activity of the press, television and broadcast media, the phenomenon of newspaper publishing has proliferated in Baghdad. Most of the time they publish a few editions until they close their doors and disappear from the readers, regardless of whether that is due to a scarcity of financing or the dissatisfaction of the US forces with them. Although the newspapers have done all their surveys in Iraq in the area of their publication (and not in the area of their quality), that has not stopped numerous organizations from publishing newspapers. Their editions increase day after day in the libraries. But to some, the publishing of newspapers has begun to become ineffective on the Iraqi media front. Many of them have got ready to start up satellite television channels, in accordance with their viewpoint or [that of] the party that is standing behind them. But according to the views of Iraqi media people, that has not prevented the competition between these channels from being an opportunity to create the best and offer something better, so that the ship of the blind will be able to dock at any bank that the people desire. During a period of more than a year, numerous Arabic and Kurdish satellite channels have become active in Iraq, while the coming days will witness the startup of nearly 10 other stations. These include Al-Fajr, Al-Anwar, Al-Diyar, Al-Hadi and Al-Mashriq. In addition, there is another station for the [Iraqi] National Accord, one for the Iraqi Republican Grouping and others for the Kurds and the Turkoman people. Aside from the fact that some of these satellite channels are the propagandist media for some of the political movements at a time when only a few months separate the Iraqis from the elections, these channels (some of which might not acknowledge the entities financing them) may be transformed into the best means for stimulating the Iraqi street in the directions that the political or religious movements desire. At a time in which Baghdad is becoming a second Dubai (with regard to the research, media and satellite televisions centres and commercial offices that are being set up), perhaps becoming Dubai's future competitor, the Iraqis have continued to be drawn to two channels: Al- Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. Sometimes they are attracted to LBC, the outside world or the Egyptian satellite channels to listen to more news while the Rutana [as published] channel continues to be the source of entertainment for young girls. While numerous attacks are launched against Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya by the Americans, who claim that they are distorting the facts in Iraq, the Americans did endeavour to start up Al-Hurra channel to confront them and distance the Iraqi people from them. But this effort has been a devastating failure. Perhaps that is due to the Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah channel, whose appearance coincided with that of Al-Hurra. This channel came along, as the Iraqis say, at just the right time to drive Al-Hurra out of Iraqi homes and ascend to the throne of the hearts and eyes of more than 10m Iraqi viewers. They have finally been able to watch the satellite channels after the long prohibition of the past years. It appears that the Iraqi staff of Al-Sharqiyah, with all of its previous traditions that it has drawn from Iraqi television, was the most capable of facing up to Al-Hurra's onslaught. It has an American character that has not yet been able to steal the hearts of Iraqi viewers away, regardless of whether it is its news or its miscellaneous programming. Through its biting, comic criticism of the US occupation in Iraq and its being in touch with the suffering of the Iraqis, Al-Sharqiyah has changed to forge its way ahead in the eyes of those in Iraqi houses. It is moulding the first steps of mutual rivalry with Iraqi satellite channels whose objective will be to win the acceptance of the Iraqis and be an expression of them, not to change their country in order to match the concept of the occupation. This will force the other satellite channels to act the same way as quickly as possible. But even with this number of satellite television channels and newspapers, Iraqi journalists still remain in the worst situation. They still dream that their salaries will be like that of the other satellite television journalists even though it is just a quarter of the salaries of the journalists at Al-Hurra. Source: Al-Quds al- Arabi, London, in Arabic 21 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]. 567 kHz reception: Perhaps it should be recalled that Berlin 567 is only a shadow of itself anymore, running a mere 1.8 kW now, soo poor that yours truly first thought the frequency had been abandoned altogether when back in the mid-nineties the S4002 ran at 50 kW until then was switched off and replaced by one of the 5 kW transmitters (ex 810 and 1449), run at reduced power (since then a semiconductor transmitter has been installed). Since then 567 was usually a mess of Ireland and Slovakia, now Rimavská Sobota/Zilina are in the clear here of course. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. CHANGE IN KOL YISRAEL ENGLISH PROGRAMS FROM AUGUST 1 According to an announcement at the end of the 1010 GMT July 23 English broadcast, from August 1, English will be on REQA (immigrant- oriented service) at 0330, 0930, and 1730 GMT (add three hours for Israel Summer Time). Local frequencies are 954 kHz, 1575 kHz, 88.2 MHz, 93.7 MHz, 94.4 MHz, 101.2 MHz, 101.3 MHz and 107.3 MHz. The Reshet Heh (primarily intended for overseas) broadcast at 1900 GMT will continue. No mention of the length of broadcast or shortwave frequencies. They did mention these times for shortwave so apparently they ain't discontinuing shortwave (Joel Rubin, NY, Swprograms list via DXLD) ** KIRIBATI [and non]. Let`s go back 60 years to the time of the second world war --- and more specifically, the war as it raged in the Pacific --- for there is a story there of radio and information as it was provided, particularly for the American troops in the region. Some of these medium wave stations were land based fixtures while others were more mobile and could be moved from one location to another as circumstances would require. Here`s Steven Hamstra with all the background. While performing the research for the feature article on radio broadcasting in Kiribati (KIR-ee-BAHS) a few weeks back, we were reminded again of the unique events involving several of the AFRS stations located on these small tropical islands in the territories of what are now Kiribati and Tuvalu (TOO-va-LOO). Today, we cover Tarawa, and in coming programs, Eniwetok (en-ee-WEE-tok) and Canton. These days, Tarawa is the small capital city of the recently independent Kiribiti, but in earlier years it was simply an island village, built on a small island in a coral atoll. Other inhabited islands in the Tarawa atoll are Betio (be-TEE-oh), Nanikaai (NAHN-i- KAY-eye) and Bairiki (bye-REE-kee), all of which have subsequently featured in the radio scenario under the government of Kiribati. Anyway, back to the story of radio broadcasting around the middle of last century under the umbrella of AFRS, the American Forces Radio Service. To make things quite complicated, we note that there were two different stations on different islands in the same country on the air simultaneously with the same callsign, and two different locations for another station, using the same callsign. This is what happened on Tarawa. According to the official AFRS records, it was on July 15, 1944 that station WXLF began broadcasting on 1340 kHz on Tarawa island in the Tarawa atoll. The rated power output of this new station at this time is not given in any of the known references. Around this era, most of these exotic little radio stations in the Pacific were heard in New Zealand and Australia. However, there is no known record of any logging of this station in either Australia or New Zealand and this would suggest that the station was indeed emitting at quite a low power level. We could suggest that the rated power output could be as low as 5 watts, similar to the stations in the same area; on Johnston Island, Midway and Canton Island. The doctoral thesis prepared by Theodore DeLay in 1951 states that this radio station on Tarawa was soon afterwards transformed into what was called a ``sound system station`` with loud speakers installed in various buildings throughout the service encampment. However, station WXLF was still listed at this stage as a radio broadcasting station on 1340 kHz, as printed in Pacific island radio lists published in the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Just before the declaration of peace in the Pacific in 1945, this station was indeed heard on 1340 kHz by an unidentified ``reader`` somewhere in the South Pacific. Then a few months later, the noted Ern Suffolk, who later wrote the scripts for the first DX program on Radio Australia, stated that he heard a station on 1550 kHz announcing as ``The Voice of Tarawa``. Apparently station WXLF had been revived and it was now listed with a power output of 1 kW. There are no known QSLs from station WXLF on Tarawa Island in the Gilberts way out there in the Pacific. Now, the matter of the confusing callsigns. AFRS Tarawa was indeed listed with one and only one callsign, WXLF. However, another station on another island in the same country, Canton, was on the air at the same time under the same callsign, WXLF, though on a different channel. We could ask several questions about this matter. Why two stations on two different islands in the same country with the same callsign? Was this just a co-incidence, or did the second station just simply borrow the callsign of the Tarawa station, and maybe also take an off air relay when propagation conditions were good? Or perhaps it was just a simple mistake due to communication difficulties in isolated and underpopulated islands? These questions are at present unanswerable, but maybe there is someone out there who does know the answer; maybe someone who was working at the stations at the time. Thank you Steve --- and if you are that someone --- you know what to do. Pick up a pen and let us know! Our address for all your letters is, AWR, 39 Brendon St, London, W1, England. Or e-mail letters @ awr.org (AWR Wavescan July 25 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Re the new SW transmitters and new site: Look out for tentative channels 2100-0300 5955, 9535, 21815. 1500-1800 6095, 7245, 12005. 1800-2100 7295, 12005, 13650. (BC-DX July 23 via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Correction to Sentech report quoted in DXLD 4-111 Yesterday we published in good faith a report from South Africa, which appears (amongst other places) in Business Day and Mail & Guardian Online, stating that The Development Bank of Southern Africa's (DBSA) chief financial officer, Abdul-Kader Mohamed, has been appointed the chief operating officer of broadcast signal distributor Sentech. Kathy Otto Sentech writes: "I'd be interested to know the source of this information? Abdul-Kader Mohamed is the new Chief Financial Officer of Sentech. Our Chief Operating Officer is still Mr Gladwin Marumo." We apologise for the error, which seems to have been in the official government announcement to which both sources referred (Andy Sennitt, Media Network, July 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA. RPI con mejores señales. Estimados amigos! Nos alegra mucho que la señal de RPI ha mejorado mucho con el cambio de sitio de donde transmitimos. Hemos inclusive ahora recibido un informe correcto desde Dinamarca!! Increíble para un transmisor de solo 15 vatios. Lo que me pena un poquito es que no lo haya ya al comienzo, instalado los equipos en este QTH. La razón es que cuando vinimos queríamos estar de cerca con la familia, por tanto nos instalamos en la casa de mi suegra, que está a unos 300 metros de nuestra propia casa. Por lo que vemos ahora, hay una gran diferencia en cómo llega nuestra señal desde nuestro propio QTH. La infraestructura misma es mejor, dado que tenemos aquí una torre de 20 metros de altura. Esto facilita mucho la buena colocación de la antena. [presumably still on 6307.2v thruout the weekend 24h] Mañana (viernes) haremos unas cuantas horas de emisión en directo. No les puedo dar aun exacta hora del comienzo ya que estaré volviendo de un viaje por la tardecita/noche. Pero lo más pronto al haber llegado ya saldremos en directo. Cordiales saludos de (Jorge R. García, R. Piraña Internacional, July 22, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Amigos, Rádio Piraña Internacional llegando bién, también, en São Carlos, Brasil. Estuve escuchando desde las 2350 UT, con músicas como Jean Michel Jarre, Frank Valley, Dire Straits, etc, e identificaciones en ingles y español. 73 (Samuel Cássio Martins, São Carlos, SP, Brasil, ibid.) ** SWEDEN. SAQ NAMED WORLD HERITAGE STATION --- SAQ, the Alexanderson alternator VLF transmitter at Grimeton in Sweden has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. According to the RSGB News, the decision was made by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO at a meeting near Shanghai in China on the 2nd of July. SAQ continues to make occasional transmissions on 17.2 kHz on CW. The last one was on the 4th of July (RSGB via ARNewsline(tm) July 23 via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Re special farewell programming: http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=5093646 Only ten days notice, so I won't be able to post anything about this in MT; but thankfully we have this list. Glad to see that they are (finally) taking due note of their meritorious history in this manner. SRI hasn't done much on the radio for some time, yet I still miss the station a great deal. Tried to access the preview mentioned, but the link must not be functional yet. ------------------------------------------------------- Switzerland is everywhere. Stay connected ! http://www.swissinfo.org http://www.swisspolitics.org http://www.swissgeo.org (John Figliozzi, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) ** U A E. RADIO IS THE OPIUM [sic] OF THE MASSES By Prerna Suri 23 July 2004 Khaleej Times Online -- News -- THE U.A.E DUBAI - Dubai is currently in the midst of a radio revolution with not less than 15 stations jostling with each other over the airwaves. Only a few years ago, Dubai 92 FM used to be the definitive voice in the Gulf for listeners of English music while Radio Umm Al Quwain for the Urdu and Hindi listeners. Today, it's a completely different story with stations catering to nearly every listener under the sun - from the die-hard fusion fan to the voracious news-hungry enthusiast. And it seems like radio will remain the favoured - and fastest - medium for people in the Emirates to stay abreast on what's happening in their home countries, predicts Abdullatif Al Sayegh, CEO of Dubai Radio Network (DRN). Speaking to Khaleej Times about the recent barrage of stations that were introduced by DRN in the last two months, Mr Al Sayegh said that DRN is not trying to monopolise the airwaves and is providing a choice in content for its listeners. "I wouldn't say that we are trying to become a monopoly as every station has a right to be heard in Dubai. I do agree that we own nearly 75 per cent of the stations currently on air but each one is unique and different in terms of format, packaging and the target audience we are catering to," he said. Mr Al Sayegh also shed some light on what actually propelled the government to re-vamp Dubai 92 FM and the strategy to commercialise it. "There was nothing wrong with the station in terms of delivery, but it lacked a commercial touch and new initiatives and ideas were given a back seat," said Mr Al Sayegh. "The fast paced format and packaging was missing and although most of the veteran voices on air had vast amount of experience behind them, they were not willing to update themselves to the current need. We don't blame anyone for this, of course, but the whole culture was affecting the station to a great extent." One of the most recent stations to be introduced by DRN was Dubai Eye (103.8 FM), the region's only station to focus on the various events happening in the city, with only the interplay of fusion music in between. This was promised as a 'dynamic' station, but many people said that the live element remained missing with the station only airing pre-recorded pieces. Mr Al Sayegh conceded that the station would see a new look this coming September, which would be highly interactive in nature and which would work on the earlier format's strengths. "Dubai Eye will see a dynamic new look from September onwards but works have already started to make it more interactive. Starting from next week onwards a series of competitions will be launched and we are also in talks with a major company which would allow listeners to gain pieces of information about the city via MMS and SMS," he said. "This could be in the form of restaurant menus, hotel directions and theatre listings." Taking over the reins of a flagging station and introducing several radio stations over a short period of time was 'exhausting' admitted Mr. Al Sayegh, "but, its a constant challenge for us and we thrive under such pressure. We will ensure that we will deliver to the listener what he wants and not something which we think he wants," he emphasised. DRN might also extend its operations in other areas of the media such as the introduction of new radio stations, production companies, TV and perhaps even in the print medium. Elaborated Mr Al Sayegh, "The sky's the limit for us and we might even extend our holding in different segments. What is essential to know is, however, how we can help make Dubai an international city in its own respect and deliver quality content programmes." (via Art Blair, DXLD) Or you may wish to read the above on the original page, featuring advertising where you may Search for Indian Brides & Grooms --- just fill in the blanks: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2004/July/theuae_July500.xml§ion=theuae 92 FM is/was the station with English news and features, disappeared from the SW service (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. SAMBROOK REMOVED AS HEAD OF BBC NEWS By Ian Burrell, Media Editor 23 July 2004 http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=543757&host=3&dir=61 The director of BBC News, Richard Sambrook - who was at the centre of the Hutton inquiry into the death of government scientist David Kelly - was moved from his post yesterday, as the new director general Mark Thompson continued his overhaul of the corporation. Mr Sambrook, 48, who gave lengthy evidence to Lord Hutton and was cleared of any wrongdoing by a BBC internal inquiry, will take up a new role as head of the World Service and the global news division. The news chief, who had been looking to move, said yesterday that he was "genuinely very happy" with his new job. But the sideways move means that, six months after Lord Hutton published his sweeping criticisms of the corporation's journalistic standards, most of the BBC figures at the centre of the row are no longer in post. Gavyn Davies, the chairman, Greg Dyke, the chief executive, and Andrew Gilligan, a reporter, have all resigned from the BBC. The re-shuffle will see Helen Boaden, the controller of Radio 4, on which station Mr Gilligan's controversial report was broadcast, promoted to head of news. For two consecutive years Ms Boaden has led Radio 4 to the station of the year crown in the prestigious Sony awards. A former presenter for Woman's Hour, she is also an award-winning radio journalist. The changes should be seen in the context of a new era at the BBC under Mr Thompson and the new chairman, Michael Grade. Mr Thompson has already streamlined his executive committee and demanded greater efficiency from programme-makers. Rupert Gavin, head of the corporation's commercial arm BBC Worldwide, resigned on Friday after Mr Thompson ordered a review into whether the venture should be sold or broken up. Another review is looking at the programming record of the flagship channel BBC1. One BBC source said yesterday: "There will be a lot more changes at the BBC." Colleagues of Mr Sambrook said he had never been quite the same after Hutton's damning findings prompted him to offer his resignation. One said: "He no longer felt on the front foot in his job." Mr Sambrook, who has been head of news for four years, said yesterday that he had been looking for a new challenge for some time. He dismissed suggestions that he had been demoted as "daft". He inherits the role formerly occupied by the new BBC deputy director general Mark Byford. Although the timing of yesterday's announcement was a surprise, many in BBC news had predicted that Mr Sambrook would switch to this role. One of his immediate challenges will be to address the fall in World Service audience in countries such as Russia and India, as listeners turn away from short wave radio. Ms Boaden will move to news in September. "It's a privilege to be asked to lead the team who will ensure that BBC News remains robust, original, independent and fair," she said. She has been at the BBC for 21 years and is seen as a strong leader and good team-builder. But one journalist said: "She is a radio person through and through. Some television journalists might see her as an unknown quantity." Nigel Chapman was confirmed as director of the World Service and will report to Mr Sambrook. Graham Ellis, who is head of production at Radio 4, will be among the favourites to become the station's new controller, although Mr Thompson may have his eye on an outside candidate. Journalist with a worldwide view Appointed director of BBC News in 2001, Richard Sambrook joined the BBC in 1980 as a sub-editor in the radio newsroom. Sambrook, 48, who grew up in Kent, graduated in English from Reading University then did a masters in politics at Birkbeck College, University of London. He was a senior producer and deputy editor of the Nine O'Clock News , who worked on location in the Far East, Middle East, Europe, Russia and the United States and helped produce coverage for three general elections. He produced the BBC coverage of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and co-ordinated the coverage of the war in Bosnia. In 1992, Sambrook was appointed News Editor, BBC Newsgathering - the department that brings in coverage from around the world for all BBC radio and television news and daily current affairs programmes. In 1996 he was appointed Head of Newsgathering and led the expansion of the BBC's overseas news operation, an experience that will help him in his new role. Radio controller on winning streak After starting her journalistic career in 1979 on the New York radio station WBAI, Helen Boaden joined BBC Radio Leeds in 1983. She became a reporter and then editor of Radio 4's current affairs programme File on 4 . She has presented Woman's Hour and produced and presented documentaries for Radio 4. In a distinguished reporting career, she won the coveted Sony award for Best Current Affairs Programme for her report on Aids in Africa. Boaden was also named Radio Industrial Journalist of the Year by the Industrial Society in 1990 for her investigation into safety standards in the oil industry. In 1997 she became BBC head of business programmes. A year later she was made head of current affairs. She was appointed controller of Radio 4 in March 2000 and has led the network to two consecutive Sony station of the year awards. Asked recently what she was looking for to take the network forward, Boaden answered: "Revelatory journalism." (c) 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. We are enjoying the Proms season on BBC Radio 3 webcasts --- catching the live concerts where possible, usually at 1830 UT; if not, most of them are replayed a few days later at 1300 (or maybe 1320 depending on the length of the previous unrelated concert); or if not, maybe on the on-demand-for-one week file (but not all concerts are availablized this way, so you have to watch out to be sure you don`t miss one the first time around) via http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/listen Unlike previous years, when just the music was replayed, with new announcing inserted at the studio, the replays and the on-demand are the (almost) entire original concerts, with original announcing and ambience. Except the on-demand files usually start with the first piece, cutting off any introductory announcements, and also cut off the closing as soon as the final applause starts. In between they let it run unimpeded, including interval features. I recommend in particular Prom 8, which originally aired July 22 and will be OD until July 29. The 20-minute feature presents a most amusing alien`s view of Concert Etiquette, especially at the Proms, ``Mobile Phones Off``. It starts at 1:11:40 into the file, and if you can spare two hours and twenty-two minutes, the whole concert is terrific, first with the première of a BBC commission, John Casken`s ``Symphony Broken Consort`` featuring unusual instruments; Ravel`s Piano Concerto, before the feature, and Stravinsky`s ``Firebird`` afterwards (not just a suite), which is really, really mighty (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Citizen of Convenience Rupert Murdoch is having his own fun with the er um topless proms. http://www.page3.com/special/proms/ [don`t go there if you would rather not see breasts] I wonder if the Last Night of the real Proms still has all the old jingoistic politically incorrect fun numbers like "Rule Britannia". I don't see most of the traditional ones listed. I downloaded the First Night of the Proms from Listen Again (there are several semi-underground downloading programs for Real Audio streams) and burned 2 CD's for someone in a nursing home (Joel Rubin, NY, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Please note the following change (effective 19 July 2004) to the Family Stations, Inc. A-2004 High Frequency Schedule aired from Taiwan: Delete 6155 kHz 1100-1600 UT to China Add 7250 kHz 1100-1600 UT to China Delete 6155 kHz 2100-0000 UT to China Add 7250 kHz 2100-0000 UT to China (WYFR July 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6155 had just replaced out-of-band 6300 for these transmissions, but apparently clashed with something unanticipated. 7250 has been used by other Taiwan services for years, and as I recall subject to Mainland jamming (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. re 4-111, on renaming the VOA Ohio facility for Reagan. I was flabbergasted by Mr. Fox's (the Butler County Commissioner) rather exuberant comment that "Reagan laid the foundation for the collapse of the Soviet Union." Really? I guess all the work done by all the people (including those at the VOA and RFE/RL) since Truman's time was of no import whatsoever. Funny, my take is that Reagan largely inherited the results of a lot of hard work over decades. He deserves some credit for continuing that work; but if just being there when the collapse came is reason to heap all the praise on him, then I suppose by that logic GWB should have to shoulder all the blame for the 9/11 attacks. We truly live in Orwellian times (John Figliozzi, NY, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9/11 COMMISSION REPORT URGES MORE FUNDS FOR US INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING; Calls for Increased Funding Citing the "promising initiatives" of U.S. international broadcasting in the Arab world, Iran and Afghanistan, the bi-partisan panel investigating the September 11, 2001 attacks called for increased funding for those efforts. "The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has asked for much larger resources," the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States said in its report. "It should get them." Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the BBG, the independent federal agency that oversees all U.S. international broadcasting, said of the report's recommendations, "We believe that the people of the Middle East and elsewhere are best served by providing them the truth. That's what our broadcasting does." On page 377 of its report, the 9/11 commission made the following recommendation: "Recognizing that Arab and Muslim audiences rely on satellite television and radio, the government has begun some promising initiatives in television and radio broadcasting to the Arab world, Iran, and Afghanistan. These efforts are beginning to reach large audiences." The report said the BBG has asked for more money, and should get it. Bolstering the need for U.S. broadcasting initiatives, the report said: "Local newspapers and the few influential satellite broadcasters -- like al Jazeera -- often reinforce the jihadist theme that portrays the United States as anti-Muslim." Currently, the BBG's annual budget of more than $550 million goes to broadcasts around the world through various entities, including the Voice of America (VOA); Alhurra television and Radio Sawa, Arabic- language broadcasts; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia (RFA.) Since 9/11, the BBG has taken steps to dramatically increase its broadcasting to key areas. • The Middle East: Alhurra, a new satellite television channel launched in February 2004, is aimed at Arabic-speaking viewers in 22 countries across the Middle East. Radio Sawa, a 24/7 station, has garnered large audiences of young people in the region with its mix of news, information and Western and Arabic music. • Iran: Radio Farda, a youth-oriented, 24/7 radio, covers news about Iran, along with entertainment and features. It is a joint project of VOA and RFE/RL. VOA-TV launched a successful, daily, Persian-language show, News and Views, broadcast to audiences by satellite. Additionally, VOA has a Persian service and two other weekly television shows. • Afghanistan: Audiences in that country are able to listen to a 24-hour stream of news, information and other programs in Dari and Pashto. These are run by the VOA and Radio Free Afghanistan, which is part of RFE/RL. Additionally, the BBG arranged for two medium-wave transmitters to be installed in Kabul - one for the BBG, the other for Afghanistan to help bolster its media. • Pakistan: The VOA recently expanded its Urdu service to 12 hours daily to reach more Urdu-speaking listeners in Pakistan and parts of India (BBG Press July 22 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Germany: Re. AFRTS and T-Systems -- Of course no shortwave is involved here, but T-Systems operates many FM and some MW transmitters (MW at least Stuttgart-Hirschlanden 1143) for AFRTS. Hence also some FM outlets (I think since recently including Großer Feldberg 98.7) carry RDS; it was not ordered by AFRTS but added by T- Systems for own purposes. By the way, Mannheim refers to the AFN Europe headquarters, to be relocated from its current seat next to Hessischer Rundfunk at Frankfurt to Mannheim (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. GEORGE JACOBS CELEBRATES 80TH BIRTHDAY Congratulations to George Jacobs, who celebrated his 80th birthday on July 16. George's broadcast engineering consulting firm, George Jacobs and Associates, has been an NASB Associate Member for many years. His company has been involved in the design, application, construction and frequency management for many of the NASB member stations over the years. In addition, George has served as a technical consultant to the NASB on many projects. Before going into business for himself in 1980, George served for more than three decades in engineering and frequency management at the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which are now part of the NASB associate member International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB). George has participated in the U.S. delegation to many major international broadcasting conferences since 1949. He was a member of the Presidential Commission on Broadcasting to Cuba, where he was very involved in the initial design of Radio Martí. He has been an amateur radio operator (W3ASK) since 1941, and has written numerous articles for both amateur and shortwave publications, including the World Radio TV Handbook. Only recently George decided that he would "semi-retire," and moved his office into his home in Silver Spring, Maryland, which he shares with his wife Bea. They have been married for some 57 years. With his many contributions to shortwave broadcasting in the United States, George Jacobs has left an indelible mark on international broadcasting in this country (July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** U S A. NASB COMMENTS TO THE FCC ON WRC03 AND DRM NPRM National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC 20554 In the Matter of Amendment of Parts 2, 25, and 73 of the ) Commission’s Rules to Implement Decisions ) from the World Radiocommunication Conference ) ET Docket No. 04-139 (Geneva, 2003) (WRC-03) Concerning Frequency ) Bands Between 5900 kHz and 27.5 GHz and to ) Otherwise Update the Rules in this Frequency ) Range ) Comments on Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) Introduction These comments are submitted on behalf of the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (``NASB``), which represents nineteen FCC- licensed, privately owned shortwave broadcast stations located in the United States.1 Through its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in the above Docket, the Commission announces its intention to make certain rule changes and seeks comments related to those changes. Discussion 1. Regarding the proposal to add modified footnote 5.134 to the U.S. Table similar to the requirements in all other HFBC bands which would require the use of seasonal planning for the WARC-92 HFBC bands, as codified in Article 12 of the ITU Radio Regulations, the Association states the following: The Association concurs with the Commission`s proposal as stated in paragraph 17 of the NPRM. 2. Regarding the proposal to revise Section 73.751 to codify these minimum operating powers for SSB and digital systems, (See Appendix A for the proposed language for revised Section 73.751) the Association states the following: The NASB agrees that single sideband transmissions should be authorized with a minimum 50 kilowatts of peak envelope power (PEP), since this provides approximately the same coverage area as a 50- kilowatt carrier power for an analog double sideband HF transmission. NASB also agrees that with digital transmissions, a lower rated transmitter output power can serve the same geographic area as a higher power analog signal, so NASB agrees that the minimum power for digital DRM transmissions should be lower than 50 kilowatts. However, NASB disagrees that an average power of 20 kilowatts for DRM transmissions would provide approximately the same coverage area as a 50-kilowatt analog transmission. Numerous authorities, including the DRM Consortium, have indicated that DRM transmissions should be at least 7 dB below the equivalent analog power.2 Thus, 7 dB down from 50 kilowatts would be 9.976 (nominally 10) kilowatts, so NASB believes that the minimum power for DRM transmissions should be 10 kilowatts. 3. Regarding the proposal to add to Commission rules the ITU requirements for DSB, SSB, and digital HFBC systems, which are listed in revised Appendix 11 of the ITU Radio Regulations, (The specific language of the Commission proposal is presented in Appendix A, Section 73.756.) the Association states the following: NASB supports the authorization of single sideband and digital transmissions in the high frequency broadcasting service bands, and NASB supports the reallocation of 7350-7400 kHz to the HF broadcasting service. Further, NASB agrees that U.S.-licensed international broadcast stations should have the flexibility to transmit analog double sideband (DSB) signals, single sideband (SSB) signals or digital signals in all of the frequency ranges allocated to this service. NASB believes that the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) standard should be the required standard for digital HFBC transmissions. NASB agrees with the specifications for HF broadcasting as indicated in the revised Section 73.756, and emphasizes that in order for digital transmissions to co-exist along with double sideband and single sideband transmissions in the same frequency bands without undue interference, it will be necessary for the power of the DRM transmissions to be several dB lower than that which is currently used for DSB and SSB emissions, i.e., specifically a minimum of 7 dB lower. 4. Regarding the request for comment on whether the DRM standard should be required for digital transmissions, (NPRM observes that broadcasting, unlike many other radio communication services, is a mass media service and that for such a service, standards are often useful.) the Association states the following: The Association believes that the DRM standard should be the required standard for digital transmissions. 5. Regarding the specific request for comment on whether Commission Rules should require the inclusion of the capability to offer digital modulation in all new HFBC transmitters put into service after the effective date of the Report and Order in this proceeding, the Association states the following: The Association believes it is unwise and unnecessary to require inclusion of the capability to offer digital in all new HFBC transmitters because the manufacturers already are building in provisions for digital modulation. Thus, the requirement is unnecessary. Conclusion The NASB agrees with all of the FCC's proposals in this NPRM relating to HF broadcasting, with the important exception that the minimum power level for DRM transmissions should be 10 kilowatts instead of 20 kilowatts. Respectfully Submitted, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHORTWAVE BROADCASTERS ************************************************************** [Excerpted material from the NPRM] [17. Proposal. As indicated above, prior to WRC-03, footnote 5.134 had prohibited traditional DSB transmissions in the WARC-92 HFBC bands. WRC-03 modified footnote 5.134 to be more flexible to meet the needs of international broadcasters in that it permits the continued use of DSB transmissions as well as SSB in the WARC-92 HFBC bands as HF broadcasters transition to digital technology. Accordingly, we propose to add modified footnote 5.134 to the U.S. Table. Similar to the requirements in all other HFBC bands, this action would require the use of seasonal planning for the WARC-92 HFBC bands, which is codified in Article 12 of the ITU Radio Regulations. 18. Modified footnote 5.134 urges use of the WARC-92 HFBC bands to facilitate the introduction of digitally modulated emissions in accordance with the provisions of revised Resolution 517. To ensure that HF broadcasters have sufficient flexibility, we therefore propose to update the Commission’s Rules for international broadcast stations, which are codified in Part 73, Subpart F, to allow for SSB and digital transmissions in the HFBC bands.39 Specifically, so that there is no ambiguity regarding the rules with which HF broadcasters must comply, we propose to add to our rules the ITU requirements for DSB, SSB, and digital HFBC systems, which are listed in revised Appendix 11 of the ITU Radio Regulations. The specific language of our proposal is presented in Appendix A, Section 73.756. 19. The effect of these proposals would be to grant U.S.-licensed international broadcast stations the flexibility to continue to transmit analog DSB signals or to transmit SSB or digital signals, including DRM signals (currently the only ITU-recommended digital standard for use in HFBC bands), which would allow international broadcast stations to provide FM-like sound quality to listeners in foreign countries. Nonetheless, we request comment on whether the DRM standard should be required for digital transmissions. We observe that broadcasting, unlike many other radio communication services, is a mass media service and that for such a service, standards are often useful. 20. Currently, Section 73.751 of the Commission’s Rules states that no international broadcast station will be authorized to install, or be licensed for operation of, transmitter equipment with a rated carrier power of less than 50 kilowatts (kW).40 The technical basis of this rule is that, given frequency congestion, an international broadcast station using DSB modulation needs to transmit with an output power of at least 50 kW in order to provide a signal that is strong enough to be received with low cost HFBC radios. We have previously waived this Rule in order to authorize licensees to operate SSB transmitters with 50 kW peak envelope power (PEP) because this power provides approximately the same coverage area (even though this power is equivalent to only 15-20 kW relative to a DSB transmitter). Likewise, one of the advantages of digital transmission is that a lower rated transmitter output power can serve the same geographic area as a higher power analog signal. One expert from a transmitter manufacturer has averred that an average power of 20 kW for DRM transmissions would provide approximately the same coverage as our Rule currently requires. Accordingly, we propose to revise Section 73.751 to codify these minimum operating powers for SSB and digital systems. See Appendix A for the proposed language for revised Section 73.751. 21. We request comment on all of the above proposals. In addition, we request comment on other needed changes to our Rules for international broadcast stations that are in compliance with ITU or other international standards. In particular, we ask whether our Rules should require the inclusion of the capability to offer digital modulation in all new HFBC transmitters put into service after the effective date of the Report and Order in this proceeding.] ----- NASB Members: Adventist World Radio Assemblies of Yahweh Family Stations Inc. Far East Broadcasting Co. Fundamental Broadcasting Network La Voz de Restauracion Broadcasting, Inc. Le Sea Broadcasting Corp. Radio Miami International Trans World Radio Two If By Sea Broadcasting Corp. WBCQ---The Planet Word Broadcasting World Christian Broadcasting World International Broadcasters World Wide Catholic Radio NASB Associate Members: Comet North America DRS Continental Electronics George Jacobs & Associates Hatfield and Dawson Consulting Engineers HCJB World Radio IBB TCI/Dielectric TDP Thales Broadcast and Multimedia VT Merlin Communications National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters 10400 NW 240th Street, Okeechobee, Florida 34972 Ph: (863) 763-0281 Fax: (863) 763-8867 E-mail: nasbmem@rocketmail.com 1 KSDA; WMLK; WEWN; WYFR; KFBS; WTJC; WBOH; WHRI; KWHR; WHRA; WRMI; KTWR; KAIJ; KVOH; WJIE; KNLS; WINB; WBCQ and WSHB. 2 See Broadcasters' User Manual, published by Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium, first edition, March 2004, page 47, chapter 6.4: "Under current coordination procedures, [HF] DRM transmissions may be introduced under similar principles to that in the MW bands. That is the service is first coordinated as if it were an analogue DSB service and then a DRM transmission substituted with a power level at least 7 dB lower than the allowable analogue transmission." 38 See letter from John O. Wood, BBG IRAC Representative, to Bruce A. Franca, Acting Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC, dated November 30, 2001, in ET Docket No. 02-161. 39 47 C.F.R. Part 73, Subpart F (International Broadcast Stations). 40 47 C.F.R. § 73.751 (Operating power). 10 (July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) Including some spurious footnotes and footnote references due to excerpting (gh) ** U S A. Speaking of captioning [OKLAHOMA, 4-110], I continue to be miffed by the strange situation at CNN. The original airings of Lou Dobbs, Larry King and NewsNight are captioned, but not the repeats later in the evening, even tho the captioning credit still runs on the main screen! Ideally, the error-filled on-the-fly captioning should be fixed up in the 2 or 4 hours between airings, but lacking that, is there no way to `record` the captioning, as imperfect as it may be, to play back synchronized along with the later repeats, which are actually prime-time for the western zones? Or is it a matter of costs and rights? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Media Concentration - interesting read July/August 2004 issue of "Washington Monthly" carries intriguing article by Ted Turner concerning the direction of American media. Available on web at http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0407.turner.html (Bob Cooper, New Zealand, WTFDA via DXLD) Viz.: My Beef With Big Media --- How government protects big media --- and shuts out upstarts like me. By Ted Turner . . . (via DXLD) ** U S A. NOW NEWSHOUNDS HAVE MORE TO WATCH The New York Times July 22, 2004 By ERIC A. TAUB http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/22/technology/circuits/22conv.html?pagewanted=print&position= FOR those who can't get enough of politics, ABC News has a treat this election season. The network will offer gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions, and then 24-hour news programming until the elections. The trouble is, most TV viewers will not be able to see it. That is because the special programming will be broadcast on the ABC stations' digital subchannels. In the digital broadcasting system, broadcasters can squeeze several channels into the space required for one standard analog version. They are named in on-screen program guides as 7.1, 7.2 and so on. Broadcasters use these digital subchannels to transmit foreign- language feeds, infomercials, weather maps and continuously repeated local news broadcasts. To see them, viewers must have a digital TV with decoding equipment (either built in or in a set-top box) and receive the digital signals over the air or through a satellite or cable service. The network decided to use subchannels for extended political coverage a few weeks ago, after Peter Jennings, the network's anchor, approached David Westin, the president of ABC News, about alternative means of carrying the convention. Mr. Jennings knew that the network already offered a 24-hour news feed, ABC News Live, on the Internet. Mr. Westin thought that that sort of coverage could be extended to additional platforms as well. "We've been looking for ways of using new technologies to help stop us from losing audience share," Mr. Westin said. He and the network's affiliates had been discussing how to use the extra spectrum afforded by digital transmission for the past year, and the convention coverage provided a logical way to start, he said. Mr. Jennings will be the anchor of six hours of prime-time coverage at each convention on the standard network broadcast, and will also present 19 hours of coverage for the digital subchannel and ABC News Live. Between the two conventions, and through the presidential elections, the digital feed will become a 24-hour all-news channel, always with an anchor. The news feed will be carried by ABC's 10 owned and operated stations. The network's independent affiliates "are excited about pursuing this test," said Deb McDermott, chairwoman of the ABC Affiliate Board and president of Young Broadcasting. Yet the board does not know how many affiliates will carry the second feed, or how many local cable affiliates will offer the channel to subscribers. "We're still working through the logistics," Ms. McDermott said. ABC's competitors are not doing anything as technologically advanced. "We have cable news channels, so we don't need to use a digital subchannel," said Mark Lukasiewicz, the producer of NBC News. The network will offer gavel-to-gavel coverage on MSNBC and streaming coverage at http://www.msnbc.com, plus programming on CNBC. Several Web logs will be available to users of wireless devices. CBS will make gavel-to-gavel coverage available at no charge at http://www.cbsnews.com One thing most viewers won't see at this year's conventions is sharp and wide high-definition images. While HDTV ownership continues to grow, neither CBS nor NBC will use the feed from the HDTV pool cameras on the convention floor, operated by the Japanese network NHK. Mr. Westin said that ABC, which provided high-definition pool coverage of this year's State of the Union address, might try HDTV. Limited HDTV convention coverage will be available to subscribers of HDNet, which is seen on satellite and some cable systems. The company will also offer its affiliates a second channel of gavel-to-gavel coverage in HDTV as a free service to subscribers. Dish Network says it will carry the special feed. ABC's foray into 24-hour political news may turn out to be more than an isolated use of digital technology. Just as coverage of the Iranian hostage crisis in the 1970's became the catalyst for the emergence of the late-night news program "Nightline," Mr. Westin said he would not be surprised if this year's extended political coverage resulted in a lasting 24-hour news feed. "This is in the back of my mind," he said. "We may be ahead of our time, but at some point, this will happen." Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. CBS SAYS IT WILL NOT ACCEPT SUPER BOWL INCIDENT FINE CBS says that it will fight any fines leveled against its television stations over Janet Jackson's startling Super Bowl performance, according to a top executive with parent company Viacom Inc. on July 19th. An FCC staff recommendation did not call for fining CBS affiliates that aired the Super Bowl halftime show but are not owned by Viacom. But CBS itself could face a fine of $550,000 or of $27,500 for each of its 20 owned and operated stations that aired the so called Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction. Now, in a recent talk before the Television Critics Association, Viacom co-president and co-chief operating officer Leslie Moonves criticized any fine as being grossly unfair. He said that CBS considers the idea of a fine as patently ridiculous and that the company will take the matter into court if such a penalty is imposed. (Published news reports via ARNewsline(tm) July 23 via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup) ** U S A. The Monitor's path ahead --- 07/16/2004 Dear Reader: In June, The Christian Science Publishing Society's Board of Trustees spoke about its continuing commitment to support the vital role of the Monitor in publishing the highest-quality journalism in the 21st century. It also announced that the Monitor is entering a time of reassessment, honing, and streamlining in order to bring expenses in line with revenue. . . Click here to read this story online: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0716/p09s03-comv.html (via Jim Moats, OH, DXLD) Because of the steep hike, I will not be renewing my subscription (Jim Moats, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. HY LIT SAYS STATION CUT HIS PAY BECAUSE HE HAS PARKINSON'S STATION HAD NO COMMENT 6:23 pm EDT July 21, 2004 Associated Press Radio personality Hy Lit, one of the city's hottest DJs during the golden age of rock 'n' roll, filed a federal lawsuit accusing an oldies station of age and disability discrimination. Lit, 71, said WOGL-FM has been cutting his salary and his hours over the past four years as he became more hindered by the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The suit said his pay was slashed from $140,000 to $75,000 in 2000. In 2001 he lost his prime weekday afternoons shift and had his salary slashed again, to $35,000. Finally, the suit claims, WOGL fired him as a full-time employee in 2002 and made him a $900-a-month "independent contractor" working without benefits. He is now on the air for two hours on Sunday nights. Lit contends his reduced status has nothing to do with his ability to do his job. Parkinson's disease has impaired his muscle control and made it difficult to stand, but hasn't hurt his voice, the suit said. He was diagnosed with the illness in 1987, the year before he began work at WOGL, but did not begin to show symptoms until 2000. The suit, filed in Philadelphia, names WOGL; the station's general manager, Sil Scaglione; the station's corporate owner, Infinity Broadcasting; and its parent-company, Viacom Inc., as defendants. Scaglione did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday. A spokeswoman for Infinity Broadcasting said she was unaware of the lawsuit and declined to immediately comment. Lit, who lives in Merion, began his career in 1954 as the host of "Rock and Roll Kingdom" on WHAT-AM, spent years as a top jockey at WIBG-AM, had a syndicated television show in the late 1960s and early '70s and was an announcer for the Harlem Globetrotters and Philadelphia 76ers (via RadioGuy, Tampa Bay FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. REPUTED MAFIA MEMBERS INDICTED IN MURDER ATTEMPT ON TALKRADIO HOST Thu Jul 22 2004 09:21:21 ET After 12 years, John Gotti Jr. has been indicted for planning the attempted hit on WABC Talk Show Host Curtis Sliwa. 3 other reputed mafia members were also indicted along with him for attempted murder. All were picked up last night, except for Gotti who is still in prison for earlier crimes. It was June, of 1992, when Curtis was coming to work at WABC to do his morning show around 5 am. He got in a cab outside his Greenwich Village apartment. A masked gunman was in hiding in the front seat, rose up and shot Curtis 5 times in the lower abdomen, while Curtis struggled with the gun. The cab wrecked into the curb, while Curtis crawled out of the back window bleeding, hoping for help. The gunman and cab driver, apparently both mafia hitmen, ran off thinking he was a dead man. Curtis has consistently railed against Gotti Jr, his late father, and the Gotti crime family. Earlier in 1992 he was attacked by four men wielding baseball bats and was nearly killed. Then the second attack a few months later that placed him in the hospital for months. Still Curtis has never stopped talking about the crimes of the mafia. The NYPD at the time investigated the case, and dismissed the notion that the Gotti crime family was behind the attacks. In fact, Curtis reported at the time the first cops on the scene laughed when he told them the story. The cops even forwarded a ``love triangle`` Theory that may have led to his eventual divorce from his on-air co-host at the time, Lisa Evers. Today, Curtis hosts the 7th rated morning show in New York City with Ron Kuby. Ironically, Kuby has represented the Gotti family on other problems, and tin 2000 had his own mafia hit man troubles. Former mafia hitman Sammy ``The Bull`` Gravano had placed a hit on Kuby on two occasions, after Kuby sued Gravano on behalf of the victims families who Gravano had killed. Developing... (Drudge via RadioGuy, FL, July 22, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Per a posting on the FRN, WQST is a DC-area pirate running about 40 watts and on about 1682 KHz (MARE Tipsheet July 23 via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. Re: GERMANY. Updated A-04 schedule for DTK T- systems. (PART 1 - DAILY TRANSMISSIONS) Radio Chan Troi Moi/Radio New Horizon: 1330-1430 17595 JUL 100 kW / 075 deg to Vietnam Vietnamese (Observer, Bulgaria, July 20 via DXLD) [this item via WORLD OF RADIO 1239; what about Spain on 17595?] This New Horizon transmission does no longer appear in the 'latest' DTK schedule dated 18 June. Is it really on the air? New Horizon via Taiwan on 1503 was confirmed 1330-1430 as before (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. 6045, R. Zimbabwe, 2100-2230, peaking 2220 July 22. Gives full schedule at 2200 in English of all SW frequencies in use (Bob Padula, Vic., EDXP via DXLD) Viz.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ TENTH ANNUAL MEXICAN DX MEETING, VERACRUZ, JULY 29-AUGUST 1 A bit of last-minute news about the Mexican DX Meeting: We have confirmed the attendance of Adrian Peterson of AWR, two representatives of Radio Taiwan International (Cheryl Lai, President; and Elena Chen, head of Spanish section), Abner Mir from Radio Free Asia, and Thais and myself from Radio Miami. Unfortunately, due to last-minute complications, Manolo de la Rosa and his wife Malena from RHC will be unable to attend. There are three DXers from the U.S. and two from Finland who are confirmed (including Risto Vahakainu of the Finnish DX Association). There will be coverage of the event on Manolo's program "En Contacto" on RHC beginning shortly after the meeting. I've been asked to do a series of reports for the program. That's in Spanish of course. In English, we'll have reports on the DX Party Line (Jeff White, FL, July 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NATIONAL RADIO CLUB Convention UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE! Hard to believe, but we're just over a month away from the NRC's historic return to Western New York for the Batavia convention - and here are some important updates. (Please pass them along to anyone who might be interested off-list, too!) First, and most important: Registration is NOW OPEN. Jerry Bond is handling this piece of the action, and you can register in two ways: by mail ($40 check payable to "National Radio Club") to Jerry Bond, 143 Burwell Road, Rochester NY 14617 - or by credit card/PayPal at http://www.nrcdxas.org/convention/04nrccon/ Your registration covers all of the following: informative, educational convention packet (gotta get to work on the packet!); refreshments in the convention room from Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning; pizza/drinks at Jim Renfrew's place Friday night and the banquet Saturday night. You're on your own (for payment, anyway) for Thursday lunch in Toronto, Thursday dinner in Batavia, Friday lunch in Buffalo and Saturday lunch in Rochester. Registration for member spouses (banquet only) is $20. PLEASE register ASAP, as it's important for us to try to get an accurate count of attendees. If you'd be so kind as to let us know which of the special events you'll be taking part in (Toronto trip on Thursday, Buffalo station tours Friday, Rochester tours Saturday, Antique Wireless Association Museum tour Sunday afternoon), that would be super, too. And if you're still going to be in town Sunday night and you're interested in a minor-league baseball game (Rochester Red Wings vs. Buffalo Bisons), please let me know ASAP so I can look into group ticket rates! Second, we've now confirmed that the Rochester tours on Saturday will include the big I-A clear channel flamethrower of the region, WHAM 1180! (Thanks to Craig Kincaid at Clear Channel Rochester for being our host for this tour). Rochester tours will also include WXXI 1370 and WHIC 1460, and perhaps a few more to be named shortly. We're still nailing down the last of the Buffalo details, but expect some "flamethrowing" announcements there too in the days to come. We've also confirmed our banquet speaker, Bob Savage, owner of WYSL 1040 in Avon NY and former DJ at WKBW 1520 and CKLW 800, just to name a few. Bob will share his stories of the glory days of top-40 AM radio and of the struggles and successes of being a small station owner today. Third, Jim Renfrew's still collecting auction and door-prize material. Send it along to Jim at 6988 Bank Street Road, Byron NY 14422. Fourth, several of you have asked about activities for spouses/ significant others. Now that she's unemployed (it's a long story; ask me over a beer or two at the convention!), Lisa Fybush has lots of time on her hands to coördinate activities. She's planning a visit to the Genesee Country Village & Museum for Saturday, I think. In any case, if you're interested in spousal tours, drop her a line at lisa @ fybush.com And finally, if you haven't booked your room at the Days Inn yet, what are you waiting for? 585-343-1440 is the number to call. Do it today! There's lots of information already available at the Batavia 2004 website, http://www.nrcdxas.org/convention/04nrccon/ - but if you have questions that aren't answered there, I'm happy to answer them here or by phone or e-mail. See you - soon - in Batavia! Scott Fybush (for the NRC 2004 Team: Jerry Bond, Saul Chernos, Greg "newlywed" Coniglio, Rick Lucas, Jim Renfrew and Nolan Stephany) (NRC-AM July 22 via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ ANTENNA REFERENCE MANUAL Volume 3 National Radio Club has just published Volume 3 of this book on antennas, amplifiers and phasing, a collexion of articles all by ace MW DXer Mark Connelly. It`s 123 pages, perfect bound with lots of diagrams --- all too technical for me, but bound to be a goldmine of info for the experimenter wanting to increase MW DXing capability. It`s available for $16.95 postpaid from National Radio Club, P O Box 164, Mannsville NY 13661-0164. I assume that price applies to US addresses only (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) IBOC THREAD CONTINUES == List Question of the Week == "The Reply Comments for the FCC's inquiry on Digital Radio (Docket 99-325) has ended. Have you read both the comments and the replies? Have you read anything of interest or read something that was new to you? How do you think the FCC will act in this case?" (NRC-AM July 16 via DXLD) Actually, you may reply to the comments and the deadline is now August 2. All you procrastinators, delayers, and assorted others may now redeem your souls (Chuck Hutton, NRC-AM via DXLD) Judging from the response thus far, the general answer to the first question is "no". Frankly, I'm disappointed that more club members haven't taken an interest in this topic, since it's central to the club's whole reason for being. You don't have to be a techie to have an opinion about the future of AM broadcasting. Anyway, I have read all of the comments and replies, except for all the "me too" stuff from the campaign orchestrated by public radio supporters, and the stuff about digital rights management. I also filed both comments and reply comments (the latter are currently the second-to-last item appearing on the docket). I'm disappointed that the NAB and iBiquity, in their reply comments, did not try to refute anything that I put in my comments --- they simply ignored them. They clearly think they have this thing in the bag, and have nothing to gain by arguing the technical merits of the IBOC system(s). On the contrary, why give credence to your critics by arguing with them? Their stance is basically that it's too late to bring up arguments on technical grounds, since the FCC has already selected IBOC as the system for terrestrial digital radio broadcasting in the US. It was nice to see some good comments from NRCers, as well as from a few broadcast professionals who aren't afraid to point out that the emperor is unclothed (or, as someone once put it, "the clothes have no emperor"). The opposition to nighttime AM IBOC from stations such as WGN and KRVN should at least give the FCC some pause. How will the FCC act? They will bless the IBOC systems with rulemaking that takes them out of interim status, thus ending the era of open standards in radio broadcasting. They will give the NAB what they want, which is minimal restrictions on how IBOC is used (e.g., allowing multiple audio streams on FM). For the AM band specifically, they will not do the right thing, which would be to scrap the hybrid IBOC system and conduct a thorough and unbiased study of the current and future use of the band. They will authorize nighttime operation of the AM IBOC system. The only lingering question is whether they will allow blanket authorization as the NAB and iBiquity want, or whether they will adopt some more restrictive rules, such as prior notification to all stations that could be interfered with. There is a slim chance that this could happen, but I'm not betting on it, since a scheme like that would really hamstring AM IBOC. Most likely there will be few or no restrictions, and then we can all sit back and watch the fur start to fly (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) I was surprised to read the comments of WGN, Reunion, and KRVN, all opposing IBOC. Leonard Kahn's comments were quite entertaining; WOR's were interesting in the shots they took at those of us who are too stupid to know what's best for us. I'm also very proud to know all of my fellow NRC and DXAS members who took time to make thoughtful comments. Maybe we should start a pool to see if AM IBOC gets night authorization. My bet is yes, but with some stipulations that won`t help anything (Paul Smith W4KNX, ibid.) Paul, I think they telegraphed that earlier in their request for comments. If that holds true, they will permit nighttime AM-IBOC with the previously announced interference complaint procedure that requires staff to act within 90 days of a station's complaint of primary coverage interference, and requires a 6 dB reduction of IBOC sidebands/subcarriers if they fail to act. IMHO, WGN's proposal made the most sense under the circumstances, but that would be a major setback for the undisclosed time table they are apparently using. It appears they think that if IBOC is fully deployed before the full extent of interference becomes clear, they can get away with it. Sadly, they probably will (Phil Alexander, CSRE, Indianapolis, ibid.) I didn't comment on IBOC (or on BPL for that matter) because I think that the FCC doesn't really care about the public's feedback. They have a statutory obligation to allow the public to comment but they don't take those comments seriously. The FCC will pay attention to the corporations and their lobbyists but not to the public (Dave Hochfelder, NJ, July 20, ibid.) Radio World editorial---"Is Skywave Listening Archaic?" (includes now-obligatory dig at DXers who oppose IBOC and mistakenly assumes satellite radio listeners are former skywave listeners): http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/06_rw_oninionjuly1.shtml (via Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, ibid.) Clear Channel commits to digital on AM and FM http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/22/business/media/22radio.html?ei=5006&en=a71c23019d811c0f&ex=1091246400&partner=ALTAVISTA1&pagewanted=print&position= (via Bill Harms, Mike Cooper, DXLD) Viz.: CLEAR CHANNEL TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIGITAL RADIO SIGNALS By JACQUES STEINBERG July 22, 2004 The future of radio may or may not lie with the transmission of digital signals, but Clear Channel Communications, the nation's largest owner of radio stations, said yesterday that it planned to spend more than $100 million over the next decade to find out. John Hogan, the chief executive of Clear Channel Radio, said in a phone interview that over the next year, the company planned to outfit 100 of its 1,200 stations with the capability to transmit a digital signal. It will then add at least 100 more stations a year for the foreseeable future. About 100 stations across the country - including eight owned by Clear Channel - are already experimenting with such technology because it is supposed to elevate a traditional FM signal to compact disk quality and an AM signal to the level of clarity of a current FM channel. Among the hurdles confronting those efforts has been this: almost no one owns a receiver capable of retrieving such a signal, in part because radio manufacturers - including companies like Kenwood and JVC - only recently began making them. Such tuners do not come cheap. On its Web site, Kenwood suggests that stores charge $500 for a digital tuner that can be used with a car radio, albeit one already capable of picking up the signals of satellite radio providers, which operate on a subscription basis. Until such time that digital radios are in wide use, those Clear Channel stations that will have the capability to transmit digital signals, beginning with those in the nation's 100 largest markets, will also continue to broadcast more traditional, analog signals, Mr. Hogan said. Nonetheless, by virtue of its dominance of the radio industry, Clear Channel's decision to invest more heavily in digital radio, at a cost of $100,000 a station, is likely to bolster efforts to make such technology more available to consumers. Clear Channel, along with several other big broadcasters, including Viacom, was already an investor in iBiquity, a company that is developing the technology underpinning digital radio. "This will give manufacturers like the auto industry the confidence that there will be a market,'' Mr. Hogan said. But the inability of most Americans to listen to such signals is hardly the only problem facing the radio industry. The Recording Industry Association of America, a powerful trade group, last month asked the Federal Communications Commission to adopt rules that would prohibit the use of digital radio as a means of widespread piracy. The association's concern is that listeners would be able to train their tuners to scan the airwaves to collect libraries of songs that could then be disseminated widely, and at compact disk quality, over the Internet. Separately, Clear Channel said yesterday that it was filing a countersuit against a rival, Infinity Broadcasting, and its most prominent host, Howard Stern. Last month, Infinity sued Clear Channel to recover licensing fees after Clear Channel dropped Mr. Stern from six stations in the midst of an F.C.C. investigation over obscenity complaints against him (NY Times via Bill Harms, DXLD) Subject: {AMSF} CC committed to IBOC Clear Channel Radio is going to convert the bulk of its stations to HD Radio. The company has also named Kevin Lockhart to a new position as SVP of technology to head the effort. Clear Channel Radio said it would immediately begin an aggressive rollout of digital broadcasting equipment to 1,000 [it`s 100, not 1,000 per the NYT story above@!!!] of the company's 1,200 stations, working with Ibiquity Digital. Terms of the relationship with Ibiquity were not disclosed. Specifically, the company plans to install 95% of its top 100 markets within three years. "Digital radio is a transforming application and Clear Channel Radio is committed to passing on its benefits to our listeners," stated Lockhart. "The ability to deliver radically improved, CD-quality radio programming and reception, along with data and related services, is a powerful advantage for the radio industry and an important advance for listeners." (via Ian Davidson, Australia, amstereo forum via Jeff Lehmann, MA, WTFDA via DXLD) Oh crap. The same programming that they're running now. I guess this will give the rest of the country a chance to feel the pain that we're feeling here in Boston. Its not pretty, let me tell you )eff Lehmann, Hanson, MA, ibid.) And what will the programming be on each of these 1,000 CC stations as they come on line? The fat lady singing, of course. It is a sad day for DXers (Bill Dvorak, Madison WI, July 22, WTFDA via DXLD) Not really a surprise, since they've been one of the biggest advocates for IBOC for both AM & FM all along. But even this doesn't guarantee it's success. CC still can't make people buy digital radios. (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) Good point. Remember, too, that a lot of Clear Channel stations quit streaming their signals to the internet when it got to be more of a hassle than it was worth. They also pretty much ditched AM Stereo when it was apparent there was virtually no demand for it (Tom Bryant / Nashville, TN, ibid.) If we're talking about AM, it'll be the fat lady singing for AM, not just for DX'ers. But if we're talking FM, so far I'm rather pleased at how easily decent skip - tropo or Es makes it through the FM sidebands on my 7-miles-away local IBOC station. But I do think all of us who aren't currently using phasing may need to go that route (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell PA, ibid.) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARRL SEEKS CLARIFICATION OF FCC RESPONSE TO BPL INTERFERENCE COMPLAINT NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 23, 2004 -- The ARRL wants the FCC to further explain its recent response to a North Carolina amateur's complaint of BPL interference. FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) Deputy Chief Bruce A. Franca replied July 22 to an April 27 BPL interference complaint from Thomas A. Brown, N4TAB, of Wake Forest. Brown had complained of BPL interference to his amateur HF mobile station emanating from a Progress Energy Corp (PEC) BPL field trial in the Raleigh area. In his letter, copied to ARRL, Franca said an on- site investigation had concluded that PEC's BPL trial "is in compliance" with FCC rules and that the company's ham band notching efforts "are effective" to avoid the potential for harmful interference. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, however, cited evidence to the contrary. "It is not at all clear that the tests and measurements taken by the FCC . . . established the absence of harmful interference to licensed stations," Sumner responded July 22. He said the League would like the OET to make its test report available to the general public or at least to the League for technical review and comment. The ARRL also wants to know what steps PEC took between April 27 and June 28 -- when the FCC began its testing -- to address interference complaints from Brown and several other radio amateurs. The FCC defines as "harmful" any interference that "seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication service operating in accordance with the Radio Regulations." According to Franca, FCC personnel "undertook extensive testing and measurements" of the PEC BPL system between June 28 and July 2. The complainant --- Brown --- says the FCC delegation never contacted him while it was in North Carolina. Franca says FCC measurements indicated notch depths averaging 24 dB below Part 15 emission limits, which he characterized as "sufficient to eliminate any signals that would be deemed capable of causing harmful interference, including interference to amateur operations." Franca maintained that "in no instances" were signal levels high enough to "cause serious degradation, obstruction, or repeated interruption" of amateur mobile or fixed communications. He conceded, however, that notching on 10 meters was somewhat less effective at the low end of the band and said the FCC would instruct PEC and its partner, Amperion, to widen its notch there. Sumner noted that the Part 15 device operators "must eliminate all harmful interference, and therefore in some cases much achieve more – in certain cases, considerably more -- than a 24 dB reduction in order to be in compliance." He also cited recent reports from amateurs in the area indicating that strong BPL interference continues in parts of the PEC trial zone. "From consulting with the amateurs who have been and continue to receive harmful interference from the Progress Energy trials, we find that while the interference has been reduced (but not eliminated) in some parts of the amateur bands, it continues unabated in others," Sumner told Franca. Amateurs in the Raleigh area on July 17 and again July 22 monitored a BPL signal "at full strength and causing harmful interference" from 14.290 to 14.350 MHz. "Harmful interference" also was reported in the first 100 kHz of 15 meters as well as on the WWV/WWVH frequencies of 15.000 and 20.000 MHz and on several international broadcasting bands. "Even in the notched bands," Sumner said, "the interference was still evident on ordinary amateur equipment." He said it's clear to ARRL that the system's Holland Church Road site -- where the most recent amateur measurements were taken -- is in violation of Part 15. For his part, Brown -- an engineer with considerable RF experience – said he was glad the FCC finally took some action but found some of Franca's assertions "very troubling." He told ARRL that his 14-page complaint cited interference "sufficient to mask a weak signal," although it did not register on his S meter. "S0 is still microvolts of signal level," he pointed out. An active Amateur Radio Emergency Service District Emergency Coordinator, Brown said it's not unusual to have to copy similarly weak signals during an HF emergency net. "This was an action on behalf of the FCC simply to show action," Brown asserted. "I suspect the principal reason for their coming down here was to say they've actually done something." He also worried that the FCC was attempting to define a standard of "acceptable interference" within the framework of what constitutes "harmful interference." "If it interferes, it interferes," he maintained. In his letter Sumner also requested that the FCC clarify some additional aspects of its testing and measurement, including specifics on tests at two fixed Amateur Radio station locations where Franca said the FCC observed "no BPL interference" on ham frequencies, and what kind of amateur equipment was used to "show little field strength or observable signal levels in the notched bands," as Franca reported. "Until these points can be clarified," Sumner concluded, "we trust that the Commission will not permit its conclusion to be erroneously represented as having given the Progress Energy trials a 'clean bill of health.'" Copyright (c) 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www2.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/07/23/5/?nc=1 (via Ken Kopp, KS, dxldyg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ CHANCE OF GEOMAGNETIC STORM Over the last week or so, we've been seeing very nice solar activity. Solar activity has been strong, with the 10.7-cm Flux reading a high of 175. Last night between 6 PM and midnight, from my location, I heard many 20 meter QSO's between the West Coast and Europe and other areas of the world. On Shortwave, I heard strong DX openings on higher frequencies, longer into the night. Quite a number of flares, including a series of X-class as well as M- class flares have occurred over the last week or so. Most of them did not have any significant, associated coronal mass ejections. However, the few that occurred have caused us solar weather watchers to be on alert. So far, the elevated solar wind speed and pressure have not had too great of an affect on the Earth's geomagnetic field activity, since the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) orientation (Bz) was oriented in such a way as to not cause disturbance. However, as of the time of writing this NW7US Propagation Bulletin, at 2030Z, 22 July 2004, the IMF is moderately oriented southward, and has been now for a long period of time (since approx. 1330Z), and has steadily increased in its southward orientation (the Bz component has steadily become more negative). This will cause the geomagnetic field to become highly active, possibly even stormy. I am now predicting that we will see K index reading of at least 5, possibly 6, through this evening. This will degrade HF communications. The cause is the high-speed solar wind (currently near 700 km/s), and the long-duration southward orientation of the IMF, from a passing CME. In addition, I detect possibly two coronal holes rotating into the center of the Sun. They are each located off of the Sun's equator, but due to their proximity and apparent size, they could cause long- duration enhancement of the solar wind, causing a lengthy period of continued geomagnetic activity from active to stormy levels, over the course of next week. I will update you as conditions warrant. 73 de (Tomas, NW7US (AARØJA/AAAØWA), July 22, swl at qth.net via DXLD) QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 30 ARLP030 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA July 23, 2004 To all radio amateurs SB PROP ARL ARLP030 Propagation de K7RA Rising solar activity is in the news this week. Sunspot 652, a really big one, is currently looking straight at Earth. We are also experiencing effects from a coronal mass ejection from this spot. Early Thursday, July 22 (actually Wednesday night in the Americas) geomagnetic K indices were at 0 at all latitudes, even above the Arctic Circle. The effects of the coronal mass ejection itself were unimportant, but there was a strong solar wind behind it and the interplanetary magnetic field pointed south, which makes Earth vulnerable. By Thursday night K indices were at 5 and 6. Average daily sunspot numbers this week over the week previous rose more than 72 points. Average daily solar flux rose nearly 48 points. When the daily sunspot number reached 176 on Monday, July 19, it was the highest reading of this index since November 30, 2003. The solar flux at 175.2 on July 20 was the highest flux value since November 24 of last year. Of course, this doesn`t signal any sort of upward trend in the solar cycle, but at this point there is still enough variation to provide some excitement and interest. The latest SEC prediction still shows the low point of the smoothed sunspot cycle around December 2006 to January 2007. The January 2005 predicted smoothed sunspot number of 21 is two years prior to the predicted cycle bottom, but December 2007 shows the smoothed sunspot number rising back to 21. You can see this at the back of this week`s Preliminary Report and Forecast from Space Weather Operations, on the web at, http://www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly/pdf/prf1507.pdf You will need Adobe Reader to view it. For July 23-26, Friday through Monday, the predicted planetary A index is 25, 15, 10 and 10. Predicted solar flux for those same dates is 170, 160, 160 and 150. For HF, we generally want sunspot counts to be high for several days with stable geomagnetic conditions. Often the two don`t arrive together. Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, wrote a great piece for the propagation section of the ARRL Technical Information Service site titled ``Propagation Planning for DXpeditions.`` The information in this article isn`t just for folks planning expeditions to rare DXCC countries, but has good information about HF propagation and planning your ham radio activities. The link to his article is http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/propplan.pdf Here is an interesting website: http://space.rice.edu/ISTP/#Forecast This is the Space Weather Resources Page from the Rice Space Institute at Rice University in Texas. This page has many interesting links for those interested in space weather and its effects. For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service propagation web page at, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html Sunspot numbers for July 15 through 21 were 146, 142, 165, 169, 176, 147 and 162 with a mean of 158.1. 10.7 cm flux was 145.7, 146.5, 149.2, 155.1, 170.2, 175.2 and 172.2, with a mean of 159.2. Estimated planetary A indices were 9, 12, 24, 9, 9, 9 and 6, with a mean of 11.1. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 7, 8, 13, 6, 8, 6 and 5, with a mean of 7.6. NNNN /EX Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ###