DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-173, November 19, 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 1253: Sat 0900 WOR WRN1 to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar, Telstar 12 SAm Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1130 WOR WWCR 5070 Sat 1928 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 Sat 2030 WOR R. Lavalamp Sat 2130 WOR WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sun 0330 WOR WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0430 WOR WRMI 6870 Sun 0730 WOR WWCR 3210 Sun 0930 WOR WRN1 to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP Sun 0930 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0930 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0930 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1030 WOR WRMI 9955 Sun 1100 WOR R. Lavalamp Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1500 WOR R. Lavalamp Sun 2000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sun 2030 WOR WWCR 12160 Sun 2100 WOR RNI Mon 0330 WOR WRMI 6870 Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [1251] Mon 0530 WOR WBCQ 7415 Mon 0900 WOR R. Lavalamp Mon 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Mon 2200 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Tue 1000 WOR WRMI 9955 Tue 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Tue 2200 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 2200 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB [sometimes first airing] MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1253 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1253 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1253.html WORLD OF RADIO 1253, mp3 in the true SW sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_11-17-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_11-17-04.mp3 DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ANTARCTICA. QSL: 15476, LRA-36 Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, personal form letter with date of acknowledgment, broadcasting schedule, telephone and e-mail contact info lra36 @ infovia.com.ar and an "Esperanza, Antártida Argentina" postcard with station`s seals on the reverse, in 88 days for $1 and an English report. V/S, Nestor Argüello, Director LRA 36. Nice stamp on the envelope commemorating "Base Esperanza 1952-2002" stamped with a sharp looking "Base Esperanza" postmark. Very pleased with this reply (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, Nov 19, 1938-1950, LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel. Talks by two YL's about history of Antarctic mission of Robert Scott in 1912, Spanish. Very good signal: SIO 544. (Rodolfo Tizzi, Uruguay, Kenwood TS-440SAT+, 28 MHz half wave vertical, HCDX online log via DXLD) ** ARMENIA [non]. Armenians launch Internet radio in USA Text of report by Armenian news agency Noyan Tapan Watertown, Massachusetts, 17 November: The Hayrenik (Motherland) organization officially launched its radio station on the Internet on 16 November. The radio station will be broadcasting Armenian music and news around the clock to Armenia, Artsakh [Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Karabakh], Javakhk [Armenian-populated region in Georgia] and Armenian communities abroad. The Hayrenik radio station has been broadcasting only music on the Internet since 10 August this year and feedback from listeners has been mainly positive, the director of the radio station, Jirayr Buedjikian, said. "The number of listeners is consistently increasing and we receive dozens of emails supporting us. We have listeners in more than 35 countries." The radio will start wider broadcasts from 20 November. "We have been broadcasting only music so far. In order to meet the wishes of our listeners, we will start broadcasting news, interviews, child and other programmes as well," Buedjikian said. Source: Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan, in Russian 1440 gmt 17 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTUK? Apparently it is on live365.com or Hairenik (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. On Nov 17, VL8A Alice Springs stayed on 4835 past its usual sign-off [0830 per WRTH], did not go to 2310 overnight (Chris Hambly, Victoria, 1912 UT Nov 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4835, ABC Alice Springs, 1108-1225 Nov 18. Heard an eclectic music program, hosted by a male DJ. I couldn't stay and listen the whole time as I had to get ready for work, but an ID was heard at 1207. Signal was fair at tune-in, and improved as the morning progressed to good levels by tune out (George Maroti, NY, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4834.80, ABC, 1105-1120 Nov 19. Caught the tailend of an ID as I tuned the signal in, "... ABC..." in English. This followed by English comments and Music. I think this guy needs to retune his transmitter. Note: All my current reference schedules for this guy says he is supposed to QRT at 0830 UT or am I in a time warp? Signal was good. (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston Florida USA, 545, DIPOLES, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Noted much earlier this morning in passing, but apparently VL8A from Alice Springs, Australia, still making an impressive showing here at 1330 on 4835 with ABC news at 1330 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Nov 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Steve, yes, this station is supposed to switch to 2310 kHz at 0830 UT, but occasionally stays on 4835 all night (locally). I believe that this is sometimes due to some faults in the switching circuit and /or antenna system. 50 kW omnidirectional. 73 (Tim Gaynor, Q, Australia, ibid.) 4835, VL8A Alice Springs, 1112-1135, Nov. 18, English, YL reading someone`s biography at tune-in, pop music and ballads, promo for "ABC Radio" and IDs for "105.7 FM-ABC Darwin". Fanfare, "ABC News" at 1130 re Iraq, Fallujah and the U.N. Back to music at 1135. Still going strong at 1200 re-check. Appeared to be // 2325, with rough copy, the only 120m ABC outlet audible that morning (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 7185, Bangladesh Betar, at 1229 UT Nov 18 with orchestral fanfare, dreamy strings, 2 bell-like tones, YL talk, in English, ``United Nations,`` ``That`s the end of the news,`` at 1234, light music interlude (piano/ orchestra EZL), into sub-continental style female vocal, woman / man talking, lost in the slop of Ham QRN and presumed CBS Taiwan in Chinese at 1240. Very poor (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. R. Belarus, 7210, 0330 Nov 14, English news, commentary, ID. Poor-weak. Barely audible on \\ 5970. Listed for Sunday only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks to Mark Coady for the tip. With the BBC off the air on 5975 kHz, 0200 UT, (November 18), other frequencies opened up in that area, including 5970, Radio Belarus, in Eastern European languages, talk, with a nice celeste or harp like interval signal and IDs at 0230 with a presumed language change. Not great, with muddy modulation, but at SINPO 33232, much better than I have ever heard them before (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. Received QSL Beach Scene #1 card from Radio Bulgaria, along with Schedule and letter. New N. American frequencies are 9700 and 7400 (from 11700 and 9700). Letter requests future missives to be accompanied by one IRC each. Card is very nice (Eric Bryan, WA, Nov 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA [and non]. INTERNET PORTAL PROMOTES EASTERN EUROPEAN RADIO STATIONS | Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA An internet radio [portal], address http://www.heritage-radio.net goes on-air this week, National radio said. Heritage Radio Network unites radio stations in south-eastern and central Europe, including the national radio stations of Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia and Hungary, as well as Radio Krakow and Radio Lotte, which is based in Weimar, Germany. English-speakers interested in culture can find at the above address information and articles on cultural matters from the participating countries, and can listen to interviews and reportages. The internet radio offers a round-the-clock music programme - a compilation of various genres popular in the participating countries. Heritage Radio Network will present panoramas of the best achievements in folk music, classic music, jazz and ethnomusic. The only genres ignored will be pop music and pop-folk. The internet radio site will not publish commercials. The radio network was developed by the participants in the Hermes project of the European Union. The project seeks to concert the efforts of European, national and regional institutions in helping along the sustainable regional development with the active involvement of the new electronic media. Source: BTA news agency, Sofia, in English 1631 gmt 17 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. Re 4-172 unID: Burkina Faso has been a bit off- frequency (5030.5) during some evenings. I recall I saw earlier somewhere an item about Burkina Faso transmitting only on weekends. What I've monitored, they are on the air daily. Surely there might be days with transmitter problems, but usually they are 7 days/week. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BURKINA FASO, 5030 kHz, Radio Burkina, from 2230 UT Nov 17, in French, flute, ``Burkina`` heard, male in French at 2235, into beat / pop female vocal, 2239 male talk; 2239 female talk, EZL music to 2257, man in French, then light pop, man in French, off without extensive announcement or anthem at 2300. On a Wednesday but no sports heard. Poor to very poor with QRN from Radio Rebelde on 5025, also CPBS China, and perhaps Malaysia as well. Heard again November 18 (not a Wednesday or Saturday), in French from 2203, SINPO 33333, with news / press review, into varied light pop music; despite Radio Rebelde on 5025, it was quite readable at times. Still on at 2315 November 18 (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RTV Burkina, 5030.51, 2330-2400* Nov 13, French talk, phone talk, Afro-pops. Weak, poor in noise (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Seems hard to get a definite ID, but the off- frequency is a tip-off (gh, DXLD) 5030, R. Burkina, 2135-2147, Nov. 18, French, Soft-spoken announcer re "America" and "Iraq". Tinny strings at 2141 with talks sounding like a promo of sorts. Original OM back w/ talks between French rap music. Good signal (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. COMEDIAN JOHN MORGAN, STAR OF ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FARCE, DEAD AT 74 Members of the Royal Canadian Air Farce (clockwise from left) Roger Abbott, John Morgan, Don Ferguson and Luba Goy. (CP handout photo /CBC) TORONTO (CP) - John Morgan, who played the dim-witted Mike from Canmore on CBC's The Royal Canadian Air Farce, was remembered Tuesday as "eccentric, talented, prolific and funny." Morgan died Monday at his home near Toronto. He was 74. "He was... the most memorable friend and colleague any of us will ever have," Morgan's Air Farce colleagues, Roger Abbott and Don Ferguson, said in a statement sent to CBC staff. "He was a performer with whom audiences loved to laugh." When Air Farce moved to television in 1993, it quickly became one of the network's top shows. Before that Morgan, Abbott, Ferguson and Luba Goy had become a staple of Canadian radio. Morgan's other Air Farce creations included Jock McBile and the Prophet on the Mount. "He was surprised to find himself a television star at an age when most men are thinking about retirement," said Abbott and Ferguson. When asked once about the success of the show, Morgan said: "You know what they say: we use satire against our leaders; Americans shoot theirs." In 1992, the Air Farce team became the first Canadian inductees into the International Humour Hall of Fame. Morgan also co-created the CBC Radio series Funny You Should Say That and wrote the pilot of the popular TV series King of Kensington. He served as script consultant and writer for several other CBC-TV comedy series. In England, he had his own BBC Radio series called It's All In The Mind of John Morgan. Morgan retired from Air Farce in 2001, telling colleagues that after 35 years of writing comedy it was time to step down. There was no immediate word on funeral arrangements. (c) The Canadian Press, 2004 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CHAD. 6165, Radiodiffusion Nationale, from 2002 UT Nov 17 in French, with African news, mentions of Sudan and Gabon, 2036 with Afropops, man talking, an (electronic?) xylophone with primitive melody, drums, nasal female chorus, more xylophone type music, female talk at 2052, fanfare, a horn blast, male (unreadable) ID, continued in French, more xylophone at 2109. At times fair, poor modulation, SINPO 32222 (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6165, RN Tchadiènne (presumed), 2037-2134 Nov. 18, French, vernacular, continuous format of native music bits (drums and chorus) between interview with two French speakers until 2100. Talks by YL with same style music until 2103 then very nice local music/Afropops until tune- out. No discernible ID noted. Fair signal with good music audio, but muddy vox audio and co-channel Croatia bleeding through at 2110 and dominating by 2130 (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. China's Influence in Asia / CRI The New York Times had an interesting article on China's increasing educational, commercial, economic, trade, and cultural ties with Asia and it had a small portion on CRI enclosed here. "The Chinese are actively expanding their public diplomacy while we are cutting back or just holding our own," said Paul Blackburn, a former public affairs officer of the United States Information Service who served at four American embassies in Asia in the 1980's and 90's. China Radio International, with light fare and upbeat news and features, now broadcasts in English 24 hours a day, while Voice of America broadcasts 19 hours and will soon be cut back to 14 hours, he said. CCTV-9, China's flagship English-language television channel, which features suave news anchors and cultural and entertainment shows, is broadcast worldwide. America may have CNN International, but in the realm of public policy, the United States has "nothing comparable," Mr. Blackburn says. Across Southeast Asia, American centers run by the State Department's United States Information Service, which once offered English-language training and library services, were closed and staff was slashed as part of the worldwide cutbacks in the 1990's.`` For the full article by Jane Perlez: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/18/international/asia/18asia.html?oref=login (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The New York Times on Nov 18 carried an interesting report from Jane Perlez on China's expanding 'soft power' influence in South East Asia, including reference to its international broadcasting activities and their reach compared with those of the US. This extract is from the full report at http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/18/international/asia/18asia.html "Over all, China's stepped up endeavors in cultural suasion remain modest compared with those of the United States, and American popular culture, from Hollywood movies to MTV, is still vastly more exportable and accessible, all agree. The United States also holds the balance of raw military power in the region. But the trend is clear, educators and diplomats here say: the Americans are losing influence. As China ramps up its cultural and language presence, Washington is ratcheting down, ceding territory that was virtually all its own when China was trapped in its hard Communist shell. . . [+ as above] (via Matt Francis, DC, DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI English scheduled to be on 13790 at 1300 replaced November 18 by Chinese programme, probably a domestic relay but no ID heard. English heard as usual on 13610 (Roger Tidy (UK), DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO REPUBLIC. 5985 kHz, from 2053-2103 UT, November 16 in French, Afropop, mention of Namibia, African male chorus music, ``bonsoir,`` bassy fanfare with drums, ID as ``Radio Nationale Congolaise,`` frequency announcement, into news with a female correspondent. Poor on November 17. Drake SW 8 (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Dear amigo Roger: Hope that you are now picking up RHC both in Spanish and English with much better signal strength and modulation quality, as we continue to install the new transmitters and antennas. It was sad to learn about the passing away of John Killian, of whom I have heard a lot by many of my listeners of DXers Unlimited. I was invited this year to go to the Mexican DX meeting, but could not make it, and Manolo de la Rosa, the host of EN CONTACTO in Spanish, purely DXing program * no technical content * of RHC who was also invited could not attend either. Just to remind you of our frequency changes --- 6060 kHz in Spanish to East Coast from 00 to 05, and in English from 05 to 07. 6000 kHz in Spanish from 23 to 00, in English from 00 to 07 split between 00 to 05 to East Coast and from 05 to 07 antenna change to Pacific Coast of North America. 9820 kHz in Spanish to Great Lakes region from 23 to 00 and continues in English from 05 to 07 UTC. 73 and DX, Your friend in Havana (Arnie Coro, radio amateur CO2KK, Host of DXers Unlimited, Radio Havana Cuba, replying to Roger Chambers, ODXA via DXLD) I noticed 6060 staying on past 0700 with Reloj, UT Nov 18 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Taking a closer look at the R. Martí schedule in 4-169, there is at least one typo in it: still on usual 11930, not 11980 at 1300-2400 (Glenn Hauser, Nov 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. World Music Radio is coming in quite well this afternoon (2130 UT) on 5815. You may need to use a synch detector due to the Chinese language station on 5820 but at least you don't have WEWN megaslop (at least not yet) from 5825 (Mark Coady, Ont., Nov 19, ODXA via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. I think I had Radio Tropicana in Guayaquil on 540 earlier this evening (2301 EST). They were strong for a minute or two then faded. The ID was very clear, but there's always a chance that it was something else, such as a program by that name on another station. So, I'd like to get some Spanish speaking folks to check out my recording and see what they think: http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/unid/tropicana-540-2301-18nov04.wav or http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/unid/tropicana-540-2301-18nov04.mp3 (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, NRC-AM via DXLD) Great recording, Barry. A partial transcript follows: Hemos presentado, 'Bohemia del Arrabal' un programa especial de música y tradiciones para el pueblo de alma auténtica y clara de Guayaquil. Esperan a la próxima emisión através de los 540 de Radio Tropicana con más canciones del pentagrama popular rocolero... So the program name was actually Bohemia del Arrabal, "a special program with music and tradition for the people of Guayaquil true and clear in their soul". Friends from the local Peruvian community in Milan tell me the rocola is the old, vinyl style jukebox still used, in newer forms, also in many "cantinas" in Perú; bolero and pasillo rocolero also became genres. Very, very nice. 73s (Andy Lawendel, Italy, ibid.) Congratulations on an outstanding catch! Radio Tropicana has been a decent verifier in the past, so send along a reception report and let us know if they reply. They have offered some really nice pennants in the past, here is one I have in my collection: http://www.bcdx.org/banderines/pennants/eqa1.jpg, so ask them to send one along if they still offer them. 73, (Brandon Jordan, TN, http://www.bcdx.org NRC-AM via DXLD) I assumed was probably XEWA. After hearing the Tropicana slogan and checking WRTH to see if that matched anything listed, my jaw dropped! This station was simply not on my radar screen at all. This certainly makes up for the abysmal conditions I've been experiencing here for the past week or more! (Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON, ibid.) Speaking of Ecuador, you might want to check out the following link: http://www.supertel.gov.ec/radiodifusion/concesionarios/am.htm It's a list of AM stations in Ecuador as registered with the Ecuadorian Government, and includes the owner / operator, and address, along with a couple of other items. Regarding station power, another section (roughly translated via Systran) of the site has this to say: "Medium wave (modulated AMPLITUDE - a.m.) National (superior minimum to 10 kilowatts) Regional (minimum of 3 kilowatts and to maximum of 10 kilowatts) Local (of 3 kilowatts AT the most). The minimum of to power of the Local stations Medium wave, in the capitals of province and to other cities whose population happens of fifty thousand inhabitants, will be of to kilowatt. In the cities whose population does not reach this amount, it will be of five hundred watts." (Mike Hardester, NC, ibid.) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Re: Radio Malabo off the air Spanish technicians try to fix a Guinean transmitter. Original text in Spanish: TÉCNICOS ESPAÑOLES TRATAN DE ARREGLAR UNA EMISORA GUINEANA A principios de mes, la emisora dejó de emitir en onda corta debido a la "caída" de un transformador en la central situada a las afuera de Malabo. Técnicos españoles tratan de arreglar la emisora estatal Radio Malabo, único medio de comunicación de Guinea Ecuatorial, antigua colonia española en Africa sub-sahariana, y averiada hace más de dos semanas. La estación permanecerá alrededor de cuatro meses sin emitir en onda corta, ya que los técnicos han pedido un tiempo mínimo de 90 días según ha confirmado el Ministro de Información y portavoz del Gobierno, Alfonso Nsue. Radio Malabo transmite desde hace más de 15 días en Frecuencia Modulada para Malabo y algunos poblados colindantes. La emisora, de un modelo que ya no se utiliza, es fruto del primer acuerdo mixto de cooperación entre España y Guinea Ecuatorial en los año 80. Al ser de un modelo anticuado que carece de repuestos en el mercado, sus piezas tienen que ser fabricadas. (from http://www.informativos.telecinco.es/dn_17787.htm oct 26 via Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, Oct 27, DXLD) ** ERITREA. They used to use 7175 kHz for their Arabic transmission, starting around 0400 UTC; today, 17/11/04, while checking I noticed that they went back to their ex frequency of 7180 which is already occupied during that time with the English service of the V O Russia. I wonder why do they keep coming back and forth on these frequencies. Their other SW frequency of 7100 kHz is more stable and they haven't changed it for a while. I tried sending them a reception report a week ago to their e mail nesredin1 @ dehai.org but it bounced back! so I sent it via the web site of the Eritrean information center http://www.dehai.org looking forward they'd pass it on to Radio Eritrea. All the best guys (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Nov 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. Even stronger signal [than ETHIOPIA 7165, q.v.] noted from the Broad Masses of Eritrea on 7100 kHz and the SNBC Omdurman on 7200 kHz around 1615-1700 (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 6200 kHz, Radio Fana, from 0349 UT in African language with guitars, bass males vocal, slow rock beat; woman talk, brief flute, ID ``Radio Fana,`` in clipped African language. Poor with fair peaks, November 18. 6350 kHz, Voice of Tigre Revolution, s/on 0357 UT Nov 18, open melody flute or xylophone interval signal, unintelligible ID, change to a more rapid flute, bass male talk, then woman talk, then traditional regional guitar music at 0402. These were all heard on a SONY 2010 on second floor with a long wire in attic (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7165 kHz, R. ETHIOPIA, Gedja noted with English programme at 1637 UT with "main points of the news". Aren´t they anymore the External Service"? Only Radio Ethiopia IDs. 17 UT they continued in French. Signal strength S8-9 with quite strong QRM. No signal in the 31 mb (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 15565, GERMANY, Ethiopians for Democracy and Peace via Jülich at 1830½ to 1929 on Sunday, November 7. Mostly men talking, with occasional East African vocal and instrumental music. At 1926½ a woman announced a website or e-mail address. Reception was very poor due to powerhouse WYFR on the frequency, but the entire broadcast was audible and I sent an e-mail reception report to Ralf Weyl at T- Systems. I heard enough program details that Mr. Weyl verified my report via e-mail. I tried for the Wednesday broadcast but heard nothing; even WYFR was weak, presumably due to the geomagnetic storms. And, although conditions have improved some, there was no sign of this Sunday's [November 14] broadcast (Wendel Craighead, KS, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** GOA. For those looking for Goa (a separate radio country), All India Radio uses 11715 in late local afternoons. November 18th heard weakly at 2200 with ID and into news; Nov 17 heard 2210-2230, // weak 11620 Bangalore (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GRENADA. To Bruce in York and others wondering about Grenada-535, I have heard it on several nights recently although always with barely readable audio but it seems to me that this is the way it has been the last couple of years and not just since the hurricane hit down there. They apparently are using reduced power or perhaps their transmitter needs attention (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford, [SE corner PA], Nov 17, NRC-AM via DXLD) I echo Ben's remarks. I had some poor quality audio with a YL reading news in English at 0802 UT 11-18, but the weakness of other hits of late can only be described as "3db above ESP" (Chris Black, Cape Cod, ibid.) ** GUINEA. RTV Guinéenne, 7125, 2315-2400* Nov 13 French talk, variety of French pops, Afro-pops, hi-life music. Sign-off with NA. Fair-good, but some co-channel QRM starting at 2350 with occasional test tones from Russian International Radio which signs on at 0000 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3291 kHz, Voice of Guyana with English program announcements, ``You`re tuned to the Voice of Guyana,`` by woman, then man into talk. SINPO 22222. November 15th (The omitted time for this was 0103 UT). (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 4750, RRI Makassar, 2155-2201 Nov 18. Have been hearing this one the past few afternoons, but it always faded out before the TOH, until today. Talk by YL, then some announcements by an OM, with mention of Jakarta. SCI at the ToH, followed by "Radio Republik Indonesia" ID, and presumed news items. It's always nice to hear the afternoon Indos. SINPO 24332 (George Maroti, NY, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. HEAD OF US-FUNDED IRAQI TV RESIGNS, CRITICISES WASHINGTON The head of Iraq's US-funded television network resigned yesterday, claiming he had no control over the channel's management and that the budget was being wasted on buying costly foreign programmes while salaries were not being paid. Jalal al-Mashta was appointed as general director of Al-Iraqiya television in May. Earlier in the year, the now-defunct US-led administration in Iraq had handed out contracts for running the station to the US company Harris Corp., Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International and the Kuwaiti firm, Al- Fawaris. "The Iraqi side still has no idea on how money is being spent. When we ask, the only answer we get is that Harris is dealing only with the US Defense Department while it is all Iraqi money," he said at a press conference. As an example of money he says is being wasted on costly foreign programmees, Al-Mashta cited the LBCI's "Al-Mumayazun" Game Show which is costing Al-Iraqiya 28,000 dollars per show, while he estimated that a similar program could be shot in Iraq for around 3,000 dollars. "The fact is that the government is not paying a penny to the network, despite the fact that I talked to officials about that more than once. I didn't receive my salary for five consecutive months," he also complained. "This means more Iraqi money will be spent in vain instead of being spent on building the country. It also means that Iraqi skills are being treated with contempt," he added to explain his resignation. # posted by Andy @ 11:36 UT Nov 19 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel, 6280.04, 0245-0503* Nov 14, continuous local pops/ballads. No parallels heard. Poor-fair with occasional RTTY QRM. 0430 English news \\ 7545. 0445 French. At 0500, 6280 and 7545 back into separate programming, with 6280 abruptly off at 0503. 7545 continued in listed Hebrew (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. 9390, Kol Israel, 2004-2018, Nov. 16, English, News and soundbites re Condoleeza Rice press conference and Mideast peace implications, Arafat`s death and Palestinian elections. Weak but steady (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. What is going on in North Korea!!! Is Kim Jong 2nd pulling a disappearing act or is he being replaced??? His name has suddenly disappeared from the Voice of Korea and his outdoor posters everywhere are GONE!!! Keep tuned to the Voice of Korea for any updates!!!!!! (Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA, shortwavebasics yg via DXLD) Viz.: NORTH KOREA'S DEAR LEADER LESS DEAR By James Brooke, Tokyo, November 19, 2004 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/18/1100748136912.html?oneclick=true North Korea's official radio and news agency has dropped the honorific "Dear Leader" from its reports on the country's leader, Kim Jong-il. The report by Radiopress, a Japanese news agency that monitors North Korea's radio, follows news this week that portraits of the North Korean leader have been removed from homes and offices. Analysts are debating whether Mr Kim is losing his grip on power, or, more likely, quietly downsizing his own personality cult. As the nation's propaganda chief in the 1970s, Mr Kim paved his way to power by raising his father, Kim Il-sung, to demigod status as founder of the Communist state. In North Korea, where change is glacial, political clues are slight. On Wednesday, analysts pored over the official Korean Central News Agency report. In an otherwise routine piece on Mr Kim's visit to an army unit, the absence of "Dear Leader" from the titles raised eyebrows. "The North Korean leader is reportedly concerned his personality receives too much praise," the Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported. Portraits have been taken down in homes and offices in three cities near the border with China, according to Douglas Shin, a Korean- American pastor who maintains an information network inside the North. "Three weeks ago, officials received an order, 'Do not exalt me too much, therefore take the picture down'," Mr Shin said on Wednesday by telephone from Seoul. "He is trying to lower his profile and play humble guy. There will be a barrage of human rights accusations, and with him being a human idol, a demigod, he wants to cover himself." One month ago, US President George Bush signed into law the North Korean Human Rights Act, which provides funding for refugees and increased Korean-language radio broadcasting into North Korea. In Washington, North Korea watchers said they believed that Mr Kim's hold on power was fairly secure. He is trying to lower his profile and play humble guy... he wants to cover himself. "My guess is that Kim Jong-il may be setting the stage to name a successor," said Kenneth Quinones, a retired American diplomat who met North Korea's envoy to the United Nations on Saturday. "He does not want people to feel obligated to hang yet a third picture near his and his dad's." He also said that the North Korean diplomat said North Korea had no intention of returning to six-party talks, including the US, on dismantling its nuclear weapons program. Senior US officials said President Bush plans to urge allies at an Asia-Pacific summit in Chile this weekend to press Pyongyang to return to stalled talks about the program. The US, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia have been trying for more than two years to persuade North Korea to drop its nuclear program (via Harry Helms, TX, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. MEDIA RESTORES KIM JONG-IL'S "DEAR LEADER" TITLE | Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap North Korea's official media continue to use extremely honourific titles when they refer to the country's deified leader, Kim Jong-il, despite reports to the contrary, South Korea's monitor Yonhap News Agency found Thursday. Quoting the Japanese monitoring agency Radiopress, the Kyodo News Agency reported Wednesday that North Korea's media have stopped using the usual glorifying description of "dear leader" when they refer to Kim. North Korea's official media - Korean Central Broadcasting Station, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and others - "simply described him as 'general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army,'" Kyodo said. But Yonhap found that the North's broadcasting and print media had used the same glorifying titles as before for the 62-year-old leader throughout Wednesday. "Great Leader Kim Jong-il sent words of appreciation to laborers and workers who exemplified good deeds," Radio Pyongyang reported in a programme at 7 a.m. [local time] on Wednesday. There also was no change in reports of other major North Korean news outlets, including Korean Central Broadcasting Station, which were monitored in Seoul at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday. In its Thursday edition, the North's main newspaper, Nodong Sinmun, still used two exclusive glorifying titles for Kim - the "great general" and the "great leader." Checking past reports, Yonhap found that the North's Korean Central News Agency often referred to Kim as "the supreme commander" or "the chairman of the National Defence Commission" when his activities were related to the military. Kim, who inherited power from his late father, Kim Il-sung, in 1994, rules the communist country in his capacity as the commander-in-chief of the country's 1.1-million-member military. Source: Yonhap news agency, Seoul, in English 0312 gmt 18 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Since B-04 began, have been intending to check out the supposed new frequency for Hmong Lao Radio, 6040. Finally I remembered on UT Wed Nov 17, for it airs only twice weekly, also on UT Fridays. Until 0059* abrupt cutoff was CRI in Chinese via Sackville on 6040; at *0100 a much weaker carrier came on, heavy fading, but no modulation until 0102 with an interval signal and then weak talk, presumably this service in Laotian from Rampisham to North America. Rechecked at 0157, HLR was already barely audible in talk under an open carrier from REE Costa Rica which began modulating at 0159. Checked again 47 hours later, UT Fri Nov 19 at 0100 on 6040: this time started up by 0100:20 with nice music, opening in Lao but with English words such as ``kilohertz``, ``Tuesday and Thursday`` and later, ``Southeast Asia``. Much better reception this time. More music later in the hour, and this time did not hear REE/CR after 0200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1253, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MACEDONIA. DRM TEST TRANSMISSIONS FROM MACEDONIA We have been advised that the mediumwave transmitter at Ovce Pole (near Skopje) in Macedonia on 810 kHz will broadcast DRM test transmissions from Sunday 21 November to Friday 26 November at 0100- 0400 and 0900-1200 UT. # posted by Andy @ 10:43 UT Nov 17 (Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1253, DXLD) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS [non]. NEW: MINIVAN NEWS WEBSITE LAUNCH! Minivan News has been created to provide Maldivians with an independent and objective source of news and analysis. It has developed from the success of Minivan Radio, broadcast to the Maldives each evening and enjoying an increasingly large audience. Friends of Maldives welcomes this new opportunity for the people of the Maldives to receive an independent source of news and commentary on local, national and international issues. The Maldivian Government continues to abuse it's power to control what can and cannot be published in the Maldives. All press and media are state-run and closely monitored to silence any criticism of the Government. The Friends of Maldives website is one of many websites blocked by the Maldivian Internet Provider Dhiraagu. Dhiraagu is part owned by the British company, Cable and Wireless, who took over telecommunications on the archipelago in 1977. As with all forms of media, Dhiraagu is owned by the state, and has a monopoly on Internet access. However Dhiraagu has a long history of repression of freedom of speech. Amnesty International has documented the cases of several prisoners of conscience arrested for publishing an internet magazine, Sandhaanu. Mohamed Zaki, Ahmad Didi, Ibrahim Lutfy and his assistant Fathimath Nisreen were arrested in January 2002, for writing about human rights abuses and corruption in the Maldives. Charged with "defamation" and having "attempted to overthrow the government", Zaki, Lutfy and Didi were on 7 July 2002 sentenced to life imprisonment. Fathimath Nisreen, who was only 22 at the time of the trial, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Maldivian government continually dictates what the state-run press in the Maldives can and cannot publish. Moreover, the Maldivian government continues to ban independent media channels and attempts to block independent radio and news websites. Friends of Maldives believes in the right to freedom of expression and opinion and hopes the Maldivian Government will support Minivan News and the chance for all Maldivians to receive and contribute to a future where freedom of speech prevails. Related Links: Minivan News website http://www.minivanradio.org/ Listen to Minivan Radio http://www.minivanradio.org/radio.php MDP Welcomes the launch of Minivan News http://www.maldiviandemocraticparty.org/index.php?p=157 (from http://www.friendsofmaldives.co.uk/Minivan%20News%20Launch%20-%20Press%20Release.htm via David Hardingham, UK, Nov 16, WORLD OF RADIO 1253, DXLD) ** MEXICO. XERTA 4810: From an email received from the station, I learn that the station is on the air on SW only during weekends, "Fri 3 pm to Sun 7 am", but the letter does not state if local time or Universal time. "We are on internet 365 days a year", Lic. Rubén Castañeda E. adds. The email address is charlaxerta @ yahoo.com.mx Their web site has a n/d QSL ready for download. Should work out fine in colour print. Address: http://www.misionradio.com and then click on "Nosotros" (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, HCDX via DXLD) Used to be until Monday 7 am = 1300 UT (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. R. Formula network: see U S A ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Illicit interference to RN Noticed something odd when listening to RN's Research File on 9845 kHz during the 0000 UT hour on 11/16/04. Starting around 0050 UT, there was interference from what sounded like Spanish-language 2-way utility or illicit HF usage. It continued after the RN transmitter went off- air and then was clearest on USB with the receiver still tuned to 9845 kHz. I tuned away about 0105 UT while it was still in-progress. Seemed a very strange frequency to use for such activity. Did others hear it too? If so, then it wasn't some sort of local artifact of a CB image or the like. Any idea who is doing this? Fishermen? Drug dealers? People smugglers? Casual pirates? 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, I'm pleased to report that our new-look English Web site went live this afternoon. The aim has been to make it easier to find what you're looking for. We're using a content management system, which means that index pages are automatically updated whenever something is published. The problem has been in importing several thousand pages from our old site and cleaning up the source code. There is no automatic way to update pre-existing old internal links within the body text of an article, so there is still a bit of work to be done. The other issue is that, by default, the program displays 'null' where a database field has been left blank. That is going to be changed shortly, but in the meantime when you see the word 'null' appearing anywhere on a page, it, please disregard it and don't send us E-mails telling us about it :-) I want to draw your attention to a couple of new pages that I'm responsible for: Feedback is where you can send your comments and questions about Radio Netherlands programmes and this Web site. If it's a technical question or comment, then we have a separate page called Reception Desk. You can access both pages by clicking on the Feedback link at the right of the Radio Netherlands home page or the Media Network home page. Also on the Radio Netherlands home page you'll find a link to an article by our Web editor Hal Crawford explaining how to use the site. Quick links: http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/feedback/feedbackprogrammes http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/feedback/tech http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/cultureandhistory/welcome We've tried to improve the accessibility of information about our radio programmes: Clicking on the Radio Programmes link brings up a list of our regular programmes; each has its own page with audio links to the latest edition and a complete list of exact times and frequencies when it's on the air (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter Nov 18 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. The above (observed) schedule [previously published] has been more or less stable during the past weeks, with a few "odd days", and some changes: English 0500-0700 15120 to Europe 1000-1500 15120 to Europe (odd days: 11770, but much weaker there) 1700-2100 7255 to West Africa, crowded frequency but definitely broadcasting there on "normal days". French 0700-0800, 2100-2200 15120 to Europe Others 0800-? 7255 Hausa (not heard recently, conditions...) 1500-1530 11770 Arabic 1530-1600 7255 unID language (not audible since winter schedules of CRI+others became effective) 1600-1630 9690 unID language (African but not Kiswahili, not Hausa) 1630-1700 11770 Kiswahili (new/irregular?) 2200-2300 7255 Hausa (sometimes 15120) A new English language schedule has been appearing on the website, but that's more or less outdated concerning times and target areas. However they did not change much of the programme line-up, they just cut away several hours (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Nov 17, dxing.info via DXLD) V. of Nigeria, 15120, 2130-2158* Nov 13, tune-in to French programming with talk, Afro-pops. 2158 pulled plug. Fair and in the clear (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 13640, R. Sultanate of Oman, 1353-1357*, Nov. 17, Arabic, Radio drama with musical bridges abruptly cut-off without ID or announcements. Weak but clear (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. R. Frecuencia, 4485.93, 0115-0315+ Nov 12, Spanish announcements, talk, IDs. A variety of OA folk music, Spanish ballads and LA music. Played Feliz Navidad. It`s Nov 12 and they played Feliz Navidad! Weak-poor (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Another report lacking the ``VH``: do they really not ID as ``Frecuencia VH`` any more? (gh, DXLD) 4485.15, R. Frecuencia VH (presumed), 0225-0242, Nov. 18, Spanish, Continuous format of fast-paced announcer between musical selections. Fair at best with occasional static bursts (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5544.65: New Peruvian with test! Amigos DXistas! I have been listening this Tuesday evening more than 2 hours to a new Peruvian station on 5544.65 kHz. The OM DJ said many times that it was test transmission "Calidad de prueba". The QTH must be Provincia de Santa Cruz, Departamento de Cajamarca but the name of the station is unknown. If "....de los Andes" is a part of a program title or a part of the station`s name, I do not know. Up to 0130 UT, 3-4 child DJs with ID(?) "La Radio" and music. Thereafter male DJ with music and greetings. Close down 0355, said they will be back on air tomorrow. It´s late evening so I will listen to my recording and present it tomorrow on my internet ID-page. Comments and recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, WORLD OF RADIO 1253, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Amigos DXistas! My unID Peruvian station on 5544.65 kHz is: Radio San Andrés, Municipalidad de San Andrés, Provincia de Cutervo, Dpto. de Cajamarca. Much better sound quality yesterday and Tuesday. Yesterday I listened 4 hours to non stop music with just some TCs. Now IDs very often. My guess is that this is the old Radio San Lorenzo transmitter, perhaps with new QTH and new owner. I will upload a recording to my ID page soon. Comments and Recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Recording of the new Peruvian Radio San Andrés, 5544.65 kHz, Cutervo, Cajamarca. 11/2004. Close down ceremony 0400 UT. Test transmissions 3 days and gave an ID for the first time last night. Close down 0400 UT. Comments and Recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At least 75% of the music was from Ecuador: "Las Hermanas Mendoza", Julio Jaramillo" etc., etc. Close down the same time every night at 0400. The transmissions starts 1800 UT. 73s (Björn Malm, website) ID clip is up. There are two short mentions of the station, the initial one sounds like Radio San Miguel to me, not San Andrés as suggested by Björn Malm. The second mention is garbled (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was just listening to the clip myself! Agree that both mentions sound more like Miguel, tho somewhat mumbled (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Thanks for the tip, Björn! I am hearing a station right now (0327 UT) on this frequency with a male announcer and occasional music. I am using a Japan Radio NRD-515 and K9AY Loop antenna. No sign of them yesterday after I first saw your e-mail but peaks above the noise often (John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, USA, UT Nov 20, HCDX via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. RDPi - R. Portugal B04: alterações / changes. Cf. informação de hoje, a RDPi procedeu às alterações ss., válidas desde 19 do corrente: Acc. to a today's info. the RDPi made the folllow. changes effective from the 19th inst.: Europa 2ª-fª - 6ª-fª / Mo-Fri 1700-2000 nova / new 11630 kHz 300 kW 45º, ex-9460 e / and Sáb. e dom. / Sat.& Sun. 1800-2100 11630 kHz 300 kW 45º, ex-100 kW 1800-2100 9460* kHz 300 kW 45º, suprimida / deleted (* mas ainda válida / but still valid 2000-2400 100 kW 52º para as emissões especiais / for the special broadcasts) Boas escutas / good listening. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 6145 - VOR spurs on 6083.63 and 6206.37 kHz --- English service of VOR, has two spurious this night at 2000-2100 UT. At present Russian - English language course in progress. \\ to compare 6235 St. Pete (time delay), and 7290 7330 kHz (73 Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, Nov 16, dxld yg via DXLD) The problem has been solved already today. Checked it at 1900 UT today. I mailed Mikhail in St. P. and Andrey at MRC control center last night about the malfunction of two spurious signals. 73 de (Wolfy Büschel, Nov 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. QSL: 7320, Radio Rossii via Arman, f/d red, white and blue logo card and sticker featuring same Russian logo in 93 days for $1 and an English report. Nicer looking card than those boring, green paper ones received a few years back (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. REE is really downplaying their ``Lenguas Co-oficiales``. The previous transmission schedule published here did not even mention them. I finally found the current schedule on website, for Catalan, Galician and Basque, which is M-F 1340-1355 when the frequencies to NAm are 21570, 17595, 15170, 5970; and to other areas 21610, 21540, 15585?, 11910 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. Even stronger signal [than ETHIOPIA 7165, q.v.] noted from the Broad Masses of Eritrea on 7100 kHz and the SNBC Omdurman on 7200 kHz around 1615-1700 (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 9535, R. Thailand, 2024-2035, Nov. 16, German/English, End of German service, English ID and schedule, IS/RTWS ID followed by English service with news re Thai government Village Fund controversy, Thai treatment of Muslims. Poor, best using LSB (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200 ft. NE and NW Beverages, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TUNISIA. Re 4-172, 963 kHz: Hi Glenn, French is still all day long, except 1900-2000 UT (Roberto Scaglione, Siciliy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Hi Glenn, Our buddy Joe Hanlon came through with this new frequency for VOT. Thought you would like to know (George J. Poppin, San Francisco, CA, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good morning Joe, Thank you for your wonderful help with 5960. You are the finest, the greatest and the best (George, SF, to Joe Hanlon) Dear George, We checked the 5960 kHz from our monitor in England and it is free so we are changing to 5960 kHz on 23 Nov. 2004. Thank you for your cooperation and please send my thanks to Mr. Hanlon also. I hope we will get good monitoring results from N. America about this frequency. Best Wishes, Sedef Somaltin, Kiymet Erdal HFBC Frequency Management International Technical Relations Turkish Radio-Television Corporation TRT Sitesi C Blok No: 525 ORAN-ANKARA Tel: +90-312-4901732 Fax: +90-312-4901733 E-Mail: sedef.somaltin @ trt.net.tr E-Mail: kiymet.erdal @ trt.net.tr Direct Link to HFBC Seasonal Schedules: http://www.trt.net.tr/duyurufiles/vot.htm Web Site: http://www.trt.net.tr (via George Poppin, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This refers to the 2300 UT English to North America, which started off B-04 inside the 40m hamband, 7275, and Joe`s previous recommendation to switch to 5960 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. 4976, Radio Uganda, from 2051 Nov 18, heavy beat Afropops, choral music with guitars, short brassy anthem at 2101 (only about 30 seconds) and off at 2102 with no closing announcements. Fair, with pretty strong signal (Roger Chambers, Utica NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE [and non]. Re: 15575 CYP / UKR --- Why would they replace Cyprus with this? (gh, DXLD) Is a very late registration to Mykolaiv Kopani-UKR, 46N49 032E14 site. BBC Zyyi antenna or transmitter reshuffle work in progress? To free some equipment during daytime. I guess is the first time Mykolaiv, Ukraine is used for western broadcaster towards ME. Zyyi transmitters are fully booked since the WWII transmitters of 7.5 kW went to scrap. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Re Ann Coulter heard on BBCWS: Aren't you the one who's been lecturing people about the need to hear viewpoints that don't agree with them? (BTW: I don't listen to Ann Coulter, for what it's worth.) (Ted Schuerzinger, swprograms via DXLD) Yes, Ted; but the person giving those viewpoints should have at least a few facts to back them, IMHO. Ms. Coulter makes hers up. Try checking her sources sometime. I have and either the source is dubious or non-existent or the "factoid" has been taken so far out of context as to be misleading at best or an outright falsehood at worst. I just think the WS's standards should be a bit higher than CNN's or Fox's. When I see them reach this low, it worries me (John Figliozzi, ibid.) IIRC the next day on "World Update" they aired a listener comment that pointed out the errors in what Coulter said. Made her look stupid (Richard Cuff, Allentown, PA, ibid.) ** U K. Great news, I received another letter from the BBC 'On Air' Magazine team today, with my BBC World Service English Programme Schedules enclosed. The letter, from Rosemarie Reid, 'Circulation Manager, BBC On Air Magazine', apologises for not including this guide with December's magazine. It's rather similar to the monthly pull-out, folding guide they have always published, but as it covers 6 months, it is low on detail (e.g.: 'Music Programme', 'Documentary', 'Music Feature'). It is nicely presented, split into the 8 regions. There are some details of local FM & AM relays, but SW information is sparse, with 2 or 3 'Best Frequencies' listed for Morning, Daytime & Evening - no times specified. As a programme guide, it's just about OK, but there is obviously no detail and it's no substitute for what it's replacing. And here's something new - North America has now disappeared from the world. Yes, the Americas stream is now renamed: 'South & Central America', and the World Map at the top of each page with those strange highlighted circles (one for each region) shows North America uncovered for (in my memory) the first time. Maybe they were waiting for Alistair Cooke to pass away. How sad and how stupid - bye bye Colonies (Martin Levene, London, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Is Richard Sambrook the same guy who was head of BBC News recently, and thus had to take some of the flack for Andrew Gilligan's mistakes? Wonder what this means for WS output. Also, I knew that Mark Byford was made acting DG after Greg Dyke quit. What is he doing now? (Peter Bowen, Canada, ibid.) Same Sambrook. His title is "Director of BBC World Service and Global news". Was appointed to the position in July. He was the one who publicly disclosed that David Kelly was the source for Andrew Gilligan's story. Wikipedia article is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Sambrook BBC bio here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/executives/richardsambrook.shtml Mr. Byford's new title is Deputy-Director General of the BBC. He now leads all of the BBC's journalism. Sambrook reports to Byford, as does Helen Boaden, director, BBC News, and Pat Loughrey, Director, BBC Nations & Regions. See bio here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/running/executive/mark_byford.shtml Just to round things out, the Director of BBC World Service is Nigel Chapman. Bio here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/worldservice/nigelchapman.shtml (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. I made a point of listening to the final John Peel show on BBCWS, UT Sat Nov 20 at 0130+ via the BBCWS Americas webstream. The first piece of music was utterly unlistenable, and the ones that followed were little better, to my ear. Of course, Peel did not know this playlist would turn out to be his swan song, but if this was typical of the drivel he played, I am even more baffled about the overreaction to his untimely death. BBCWS promised a playlist at http://www.bbcworldservice.com and that John Peel Sessions from the past two sesquidecades would continue in these timeslots for several more weeks. For me, it`s back to Andy Kershaw for some much more enjoyable and worthwhile music from around the world (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. In doing some research on the VOA site, I note that the VOA frequency schedule has shortwave coverage available virtually 24/7. There are far fewer frequencies than has been the case historically; and VOA News Now broadcasts, in most cases, to just one region of the world at a time. Nonetheless, there had been reports that the VOA would be reducing its broadcast day to as little as eleven or fewer hours a day during the B04 season. Does that mean that the protests registered over those previously reported plans have had a measure of success? (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, swprograms via DXLD) I think you will find that News Now in particular (i.e., actual news and news features) has indeed been cut back drastically. The rest of the time has music, and Special English --- I keep running across this during the 1500 hour on 9760, which is prime time in India, for example and could be used for better purposes. Have you come across an actual PROGRAM schedule yet for VOA B-04? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: No, I haven't come across a schedule; but I have been asking. As to the news and features having been thinned out --- yes, I have noticed that as well (John Figliozzi, ibid.) Just got a note from Kim Elliott -- he hosted today's "Talk To America", interviewing Richard Sambrook, who now heads up the BBC World Service, succeeding Mark Byford (who was kicked upstairs). Unfortunately I don't see any links to "on-demand" audio for TTA. If Kim points one out to me I'll pass it on. Sorry this came late (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, Nov 18, swprograms via DXLD) Spent some time nosing around the VOA web site and I'm sorry to report that there doesn't seem to be any way of hearing an archived version of TTA. In the past, that day's edition would be posted for a 24 hour period (and throughout the weekend for the Friday version). Sadly, it appears that the only way to hear TTA now on the 'net is during the "live" broadcast (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, ibid.) Kim is going to dig a bit; he tells me he will ensure an MP3 is made available. Which might then be posted elsewhere (such as Tom Sundstrom's website). (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. RADIO FREE EUROPE WOOS RUSSIAN LISTENERS http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/breaking_news/10221861.htm?1c http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/10221861.htm Posted on Fri, Nov. 19, 2004 WILLIAM J. KOLE Associated Press PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Ronald Reagan used it to reach out to the Soviets during the Cold War. Lech Walesa, the leader of Poland's Solidarity movement, likened it to the sun lighting the Earth. Rock band R.E.M. immortalized it in a cynical hit song. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is trying to woo new listeners in Russia with a controversial overhaul that former dissidents and other critics contend will compromise its reputation and influence as a beacon of democracy. "We're becoming just another bunch of blah-blah-blah on the air," Lev Roitman, a senior commentator for the private U.S.-funded station, said Thursday. "They must be idiots to do something like this at this critical time in Russia." Officials at RFE/RL's football field-size newsroom, housed in Prague's communist-era parliament building - an imposing edifice of black granite circled by heavy concrete barricades and machine gun-toting guards - say they simply want to modernize the programming and expand its reach. The station's primary target is urban, employed, university-educated Russians aged 35 and up. Key changes include more call-in shows, a Web site overhaul to appeal to the 18-plus crowd, and a shift from longer evening programs on human rights and other issues to shorter, snappier spots aired throughout the day. Nenad Pejic, RFE/RL's associate director of broadcasting, insists that Russian-language news and programs on human rights will remain a priority and that only the format - not the content - will change. "It's about our survival, not our mission," he said. "Listeners in Moscow tell us our programming is a little old-fashioned, that we still sound like a dissident radio. We're just revamping. We want to be a local radio with a global perspective." But the proposed overhaul, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, also includes plans to cut staff and "move the center of gravity to Moscow" by dropping on-air references to Prague to give the impression that RFE/RL is a local Russian station rather than an outsider. The broadcaster, which gets $75 million a year from Congress, has moved key positions to Moscow and now broadcasts 70 percent of its material from the Russian capital. Critics say that exposes the station known Radio Svoboda - Russian for "Liberty" - to government intimidation and the threat of censorship. "If anything similar to the current plans of the RFE/RL management would have been suggested in Soviet times, there would have been no doubt as to the source of inspiration: the KGB," Elena Bonner, the widow of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov, wrote earlier this month in an open letter to Western media. "Can anyone think of a more Cold War-type operation than one that pretends to disguise a radio funded by the U.S. Congress and based in the Czech Republic as a local Russian radio?" she said, denouncing the plan as superficial and "a stupid gimmick." Mario Corti, a former RFE/RL Russian service director who now works as an editor, ridiculed the station for basing the changes on recommendations by a U.S. consultant recently hired to create an internal music channel for the Starbucks coffee chain. "The rationale for some of the changes is reasonable. But how can you establish credibility when you're misleading people?" Corti said. "We're a paragon, perceived to be independent because we're a foreign station that doesn't belong to the oligarchs. We had something unique. Now we're becoming like everyone else." RFE/RL, whose 600 employees and network of 3,000 freelancers were overseen and funded by the CIA until 1971, now answers to the Washington-based Broadcasting Board of Governors. Besides its transmissions to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, which are rebroadcast by affiliates to far-flung regions, it also airs broadcasts in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. Masha Klein, who heads the Russian service, conceded RFE/RL's journalists in Moscow "have been under pressure for years," but said the station is prepared to shift staff back to Prague if Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's government interferes. She said the revamp sprang from the perception that the station nominated in 1991 for the Nobel Peace Prize is foreign, aloof and run by Russian dissidents and expatriates "who hate Russia" and spout American propaganda. "I'm Russian, and I dearly hope the day will come when our services are no longer needed," she said. "But I don't see that in the near future. The Russian people still need us." ON THE NET Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, http://www.rferl.org (via Artie Bigley, Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. AFRTS. Subject: AFN Frequencies; note Key West change from 7507 to 7812.5 Location Band Daytime Nightime Diego Garcia Upper Sideband 12579 KHz 4319 KHz Guam Upper Sideband 13362 KHz 5765 KHz Keflavik, Iceland Upper Sideband 13855 KHz and 7590 KHz same as daytime Key West, FL Upper Sideband 12133.5 KHz, 7812.5 KHz and 5446.5 KHz same as daytime Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Upper Sideband 10320 KHz 6350 KHz (Gordon Hagewood, icf2010yg, 11/16 via Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave) I thought 7507 had been via Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. I see on WRMI`s program schedule page http://www.wrmi.net/pages/714011/index.htm that they have added live streaming! This will give us a chance to hear e.g. the Cuban exile programs on 9955 which are jammed and beamed away from NAm; Viva Miami and various DX programs including WORLD OF RADIO, but also hours and hours of Brother Stair and the Christian Media Network which totally occupy 15725 and 6870 on weekdays and weeknights: Listen to WRMI audio live. If you have trouble with the above live streaming link, copy and paste the following link in your Windows Media Player: http://www.wrminet.us:8000 (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Dear Glenn, Please listen to my show tonight AWWW. I will be talking with Michael Ketter about his new program "World Microscope" to start Nov. 26 at 9 pm eastern on 7415. Show will run Mon thru Fri 9pm-10pm. Should help change the face of shortwave radio (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Should be some repeats of AWWW coming up; so new show will not be at 0000 UT Sat as we had been told, but 0200 UT Tue-Sat (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LEFTIES TAKE OVER SANTA FE AIRWAVES AS RIGHT-WING TALK RADIO DWINDLES http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/6763.html STEVE TERRELL | The New Mexican November 16, 2004 Conservative Republicans might control the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court, but the right-wing dominance of a local talk-radio station is about to end as the unabashedly liberal Air America network readies to start broadcasting at KTRC 1260 AM in Santa Fe. "Santa Fe is a natural for us," said Jon Sinton, president of Air America, in a telephone interview Monday. "We're very excited." Air America, which broadcasts on more than 40 stations and two satellite networks, features shows hosted by left-of-center entertainers such as comedians Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo, rapper Chuck D and country singer Steve Earle as well as liberal commentators such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mike Malloy and Randi Rhodes. The network was supposed to begin airing on KTRC on Monday, but technical difficulties with satellite equipment delayed the debut until today or Wednesday, Sinton said. KTRC, which is owned by the AGM radio group, for years broadcast left-leaning programs from the I.E. America Network, which was affiliated with the United Auto Workers union. However, I.E. America shut down early this year. KTRC kept one of the old I.E. America shows, The Thom Hartmann Radio Program, but added ultra-conservative talk shows such as Worldnet Daily Radio Active. Last spring, a Texas radio company announced that it would bring Air America to Santa Fe. However, those plans fell through. "I don't know what happened to those guys," Sinton said. More recently Air America picked up an Albuquerque station, KABQ 1350 AM. Reception of that station in Santa Fe is not good, however. KTRC's deal with Air America has been in the works for several months, Sinton said. One AGM employee said, "It took awhile to convince (AGM) that this was not the right market for conservative talk." In Santa Fe County, Democrats outnumber Republicans 3-to-1. Democrat John Kerry got more than 70 percent of the vote against President Bush earlier this month. The last Republican presidential candidate to carry this county was Richard Nixon in 1972. "We're on in liberal communities like Ann Arbor, Mich.; Madison, Wis.; and Portland, Ore.," Sinton said. "But our most stimulating debut was in San Diego, which is a very conservative city." According to the Web site for the San Diego Union-Tribune, Arbitron ratings in September showed that KLSD AM, which broadcasts Air America, was the No. 1 station with listeners between the ages of 25 and 54. Despite the new left turn of KTRC, Al Franken and company will have to share the station with a prominent conservative talk-show host for a few weeks. Because of contractual obligations, Michael Reagan, the son of the late former President Ronald Reagan, will continue to broadcast his show weeknights on KTRC (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Radio Fórmula U.S. Network --- Mexico's news and talk network, Radio Fórmula, has spread into the United States, following the demise of the Radio Única net. The Radio Fórmula website http://www.radioformula.us/affiliate.asp shows these U.S. (and U.S. border) stations: 880 KWIP Portland OR 950 XKAM Los Ángeles, San Diego, Orange County, Ventura CA 990 KATD Pittsburg CA 1000 XNLT Laredo TX [sic] 1010 KIQI San Francisco CA 1030 XEYC El Paso TX 1090 KNCR Fortuna CA 1150 XERM El Centro CA 1170 KLOK San Francisco CA 1210 KQTL Tucson AZ 1220 KWKU Pomona CA 1240 KSON San Diego CA 1240 XEVM Eagle Pass TX 1310 KFVR Crescent City CA 1310 WAUC Wauchula FL 1330 KWKW Los Angeles CA 1330 WJNX Port Saint Lucie FL 1340 KRLV Las Vegas NV 1360 KAHZ Dallas-Fort Worth TX 1370 XEHF Nogales AZ 1390 KLOC Modesto CA 1390 XEOR McAllen/Brownsville TX 1450 KOBO Marysville CA 1460 KZUE Oklahoma City OK [El Reno] 1600 WAOS Atlanta GA 1640 KBJA Salt Lake City UT 1660 KGST Fresno CA 97.5 KYYL Los Ángeles CA 101.9 KJHY Boise ID 103.3 KWLN Wenatchee WA 105.7 Sacramento CA Ch 181 Sirius Programming available to U.S. stations carrying Radio Fórmula programming: El Panda Show; José Cárdenas Informa; Con Valor y Con Verdad; Cúpola Empresarial; Eduardo Ruiz-Healy; La Fórmula Es; Todo Para la Mujer; López Dóriga; Fórmula Deportiva; Hablar por Hablar; Salud y Belleza; Sabor Mexicano; La Mano Peluda; Lammoglia, La Familia y Usted; Ricardo Rocha; and Bionatura (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Retired Newspaper Editor, DX-oyente, Krum TX, Nov 18, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AIRPORT'S INFORMATION RADIO STATION GETS A BOOST IN POWER Decision in the battle with commercial broadcaster allows stronger signal for all LAX traffic and parking updates. By Ian Gregor, Daily Breeze http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/regstate/articles/1199306.html Once a feeble signal that struggled to float a mile out, Los Angeles International Airport's radio station blossomed on Wednesday into the most powerful airport broadcast in the nation. The debut of the 100-watt station followed a Federal Communications Commission decision in favor of LAX in its battle with a commercial broadcast company, which claimed that a more powerful transmission would interfere with its frequencies. LAX officials believe the new station signal, which is 10 times more powerful than the old one, will be heard up into West Los Angeles, down into the southern part of the South Bay curve of the San Diego (405) Freeway and east past the Harbor (110) Freeway. Paul Haney, the airport's deputy executive director of communications, said he heard the station while driving through downtown Los Angeles, which is about 14 miles from LAX as the crow flies. LAX AiRadio 530 AM also began broadcasting Wednesday over the airport's Web site, http://www.lawa.org The airport next month plans to set up telephone numbers to access the radio station, Haney said. The station, which began operating in the early 1970s, broadcasts nonstop traveler information each day of the week. Live announcers provide real-time parking and traffic conditions during the busiest travel times. In March, the FCC granted LAX a waiver to increase the station's power for security reasons. LAX officials, in briefs submitted to the agency, noted that the airport is considered California's top terror target and was in fact the target of a foiled bombing in late 1999. They said a more powerful radio station is necessary to evacuate the airport in case of an emergency and to prevent people headed there from stumbling into a dangerous situation. In its ruling, the FCC also noted that LAX serves the most passengers of any airport, and that most of these people get there by car (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Based on my own observations, they've been running high power for quite some time. Even here, 16 miles away over the hill, they've become something of a pest. I sure would like a shot at RVC one of these days :-) (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, DX-398 / RS Loop / 18" Box Loop, Nov 18, NRC-AM via DXLD) Even worse, when I was in So Cal a year or so ago, in Ontario, the LAX TIS was wiping out the Ontario Airport's TIS! That's gotta be 60 miles away (Mike Westfall, N6KUY, WDX6O, Los Alamos, NM (DM65uv), Online logbooks at http://dxlogbook.gentoo.net ibid.) ** U S A. MUNICIPAL RADIO STATION FOR MIRAMAR TO FLIP THE SWITCH SOON By Nick Sortal, Staff Writer, Posted November 19 2004 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-mi19radionov19,0,4434959.story?coll=sfla-news-broward MIRAMAR The city has mounted radio transmitters near each end of the city and will begin providing municipal information via the airwaves in the next couple of weeks. The transmitters are in Branca Park, 6900 Miramar Parkway, and at Sunset Lakes Community Center, 2801 SW 186th Ave. Each transmitter covers about a five-mile radius. Two transmitters are necessary because the city is about 14 miles from east to west. "With two transmitters, there won't be any dead spots as you drive through the city," said Lowell Borges, Miramar's community services supervisor. The information will be broadcast on an 80-minute recorded loop on 1680 AM; there will be no DJ. The Federal Communications Commission sets aside a portion of the radio dial for short-range communications, such as Miramar's station, but prohibits such operations from selling advertising or emulating a high-powered station. Other cities, including Weston, have similar radio stations, and travelers on Florida's Turnpike also can hear vital traffic information via a low-watt broadcast from nine transmitters on AM 1640. Tom Good, an administrative officer in the city manager's office, said the radio station is still working out potential bugs and is airing only weather forecasts. "Right now, it's just Weather Channel stuff," he said. "But we're excited that we'll soon be able to communicate with the public in this form." The station could eventually air City Commission meetings live, Good said. Borges said the station will be vital in relaying special events offered by the city, as well as other important Miramar information. Police and crime watch information also will air. The system is flexible enough to make quick programming changes, and city officials attended a class at which they learned to access the station by calling in to the transmitter and entering a personal identification number, Borges said. The transmitters and accompanying computer software cost about $90,000, Good said. The city will soon post signs on roads informing residents about the station, he said. Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. 16th November 2004, Hello radiohobbyist, I have a radio tip of interest. Concerning the new mediumwave segment between 1610 and 1700 kHz I heard a station in New Jersey on 1680: WTTM Princeton; this station broadcast to the Indian community nearby; I can hear the station during the night; for the lovers of Indian music. The website is as follows: http://www.ebcradio.com The shortwave propagation works from 1500 kHz to 30 MHz. Goodbye! (Alain Tremblay, Quebec City PQ, CANADA, via Dan Sampson, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BOSTON BROUHAHA: Just last week, staffers at WBIX/1060 were treated to a lavish bash, celebrating expansion to a 24-hour schedule at the Business-oriented News/Talker, as well as the sale of the station to Christopher Egan. Several hours later, outgoing station owner & investment manager Brad Bleidt attempted suicide. "The Boston Globe" reports Bleidt supplied a tape to Securities & Exchange Commission officials, confessing that he bought the station using funds embezzled from investors. The whole thing was apparently set off as a local Greek Orthodox church, a client of Bleidt's, requested access to some $1.5-million in investment funds. That's apparently when Bleidt owned up to the dirty deed. Bleidt reportedly still owes former WBIX-owner Alex Langer (inventor of fishing's "Flying Lure") a few million for his own purchase of 'BIX; Bleidt's wife Bonnie has been removed as WBIX morning host, as well as from her freelance post as a financial reporter for Viacom's WBZ- TV/Ch.4 and sister-TV outlet WSBK/Ch. 38. For his part, Egan says he plans to press on with plans to buy WBIX from Bleidt, or whomever (Greg Hardison, Broadcast Band Update Nov 16 via DXLD) The entire BCB Update appears in the dxld yg ** URUGUAY [non]. Radio Cimarrona --- A proposito, mala respuesta de la emisora... no vi contestación a ningún email todavía. Y otra cosa - -- clandestina no es. Que ellos quieran tener una audiencia internacional y que reciban el apoyo logístico de La Casa de Todos los Mundos, no implica que el programa, que se hubiese podido trasmitir desde alguna AM/FM afín a su ideología, tanto en Uruguay como en otros países, esté proscripto y amerite a raís de ello la condición de clandestinidad (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, condiglist via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. Impact of Community Radio Stations --- ZAMBIA is considered to be one of the most urbanised countries in the Southern African region." Link: http://allafrica.com/stories/200411160018.html (via Tom Sundstrom, NJ, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A contribution is on its way to you via PayPal. Thanks for all your great work. No other resource compares to yours. PS: I have been enjoying Tips for Rational Living (Eric Flodén, Canada, Nov 16) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ DRS TECHNOLOGIES MAKER OF WJ-8711A HF RECEIVER From the November 15, 2004 Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine: page 16 - ..." DRS Technologies Inc, a Parsippany, NJ -based company that sells defense surveillance equipment - not exactly a low-demand product line during the war on terrorism. DRS stock has risen 52% this year, closing at $41.52 a share on Nov.11. The company reported $344 million in new orders during the quarter ended Sept. 30, boosting backlog to $1.3 billion..." DRS Technologies, among other things, manufactures the Watkins Johnson 8711A hf receiver. See Passport to World Band Radio 2005, page 187 for a review of the WJ 8711A receiver (Mike Peraaho, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRS also owns Continental Electronics in Dallas, DRM Symposium sponsor DRM +++ DRM SYMPOSIUM IN DALLAS --- by Glenn Hauser Not often that a major meeting of international broadcasters takes place less than half a megameter from Enid, so I decided to attend the November 12 DRM Symposium in Dallas. I`ll group the comments by speaker, altho some of them came in discussions following their formal presentations, or from private conversations. Most of this is from my own scribbled notes. PETER SENGER, DW, is chairman of the group and opened the affair, about DRM`s Success and Global Implementation, pointing out that DRM membership includes broadcasters, 26%, manufacturers of transmitting equipment 7%, and receiving equipment 7%. There were lots of graphics displayed, starting with one showing a steady increase in DRM transmission hours per day, projected to rise from 350 now to 700 in 2006y and 1600 in 2008y. Number of receivers on the market: by the end of 2006y, 1 million; 2008: 4 million. Until 2000y, DRM receivers were mostly software; there are a few hundred Mayah receivers now. Cannot yet disclose who will be the first with a DRM receiver on the consumer market, but it should be next year, in time for Xmas 2005. Some German car manufacturers are DRM members and are considering it, but plans are not made public, for competitive reasons note that VW sells more cars in China than in Germany, so if China adopts DRM for domestic broadcasting, that could be an impetus. Key DRM markets: #1, Europe, and the Near/Middle East (Kuwait is already on) Then, North America, with RCI`s one DRM transmitter carrying several stations After that, Asia/Australia/NZ, expected to pick up in 2006y with RNZI China – a two-year DRM development plan is underway through 2005; then a decision will be made whether to continue. Latin America – a meeting will be held next March [February, HFCC in Mexico City?] Africa --- last on the list, and only if cheap receivers become available Costs to Broadcasters --- DRM pays for itself in 10 years due to power savings, reducing power consumption by 40 to 50%. Music in stereo can be transmitted at 24 kbps; news needs only 4 kbps; in a later stage a station could run music at 24, and then split into as many as six different speech channels. News can be displayed automatically from the Internet, besides speech. BBCWS is adding DRM for Europe, to supplement local FM relays. India will test DRM on MW and tropical SW. The USA has the second most DRM software in use, after Germany. DRM membership costs: full, $10,000 per year; Associate: $500 one time only; supporter, $100. Flash! One committee has recommended to DRM that coverage of the technique be extended from 30 MHz to 120 MHz (i.e. including the FM band). It has been proven that DRM works at speeds of 230 km/hour on the Autobahn; Senger is perhaps the only person so far with DRM equipment in his car. Someone else confirmed it works at 1000 km/hour, in an airplane (humour). When more transmitters are available, two DRM frequencies may run at much to cover dropouts, with automatic switching. India might adopt DRM instead of analog FM. In Germany, DRM could occupy some channels formerly used for analog TV. VT will have a Christmas discount on a DRM software receiver. DON MESSER, of VOA/IBB, and the DRM Technical Committee Chairman, was next. Tho admittedly from Brooklyn, he put on a 10-gallon hat and said a few introductory words in Texan. Among the points he made: DRM is very flexible. FM mono quality can be transmitted on a 10 kHz channel, with an option for stereo at 20 kHz bandwidth. This can be squeezed down from 1.5 Mbps into a 10 kHz channel. And it`s fade-free in the reception area. However, long-distance MW by skywave sacrifices robustness, as demonstrated by the 1296 broadcasts from Orfordness. Depending on the circumstances, a greater or lesser fraxion of the bandwidth can be assigned to error-correxion. Local groundwave coverage on 21 or 25 MHz can be accomplished with extremely low powers in the tens of watts, with a range similar to FM. DRM on SW can cover half the US, like XM or Sirius satellite radio. Or coverage of an entire smaller country can be done with NVIS on tropical band, but probably requiring external antennas --- and also more error correction, to cope with Doppler, as vertical signals bounce between the ground and ionosphere several times. (A graphic displayed the unacceptable time delays, echoes, if without correxion.) Simulcasting DRM with analog in a transitional period is possible with 20 kHz bandwidth; the DRM power would be only 1/40 of the power of an unmodulated analog signal. Skirts at the edge of a DRM signal (the DRM mask) are almost vertical, like Dilbert`s head. The OIRT FM band in Eastern Europe, which is going into disuse, would be a good place for DRM. During a later Q&A session, I identified myself as speaking for the SW listening community, and pointed out the complaints of DRM spreading beyond its 10 kHz bandwidth, bad PR at the very least to the huge majority of SWLs who are still doing so in analog; would it not be better to separate all DRM transmissions into separate sub-bands? Messer replied that doing that ``would kill DRM``! Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to follow up on that. Does he think that people need to run across DRM noise in the middle of an analog band, to become interested in it?? I understand that Mr. Messer has been responsible for much of the technical development of DRM, and he no doubt has a paternal feeling toward it. But when will IBB use it?? HANS WINKELS (sp?), the manager of the Bonaire relay station, which is running DRM, was added to the agenda for a brief presentation, about comparing AM and DRM coverage; and about what percentage of errors in DRM are acceptable; audio quality of 98% is ``almost perfect``. This does not mean that there are dropouts 1/50 of the time, as not all of the 2% errors are audible. Tests were made on 1359 kHz from Arganda, Spain, near Madrid. On AM this frequency normally runs 600 kW, but on the DRM test only 4 kW was used, and yet had somewhat greater reception range, by groundwave. HCJB`s DRM test on 15250 with 3 kW was running 30 db antenna gain! ITU`s provisional protection ratios are being complied with on all current DRM transmissions on SW: 7 db average power lower than analog. JOHN SYKES, of the BBC WS spoke next. Said the BBC SW audience of 150 million may decline drastically by as much as 50 million in four years. So there is a need to replace the lost audience with a new medium, i.e. DRM. In the UK, DRM hopes to be added to the existing domestic DAB system, which is now catching on. Ideally there should be receivers capable of receiving DAB, DRM, FM and AM. It has been agreed that in the chicken-and-egg situation, broadcasters must take the lead in providing DRM transmissions, even if there are a very few listeners at first. There is no such thing as FM subcarriers in Europe, but DRM could be run on 67 kHz SCAs in the US with 10 kHz bandwidth. The problem with tropical NVIS, according to the HCJB experiments, is that there are two or three bounces, resulting in echoes of 6 ms, too much, but stepped-up error correxion can compensate for this. MICHEL PENNEROUX, of TDF, and DRM Commercial Committee Chairman, spoke on DRM`s Commercial Roll-out. Said DRM would launch soon in the Persian Gulf, and later in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Ecuador. Ordinary listeners will not need to know that DRM signals are reaching them by SW or MW frequencies, and may think of it as FM. There are discussions with Peugeot about putting DRM receivers in their cars, but there will be a lag of 5 or 6 years in implementing this once agreed upon. Waiting for launch of non-car DRM receivers in aftermarket. PAUL LINNARZ, of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation Media-Programme for Latin America, curently based in Perú, spoke about the demographics of that country, altho at first there seemed to be no direct connexion with DRM. We may think of Perú as a third-world country, but there are already more mobile than wired phones in the country. Internet is now a classical, not a new medium, among the young population. Digital SW would be a new medium. The highest per-capita income is not in Lima, but far exceeded in Junín, because of a relatively small but wealthy population due to mining interests. Those promoting DRM in cars should not forget Japan: there are lots of Toyotas here, and in other countries such as Guatemala. There are now 114 SW stations in Peru, 1503 FM, and 501 MW, for a total of 2118. Stations are classified this way: 1-watt ``car-battery`` stations, with a range of some 4 blocks Small cities, under 200,000 with 100 watt stations ``Lima Standard``, 250 watts, 150 km range. National networking from Lima stations is now accomplished via PanAmSat at considerable expense. This could be done more economically by using DRM feeds on SW. More info at http://www.medioslatinos.com CHARLES JACOBSON, of HCJB, Ecuador, said that there are supposedly 26 SW stations left in Ecuador, but he suspects many of them are inactive. DRM could revitalize the AM band there, using current allocations, and due to terrain problems in the Andes, fill in the gaps in FM coverage. However, there is an Ecuadorian law that any licensee may have only one frequency in each band, so no one could add a separate frequency for DRM. I asked him if a 90-m band frequency had been assigned yet for HCJB DRM, but he had no info yet on that. JEFF WHITE, now head of the DRM USA group, mentioned that WORLD OF RADIO would be broadcast for the first time this weekend in DRM (V. of the NASB via RCI, Saturday at 1700 on 11900), in rotation with other DX programs; WOR to appear on the second Saturday each month. Jeff interviewed me in English and Spanish, perhaps to appear soon on DX Partyline and Aventura Diexista. The FCC will now give temporary licenses to US SW stations for DRM. A new website will be up in two weeks, http://usdrm.com [or could be http://www.usdrm.com --- neither works yet as of Nov 19] Someone suggested that NASB should promote community radio on the 26 MHz band, calling for an FCC rulemaking. TDF plans to add DRM from French Guiana, perhaps by next February. MIKE ADAMS, NASB representative to DRM, and also with FEBC, based in London, pointed out that half the stations running DRM have modified linear transmitters, not Class C. JACQUES BOULIANE, of RCI, acknowledged that there had been some bandwidth problems with the transmitter originally used for DRM, since the DRM module was physically located at some distance from the unit, causing unwanted radiation. A different transmitter is now used for DRM at Sackville, so that the DRM unit will not be separated so far. FERNANDO BORJÓN from the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes said they hope that DRM will be tested in Mexico, along with IBOC and Eureka 47 digital modes. No decision has been made yet; however, IBOC may not work in México DF, since it spreads too wide for the 30-kHz station spacings on AM. ANDREW FLYNN, of Christian Voice, confirmed that their Chile facility is relaying China Radio International. He said the CRI programming was considered harmless and not contradictory to his station`s mission. Would there be any other relays via Santiago? None foreseen, but BBC is always a possibility as it`s brokered by VT. I finally had a chance to hear some DRM transmissions, but conditions were far from ideal, during a noisy coffee break with lots of people crowding around the tables. HCJB on 15250 was indeed coming in nicely, via a Mayah? Radio, as was Voz Cristiana all the way from Chile on 21500 via a computer. (The issue of program content never came up, but being evangelized in digital Spanish is certainly no less offensive than being evangelized in analog Spanish!) I asked if we could hear the TDF test from France on 17875, but was told only a bit of text was being received (not yet via French Guiana, as had been expected). Put on the PA briefly, was the local test a few miles away from the Continental plant in Dallas on 25900, which understandably was coming in well on groundwave. I didn`t see them, but I was told there were fairly extensive dipole antennas on the roof of the conference room by the multi-story hotel. Successful demonstrations inside the building would have been unlikely using portable equipment with built-in antennas. The entire event was hosted by DRS Broadcast Technology (formerly Continental Electronics), who manufacture DRM and analog SW transmitters at their Metroplex plant. The all-day Symposium included a delicious Mexican buffet lunch, of which I partook far too much so had to forego dining at an Indian restaurant later in Dallas. There was also a tour of the Continental plant, but I could not get there in time by early Thursday afternoon. There were also presentations by companies involved in making DRM software and hardware. The above is only a summary of the event. Much more detailed info about DRM was in the handouts, such as the Broadcasters` User Manual, both in booklet and CD-ROM form, which I assume is available on request to those interested. Inspect http://www.drm.org It was a pleasure to meet (in a few cases re-meet), a number of luminaries in the international broadcasting field. I had a chance to introduce myself to the Acting Director General of Radio Nederland, JAN HOEK, who emceed much of the event. Had some nice friendly chats with LUDO MAES of TDP, with whom I`ve had some disagreements over freedom of information; and MIKE ADAMS of FEBC, who expressed genuine concern about the needs of analog SW listeners. I was also greeted by JIM HECK of World Radio Network/HCJB, and by HUE BEAVERS of KLIF, a former subscRIBer. SIRIOL JANE EVANS, in charge of DRM publicity, it turns out is a former Okie who also worked at KOSU some years after I did, and now resides on Guernsey, as she is lucky enough to have family roots there. It was also great to see JEFF COHEN and KARL MIOSGA of WRN, who invited me on their network over ten years ago. Not a part of the DRM activities, but the film SOLAR MAX was showing at the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History. I hung around until Saturday afternoon in order to see it before driving home in the rain, meanwhile visiting the must-see Amon Carter and Modern Art museums in FTW (No time for the Kimbell, and just as well, as a new exhibition would not open until the next day). I recommend SOLAR MAX highly, especially if you can get to it more conveniently than I. Here it was projected on an omni-dome. See http://www.solarmovie.com Don`t you believe the ticket seller who says it`s ``about an hour long`` --- like most such expensive films, it`s only 45 minutes, but well worth it, narrated by a Patrick Stewart sound-alike. For my Friday evening entertainment, I went to a weird multi-media SF play at UT-Dallas in Richardson, Kartasi (The Traveler), by Thomas Riccio. See http://www.kartasi.net for too little info about that (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1253, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WRTH 2005 Will be published in December 2004. You will be able to order yours from http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0823077942/hardcoredxcom for $19.77 (34% savings). Ordering it through Amazon.com and this link will help us providing you this list and hard-core-dx.com web site, too. 73! (Risto Kotalampi, hard-core-dx via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field, through midday on 07 November, was at quiet to unsettled levels. By 1830 UTC on 07 November, activity levels increased to minor to severe storm levels as CME activity from the major flares arrived at Earth. A short lull in geomagnetic activity late on 08 November was followed by another significant and prolonged period of CME induced minor to severe geomagnetic storming. Major to severe storming was observed between 09/1200 UTC through 10/1800 UTC. By 10/2100 UTC, activity decreased to mostly active to minor storm levels as CME activity abated. By 13 November, activity levels were predominately quiet with isolated active periods midday on the 13th and again early on the 14th as brief periods of southward Bz, coupled with elevated solar wind speed, were observed. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 17 NOVEMBER - 13 DECEMBER Solar activity is expected to be at mostly low to isolated moderate levels through 18 November due to the complex magnetic structure of Region 700. Thereafter, activity levels are expected to increase to low to moderate when old Region 691 (18 November) and Region 696 (26 November) returns. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible after 26 November with major flare activity from old Region 696. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 17 – 18 November and again on 06 – 11 Dec. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from mostly quiet to unsettled. From 06 to 10 December, a recurrent coronal hole wind stream is expected to become geoeffective. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2004 Nov 16 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2004 Nov 16 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2004 Nov 17 115 8 3 2004 Nov 18 120 8 3 2004 Nov 19 125 10 3 2004 Nov 20 120 12 3 2004 Nov 21 120 12 3 2004 Nov 22 120 10 3 2004 Nov 23 125 8 3 2004 Nov 24 130 5 2 2004 Nov 25 130 8 3 2004 Nov 26 135 15 3 2004 Nov 27 135 10 3 2004 Nov 28 135 5 2 2004 Nov 29 130 5 2 2004 Nov 30 130 10 3 2004 Dec 01 130 8 3 2004 Dec 02 125 5 2 2004 Dec 03 125 5 2 2004 Dec 04 125 5 2 2004 Dec 05 120 10 3 2004 Dec 06 120 20 4 2004 Dec 07 115 20 4 2004 Dec 08 110 15 3 2004 Dec 09 105 10 3 2004 Dec 10 100 15 3 2004 Dec 11 100 10 3 2004 Dec 12 95 10 3 2004 Dec 13 95 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1253, DXLD) ###