DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-116, July 30, 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 EXTRA 49: 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 http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2030 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sat 2300 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0630 on WWCR 3210 Sun 1000 on WRN1 to North America, webcast; also KSFC 91.9 Spokane WA, and WDWN 89.1 Auburn NY; maybe KTRU 91.7 Houston TX, each with webcasts Sun 1100 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sun 1500 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sun 1900 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sun 2000 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Mon 0100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0230 on WRMI 6870 [NEW frequency ex-7385, probably] Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous 1239] 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 Extra 49 is the same as CONTINENT OF MEDIA 04-04] WORLD OF RADIO Extra 49 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx49h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx49h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0404.html WORLD OF RADIO Extra 49 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0404.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0404.rm WORLD OF RADIO in true shortwave sound via mp3: from Saturday? check http://www.piratearchive.com/dxprograms.htm DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS: New July 31 edition will be posted shortly: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. El Servicio para Afganistán está confirmando los Informes de Recepción. --- Estimado Don Guillermo, Ante todo reciba un cordial saludo, esperando que se encuentre muy bien junto a los suyos. El motivo de la presente, es para notificarle que hemos recibido la confirmación del servicio para Afganistan en lenguas locales, ya que recientemente pudimos captarla desde aquí en Venezuela. A continuación le presento la comunicación que me enviara el Sr. David Trilling encargado de este servicio: From: "David Trilling" david.trilling @ internews.org Subject: RE: Reception Report for Internews. Service for Afghanistan. Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 12:46:26 +0430 Dear Jorge, Thank you for identifying our broadcast. We appreciate the feedback and reception details that we have received from shortwave listeners as far apart as Finland and the United States. We are happy to add Venezuela to the list. The mixed Dari/Pashto broadcast which you detected is called "Salaam Watandar", originates in Kabul and is heard at 11795 kHz from 0130 to 0300 UT and at 17700 kHz from 1330 to 1500 UT. The broadcasts originate from VTMerlin`s transmitters in Rampisham, UK and (500 kW) and Dhabayya, Russia [sic!! --- UAE -- gh](250 kW), respectively. The program is also broadcast to Afghanistan by a network of 19 FM and AM affiliates. We expect the number of affiliate stations to reach 40 by the end of the year as new stations and existing state broadcasters join The network. The shortwave broadcasts are expected to continue through September 15, 2004. Thank you and we will send you a QSL card via Afghan post as soon as possible. Regards, David Trilling. [presumably attached the following:] ------------------------------------------ Salam Watandar --- The Internews National Program --- March 20th 2004 Afghanistan`s isolated rural population is the target for a new media initiative. Internews Afghanistan is building a network of 40 FM transmitters throughout the country which will be used to broadcast a new national program called Salaam Watandar 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 minutes in the morning and 90 minutes 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. Internews has already laid the groundwork for this USAID-funded project with two years of training, program production and successful local station development in Afghanistan. The Internews radio production team has been making programs for largely rural Afghan audiences since December 2002 as a founding member of the Tanin production and distribution network. In a year when Afghanistan`s first general elections are scheduled, this project will be the biggest single contribution to addressing the country`s information void and providing many eligible voters with vital information necessary for informed participation at the ballot box. It is Internews` aim to ultimately hand over the nation broadcast network and program to an Afghan partner while supporting the initiative for as long as it takes to make that successful transition. National Program Content: At the outset there will be at least three hours of independent radio programming aired every day. Of that, 50 percent will be original programming and 50 percent will be music. A key element of the production team`s output will be increased reporting relating to the country`s up-coming elections. The national news and current affairs section, Ba Khabar, the USAID-funded program launched in 2003, will gradually increase output from 10 minutes a day to 30. Other daily segments will include a five minute Vox Pop featuring ordinary Afghans from across the country on an issue of the day, daily productions of the popular Shahrak Atfal (Children`s City), an 8 minute segment on women`s issues and another 8 minute piece targeting rural issues. Internews is also training two DJs to present Afghan music to the nation. A reading from the Koran in Dari or Pashto will mark the beginning of the programs. Gradually output will be increased throughout the year to reach at least four hours by the end of 2004. The Salaam Watandar national program will start a test run early in May. The initiative will `go live` in June (via Jorge R. García, Venezuela, DXLD) {I knew this was going to happen sometime: it`s Jorge García Rangel, NOT the Piranha pirate operator whose name was attributed incorrectly!} ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Where is gone BBG Radio Free Afghanistan 19010 kHz? It's two or three local mornings (UTC+2) that the frequency is silent. Iranawila transmitter problems or program delete? (Luca BOTTO FIORA, I10799-GE, Rapallo (Italia), July 27, hard-core-dx via DXLD) There have been severe propagation disturbances the last few days, and the maximum usable frequency has been severely diminished. The signal from Sri Lanka is probably still on the air (gist of gh to Luca, via DXLD) Luca, I'm receiving R. Free Afghanistan loud and clear here in Caversham, UK on 19010 at 0507 UT, right now with news on the Taleban in Pakistan. SIO = 555 (Steve Howie, UK, July 28, ibid.) Thank you all for the precious infos. You're right, the non-reception of BBG R. Free Afghanistan was caused by propagation disturbances and in fact today at 0700-0720 UT the station reappeared on 19010 kHz [site: Iranawila, Sri Lanka], even if the S-meters of my receivers were blocked on the zero. At the same time it was also very low but clear China R. International on 17490 kHz (usually here S8-9!) and on 13mb some stations had fast peaks. A station unheard this morning was instead Suara Malaysia on 15295 kHz (Luca BOTTO FIORA, I10799-GE, QTH: Rapallo (Italia) 44N20 9E13, RXs: R7 Drake - Satellit 500 Grundig, ANTs: Ferrite 85cm amplified LW-MW - Dipole 49m - Longwire 20m, Accessories: AT2000 Mizuho - MFJ1026, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AVES ISLAND. Operation from Aves Island [425DXN 690] will start later then originally planned as the team's departure for the island was delayed until 2239 UT on 29 July, with a targeted landing scheduled for local sunrise on the 31st. The DXpedition team led by YV1DIG consists of nine YV operators and three foreign operators (K6MYC, OH2BH and OH0XX), as the fourth guest operator (K4UEE) had to return to the United States for family reasons. Look for YV0D to hit the airwaves on several bands and modes until 8 August. QSL via KB6NAN, direct or bureau. [TNX OH2BN] (4 2 5 D X N E W S Edited by I1JQJ & IK1ADH, Direttore Responsabile IK8MRA, July 31, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC Radio special programming in August http://www3.cbc.ca/sections/newsitem_redux.asp?ID=3543 CBC RADIO CELEBRATES THE WORLD ACADIAN CONGRESS THIS SUMMER Join CBC Radio for a celebration of the 2004 World Acadian Congress taking place in Nova Scotia, July 31 to Aug. 15. As Acadians from all over the world return to Nova Scotia to celebrate their 400th anniversary, CBC Radio will broadcast a variety of programs featuring Acadian music and culture as well as on-going coverage from the historic event. Canadians across the country will get a taste of what's happening at the Congress on La Grande Fête. From Aug. 9 to 13 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), on CBC Radio One, host Cynthia Maillet will have interviews, stories, music and reports from family reunions and festivities happening all over the province. World-renowned Canadian soprano Suzie LeBlanc will be featured on Suzie LeBlanc et compagnie, a concert with Chris Norman on flute, David Greenberg on violin and David McGuiness on harpsichord. Suzie LeBlanc et compagnie can be heard Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. (1:30 NT) on CBC Radio Two. In June, CBC producers put together a program called Three Countries, One Culture involving three performers from three different countries recorded together via "studio hookup". The artists-Canada's Edith Butler, France's Patrick Verbeke and Louisiana's Bruce Daigrepont will all be in Nova Scotia for the World Acadian Congress and will perform together for a live concert/recording. This follow-up concert will be heard Friday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) as part of the final episode of Le Grande Fête on CBC Radio One. CBC Radio is also pleased to present Pélagie, a musical production based on Antonine Maillet's novel Pélagie-la-Charette. It tells the story of Pélagie LeBlanc as she journeys back to Grand Pré in Nova Scotia from Georgia, gathering Acadians along her way. Pélagie airs Friday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) and Sunday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. (2:30 NT) on CBC Radio Two. From Aug. 2 to 13, Between The Covers presents The Tale of Don L'Original, Antonine Maillet's entertaining fantasy about the clever, uncouth Flea Islanders, who pit themselves against the far more civilized villagers on the mainland. The two distinct groups' struggle holds up a mirror to Acadian history. The series airs weekdays at 2:30 p.m. (3 NT) and 10:40 p.m. (11:10 NT) on CBC Radio One. The culmination of the World Acadian Congress takes place Sunday, Aug. 15 in the form of an outdoor concert on Halifax's historic Citadel Hill. The 400th Anniversary Concert promises to be a night of extraordinary music, by some of the most successful artists to emerge from Acadia, including Edith Butler, Lenny Gallant, Zachary Richard from Louisiana and more. Cynthia Maillet and Costas Halavrezos host this live concert event starting at 8 p.m. (9 AT, 9:30 NT) on CBC Radio One. For information on CBC's Acadian programming or events, go to http://www.cbc.ca/acadian (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CANADA. Format Change in Winnipeg --- Hi all, As of today, July 30, CHNR 100.7 in Winnipeg has dropped its seniors-oriented nostalgia format for a soft rock oldies 50's and 60's Solid Gold Format. They used to play a lot of 1940's big band music and some even earlier stuff. With the exception of morning and evening drive, they have replaced their live DJ's with an automated playlist. Slogan is now "The Breeze-100.7 FM." As far as I know, the call is unchanged. Personally, although I did not listen to them much, I am saddened to see live DJs and local content replaced by automated play lists (Morris Sorensen, Winnipeg MB, ODXA via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA [non]. De la redacción de Radio Enlace en Hilversum, la siguiente información proporcionada por Pedro Hurtado quien reporta desde Chile, las siguientes emisoras: a la Red Internacional en los 6165 kHz con transmisor en Cahuita, Costa Rica, en español con programas culturales y religiosos a las 2200 (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Radio Enlace, July 30, Radio Nederland, via DXLD) ¡Falso! Como ya informamos varias veces, ésta es una emisión de Radio Mundial Adventista, originando en San José, y transmitida por la misma Radio Nederland vía Bonaire. Desde hace varios años, los transmisores de Cahuita pertenecen a Dr. Gene Scott (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Shown on Prime Time TV in Cuba Thu Jul 29, 6:54 PM ET [re 4-115, USA] http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040729/film_nm/cuba_bush_movie_dc_2 HAVANA (Reuters) - U.S. director Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" was shown on prime time Cuban state-run television on Thursday after playing to packed cinemas for a week. In a country with a deep-seated distrust of U.S. governments, the film has generated widespread public interest and added to a recent barrage of official criticism of President Bush. Cubans have stood in long lines to buy tickets to see rough DVD copies projected at 120 cinema theaters across the island to unfailing applause. "We hope this film will lead Americans to see the reality of their government, and not only deny Bush reelection but put him on trial for the harm he has done to humanity," said retired worker Armando Rodríguez. "The film is a work of love for humanity. It confirms what many of us believe, that George W. Bush is a real threat to the world," said University of Havana professor Arnaldo Coro Antich. Hostility between Washington and Havana dates back four decades since President Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, but relations have become very tense since Bush launched a plan to undermine Castro's communist- run government in May. Restrictions put into effect by the White House on June 30 to cut back visits and cash remittances to Cuba by relatives living in the United States have annoyed Cubans on both sides of the Florida Straits. In a speech on Monday, Castro portrayed Bush as a "sinister" religious fundamentalist bent on destroying Cuban socialism and lengthily discussed the U.S. president's past drinking problems as the root of his "bellicosity." Castro drew laughter from his audience quoting Moore's book "Stupid White Men" which questions Bush's reading abilities. Cuban dissidents who saw "Fahrenheit 9/11" praised the United States for its freedom of expression and lamented that such criticism of a president was not allowed in Cuba where the one-party state controls the media (via Curtis Sadowski, IL, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) Am I mistaken, or isn`t that our favorite Cuban DXer being quoted? (Sadowski, ibid.) Yes! (gh) ** CUBA. Whenever RHC brings up the ``five Cuban political prisoners in the US``, remember this: (gh, DXLD) MEDIA WATCHDOG CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH OF IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS | Text of press release by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on 28 July New York, 28 July 2004: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating health of imprisoned journalists Julio César Galvez, Edel José García and Jorge Olivera Castillo, who are among the 29 journalists sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Cuba in 2003. Galvez is serving a 15-year prison sentence at La Pendiente Prison in central Villa Clara Province. He suffers from several ailments, including high blood pressure, liver problems, high cholesterol and urinary problems. These illnesses have appeared or worsened during his imprisonment, according to his wife Beatriz del Carmen Pedroso. From 26 February to 9 July 2004, Galvez was hospitalized and on 11 March a stone was removed from his gallbladder. Pedroso told CPJ she is very worried about her husband's health, including his increased nervousness and said she would apply for a medical parole on his behalf. García is currently serving his 15-year prison sentence at the hospital of Combinado del Este Prison in the capital, Havana, where he has been since 25 February 2004. He is suffering from gastritis and has developed severe claustrophobia and depression, his wife, María Margarita Borges, told CPJ. In addition, García has been blind in one eye since childhood and has limited vision in the other. Olivera, who has been at the Guantánamo Provincial Hospital in eastern Guantánamo Province since 26 February 2004, is serving an 18-year prison sentence. According to his wife, Nancy Alfaya, Olivera has had intense abdominal pain caused by chronic colitis. In addition, he suffers from unstable blood pressure and other ailments that have worsened while in prison. Alfaya says that her husband never had blood pressure problems before entering prison, and that his general health has worsened since his incarceration. "The Cuban government jailed these journalists using legislation that flouts internationally recognized freedom of expression standards," said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper. "We continue to demand their immediate and unconditional release." Background Galvez, García and Olivera were imprisoned in April 2003 in a massive government crackdown on the independent media and political opposition. The arrests of political dissidents and journalists - who were accused of being "counter revolutionaries" at the service of the United States - began in March 2003. The journalists' summary trials were held on 3-4 April behind closed doors. Some journalists were tried under Article 91 of the Penal Code, which imposes lengthy prison sentences or death for those who act against "the independence or the territorial integrity of the State." Other journalists were prosecuted for violating Law 88 for the Protection of Cuba's National Independence and Economy, which mandates up to 20 years in prison for anyone who commits acts "aimed at subverting the internal order of the Nation and destroying its political, economic and social system." On 7 April 2003, courts across the island announced prison sentences for the journalists ranging from 14 to 27 years. In June 2003, the People's Supreme Tribunal, Cuba's highest court, dismissed the journalists' appeals for annulment (recursos de casación) and upheld their convictions. The imprisoned journalists, most of whom are being held in maximum- security facilities, have denounced their unsanitary prison conditions and inadequate medical care. They have also complained of being fed foul-smelling and rotten food. Many journalists have been transferred to cells with common criminals, while others remain in isolation. Unlike the general prison population, who receive more frequent visits, imprisoned journalists are allowed family visits every three months and marital visits every five months. Source: Committee to Protect Journalists press release, New York, in English 28 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. Manolo de la Rosa informa sobre los actuales horarios y frecuencias del programa En Contacto emitido todos los domingos en español, a través de Radio Habana Cuba, cuyos realizadores y conductores son Malena Negrín y Manolo de la Rosa: A las 1335 en 15230, 11760, 11800, 9550 y 6000 kHz. Alrededor de las 2155 en 15120, 9550 y 15230 kHz; a las 0135 en 15230, 11760, 11875, 9505, 9600, 9655 y 5965 kHz. Finalmente cabe señalar aquí que "En Contacto" cumplió 19 años en el aire el pasado 7 de Julio. [and remember Jeff White will be doing a report on this show from the Mexican DX Meeting, presumably August 1-2 --- gh] Sobre el programa DX emitido a través de Radio Rebelde, Manolo de la Rosa me informó acerca de sus horarios y frecuencias: El programa en si, se llama "Para los Diexistas" y sale; uno los días sábados [¿¿universales??] alrededor de las 0405 con una duración de 7 minutos dentro del programa "Estaciones de Rebelde" por los 670 kHz y los 5025 kHz. El otro, también con el mismo nombre y con una duración de 10 minutos sale al aire los domingos [¿¿universales??] y solamente en onda corta alrededor de las 0330 por las frecuencias de 11655, 6120 y 15570 kHz. Este espacio DX sale dentro del programa "Ventana Rebelde". Cabe señalar que los reportes son verificados personalmente por Manolo de la Rosa, quien me pasó ésta información, a todos quienes reporten este programa, con una original QSL. La dirección para escribirle es: Espacio DX; Radio Rebelde; Apartado 6.277; La Habana 6; Cuba. ó también a la dirección electrónica: relapubli @ rrebelde.icrt.cu (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Radio Enlace, July 30, Radio Nederland, via DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH [non]. WDXC Editor's note - as time went by after WW2 many official stories were released about those who did highly secret wartime jobs. Bletchley Park and 'black' broadcasting for instance. MICHAEL BURDEN put together a lengthy monthly serial on the latter and the work of Sefton Delmer in this magazine some years ago. The stories were factual. Of late never a week passes than someone of the past is claimed to be of suspect characture [sic]. Paul Youngs tells the latest. [is this all written by Paul Youngs, or does it merge into a synopsis/transcript of the programme??? --- gh] Monday, 28 June, 9 pm: CHANNEL 4 "SECRET HISTORY" SEX BOMB Channel 4's documentary about Sefton Delmer and British psychological warfare in the 1940s was good in parts. While the programme did include reference to SOE's efforts in "black" radio propaganda and fascinating interviews with Ellic Howe (one of Delmer's master forgers and author of "The Black Game") and Delmer's daughter it was very clear that the programme makers were much more concerned with cranking up audience ratings by dwelling on the "sex" part of their bomb. Thus the viewer was treated to tabloid TV images of naked women wherever possible to illustrate Delmer's pornographic propaganda leaflets and filthy radio broadcasting. The salacious nature of some of the radio programming was 'cleverly' pointed up by close-ups of the startlingly painted lips of the actress portraying Vicki (?) as she attempted to seduce the German sailors into giving up their war. According to David Monaghan, a historian and producer of "Sex Bomb", "Before, some of the evidence, which has come out in dribs and drabs, was seen as an aberration but we can now show it as a systematic and concerted policy." The research among files at the national archives in Kew, London, has revealed a meticulously organised British propaganda campaign to spread tales of paedophilia and perversion among leading Nazis by a secret intelligence unit of the Foreign Office. Much of the information was thought to have been destroyed after the war but new pictures, transcripts of broadcasts and Cabinet Office files have gradually emerged this year from government archives and private collections. They reveal the full extent of Delmer's "spin" operation at the political intelligence department as well as the unease at his tactics felt by some figures in the British government. Delmer's stories, distributed on obscene postcards and in lurid radio broadcasts, include imagined stories of SS troops assembling the "perfect Aryan girl" from the legs, arms and torsos of Berlin air raid victims. Other black propaganda included stories of wandering pederasts preying on children in family homes. Delmer realised that leaflets featuring pornography were kept or circulated among soldiers, while everyday propaganda sheets were quickly discarded. His mock radio personalities also broadcast sexually explicit material to German combat personnel in the field. U- boat crews were entertained by a jovially smutty character created by Delmer called "der Chef" - the Chief - voiced by a German called Paul Saunders. Saunders told rude jokes to win the trust of the audience before naming actual streets and house numbers destroyed by allied bombing raids to upset morale and, it was hoped, ensure that some men who had lost homes were sent home on compassionate leave. "The British have never been seen to have benefited in an obvious way from civilian casualties before, so this is quite a damning revelation," added Monaghan. Delmer also capitalised on the racial fears already prevalent in Germany, disseminating a picture painted by his wife of a black farm worker and a German housewife. A number of British ministers raised concerns at the obscenity of Delmer's work. The documents reveal how Stafford Cripps, the left- leaning Lord Privy Seal in Winston Churchill's wartime government, tried to get der Chef banned after hearing a broadcast about an orgy between an admiral, his mistress, four sailors and a "helmet". Cripps is shown in government documents accusing Delmer of running a "beastly pornographic organisation". In 1941 he urged Anthony Eden, the foreign secretary: "If this is the sort of thing that is needed to win the war, why, I'd rather lose it." Despite Monaghan's claims to archival research it seems possible that Channel 4 may also have based their programme on the article below that appeared in the Times Literary Supplement on the 21st January 1972 which has been edited. "H.M.G.'s secret pornographer" Sefton Delmer 1972. My first experience of propaganda by pornography came in France during the Phony War period of 1939. I was a war reporter with the French army in France. On one of my visits to the Maginot Line, a sniggering French Lieutenant showed me what he declared was a very clever piece of German psychological warfare. It consisted of a small picture on very thin tissue paper showing a French soldier doing his duty at the front. But if one held the picture up to the light, the scene underneath underwent a complete change. In place of the brave poilu one now saw in minute salacious detail a British Tommy with what a caption told us as the Frenchman's fiance. The French were of course a particularly susceptible target for this sort of thing. Especially so during the Phoney War period when the Germans and their communist helpers (the French communists as agents of Hitlers allies, put all their subversive ability into ridiculing the war) had little difficulty in persuading the browned-off French soldier that France's military effort was a stupid and reactionary waste of time. The frontline dug-outs of the French were decorated with such descriptions as "Aux privés d'amour" (roughly: "for those starved of love"). The walls in the underground corridors of the Maginot forts were covered with so much erotic graffiti that I unkindly denounced the Maginot line as "a fortified urinal". Unquestionably the morale of the troops in most of the Maginot forts I visited was poor. Discipline seemed on a par with that on the Tsarist cruiser Potemkin, before the mutiny. When an officer or a sergeant cried "Fixe", none of the men took the slightest notice. Nor did the order "Repos!" make any difference. They just lounged and sulked. But I would not put this sulkiness down to the effect of the German "transparencies" or the graffiti and enlarged bosoms. The German propaganda pornography, as I saw it, was merely exploiting a situation which already existed, not creating it. I therefore doubted whether the "transparencies" prepared with such zeal by Dr Goebbel's pornographers repaid in subversive effectiveness the substantial production costs involved, not to mention the danger to the agents distributing them among the French troops. I much preferred a simpler and in my estimation more effective exploitation of the French sex starvation complex. I saw it in operation on the German side of the Rhine near Kehl where both sides were in full view of each other. Every evening a couple of German soldiers would stroll arm in arm with a couple of good-looking and bosomy German blondes along what must have been the old Rhine tow path. Every now and then they stopped for an elaborate display of hugging and kissing. "Necking" is I believe the technical term. The French watching the German necking party from their side of the Rhine went pale with envy." If the Germans can have their girls up in their part of the front line", they complained, "why the hell can't we?" The right thing for the French to have done would have been to open fire on the Germans and force them to get out of sight. But they never did, any more than they opened fire on the German "fraternizers" crossing the Strasbourg bridge to throw cigarettes and chocolates to the French guarding the other end. In 1939 it never occurred to me that one day my turn would come to wage war on Hitler by pornography. But sure enough that was what the fates held in store for me. Early in 1941 I joined the Psychological Warfare branch of the Foreign Office (The "Political Intelligence department" was its euphemistic title.) The late Hugh Dalton in his capacity as Minister of Economic Warfare had become interested in a German freedom station called "The Workers Challenge". It purported to be broadcasting from inside Britain and voicing the discontents of the so called working class. It had some success by using the foulest language to do so. Old ladies in Torquay and Bournemouth listened in ecstasy as the "Workers" challenged them with a stream of excremental abuse. Dalton decided that we should reply in kind. The BBC of course, could not be entrusted with such an ungentlemanly task. So he decided that PID should launch a short wave station which would pretend to be operating from somewhere in Hitler's Europe. It would be "Black"; that is to say it would be top secret and disavowable. As a good socialist Dalton further ruled that the foul mouths should not preach a left wing doctrine but follow a right wing policy and that PID's new Tory recruit, Delmer should run it. I was delighted to oblige - particularly so, as I was convinced that right-wing opposition was far more interesting in the Third Reich and far more plausible than that of the left. (as was indeed proved by the events of July 20, 1944.) For my hero I chose a crusty old officer who approved Hitler's anti- Bolshevism but disapproved of the Nazis as a set of corrupt and egotistical National-Bolsheviks. He would be full of patriotic indignation and political and strategic advise, spiced with fascinating inside information - in fact if I may be allowed to say so, a kind of Prussian counterpart to our own John Gordon. (That of course applied only to my heroes opinions. not to his language or his revelations!) Clandestine "Black" stations as compared with the BBC had a very difficult task in collecting an audience. They were restricted to short wave transmitters. PID's Marxist station under the benevolent supervision of my colleague Dick Crossman, after months of broadcasting had no audience in Germany not anyhow as far as PID had been able to ascertain. Nor had the right wing station run by a German conservative that had preceded mine. How did I propose to attract listeners? I decided to use radio-pornography to catch their attention. My "Chef" (Hitler was always called "Der Chef" by those in his inner circle so I decided to call my veteran hero "Der Chef") became a kind of radio Streicher, except that the victims of his pornographic tirades were Nazis, not Jews. The recipe was an instant success. One unfortunate young German woman, denounced by the Chef for having insulted the honour of the German army by using an officers steel helmet as a chamber pot during a sexual orgy (our intelligence claimed she was an informant of the Gestapo) is still angry with me today because of the stream of telephone calls she received from listeners denouncing her in the harshest terms. The American military attachés included the broadcasts of the Chef in their dispatches to Washington as evidence of the growing rift between the army and the nationalist Socialist party. But here is the point I am trying to make; we did not use pornography because we thought it would have a deleterious effect on our German listeners. We used it simply for its listener appeal - just as some popular newspapers use scabrous stories and pictures of scantily clad models to increase their circulation. And we took great care not to let it seem that the Chef enjoyed the bawdy details of what he revealed of the licentious sexual excesses of Hitler's élite. He never sniggered over them. His denunciations were filled with the indignation and horror of a salvation army evangelist. He was a puritan diehard of the old Prussian army revolted by the depravity and corruption of the party functionaries and determined to expose and chastise them. Never, never did he let on that he was retailing these salty scandals to make his listeners eager to listen to his next harangue, which in all probability would be completely free of any pornography. I took an enormous amount of trouble over the Chef's erotica and devoted many hours of patient research to finding ever new forms sexual depravity to attribute to our victims in the Hitler machine. Professor Magnus Hirschfield, on whose works, incinerated during the famous burning of the books in 1933, I depended for much of the detail, would I am sure have welcomed the Chef's broadcasts as a sweet revenge. We also adopted the technique of the Austrian creator of an equivalent to Fanny Hill, a young woman with a name like Mitzi Mutzenbacher. This Austrian author never allowed his heroine to consummate her erotic adventures. The Chef too, was always careful to leave the end to his listeners` imagination. As the war went on and we received more and more accurate information on which the Chef could base his tirades - and more and more evidence of the Chef's growing number of listeners - I reduced the pornography in his output to minimal proportions. Not however before Dick Crossman's Marxists, jealous of the Chef's success, translated one of his more outrageous scripts and passed it to Sir Stafford-Cripps. He immediately demanded to see the Foreign Secretary. "If this is the sort of thing we have to do to win the war", he told Sir Anthony Eden, flourishing the offending script in his trembling hand, "I would rather lose it !" Fortunately by this time I already enjoyed considerable support from the fighting services, and in the end my own immediate boss was able to smooth down the irate Sir Stafford. My cloak-and-dagger friends in SOE (the special Operations Executive) were constantly clamouring for printed pornography. But I still took the same view of printed pornography as I had in France in 1939. Looking back, I do not think my unit produced more than three items of printed pornography during the whole war, not because I was squeamish, but simply because I did not think the effort involved on our part would be justified by the subversive effect on the Germans. My SOE friends ordered these leaflets by the thousand. But ironically not because they found them to be subversive of German morale, but because they found them excellent for the morale of their own men distributing them! Do I regret this pornography which I perpetrated during my few years as a temporary government servant? I certainly do not on morale [sic] grounds. As far as I was concerned, anything was in order which helped to defeat Hitler. And I don't regret the Chef's forays into erotic propaganda. It helped him get launched much more quickly than he would have been without it. Later I closed down his station and there was no more pornography on those that preceded him. But I never really changed my mind about the ineffectiveness of printed pornography. And I make that statement with all the authority I possess as the only man to ever have been encouraged to practice pornography by a Minister or HM Government. Blessed be the memory of Dr Hugh Dalton. [end] And finally a couple of books which may be of interest to anyone seeking genuine information about wartime radio. Radio Goes to War: The cultural politics of propaganda during World War II. --- Gerd Horten (University of California Press, 2003) An in-depth look at the role of domestic radio in the US during World War II. By examining radio news programmes, government propaganda shows, advertising, soap opera and comedy programmes, it situates radio wartime propaganda in the shift from Depression-era resentment of big business to the consumer and corporate culture of the postwar period. Nazi Wireless Propaganda: Lord Haw-Haw and British public opinion in the Second World War. M R Doherty (Edinburgh University Press, 2000) This study of Nazi wireless broadcasts to Britain during the war reveals a sophisticated and intelligent propaganda assault on the social and economic fabric of British society. Includes a free compact disc of 24 German wartime broadcasts to Britain (PY 2015) (Paul Youngs, August World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. USA: XM SATELLITE RADIO TO LAUNCH NEW PUBLIC RADIO CHANNEL | Text of press release by XM Satellite Radio on 29 July Washington, 29 July 2004: XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading provider of satellite radio with more than 2.1 million subscribers, will launch a new channel, XM Public Radio (XM Channel 133), featuring programmes from Public Radio International (PRI) and its satellite radio subsidiary American Public Radio; American Public Media, the national production and distribution branch of Minnesota Public Radio; and Boston public radio station WBUR. The new channel is scheduled to debut on 1 September. "We are thrilled to announce the launch of XM Public Radio," said XM Satellite Radio President and CEO Hugh Panero, "and it is an honour to carve out this completely new space in the broadcasting arena with such esteemed public radio programming partners as American Public Media, WBUR and Public Radio International. We look forward to working with these partners to ensure that the quality programming they produce reaches the broadest audience possible." XM Public Radio will feature a host of critically-acclaimed public radio programmes, including This American Life, Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?, Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac, Speaking of Faith, On Point, and Only a Game, among others. In addition, award- winning public radio newsman Bob Edwards has signed on to host a new morning interview programme, The Bob Edwards Show, exclusive to XM Satellite Radio, which is scheduled to debut on 4 October. Detailed information about XM Public Radio, including a programming line- up and show descriptions, is available on http://www.xmradio.com/publicradio [Contact:] Chance Patterson of XM Satellite Radio, +1-202-380-4318 chance.patterson@xmradio.com Source: XM Satellite Radio press release, Washington, in English 29 Jul 04 (via BBCM and Mike Cooper, via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Mexico TV List --- Hi Folks, For those in USA or other areas in the vicinity of Mexico, this list could be of interest. http://www.sct.gob.mx/concesiones/comunicaciones/concesiones_TV.pdf (Robert Copeman, July 30, ICDX via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. In several Dutch cities a radio art project will run the coming days on 1725 khz : 20 very low power transmitters with loopaerails are running in SSB with a bandwidth of 15 kHz. The receivers are receiving 2 transmitters at a time and mix the received sounds. Times: 1000-1800 UT: 30 July-3 Aug: city of Arnhem 5 Aug -9 Aug: city of Apeldoorn 10 Aug-14 Aug: Nijmegen http://www.geldersemuziekzomer.nl/radioscape.htm radiokunstproject behorend bij "de gelderse muziekzomer". Het zijn 20 hele kleine zenders met loopantenne's die alllen 1 instrument uizenden in ssb met 15 kHz bandbreedte, de ontvangers zijn bijzonder ze kunnen 2 zenders tegelijk ontvangen en die geluiden mengen. Tijden van 12:00- 20:00 nederlandse tijd 73 (via Max van Arnhem, MWC via DXLD) RADIO ART PROJECT 1725 KHZ Today I picked up the signals from the Radio art Project in the city of Arnhem, as mentioned in an earlier message. I browsed a bit on the internet, looking for more details. I found the following message. For those who are interested in what I heard on 1725 kHz, I have a 50kB mp3 file available. So let me know, if you want to receive the file. 73 (Max van Arnhem, Near the city of Arnhem, The Netherlands, July 30, MWC via DXLD) ------------------------------------------- Article: 94960 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: edwgo @ evdh.net (Edwin van der Heide) Subject: looking for design assistence Date: 15 Jun 2004 02:03:31 -0700 Message-ID: cea56ec4.0406150103.291cf78b@posting.google.com I'm looking for somebody who wants to collaborate on the design issues related to my new version of Radioscape that will take place in August. I want to improve the electronic design of the transmitters and the receivers. Also I want to experiment with different forms of antenna's. In the year 2000 I realised my first version of Radioscape for Festival aan de Werf in Utrecht, Holland. I distributed 12 transmitters over the city center of Utrecht. Each of the transmitters was broadcasting a different layer of the electronic composition that I made for Radioscape. The transmitters were broadcasting DSBSC, all on the same frequency. The audience could explore the city by walking through the city with a single signal DC phasing receiver (without AGC!). By walking through the city you mix your own combination of the differently transmitted signals. there is some documentation on http://www.evdh.net/radioscape.html For the new version of Radioscape I'm using the orchestra as metaphor for the city. I have made a meta composition for different groups of acoustic instruments. The signal of each transmitter will be corresponding with one of the groups. While your walking through the city you can also say that you're walking through the orchestra. I'm looking for somebody who wants to advise/collaborate with me on the changes and improvements of the design. The following issues are important to me to improve: - The receiver was based on two NE602's and a sense antenna. I'm thinking about exchanging the NE602's for a Tayloe detector (QRP2001) or a R1/R2 based receiver and exchanging the sense antenna for a ferrite rod antenna. - I've been using horizontal wire based transmitter antenna's (+/- 6 meter) with a loading coil and a (kind of) vertical(!) ground plane. I want to experiment with (multiturn) magnetic loop antenna's with a maximum diameter of 1 meter. - I've been using the AMP1 (hands kit's) as transmitters because the antenna's were so inefficient. I'm looking for a good transmitter to fit the outcome of the experiments. I guess much less transmitter power is needed. - The frequency I'll be using is 1.725 MHz with a bandwidth of +/-15kHz. - In case the collaboration goes beyond the role of just advising there is some money available for compensation. I'm looking forward for reactions! kind regards, (Edwin van der Heide, Rotterdam, Holland (I'm not necessarily looking for somebody in Holland) (via Arnhem, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS. Alle 0015 del 30/7/2004 Radio 10 gold NON è in più in // sulle due frequenze 1008 e 1395 - Mentre su 1008 procede con la solita programmazione. Su 1395 trasmette solo annunci con la frequenza ogni 55 secondi senza alcun intervallo musicale, solo silenzio. Il segnale è più debole del solito. Credo che stia per lasciare la frequenza più alta. Vedremo. Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Drake SPR4, July 30, bclnews.it via DXLD) Hallo Giampiero, You are right. Listeners are told they changed the frequency to 1008 (tien nul acht). (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, MWC via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Hi Glenn, The following has just been released by Adrian Sainsbury Technical Manager Radio New Zealand International. RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FREQUENCY SCHEDULE Dated: Friday, 30 July 2004 [when issued, NOT YET IN EFFECT] A04 Amended : 06 September - 31 October 2004 UTC NZ Time kHz Primary Target 1300 - 1750 0100 - 0550 6095 All Pacific, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands 1751 - 1850 0551 - 0650 9845 All Pacific, also heard in Europe 1851 - 2050 0651 - 0850 11725 All Pacific 2051 - 2245 0851 - 1045 15720 All Pacific 2245 - 0458 1045 - 1658 17675 All Pacific 0459 - 0705 1659 - 1905 11820 All Pacific, also Europe, mid-west USA 0706 - 1059 1906 - 2259 9885 All Pacific, also heard mid-west USA 1100 - 1259 2300 - 0059 9885 NW Pacific, Bougainville, Timor, Asia Adrian also advises for future reference - there will be seasonal changes to our frequency schedule from September 04. [huh?? Other than the above?? --- gh] RNZI MAILBOX SAYS A SAD FAREWELL TO PAUL ORMANDY Some more news from Adrian Sainsbury Technical Manager Radio New Zealand International. Paul Ormandy has given us notice that he will be leaving Mailbox at the end of August. We will be very sad to see him go - we well remember how Paul stepped into the breech after Arthur Cushion passed on. He has not missed one show in his time with us, his dedication providing two weekly reports will be sorely missed by our DX listeners. We welcome the fact that the New Zealand DX League wish to continue their association with RNZI's longest running programme Mailbox. To this end we are exploring the possibility of employing more than one correspondent so as to spread the workload over the year. So if any readers are interested in contributing even on an occasional basis please get in touch with Adrian Sainsbury, Technical Manager asainsbury @ radionz.co.nz (Mark Nicholls, Editor NZ DX Times magazine, NZ Radio DX League, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wonder if he is also quitting all the other stations which air the same DX reports? Presumably (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Re 4-115: I sent an online message to KCCU about the possibility of a translator for it on 93.3 in Enid: Comments: I am delighted to learn that you have been granted a translator here in Enid on 93.3. Please give me more details, especially when you expect to have it on the air. I just hope it will have enough power to override the OKC station on 93.3; surprised you picked and got that frequency. (Glenn Hauser, Enid) Reply: Glen[n], It is very interesting to get your note. About five months ago a company called G-String Wireless contacted us to see if we would let them repeat KCCU in Enid. We have a station on 89.1 FM in Clinton Oklahoma at 40 kW of power at 500 ft. The group has also applied for a translator in Lawton area where our home base is located. I have not heard any more from the group and I told them I was not sure if they could pick up 89.1 in Enid or not since this has to be an off air signal. We do send our signal to all our outside areas via a KC Band up and down link but you cannot feed commercial frequencies with a satellite. It has to be a non-commercial frequency. So whatever they do G-String will have to receive KCCU off-air if it is going to work. Where did you see the announcement? Keep me informed as to whether the station gets on the air or not. Thanks (Mark Norman - General Manager, KCCU Lawton OK, via DXLD) Mark, Very interesting that you did not initiate this idea. I have never heard of G-String Wireless, and it is not in the Enid phone directory [not in a Google search]. Could you give me any contact info for them? The 93.3 station is KKNG, licensed to Newcastle just SE of OKC, which recently was moved into that market from Ada. According to the FM Atlas & Station Directory, it has a primary coverage radius of 88 km, which would not extend to Enid, even if its transmitter is really in the NE OKC antenna farm (I have not checked). Nevertheless, it has a fair signal here, and is certainly the dominant station on the frequency in Enid. That could interfere with the translator output here on 93.3. With 250 watts, H & V, the authorized power, it should have a certain range at least covering most of the city of Enid with a much stronger signal than KKNG under normal conditions (but conditions vary greatly depending on weather). It so happens that a religious translator on 89.1 which has been operating in Enid for several years recently disappeared. Putting two and two together, I figure this was in preparation for being able to pick up your 89.1 off the air. The source was a long listing of recent translator and LPFM grants by Bruce Elving (publisher of the FM Atlas), which just appeared in the August issue of VHF-UHF Digest, of the Worldwide TV-FM DX Association. The specific info: OK Enid K227AT *93.3 (KYCU 89.1 Clinton OK), 250 h,v OK North Enid K291AV *106.1 (KYLV), 250 h,v (actually southeast of the main part of Enid) You can see that there is another one in {North} Enid, probably by the same applicant (not specified), for 106.1, to relay the 88.9 Oklahoma City religious station. In order to pick that up for relay, it would also be necessary to turn off the local translator on 89.1. Especially if all the receiving and transmitting is done from the same tall (well, 14-storey) building in downtown Enid, the Broadway Tower, as seems likely. This might look feasible in theory or upon a cursory check, but in fact, with the 89.1 translator gone, KMUW in Wichita again dominates the frequency (tho rather weak here), not your KYCU which per the same source has a 55 km range. Of course, with really high-gain directional receiving antenna at good elevation it should be possible to pull it in, tho I have my doubts that it would be with the quality and reliability required for a full-time relay. I wonder what station G-String (a rather odd name!} wants to translate into Lawton? Surely no need to duplicate your own signal there. Since it will be difficult to get your signal off the air here for relay, other than by satellite, this whole thing seems slightly suspicious to me. Since it is a commercial frequency, possibly they have plans to use it for a more lucrative commercial client once it is up and running, and list KYCU as a place-holder, perhaps for the sake of public relations. I wonder if you have agreed to pay them anything for this relay? Something like this happened a few years ago in OKC. KOSU was relayed for a few months on a translator in the 97 MHz area, but then it switched to relaying some commercial station (Spanish out of Chickasha, I think it was), but no longer seems to be on the air. I imagine Craig Beebe could fill you in on the details of that arrangement. Speaking of KOSU, they do have a pretty good signal into Enid (direct on 91.7) and since both you and they use Classical 24 a great deal of the time, there would be a lot of duplication. It`s a little too far for full quieting stereo, at least on my car radio. It would be nice to hear the same music with a strong stereo signal locally. However, FM Atlas does not show KYCU as running stereo, like your other relays. (Perhaps it had just not been confirmed for the new station as of publication more than a year ago.) Could you confirm whether KYCU is in stereo? Best regards, (Glenn Hauser to Mark Norman, via DXLD) We did not pay to have them repeat our signal and I told the guy I doubted if he could get it in Enid. I think you have looked at this is more detail than me. I think you are correct the 89.1 in Kansas would be a much better choice since I can hear them in Woodward area where I am from, except for a new 89.1 translator of hard rock religious music that just went on and knocks KCCU off around Woodward. I will check into this guy more. I have no idea what these guys want with commercial frequency translators; they have no value as they can be gone in a heart beat. I doubt if this guy ever gets it on air. I have not signed anything and only talked to him about the Lawton area because he applied for a frequency that affected a translator I wanted in Duncan. Not sure what he is going to do in Lawton. This entire translator issue is a mess. You are correct; it seems to me that KOSU would serve Enid. Woodward needs a station bad and KGOU is trying to get one but no[t enough] people in NW Oklahoma. Thanks (Mark Norman, KCCU, via DXLD) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Thanks!!! Dear Friends! This morning 28th of July we ceased our transmissions from South American soil. This transmissions has been more success than we could imagine. Our principal target was South America, and then we made it several and nearly all days to North America too! Incredible! With only an average carrier power of 15 watts, amazing! The power of the transmitter is 20 watts just in the beginning, but the battery only can delivery a voltage of 13.8v for a short period, and then falls down to just over 12v who gives a power of 15 watts. We also have received correct report from Denmark and today we received a report with audio clip from Sweden! It has been a very exciting DX object we think. Thank you to everyone that have listening for us. Our "tour" to S. America was decided a very short time before we did it. This made it impossible for us to make a MOSFET and light weight transmitter. We had only the choice to take our much more in weight, tube transmitter in pieces, and take it with us for then rebuild it here in S. America. But this was not actually something we wanted too much to do. Then a European pirate offered us to loan his MOSFET transmitter. So thank you very much for loaning us your transmitter!!!! This made it easier for us to do what we have done. Besides, it has been more interesting as a DX object. Now we have plans to build MOSFET transmitters and install it here in our QTH somewhere in the Rio de La Plata region (not Argentina!!) and use it as a relay station in the future. 73's and thank you every one!!! (Jorge R. García, Radio Piraña Internacional, July 29, swpirates yg via DXLD) ** SUDAN. Hard-core-dx reminds us: A planned test transmission from the Voice of New Sudan, a new radio station based in southern Sudan, has been delayed. "Testing will start earliest next weekend, 31 July 2004", says Finnish DXer Jari Savolainen according to new information received. The testing is still planned to take place on 9310 kHz (HCDX July 23 via DXLD) ** SURINAME. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, Venezuela. Reactivada este 30/07, Radio Apintie, la cual tenía muchos meses ausente de la banda tropical. Captada en los 4989.97 kHz, a las 0314 UTC. Señal clara y estable. SINPO 3/3. Debe estar saliendo con mucha más potencia de la habitual. Emitía música en inglés y baladas R and B. Sting "Fragile", Spice Girls "Be there", Spice Girls "2 become 1" y "Too much". Identificaciones con voz femenina: "Radio Apintie, The Happy Station". Aún audible a las 0626 UT, con Michael Jackson y Paul McCartney "Ebony and Ivory". En diciembre envié un informe de recepción junto con un IRC, pero aún Radio Apintie sigue sin responder. Irónico... ¡Suriname está prácticamente al lado de Venezuela! 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4990, Radio Apintie, 0925-0941+ July 30. Noted music until 0930 when man talks at length in the Dutch Language. At 0936 ads presented. Signal was fair during listening period (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, 545, dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. From the VOICE OF TURKEY handout --- Dear Friends, as has always been the case, July 1st is the beginning of Voice of Turkey's new broadcasting term. We would like to take this opportunity to tell you that we will be very happy if you devote some of your time to listening in to our broadcasts in the latter part of 2004. The programmes, which we believe you are already familiar with, will continue to be broadcast in this broadcasting term, keeping you au courant with what is happening in Turkey and this part of the world. Our aim is to give you an impartial view of all developments in the world regardless of whether they concern Turkey or not and to get you acquainted with international issues through Turkey's perspective. Turkey 2004, Basket of News, Our Republic is 80 Years Old, The Music of Asia Minor, Culture Parade and Travel Itinerary of Anatolia, among others, are our programmes designed to lay open for you the rich texture of Turkey's culture and you will hear them on the Voice of Turkey this broadcasting term. As far as the letters we receive are concerned, Turkish music is a most favourite segment of our broadcasts. Turkish music will continue to be the staple element of our broadcasts just as the features to be broadcast to mark special days in Turkey and world human history. Tuesday nights' Live from Turkey will continue in the new broadcasting term and, needless to say, will be further enriched with your contributions in the phone-in segment of our live broadcast. We make it clear in this programme schedule that getting your ideas, views and your criticisms of our broadcasts will again be a great pleasure for us as they are what we heavily rely on in regard to the arrangements we are likely to make for VOT broadcasts to be more appealing to you. Sincerely Yours, Voice of Turkey (via CHRIS J WILLIAMS, (Sunday, 18th) August World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** U K. START POINT'S SPECIAL ROLE FOLLOWING D DAY --- By Stuart Frost. Retired engineer-in-charge, Start Point. This article appeared in Prospero (newspaper for retired BBC staff) in July 2004 The D Day memorial services and celebrations were of particular interest to me. I live near Slapton Sands, where the Americans did most of their training for 6 June 1944. I was, however, a little disappointed that there was no mention of Start Point Transmitting Station in any of the reports, especially by the BBC. Start Point played an important role in the Normandy landings and for many months afterwards. I joined the BBC Transmitter Department at Start Point in 1943 as a Youth in Training Transmitters (YT) at the age of 15. Start Point was designed and built in 1939, before the war, to radiate the then Western Programme on a frequency of 1050 kHz, using a 100 kW Standard Telephone & Cable (ST&C) type C100. The aerial system was two 450-foot lattice mast radiators; the Northern mast was the radiator and the Southern a reflector. This gave good coverage for all the West Country and the Southern part of England. When I arrived at Start Point, there were two transmitters, the Original ST&C operating on either medium wave or short wave, the other a 50 kW Marconi type SWB18, on short wave. All services radiated the European Service on appropriate aerial systems. When the second front became imminent in May 1944, the ST&C transmitter was closed down. We didn't know exactly why, but we could guess that it was something to do with the forthcoming second front landings. Start Point Medium Wave Transmitter was chosen because of its locality. The functions of the mast radiators were to be swapped over, the South mast was to be used as the radiator and the North a reflector, this was to transmit across the channel to France. The transmitter power was increased from the originally designed 100 to 180 kW. This was quite an engineering feat. It required the four output stage water cooled valves (4030C) to be increased to eight by using the spares; subsequently other spare components were brought into service to avoid overheating. On the completion of setting up the transmitter, we were told that it was in readiness for transmitting a forces programme to the second front. It was on standby for many weeks, closed down until D Day plus 2 when we had one of those urgent priority messages to transmit this Forces programme. The Programme was the Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme (AEFP). I remember it being a bright and cheerful opening and directed to all the armed forces taking part in the landings. There were three main bands, the British Band of the AEF, the American Band of the AEF (Glen Miller) and the Canadian Band of the AEF. Dance music in plenty, light entertainment, comedy, war reports and news were the main ingredients. It was a jolly good mixture of English, American and Canadian programmes. It transmitted for almost 24 hours a day with maybe a short break at night for essential maintenance. Occasionally coded information was transmitted in the way of innocent prose. As for myself I continued on shift work listening and enjoying this uplifting cheerful AEF programme for a few months before being sent to Maidavale and Droitwich on the Technical Assistance A1 -B1 courses. On my return to Start Point, I was put on night shift immediately. All hands were needed to change frequency from 1050 to 583 kHz to increase the ground wave range to keep up with the allies advancing into France and Germany. This change in frequency had to be done In one night because the troops were informed that we were changing the frequency on the next day and to re-tune to receive their AEF programme. I do remember that night vividly, more adjustments to coils and capacitors within the transmitters and ATHs [Aerial Tuning Huts]. We finished about 6 am just in time for the arranged start up, indeed we were all very weary, as it was a very hot night. Start Point was the only transmitter that transmitted the AEF programme from the UK. However, much later as the allies advance progressed, relay stations were used, receiving Start Point and re- transmitting from mobile low power transmitters positioned in France and Germany. The service continued until the cessation of hostilities in Europe (via DAVE PORTER via Mike Barraclough, August World DX Club Contact via DXLD) See also DEUTSCHES REICH [non] ** U S A. LET THE VOICE OF AMERICA SPEAK ARABIC ONCE AGAIN -- By Alan L. Heil, Special to The Daily Star [Beirut], Saturday, July 31, 2004 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=6782 On July 6, about 450 Voice of America (VOA) managers, broadcasters, producers and engineers - half of its staff - petitioned the US Congress requesting an investigation into the closure of the VOA Arabic-language service and what the staff called "the dismantling of VOA, piece by piece." The petitioners blamed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) for the cuts at the largest US publicly funded overseas network. Since 2002, the BBG has shut down VOA and Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) services to the Middle East and replaced them with new youth- oriented media. On September 30, the board will close the last of its in-depth news and information networks, the Arabic language Radio Free Iraq, just three months before Iraq's first free election. Middle East scholar Juan Cole noted that the "Arabic service used to be among the best and most extensive providers of news and discussion programs in the Arab world. Since the US can broadcast FM signals in Iraq (today), it could now be beamed to Iraqis if it still existed. It doesn't. So in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001 and the US occupation of Iraq, the big media move of the Bush administration was to abolish the Arabic Service of the Voice of America. It boggles the mind." The BBG has responded that a more recent alternative, Radio Sawa, was created to appeal to Arab youth and to new audiences, through programs dominated by a lively combination of news headlines and Arabic as well as Western pop music. However, a nagging question has persisted ever since Radio Sawa replaced VOA Arabic: Who's listening and why? Since Radio Sawa went on the air seven months after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Iraqi war erupted and the Israel-Palestinian conflict intensified, with no breakthrough in sight. Yet the BBG seemed oblivious to such crises. It imposed new pop music services in Persian as well as Urdu (to Pakistan) on both VOA and Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty. As a consequence, quality audiences - educated and influential leaders and reformers - are "out." Mass audiences - youths primarily attracted by entertainment - are "in." The losers are not only the US, which needs to have a substantive voice in the global marketplace of ideas, but intellectually curious listeners the world over. The BBG, for its part, claims to have gained significant new audiences in the Arab world since it abolished VOA Arabic and established Radio Sawa, and more recently the satellite television station Al-Hurra (whose first year cost of $62 million dwarfs the $4 million spent on VOA Arabic during the last year of its existence). Norman Pattiz, who heads the BBG, says that Sawa has had an audience as high as 80 percent of adults in Jordan and in some Gulf states, where it is on FM. A recent BBG-commissioned study by Oxford Research International reported that in Iraq Al-Hurra attracted 61 percent of adult viewers per week. Independent surveys, however, have indicated lower figures. Middle East scholar Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland claims that Al-Hurra is regarded as a favored news source by relatively few viewers. None of the more than 3,000 people his survey team questioned in six Arab countries last spring rated it as their first source of news. Only 3.8 percent rated it as even a second choice. Transcripts and a thorough analysis of Radio Sawa programming should be at the core of congressional action proposed by the VOA staff. Sawa, uniquely among US government overseas broadcast services, has not been subjected to an independent annual review of its content and production. Despite the preoccupation in Washington with the 2004 election, there's little time to lose. The next few months will be crucial as Iraq's new government seeks a foothold and makes plans for elections. Truthful, objective and comprehensive news and information will be especially important during the transition in Baghdad. The cacophony of competing Arab radio and satellite television networks grows louder with each passing day. There were, at last count, 170 Arabic-language satellite television networks. One of the ironies of US international broadcasting is that the Bush administration and Congress have endowed it, in each of the past several years, with relatively generous budget enhancements. Yet because the BBG and Pattiz want to invest heavily in the new Arabic- language networks, services to most other areas of the world have either been abolished or severely cut back: 10 languages to Eastern and Central Europe were silenced by the BBG last February. The BBG has also relegated VOA's English-language service to a secondary position and cut English frequencies by one-third since 1999 to save money. Those cuts are scheduled to continue right up until the November presidential election. The delivery systems available to VOA Arabic pale in comparison to those created for the new networks. VOA Arabic, on the air seven hours a day, reached listeners in the Middle East via medium-wave transmitters in Rhodes and Kuwait, and through many short-wave frequencies. Radio Sawa and Al-Hurra are on the air all the time - Sawa is relayed by leased FM facilities in at least 10 countries and Al-Hurra is available on Nilesat and Arabsat throughout the Arab world. Given the technical improvements, it would be surprising if the networks didn't gain larger audiences, but for the moment it's unclear who their audience is. Another Middle East scholar, Hisham Sharabi, believes indigenous Arab satellite television networks are a major catalyst in what he sees as a possible transformation of the Arab political order. Sharabi has argued that Arab TV is increasingly characterized by candid, academic discussions on history, economics and literature. He notes that political consciousness is rising in the Arab world, which may result in what he calls "unprecedented mass scale commitment and action." US international broadcasts must be part of that conversation. Congress and the Bush administration may recognize this and renew the capacity of VOA and RFE/RL to nurture the seeds of reform. Recommendations in the report recently released by the September 11 commission may, in fact, offer a means to accomplish this. The report said that additional funding should be made available to America's overseas information and cultural programming, including international broadcasting. What better way to strengthen America's reach than to restore the intellectually stimulating VOA Arabic service alongside Radio Sawa? And, with the same infusion of new money, bring back VOA's around-the-clock English News Now program to all regions of the world? A college newspaper in the American heartland (written by students the same age as most Radio Sawa listeners) agrees. The South End of Wayne State University in Michigan commented on the shallowness of the surviving US government media in the Middle East. As the writers put it: "We need a compassionate foreign policy, one that works, and Britney Spears is no substitute." Alan L. Heil is a former deputy director of VOA and author of "Voice of America: A History" (Columbia University Press, 2003). He wrote this commentary for THE DAILY STAR (via Mike Terry, MWDX yg via DXLD) ** U S A. FROM THE NEWSROOM... Since the 1990's, the so-called "mainstream media" have been defending themselves against charges that they are motivated almost solely by their desire to advance their liberal social agenda on an unsuspecting public. For some, National Public Radio has become the poster child for this notion. According to many of its critics, NPR manipulates the selection and presentation of its stories in order to pander to its audience of liberals. In my experience, however, that generalization of NPR's audience is not only inaccurate, but doesn't give listeners credit for their own individuality and diversity. The public radio listeners I've met reach far beyond any conventional stereotypes, philosophically, politically, socially and economically. But research also supports my observations. Every year, the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press releases its State of the Media report. The report examines the media from a variety of angles, and breaks down the listening, viewing and reading habits of people in America, especially as it relates to news. One of the statistics in this year's report claims 30% of regular NPR listeners participating in the survey described themselves as liberal, 33% as moderate and 31% as conservative. From a programming standpoint, you can't be much more broad-based than that. And it flies into the face of those who have tried to pigeonhole the political perspective of our listeners. As far as the programming goes, another survey by the group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting found that the sources used in NPR's flagship programs are more likely to be conservative than liberal. Again, that finding defies the convention that NPR deliberately steers its programming to the left. Does this mean you will never find a liberal bias in a public radio story? Of course not. Despite its checks and balances, journalism is still a human endeavor. A reporter's preconceptions---liberal or conservative --- can sometimes find their way into a story. But interpretation of bias is also a human endeavor. As a journalist, there are few things more interesting to me than to receive story feedback from two different sides of an argument, both of whom claim they were short-changed by my bias. The wide variety of opinions expressed on public radio is one of the reasons it is so intriguing to me, both as a listener and as a participant. But there will always those who will try to describe this infinitely gray world in black and white terms. But hey, that's their opinion and they're entitled to it (Matt Shafer Powell, News Director, WUOT Knoxville, August, via DXLD) ** U S A. AIR AMERICA SOARS TO SUCCESS IN PORTLAND, OR http://radioandrecords.com/Newsroom/2004_07_30/topstory.asp Friday, July 30, 2004 --- Champagne corks are popping at Clear Channel's Portland, OR cluster, as "Progressive Talk" KPOJ rises from a 0.4 rating in winter 2004 --- when the station was Oldies as "Super 62" --- to a 3.7 12+ share in the just-released spring 2004 Arbitrons. CC/Portland, OR RVP/Programming Tony Coles tells R&R that his entire staff was "blown away" by the results, although VP/Market Manager Mary Lou Gunn expected the results "to be huge." Meanwhile, KPOJ ranks third overall in the 25-54 demo, thanks to a 0.3-4.9 climb. KPOJ carries all of Air America Radio's shows except Unfiltered , which is preempted in order to accommodate the Jones-syndicated Ed Schultz News and Views . The move paid off well for KPOJ: The KFGO/Fargo, ND-based program ranks No. 1 in the 25-54 demo in Portland, with a 6.4. Specifically, KPOJ's 10 am-3 pm daypart grew from a 0.4 in March to a 4.9 in April and a 5.5 in May in among listeners 25-54. Given those results, projections by Schultz's team put his show earning at least an 8.8 share in June in the demo (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. THE TRIP DOWN TALK SHOW ROW --- AMID HALLWAY CHAOS, DEMOCRATIC VOICES MAKE THE ROUNDS ON CONSERVATIVE RADIO By CARL BIALIK THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE July 29, 2004 9:29 p.m. In the fourth-floor concourse ringing the main Fleet Center convention hall, Democratic luminaries each day walk the conservative talk-radio gauntlet. More than a dozen radio talk shows have set up temporary camp on cluttered, cramped desks in an area called "Talk Show Row." They sit beneath signs that say things like "Beantown Franks" and "Beer and Ale," part of the permanent Fleet Center decor. The noise of passersby in the concourse, plus bands and speakers inside the hall, can distract; so can the smell of hot dogs that lingers once the concession stands open for business... http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109113783335778237,00.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. KNRC back on today --- 1150 KNRC CO Englewood. 7/30 1350 [EDT]. Back on the air after a couple days of OC to close the failed local talk format. Returned to the air at 11:50 AM local time [1750 UT] with the announcement "Radio Against the Machine - Indie five-oh" which is a reference to their new Independent Rock format, and then into the song "I Don't Want to Grow Old". First TOH at local noon was simply "KNRC, Englewood-Denver, 11-50 AM". I was running tape at the sign-on (Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, Drake R-8 and Kiwa loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I forgot to mention that the KNRC IBOC is still turned off. I believe the station that their IBOC was causing problems with is KJJD / 1170 whose transmitter is only 55 miles to the north. Unless KNRC buys KJJD I don't know how they will be able to run their IBOC without causing interference (Patrick Griffith, NØNNK, Westminster, CO, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Re: ``PUMP UP THE VOLUME --- THE ONCE-SILENCED RADIO FREE MINTURN COULD LIVE AGAIN - 7/29/04 Expects LPFM license; WTFK???`` Supposedly, the people now behind this project are different than the reporters who originally founded the station. However, I found this statement very curious: ``The call sign, as far as I know, is still MPR – Minturn Public Radio,`` Hurley said. ``We`ve got about a year and we’re still in the process of getting things together, getting things organized to make this happen.`` First, for obvious reasons, the call letters would not be "MPR". Second, the article indicates the "permit" has been issued. Wouldn't they already know the call letters, if their LPFM application had been approved? 73, (Ken Kopp, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOICE OF SUPERMAN INTRO DEAD AT 92 --- It is likely you never knew the name Jackson Beck, but that was never the point anyway. In all its varied personas across 60 years, you knew The Voice. "Look! Up in the sky!" it told an unseen audience from an unseen place. "It's a bird, it's a plane ... " and the rest we all know. The Voice floated through living room radios on shows like "The Cisco Kid" and "Happy Island," "CBS Radio Mystery Theater" and "The Man Behind the Gun." In cartoons it became Brutus to menace Popeye and in television commercials it sold a thousand things -- from Ex-Lax to Brawny paper towels to GI Joe action figures. In the very particular art of the radio and television voice-over, Jackson Beck, who died Wednesday at 92 after several years of declining health, was considered one of the masters... http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/ny-beck0730,0,6900945.story?coll=sfla-entertainment-headlines (via Dino Bloise, South Florida, dxldyg via DXLD) JACKSON BECK, 92, RADIO BROADCASTER, IS DEAD The New York Times July 30, 2004 By DOUGLAS MARTIN http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/30/arts/30beck.html?pagewanted=print&position= (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Also, on many National Lampoon Radio shows and LP's. Great deep pipes (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ME AND MY RADIO --- By Lawrence Henry Published 7/30/2004 12:04:57 AM The American Spectator --- Media Matters When I was a kid staying with my grandparents in South Dakota, I had a radio with a lighted dial. It sat on top of the metal rail headboard of my bed, leaning for support against the wall. From there, its gentle celluloid glow illuminated my face and my hands. I would lie in the dark in the annex room we called "the little kitchen," windows on three sides, a wood stove at my elbow, and tune gradually across the AM band, looking for signals from far away across the great plains. I could nearly always hear WLS from Chicago. Sometimes a signal in Spanish fought through distant thunderstorms. I remember best WSM from Nashville on Saturday nights, hearing Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl, and having my musical ears opened by Grady Martin playing "Down in the Henhouse," a guitar instrumental -- the first time I ever heard fingerpicking. And yes, I do remember that name right all these years. When I rode home with my parents in the long dark back to Minneapolis, Dad would find the CBS network on the car radio. We listened to "Johnny Dollar," to Jack Benny, and inevitably, to the soothing rhythms of a baseball game. We had no team of our own, and it didn't matter. The sound was everything, the murmuring sussurus of the crowd, the pop of ball on leather or hickory, the meandering, discursive style of the announcer. . . http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=6907 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 6155, "Banda Oriental", Sarandí del Yí dice estar activa. 6155, Banda Oriental, Sarandí del Yí, Depto. de Durazno. De acuerdo a una conversación telefónica con Nora San Martín de Porro, la emisora está efectivamente en el aire, a pesar de no ser escuchada en Montevideo. Nora dijo que hace unos meses un temporal de viento tiró abajo su sistema de antena original. Sked anunciado es 0130-0300. En relación a las verificaciones, confesó su preocupación de haber recibido muchas reclamaciones por despachos postales reclamados como no llegados (muchos de ellos contenían souvenirs, además de la QSL), así que estaba pensando en conformarse con verificar via e-mail. 6155 Banda Oriental, Sarandí del Yí, Dept. de Durazno. According to telephone conversation with Nora San Martín de Porro, they are indeed on the air, despite being unheard in Montevideo lately. Nora said that a few months ago a windstorm destroyed the original antenna. Sked is 0130-0300. Concerning verifications, she confessed to be disappointed with too many complaints of lost outgoing correspondence (which included souvenirs besides the QSL), so she was thinking to QSL via e-mail. (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. INFORME DEVUELTO DEL SAHARA Hola compañer@s, hoy me han devuelto el informe de recepcion enviado a RADIO NACIONAL DE LA REPUBLICA SAHARAUI DEMOCRATICA. Este informe lo envié el dia 10 de febrero del 2004 y hoy me ha sido devuelta la carta. El motivo de la devolución no lo pone pero me viene tachada la dirección a la cual la mandé; supongo que porque esta dirección ya no es la correcta. La dirección enviada es la siguiente: RADIO NACIONAL DE LA REPUBLICA SAHARAUI DEMOCRATICA, B.P. 10, EL MOURADIA 16000-ARGEL (ARGELIA). Sin nada más se despide de vosotros vuestro colega de España (JOSE HERNANDEZ MADRID, Spain, Noticias DX via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTARY ++++++++++ Re: STAYING ON THE RADAR - INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS NEED TO MARKET THEMSELVES BETTER Regrettably, the article is too short and therefore fails to recognise the limitations particularly of DRM, other than receiver price. Far too often the same theme comes over, 'never mind the programme content hear the sound quality'. I remember Radio New York Worldwide, a real taste of America, interesting and with commercials on shortwave !! --- though my set (a four 'bottle' Allander) drifted too. Radio Netherlands 'Happy Station' each week on Sundays with Edward Startz, street barrel organ music --- you could almost smell tulips --- now dull news programmes with American accents not Dutch. That's why interest in shortwave - or any wave - is failing, no regional or national character - how many British comedy shows are on the World Service? There is no comparable station to New York World Wide that I know of on Shortwave and 'The Happy Station' got miserable (Rog Parsons, (BDXC 782), Hinckley, Leics., BDXC-UK via DXLD) Not wishing to be too pessimistic, I think (as do many broadcasters) that SW has had its day, well, in the developed world, anyway. I don't see DRM penetrating 3rd World markets due to the requirement for a new expensive radio, the same problem facing WorldSpace. So analogue radio on SW will continue for many years to come and be aimed at diminishing target areas where broadband computers are not in regular use. For the rest of us it is those computers and the forthcoming broadband radio receivers that will allow the reception of possibly thousands of stations worldwide with far clearer reception than SW. In the developed world I do see DRM being a useful tool to bring digital broadcasting quality to both static and mobile listeners on MW and LW which are ideal for stations requiring a big coverage area without employing expensive repeaters on every hill like DAB. Internet compatible computers clearly outnumber communications receivers and possess the advantage of being capable of radio listening and also many other tasks in the home or office. SW broadcasters have customarily been friendly to SW DX'ers, but have never aimed their entire output directly at them. The BBC made it clear to listeners in North America, they don't regard SW hobbyists as an essential part of their mission and subsequently ceased most SW relays to that area. However I too remember The Happy Station on Radio Netherlands and similar programmes on Swiss Radio International. There were also those friendly voices from Russia and Eastern Europe who told us how wonderful things were in their country and how badly we (the western proletariat) were being ruthlessly exploited by the rich and imperialistic bourgeoisie. It would be interesting to know if radio propaganda played any part in the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent events leading to the enlargement of the European Community. It probably had more to do with economics, but it could well have been our own overseas broadcasting that advertised Britain's social stability and free welfare services to an audience that are now able to come here and take us at our word. In essence international broadcasters need not have to particularly market themselves better, it is the nation's government that should do the marketing for their industry, tourism or whatever, using any means they can. Certainly the overseas electronic media does have a part to play but should be promoted in conjunction with all the other tools a government has at their disposal. However having said that I understand the Eurocrats in Brussels actively discourage one EC state from broadcasting to another. Arguably we are supposed to be governed by the same EC administration which does not warrant (internal) overseas broadcasting. Holland is a wonderful country and there is a lot more to the place than just wooden shoes and cheese and tulips (Andy Cadier, UK, BDXC-UK via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ AT 72 FEET, A BIG THORN IN THIS WEALTHY TOWN'S SIDE July 30, 2004 By CAROL POGASH TIBURÓN, Calif., July 27 - Five years and $15 million ago, the residents here in Marín County, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, agreed to build a state-of-the-art radio communications system linking police, fire and other emergency services countywide. Today only half the county has the service, and no one is predicting when the project will be completed. At issue is the proposed placement of a single 72-foot antenna on the spectacular Tiburón Peninsula, one of the country's wealthiest locations. The antenna has drawn opposition from much of Tiburón, which as a result has halted completion of the communications system, though the opponents support it in concept. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/30/national/30antenna.html?ex=1092194690&ei=1&en=3cd92a2c76523abc (via Don Thornton, DXLD) Nothing compared to the RF coming out of any broadcast tower, I`ll wager (gh, DXLD) STATES LOSE GAS TAXES, CONSIDER TAX ON MOTORISTS PER MILE By Heather McKee, NewsNet Staff Writer, 29 Jul 2004 With fuel-efficient vehicles on the rise, states are feeling the effects of lost gasoline taxes, and in an effort to maintain roads, they are considering taxing motorists per mile. Utah's task force is closely watching the results of the pilot program in Oregon as they too are trying to find more effective ways to collect taxes to maintain their roads. "The maintenance, the wear and tear on the roads is not necessarily tied to gallons, it's tied to the amount of miles driven," Rep. Stuart Adams, R-Layton said. "The effort is to try to alleviate that problem." Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, said he is being open-minded and is happy to sit back and watch another state take the lead. "This is simply one option that we are looking at," Killpack said. "I think it is going to be interesting to see what happens in Oregon." Killpack said there are many other options being considered including continuing to raise the gas tax, instituting a tax similar to sales tax where a percentage of the gas price is taxed or additional impact fees. "I think it's important to look at every option," Adams said. "I don't think any one of us is reporting this as a solution. There is no real plan or effort to instigate a plan right now." The state of Oregon, with funding from the federal government, is piloting a program that taxes vehicles by the mile rather than using a flat rate. The Road User Fee Task Force (RUFTF), who think the current gas tax is not adequate when looking into the future, established this program after four years of deliberation. "It really doesn't matter to us how much gas you're using, because what we care about is maintaining the roads. It's a user fee," said Betsy Imholt, alternative funding administrator for the Oregon Department of Transportation. "If you use them and you abuse them, you should pay." The pilot program will set the mileage fee at about 1.25 cents per mile; the current gas tax is set at 24 cents per gallon. As part of the pilot program, Oregon is installing systems similar to GPS systems in 200 vehicles that will count mileage. Gas stations will have short-range wireless radios installed in the pump that will query the car to find out how many miles the car has traveled on Oregon roads. The resulting tax will be added onto the gas bill. "One of the things that we are not doing is watching where people go," Imholt said. "The device has been specially created to not have that information in it." These vehicles will be monitored over the next year and the results will determine whether or not it will be implemented statewide. Imholt said they would phase into the program slowly, not retro-fitting old cars but having the GPS systems installed in all new cars (BYU NewsNet via Mike Terry, UK, dxldyg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC STORM AND HAM RADIO A huge geomagnetic storm has hit the Earth, wiping out a lot of High Frequency communications. At the same time it`s making the VHF and UHF bands a veritable DX playground. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more: According to a propagation bulletin issued on July 25th by CQ Magazine`s Tomas Hood, NW7US, the estimated planetary K index reached a level of 8, with the Bolder, Colorado K reading a level 7. Translated into everyday talk, that`s one heck of a solar storm and it does odd things to radio communications. All you need do is turn on a 6 or 2 meter CW or SSB radio to hear it for yourself. Solar storms bring with them an increase in Aurora and Aurora based communications. Reports over the VHF Reflector say that this one was no exception. According to Dave Wenner, K3KEL, in Benton, Pennsylvania, his 150 watts to a homebrew 9 element Quagi antenna made it possible for him to make dozens of 144 MHz contacts. These ranged from Maine across to Missouri plus Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario Canada. Dave`s posting said that he did not work any stations to the South but that they were there. He says that he heard K4QI in North Carolina`s grid FM06 very strong toward the end of the session. Wenner`s was typical of the reports posted to the VHF Reflector. Many of them said that this was the best Aurora session heard in years. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I`m Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles. How long does a solar storm like this last? NW7US reports that as Saturday, July 25th progressed, the geomagnetic field again became highly active and reached storm levels. He says that it has continued to get more intense, reaching very high storm levels. As the week progressed more Aurora contacts were reported world-wide with some on the 222 MHz band and above (NW7US via VHF Reflector via ARNewsline(tm) July 30 via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup) IS THE SUN HARMING EARTH? Meantime the CGC Communicator cites an interesting propagation report. One that says Greenland`s ice cores indicate that the sun is more active now than it has been at anytime in the past 1,000 years. That report also says this has caused a warming trend here on Earth. As a result of this and other solar observations the pseudo-science doomsayers have been quick to jump on the gloom and doom bandwagon. They are out there predicting dyer consequences for those of us living here on the surface of our home planet Earth. But is any of this based on reality? That`s what RAIN`s Hap Holly asked CQ`s Thomas Hood, NW7US: Audio report only. Hear it in the MP3 version of this newscast downloadable at http://www.arnewsline.org/quincy Hood says that you should enjoy the radio talk about the phenomena but not to take it seriously (CGC, RAIN via ARNewsline(tm) July 30 via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) ON THE AIR: THOMAS HOOD ON RAIN By the way, you can learn a lot more about radio propagation and the effects of solar radiation on communications from Thomas Hood on this week`s RAIN Report. Its available right now on-line at http://www.rainreport.com or on the phone at 847-827-7246. You can read the article referred to by the CGC Communicator at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3869753.stm (CGC, RAIN via ARNewsline(tm) July 30 via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 31 ARLP031 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA July 30, 2004 To all radio amateurs SB PROP ARL ARLP031 ARLP031 Propagation de K7RA Sunspot 652 has rotated out of view, but it was the source of major excitement this week. Coronal mass ejections caused big geomagnetic storms on Sunday and Tuesday, July 25 and 27. The planetary A index was 122 on Sunday, 31 the next day, and 162 on Tuesday. This caused radio blackouts on the HF bands, but was a real blast for 6-meter operators who reported great openings. The activity was enhanced by a south-pointing interplanetary magnetic field, leaving the earth vulnerable to blasts of energy from the sun. Aurora displays accompany periods of high geomagnetic activity, but they tend to predominate at higher latitudes. The stronger the activity, the higher the K and A index, and the further south that northern lights can be seen. We`re used to seeing photos of aurora from Alaska, especially above the Arctic Circle, but at http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/aurora/images2004/27jul04/Mammana1.jpg you can view a photo taken July 27 at Borrego Springs in California. This is only 20 miles north of the 33rd parallel, in Southern California. Marc Weinberg, K9PET, sent a note about being maritime mobile in Svalbard as JW/K9PET last week. He was north of the 79th parallel, and when geomagnetic disturbances hit, he said he ``thought the world had disappeared``. You can see a photo (taken from a distance) of him operating on land from Raudfjorden Spitsbergen on July 20th. Go to http://www.expeditions.com and search for the photo accompanying the DER (Daily Expedition Report) for the M S Endeavour for July 20th. In a few week`s Marc will have more photos on his own web site, http://www.casualdx.com Michael Tracy, KC1SX, sent in an interesting link for a Macromedia Flash movie on HF propagation by AE4RV. Watch it at http://www.ae4rv.com/tn/propflash.htm Over the next few days expect unsettled to active geomagnetic conditions, and declining sunspot and solar flux numbers. Predicted planetary A index for Friday through Monday, July 30 through August 2 is 30, 20, 20 and 8. Predicted solar flux for those same days is 95, 90, 85 and 90. Solar flux is expected to peak again at about 125 around August 14-18. More sunspot activity is ahead, at least for the near term. For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service propagation page at http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html Sunspot numbers for July 22 through 28 were 117, 86, 109, 130, 113, 66 and 66 with a mean of 98.1. 10.7 cm flux was 172.9, 165.1, 147.2, 156.2, 128, 118.1 and 100.7, with a mean of 141.2. Estimated planetary A indices were 19, 47, 27, 122, 31, 162 and 14, with a mean of 60.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 13, 21, 29, 64, 26, 119 and 11, with a mean of 40.4. NNNN /EX Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) BOULDER WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS AND FORECAST Re 4-115: The final segment in that issue was not a new report, but the previous week`s. Tho the flux and A/K indices for this week were ready in time for 4-114, the highlights & forecast were not, even tho it was Tuesday evening. When 4-115 was ready to go, I copied what I assumed was the new edition of the latter, since it was Thursday already, but they still had last week`s info up, which I failed to notice. Somebody must be on vacation, or they totally forgot, for at 0027 recheck July 31, the *old* edition was *still* at http://www.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/weekly/WKHF.txt (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###