DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-191, December 31, 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 Extra 52: 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 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 [1258] 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 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 Extra 52 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx52h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx52h.rm WORLD OF RADIO Extra 52 (low version, without the WOR opening): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0407.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0407.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0407.html NOTE: your editor has been taking a few days off, so this issue does not include all the material which has piled up in the meantime, nor have all the usual sources been checked. TSUNAMI ITEMS: filed separately under ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS, DIEGO GARCIA, INDIA, INDONESIA, MALDIVE ISLANDS, MYANMAR, SRI LANKA, THAILAND. ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. On Dec 28 AIR Port Blair 4760 continued past its normal close-down time due to disaster in the area. Took in phone calls and gave contact numbers. Language was similar to Hindi and the telephone numbers were given in English. Closed down at 1835. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4760, Port Blair seemingly, with subcontinental music 1200 to 1210, good signal. Our thoughts and prayers are with tsunami victims and surviving families. 73's de (Bob Wilkner, NRD 535D - Icom R75 - Drake R7, Pompano Beach, FL, Dec 31, HCDX via DXLD) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS [and non]. Delhi Woman [from Andaman Amateur Radio DXpedition] is Andaman's 'Angel of the Seas' A Delhi woman in the Andaman islands has become the centre of a multi-nation effort by ham operators to unite thousands of families separated by the killer waves. The Andamans account for about a third of India's reported death toll of 11,330 but thousands more are missing or have been separated from families in the archipelago's 572 islands because of massive damage to harbours, bridges and local ferry services. A grateful Indian army is supporting 46-year-old Bharti Prasad with gear and batteries as the Delhi-based housewife has networked ham operators across the nations to reunite families and help in relief and rescue operations. Ham radio buffs had not been permitted to operate in the Andamans since 1987 but the ban was lifted in November. Prasad was among the first to arrive to help establish a radio footprint in the string of islands near Thailand. "We arrived here on December 15 to support Andamans as a radio country ... Amateur stations across the world wanted a footprint in these beautiful islands," Prasad told AFP in the capital of Port Blair. "I did not expect a disaster like this. It is no longer a game and now we must help," Prasad said as her headset crackled with tsunami- related traffic from a high-frequency radio band spanning three megahertz to 30 megahertz. "When the tidal waves struck, we just turned the beacon towards India and since then, we have been flooded with messages which we relay on local telephone lines," she said. "Hams have also advertised in newspapers asking people to get in touch with us, and in that way, we are uniting families broken up by Sunday's waves," added Prasad. She has already handled around 30,000 emergency calls since disaster struck the tropical paradise. "The only thing I am now afraid of is our telephone bill," said Prasad. Mothers were separated from their children and husbands from their wives in the desperate scramble to escape the killer waves. Further chaos ensued when rescuers randomly plucked survivors from islands and sent them to special shelters. "I thought I had lost my family but soon an official told me that he had received messages from a 'radio station' that all my relatives were safe in Port Blair," said survivor Roby Dey in the devastated island of Car Nicobar. The "radio station" was none other than Prasad, a military rescuer said in Car Nicobar. Amateur stations in Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai are now linked with Prasad and the network is growing beyond Indian territory, said Suresh Babu, one of her five co- volunteers. "Bharti, we are now on airnet. You take care. You are the Angel of the Seas. Without you out there, rescue will halt," a voice from Indonesia crackled in her hotel room, badly-damaged by Sunday's devastation. Prasad and the other five ham operators now work round-the-clock from the hotel room where erratic power and water supplies have added to their difficulties. "We are also helping the administration to streamline relief in Andamans as well as serving as a broadband listening post for stray SOS signals," said Prasad, a prominent member of the National Institute of Amateur Radio. Source - http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13640455 (via Ken Kopp, dxldyg via DXLD) C. K. Raman (VU3DJQ) posted this in "VUHams" group --- Regds (Alokesh Gupta, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ----- Original Message ----- From: "C.K.Raman" Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 4:25 PM Subject: [VUHams] VU4 UPDATE - AIR to help DEC 31 1030Z Contacted VU2JOS operating from Government Polytechnic, Port Blair Tried to receive SSTV disaster images on 14235, but no luck as the band was quite noisy at my end. Will try again tomorrow at 0130z Jos also informed the local All India Radio, Port Blair has interrupted their regular programs and instead broadcasting phone in programs airing out missing persons details. They are on extended hours on all regular SW, MW and FM freq --- ram, VU3DJQ New Delhi (via Alokesh Gupta, dxldyg via DXLD) AIR TRIGGERS EXODUS FROM NICOBAR ------------------------------------------- Sheela Bhatt in Car Nicobar | December 30, 2004 05:18 IST A live phone-in programme on All India Radio has created havoc with the relief operations on the devastated island of Nicobar. The island is a reserved tribal area where non-tribals, except government servants, are not allowed to settle down without permission. Foreigners are strictly forbidden. More than 10 foreign correspondents have been refused permission to cover the devastation on the island. Half the people of Car Nicobar still missing On Wednesday around 2 pm, during a live phone-in programme, a Port Blair resident called AIR and passed on a two-minute message to his missing relatives in Nicobar in the local dialect. In no time, residents of Malacca, Kinyuka, Kimous, Kakana, Chukchukiya and Arong villages began converging on the helipad on Nicobar island. ``Since the last three days, we had taken refuge in the jungles. We didn't get water or food. Once a day, officials visited us to provide khichdi, but that was insufficient," Felicity, a tribal woman sitting near the helipad, told rediff.com. Rare Andamans tribes may have perished She came out of the jungle after listening to the message on radio, which she thought was an official announcement. But she was not alone; 300 people had come along with her. Her family has lost its home, boat and fishing net. "Our village is finished. On radio today, the government has asked to us to reach Car Nicobar IAF station. I heard it myself," she said. The caller had said, "All the Nicobaris should come out of the jungles and head for the Indian Air Force helipad. The administration with fly you to Port Blair where you will be provided food and shelter." His two-minute message has created a severe logistical problem at Car Nicobar Air Force Station. Aftershocks: 8 quakes hit A&N Is Lt Governor Ram Kapse pulled up the producer of the programme who defended himself saying he is not familiar with the local dialect and hence was unaware of what the caller was saying. "Under no circumstances will all of them be brought to Port Blair. We can't handle so many refuges. Secondly, the IAF cannot handle the workload," the governor's senior assistant told rediff.com. Nicobar island was one of the worst-affected by Sunday's earthquake and the tsunamis that followed. The geography of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is spread over 1,000-odd kilometres is proving to be a major biggest stumbling block in relief operations. 'Nicobar Island has an unbearable foul smell' Due to logistics problems, the administration is unable to supply food and drinking water in the villages of Nicobar, prompting its residents to opt for evacuation, which is another logistical problem. The IAF is doing a heroic job in the absence of regular operations by civilian airlines. In the last three days, it evacuated around 4,000 people from Nicobar island. It is proving to be a difficult, time consuming and extremely costly affair. Most officers of the A&N administration think it is a futile exercise. Tropical paradise islands are worst hit The evacuees, who have been put up in camps in Port Blair, have no clue of what the near or distant future holds for them. They have lost their homes, livelihood and have now left their land behind. "Most of the people whom we evacuated were flying for the first time in their lives," said an IAF official adding, "When things cool down, these tribal will not have the money to return to their villages in Nicobar. The ship fare alone will cost them over Rs 500." The calamity continues. http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/30an1.htm (via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) ** ANGUILLA. Glenn, Problems with modulation on the good Dr's frequency of 6090 at 0515 and beyond on Friday 12/31/04; audio has gone to hell, Maybe transmit problem or audio, sounds funny tho. The best he has ever sounded. Happy new year (Daryl E Rocker, Herkimer, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 690, The Caribbean Beacon, The Valley DEC 31 0025 - Good; Dr. Gene Scott over R. Progreso Cuba. Usual 6090 kHz parallel not receivable, seemed to be pulse jammed (Bruce Conti, NH, NRC IDXD via DXLD) ** ANTIGUA. BBC harmonic heard in NE USA Monday 27 December 2004, 30.38 MHz AM: 1503 UT - BBC World Service Antigua relay FK97 S5+ with whine & noise YL with BBC News. Good audio, deep fading. 1526 - OM with low audio & flutter. 1625-1639 - Iraq politics discussion S5 good audio with fading (Jack Sullivan, Central New Jersey, FN20, harmonics yg via DXLD) Odd harmonic broadcast reception, Dec 28, 2100-2114 UT. 29.875 MHz AM - BC station w/ news about Indonesian tsunami. OM, YL w/ Brit accents. Music on hour. To S6. (General 10 meter opening in NE USA during late afternoon). At times signal did not sound stable, cutting in and out in sharp bursts (Jack Sullivan, Central New Jersey, FN20, harmonics yg via DXLD) You`ve got another BBC Antigua harmonic! 5 x 5975 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 15820-LSB feeder heard Dec 30 at 2259 with Argentine- accented Spanish, mentioned Continental, 2300 rapid talk kept going ignoring accurate automatic timesignal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15820L, R. Continental, Dec 23 0652-0704, 35443, Spanish, Talk and news. ID at 0700 and 0703 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio Australia via the 'Net --- Has anyone on the list been able to listen to Radio Australia in English online? I've tried both Real and Windows Media since Sunday following news of the earthquake in Indonesia. Windows Media Player brings up an announcement that they are having technical difficulties with the streaming. Fortunately, the domestic Radio National and NewsRadio networks of the ABC in Australia are streaming online normally, I've especially been listening to NewsRadio from Australia. 73, (Keith Anderson, Houston, TX, USA, Dec 29, swprograms via DXLD) I am wondering if it is because RA is carrying the Boxing Day Test cricket match between Pakistan and Australia. The match is now over and RA should be streaming again. Radio National and Newsradio are separate networks and not carrying the cricket. I may be wrong and it indeed could be technical difficulties and/or manpower. Tis the holiday season (Robin L. Harwood, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, ibid.) Radio Australia will not be streaming again until all of the cricket coverage ends in mid-January. This has to do with copyright restrictions and concern that the system used to stream ABC programs is not secure enough to prevent some international users from accessing cricket coverage (which is legally available online in Australia) and exposing the ABC to liability (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) Right, which is more important, stupid ballgames on another network at another time, or news about one of the greatest disasters of all time? (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Fella's here is the reply from penrithradio @ telstra.com Merry Xmas to all (Johno Wright, NSW, ARDXC via DXLD) Hi John! Thanks for the report at Peakhurst. Our station commenced test transmissions 25 November for a 8 to 12 week schedule of experimentation of a new style of single mast directional aerial system from Luddenham, 13 km SE of Penrith. Our station is licenced as a HPON (high power open narrowcast) format with 500 watts on 1476 kHz. The aerial pattern is a cardioid style pattern with two deep minima nulls facing to the SE and SW of Luddenham concentrating 2/3rds power towards 350 degrees true, direct to Penrith. The pattern is designed to put a minimal signal towards Liverpool and Campbelltown to protect the Campbelltown Local Area Plan (Sydney). The mast is a 62 meter 230 mm section triangular "Deeco" style mast with top loading and a parasitic "director" style element orientated exactly on 350 degrees true bearing. The format is Country playing five decades of Country hits, plus Top 30 Country hits and recurrent hits from 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, plus Bluegrass and special tracks. The station is fully automated digitally using Wave Station 3.0 and updated by ADSL from our studio in Gladesville. The programme operates 24 hours 7 days. Full service is expected to commence sometime in February. The station is owned and operated by a partnership of myself and Raw FM owner Angie Nacson. We have had a very strong reaction on our email site with reports of good reception all over northern NSW and southern Queensland. Some areas do experience skywave interference from co- channel operator 4ZR, Roma with 2,000 watts, to our 500 watts which is understandable and expected. I hope this explains our operation. RAY RUMBLE, MD, Raw Country 1476 West Sydney (via Johno Wright, ARDXC via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4874.82, Rdif. Roraima, Dec 31, 0225-0305, nice selection of light pop songs in English (Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, etc) and a few Portuguese songs. Short announcements in Portuguese after every 3- 4 songs. Fair-poor (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. R. Pioneira, 5015, 0710-0725+ Dec 24, Portuguese pops, talk, ID, poor in noise (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Re 4-190: Caro Glenn, Não pude deixar de observar a menção feita às escutas da Rádio Guaíba nas freqüências de 6.020 e até 6.720 KHz. Acho um desvio de freqüência desta magnitude um fato muito improvável para não dizer impossível numa emissora da qualidade e capacidade técnica da Rádio Guaíba. Quanto à transmissão em 6.020 KHz, ainda posso até considerar um engano do radio escuta em relação a Rádio Gaúcha, pois esta transmite em 6.020 KHz, tem um nome parecido e é da mesma cidade ( Porto Alegre,RS), isso poderá justificar um engano em quem a sintoniza. Porém, a escuta em 6.720 KHz, uma variação de 720 KHz é algo muito grande para ser considerado, pois se trata de um interstício equivalente à freqüência de uma emissora de Ondas médias. Uma variação desta não ocorre em hipótese nenhuma com uma emissora deste calibre. Mesmo numa pequena emissora do interior, sem a qualidade técnica e o esmero que apresenta a Rádio Guaíba, um desvio de freqüência desta grandeza seria também algo muito improvável. Além do mais eu sou um inveterado ouvinte da Rádio Guaíba, muito boa pagadora de QSLs por sinal, que me parece possui até a mais alta antena do rádio brasileiro ( me corrijam se estiver errado, pois escrevo isso de memória) e como ouvinte com muita assiduidade, posso lhe afirmar que jamais ocorreu uma captação da mesma nesta banda em uma freqüência diferente de 6.000 KHz nos muitos anos em que sintonizo esta emissora. Certo é que utilizo em minhas escutas um receptor portátil e não um ``tabletop professional``, mas mesmo assim você conhece do ramo e sabe que o meu Sony ICF SW 7600GR é um receptor muito bom dentro de sua faixa no mercado. Além do mais o valor nominal de 720 KHz não se permite a ser uma "freqüência espelho" pois não é múltiplo da Freqüência Intermediária de recepção. Mais improvável ainda é o meu receptor captá-la na freqüência correta (6.000 KHz) enquanto um outro radioescuta a está sintonizando em 6.720 KHz. Acho mais provável que uma variação desta deva ser creditada á qualidade ou estado técnico do receptor utilizado nesta escuta e não a uma incorreção da emissora. É por isso que apresento aqui a minha estranheza em relação a esta escuta que julgo muito improvável. Um abraço, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena - MG - Brasil, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Doubts about the 6720 and 6020 reports. Such a major station they couldn`t possibly be doing that (gh) ** CANADA. Don`t know who else to ask -- maybe you can help: there is a news reader on CBC with a very strange name (but no foreign accent), whose name I have no idea how to spell, but it sounds something like Sitar Serz. I looked around the CBC website but could find nothing about its personalities! Do you happen to know how his name is spelt, what nationality, or refer me to any webpage about him. Not of great importance, just something that has been bugging me! 73, (Glenn to Bill Westenhaver, RCI) Hi Glenn, Having checked the CBC employees directory, I can tell you that it's Dzintars Cers. Doing a Google search on his name, it would seem that it's Latvian, and that either he, or someone else named Dzintars Cers, was in a Latvian rock band at some point in time. There is a list of CBC personalities on their website at: http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/personality/personalityAToZ.jsp but Dzintars doesn't make the list, perhaps because he's "only a newsreader." Have a very Happy New Year! 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Hunt for air time heats up in B.C. http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=cdefc078-359d-46bf-bf5e-e837be14036f A long-time South Asian broadcaster in the Lower Mainland has touched off a heated contest for access to Greater Vancouver's radio air waves. by Derrick Penner, Vancouver Sun A long-time South Asian broadcaster in the B.C. Lower Mainland has touched off a heated contest for access to Greater Vancouver's radio air waves. Burnaby (B.C.) based LT Productions, producers of Rimjihm Radio, applied in July to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission for a commercial AM radio license. That application triggered the CRTC to open up a call for applications from other parties interested in using some of the scarce space on Vancouver's radio bands to provide ethnically diverse programming. A total of eight other applicants, ranging from Rogers Broadcasting and CHUM, to Radio India (2004) Ltd. and South Asian Broadcasting Corp. Inc., responded to the call. "I'm glad that [I.T. Productions'] application triggered the call," said Shushma Datt, president of I.T. Productions. "I would have loved if it was only me, but I think that it shows that there is an interest out there which is good." Datt said Rimjihm, which has been on the air for 17 years, is licensed as a sub-carrier broadcaster. That limits the station's reception to those people who have purchased specialized radio sets tuned to its frequencies which is a sub-signal to CJOR FM. Its signal is also carried on cable and satellite. She also needs to compete with newer South Asian AM stations that broadcast to the Lower Mainland from Blaine, Wash. "When you are on a sub-carrier, you are only being heard by people who have purchased your radios." Datt said. She also plans to expand the number of communities her service reaches with a programming package that encompasses 17 different languages. Marguerite Vogel, the CRTC's regional director in Vancouver, said that because radio frequencies are scarce in the Lower Mainland, any application for a new licence triggers a call for competition (Vancouver Sun via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) And powerful CJOR 600 khz is applying to switch to FM freeing up another frequency (Dan Say, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re channel 11 in Hamilton ON, WOR Extra 52: Channel 11 has been on for many many years, perhaps since the '50's. For all the years I knew them, the call letters were CHCH. Perhaps that W- call is merely a slogan, perhaps they air the CHCH call at the top of the hour. Remember, Canada is not as rigorous as US when it comes to station ID. Happy New Year! (Tim Hendel, AL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I know, but the website which disappeared shortly afterwards, concerned a different, presumably imaginary, station with different network programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CHEV 1610: Hi Glenn: Mike Brooker's rant in the last DXLD notwithstanding, CHEV must expect to be a extremely local operation in the Toronto suburb of Markham as CHSL has the authority for 1000 watts. I'm not sure what power they are using but this station has always seemed to be more of a hobby operation rather than a true broadcast station from even before CHSL was licensed (Mark Coady, Editor, Your Reports, Listening In - Ontario DX Association, Chair, Light Pollution Awareness Committee, Peterborough Astronomical Association, Dec 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 3300, harmonic, HJMK, Em. Ideal, Planeta Rica, 1000 to 1045 with strong // on 2200. No sign of Radio Cultural. Very noisy unID on 3300.70 (Bob Wilkner, NRD 535D - Icom R75 - Drake R7, Pompano Beach, FL, Dec 31, HCDX via DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. Would seem to have been a victim of the tsunami from its position in the Indian Ocean, but apparently not; and what about SEYCHELLES? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Diego Garcia "Camp Justice" 7 20'S 72 25'E Initial indications are that Diego Garcia was not affected by the Andaman Tsunami of 26 December 2004. It is located south of the tip of India, well with in range of what the tsunami, with a max elevation of 22 and an average elevation of only 4 feet. Civilians monitoring shortwave radio reported on rec.radio.shortwave that a female operator, in answer to a query from an aircraft after giving weather information, reported no ill effects from the earthquake. Officials said the Diego Garcia Navy Support Facility, which houses about 1,700 military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors, suffered no damage related to the earthquake and ensuing tsunamis. Personnel at the facility reported no unusual activity or problems over the weekend. Diego Garcia, the southernmost island in the Chagos Archipelago, sits about 1,000 miles south of India and roughly 2,000 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. Even though an earthquake like Sunday’s will radiate destructive waves in all directions, the damage caused by the water differs greatly depending on the undersea topography. Favorable ocean topography minimized the tsunami’s impact on the atoll. Diego Garcia is part of the Chagos Archipelago, situated on the southernmost part of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge. To the east lies the Chagos Trench, a 400 mile long, underwater canyon that ranges in depth from less than 1,00 meters below the surface to depths that plunge to over 5,000 meters. It is one of the deepest regions of the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is located to the west of Chagos Trench, which runs north and south. The depth of the Chagos Trench and grade to the shores does not allow for tsunamis to build before passing the atoll. The result of the earthquake was seen as a tidal surge estimated at six feet. Tsunami runup at the point of impact will depend on how the energy is focused, the travel path of the tsunami waves, the coastal configuration, and the offshore topography. Small islands with steep slopes usually experience little runup - wave heights there are only slightly greater than on the open ocean. This is the reason that islands with steep-sided fringing or barrier reefs are only at moderate risk from tsunamis (Globalsecurity.org via Jim Renfrew, NY, DXLD) The article continues with more background info on DG ** DODECANESE ISLANDS. Hi Glenn, Re this week's WOR Extra 52: The item about the VOA ship Courier was interesting. I wonder if they re- transmitted live off-air VOA broadcasts or taped them and aired them later. I guess I should say, what I really wonder, if they did live relay, and if the RF around the ship was as intense as the article said, how then could they use a SW RCVR to receive in the face of all that RF on board (Tim Hendel, AL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good question. In that era, relays were customarily off air from the big SW transmitters on AM in the US, or from SSB feeders. Your land- based relay station would have a separate receiving site far enough away so that the transmitter RF would not be a problem. Even Greenville had two transmitter sites, and a receiving site quite a distance apart in a triangle (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 3019.4, Sin Identificar (Unid) Prob. Ecuador? 2210-2232* Dic. 28. Música ecuatoriana sin parar, con una excelente calidad de audio. Puede tratarse de un armónico de la señal de Radio Monumental, Quito; que usualmente me llega en 1509.7; pero la señal no se desvaneció, sino que salió del aire abruptamente a las 2232. Ojalá el Colega Malm tenga alguna idea de qué se trata. 3279.8, L.V. DEL NAPO. Tena. 0100-0200 Dic. 28 Esta emisora no solo retransmite la señal de Radio Maria, además en este horario la señal de Television de Ecuavisa, y luego de las 0130 con Radio Oriental (4782.3 Khz) para las noticias locales (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, playdx yg via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. ETHIOPIA [non]. Changes on the TDP schedule website http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html : Raadiyoo Sagalee Oromiyaa is no longer listed. After a break of several months, Dejen Radio resumed its transmissions, it is again listed Sat 1700-1800 in Tigrinya, now on 7590 (Krasnodar 100kW). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Dec 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Pirate: Mystery Radio, 6219.95, 2140-2235+ Dec 24, continuous US pop music, 2151 canned ID; poor-fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. I`ve been checking RFI from time to time during the English hour at 1400 to see if they`ve switched from 17620 to 17625, as they seemingly announced before. No, Dec 30 still on 17620. I didn`t hear the full mention, so maybe they were referring to some other broadcast, but which? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. 4777.0 Radio Gabon, Dec 30, 0551-0607, in French, almost sounded like a woman giving exercise instructions, with exercise type music in the background, mostly just talking, IDs for `Radio Gabon . . . National`, jingle in English heard several times: `Hello Africa. Tell me how you doing?` Good reception but CODAR start-up at 0600 did not help (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Berlin-Britz 990 is at present off due to an antenna fault: A guy of the main MW mast broke in the wee hours of Dec 23. Press release from this day: http://www.dradio.de/wir/presse/334179/ Herein they promised that the mast will be repaired the same day, but apparently this was in fact only safeguarding work while the mast is still not usable. Under these circumstances it appears to be plausible that they indeed fired up the 100 kW Nautel on 855 again, as I suspect it being the case. Otherwise this frequency was for some time run in AM with only 25 kW anymore, using the same TRAM 25 unit than for DRM. Probably it would be too much trouble to connect a 990 transmitter to the remaining mast (the Nautel is a semiconductor transmitter, such rigs are not frequency-agile). (Kai Ludwig, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUADELOUPE. 640 MW, R Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, 1048-1344 Dec 07 and 08, French interview mentioning Guadeloupe, ID: ``RFO - R. Guadeloupe`` 55555, heard // FM 88.9, 96.8, 97.0 and 97.4 MHz. Scheduled FM channels on 88.6 and 89.1 were not heard, probably due to terrain. Always strong on MW (Petersen on Guadeloupe) On Dec 06-09, I heard the following Guadeloupe FM-stations speaking French or Créole Patois while listening in Gosier. I had ID on all stations by their announcement and/or by the RDS-function on the Sangean ATS909. 88.1 Media Tropicale (Ex R FM Energy), IDs ``Media Tropicale``, slogan ``Le Plus`` 88.5 R Sofaia 88.9 RFO // 96.8, 97.0 and 97.4 89.4 R Saphir FM, ID ``Saphir FM`` 89.8 Haute Tension 90.2 R Aragao, RDS ID ``AFM`` 91.2 France Inter 92.1 Sun FM 92.5 MFM (Ex 107.2) (Ex R Sea FM) // 92.9 92.9 MFM // 92.5 93.3 Vie Meilleure, RDS ID ``RVM - 93.3`` 93.7 R Cosmic One 94.1 Sun FM 94.6 Zouk R // 103.0 (Zouk is typical Créole pop music from Guadeloupe) 95.0 France Inter // 95.4 95.4 France Inter // 95.0 96.0 R Eclair tentatively heard Dec 07 at 1837, but was off Dec 08 at 1605-1940 and Dec 09 at 1123. 96.6 Europe 2 // 103.4 96.8 RFO // 88.9, 97.0 and 97.4 97.0 RFO // 88.9, 96.8 and 97.4 97.4 RFO // 88.9, 96.8 and 97.0 97.8 R Massabielle // 101.8 98.6 RCI (= R Caraïbes International Guadeloupe) // 100.2 and 106.6 99.8 R Gayac, RDS ID ``Gayac - FM`` 100.2 RCI // 98.6 and 106.6 100.6 NRJ 101.4 R Souffle de Vie 101.8 R Massabielle // 97.8 102.0 RBI, Maria Galante Island 102.6 NRJ // 107.2 103.0 Zouk R // 94.6 103.4 Europe 2 // 96.6 103.8 R Contact , 1900-2000 relay VOA news in French 104.3 (R Belo ?) - Only open carrier heard 104.7 (R Gayac ?) Only open carrier heard here. Cf. 99.8 105.0 Radyo Tanbou broadcasting in Patois 105.4 Nostalgie // 107.6 105.8 Kool FM (Ex Horizon FM), RDS ID ``Kool FM`` 106.2 R 106.2, adv Carnival 2005! 106.6 RCI // 98.6 and 100.2 107.2 NRJ (Ex 96.3) // 100.6 and 102.6, RDS ID ``NRJ`` 107.6 Nostalgie // 105.4 Thank you to Dario Monferini for sending me a detailed FM-list before I left for Guadeloupe! (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window Dec 29 via DXLD) ** GUYANA. 3291.1, Voice of Guyana, Sparendaam, 0756-1220 (fade out), Dec 08 and 09 (heard on Guadeloupe), English talk about Schools in Year 2005, 1100 local news, 1103 pop music. 35333. In WRTH 2004 and 2005 it is scheduled on 3290 at 2200-0900 and on 5950 at 0900-2200. But I never heard it on 5950 while in French Guiana or Guadeloupe, not even after Family R signed off at 1200* (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window Dec 29 via DXLD) Also heard twice Dec 21 at 0908-fade out 1050 in English, Xmas carols, talks; 35342; and at 2304-2332 playing non-stop Indian sub-continental music and songs; 44342, utility QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, ibid.) ** HAWAII. 620, KIPA, Hilo, 12/5 1755 noted for first time since Oct. 2003, apparently testing with a relay of sister station KKOA-FM 107.7 with its satellite country format. Mentioned "The Best Country Around" several times and associated website (ABC network), slogan "Hawaii's Koa Kountry" (koa is a type of wood and is also Hawaiian for "warrior"). Top of hour ID only mentioned KKOA-FM. Station not on the air on subsequent days. Per phone call 12/8, station spokesman did not say which transmitter was in use or when station would be back for good. (5P-1- Dale Park-DX'ing from East Honolulu, HI, Honda car radio, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** HAWAII [non]. Hawaiian star lived as ordinary Hoosier By JOY LEIKER UNION CITY - A former television star, Haleloke Kahuaolapua sang and danced her way into American homes in the 1950s in the cast of Arthur Godfrey's variety show. Years after her career blared through the radio and was broadcast on national television, Kahuaolapua, known as "Hale" to her friends, retired to Union City. She died there Thursday at age 82. Though Kahuaolapua went on to live a rather quiet life in Indiana, Albany resident Marilyn Zearbaugh remembers watching the Hawaiian performer on Godfrey's musical talent show, Arthur Godfrey and His Friends. Zearbaugh said, "I'm old enough and I remember, every day she'd come out and sing. She was beautiful." Kahuaolapua was part of Godfrey's cast of characters for five years, from 1950 to 1955. During the 1951-52 season, the show was at the top of the charts, and Kahuaolapua and Godfrey were featured on the cover of TV Guide. A year later the show was knocked out of the top spot by I Love Lucy. Before television she was popular on a Hawaiian radio program, Hawaii Calls. Though her professional career ended long ago, Kahuaolapua didn't separate herself totally from the music business. In fact even in Randolph County she had opportunities to enjoy the Hawaiian music she loved. The city of Winchester hosts the Aloha International Hawaiian Steel Guitar Club's annual convention, and the summertime event features musicians from all over the world. Even though she wasn't able to perform, she did attend some of the gatherings. Zearbaugh remembers seeing her there. "They were all thrilled that she could be at that meeting," Zearbaugh remembered of the other musicians. "Those people kind of fade out, then live ordinary lives." (a Gannett Muncie newspaper via Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3340, HRMI, R. Misiones, Comayagüela, 0220-0258, Sat Dec 11. I heard them in Spanish this Friday night with low audio and low signal, 24221, although I was able to hear their ID. The old phone number through which I had communicated with them before seems to be disconnected. They were announcing the celebration of the 44th anniversary of HRVC, another station now inactive on shortwave. However, it seems to be intermittent, or they are still having transmitter problems, as it was not there on Sunday morning (Dec 12 after 1000) or at night (Mon Dec 13), neither was it there this morning (Dec 14, 1145, 1200 or 1230). I will try to listen carefully, maybe they will mention a phone number I could use to call them. I will keep you posted (Élmer Escoto, Honduras, DSWCI DX Window Dec 29 via DXLD) ** INDIA. NIAR HAMS 'HELP FROM THE GOD' DEAR FELLOW HAMS, NIAR HAS COME UP AGAIN TO HELP THE COUNTRY, GOVERNMENT AND VICTIMS OF THE WAVE. Mrs. D. Bharathi Prasad, VU2RBI, Mr. S. Ram Mohan, VU2MYH, Mr. R. Sarath Babu, VU3RSB AND Mr. S. Suri, VU2MY ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES TO SET UP COMMUNICATION IN THIS HIGHLY PROBABLE DISASTER PRONE AREA OF ANDAMANS AND CAR NICOBAR. WHILE READING THROUGH THE EMAILS OF YAHOOGROUPS AND ARTICLES ON ARRL WEBSITE AND SRILANKAN NEWSPAPERS, IT IS A HUMAN EFFORT, AS TO HOW THEY ARE USING THEIR BEST KNOWLEDGE TO REMAIN ON THE AIR AS THEIR IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE, FOOD AND WATER (THAT TOO WITHOUT SLEEP). ONLY THE HARDCORE SOLDIERS OR ARMY COMMONDOS CAN WORK IN SUCH A SITUATION. WHEN PEOPLE IN COASTAL AREAS ARE RUNNING AWAY TO THE INLAND AREAS AND TO THEIR RELATIVES, THESE HAMS HAVE JUMPED INTO THE DANGER ZONE. THE COURAGE AND MORAL SUPPORT OF THEIR CHILDREN AND WIVES/HUSBANDS IS THE FORCE BEHIND THEM. GOD BLESS THESE HAMS WITH GOOD HEALTH AND THEY MUST RETURN BACK TO THEIR HOMES. REGARDS (RAJESH CHANDWANI, RADIO HAM, C-1231, SUSHANT LOK, PHASE-I, GURGAON-122001, dx_india via DXLD) ** INDIA. 4760, AIR Leh l, 1428-1546, Dec 27, extensive coverage of Tsunami disaster. Between 1500 and 1525 signal levels were armchair quality. From 1430 to 1500 had a man ann hosting many telephonic call- ins. From 1500.5 to 1511.5 ditto with a woman announcer (Vernacular). Drums and percussion instruments, advs. From 1515 to 1530 news about disaster (heard mentions of Malaysia, Maldives, Indonesia, etc.). At 1530-1545 English newscast starting with "Good evening. This is All India Radio", ads. Starting to fade quickly after 1546. 45534 (Bruce Churchill, CA, Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) ** INDIA. 4920 29/12 16.50 A.I.R. - Chennai, Hindy, Sitar MX funeraria. buono (la vita continua anche a Chennai!!) (Roberto Pavanello RX: EGZ DX10 + R-5000 , Loop LPF1R EGZ + Filo Esterno 30 mt, Play DX via DXLD) ** INDIA. No national mourning here, it seems, as AIR on 10330, Dec 31 at 1439 had a comedy program, with dialog interrupted by frequent laughter. I was monitoring AIR on 9425 from 1800 UT Dec 31, mostly music, 1830 accurate timesignal and into ID, news in English on the domestic service. Reception had worsened by the arrival of 2005 in India, but the newscaster did not even say happy new year (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. La Voz de Indonesia ha sido reactivada en español el pasado 29/12, en los 15150 kHz. Captada a las 1708 UT, con un boletín de noticias. SINPO 33422. Detalle: ni una palabra del desastre en el sureste asiático. ¿Será que era un noticiero pregrabado de hace días? 73s y buen DX ¡Feliz Año 2005! (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 7289.9, RRI-Nabire (Presumed), Dec 25 0805-0820, 23432- 13431 Indonesian, Talk (Jakarta news relay?). ID? at 0808 as "... Republik Indonesia (..) Nabire". (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan Premium via DXLD) Per WRTH 2005 this is one of only three Indo regionals left on 41m, scheduled 0500-0820, i.e. local daytime (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. Some frequencies to listen to for Disaster Relief communications following the tsunamis, but more importantly to steer clear of as far as transmissions from VK are concerned. Most of these were published by vk4bb in his NEWS EXTRA last weekend, but again ... Dr Sarath 4S7SW operating near Mathara Hospital in Southern Sri Lanka on 14195 and 21295 kHz. VU4 Indian Emergency Net on Andaman and Nicobar Islands 14193 and 14160 kHz Earthquake Thailand news 24x7 EchoLink node 46601 HS1WFK-l node 46601 is giving news updates 24x7 on the situation http://www.qsl.net/g3zhi - many ham radio links Indonesia - 7055 kHz Thailand - 7075 kHz VU4MYH is QRV from Car Nicobar Is. On 14190.8, 14200, 7095 kHz. The Indian group is working on 7050 and 4S7 group on 7060. (Wireless Institute of Australia National News for January 2, 2005 [sic] via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ANALYSIS: MEDIA NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF 2004 | Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 31 December BBC Monitoring looks back at some of the stories that dominated the media news headlines this year. New services Several international broadcasters launched or announced new services. In February the US launched Al-Hurra, an Arabic-language satellite news channel aimed at putting Washington's point of view to audiences in the Middle East. The leading pan-Arab satellite station, Al-Jazeera, confirmed that its long-awaited English-language global channel would launch in late 2005. And in December France announced that its international French- language satellite TV news channel would go on the air in early 2006, giving Paris a platform to counter what France sees as the prevailing US view of world affairs. New markets open up Among the world's emerging media markets, China developed into one of the most attractive to international players. In 2004, China allowed minority foreign investment in joint-venture television, radio and film production companies, while retaining Chinese management control. Heavyweights including the US companies Viacom and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp moved quickly to sign deals with local partners. "We must open the door wider and let some private and foreign capital in. If we don't, then there is no way we can grow strong," said Zhu Hong of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. In India, the world's third largest TV market after China and the USA, public TV broadcaster Doordarshan entered the direct-to-home satellite market in mid-December when it launched the country's first free-to- air Ku-band satellite platform, DD Direct Plus. The new service will initially offer 33 TV and 12 radio channels. Entering the DTH market gives Doordarshan a chance to offer viewers an attractive package of channels and to compete against commercial operators. Doordarshan estimates that there will be 2.5m DTH users within three years. Rebuilding national broadcasters In Iraq, there was little progress in transforming the US-funded Al- Iraqiya TV into a independently-run public service broadcaster. In part, this was because the security situation dominated the interim government's agenda, and because relatively little funding was allocated to public broadcasting. Meanwhile, radio and TV outlets geared to providing entertainment proliferated. They are run by a mixture of Iraqi investors and other Arab entrepreneurs, based both inside Iraq and in neighbouring states including Kuwait and the UAE. These private commercial broadcasters are taking advantage of what is still a liberal licensing environment of low regulation and little enforcement. However, some international media watchdogs fear that the Higher Media Council appointed in mid-2004 may start closing down media for political reasons. Afghanistan too enjoyed a proliferation of media activity, as it marked the third anniversary of the ousting of the Taleban. Radio currently remains the main source of news for most Afghans, although BBC research has shown that television is poised to overtake radio as a source of news for urban Afghanis. State-owned Kabul radio does not cover the entire country, so listeners in the regions can only tune to local broadcasts or foreign stations. Local broadcasters, whether state, community or NGO-owned, are usually tightly controlled by regional political or military leaders. Media outlets tend to exercise self-censorship to avoid conflict with local authorities or warlords. And many people in rural areas have little or no access to radio or TV sets. Media under pressure In Ukraine, the "orange revolution" at the end of 2004 gave a boost to the fight for free media. Thirteen years of independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union have produced a wealth of new broadcast and print media outlets. But analysts say that even after the triumph of the Western-oriented opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, an advocate of liberal reforms, in December's presidential rerun vote, new laws and cultural changes are needed to ensure that this variety translates into wider access to balanced news for more people. In Russia, media organizations and human rights watchdogs criticized the attempts of the authorities to manage media coverage of the Beslan school siege in September. The broadcast media - effectively controlled by the state, or commercial interests sympathetic to Vladimir Putin - generally stuck to the government line that the crisis was less severe than it was in reality, hesitating to show live footage of the siege's climax and erring on the side of caution in analysing events. Al-Manar, the Arabic-language satellite TV channel run by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was removed from the airwaves in both France and the US. The US State Department designated the popular pan-Arab channel a supporter of terrorism, while France banned the channel's broadcasts following accusations that its programmes were anti-Semitic and could incite hatred. Hate media in Africa 2004 marked the 10th anniversary of the genocide in the Central African state of Rwanda, incited in part by the "hate radio" broadcasts carried by Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) and publications which openly incited Hutus to kill Tutsis. Across the continent in West Africa, as Cote d'Ivoire slid into civil war the UN accused the authorities in the former French colony of turning the state broadcaster into "hate media" to whip up anger against the rebel-held north of the country and, in November 2004, French and other foreign citizens. Although some critics even drew parallels with Rwanda, state broadcasting managers insisted their country was under attack and they had every right to call on people to resist. The UN, for its part, launched a radio station in the capital Abidjan in August with the aim of providing balanced news and spreading a spirit of peace. In December the UN radio began transmitting on FM in the main rebel stronghold of Bouake, making it the only national broadcaster to be heard clearly in both halves of the country. Attacks on journalists The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) described 2004 as "the worst year on record" for the killing of journalists and media staff, with the death toll in mid-December standing at 120. IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said his organization was particularly concerned about the spate of deaths in the Philippines, where 12 journalists were killed, and in the Middle East, including Iraq where 53 deaths were recorded. "... Targeted killings as we have witnessed in the Philippines, Iraq and now in the Gambia must be properly and publicly investigated and the killers brought to justice," said White. Source: BBC Monitoring research 31 Dec 04 (via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. On Dec 28, I received a QSL letter from Coalition Maritime Forces Radio --- Radio One: ``Please accept this letter as verification of your reception of our broadcast (QSL). Thank you for listening to Coalition Maritime Forces Radio-Radio One and taking the time to write. Coalition Maritime Forces Radio-Radio One is a 24 hour a day, shortwave broadcast that provide news, music and information in six languages to the maritime community throughout the Middle East. This broadcast is provided as a service to fellow mariners who otherwise may not hear this type of programming. Your technical feedback will be of value as we improve our service to regional mariners. I appreciate you contacting us and wish you continued good luck as a shortwave hobbyist.`` This letter was signed by J.J. McGovern, Commander US Navy, Deputy assistant, Chief of Staff for Operations/Plans, US Naval Forces Central Command and US FIFTH Fleet. Nice QSL!, I am happy with it! (Max van Arnhem, Netherlands, DSWCI DX Window Dec 29 via DXLD) Congrats on that! A Navy Commander equals to an Army Major and is quite a high rank (DSWCI Ed. Anker Petersen, ibid.) ** JAPAN [and non]. R. Japan disappointed again, in its NY special; Dec 31 at 1405 on 11705 via Canada, excited Japanese talk and songs in apparently live NYE songfest show including ``Sukiyaki`` at 1441, but at 1450 into talk from studio, presumably news. At 1500, local midnight, NO timesignal, NO gongs or drums, just an anthem-like pop song starting with a solo and building, based on some familiar classical music, which I have not been able to place so far, and resuming the songfest which continued past 1600. Meanwhile I checked the direct frequencies to North America on 31m. Before 1500, nothing on 9505 or 9535 as the transmitters were apparently in use elsewhere for the special. At 1512 recheck, 9535 was on but not //; instead as if in deliberate contrast to the festivities on 11705, a very subdued show in Japanese, with soft talk, long pauses and birds chirping quietly. And so it went for the rest of that hour. And the next. Finally wrapped up at 1715 after another ALS, back to studio for recorded music, off at 1730* after RCI IS. Then went to 9535 direct in English to 1800* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [and non]. NHK Year End Hitparade special. On Dec 31 only, 1030-2000 UT. At 1030 UT onwards: All direct 31 mb outlets suffered by poor propagation this[!] year, weak 9750YAM S=2, as well as RA Shepparton 9580 and 9590 kHz. From 1100 UT NHK 17565 kHz noted very strong here, either usual Ekala- CLN relay of English news, or NY special tx location Rampisham-UK 500 kW ? to SoAM, scheduled 1030-1445 UT. Later heard same channel continuing hitparade program VERY STRONG. 11865 YAM was not heard in CeEUR, but co-ch REE CTR instead. From 1300 UT 9750YAM was hardly readable, but great signal on 17565 kHz, which was probably from Rampisham 500 kW powerhouse, at same time program via like Sackville's 11705 and 17875 kHz. 1500 UT 21630ASC didn't propagate into EUR. From 1500-1600 UT Sackville, both 11705 and 17875 noted carrying a different program compared to all other remaining frequencies, seemingly a repeat of recorded 2 hrs ahead program. NHK via European powerhouse locations 9750 Rampisham-UK, 6175 and 9850 both Skelton-UK, all SINPO 55555, lyric pop singer at 1540 UT. \\ 12045YAM 44334 and 11830Ekala-CLN 34333, also via Montsinery-GUF 15355 with Sinpo 22222. From 1700 UT 11865YAM great signal into Europe, and from 1800 on 9675YAM too. Nothing heard from the Ascension relay 11825 kHz. From 1800 UT on 9625SKN, from 1900 UT on 7195SKN, all with 55555 too. Signal delay: RMP-UK 0.25 second behind Ekala-CLN, latter in \\ to YAM. SKN 0.33 second behind RMP. SKN 0.5 sec behind Ekala-CLN. GUF 15355, S=2 as usual in EUR, 0.5 second behind 12045YAM. 9835 YAM and 7140 YAM to Hawaii and SoAM not heard here. btw. YE program: this year I liked the lyric and romantic songs much more compared to previous years 'crying' lady singers. 73 (Wolfgang Buschel, BC-DX Dec 31 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Korea - Making Radio Waves By Andrei Lankov, 12-22-2004 If you, our reader, fiddle about with the tuning of your radio set, sooner or later a militant march-like music will fill your room. This indicates that you have come across a North Korean radio broadcast - they can be easily received in the Seoul area. The history of North Korean broadcasting began in October 1945, with what was from 1946 called Radio Pyongyang. In 1948 it was renamed the Korean Central Broadcasting Station or KCBS. Up to this day the station remains a mainstay of the North Korean domestic broadcasting media. North Korean broadcasting produces a rather bizarre impression on a foreigner (or, for that matter, on a South Korean). In the North Korean broadcast music alternates with short information blocks. Every hour begins with the news, largely identical to that published by Rodong sinmun. Then there are several minutes of marches or songs about Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, or other lofty political subjects. Those songs are followed by a short 5-10 minute talk --- either a commentary on the internal situation, or on South Korea, or on the philosophy of juche. Often, articles from Rodong sinmun are also broadcast on radio. The intonation of the announcers is always peculiarly exaggerated, not to say hysterical. The South Korean scholars often make a painstaking analysis of the content of North Korean programming. According to a recent estimate, in 2000 the KCBS programming spent 34.2 percent of its time praising Kim Jong Il or Kim Il-sung, 28.8 percent encouraging the workers to toil even harder, 17.4 percent explaining and promoting the juche ideology, and 12.0 percent telling stories about the suffering of the South Korean "masses" and schemes of the "Seoul puppets". Most programs are as boring as articles from Rodong sinmun, even for the North Koreans who are deprived of better food for thought. However, there are some programs that target specific audiences, like "Soldiers Hour" or "Young Pioneers Hour" and they enjoy some popularity within their target audience. KCBS also broadcasts programs in foreign languages - Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and Spanish. Their content is, once again, poorly presented propaganda. Alas, the North Koreans have been very inept in their PR activity in the West. The problem is not the message: after all we have seen how very unpleasant regimes managed to win the heart- felt support of the Western public (or at least its Right or Left- inclined sectors). The problem is the production, and the concomitant blatant inability to understand the mindset of foreign audiences. KCBS broadcasts some 22 hours a day from its headquarters in the Moranbong district of Pyongyang. The owners of the standard North Korean radio sets can listen to KCBS alone, since their contraptions lack tuning and are fixed on the wavelength of this official broadcast. This means that until the recent influx of small transistor radios, smuggled in from China, the North Koreans were stuck with KCBS. However, KCBS is not the only battleship in North Korea's broadcast system fleet. There are a number of others, but these target largely or exclusively the South. First of all, I should mention Radio Pyongyang. It was established in 1967 as the "Second KCBS" and acquired its present name in 1972. It broadcasts programs that are somehow adjusted to the tastes of the South Korean audience, as well as to overseas Koreans. It also has an FM branch whose transmitters target the northern part of South Korea. The "FM Radio Pyongyang" broadcasts musical programs, with an emphasis on classical music. It mixes that with radio dramas and book readings that eulogize the North and criticize the South. It cannot normally be heard in the North, and its intended audience are younger South Koreans. Radio Pyongyang does not make a secret of whom it represents. However, the North is engaged in "black propaganda" as well. The North-based "Voice of National Salvation" declares itself to be a clandestine station secretly broadcasting from South Korean territory, and managed by the local leftist underground. I do not know whether anybody is silly enough to believe this improbable statement, but it is how the "Voice of National Salvation" describes itself. It actually broadcast from Haeju and employs a number of South Korean announcers and editors who have defected to the North, or who were kidnapped by the North Koreans (the difference in some instances between abduction and defection is hardly clear-cut). It is unlikely that the efforts of the "Voice" are especially successful. However, it is difficult to deny that the Southern perception of the North has changed greatly over the last decade. But that is another story. http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200412/kt2004122218564254140.htm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** LATVIA. New year transmissions via Latvia [9290 of course] 31st Dec 04 - R&R 1400-1500 UTC 1st Jan 05 - R Joystick 0900-1000 UTC 2nd Jan 05 - HL Radio 1300-1500 UTC GOOD LISTENING (Tom Taylor, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. V. of Africa, 11635, 2032-2035 Dec 25 English ID and news; 2035 French news. Poor. Also on 9485 at 1820-1823 Dec 26 English news, ID, \\ 11635, 11715, all weak but in the clear (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) via FRANCE ** LITHUANIA. Re ``Vilnius & Klaipeda 612 --- (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, mwdx yg via DXLD) So this explains the mystery open carriers on 612? (gh, DXLD)`` No, RBW itself observed the mystery carrier for many weeks and investigated extensively in this matter; there is no connection with the most recent decision to add Klaipeda. The carrier did not originate from Lithuanian soil (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LUXEMBOURG. 1440 DRM: More dust to come. From the 1st of Jan onwards, also DRM during daytime. Furthermore it seems that the tests are a fiasco until now. Nobody is able to get stable reception without a lot of dropouts (Guido Schotmans, Belgium, Dec 29, MWC via DXLD) Seen on the DRM forum : According to today's announcements on the German mw programme: RTL regular DRM transmissions on 1440kHz from 1. January 2005 daily 08:00 to 17:00 UTC 00:00 to 03:50 UTC I heard that recorded announcement twice today. They said that receivers will be available from summer 2005. No more info given (via Guido Schotmans, Belgium, Dec 29, MWC via DXLD) LUXEMBOURG 1440 FROM TOMORROW Find enclosed the times for DRM operation of Marnach 1440 effective from tomorrow. Yes, all night... I don't know if they are required to use the 320 antenna at night since it doesn't seem to make much sense to beam the German-language RTL Radio to the UK. CRI, the gospel hucksters and the morning show of RTL Radio (until 0800) will still be carried in AM. Hallo, hier ist der DRM-Sendeplan für die RTL-Mittelwelle: Sendezeiten in DRM ab 1.1.2005 Mo-Sa 0000-0400 mit 120 kW in Richtung 320 So 0000-0430 mit 120 kW in Richtung 320 Täglich 0800-1700 mit 240 kW in Richtung 45 Zeiten in UTC. Die Infrastruktur in Marnach ist noch nicht komplett, d.h. Antennen- und Senderumschaltungen müssen noch per Hand vorgenommen werden. Guten Rutsch! (Klaus Schneider, Dec 31, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) From 1 January 2005, the Marnach transmitter on 1440 will be operated in DRM mode at the following times: 0000-0400 (Sun 0430) with 120kW at 320 degrees, 0800-1700 with 240kW at 45 degrees (via A-DX mailing list, 31 December 2004 via Bernd Trutenau-LTU MWDX via DXLD This morning (Wednesday) I heard strong DRM on 1440 at 0200. Luxemburg also seemed to be using the new TRAM transmitter for the German programme later in the morning. 73s (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello all, Friday morning 1440 switched momentarily from DRM to AM at 0357. Thursday morning they switched momentarily from AM with constant carrier level to AM with audio amplitude controlled carrier level at 0600 (i.e. when they changed from paid religion to their own German programming). They must have millions of euros burning in their pockets just waiting to be wasted! 73s and all the best for the New Year! (Olle Alm, Dec 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. RTM on 6175 has been heard well most mornings for the past week or so, including this morning (12/28), from at least 1200- 1700. (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS [non]. FYI, the Radio Minivan producers have been producing a new one-hour program every day recently during the tsunami crisis in South Asia. They say that Radio Minivan is one of the only ways of getting information to people in the outlying islands. The most important thing now is getting them health and safety information to prevent outbreaks of disease, etc. (Jeff White, WRMI, Dec 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As I recall, that`s 1600-1700 UT on 11810 via Germany, not heard lately here. Probably available on website. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS. Glenn, although not radio-related, here is Amy Goodman's interview with someone from the Maldives. Also note the name of the Sri Lankan man she interviews, do we know his relative? The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments: Shortcut to: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/28/1511216 (Jim Renfrew, NY, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Refers to: Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke, Permanent Representative for Sri Lanka to the United Nations (gh) ** MALI. ORTM, 4786.89, 2310-2400* Dec 23, French talk, pops/ballads. 2359 sign-off with NA. Still off-frequency. Weak; poor to weak on \\ 5995. 4835 not heard. About 7 hours later at 0705 Dec 24, heard on 4782.89 and 5995 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 700, XEETCH La Voz de los Tres Rios, Etchojoa SON DEC 16 1356 - Heard partial ID (XEE..H) at 1403. Fair under co-channel interference. Full ID heard daily, DEC18-26 at 1300 sign-on, usually heard 1300-1303, but DEC 26 didn't come on 'til 1311! ID with station info in Spanish, followed by same info in Yaqui, Mayo, Guarijio languages, then into traditional indigenous music (mostly flute, drum, violin). Music of all three tribes, occasional Spanish. Spanish talk at 1400 and usually fades out at end of sunrise skip period around 1410-1420. Fair to excellent signal (John Hart, San Francisco CA, NRC IDXD via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. Nostalgia has moved from 1030 XESDD to 620 XESS. 620 XESS is carrying Westwood One nostalgia with little or no local announcements, mostly dead air where the local tags should go. 1030 XESDD is now running the Black Gospel format formerly heard on 1040 KURS. 920 XESDD is still on the air from Ensenada and has changed format to Radio Fórmula talk with new slogan Radio Fórmula Ensenada. They may have changed calls as well. The banda format and La Tremenda slogan that used to be on 920 XESDD (and before that on the old 1600 XEKTT) moved to co-owned 1700 XEPE as of a few weeks ago, replacing the romantica format that used to be there (Tim Hall, Corazón DX, via NRC IDXD Dec 31 via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. 4830.0, VOM (tent.), Dec 31, 1042-1104, hard to say what the language was. Clearly not Chinese and sounded almost Russian. Does Mongolian sound anything like Russian? Mostly talking, some light instrumental music, 1100 noted 6 or 7 time clicks. Poor to fair, CODAR QRM starting at 1100 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t think there is any similarity but VOM does also broadcast in Russian (gh) ** MYANMAR. Glenn, but nothing heard and seen on German / CNN / BBC TV of the southern Burmese coast line, at least a 900 kms long strand strip south of Rangoon up to the Burmese-Thai border north of Phuket is ALSO hit by the disaster ! 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Forewent getting up at 5 or even 7 am CST to hear the New Year arrive in Wellington or Melbourne --- besides, they are on DST and are fooling themselves since it really arrives at 1200 and 1400 UT, respectively. But I did awaken before 8 am and quickly tuned to 4890. Noise level here was abnormally low, allowing me to hear NBC better than I had in quite some time. At 1359 heard Port Moresby mentioned, then in a seemingly live studio or remote program, a group of people shouting a countdown --- trouble is, they were a semiminute late, and thus just like the Aussies and Enzedders, were deceiving themselves about when 2005 really arrived! Then had Big-Ben-type bongs (recorded? Or is there such a clock in PM?); drumming mixed in, Auld Lang Syne, and brief ``Happy New Year`` ditty. Stayed on past local midnight, but fading down a bit; by 1412 had problems with an SSB Spanish net, Mexico probably, around 4889 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I too was listening to Port Moresby on 4890 at 1400. Heard the countdown, the bells (Not sure where those originate), and Auld Lang Syne. It's one of my typical New Years Eve morning things to listen to for years. Best wishes for 2005, (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4386, R. Imperio, Chiclayo, 0023 Dec 26, Chicha mx interspersed by talks by man "...la parte Norte de nuestro querido Perú", TC, ID in passing: "... a través de Imperio radio". QRK 2. 4486, R. Frecuencia V-H, Celendín, 0029 Dec 26. Chicha and huaynos, Man with TC: "...la hora exacta en todo el país". Lively flutes, followed by "comunicados", ID in passing. QRK 2 Dec 26 (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5039.24, Radio Libertad with OM in Spanish at 1115-1120, sign on at 1100? There on the 30th but not on the 31st December (Bob Wilkner, NRD 535D - Icom R75 - Drake R7, Pompano Beach, FL, HCDX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4890.3, RADIO CHOTA. Chota, Perú. 0110-0120 Dic.26 Prgm.Arriba la gente. Mencionando el aniversario de las Rondas Campesinas. con una irregular señal. 4955.1, RD CULTURAL AMAUTA. Huanta, Perú. 2330-2340 Dic. 26 Prgm: El Amor que vale. Luego una identificacion de : "...Esta es la Red de Radiodifusion Biblica..." como comenta elcolega Malm desde Ecuador es dificil capturar un identifiacion local de esta emisora,ya que incluso retransmite programas de Voz Cristiana. 5486.9, REINA DE LA SELVA. Chachapoyas, Perú. 2315-2331* Dic. 27 Primera vez que escucho esta emisora en horas de la tarde, usualmente siempre esta en las horas de la mañana antes de las 1100. Saludos a oyentes, mencionando frecuencia en FM. "...son las 6 de la tarde con 20 minutos a nivel nacional esta es Reina de la Selva la radio de tu familia..." A las 2331 fuera del aire sin cierre. 5544.8, RADIO SAN ANDRES. San Andres de Cutervo, Perú. Dic. 27 Especial musical con el grupo Los Chiroques. "...Radio San Andres, transmitiendo desde el Distrito de San Andres de Cutervo, para todos ustedes queridos amigos...". "... Radio San Andres rompiendo sintonia por todos las provincias de departamento de Cajamarca..." Luego de las 0200 con el Programa: Sentimiento Ecuatoriano. Mencionan horario de transmision desde las 1900-0300 y como director Leoncio Tamarez Nera. Esta emisora fue por primera vez reportada e identificada por el Colega Malm, desde Ecuador 5939.4, RADIO MELODIA. Arequipa, Perú. 2328-2350 Dic. 27 Musica salsa con el Grupo Niche. Retransmitiendo la señal de FM Melodia 104.3 con una programacion entretenida y no solo la aburrida de AM que presenta la mayor parte del tiempo. "...la FM de Melodia 104.3 por tiempo,mas arequipeña..." (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, playdx yg via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. VOA Asia relay --- Changing from 1143 to 1170 khz from tomorrow (VOA on air announcement Dec 31 via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) They tested this frequency some months ago; China has been interfering with it, but no doubt will do the same on 1170. Thus endeth a megawatt split DX target for the rest of us (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VoA is leaving its old frequency 1143 kHz from the Philippines. New frequency will be from January 1 1170 kHz. Still the Philippines? 1143 kHz is sometimes coming with good signal in Finland. 73´s and HAPPY NEW ALL YEAR to the DX-ers of the world in spite of the disaster in SE of Asia. 120 000 died and there are 5 million people without homes or everything. These people need our help. Let´s do it. I´ve given my donation the Finnish Red Cross (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just heard the same news from VoA and Kim Andrew Elliotts´s Communications World. Best reception of his programme here in SW of Finland is 9645 kHz from Iranawila, Sri Lanka. I really wish we DX-ers could enjoy Communications World every week as we used to do, not only once a year, New Year´s Eve! 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, ibid.) ** PHILIPPINES. Dec 30 at 2309 on 11820, hymns and Indonesian talk, constantly breaking up at modulation peaks tho carrier was steady. Don`t the monitor their own broadcasts? I kept listening out of curiosity, but a target listener would surely have turned off this mess. Off at 2327 after giving Jakarta address, but could not catch ID. Per PWBR ``2005`` this is R. Veritas Asia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Midnight in Moscow --- I was trying to catch New Years in Moscow on the Voice of Russia, 7300 at 2100. Broadcast in French ended at 2057, then anthem seemingly played, VOR interval signal at 2058, no Kremlin bells at 2100, but into some kind of hymm, and man in apparent Russian, then suddenly into English at 2102. I think they got their feeds mixed up. Doesn't seem to be any kind of celebration program at the moment (2104), just news. Announcer did say Happy New Year at 2009 at the end of the news. Then into canned Moscow Mailbag program with Joe Adamov (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Dec 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Propagation of several regional stations is now occurring most days. Listening in the time span between 0700 and 0900 has produced signals from Arkhangelsk 6160, which seems to be the only station currently audible on this frequency. Arman [Magadan] on 7320, but this one has not been audible every day for some reason. Monchegorsk [Murmansk] on 5930 is audible when co-channel Radio Prague goes off air around 0757* and Yakutsk is audible on 7200. However, this one is suffering a transmitter fault and emitting a strange warbling noise with their audio. Yakutsk is also using 7345 and 7140, but both frequencies suffer co-channel interference from CNR-1 via listed Beijing on 7345 [after Radio Prague leaves the air around 0827*] and from Voice of Korea [Pyongyang] on variable 7140. According to information from Olle Alm in Sweden, Yakutsk and Perm are using 6150 where a tentative logging of "something" in Russian has been heard. But this frequency is usually occupied by Dr. Gene Scott via Costa Rica. Arman 7320 only broadcasts programmes from R Rossii, but the others carry regional programmes. Monchegorsk 5930 has been heard with a regional programme around 0810. Arkhangelsk is known to have regional programmes but only Rossii has been heard so far. If the band stays open beyond 0900 then "Respublika Sakha" regional programmes in Russian and Yakut can be heard via 7200 from around 0910 (Noel Green, England, DSWCI DX Window Dec 29 via DXLD) 5930, Monchegorsk, 0830-0920, Dec 25, Russian, relay R Rossii // Arkhangelsk 6160 (23433), Yakutsk 7200 (23222) and Moscow 17600 (45444) except for local news 0910-0913 mentioning Monchegorsk. 34333 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, ibid.) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA B'04 changes wef 24 Dec'04 ------------------------------------ 1530-1600 smtwtfs PASHTO 7395 41 ARM (ex 7330) 1600-1630 smtwtfs DARI 7395 41 ARM (ex 7330) 1630-1645 smtwtfs HAZARAGI 7395 41 ARM (ex 7330) 1645-1700 smtwtfs UZBEK 7395 41 ARM (ex 7330) ------------------ (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. Here is Victor's latest email from Sri Lanka....note the death toll. We still say 65000 total. Dear all those who thought about us. Thank you for your e-mails. No one of my family or close friends we killed though the death toll will reach more than 70,000, of which I have no doubt. While running round and feeling still inadequate in what we are doing as hams, I am trying to write to you. My ordinary life has changed that I didn't realize that I hadn't even monitored the various frequencies I should. I am here with a lot of papers, telephone numbers and all that, taking calls, answering calls, running to the VHF and HF and trying to coordinate something of a disaster communications link. It is no easy task when a disaster as terrible as this was beyond our thinking plane. The magnitude of the issue is such that sometimes I wonder how we are going to address this. We are holding/or the tragedy is holding everyone's attention but soon it will be just another page in history --- that is what I fear for these people who have been traumatised for generations to come for we are an island surrounded by the sea.. There are heart breaking situations where a single child remains, a mother father and so many --- lost --- all too familiar be it Sri Lanka, India or anywhere else. As President of the Amateur Radio Society in Sri Lanka it was wonderful even at a tragic time to link up South of Sri Lanka with the Prime Minister who comes from the South and that is where his people are. So we went in and established this HF link. My friends 4S7KE, AK and DZ went in a 4 wheel drive approaching the coastal town of Hambantota from the interior as the main road along the cost was badly battered and full of debris and was impassable. I knew my propagation thanks to George Jacobs and I could be 100% sure that we could keep a link going on 3 and 7 MHz. So when all the cellular and all other means failed Short Wave stood bold and proud. It is so simple and we didn`t even have a TS 50 or such a small mobile HF set, but took an Icom IC7400 the best radio we have and two 12v batteries and dipoles some food and water and filled the rest of the vehicle with food for the displaced. I stood by in Colombo at the PM's to run the link in and coordinate.. I wish I could scream aloud and tell people in some high places that when all else is dead SW is alive. What do you do when your power goes out, telephones go dead and you can't even charge your batteries of your GTS or Mobile Phone? We had our Morse key handy if we had to operate with just 1 or 2 watts but the batteries held. Well the forces connected their links 12 or more hours later but most of the district is so badly battered it will take some time to restore utilities. We operated for 48 hours from the Prime Minister`s disaster room and moved out and we are in fax communication with them now, passing info to the coordinating centre. We have 3 stations out there and we are trying to connect lost people, pass info on displaced camps and people and the movement of food and essentials. We are trying to expand our coverage but our resources are limited. Sadly they, even our members laughed when we wanted a disaster preparedness force. As recent as 2 months back the Govt communications advisor refused to allow a foreign agency stationed here and ICRC to donate equipment when they wanted to upgrade. The Defense Ministry refused as they were out of band which we said we would modify. Our roll has to change as the situation changes. I am here at my desk with my land phone and mobile, a VHF radio and HF radio constantly tuned to our disaster communications frequencies trying to coordinate as best as I could.. We will go one day at a time because the task before us is awesome. How do you get into the mindset of such a disaster. The coastal lives of the people folded like a pack of cards in just a few minutes. The whole country is dazed and some people are so dazed that they don't realize they are. But then life must go on and everyday we get a little stronger to meet then next dawn. Thanks for your concern and help. More later. Yours Victor (Goonetilleke, Via Johno Wright, Dec 31, ARDXC via DXLD) Call to the worldwide community of DXers to help ! Hello Glenn, A-DX.com supports Gerhard Werdin´s (he is known for his activities for Sri Lanka´s Union of Asian DX-ers) campaign for Victor Goonetilleke and his Amateur-Radio helpers in Sri Lanka: In Sri Lanka, one of the worst hit countries, Victor Goonetilleke, an internationally renowned DXer and Radio ham, 4S7VK, who is also the president of the Sri Lanka amateur radio society, has been busy with his friends to support the government to establish communication lines to many of the outlying communities hit by the desaster. While they are doing what they can, they lack funds for everything, from equipment, materials to petrol for transporting staff and equipment across the country. Read more to find out how to help: http://www.a-dx.com Best wishes for a Peaceful and a Happy New Year from Salzburg, Austria (Christoph Ratzer, Dec 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Deutsche Welle Relay Station At Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, Unharmed Dear Kim, Thank you for your e-mail and your sympathy for our workers in Trincomalee. We were of course concerned when the news about the floodings broke. But we received an e-mail from our workers saying that none of those who remained on Sri Lanka during the holidays were harmed. The relay station itself was not damaged since it is not located near the coast. Yet, we still cannot rule out the possibility that some of the local people from Trincomalee working for DW may be injured or affected otherwise by the catastrophe. We are utterly shocked by the impact of the tsunamis. Our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones, their families and homes in Trincomalee. With kind regards, Michael Krumbein, Deutsche Welle, Kommunikation 28 December 2004 http://kimandrewelliott.com/email_from_dw.html (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Hi Glen[n], ref hcdx, would like to give some hints on dw tx in trincomalee; at least on monitoring Indonesian service 1200-1250 utc on 30th it's ok; also no special request from dwtas concerning the disaster; best 73 s (Ashar, bdn c3/3 Depok 16434 Indonesia, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 9535, 27/12 20.15, R. Thailand - Bangkok, Ext. Service, FF NX buono (nessuna NX sul maremoto!!! Chi è che dice che si fà radioascolto per avere notizie dalla fonte degli avvenimenti????) (Roberto Pavanello RX: EGZ DX10 + R-5000 , Loop LPF1R EGZ + Filo Esterno 30 mt, Play DX via DXLD) See also INDONESIA. I wonder if the people at these stations were simply overwhelmed by the constant stream of horrible news, and just couldn`t deal with it any more? Somehow, I doubt this is the explanation (gh, DXLD) ** UGANDA [and non]. UGANDAN OFFICIAL ALLEGES GERMANY-BASED RADIO RHINO BACKING REBELS | Text of report by Chris Ochowun entitled "Ochora petitions envoy over radio" published by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 28 December The Gulu District [northern Uganda] chairperson has written a protest letter to the German ambassador over the programmes aired on [opposition] Radio Rhino International in Germany. Lt-Col Walter Ochora said the radio programmes were in support of the LRA [rebel Lord's Resistance Army] activities. He said the radio was a bedroom radio station owned by two former UNLA [Uganda National Liberation Army] fighters living in Germany. "I personally know the plot where this Radio Rhino is located. It is just a bedroom radio station which is own by Lt Ayoo and Awich. These are people who do not know the extent of suffering the people are undergoing," he said. Ochora was on Saturday [25 December ] speaking on Radio Mega in Gulu. He said Ayoo and Awich had accused him and Betty Bigombe, the mediator of the peace talks initiative between the LRA and the government, of being used to kill the top LRA commanders. "We should desist from mixing this peace initiative with politics," he said. Ochora urged the Acholi to support Bigombe to bring peace to the region. Source: The New Vision web site, Kampala, in English 28 Dec 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U K. BBCWS previews for January start with: SPECIAL PROGRAMME - Disaster In Asia: The Week That Shocked the World On Sunday 2 January tune in to a special news programme looking at the impact of the Indian Ocean earthquake. Owen Bennett Jones and BBC correspondents across the region from Indonesia to Sri Lanka assess the relief effort and ask how these countries can recover. Could history offer a lesson to these devastated communities? Disaster In Asia: The Week That Shocked the World - x1 - 2 January ALL REGIONS: 1306-1400; rpt 1806-1900 (via Paul David, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. HOW THE QUEEN'S MESSAGE GETS TO THE WORLD Sat 25 Dec 2004, By Peter Archer, PA Court Correspondent http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3926447 Christmas wouldn't be the same without turkey, mince pies - and the Queen's Broadcast. Last year in Britain 6.5 million bloated viewers - part of a worldwide audience - settled down at 3pm on Christmas Day to watch the traditional royal message. It's not surprising that at Sandringham, the Queen's Norfolk estate where the Royal Family spend Christmas, the broadcast is compulsory viewing. The programme lasts about 10 minutes but many hours of hard work go into producing it. Since 1997, the BBC and ITV have alternated in producing the programme every two years but both organisations use the same independent film crew. This year's programme, the Queen's 52nd, is produced by the BBC. Planning starts early with the Queen's choice of a theme which she wishes to address. Changes sometimes have to be made later if national or world events take a significance detour. The TV crew follows the Queen on selected dates during the year to illustrate the royal script. And it is about now - 10 days before the 25th - that the Queen records her words for the camera and the microphone. Each programme carefully reflects current issues and concerns, and shares the Queen's thoughts on what Christmas means to her, usually with a strong religious reference. Over the years, the Christmas messages have acted as a chronicle of global, national and personal events which have touched the Queen. It is one of the rare occasions when she does not speak on Government advice and is able to voice her own views. The Queen is ever conscious of her role as Head of the Armed Forces. Consequently, British and Commonwealth troops serving overseas at Christmas and their families are uppermost in her mind. Last year, for example, with conflict in the Middle East, a special broadcast from the Household Cavalry Barracks in Windsor was arranged at the Queen's request. With technological advances meaning that viewers have a choice of format - television, radio or internet - the Christmas Broadcast is now more accessible than ever. The technology has changed but, at broadcasters' request, the timing remains at 3 pm as a fixed point in schedules. Christmas lunches up and down the country are timed around the programme. As an annual tradition, it creates a sense of national unity and continuity for many. For the Queen, the broadcast is not only a duty to be fulfilled, it is an opportunity to speak directly to the public, to react to their concerns and to thank and reassure them. The first Christmas message was delivered on the wireless by the Queen's grandfather, George V, in 1932. The original idea was mooted by Sir John Reith, the visionary founding father of the BBC, to inaugurate the Empire Service, now the BBC World Service. Initially hesitant about using the relatively untried medium of radio in this way, the King was reassured by a visit to the BBC in the summer of 1932, and agreed to take part. And so, on Christmas Day, George V spoke live to the Empire from a small office at Sandringham. The transmission was an exercise in contemporary logistic ingenuity. Two rooms at Sandringham were converted into a temporary broadcasting studio, with microphones connected to a control room at Broadcasting House along Post Office land lines. From London, connection was made to BBC transmitters in the Home Service and to the Empire Broadcasting Station at Daventry with its six short-wave transmitters. The General Post Office was drafted in to reach Australia, Canada, India, Kenya and South Africa. The time chosen was 3 pm, the best time for reaching most of the countries in the Empire by short wave. In the event, the first broadcast began at 3.05 pm and lasted two-and-a-half minutes. Due to a royal quirk, the clocks at Sandringham actually showed 3.35 pm. Edward VII had introduced what became known as ST or Sandringham Time, when the clocks were put forward half an hour to make the most of daylight in winter and allow an extra 30 minutes for the King's passion of shooting. George V maintained the custom, which was eventually abolished by Edward VIII in 1936. The text of the first Christmas speech was written by poet and writer Rudyard Kipling. It began: "I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all; to men and women so cut off by the snows, the desert, or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them." King George V's eldest son, who became King Edward VIII, never delivered a Christmas message, as his reign lasted less than a year, ending in abdication. It was the outbreak of war in 1939 which firmly established the tradition. With large parts of the world facing an uncertain future, the Queen's father, George VI, spoke live from Sandringham to offer a message of reassurance. Dressed in the uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet and sitting in front of two microphones, he said: "A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle we shall remain undaunted." The wartime Christmas messages played a large part in boosting morale and reinforcing belief in the common cause. When the war ended, the broadcasts - with their sentiments of unity and continuity - survived the subsequent decades of change. Following George VI's death, the Queen made her first Christmas Broadcast in 1952. She spoke of continuing the tradition passed on to her by the late King: "Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world ... As he used to do, I am speaking to you from my own home, where I am spending Christmas with my family ... My father and my grandfather before him, worked hard all their lives to unite our peoples ever more closely ... I shall strive to carry on their work." During her reign, the Queen has made a Christmas Broadcast every year except one. No broadcast took place in 1969 because a repeat of the documentary, Royal Family, was already scheduled for the holiday period. Public concern at this apparent break with tradition prompted the Queen to issue a written message of reassurance that the broadcast would return the following year. TV had introduced a new dimension to the broadcast, with the first televised message screened live in 1957. From 1960, broadcasts were recorded in advance so the tapes could be sent around the world to 17 Commonwealth countries, to be aired at a convenient local time. These days the location is usually Buckingham Palace, but recordings have also been made at Windsor as well as Sandringham. Last year's message, filmed at an army barracks, was the first time the address had been shot entirely on location (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. THE VOICE OF WWV BECOMES A SILENT KEY The Voice of time signal station WWV has passed away. Marty Edwards, a newscaster who doubled as the voice of WWV, died on Friday, December 10th. Edwards did the speech transcripts for the time checks provided by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Standards and broadcast on WWV from Ft. Collins, Colorado (Published news reports via ARNewsline December 31 via John Norfolk, dxldyg) Sorry to hear that! I expect his voice will live on. BTW, it`s the National Institute of Standards & Technology, no more NBS for years, if the writer had actually tuned in WWV. And the N stood for National, not Navy. I`m sorry but this sloppiness is typical of ARNL. And are they saying Mr Edwards was also a ham who worked CW? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** U S A. Dear Glenn, Times for WOR on WBCQ are: All times EST [UT -5] 7415: Wed 6-630 PM; Mon 1230-1 AM 9330: Mon-Thur 5-530 PM; Sat 11-1130 PM; Sun 11-1130 PM 17495: Wed 7-730 PM That's it for now. The Sat airing on 17495 went away as we moved a client. Other news, Tom Anderson of American Magazine is sponsoring the return of Area 51 programming Sunday nignts 9 pm-1 am on 5105. He is also sponsoring the return of The Real Radio Show Fridays 5-530 PM on 7415. Also the Tom and Darryl Show has been extended an hour from 12-2 AM Sunday morning on 7415 thanks to Tom Anderson's great love of the shortwave medium and WBCQ. His program can be heard Monday mornings, 1-130 AM on 7415 and 5105. Cheers, (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re Lubavitcher station 1710 http://www.radiomoshiach.org : I heard your broadcast on WWCR (9985 kHz.) yesterday while driving home and enjoyed the wealth of information. It is peculiar that with the strong arm of David Solomon of the FCC's enforcement bureau, and the hefty fines being handed out these days, that this station can keep broadcasting. They were extremely vigorous in their actions against Alan Weiner on 1608 kHz. aboard a ship outside of territorial waters some years ago, so there is something wrong here. Keep up the good work, and Happy New Year. Regards, (J. C. Aegerter, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Subject: DX test - WOKY 920 --- I am going to try and run a DX test Sunday Jan 2 11:55 PM (Central Standard Time) = 0555 GMT 03/01/05 until January 3 12:15AM = 0615GMT 03/01/05 on WOKY - AM 920 Milwaukee, WI. We will try Non-directional first then Day pattern (directional EAST) at 12:10 AM CST at 5 kW, then back to the 1 kW night pattern (directional North East) by 12:15 AM CST. I will be attempting to have Morse code in the background at times. Format will be satellite AM Standards. Confirmations can come to me at: WOKY- AM, 12100 West Howard Ave, Greenfield, WI 53228 Recorded audio would be GREAT! I will create a QSL card for the people that have confirmed reception. Kent Winrich, Engineer, Clear Channel - Milwaukee WISN, WOKY, WRIT, WKKV, WMIL, WQBW, Dec 29, via Randy Stewart, IRCA mailing list via DXLD) His e-mail address is: KENTWINRICH@clearchannel.com (via Les Rayburn, IRCA via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. VOICE OF VIETNAM TO BROADCAST ETHNIC CHAM-LANGUAGE PROGRAMMES | Text of report by Vietnamese news agency VNA web site Ha Noi: Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) will start broadcasting programmes in the Cham language as from 1 January 2005. The Cham- language programmes will be broadcast daily at four times, each 30 minutes long - at 6.30 a.m., 10.30 a.m., 14.30 p.m., and 20 hrs [UT +7]. They can be heard at 873 kHz and 747 kHz frequencies. Cham minority people live mainly in central Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, and Tay Ninh provinces; and southern An Giang and Dong Nai provinces; and Ho Chi Minh City. Together with the Cham-language programme, Radio Voice of Vietnam 4 station [minorities network] provides nine ethnic language programmes. Source: VNA news agency web site, Hanoi, in English 27 Dec 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** WALES [non]. Tuned into 7110 at 2135 UT on Friday 31 December, 2004, expecting to hear Wales Radio International. A very strong signal was coming in, a musical program with discussion in German between musical items. Off abruptly at 2200 without any ID. Since Wales Radio International is transmitted from Moosbrunn, Austria at this time (according to a schedule I have), I presume that I was hearing an Austrian domestic program. Perhaps a Wales program was not available (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. RASD: Noted SW parallel has returned. 1550 // 7460 with Spanish songs at 2335 25/12/04 73s (Steve Whitt, UK, MWC via DXLD) ** YEMEN. Republic of Yemen Radio, 9779.65, 1831-1900 Dec 26 --- tune- in to English news, ID. 1835 US pop music. 1840 program about local agriculture. 1850 more US pop music. 1856 news. 1858 closing announcements. Weak-fair but with somewhat muffled audio (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9602v, UNAM? heard during the 1400 and 1500 hours. Big open carrier, no modulation, very characteristic of UNAM when it has been on (Hans Johnson-USA, Cumbre Dec 23 via BC-DX via DXLD) XEYU México DF (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Best wishes to you, Glenn, and THANKS (a weak word in this case) from all us full-time wanna be DXers! (David Norx, Kahalu'u, Hawaii, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mi deseo de feliz año a Glenn: campeón del DXismo 2004/5 :) HAN Happy new year from Uruguay!! And for those non SP-speaking members of this list, I've just written a line in my lang to our friend Glenn, having called him: the DX Champion of the year 2004 and why not 2005! Hope for it!!! Cheers!!! (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, dxldyg via DXLD) GRAPHIC GAFFES ++++++++++++++ OETA`s Candid Campus, UT Dec 28 around 0405, which features goings-on at OK`s universities, showed Panhandle State U., Goodwell, in the NE rather than the SW corner of Texas county! (gh, Enid) On ABC`s Prime Time Live, UT Dec 30 at 0328, correspondent Elizabeth (Vargas, I think, voiceover only), said ``Banda Aceh, north of Sumatra``!! It`s not north OF it, it is IN Sumatra. How can someone so ignorant (or inattentive, since the story was several days old by then) get to be on a national news network? A few seconds later, she went on to say ``one of the only`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) THE TINY TRAP +++++++++++++ On ABC`s Primetime Live, UT Dec 30, a special tsunami edition, anchor Charlie Gibson referred to ``tiny Sri Lanka`` twice within two minutes, at 0305 and 0307. Sure glad to know it`s tiny, because that must mean its humanitarian problems must also be tiny! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to minor storm levels with isolated major storm periods at high latitudes. The period began with quiet levels. On 21 and 22 December, mostly quiet to unsettled with isolated periods of minor storming, and major storm periods at high latitudes, were observed due to a high speed stream. Quiet conditions prevailed on 23 and 24 December. On 25 December, quiet to active conditions were observed due to the influence of another high speed stream. This stream continued to influence the geomagnetic field on 26 December, however only quiet to unsettled conditions were experienced. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 29 December 2004 - 24 January 2005 Solar activity is expected to be very low to low with a chance of M- class activity from Region 713 and 715 (N04, L=339, class/area, Dao/80, on 28 December). Region 713 will be departing the visible disk on 30 December and Region 715 will be departing on 10 January. Expect very low to low conditions after 10 January. Solar activity is expected to be very low to low with a chance of M-class activity from Region 713 and 715 (N04, L=339, class/area, Dao/80, on 28 December). Region 713 will be departing the visible disk on 30 December and Region 715 will be departing on 10 January. Expect very low to low conditions after 10 January. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is not expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 03-04, 14-15, 18-19, and 22-23 January. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from mostly quiet to active levels with isolated minor storm periods. High speed coronal hole streams are expected to produce occasional storm periods on 02–03, 13- 14, 17-18, and 21-22 January. Otherwise, expect quiet to unsettled conditions. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2004 Dec 28 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 Dec 28 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2004 Dec 29 110 5 2 2004 Dec 30 115 5 2 2004 Dec 31 115 5 2 2005 Jan 01 110 8 3 2005 Jan 02 110 12 3 2005 Jan 03 110 12 3 2005 Jan 04 105 12 3 2005 Jan 05 105 8 3 2005 Jan 06 105 8 3 2005 Jan 07 105 10 3 2005 Jan 08 105 15 3 2005 Jan 09 105 10 3 2005 Jan 10 105 8 3 2005 Jan 11 95 5 2 2005 Jan 12 95 12 3 2005 Jan 13 95 20 4 2005 Jan 14 95 15 3 2005 Jan 15 95 8 3 2005 Jan 16 95 5 2 2005 Jan 17 95 5 2 2005 Jan 18 95 20 4 2005 Jan 19 95 15 3 2005 Jan 20 95 10 3 2005 Jan 21 95 12 3 2005 Jan 22 95 15 3 2005 Jan 23 100 15 3 2005 Jan 24 105 15 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ###