DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-161, October 21, 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 NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1250: Thu 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 4-hourly -1600 [maybe] Fri 0200 on ACBRadio Mainstream repeated 2-hourly thru 2400 http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream.html Mon 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Fri 2300 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sat 0000 on SIUE Web Radio http://webradio.siue.edu 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 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 0330 on WRMI 6870 Sun 0630 on WWCR 3210 Sun 0930 on WRMI 9955 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 1930 on WWCR 12160 Sun 2000 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Sun 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Mon 0230 on WRMI 6870 Mon 0300 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous 1249] 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 Mon 2100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB repeated thru Wed Tue 0900 on WRMI 9955 Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1250 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1250h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1250.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1250 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1250.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1250.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1250.html WORLD OF RADIO 1250 mp3 in the true SW sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_10-20-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_10-20-04.mp3 MUNDO RADIAL, Octubre-Noviembre: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0410.ram (bajable) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0410.rm (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0410.html Y a partir del martes 26 de octubre en WWCR 15825: martes 2130, miércoles 2100, viernes 2115; desde noviembre 9985 una hora después ** BELARUS. R. Belarus, 7210, Oct 15, 16: 0159 IS and 0200 into English with IDs, sked, 0202 English news; local ballads. 0227 sked and address at closing. 0229 IS, multi-lingual ID announcements and into unID language. Weak with some ham QRM. Also heard weak \\ 5970. No mention of 0200 English broadcast. Announced English on 5970 and 7210 for 0400-0430 on Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat. Could not catch complete sked announcement due to signal quality but I think they said English on Mon, Tue, Thu at 2130-2200 and Sun only at 2300-2300. Not heard at 0400 check (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And no mention of new 7280, supposedly ex-7210? Guess that only concerns the earlier broadcasts to Europe. I suspect they were announcing local time UT+2 or UT+3? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) The announcement copied from the audio file available at http://www.tvr.by : mt.tf.. at 2130-2200 & ......s at 2300-2330 on 1170/7105/7280; repeats: mtw.f.. at 0400-0430 & .....s. at 0430-0500 on 5970/7210. All times are announced as "UTC", but apparently they are not. It is correct that Belarus observes DST = UTC +3h until 31 October (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Geez, a so-called international broadcaster which does not even understand how to tell time (gh, DXLD) ** BELGIUM [and non]. We heard from Brussels that the RVi program cancellations would save almost no money. Nor would RVi have any financial trouble; instead the just announced decision would be merely a strategic one. Well, I am not sure what our contact (probably it is better to not mention his name) was referring to when making the first statement; I think only the production of the foreign language radio shows. Four hours on shortwave per day? This would be exactly their current airtime amount via Jülich, from which 0557-0756 on 5965 is booked by Deutsche Welle in return of their airtime on 1512. Of course they could as well continue to use VT Communications and/or RTRS. Anyway the mention of (southern) Europe as target makes it highly unlikely that VRT will continue to use Bonaire. Hence RNW will have to pay for 1512, if it will still be available for them at all (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Especially with Brussels being the headquarters of the European Union. I would think Radio Netherlands being the only English-language broadcaster left on Shortwave from the Benelux after the end of March, 2005 will pick up the slack. I can listen to RVi through the World Radio Network both online and also on KTRU-FM 91.7 here in Houston, if one of the Rice University student DJs doesn't make it for his/her shift. WRN is usually carried overnights on the station, especially during summer break, and is backup programming for the station. It's also webcast at http://KTRU.org It's sad to see another SW broadcaster cut back or cease services but the existing trend as far as the developed countries is concerned is for relay on local FM, local examples in southeastern Texas are WRN via KTRU Radio 91.7 and the BBCWS on our community radio station, KPFT Radio 90.1. 73s from Texas (Keith Anderson, swprograms via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Glen[n], Past Oct. 20th, I heard on 4917 at 0950- a MA in Spanish with comments on human rights, comunicados and "El Santo del Día" (preparado por el padre Claudio Vásquez), and the program IDed as "Loquito(?) San Miguel", Heard again (Oct. 21st) today with almost same format but no ID caught (too noisy conditions). Is this the Bolivian Radio San Miguel? (Fernando Viloria, Guacara, Carabobo State, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes: Was just listening to an unID station on 4917.18 (0952-0957). Language sounded like Spanish but the signal is pretty weak. Only noted talk by M and W, so I couldn't really get any clues. But there's definitely someone here. Please check it out and let me know if you come up with anything. Thanks. 73's (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) I heard it too, and listened up till 1030 UT this morning. Continuous talk in Spanish by a male, then toward the BoH a female spoke. There were some mentions of "radio" that I heard, but I need to review my tape. There was a lot of atmospheric QRN that made copy difficult. 73's (George Maroti NY, ibid.) 4917.18 fading out at 1130. Good DXing (Bob Wilkner, FL, ibid.) Dave and others! I heard this station the first time yesterday evening around 2300 UT on 4917.63 kHz with religious program followed by a program called "La Voz de mi Comunidad". Also a clear ID for Radio San Miguel, Riberalta (Bolivia). 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, ibid.) 4917.18, R. San Miguel (presumed), 0953-0956 Oct 20, talk by M and W in Spanish. Came back at 1005 and talk by M over music with mentions of Los Andes and campesino. Into music at 1007, but some sort of local white noise started. M returned at 1008 past 1025 mentioning "...difusora ?? esperanza...", and several possible mentions of radio. A short canned announcement at 1015 by M and W. Weak and fading very very quickly after 1025 and gone for all intents and purposes by 1035 indicating probable CP. Thanks Björn for IDing this!!! I didn't have time to scan the entire band this morning, otherwise I probably would've noticed that San Miguel was absent from 4904. 73's (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Known for variation ** BRAZIL. 6185, R. Nacional da Amazônia, 0755-0841 Oct 19. Campo music; multi-station R. Nacional ID at 0800, then into usual program "Bom Dia Amazônia". Excellent signal, as usual, with slight QRM from presumed R. Educación on about 6184.96 (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) R. Nacional da Amazônia, 6185, 0020-0050* Oct 15, still on this frequency with Portuguese talk, ballads, including Portuguese version of ``Somewhere Over the Rainbow``, IDs. \\ 11780, both frequencies inbooming. 6185 abruptly off at 0050; 11780 remained on the air. Next night, Oct 16, 6185 sign-off at 0054* (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. R. Brasil Central, Goiânia, 11815, 0325-0345+ Oct 16, Portuguese announcements and ballads, ID. Fair-good, \\ 4985 weak (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Toronto's new Latin American station on 1610 is testing as I type this at 7:10 p.m. Eastern. I have been listening off and on for the past hour. No IDs or announcements heard yet. Just quasi-Andean music (guitars and flutes/pipes) and dead air. I say "quasi", as I just heard an instrumental version of the Beatles' "Let It Be" and also earlier a cover of a Celine Dion song (fortunately with no vocals). Earlier they played a song with vocals had many mentions of "Bolivia". Maybe they'll do an Andean version of a Sum 41 or Nickelback song in order to fulfill their Canadian Content requirements? Strong here, but I'm pretty close to them. I guess from this location WWRL-1600 will now be "DX"! (Niel Wolfish, Toronto, Oct 20, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Niel, I am hearing a station with music under my local TIS WNPI340 which is about 1000 feet away from here (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, ibid.) When did they go off? I checked around 8 PM EDT and it was only Montreal with French talk. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) ** CHINA [non]. Here`s a new broadcast near the top of R. Nederland`s new B-04 technical schedule: 0000-0100 Bonaire 9745 290 250 China R Int Mexico (via gh, DXLD) ! Add one more station/country in bed with the vile jamming countries. I suppose this will be in Spanish, not to be confused with HCJB later on same frequency (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [non]. Regarding the shortwave broadcast, what is in the works is a station in the U.S., in Illinois on a farm of an engineer friend who has donated the land for use as a transmitters site. BTW the Tico Times did another story about RFPI and other groups vs. the Upaz last week, not sure if it ran in the online edition or not but was a very positive story for RFPI in that it linked Maurice Strong to fraud, in his taking $1.6 million of Costa Rican land selling it and pocketing the $$. 73, (James Latham, RFPI, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Apparently story is not online at http://www.ticotimes.net ** CUBA. DXERS UNLIMITED MID WEEK EDITION FOR 19-20 OCTOBER 2004 By Arnie Coro radio amateur CO2KK Hi amigos, it`s nice to have you listening to the mid week edition of Dxers Unlimited; I am Arnie Coro, radio amateur CO2KK, and today, we have a special report about our practically all new Bauta transmitting station, where five out of seven short wave transmitters are already in operation for our regular broadcasts, and one of them is on loan to Radio Rebelde's Tropical Band service operating with 50 kiloWatts on 5025 kiloHertz with a new omnidirectional antenna designed by my good friend Bauta's chief engineer Hector Esperón. I'll tell you more about the progress of the project to modernize Radio Havana Cuba's transmitting facilities after a bit more than 40 years of continuous service of our Brown Boveri and Snieg transmitters. Sí, amigos, yes my friends, six brand new 100 kiloWatt short wave transmitters are now under a test period at our Bauta transmitting station, located about 20 miles west of the city of Havana. The new transmitters are energy savers, as they use a modulation technology that is know as PSM, or pulse step modulation, that makes possible the design of a much simpler and more reliable transmitter than a classical high level plate modulated one. Our new PSM transmitters provide excellent modulation quality and they are capable of fast frequency changes, something that is essential under today's crowded international short wave broadcast band conditions. We are also installing six new high gain curtain antenna arrays, and three omnidirectional ones, that are all easily accessed from a sophisticated switching matrix, that is operated from the control room. The new antennas will take still a few months to be completed, so in the meantime, Chief Engineer Héctor Esperón, has kept the new transmitters under test using some of our old antennas at Bauta, including the New York rhombic, our Caracas high gain rhombic, the Caribbean phased array of dipoles and two of our omnidirectional test antennas. Now we must start testing the new curtains one by one, and that is going to take quite some time, and of course we will be needing our listeners reports to know how well the new antennas are working!!! ..... Cortina Sí, amigos, you are listening to the mid week edition of DXers Unlimited, and let me add that if your picking up our program on 11760 kiloHertz, then you can be sure that it's one of our new pulse step modulated 100 kiloWatt transmitters (Arnie Coro, RHC DXers Unlimited Oct 19 via ODXA via DXLD) [posted in reply to our transcript of his previous comments in Spanish] ** CZECH REPUBLIC. Radio Prague announced on air that they will leave WRN by the end of this year but instead will try to get a longwave outlet from November 1st. This according to Bernhard Walle in the A-DX mailing list. --- It remains unclear so far whether all transmissions via WRN will cease or this concerns only German (and here FM in Berlin, too). Longwave of course means Topolná 270. Attempts to use this frequency were made already a decade ago, but with no success then (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Hello DXers, I got a primary piece of sad news about the media scene in Egypt: according to a source working in Radio Cairo, there'll be a huge budget cuts starting 1/11/04 and several overseas sections of radio Cairo will be closed for good --- including the Portuguese section beamed to Brazil and several other sections. The remaining sections will be English, French, Spanish. I don't know about the German and the Russian section. It was really obvious that something is going on specially when all the media followers here in Egypt noticed that the close down of ESC2 (Egyptian Satellite channels 2) on 15/10/04 as everyone was wondering why ESC2 is not working on the Nile Sat?? It turned out to be as a part of the changes that will take place in the media scene soon. That means a lot of shortwave frequencies used to carry the Voice of Egypt will be in the clear and no more Radio Cairo in Afar, Fulani, etc. Further details will be given soon. Hopefully I'll be able to get the exact affected sections soonest. All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Oct 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Hi Glenn, since the article of the newspaper Die Welt I summarized a week ago obviously found some attention here a complete translation. In case anybody wondered when looking at the original: Yes, this is classical German spelling, again used by all Axel Springer Verlag publications since the beginning of this month. EVEN HARDER TIMES FOR DEUTSCHE WELLE Anna Amalia library endangers existence of station [what`s this about a library? What does that have to do with it? gh] The crisis of Deutsche Welle is more dramatic than understood until now. It came to the attention of this newspaper that the station's plan for 2005 provides a budget curtailed by 8.5 million Euro compared to this year. In addition the rates of the employees will increase. This altogether results in missing funds as high as a two cypher millions amount. In the recent years Deutsche Welle, who distributes radio and TV from Germany all over the world, has been curtailed like hardly any other public broadcaster. In the mid-nineties the station had an annual budget of 635 millions Mark, for 2005 just 261 millions Euro are provided. For years now the red pen rages here, but the outcry of the station was never really loud. In the opinion of observers this was also the result of the circumstance that once Deutsche Welle had ample reserves. But these times are over now, the reserves are used up. Since 1994 Deutsche Welle parted from 45 percent of their employees. Until 2005 a further 10 percent of the job positions will be cut. ``We are required to discontinue broadcasts in case this really happens`` it is said at the station council. It is known to this newspaper that on November 11 the directors of ZDF, ARD and Deutsche Welle, Markus Schächter, Fritz Pleitgen and Erik Bettermann, will meet culture state secretary Christina Weiß. Deutsche Welle is the biggest position in her one billions budget. Recently the Anna Amalia library at Weimar appeared as direct competitor on the scene. An internal comment at Deutsche Welle is: ``We pay for the fire there.`` Amongst the situation of Deutsche Welle also the future of German TV is to be discussed at this meeting. German TV is produced by ARD, ZDF and Deutsche Welle since 2002 and available to viewers in the USA as Pay TV station. The federal government intends to discontinue German TV. Deutsche Welle will try to get the millions of Euros that will become vacant if the station will be closed. In the meantime director Bettermann, who is close to the social democrat party, uses his excellent contacts to the federal government to probably let the cuts become less sharp. Apparently the editorial offices of Deutsche Welle already have an emergency plan in case Bettermann fails. A prominent example from this list of cuts were recently the Spanish programmes of Deutsche Welle TV, aiming at more than 300 millions viewers, mostly in Latin America. During the recent trip of Schröder to Mexico this plan produced some diplomatic trouble due to a complaint by prime minister Fox. This forced Schröder to exercise his authority, but without any financial consequences. Deutsche Welle's internal list of cuts also includes radio services and the planned extension of the Internet department. Deutsche Welle also fears for one of her prestige objects, the news programme for Afghanistan. With an annual budget of 1.2 millions Euro Deutsche Welle produces at Berlin news in both national languages of Afghanistan. During the first year all the money came from the foreign ministry. This year the ministry of Joschka Fischer halved the funds. Hence during 2004 Deutsche Welle had to raise 600,000 Euro of own money. First it looked like Deutsche Welle would be left with the expenses altogether in 2005, under the current situation resulting in the Afghanistan project coming to an end. But now it seems that the problem had been solved: The ministry for foreign aid will take over the share of the foreign ministry. A member of the Deutsche Welle council comments: ``What Deutsche Welle did for Afghanistan is worth more than the complete action by the Bundeswehr forces, just much cheaper.`` (translated by Kai Ludwig for DX LISTENING DIGEST, WORLD OF RADIO 1250) ** GERMANY. Wertachtal DRM on 7265 today Hallo Liste, vor gut 2 Tagen beendete der SWR die Aussendungen auf 7265 kHz. Jetzt sendet hier "Hitradio Deutsche Welle" aus Wertachtal Popmusik mit 17,46 kbps in SBR parametric stereo. Klingt gut über Kopfhörer :-) SNR hier in Eningen ca 23 dB. Viel Spaß beim Hören (Jürgen Martens, Oct 21, a-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) That was really quick: Today, only two days after SWR left this frequency, Deutsche Welle (or T-Systems) run DRM from Wertachtal on 7265. "Hitradio Deutsche Welle" is DRM DXers slang for the DW-Musik program. Now, at 1530, it is off, and it should really because otherwise they would destroy Radio Polonia (German program) on 7270, undermodulated and with background hum as always (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Yesterday the 7265 transmitter at Rohrdorf was switched off at 0358, observed but unfortunately not recorded by Walter Eibl. The night before, 6030 could no longer be heard in Germany after 1900, but I assume merely due to skipping while the transmitter indeed was on air until 2205, since this was first-hand information from SWR engineering. It should be mentioned that they are really sad about the end of their shortwave service, and probably this is obvious from their press release even for those not understanding German: http://www.swr.de/presseservice/archiv/2004/09/21/index1.html Re. ``7265 ... This was one of the great pop/techno stations (altho' not much of that lately)``: This frequency used to carry SWF 3 which, when Südwestfunk merged with Süddeutscher Rundfunk, became SWR3 and was put on 6030, too. But from May 2003 instead SWR cont.ra was carried on 7265. This is a new spoken word program, officially labelled as DAB service, but in the real world the main distribution platform is mediumwave. In 2003 SWR cont.ra relayed as overnight service still Inforadio 93.1 of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg. Here is a recording of Inforadio's first appearance on 7265 on May 1st 2003 at 2100, heavily disturbed by co-channel Radio Polonia (since there was no international protection for both 6030 and 7265 --- at times Radio Polonia occupied 6030 as well): http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/030503_a1.ram Since January 1st 2004, MDR Info was relayed by SWR cont.ra overnight, so their program was the last thing that went out via SWR shortwave ever. Not that they bothered to give it any mention; it's just the end of an era, so what? And an even more historical recording from August 31 1998: Süddeutscher Rundfunk ID at 1800 (co-channel BBC via Oman) and from 0'28 into the file the last sesquiminute of Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR 1 program), dedicated to the staff members otherwise not appearing on the air, followed by the launch of Südwestrundfunk with the news at 2200. http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/040522_a1.ram New pictures of the Rohrdorf site, made just this Monday: http://www.mathiasweber.de/sf/rohrdorf.html The HQ with the rainbow is, err, was the main 7265 antenna, the even more cute VM was the backup. By the way, today I have not switched on the radio for the second day in a row. It's because --- here always used to be a station ;-( Yesterday during the afternoon a DRM test was carried out from Braunschweig/Königslutter on 756. I understand that Ravensburg continued in AM (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR B-2004 changes --- Dear Friends, Here are the changes for All India Radio for the B-2004 period (31 Oct 31 2004 to 27 Mar 2005). 1000-1100 English 13710 Bangalore (ex 13695) 1000-1100 English 15235 Delhi (ex 15410) 1115-1215 Tamil 13710 Bangalore (ex 13695) 1115-1200 Thai 15235 Panaji (ex 15410) 1215-1245 Telegu 13710 Bangalore (ex 13695) 1615-1715 Russian 9875 Delhi (Addition) Broadcasts to Pakistan in Baluchi, Sindhi & Urdu on 1071 kHz via Rajkot 1000 kw are suspended lately due to installation of new 1000 kW transmitter. Home Service: 7360 Delhi will be only at 0700-1330 The 1 kW standby transmitter of AIR Port Blair on 1440 kHz has been dismantled recently. [ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS] 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. For those of you who enjoy listening to interesting VHF stuff... The International Space Station's amateur radio station has been in cross-band repeat mode for the past few weeks. It is pretty cool to listen to. On a pass, one can hear hams talking very long distance by being repeated through the ISS. Downlink is on 145.800 (FM), running 5 or 10 watts. Signal is often pretty good. Uplink is 437.800 (+/- Doppler shift). If you catch it on a good pass, you'll find mass hysteria -- various hams tripping over each other to make a contact. I made a quick contact today. But, it was tough. Anyway, check it out (Peter, Memphis, Baskind, Oct 12, WTFDA via DXLD) ** IRAN. See VENEZUELA [non] ** ISRAEL. Re. Noel's notes about Israeli shortwave facilities: The Hillel site in the outskirts of Tel Aviv was closed on January 1st this year. So indeed only Yavne is left. And the 250 kW operation of the 300 kW Philips transmitters is exactly the way RNW runs such transmitters (two ones each) at Talata Volonondry and Bonaire as well. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. IBA DG Yosef Barel defends himself http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/490916.html Israel Broadcasting Authority director-general Yosef Barel yesterday met the minister in charge of the IBA for two and half hours. Through his attorney, he responded to charges that have led to Ehud Olmert trying to have him dismissed. Olmert blames Barel for the situation at the IBA and a breakdown in communication between his bureau and the IBA management. At the end of the meeting, Olmert said that a final decision on Barel's future would be taken early next week (Anat Balint via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) ** ISRAEL [non]. There will be an hour program on the subject of All For Peace on "Here on Earth" for Wisconsin Public Radio in the United States. It will air between 22.00-23.00 Israel and West European time this Saturday night, 21.00-22.00 UK time [2006-2100 UT, also on WPR Ideas Network webcast] You can hear the program live at the following address: http:///www.hereonearth.org I will be representing the station, and will be interviewed during the course of the program. They will be playing some of the music that is played on my show, and I will also be answering listeners questions. Mike Brand (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ITALY. Hi John, Just to let you know that it is now possible to listen to the current edition of MediaLine at the website http://medialine.150m.com Also, for the B04 season, the programme will be moving one hour later to 0900 UT. Many thanks, (Henry Brice, e-mail to John Norfolk, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) IRRS ** LATVIA. This just arrived from Raimonds Kreicbergs of KREBS TV, Latvia: "We are from 22 October starting regular transmissions from 0700 UT on 945 AM with Radio Nord. Programme for DX listeners starts 1530 UT 22 October." 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Nord, the local station in Riga on 945 kHz will start with regular 24h transmissions on 22 October at 0700 UT (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, mwdxyg via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. ELWA, 4759.98, 2230-2301* Oct 14, 15, local religious programming with talk and Christian music. Closing announcements and sign-off with NA. Very weak (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. XESURF-AM 540 moved their transmitting facility from a discount department store in Baja. It is located next to the Ensenada toll road, on the west side, about two miles after the road turns south from the U.S. border. The station has is non-directional and carries up the coast. This photo was taken in June (SanDiego Radio.net Oct 15 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. John Callarman has compiled an excellent list of Mexican AM stations by frequency. The list is available for download at the DXing.info website at http://www.dxing.info/lists/mexico.doc (in MS Word format) At http://www.dxing.info/lists/ you can also find a bunch of other station lists. Please email your updates to the hosts of the lists, if you have any new information about the stations (Mika Mäkeläinen, Oct 20, dxing.info via DXLD) Excellent work! Although I have no way of evaluating its accuracy, so far it has worked as a great tool when I tried to resolve Mexican stations during the latest KONG10 DX-pedition to Kongsfjord, Norway (see http://www.kongsfjord.no for details). Just what I needed! From the world's northernmost DXer (Bjarne Mjelde, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. New Radio Netherlands technical schedule published --- On Sunday 31st October Radio Netherlands, in common with most other international broadcasters, makes seasonal changes to its schedule. The technical details of all our shortwave and mediumwave transmissions, valid to 27th March 2005, have now been published. Radio Netherlands B04 broadcast schedule http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/scheduleb04.html # posted by Andy @ 13:17 UT Oct 21 (Media Network blog via DXLD) See also CHINA [non]; SUDAN [non] ** NEW CALEDONIA. COURT ORDERS REMOVAL OF NEW CALEDONIA RADIO STRIKERS | Text of report by French news agency AFP Noumea, 19 October: Noumea's county court today ordered the immediate expulsion of the USTKE (separatist) strikers at New Caledonia's RFO station, which has been paralysed for the last two months, the non- strikers have told AFP. The court order demands the immediate removal of any obstacle or person barring access to the RFO premises. It is now down to the state's high commissioner to decide whether or not to resort to calling in the police. At the end of last week, the RFO management saw its request for an interim ruling on expulsion thrown out on a technicality, but appealed this decision. Since 20 August, the strikers from the Trade Union Federation of Kanak Workers and Exploited People (USTKE) - a dozen or so people out of more than 150 salaried employees - have been blocking access to RFO's premises, transforming its car park into an encampment. The union is asking for the amendment of a contract of a Kanak engineer - who had previously been posted in Paris - thus promoting local employment. François Guilbeau, director-general of RFO, recently launched in the local press "a call to reason and (to the strikers') sense of responsibility", while excluding the possibility of giving in to their demand. All the local radio and television programmes have been stopped since the conflict began. RFO's decentralized station in Kone in northern New Caledonia, hitherto spared by the strike, was padlocked last week by USTKE activists. The act was described as "irresponsible and against the public interest" by Paul Neaoutyine, the separatist president of the North Province. This is the longest labour conflict in RFO's history. Source: AFP news agency, Paris, in French 2351 gmt 18 Oct 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria monitored schedule: instead of the two blocks 10-13 and 14-15, now one block 1000-1500, English to Europe on 15120; 1530-1557, 1630-1657: 7255 unID language Many short transmitter breaks and, sometimes wrong times and frequencies announced, audio and modulation troubles (varying from almost only carrier to terrible noise) (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Oct 20, dxing.info via DXLD) V. of Nigeria, 15120, 1835-1935+ Oct 15, English programming heard under a strong unID station which signed off at 1859 leaving Nigeria in the clear with 1900 English news, local music, IDs; 1930 program about Nigerian popular music (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. I have a pretty decent signal from Radio Melodía at this time (2314 UT) on 5939.40, if anyone wants to log it? (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] 5939.40, Radio Melodía, 2313-2330 Oct 20. Two women in conversation. At 2319, a man joins in and later others. Signal was fair with a lot of QRN (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, 545, dipole, ibid.) ** SAUDI ARABIA. EDITORIAL ANALYSIS: MEDIA ENVIRONMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA Editorial analysis by Amani Soliman of BBC Monitoring's Media Services on 20 October [complete] Saudi Arabia is one of the most closed societies in the Middle East but since the events of 11 September 2001 Saudi Arabia has been put under the international spotlight. This has put some pressure on the government to reform its policies. Some change is apparent, for example the unprecedented broadcasting of parts of sessions of the Majlis al-Shura (Saudi consultative non- elected council) and journalists being allowed to attend the sessions. Also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began to hold regular press conferences and briefings for journalists. More recently there has been the reporting of terrorist attacks in several parts of the kingdom. Although the government has been more open to media coverage than in the past, the media sources in Saudi Arabia are still very much controlled by the government. This is not unusual in the Middle East, particularly in the state-owned and state-run media. Earlier this year, in an unprecedented development, the Saudi government launched its own news satellite channel to face growing competition from Pan-Arab TVs. Indeed Saudi Arabia itself is the leader in this field with the launch of Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) in the early 1990s out of London. MBC has recently moved to Dubai. However, private radio and television cannot be based in Saudi Arabia, but leading local businessmen and investors are behind numerous Arab satellite channels such as the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya, a Pan-Arab 24-hour news channel and pay-TV channels such as Arab Radio and Television (ART) and the Rome-based Orbit. The Broadcasting Service of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia operates within the Ministry of Culture and Information. It is the state-run body that regulates and controls all television and radio broadcasting. However, the powerful Higher Media Council is headed by Interior Minister Prince Nayif Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud, who is believed to be the real master of the media in the kingdom. Press There are more than a dozen daily newspapers published locally in Arabic and a few in English. All newspapers in Saudi Arabia are privately owned, but their publishers and editors are appointed or must be approved by the government. Any newspapers based in Saudi Arabia have to obtain a royal decree to do so. In principle, there is no legal restriction on freedom of _expression in the kingdom. However, in practice censorship is strict and criticism of the government is automatically censored. It is an unwritten law amongst editors and writers that any _expression of opposition and any form of criticism of the government in general and members of the ruling Al- Saud family is not accepted or tolerated. The Saudi government has recently questioned several journalists for articles and commentaries critical of the religious authorities and conservative Muslim theology, particularly following the attacks by car bombers on residential communities housing foreigners in Riyadh, on 12 May 2003, in which dozens were killed. However, newspapers have reported on previously taboo subjects such as political, economic and educational reform, women's rights, corruption, and religion. In addition, criticism of US policy vis-\à- vis the Muslim world in general and the Middle East in particular has been rampant since the US war on Afghanistan. In February 2003 the government granted a charter to a professional journalists' association, to include both men and women. The association's goal is to organize the journalists, coordinate relations with employers and support the development of job-related skills. Prior to September 2001, newspapers only published news on sensitive topics after the information was released by the Saudi Press Agency or when given authorization from a government official, but this has now changed. Newspapers currently publish news and stories, particularly those on attacks in the kingdom, without seeking government clearance. However, the Saudi daily newspaper Al-Watan reported in February 2004, that Saudi newspaper sales have fallen to record lows and are experiencing distribution problems. The paper noted that "while some papers regularly sold 120,000 copies in the 1980s at a time when the country's population was some 10 million, newspaper distribution today seldom exceeds that figure although the population has more than doubled since then". There are two Saudi-owned, London-published daily newspapers, namely, Al-Sharq al-Awsat and Al-Hayat, which are distributed widely in Saudi Arabia and also throughout the Middle East. They are both seen to have a great degree of freedom and to exercise their own style of self- censorship in order to comply with the government's rules on issues of particular sensitivity. The editors and staff of both these papers are from across the Arab world. More recently, to coincide with the third anniversary of the 11 September attacks, Al-Sharq al-Awsat and Arab News have launched a joint location on the internet to focus on the Arab points of view on the events. This new web site in English targets the world by showing opinions, articles and in-depth analyses on the aftermath of the events as well as on "the war on terror". The site also includes a seminar on Saudi-American relations and many other links to archives for 9/11 events. The web sites are: http://www.arabnews.com/9-11 and http://www.aawsat.com/9-11. Television Saudi state-run TV consists of four channels: Saudi One which is the main channel in Arabic; Saudi Two which is an English channel; a sports channel and the more recent news channel Al-Ikhbariya. The television sector is owned and operated by the government. Government censorship is exercised on all television output particularly on foreign programmes. However, the television sector witnessed a significant development in 2004, with the launch of the first 24-hour news satellite channel, Al-Ikhbariya, in an effort to communicate the Saudi point of view to the rest of the world in an increasingly competitive market. This government-owned Saudi television station was observed to always be the first to broadcast news and pictures of all the recent attacks in the kingdom. The first newscast upon its launch was read by Saudi Arabia's first-ever female news presenter, wearing a head scarf, according to Islamic tradition as well as Western-style clothing. On its launch, the director of the channel said: "The aim of Saudi Arabia's fourth state-run TV channel is to present a new image of the Gulf Arab state." Mohammed Barayan, the director of the Riyadh-based channel told Reuters, "The American media put out things about Saudi Arabia that are not true - like that Saudi Arabia is not fighting fundamentalists. We want to tell the world about our country, to give a new image." In an unprecedented move on Saudi Television, Channels 1 and subsequently Al-Ikhbariya broadcast on Tuesday 21 September, 2004, the confessions of a number of the most prominent detainees arrested for extremist activities in Saudi Arabia. The 13-minute programme was followed by an open discussion in which four Saudi academic and religious figures participated. Web site: http://www.saudinf.com/main/h31.htm A survey conducted by the Arab Advisors Group, using relatively small sample of 134 households in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam and published on 6 September, 2004, revealed that close to 89 per cent of households in Saudi Arabia can receive satellite channels at home. It covered all news, music, sports and recreational channels viewed in Saudi Arabia. The study showed that 16 per cent of Saudi families had subscribed to pay TV channels, and that these subscriptions were all to the three main pay-TV packages for the region, Showtime, ART and Orbit. The study also showed that 90 per cent of satellite television viewers in Saudi Arabia prefer watching Arabic or Arabic-translated programmes and the remaining 10 per cent watch English-language programmes. The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, is the leading news channel watched by over eighty per cent of those sampled. It was followed closely by the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya. The Saudi news channel Al-Ikhbariya waas watched by a third of the sample. Viewers were found to regularly watch more than one channel for news. CNN reached about 12 per cent. With respect to the credibility of news channels, 70 per cent of respondents considered the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya, highly reliable whereas 1.5 per cent only considered it unreliable. As for Al-Jazeera, 69 per cent found it highly reliable, whilst only 3 per cent found it unreliable. In contrast, only 17 per cent found US-funded Al-Hurra trust worthy and 20 per cent found it absolutely unreliable, according to the survey. Radio The Saudi Ministry of Information and Culture states that it is the responsibility of Saudi broadcasting, (both radio and television) to concentrate on religious, educational, social and cultural programmes. According to the Saudi Ministry of Information and Culture's web site: "Saudi external radio broadcasting places the emphasis on Islamic solidarity and also has a proselytizing function." The role of the Call of Islam service is "to promulgate the message of Islam and defend the Islamic faith against the assaults of hostile ideologies". Saudi Arabia's main domestic radio service in Arabic from the capital, Riyadh, broadcasts 24 hours a day on FM, MW, SW, satellite and the internet. Other services include: a second domestic Arabic-language service from Jeddah, a music-foreign-language service for listeners in Saudi Arabia, the Call of Islam service from Mecca and the Holy Koran service from Riyadh. The radio broadcasts are all available via the internet. Radio website: http://www.saudinf.com/main/h21.htm Aramco Radio: The Saudi Aramco oil company operates two 24-hour FM radio stations broadcasting English-language music and entertainment programmes from studios in Dhahran targeted at Aramco employees in the Kingdom. News Agency The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) is part of the Ministry of Culture and Information and has offices in several cities, including Cairo, London, Tunis, Bonn and Washington. It transmits news in Arabic, English and French 24 hours a day. SPA also carries features, commentaries and news analysis amongst its services. SPA has recently undertaken a comprehensive development of its internet web site and has plans to introduce additional features. A French-language news service will soon be added to the current Arabic and English ones, together with a photo service. According to the Saudi Minister of Information and Culture, this step comes within a series of developments to ensure comprehensive and varied coverage of news from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and abroad. The SPA web site now carries bulletins on financial shares and weather conditions in addition to local and international news. It also displays moving headlines of the latest five news stories on top of the main web page. These recent developments, which also include a much improved photos service all serve to refine the search operations on the web site and to serve Saudi media. Web site: http://www.spa.gov.sa International media There are several million satellite-receiving dishes in the country, which provide citizens with broadcasts from international radio and TV stations. The TV channels include pan-Arab satellite stations such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, CNN, BBC World television and the US government-funded Arabic-language satellite TV channel Al-Hurra. The radio stations include BBC Arabic and World Service radio, the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East and US Radio Sawa. Foreign radio broadcasts can also be received on medium-wave and short-wave, but Saudi Arabia has not authorized foreign broadcasters to set up local FM relays. Internet The internet is a main source of information for Saudis. By April 2003, there were 21 operational internet Service Providers (IPS), providing internet access to some 1.6 million users. However, since its arrival in the country in 1999, access has been restricted by the government's internet Services Unit. The government is known to have blocked thousands of sites in the past, not just inappropriate material but also politics, health, women's rights and education. To get round this censorship, many internet users go through satellite dishes, which are quicker and cheaper than official internet service providers. In October 2003, this was banned by the authorities. Opposition in exile The London-based Saudi Islamist dissident organization Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia-MIRA-operates Sawat al-Islah (Voice of Reform) radio via satellite. This radio station, launched in December 2002, is the first and only opposition radio broadcasting to Saudi Arabia from abroad. Programming includes news, cultural broadcasts, live phone-ins and talks, all critical of the Saudi regime and ruling family. Dr Sa'd al-Faqih, the head of the movement, holds discussions on subjects related to Saudi Arabia. Some of the output is also relayed on short-wave during the evening - the short-wave outlets are believed to be from transmitters in Norway. MIRA alleges that its radio broadcasts have been subjected to jamming by the Saudi authorities. Since May 2002 MIRA has operated a satellite TV channel, also called Al-Islah. Both these stations target Saudis in Saudi Arabia , the Arab Gulf states and the Saudi diaspora. MIRA was formed in exile in 1996 in order to advocate peacefully for political, economic and social reforms within Saudi Arabia by mobilizing Saudis to make demands, according to the movement's web site. In October-November 2003 MIRA called for Saudis to participate in peaceful protests in Saudi cities against the ruling family of Saudi Arabia. While not itself calling for violence, the movement says repeatedly that many people inside Saudi Arabia believe that only violence can be effective against ruling family. It adds that in its view, the level of violent protest in the kingdom is likely to increase. MIRA operates various web sites, including: - http://www.miraserve.com - http://www.islah.org - http://www.islah.tv - http://www.alislah.info All the above links redirect ultimately to the same home page - http://www.yaislah.org Some of the movement's web site have English as well as Arabic versions. Newspapers in Saudi Arabia The main newspapers published in Saudi Arabia are: - Al-Jazirah, daily in Arabic Al-Riyadh, daily in Arabic - Al-Yawm, daily in Arabic - Al-Watan, daily in Arabic - Okaz, daily in Arabic - Arab News, daily in English - Al-Hayat, daily in Arabic - Al-Sharq al-Awsat, daily in Arabic - Saudi Gazette, daily in English - Riyadh Daily, daily in English The national newspapers are Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Al-Watan and Arriyadiah (sports), all of which are read by between 10 and 20 per cent of adults, according to research conducted in 2002 by Bibi & Associates (media and marketing consultants). The Western region of Saudi Arabia is covered by Okaz, the second-most popular paper in Saudi Arabia according to Bibi and Associates and also by Al-Madina (local paper from the town of Madina, in the west of Saudi Arabia and place of burial of Prophet Mohammad). The Eastern region's paper is Al-Yawm. Al-Jazirah Al-Jazirah is one of the leading and most popular Arabic dailies, published by Al-Jazirah Press, Printing and Publishing Corporation which is based in Riyadh. It also published Al-Massaiyah, a daily evening newspaper, which has recently stopped and is due out under a new name soon. The new paper will be a family paper called Al-Ussra, meaning the family. Al-Jazirah newspaper is published in Riyadh. It also has branches in more than 30 cities inside and outside the Kingdom. It covers daily and weekly news, reports and interviews on mainly local, but also, Arab and international fields. The paper is known for its daily supplements, which cover economy, sports, culture, arts, computers, medicine, science as well as cartoons. Al-Jazirah is widely circulated all over the Kingdom and it is also available in other Arab and European countries. Its circulation has doubled in recent years. Advertising and subscription orders from government offices, establishments, companies and individuals have shown a big boost, according to its web site. The site also reports that its circulation is around 100,000 copies daily. Most readers are from the capital, Riyadh as well as the Central Region of the Kingdom. Al-Jazirah newspaper is printed within its premises using its own automated printing press. It is printed in 40 pages which include 10 coloured pages. Al-Jazirah is the first Saudi-based newspaper to have been launched on the internet in 1997. The number of its website visitors has gone over 3 millions in less than three years. The Editor-in-chief of Al-Jazirah is Khalid bin Hamad al-Malik who was recently elected deputy chairman of the newly formed Saudi Journalists Association (SJA). Al-Jazirah Press, Printing and Publishing Corporation also runs Al- Jazirah Internet Services which is one of Saudi Arabia's leading internet Service Providers. It is licensed by the King Abdul Aziz City of Science and Technology in Riyadh. This is an independent scientific organization established by the Saudi Arabian government in 1977, as a research centre, and is governed by a committee chaired by the King himself. Al-Jazirah Corporation was founded by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Khamis in April 1960. Initially it started as a monthly magazine and later, on 20 September 1972, it came out as a daily newspaper. Al-Jazirah internet Services "Suhuf" (meaning newspapers) is a sub- division of Al-Jazirah Corporation. "Suhuf" is one of the leading ISPs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is licensed by the King Abdul Aziz City of Science and Technology. Its web site is http://www.suhuf.net.sa The current president of Al-Jazirah Corporation is Mutlaq bin Abdullah al-Mutlaq, and the General Manager is Abdul Rahman bin Fahd al-Rashed. Al-Watan Al-Watan, meaning "the homeland, in Arabic", is published in the town of Abha, Saudi Arabia, by Assir Establishment for Press and Publishing. Abha, in the region of Assir is located high above the Red Sea in the west of the Kingdom. The paper was launched in 2000 on land granted by Prince Sultan bin Abd-al-Aziz, the second deputy prime minister, minister of defence and the general inspector. However, the founder of the newspaper is the governor of Assir, Prince Khalid al-Faysal. Al-Watan is a national paper with international publishing in London, New York, Amman, Jordan and Cairo, Egypt. The Editor-in-Chief is Tarik Ibrahim, and the paper appears on the internet at http://www.alwatan.com.sa Prince Bandar bin Khalid al-Faysal is the chairman of the board of directors. Okaz Okaz Arabic daily newspaper is published by Okaz Organization for Press and Publication. It is regarded as the oldest and one of the leading dailies in Saudi Arabia. The name Okaz comes form the name of the popular Okaz market which was one of the largest open markets during the pre-Islamic era. The paper was first launched by Ahmed Abdul Ghafour Attar on 28 May, 1960. Upon its launch it was a weekly paper until the system of establishments was issued in accordance with the royal decree No. 62 dated 5 January, 1964. The decree terminated the ownership of newspapers by individuals, it was replaced by the law of the private press organizations. Okaz Organization for Press and Publication has been printing Okaz Arabic daily since 17 October, 1964. It is currently printed in both Riyadh and Jeddah simultaneously and has offices all over the Kingdom. The paper's Editor-in-Chief is Hashim Abdu Hashim and it can be found on the internet at http://www.okaz.com.sa The chairman of the board of directors is Said bin Khedr al-Orabi al-Harithi, while Walid bin Jamil Kattan is Director-General of Okaz Organization. Arab News Arab News was launched in 1975 by Saudi Research & Publishing Co. (SRPC), one of SRMG's companies, as the first English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia. It is published simultaneously from Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran. The paper likes to see itself as breaking cultural barriers and unifying Arabs and non-Arabs alike in responding to their need for information. Arab News has evolved successfully into a well respected, leading paper. It covers regional news from Europe, America, India, Pakistan, Philippines as well as other Middle Eastern countries. It also carries local news, business news, sports and features. It has a circulation of 51,768 (ABC, January-June 1998), and is distributed worldwide. Editor-in-Chief is Khalid al-Maeena, a well-known businessman, journalist, editor, PR consultant and media personality in Saudi Arabia. Al-Maeena is also a senior columnist in Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Al Madina, Urdu News, Gulf News. He received his education in several countries including the United States, Britain and Pakistan. Web site: http://www.arabnews.com Saudi Gazette The Okaz Organization for Press and Publication first launched the English language daily Saudi Gazette on 17 April, 1976, to inform the increasing English-speaking readers on the Kingdom's achievements and foreign policies. The Editor-in-Chief is Dr Ahmed Sanad al-Yusuf The paper's web site is at http://www.saudigazette.com.sa Other publications by Okaz: - Hassan Magazine: A children's magazine launched in 1980 - Al-Nadi Magazine: A sports magazine, first launched in 1996 in the form of a supplement inserted in Okaz. It was then converted to the first Saudi weekly sports magazine covering local, Arab and international events. Al-Riyadh Al-Riyadh is a daily Arabic language which focuses on local and Arab affairs. It is published in Riyadh and describes itself as the newspaper of the Saudi capital. It is published by the Riyadh-based Al-Yamama Press Establishment. Editor-in-Chief: Turki al-Sudeiri, who was recently elected as the chairman of the newly formed Saudi Journalists Association (SJA). The nine-member elected board includes two female journalists who are also from the Al-Riyadh newspaper, namely; Nawal al-Rashid and Nahid Bashatah. --- Source: web site of Saudi Embassy in Washington D.C. http://www.saudiembassy.net The paper has a web site at http://www.alriyadh.com.sa Al-Yawm Al-Yawm is a daily Arabic paper published and printed by the Al-Yawm Organization for Printing and Publishing in accordance with the Kingdom's press laws. It is printed in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia and carries mainly local news covering that area. The paper was first launched as a weekly eight page publication in 1965. Gradually, the frequency and size of the paper increased till its current daily format which was first launched in 1978 with 49 pages, including several annexes. The Editor-in-chief is Mohammed Abdullah al-Wail. Web site: http://www.alyaum.com Saudi Arabian newspapers in London The main Saudi-owned dailies published outside Saudi Arabia are: - Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Arabic daily - Al-Hayat, Arabic daily Both are published in London. Al-Sharq al-Awsat This paper, which describes itself as the "International Newspaper of the Arabs", is printed both in Jeddah and in London. It is published by the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), which is a commercial enterprise whose headquarters are based in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. It mainly provides news through publishing newspapers and magazines all over the world for Arab readers. The group is chaired by Prince Faysal bin Salman al-Sa'ud. Al-Sharq al-Awsat is one of the first Arabic dailies to use satellite transmission for simultaneous printing in several cities across the world. Al-Sharq al-Awsat carries pan-Arab and international affairs with a network of 20 correspondents who provide it with world news and a number of leading columnists. It targets readers in Saudi Arabia interested in a wide range of news and opinions through its Riyadh edition, however, its main readership is composed of Arab expatriates world wide. The paper has major bureaus in Jeddah, Riyadh, Beirut and London, with smaller offices in Dammam, Cairo, Kuwait, Palestine, Amman, Rabat, Bahrain, Syria, Algeria, Russia, Washington and Brussels. It is currently the only Arabic newspaper to own the Arabic copyright of many international syndicates such as: The New York Times, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor and USA Today. On 6 October, 2004, Prince Faysal bin-Salman al-Sa'ud issued a decision appointing Tariq al-Humayd chief editor of the newspaper in succession to acting editor-in-chief, Mohammed al-Awwam. Tariq al- Humayd was the assistant chief editor, and prior to that its editor in Saudi Arabia. He worked as a Washington correspondent for the paper in the past. Mohamed al-Awwam was also appointed as supervisor of the news centre that the Saudi company launched last month in Riyadh. Web site: http://www.asharqalawsat.com SRMG owns several companies worldwide which include: - Saudi Research & Publishing Co. Established in 1972, SRPC has become one of the world's most important publishing groups. In 1975, it published Arab News (see below), the first Saudi English-language daily. The list of publications currently includes 18 daily, weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines - Al-Khaleejiah Advertising & Public Relations Co.Ltd. One of the largest media and marketing agencies in the Arab world which was founded in 1990 by SRMG. Its head office is based in Jeddah and there are branches in Riyadh, Dahran, London, Paris, Dubai and Beirut as well as representatives in Japan, India, Pakistan and the United States. Al-Khaleejiah is responsible for promoting and advertising SRMG's publications throughout the world. It also owns the rights of major television channels, newspapers and magazines in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. - Saudi Distribution Co. SRMG is the owner of the largest distribution company in Saudi Arabia. It distributes a total of more than 80 daily, weekly and monthly publications. - Saudi Research & Marketing Ltd UK. This London-based company was founded in 1977 and currently owns 18 publications throughout the world. It is responsible for publishing the Arabic daily newspaper, Al-Sharq al-Awsat (see above) which it launched in 1978. Prince Faisal Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud is the chairman of the board to SRM Ltd, while the executive director is Dr.Azzam Al-Dakhil. - Satellite Graphics Ltd. - ArabNet Technology Ltd. - Al-Madina Printing & Publishing Co. - Ofoq Information Systems & Distribution Co. - The Kuwaiti Group for Printing & Distribution Co. Other SRM Publications include: - Al-Iqtisadiah (The National business Arabic daily in Saudi Arabia) - Sayidaty (The first women's magazine in the Arab world) - Sayidaty Fashion (Catalogue style magazine for Arab women) - Al-Majallah (International news magazine in Arabic) - Al-Jadeeda (Arab family magazine) - Hia (Monthly affluent Arab women's magazine) - Al-Jamilah (Beauty magazine) - Ar-Rajol (Monthly Arab men's topical magazine) - Arriyadiyah (Daily sports newspaper in Arabic in Saudi Arabia) - Aalam Alriadah (Sports magazine for young Arabs) - Urdu News (The first Urdu daily newspaper in the region available to three million Urdu readers in the Arab world) - Al-Muslimoun (The international newspaper of Muslims) - TV Guide (Satellite TV Guide to Arab viewers, transmitting from European, US and Arab satellite channels) - Forousiyah (The Equestrian weekly magazine) - Assayarat (The classical magazine for cars and motor sports) - Basim (Weekly comic magazine for 8-15 year-olds) Al-Hayat Al-Hayat is a Saudi-owned daily Arabic language newspaper which describes itself as "an independent, international and Arab political daily paper ". It was founded by Kamel Marwa, a Lebanese, and was first launched in Beirut, Lebanon, on 28 January 1946. It began worldwide distribution out of its London headquarters in 1988. It is currently owned by the Saudi Arabian Minister of Defence (and former commander of the Arab Forces in the 1991 Gulf War), Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abd-al-Aziz al-Saud. The current editor-in-chief is Ghassan Charbel. It is targeted at Arab communities in about 30 countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and North America, where it is available every morning through satellite printing. Al-Hayat is currently published by the Beirut-based Media Communications Group, known as Daralhayat, which groups together with the newspaper, a weekly annex, Al-Wasat, a monthly woman's magazine, Laha, and an English and Arabic web site, http://daralhayat.com Al-Wasat is a weekly political Arabic magazine which began appearing in London in 1992. It was published every Friday before it became an annex to the main daily paper Al-Hayat, currently distributed every Monday in more than 30 countries across the world. Daralhayat's English web site describes itself as "a primary source of information for English-speaking readers seeking an alternative perspective and in-depth reporting on the Middle East and the Arab world". Along with its daily selection of Al-Hayat's editorials, analyses, features and reports, the web sites in English and Arabic bring round-the-clock news gathered by a vast team of correspondents around the world. Al-Hayat has been cutting down its operation in London due to cost problems and relocating most of its operation in Lebanon. Laha is a weekly social Arab magazine for women. Source: BBC Monitoring research 20 Oct 04 (via DXLD) ** SUDAN. Dear Glenn, Re ``WRTH 2004 says 873 is only 5 kW at Medani, with the White Nile Province program, while 1295 is 1500 kW at Reba. For a country of 36 megapeople --- less now with genocide --- there are only a handful of MW stations, all official`` I was hoping as well to get the ID of that White Nile Radio station but the ID was ``Al Idha'a Al Sudaneya``. As a matter of fact it's not like the normal one I get, ``Huna Om Durman``, but still I think that was not a province program. On 18/10/04 I checked their SW frequency of 7200 kHz and it was on around 0410 UT with a special program about one of the Sudanese singers, followed by a report about Darfour and one of the reporters saying that "the situation is not as bad as the western media is claiming". All the best my Friend (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Oct 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. From RN`s B-04 technical schedule: 0430-0500 (Sat-Tues) Madagascar 12060 325 250 The R. Nile, East Africa 0430-0500 (Sat-Tues) Madagascar 15320 335 250 The R. Nile, East Africa (via gh, DXLD) That would be what has been known until now as Voice of Hope, I believe including some English; about time they came up with a more distinctive name (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [non]. Re discussion about azimuth of relay via Canada: Hi Wolfgang, maybe you could explain which table you are referring to? Radio Sweden is currently (A04) transmitted from SAC at 268 with 0 degrees offset. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND. While the English-language article about SRI closing down SW says ``later this month``, leading us to believe it would be the final day of the A-04 season, Oct 30 as originally planned, says the Spanish article Horacio Nigro posted to condiglist from http://www.swissinfo.org/ses/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=4771600 ``El 20 de octubre del 2004, Radio Suiza Internacional (SRI) deja de transmitir definitivamente en onda corta.`` However, this is an old article originally issued last 26 March, when perhaps the end of the A-04 season was not so clear as it is to us now, and I can only wonder if this be a typo meant to read 30. A much newer article dated 18 October in Spanish http://www.swissinfo.org/ses/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=5279892 mentions that there was a small farewell party at Sottens ``this Monday``, presumably meaning also Oct. 18, but there is no mention of Oct. 20 or Oct. 30 as the actual closing date. So is Oct. 30 the actual final day on SW? Or if they really mean to say Oct. 20, is that the final day on the air, or the first day off the air. In other words, can we still hear it today, and maybe for 10 more days? It would be nice if SRI/Swissinfo would make this absolutely clear (Glenn Hauser, UT Oct. 20, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "20 October" in the Spanish version is most probably a typo. Also the German version gives 30 October: http://www.swissinfo.org/sde/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=5279559 The original version of this article was written in Italian. This article also mentions what is a bit forgotten in regard to the whole subject: the transmitting centre in Sottens is not SRI's property. It is owned and run by the Swiss transmitter network provider Swisscom http://www.swisscom.com SRI was leasing shortwave airtime from Swisscom in Switzerland and from Deutsche Telekom in Germany (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) How do you know the original was in Italian? While recording WORLD OF RADIO 1250, I paused for a quick check of 15220 around 2010 UT Oct 20, and SRI was still on there in English with one of the historical programs, via Guiana French. We also ran across nice Arabic music with some European influence, in the 1700-1730 period Oct. 21 on 15515 via Germany, frequently referring to http://www.swissinfo.org and 1730 into English with another historical show ``From Soup to Nuts`` (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1250, DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Re ute: 17222 USB, Bern radio, ID carousel on 1505 Good signal (Liangas Oct 17th Thessaloniki Greece) On 20 Oct at 1904 on 8782U I heard Bernradio with taped announcement in German and French about their new plans. It seems they already dropped their radiotelephone service on 27 Sep 2004. Their website http://www.bernradio.ch/br_en.html gives this info: "From 1st January 2004, Bernradio has been under the Management of RUAG Aerospace. We are pleased to supply the following information: Bernradio is rapidly being modernised and equipped with a digital shortwave transmission system. Moreover, the cooperation with Kielradio GmbH is being intensified. The Radiotelephone and DTS service was closed down on 27th September 2004. Our new service: Digital shortwave transmission will be operational on 1st January 2005. Bernradio and Kielradio GmbH would be pleased to welcome you as one of our customers. We are in the process of creating a new brochure which will also appear shortly on this website. In the meantime you are welcome to visit: http://www.kielradio.de For any information that you urgently require please contact: rudolf.schoch @ ruag.com or herbert.kaufmann @ ruag.com they will be happy to assist you." ------------- 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Estación en inglés en los 3185 kHz, el 19/10 a las 0247 UT. ¿Será la misma de las pruebas en 3270 kHz? SINPO 3/3. 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) sí ** U S A. Leaving WBCQ Radio It may have come to your attention that our "Peacock Project" program is being discontinued on WBCQ Radio. It may have also been announced that our "A Different Kind Of Oldes Show" is also leaving the air as well. Both "DKOS" and the member programs of the "Project" will continue on the internet on their respective stations on live365.com and other servers. "DKOS" will continue live on http://www.doowopcafe.net indefinitely, but a name change is being contemplated. After six years of putting up wrong programs run, dropped phone and internet feeds, and other reliability problems, I have decided to no longer put up with the ineptitude, disrespect and disregard by the staff and management of WBCQ when trying to get them to correct situations at their end. It has now gotten to a point where their lack of any dedication to quality broadcasting has cost me financially and I must leave the station. In the past I may have let things slide, knowing how WBCQ was put together and how it operates on a shoestring budget. The "Project" was not just me, it was a co-operative venture and therefore other producers were involved to keep satisfied. As usual, WBCQ screwed up, not once but twice, on the same member and he decided to leave forcing me in turn to leave. I have published a detailed description of the events that led up to our decision on my http://www.dkosmedia.com website under the "Peacock Project" page should you care to read it (Steve Coletti, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Re: "Radio Weather" Questions/Comments Thanks for your comments. As I read your e-mail I'm actually predicting [producing?] another Radio Weather program now. We started this past summer and there are 16 programs that exist, we've spend some serious time going to specific SW transmitter sites and getting information and interviews about HF radio. We are now focusing on new programs over the next few months. My target is a weekly program, right now we create about 2 programs a month. That will be stepped up. For the record Radio Weather was an experiment. I didn't know if anyone was listening or would listen if we created a radio program about a much loved hobby of mine... anything electronic! Then after the first three programs I got clobbered with mail! WOUGH! Experiment successful! Now into massive production! We are a radio weather program so we cover all radio not just DX. You'll hear some of that in our next program. We cover natural radio as well as man made radio. I am a trained broadcast engineer but my profession is the ministry. Specifically Bible teaching. We have a daily TV program as well as a church. This program is not necessarily a RELIGIOUS. I'm a Bible believer, it's a very big part of my life and to ignore it would be a deception to the listeners. I'm not trying to trick any listener in any way. I am who I am. I am what I am. After all it's "radio weather whether you like it or not". That's why I appreciate your comments about the show content. Your interest in it is encouraging. I like your comments and will consider them seriously. Since I'm paying the bills for the air time I do have the luxury of editorial comment at the end, which I take. But keep in mind if you met me on the streets of Orangeville or talked with me on HF you would get the same personality. In some ways we're still finding our way, as you have sensed, in the SW DX programs world. I like all the SWL DX programs and don't want to duplicate them. So we're looking at different stories or the same stories from different angles. That's why your comments will help me. I wish every listener was as thoughtful as you in these venture. Thanks again... de VE3TVG Rod Hembree, Radio Weather (Oct 20 via Will Martin, DXLD) ** U S A. 1.2 % Hispanic --- RADIO FANS UPSET OVER FORMAT CHANGE HELEN STATION DUMPS NEWS-TALK PROGRAMS FOR SPANISH MUSIC By DEBBIE GILBERT, The Gainesville Times [Georgia] Radio listeners in Northeast Georgia are outraged that a popular news- talk station abruptly switched to a Spanish music format, taking even the station's employees by surprise. The Helen station, formerly known as WHEL-FM 105.1, is owned by Clear Channel, one of the world's largest media conglomerates. It had been simulcasting talk programs, such as Rush Limbaugh, with Atlanta's WGST-AM 640. But at 10 a.m. on Sept. 15, Clear Channel transformed the station into WVWA and began simulcasting contemporary Spanish music with Atlanta's WWVA-FM 105.3. "They told us 10 minutes before it happened. We had no control over it," said Monika Demuth, general manager of WHEL since the late Charles Smithgall started the station in December 1993. Smithgall, who was also one of the co-founders of The Times, sold the radio station to Clear Channel in March 1999. Its oldies format was switched to news-talk in January 2001. "It was a lifeline to the community," Demuth said. "People tell me they feel cut off now. Here we are in an election year, when there is so much they want to talk about." The station had no locally produced programming, but it did broadcast local public service announcements and commercials for area businesses. "I've lost all my advertisers," said Demuth. "I'm generating zero revenue." That might seem like a poor business decision. But for Clear Channel, the switch was part of an overall marketing strategy. On Sept. 16, the company announced that the change in Helen was the first step in its new Spanish language initiative. Over the next 18 months, 20 to 25 stations around the country will be converted to Spanish music formats as Clear Channel tries to tap into the buying power of the nation's fastest growing ethnic group. "The Hispanic radio audience remains largely underserved, especially outside the largest markets," said John Hogan, chief executive officer of Clear Channel Radio, in a press release last month. But Helen is located in White County, where, according to the 2000 census, only 1.6 percent of the residents are Hispanic. "Clear Channel didn't do their homework to see what the demographics were," said Demuth. "This just doesn't make any sense." Kim Holt, spokeswoman for Clear Channel, said company officials had no comment on the matter beyond what was stated in the Sept. 16 press release. Demuth said her station is only 6,000 watts but the signal can reach as many as 22 counties, including Hall and Gwinnett, because the radio tower is on top of a mountain. She doesn't have a problem with Clear Channel converting its Atlanta station to the new format, but questions why it was necessary in Helen. "There are already three stations serving the Hispanic community in Gainesville. They're not going to listen to us, because they don't need another one," she said. "On the other hand, our listenership was largely in White and Habersham, and they are left without an alternative." Demuth said the response from the community was "immediate and overwhelming." "I received 400 e-mails the first day and hundreds of phone calls," she said. For Glenn Walker, a regular WHEL listener who lives northeast of Cleveland, the initial reaction was confusion. "When I turned it on and heard Spanish music, I thought they had just temporarily lost the signal and I was picking up a different station," he said. "When I found out what happened, I e-mailed Clear Channel and said, surely this is a publicity stunt. There's not too many people who are going to listen to this in White County." Walker now tries to listen to his favorite talk shows on Gainesville's WDUN-AM 550, but the mountains block the signal. "You practically have to hang a coat hanger out your car window to pick it up," he said. Martha Kaulbachof Cornelia said she also tried to get WDUN, "but the signal only comes in at certain times of the day." She used to keep WHEL on all the time, often listening at night when she couldn't sleep. "It kept me in touch with what's going on. There's not a whole lot of information available up here," she said. "Now it's a wasteland. I'm so disappointed about this." Originally published Saturday, October 16, 2004 (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. Add RHODE ISLAND to the list of states with Air America Radio affiliates - and on one of the market's best signals, no less. If you were wondering (as we were) just how long it was going to take WHJJ (920 Providence) to replace the departed John DePetro in the midday slot, the answer came last week when WHJJ revamped its entire schedule. Don Imus stays in place in morning drive, and local host Arlene Violet in afternoons - but the formerly conservative talk station is now running Air America's "Morning Sedition" on tape delay from 10 till noon, followed by a live clearance for Air America's Al Franken. After Violet, WHJJ now has Air America's Randi Rhodes on delay from 6-8 PM, followed by Geoff Charles (doing double duty after his shift on WHJJ's sister station, rocker WHJY 94.1) from 8-10. (NERW notes that DePetro, now at Boston's WRKO, slams WHJJ on his own personal website this week for its change in viewpoint - but we're also amused to see that DePetro's site still contains a whole bunch of links to his old Providence home.) (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Oct 18 via DXLD) ** U S A. Sinclair Broadcast Group has been making headlines all over the country, of course, because of its plan to air that John Kerry documentary, and we thought we'd run down the list of when it would be running on each of Sinclair's stations in NERW-land. Well, guess what? Despite Sinclair's statement that the special would run on each of the 62 stations it owns or programs, it's not exactly going out of its way to promote the upcoming run of "Stolen Honor." In fact, it's still not shown on the advance schedules of WGME (Channel 13) in Portland, Maine or WGGB (Channel 40) in Springfield, Mass. (Newspaper reports in Portland say WGME will run the special on Saturday, October 23 at 9 PM, not exactly a high-visibility timeslot.) Rochester's WUHF (Channel 31) will show the special Friday (Oct. 22) at 8, while the Sinclair duopolies in Syracuse, Buffalo and Pittsburgh will push the broadcast off to their lesser-viewed WB affiliates rather than disrupt the baseball-heavy Fox schedule. It'll air in Buffalo (on WNYO-TV 49) and Syracuse (WNYS-TV 43) on Thursday (Oct. 21) at 9, while Pittsburgh, the lone Sinclair market in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, will find the special buried on Wednesday night (Oct. 20) at 11 on WCWB (Channel 22). (And it bears particular note here that in Syracuse, the program isn't even running on the station Sinclair owns, Fox affiliate WSYT-TV 68, but only on the one it operates under an LMA.) So could it be that Sinclair's more interested in the national publicity the show will generate than in the audience it will actually draw in each of the company's markets? Stay tuned (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Oct 18 via DXLD) ** U S A. The FCC has opened a comment period on the New Jersey Broadcasters Association's petition to provide more protection from translators to FM broadcasters in the Garden State. The petition (you can read it here) makes the case that New Jersey is severely underserved by FM radio when compared with other states in the region, and calls on the FCC to rule out 10-watt LPFMs and any translator with less than 100 watts in the Garden State, as well as to make any other new translators protect full-power FM signals all the way out to the 44 dBu (50,50) contour, a sharp change from current FCC policies. NERW's view: The NJBA petition is a daring move, and it's well worth taking the time to read their arguments about how New Jersey is a special case where the FM dial is concerned. But it's our hope that the FCC comes away with another impression when it's done reviewing the NJBA's arguments - that the explosion of translators over the last few years has caused damage to the FM dial on a nationwide level and ought to be restricted. Comments on the NJBA petition are due in to the FCC November 8 (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Oct 18 via DXLD) ** U S A. Just a reminder about the WRCG-1420-Columbus, GA DX test - it will be from 12 midnight to 1 am EDT on 10/23/04 (Friday night, Saturday morning, however you think of it). (Lynn Holleman, Lafayette, LA, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) Contrary to original notice which said ``Saturday, October 22``!! So == 0400-0500 UT Oct 23 (gh, DXLD) ** URUGUAY [non]. Translation of the passage at http://www.flok.de/intern/hoerens_2/news.htm of interest here (a bit rough because the German original is not very stringent): RECORD OF EDITORIAL STAFF MEETING ON AUGUST 9: [...] 2. Presentation of the new "Radio Cimarrona" project by FLoK member Allerweltshaus. Maintains a close cooperation with "Radio Testimonios" in Uruguay which is supported by Allerweltshaus, too. They are no longer able to transmit locally as a result of restrictions, just like many other free radio stations in Latin America. For this reason "Radio Testimonios" publishes its broadcasts on a website in Spanish: http://www.testimonios.org/ and in German: http://www.allerweltshaus.de/testimonio/radio.html But now the impact of this work can be improved considerably by means of the possibility to use German shortwave facilities at a reasonable price. a. Shortwave transmissions of critical programs from free radio stations in Latin America (other stations will be contacted, too). Advantage: No Internet access required to receive the programs, greater range than local FM transmitters. b. Transmission of programs in Spanish about topics of a global interest, produced here [at Cologne]. c. Production of German-language programs from free radio stations in Latin America for distribution through citizen radio programs and noncommercial radio stations here [Cologne/Germany]. Shortwave transmissions of "Radio Cimarrona" to South America will start in early October. Due to current events the first programs will be devoted to Uruguay. Four test transmissions will support the fight against a privatization of water as a public good, connected to a plebiscite. The editorial staff of FLoK and guests from Latin America think about possibilities for a further cooperation. First detailed arrangements for common programs were made. 3. Also the second project "Radio Rhino International Africa" will continue to broadcast after a summer break. Motto of both projects: Bürgerfunk lokal - Bürgerfunk global! [end] Some explanations: The commercial stations in Nordrhein-Westfalen are required by law to air programs of citizen groups, called Bürgerfunk. These programs are usually produced by so-called radio workshops. FLoK is the local radio workshop at Cologne with about 200 members. FLoK broadcasts are carried by Radio Köln (FM 107.1). Allerweltshaus is one of the many organizations that produce programs at FLoK for distribution through Radio Köln; the above translated notes are the record of an Allerweltshaus presentation at a FLoK meeting. FLoK provides the studio together with radio production know- how, and at a certain point it came somehow to their attention that it is possible to lease airtime on transmitters abandoned by Deutsche Welle; a FM piece about the launch of Radio Rhino International showed quite impressively how fascinated they were about this possibility (and how they were no doubt introduced by T-Systems into the ``how it works``; use of directional antennas and a suitable frequency, don't be afraid if you hear nothing at Cologne etc.). (Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Oops, I once said it was Mon & Tue, but should be Sun & Mon; still confusing about whether 2100 or 2200, when and if the hour switch is being made (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. Radio Tashkent International 49 Khorezm Street, 700047 Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Broadcast schedule Tel: (998-71) 133 92 21 Fax: (998-71) 133 60 68 E-mail: ino @ uzpak.uz http://ino.uzpak.uz Language Time UTC Frequencies English 0100-0130 7160, 5975, 6165 1200-1230 & 1400-1430 9715, 5975, 6025 [1330, not 1400!!] 2030-2100 & 2130-2200 11905, 7185, 5025 German 1935-2030 11905, 5025 Urdu 1230-1300 & 1400-1430 9715, 5975, 6025 Hindi 1300-1330 & 1430-1500 9715, 5975, 6025 Farsi 1630-1700 & 1830-1900 7285, 5885, 5950 Uzbek 0230-0330 9540, 7215, 1550-1630 & 1730-1830 5975, 6165, 5025 Arabic 1700-1730 & 1900-1930 7215, 5885, 5975, Turkish 0600-0630 15330 1700-1730 9640 Dari 0130-0200 7160, 7215, 5975, 6165 1520-1550 7285, 5975, 6025 Pushto 0200-0230 7160, 5975 Chinese 1330-1400 & 1430-1500 5040 Uighur 1400-1430 5040 (via Swopan Chakroborty, India, Oct 19; gh reformatted from a somewhat confusing grid, for DXLD) This version differs, e.g. FOUR frequencies for English 1200, 1330; Turkish frequencies don`t match, etc. Which are we to believe? (gh): English 0100-0130 7160, 5975, 6165 1200-1230 9715, 5975, 6025, 5060 1330-1400 9715, 5975, 6025, 5060 2030-2100 11905, 7185, 5025 2130-2200 11905, 7185, 5025 German 1935-2030 11905, 5025 Urdu 1230-1300 9715, 5975, 6025, 5060 1400-1430 9715, 5975, 6025, 5060 Hindi 1300-1330 9715, 5975, 6025, 5060 1430-1500 9715, 5975, 6025, 5060 Farsi 1630-1700 7285, 5975 1830-1900 7285, 5885 Uzbek 0230-0330 9540, 9375, 7215, 5975 1550-1630 9540, 7285, 5975, 6025 1730-1830 9540, 7285, 5975, 6025 Arabic 1700-1730 7285, 5975 1900-1930 7285, 5975 Turkish 0600-0630 15330 1700-1730 9540 Dari 0130-0200 7160, 5975, 6165 1520-1550 7285, 5975, 6025 Pushto 0200-0230 7160, 5975, 6165 Chinese 1330-1400 5040 1430-1500 5040 Uighur 1400-1430 5040 (via Eric Zhou, China, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Radio Táchira, luego de su breve regreso durante el partido Venezuela-Ecuador, ha sido reactivada de nuevo este 17/10, a las 2110 UT, en los 4830 kHz. Señal bien débil. Emitía música folclórica de Venezuela, con sonido de "cuatros". Baladas pop en español a las 2229. Señal un poco mejorada pero igual de deficiente. Merengue, New York Band "Si tú eres mi hombre", Carlos Vives "Ay llego yo". Todavía en el aire a las 2354, con música venezolana. Ya fuera del aire a la 0122. SINPO 32222. Fuera del aire: YVTO 5000 kHz, desde hace tres semanas. 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Checking 24 hours later than previous report of IRAN, 4-160, Venezuela via Cuba was back on 11875 (but nothing audible on 6000), and Iran was only weak QRM underneath 11875. Cubazuela off after 2200, but remaining signal too poor to tell if Iran was in English again, or yesterday was just a fluke. Oct. 21 at 2109 or so 11875 was on with RNV announcing its schedule, and it was the same as I have previously copied and published, i.e. 17705 instead of monitored 17750 at 2000 (now blocked again by WYFR), and 11875 only, not 6000, at 2100, and 6000 still inaudible this date. During the 2000 hour, 13680 and 9550 were again synchronized, and 15230 not synchronized (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 21620, unID Afghan music station heard in our European morning from approx. 0730 up to now 1020 UT. Still on service. Any ideas? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Off at 1200, identifying as Radio Solh. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Cumbre DX via DXLD) What`s that??? (gh) Same station heard blasting in here 1400-1500 on 17720 kHz. Heard several ID as "Radio Sohl" (Dari for "Radio Peace") and frequency announcements. "Radio Peace" is the name given in WRTH 2004 (p82) for the US psyops broadcasts aimed at Afghanistan --- originally these were called "Information Radio". It looks as though this station is now being relayed on high-power SW transmitters - possibly via VT/Merlin (Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK via DXLD) That has been the plan for a long time, for the service with 250 watts or so via ships in the Persian Gulf area, based at Bahrain, on 15500 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I'm posting this as a reply to the MARLO Information Radio thread, as this may be a continuation of the same - at least the format fits: An unidentified station (the ID could be Radio Solh in Dari, and Radio Salaam in Urdu, meaning Radio Peace) broadcasting in Dari/Persian and other languages has been broadcasting on various 16 meter band frequencies this afternoon. Picked it up thanks to a tip by Wolfgang Bueschel, who heard the station earlier today on 21620 kHz. I heard the station in the afternoon on 17720 until 1500 UT, then on 17710 until sign-off at 1630. The program consists mostly of Oriental music, which sounds like something from Central Asia. There are also informational inserts, for example about al-Qaeda and the Taleban. The closing announcement at 1629 can be heard at http://www.dxing.info/audio/unid/centralasia/17710_2004_10_21_1629.mp3 There was a news item about Information Radio on DXing.info News in April 2004. Perhaps the US PsyOps have finally got a deal with Merlin on rebroadcasting the signal over high-power shortwave transmitters? The signal strength and quality were excellent, and do indicate an established transmitter site instead of the low-power maritime transmitters used by Information Radio earlier this year (Mika Mäkeläinen, Oct 21, dxing.info via DXLD) The 15500 USB broadcast was noted here during UT afternoon on 20 Oct. Didn't check for the ID, but the pattern was as usual, except the speech portions were a lot longer than what I heard a few months back. (Jari Savolainen, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ TEMPEST DISTRESS O, how I wanted it to be true, but I should have stopped and thought harder about the correct frequency for channel 5 video. Since Ch 5 is 76-82 MHz, the video frequency is 77.25, which added to the IF of 45.25 would land on 122.5, not 121.5 MHz, one MHz off. But the IF is also a presumption; I don`t really know if that is still standard on any current TV set (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTNEING DIGEST) YACHTBOY 400 RECONDITIONING I have searched for a company that reconditions receivers preferably the Yachboy 400. Are you aware of any companies that do that? The internet was no help as of yet. Thanks for your time (Rich, to gh, via DXLD) Not sure if they are still doing that, but try http://www.ccrane.com (gh to Rich, ibid.) KETV-7 TOWER PROGRESS For the tower enthusiasts among the group, KETV's web site is updating progress on their new tower on a daily basis. Some may recall that their tower collapsed in July of 2003. http://www.theomahachannel.com/station/3687852/detail.html They have slideshows of the collapse and new tower build linked on the above page. They erected the tower's base on Sept 8, 2004, and are already nearly complete with the structure (excluding the antenna itself and feedlines). I've been able to view the progress from work, which is about 6 miles from the tower site (Michael Hawk, Omaha, NE, Oct 18, WTFDA via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ INSTANT TRANSLATION For QSL writers, try the following web page: http://www.worldlingo.com/wl/translate If you paste in your letter, English for instance, you can translate it into a bunch of other languages. Unlike some I have seen that limit the number of words, this one worked with an entire letter. It's free (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, Oct 14, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ZERO SUNSPOTS This is the mid week edition of DXers Unlimited, and here is item two, a detailed description about how solar scientists are seeing the end of solar cycle 23 approaching. American solar scientist David Hathaway and his Cuban colleague Ángel González Coroas have been watching the Sun every single day since 1998, and both of them, for six long years have written down the daily solar observations report, registering on every single day a certain number of sunspots seen with their telescopes. Sunspots are planet-sized "islands" on the surface of the sun. They are dark, cool, powerfully magnetized, and fleeting: a typical sunspot lasts only a few days or weeks before it breaks up. As soon as one disappears, however, another emerges to take its place. Even during the lowest ebb of solar activity, you can usually find one or two spots on the sun. But when both Ángel and Hathaway looked on Jan. 28, 2004, there were none. The sun was utterly blank. Angel send me his monthly report for January with a note: Coro, the first signs of the end of cycle 23 have reached us, a blank Sun on the 28th day of January 2004. NOW, the two scientists have registered the same event --- absolutely no sunspots, but not one day, but two days in a row!! It happened again last week, twice, on Oct. 11th and 12th. There were no sunspots. "This is a sign," says Hathaway, "that the solar minimum is coming, and it's coming sooner than we expected." Ángel González Coroas, the leading Cuban solar observer coincides with his American colleague. He states that this is a sign that solar cycle 23 is going to end sooner than expected. Now let me tell you more about the SOLAR CYCLE Solar minimum and solar maximum -- "Solar Min" and "Solar Max" for short -- are two extremes of the sun's 11-year average duration activity cycle. At maximum, the sun is peppered with spots, solar flares erupt, and the sun hurls billion-ton clouds of electrified gas toward Earth. It's a good time for sky watchers who enjoy auroras, but not so good for astronauts who have to be wary of radiation storms. Power outages, zapped satellites, malfunctioning GPS receivers -- these are just a few of the things that can happen during Solar Max. Solar minimum is different. Sunspots are fewer -- sometimes days or weeks go by without a spot. Solar flares subside. It's a safer time to travel through space, and a less interesting time to watch polar skies. Hathaway and González are both expert forecasters of the solar cycle. He keeps track of sunspot numbers (the best known indicator of solar activity) and they are now predicting years in advance when the next minimum is going to happen. "Contrary to popular belief," says Hathaway, "the solar cycle is not precisely 11 years long." Its length, measured from minimum to minimum, varies: "The shortest cycles are 9 years, and the longest ones are about 14 years." What makes a cycle long or short? Researchers aren't sure. "We won't even know if the current cycle is long or short -- until it's over," he says. But researchers are making progress. Hathaway and colleague Bob Wilson, both working at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, believe they've found a simple way to predict the date of the next solar minimum. "We examined data from the last 8 solar cycles and discovered that Solar Min follows the first spotless day after Solar Max by 34 months," explains Hathaway. The most recent solar maximum was in late 2000. The first spotless day after that was Jan 28, 2004. So, using Hathaway and Wilson's simple rule, solar minimum should arrive in late 2006. That's about a year earlier than previously thought. The next solar maximum might come early, too, says Hathaway. "Solar activity intensifies rapidly after solar minimum. In recent cycles, Solar Max has followed Solar Min by just 4 years." Do the math: 2006 + 4 years = 2010. [I suspect the foregoing was copied from somewhere] So amigos, get ready for those long periods of very low solar activity when only the lower frequencies will propagate via the ionosphere!!! That's why today, I will be presenting my new compact 80 meter band antenna, that is a little less than half the size of a standard half wave dipole for the 3.5 to 4.0 megaHertz amateur band, where many of us will have no other choice but to operate during solar minimum, as even the extremely popular 40 meter band will be closing early during the months of extremely low solar activity !!!. And just before going QRT, here is our exclusive and not copyrighted HF plus low band VHF propagation update and forecast. Solar flux now moving up, with the daily flux passing the critical 100 units mark by the time you hear this program. We may see solar flux numbers moving to as high as 130 units during the next few days. No signs of coronal holes, so the geomagnetic field is wonderfully quiet. Excellent autumn propagation conditions prevailing for the next few days, and we may even see some nice 10 meter band openings near local sunset. See you all at the weekend edition of the program amigos, and don't forget to send your signal reports and comments to arnie@r... [truncated] I'll be surely waiting for them !!! (Arnie Coro, Cuba, ODXA via DXLD) ###