DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-030, February 17, 2005 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 2005 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 1264: Thu 2130 WOR WWCR 9985 Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Sat 0000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sat 0000 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream Sat 0600 WOR SIUE Web Radio 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 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 WXPN Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9 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 RNI [archive] 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 2100 WOR RNI Mon 0330 WOR WRMI 6870 Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [week delay] Mon 0530 WOR WBCQ 7415 Mon 0900 WOR R. Lavalamp Mon 1100 WOR RNI [archive] Mon 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Tue 0700 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 Tue 1000 WOR WRMI 9955 Tue 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1100 WOR RNI [archive] Wed 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] WORLD OF RADIO 1264 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1264h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1264h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1264 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1264.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1264.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1264.html WORLD OF RADIO 1264 in the true shortwave sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_02-16-05.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_02-16-05.mp3 CONTINENT OF MEDIA 05-02 available from Feb 16: (stream) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0502.ram (download) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0502.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0502.html [soon] MUNDO RADIAL, febrero-marzo, informe DX mensual de Glenn Hauser: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0502.ram (descargar) http://www.w4uvh.ent/mr0502.rm (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0502.html ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, R. Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, noted on 8 Feb at 1937-2015 UT (but fairly audible beyond), musical program mostly consisting of Argentine folk songs; 45433, i.e never heard it so well, and this was via an elevated K9AY only (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 11 via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. VoA in Armenian observed on 11895 BIB, 4810 (with delay), MW Gavar 1395 (with delay). [BIB == you mean Biblis, Germany, so you mean the other VOA, Voice of America?] PRA (Public Radio of Armenia) in Turkish 1600-1630 UT on 4810, 9960!. 1630-1745 4810, Gavar 1395 - Home service. 1745-1810 PRA in Arabic 4810. 1810-1815 PRA in Arabic 4810, 9965! 1815-1845 (Sun -1945) 4810, 9965!, Gavar 1395 Home service. 1845-1945 Mon-Sat 4810, 9965! PRA in Fr, Ge, En on 4810, 9965! 1845-1945 Mon-Sat Gavar 1395 Home service, featuring "Radio MIR" in Ru 1908-1923 UT. 1945-2100 Home service on 4810, Gavar 1395. (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 25 via DXLD) ** CANADA. ABANDONED UKRAINIANS AND A FORGOTTEN ANNIVERSARY? Hi Glenn, More bad news: I guess you're aware, the Ukrainian service has been reduced much more than most people realize - it's no longer on shortwave, and only on cable around Kiev! And CBC president Robert Rabinovitch says the decision is "final." Details: http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/UkrainiansAbandoned CANADA`S RADIO VOICE ABANDONS MOST OF UKRAINE Montreal - 16 February 2005 As Ukrainians enter a new era of democracy, Radio Canada International (RCI) has almost completely shut down its radio programming to Ukraine. Canadian government ministries are assuring supporters of RCI`s Ukrainian Section that the service is being maintained. But it`s not clear that the government spokespeople really understand what`s happened. At the beginning of February, RCI management followed through on its plan to drastically cut the service. The cuts were announced last year, but they were put on hold because of the Ukrainian presidential election. With the election over, the service has quietly been cut down to almost nothing. It`s now heard only by subscribers to a cable system in the Kiev area. The staff at the service is in shock and doesn`t know where to turn for support. Senator Raynell Andreychuk has brought the issue up a number of times, as has the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. But everyone is trapped in a Kafkaesque bureaucratic nightmare. Officials at Canadian Heritage say the ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for which countries are broadcast to. Foreign Affairs says Canadian Heritage is responsible for RCI`s budget. And everyone is saying that the CBC/Radio-Canada, which manages Canada`s Voice to the World, has to be dealt with at ``arm`s length`` for journalistic reasons, since the government is not supposed to interfere with editorial and programming decisions at the public broadcaster. In this limbo, what`s clear is that a popular daily radio program from Canada has been reduced to two half-hour programs: one on Saturday, and one on Sunday. But there`s more: the Ukrainian service is no longer on shortwave frequencies, which means the station has effectively stopped broadcasting to Ukraine and the neighbouring countries which could hear the shortwave signal. Now, the only way people can listen to RCI`s Ukrainian service is on a cable system in a small area around Kiev. The rest of the country does not have access to the programs. ``This is a time when we should do all we can`` for the Ukrainians, says the President of the Quebec Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Dr. Ihor Kutash. ``What better way to present the Canadian perspective?`` Kutash has met with Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, and with the man responsible for the broadcasting division at the Ministry of Canadian Heritage. He`s received sympathetic hearings, but no promise to restore the service. This weekend (19-20 February) Kutash and other Congress representatives will be meeting to plan further actions. They`re determined to restore the service, but the president of CBC/Radio- Canada, Robert Rabinovitch, seems as determined. In a letter dated, 7 February 2005, Rabinovitch informed Kutash that the decision is ``final``. This cut to Ukrainian programming comes just as RCI is about to celebrate its 60th anniversary on February 25th. The Ukrainian service is one of the oldest at RCI. It started in 1952, seven years after RCI came into existence. I also put down some thoughts as we approach RCI`s 60th anniversary on February 25th. Details: http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/RCI60thQuestions Take care, (Wojtek Gwiazda, QC, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: RCI`S 60TH: ALMOST NO PUBLICITY AND A NEW MANDATE? Montreal - 16 February 2005 http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/RCI60thQuestions Two weeks before the 60th anniversary celebrations of Radio Canada International (RCI) on February 25, there were still employees who didn`t know there was a staff party of present and former employees on the 24th. Perhaps as surprising, it appears no news media has been invited to the party. Even on the RCI website you`ll have a hard time finding any mention of the fact that RCI has been around, and survived, for 60 years. It is true that CBC/Radio-Canada, RCI`s domestic service, has been carrying promotional messages about two RCI contests to mark the 60th, but that`s about it. This almost secret celebration of RCI comes as the service continues to be transformed and its mandate subtly changed. Anyone even vaguely familiar with RCI`s past knows that despite valiant efforts by its own employees, RCI has faced extinction three times in the 1990s, and is never safe from a sudden decision to shut it down, or at least to reduce services (see articles on the most recent cuts at the Ukrainian and Chinese services). An outside observer only has to look at the program schedule for ``Canada`s Voice to the World`` to see a strange aberration of RCI`s mission. According to the liner notes, the service is no longer offering a ``Canadian`` point of view. The message from RCI`s Director Jean Larin is that RCI presents a ``unique North American perspective`` on world affairs. RCI`s increasingly mangled mandate is reflected in the two 60th anniversary contests, as well. One contest`s theme is ``Re-Discover the World`` and the other is ``Building the Future Now!``. `` Re- Discover Canada`` and ``Come visit and learn about Canada`` might have been more appropriate. In both contests, prizes are trips to other countries – not one, to Canada. It would almost seem that the service is targeting Canadian citizens who want to travel, rather than RCI`s foreign listeners who tune in to the station for Canadian news. (And yet broadcasting to Canadians abroad is no longer part of RCI`s mandate.) Throughout its history, RCI`s most important role has been presenting Canadian news to the world, something any traveler knows is in short supply in the world`s media. But even on this question there are concerns. Staff is being told RCI will decrease its news content in the near future. What will replace it, has yet to be defined clearly. The service also clearly lacks enough resources to do everything it`s trying to do. With each RCI redeployment and facelift, it is the employees who have to take on even more tasks, in an already full day. For those of us who have battled to save RCI over and over, the continued cutting of programming, the reduction of resources, and the bigger workloads, are creating an increasingly difficult situation at RCI. But, despite the obstacles, we will continue to serve our listeners who depend on us, because we can`t let them (you) down! If you have comments, questions or suggestions on how we can protect RCI please get in touch with us at rciaction @ yahoo.ca The RCI Action Committee is an inter-union committee that has fought to protect the mandate and programming of RCI, and for years has received generous support from listeners around the world to keep the service on the air. For more see About Us (Wojtek Gwiazda, RCI Action Committee via DXLD) ** CANADA. Welcomed by a lot of CBC Radio fans in the central part of our province. This past weekend featured an official launch for CBC Radio Two in central Newfoundland (for those who don't live in Canada CBC Radio Two, on FM, is CBC's classical, jazz, folk and world music station) and people had been complaining for years that their taxpayers' dollars may be paying for CBC, so they should be entitled to all the services. Anyway, after much lobbying CBC budgeted for a very nice 50,000-watt transmitter and now we have Radio Two. It goes to show that the public indeed has power and that people don't always settle for getting it on the Internet (Sue Hickey, NL, CIDX Forum, Feb Messenger via DXLD) WTFK? ** CAYMAN ISLANDS. CARIBBEAN NET NEWS EXPANDS INTO INTERNET RADIO Caribbean Net News, based in George Town, Cayman Islands, is currently in the initial stages of testing a new Internet radio station: Caribbean Net Radio. The service will be largely news-focused, along with Caribbean and other easy listening music. According to the publisher and editor in chief of Caribbean Net News, Desmond Seales, the new radio station will follow the successful format of the existing online publication by offering regional news and information, without being influenced by national political agendas. "With the rise of supranational economic and political groupings, notably the European Union, NAFTA, and the as yet unrealised Free Trade Area of the Americas, as well as CARICOM itself, the Caribbean needs to move rapidly towards greater regional cohesiveness if we are to survive amidst the global behemoths," said Mr Seales. "We hope that Caribbean Net News and Caribbean Net Radio will be able to play a small part in the progress in this direction of the region as a whole," he added. Caribbean Net Radio’s streaming audio (currently in Windows Media format) may be accessed here: mms://160.79.128.178/caribnet17463 # posted by Andy @ 10:07 UT Feb 16 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. See CHINA [non] just below ** CHINA [and non]. The website of the "China Radio & TV Corporation for International Techno-Economic Cooperation (CRTV)" - http://www.crtv.com.cn/en/index.htm - provides detailed info about many transmitter projects that were carried out with Chinese aid in foreign countries, including in many cases engineering photos: http://www.crtv.com.cn/en/operation/project/realm.htm http://www.crtv.com.cn/en/operation/project/realm2.htm More on the corporation: China Radio & TV Corporation for International Techno-Economic Cooperation (CRTV) is a comprehensive company in the radio and television industry of the People's Republic of China. Its main business includes contracting of domestic and foreign radio, film & TV engineering and electromechanical equipment installations; business and agency of import, export and trade; design, consultation and supervision of architecture engineering and broadcast, communication & electronic engineering; organizing various exhibitions and technical seminars at home and abroad. In 2002, CRTV completed the change of ISO9001-94 edition and got the domestic and international certificates of registration of ISO9001:2000. CRTV is the sole entrepreneur that acquired the class A qualification of engineering contracting in Chinese radio and TV industry. We also acquired class A design qualifications of architecture engineering and broadcast, communication & electronic engineering. Over the past four decades, CRTV has completed nearly a thousand projects of radio and television facilities both in and outside China. The company has built more than one hundred MW and SW transmitting stations, TV and FM transmitting centers, radio and TV centers and satellite communication systems for over 50 Asian, African, Latin- American and European countries and regions. It has also undertaken designing, installation and testing of public address system, simultaneous interpretation system, cable television system, radio and TV rebroadcast system, stage equipment, illumination system and other systems in conference halls, stadiums and gymnasia for foreign countries. It has also trained people in these countries for the management of the systems. --- Note - the website loads very slowly (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There is a list of 28 projects, many of the MW, or FM, or not involving transmitters. The ones mentioning SW: MALI Transformation and Renovation of No.1 Transmitting Station in Bamako, Mali. Overall Contract: A SW transmitting station including decoration of a transmitting room of civil construction and equipment supply, installation & adjustment of 3 sets of 100 KW SW transmitters, 11 sets of antennas & feeders, low-voltage distribution system, satellite broadcast receiving, program transmission, air-conditioning and etc. Transferred on June 19, 1998 CUBA No. 3 Transmitting Center in Cuba. Overall Contract: Renewal of 2 sets of SW transmitters of 250 KW, maintenance of the former antenna, Equipment supply, installation & adjustment of a new non-directional antenna, 2 sets of satellite receivers, 4.5m satellite receiving antenna and etc. Transferred on May 1, 1999 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Renewal of Equipment for Broadcast Transmitting Station in Bimbo, Central Africa. Overall Contract: A broadcast transmitting station with a 50 KW SW transmitter & a MW transmitter separately, including equipment supply, installation & adjustment of corollary equipment, distribution apparatus and air-conditioning, as well as the maintenance & decoration of the transmitting room, and the maintenance of 2 pairs of SW antennas and 1 pair of MW antenna. Checked before acceptance on Oct. 28, 1999. Checked upon delivery on Nov. 2, 1999. Transferred on Nov. 17, 1999. CONGO Maintenance and Renovation of Broadcast Station in Djoue, the Republic of Congo. Overall Contract: A SW transmitting Station including civil construction and equipment supply, installation & adjustment of 2 sets of 50 KW SW transmitters, 3 sets of antennas & feeders with transformed-switch, corollary equipment, electric generating set, distribution apparatus, air-conditioning and etc. Under construction EQUATORIAL GUINEA Transformation and Renovation of Broadcast Station in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Overall Contract: Equipment supply, installation & adjustment of SW broadcast transmission system, FM transmission system, painting of the tower mast and overhaul of part of the former equipment. Under construction (via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. Relays via Spectrum 558: see UK ** CHINA [non]. Sound of Hope (tentative). USA - 9635 at 2244 on 1/10 with m/w in Chinese (the man repeating the woman's words as if in a language lesson.) At 2259 piano under man/woman talking in unison briefly, 6 pips and off at 2300 (G. Dexter, WI, Jan 10, 2005 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) Sound of Hope --- I have been checking for this one at 1600-1700 on 11765, 2200-2300 on 9635, and 2300-2400 on 7310. It could be them on 11765; decent size carrier came on at 1557 Feb 13 and fast moving Chinese announcements started immediately. ID at 1600 which I could not get fully, then into a drama. There were 5+1 pips at 1600, seemingly disconnected with the programming, and maybe associated with another signal on the frequency. The fire dragon began on frequency at 1600 as well, but with "SoH" on top. This was a better FE signal than I would expect at this hour. CNR-2 ("China Business Radio" ID) is on 9635 at *2200, building well in the QRM until 2230 peak. And it might be SoH on 7310 at 2300. There, the carrier is on for 10 minutes or so before 2300. The programming starts at 2301, and unfortunately there is much adjacent channel QRM that starts at 2300. But the signal is decent most days. This all needs more work (J. Berg, Feb 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) Sound of Hope's web-site http://www.soundofhope.org no longer is blocked. e-mail is shown on web as englishfeedback @ soundofhope.org No mention of the SW programs (F. Krone, Denmark, Feb 8, 2005 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. 11765, Chinese music jammer on Feb 16 searching for Sound of Hope. Underneath music jamming I had Chinese talk, but useless. 1610 UT (Finn Krone, Denmark, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 16 via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. La Cariñosa 1550 AM, captación hecha hoy Martes a las 0345 UT, de la cadena RCN de Colombia, transmitiendo solamente música mexicana. No aparece listada en el WRTH 2004. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Barcelona, Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela, Feb 15, Noticias DX via DXLD) Nor in 2005; presumably a (new?) slogan on one of the listed outlets. BTW, I see listed a split Colombian on 1555, R. Parroquial, El Santuario, 500 watts, but it`s never reported. LA 5-kHz MW splits are getting very rare (gh, DXLD) Este correo es para informar que la emisora reportada por mí, el dia de ayer como "La Cariñosa 1550" es Radio El Sol de Medellín. Ayer durante todo el tiempo que estuve escuchándola no mencionaron en ningún momento Radio El Sol, pero hoy cuando volví a sintonizar la frecuencia, me encontré con el mismo tipo de música mexicana y en cambio sí estaban identificando a la emisora como Radio El Sol, "cariñosa" Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola José Elías. Cordial saludo. Por la información de la misma cadena, o sea RCN, se desprende que 1550 corresponde a B/quilla, es decir Barranquilla. Véase: http://noticias.rcn.com.co/noticia.php3?nt=148 Un abrazo (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, condiglist via DXLD) Cabe anotar que varias emisoras que en la noche se identifican como La Cariñosa usualmente también manejan el nombre anterior, así es como La Voz Amiga, Radio Paisa, Radio El Sol, Radio Girardot, etc. Además, muchas emisoras Antena Dos durante el día tienen el formato habitual pero en la noche cambian al formato de la Cariñosa (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, ibid.) ** CONGO. See CHINA [non] ** CUBA. See CHINA [non] ** DJIBOUTI. AUTHORITIES CUT RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE FM BROADCASTS Committee to Protect Journalists (New York) PRESS RELEASE February 16, 2005 Posted to the web February 17, 2005 In a 16 February 2005 letter to President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, CPJ said that it is deeply troubled that Radio France Internationale's (RFI) FM broadcasts in Djibouti have been cut since 14 January 2005. According to RFI and French media reports, Djiboutian authorities silenced the broadcaster because of its report on an ongoing French legal inquiry into the 1995 death in Djibouti of Bernard Borrel, a French judge. RFI reported on 12 January that a French court had summoned the head of the Djiboutian secret services, Hassan Saïd, as a witness in the inquiry. An earlier French inquiry conducted in Djibouti had concluded that Borrel committed suicide. CPJ condemned the censorship of a media organisation for reporting on matters of public concern and called on the president to ensure that RFI can begin broadcasting again immediately and that media in Djibouti can report the news freely, without fear of reprisal. http://allafrica.com/stories/200502170011.html (via Alokesh Gupta, dxldyg via DXLD) Sawa beware, like I said before ** EGYPT. 7260, Radio Cairo, Abu Zaabal, 34433 English. Slow talking OM with Egyptian news, mentions of Israel's occupation of Arab lands. Palestinian news. OM announced "This news brought to you by the Voice of Egypt". OM talking about electricity generation. 0238 carrier with dead air but you can hear a ham in the background saying "Hello, Hello". 0141 Egyptian music followed by a YL announcer interviewing an OM. Audio wasn't clear, making it difficult to follow the subject. First time heard here, this is apparently a new frequency for Radio Cairo's English service. 0256 brief Egyptian music. 0300 station ID. Arabic music. Time pips at 0315. 0224 UT Feb 17 (Phil KO6BB Atchley, Merced CA, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Thanks of Noel's tip: 15190.00, Radio Africa from Bata-GNE this morning 0600-0645 UT at S=3 level. Sermon prayer in English. From 0644 UT (RVI) Krasnodar-RUS starts the tone signal opening procedure on adjacent 15195 kHz. Wonder if this broadcast fits 50 kW of power only. Seemingly a reduced carrier of usual 100 kW Chinese made units erected recently by Chinese technicians there, like units of 2 x 100 kW in Shijak-ALB, 6 x 100 kW at Bauta-CUB site, all built up in 2004y. 73 wb EQUATORIAL GUINEA RADIO AFRICA [GNE] (Rlg) Apartado 851, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Pan American Broadcasting, 20410 Town Center Lane, Suite 200, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA. Email: info @ radiopanam.com Web: http://www.radiopanam.com/africa.htm SW: 15190 kHz [BAT] Bata (G.C. 01N48 009E46) 1 x 50 kW (co-sited with Radio Bata) Schedule January 2005 English 1430-1600v daily SoAF 15190bat V: QSL-card. Rpt to US address. NOTES: Run by Pan American Broadcasting Inc. (see USA for corporate details), retransmits broadcasts of religious program producers; the schedule varies according to bookings. Uses 3 different channel names depending on the beam and target area: Radio Africa, Radio Africa 2, Radio East Africa. The current service on 15190 is labelled "Radio Africa 2". (WRTH Jan 2005 Update via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) See also CHINA [non] ** FRANCE [non]. See DJIBOUTI ** GERMANY [non]. Ronald Reagan's son thinks DW is a newspaper --- http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17016 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** GREECE. NEVER ON SUNDAY (POTE TIN KIRIAK--GREEK VERSION) Ap to parathiro mou stelno Ena dio ke tria ke tessera filia Pou ftanoun sto limani Ena ke dio ke tria ke tessera poulia Pos ithela na eho ena ke dio ke tria ke tessera pedia Pou san tha megalosoun ola Na ginoun levendes gia hari tou Pirea Osso ki an psaxo Den vrisko allo limani Treli na m ehi kani Osso ton Pirea Pou otan vradiazi Tragudia m aradiazi Ke tis penies tou allazi Gemizi apo pedia Apo tin porta mou san vgo Den iparhi kanis Pou na min ton agapo Ke san to vradi kimitho Xero pos, xero pos tha ton onirefto Petradia vazo sto lemo Ke mia han…, ke mia handra filahto Ke ta vradia kartero sto Limani san tha vgo kappion ahnosto na vro Osso ki an psaxo Te vrisko allo limani Treli na m ehi kani Osso tou Pirea Pou otan vradiazi Tragudia m aradiazi Ke tis penies tou allazi Gemizi apo pedia Ap to parathiro mou stelno Ena dio ke tria ke tessera filia Pou ftanoun sto limani Ena ke dio ke tria ke tessera poulia Pos ithela na eho ena ke dio ke tria ke tessera pedia Pou san tha megalosoun Ola na ginoun leventes gia hari tou Pirea (From the album "Sympathique" by Pink Mantini via John Babbis, DXLD) ** GREENLAND. Ciao Dario, questo quanto mi ha scritto Anker [Petersen]: "So you definitely heard this very weak station on East Greenland. I saw another report a couple of weeks ago from northern Finland, but you certainly are the first to hear it in Southern Europe! Congratulations to that !!!" Ed ovviamente si riferiva ai 3815 kHz con 200 watt (così riporta il WRTH05), ed è quanto voleva dire chi ha scritto quelle righe; so benissimo che Zella l'aveva già ascoltata e confermata a suo tempo sui 3999! Buoni DX! (Alessandro Groppazzi, play-dx via DXLD) Se i watt sono solo 150 ancora meglio. Sull'aggiornamento del sito e tutto quanto il resto non entro nel merito; non gestisco alcun sito, se qualcuno riporta mie notizie o ascolti, purché reali non mi da alcun fastidio, che lo faccia tu, Dario, Andrea, i finlandesi o gli americani. La radio la accendo quando posso, quando arrivo, magari solo dieci minuti alla sera ed altrettanti al mattino attorno alle 6 UTC sperando in qualche apertura in MW. 15-20 anni fa andava certo meglio ma non c'era un lavoro da seguire ed una famiglia di cui tener conto. Questo è il MIO atteggiamento, il contorno non mi interessa! Saluti e buoni DX (Alessandro Groppazzi, ibid.) Apparently this report is a matter of some contention. Dario, would you just please tell me in English or Monferenglish, whether you think the 3815 Greenland logging it Italy is believable. Thanks, Glenn (via DXLD) Hi Glenn, the question is not if it possible or not --- I believe it is possible cause Mr. Groppazzi is a very serious listener. The question is Radio Groenlands has been heard in Italy SEVERAL times in the '70's, by Mr. Zella, by myself, by OTHER Italian Listeners. What I did not accept in the PROCLAMA of Mr. Renato Bruni (faiallo's compiler of radioascolto.org web page) is the assertion this was first time in Italy of Groenlands on SW. This is NOT TRUE...) I hope it is clear now (Dario Monferini, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The old higher-powered 3999 transmitter got out a lot better, tho still a tough catch (gh) ** HONG KONG. RTHK FACES FUNDING CUT --- 17 February 05 Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is facing a funding cut of five percent in the coming financial year, The Standard newspaper has reported. The Chinese newspaper quoted RTHK Director of Broadcasting Chu Pui-hing as saying the five percent cut amounted to about US$3.3 million. None of the 400 staff members will be fired. However, the broadcaster will cut costs by reducing the number of staff through normal retirements. RTHK may also reduce the number of programmes it produces for radio and television to cut costs, Mr Chu said. RTHK tested digital broadcasting in March and September last year. Mr Chu said the station will launch the third test on digital broadcasting soon. (Source: ABU Website via Alokesh Gupta, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRAN. Daniel's column [Prime Time Shortwave] lists frequencies for another broadcaster which has expanded its transmissions since December, the Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. They apparently like to keep in touch with their foreign listeners because for the fifth or sixth time (I've lost count) my telephone rang last week and once again it was a guy from IRIB calling to see if I'm picking up the station okay. He wanted to know what frequencies and times at which I listen, what I like about the station and so on. Then he got his tape rolling and taped an interview for IRIB listeners. So if anyone has heard me on Iranian radio, let me know (Sue Hickey, NL, CIDX Forum, Feb Messenger via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 4860, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, 0255 with what amounts to and IS, same music loop of man singing. 0300 ID in Kurdish, Ara Dege Kurdistani Iran. Then into anthem/patriotic song. Checked for the other Kurdish stations in the low 4 MHz range, but only heard this one (H. Johnson, FL, Jan 30, 2005 in Jihad-DX via CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. IRAQ -- Since about Jan 1st "V of Strugglers / Mojahedines in Iran", earlier *1600-1700* on 4230...4290 kHz (jumps to avoid Iranian jammers) is no more noted here. (Jan 1 - 25) 3930 & 4610 Radio "Voice of Komala" (ID "In Sedaye Komala") in Persian at 1831 UT, hymn 1832-1834, only carrier from 1834-1835, and the IS of - I think - Azeri Radio Home service, as on 1476 kHz was in the past, then only a single IS and close-down then. S-on at 1657 UT was playing with IS of "Nutcracker" suite by Chaikovsky on 3930 and 4610 kHz. But "Nutcracker" is used as IS also by "Voice of Communist Party of Iran" on 3880, 4380, 6425 at 1627 UT (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 27 via DXLD) ** IRELAND. On the 2nd of August 2004 at 2000 UT I reported an UNID UK station on 1593 kHz. Now I have got confirmed by John Power that I listened to a transmission from the Energy Power 1593 AM in Ireland! What I heard was an audio feed from a satellite receiver tuned to Capitol Gold London! The Energy Power transmitter is a 0,3 kW Solid state PDM series modulated and the antenna system is a Flat-topped Marconi "Tee" with inductive top loading to make it practically small. They also use an orban 9100A AM Optimod audio processor. Due to recent severe storm weather, the antenna system is not operational, hence there can be no transmission until the damage has been repaired. The station looks forward to getting back on air in the near future (Björn Fransson, Sweden ARC Info Desk Feb 14 via Olle Alm, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Glenn, To answer the question in yesterday's DXLD. The Kol Israel satellite info posted is not new. The 12207 MHz info is what is found underneath the shortwave schedule on: http://israelradio.org/sw.htm The 12597 MHz feed, which only broadcasts the Persian program, predates the 12207 MHz REQA/Reshet Hey (88.2 FM Jerusalem relay) feed (Doni Rosenzweig, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Israel Pre-Eurovision website --- A few days ago, the IBA posted the 2005 Pre-Eurovision Song Contest website. It's all in Hebrew. http://www.iba.org.il/eurovil/ From the homepage, you can click on each song's title and see the song's lyrics and more info. You can listen to all of the songs at the following URL: http://media.iba.org.il/index.asp?classto=10&site_code=135 While the titles are in Hebrew (except for three of them)... you just need to click on the speaker icon to play each song. The Israel Pre-Eurovision Contest will be on IBA Channel 1 at 9 PM Israel Time March 2, 2005. As of now, I don't know of any ways of listening internationally. Based upon past experience, I would think that The Israeli Network (Satellite via Dish Network) might broadcast it - but I don't know at this point. The IBA Pre-Eurovision website has current Pre-Eurovision news, forums, Eurovision history and trivia. They even have a Eurovision store - with CDs/DVDs of previous Israeli Eurovision entries and caps and T-shirts. Since the 13th of February, when the website was posted, two of the songs have already been renamed --- from Hebrew to English (Doni Rosenzweig, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR [non]. Radio Sedaye Kashmir --- 6100, (via Delhi) *1428- 1448 Feb 13. Tone to 1430, then ID and opening comments by YL in presumed Urdu; regional music followed to 1448, with the ancr speaking briefly at 1441. Good signal and best on LSB, as always, to avoid the 6100.27 North Korean het (J. Wilkins, CO, Feb 13, 2005 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. After reading Mickey's latest Verie Interesting column (and I apologize for not sending my own QSL reports in, because I do get them a lot) it was interesting to see the item about Alan Loudell receiving three QSLs from the Voice of Korea after years of trying. I've been sending off reports for the past two years now and I have never had any problems getting them. It usually takes me about a month and a half to receive them after I've mailed them to P`yongyang. For some reason my mail from North Korea goes directly to me and has never been routed through to China, India or anywhere else first. With my QSLs I also get pins, pennants, magazines, newspapers and ``chatty`` letters (as friendly as the North Koreans can be, I guess) from the folks at the Voice of Korea. They also send me Happy New Year cards. It is a good time to send reports to the DPRK, but I suspect the replies may not be as forthcoming if you're sending them from the US (Sue Hickey, NL, CIDX Forum, Feb Messenger via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non?]. 6311.9, R Roj here the last few days. On Feb 7 1605 even with 'Happy Birthday to you' song in English .-) Feb 8 faded in on this frequency around 1405. At recheck later slightly moved to 6312 (F. Krone, Denmark, Feb 8, 2005 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) 6312.0, R. Roj (presumed), 0520-0610 fade out, Feb 13, non-stop Kurdish songs, 25333. It faded out due to local sunrise half an hour later than the Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan on 6335 which could indicate a transmitter location far more west than Salah al-Din in Northern Iraq (A. Petersen, Denmark, Feb 13, 2005 for CRW via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. "Radio Ekstol" does not leave in an ether since Jan. 1, 2005; it has ceased to exist. The transmitter on 1476 kHz is rented with the religious organization MARAHAFA, that God means "comes". Now through this transmitter broadcasts only programs TWR with 15 up to 18 UT on Kazakh, Kirghiz, Uzbek, Tadjik, Turkmen, Karakalpak, Russian, English languages. The part of programs goes in \\ with frequencies 864 and 5855 kHz. Everything else time it is silent. The increase broadcasting time TWR is possible with the beginning of a years (summer) season. The address for letters on the program "On Circles the": krugi @ list.ru The address for questions and offers under the programs relayed on 1476 kHz - Glavpochtamt, Post Box 366, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan. On quality of a signal, handicapes etc. - it is possible to send messages to me on the address: guvas @ ngs.ru (Vasily Guljaev, Astrakhan-RUS, RUSdx Feb 13 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. I see on the World Harvest Radio website that Hmong Lao Radio is now carried on WHRI South Carolina: 1300-1400 UT Sa 0800 AM 0900 AM Saturday Hmong Lao Radio 15.105 HMhz 1400-1500 UT Su 0900 AM 1000 AM Sunday Hmong Lao Radio 15.105 HMhz Presumably mainly for the Hmong in Hminnesota (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1264, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LEBANON. I stumbled over this making me remember 6550/6580 kHz reception http://www.vdl.com.lb/ Very often, brand names end up identifying to the product itself. Examples of this phenomenon are too many to list, and in Lebanon, the sentence "Put the radio on", always means: "Tune up to the Voice of Lebanon". In fact, throughout its 27 years of existence, the Voice of Lebanon has always been "THE RADIO". Founded in 1975, the Voice of Lebanon was then the first commercial radio to ever broadcast in Lebanon. Drawing on its tank of highly qualified personnel, it has always given the best in the fields of news, political forums, interviews, music, social issues, sketches, culture, games, and even broadcasted theater. The Voice of Lebanon currently broadcasts on two FM wave lengths: 93.3, 93.4 for the Bekaa and 93.6 MHz for southern and northern Lebanon. It also owns this site on the web under http://www.vdl.com.lb and is being relayed in Canada by the Middle East Radio, and in Australia by another radio station also called the Middle East Radio. In Beirut, the Voice of Lebanon retransmits live, the Arabic news of Radio Canada International "RCI" through a partnership agreement between the two stations. Through another agreement, the Voice of Lebanon broadcasts programs and music produced by Radio France International "RFI". In Lebanon we say that "Radio Voice of Lebanon broadcasts the event even before it happens!" Enjoy surfing our site and listening to our Radio. Please send us your feedback at the following address: info @ vdl.com.lb (via Finn Krone, Denmark, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 10 via DXLD) ** MALI. See CHINA [and non] ** MEXICO. OBTIENE RADIO HUAYACOCOTLA LICENCIA PARA TRANSMITIR EN FM miércoles 16 de febrero, 05:27 PM México, 16 Feb (Notimex).- Luego de 25 años de gestión ante la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT), Radio Huayacocotla, ubicada en la población del mismo nombre en el estado de Veracruz, obtuvo el reconocimiento legal para transmitir en señal abierta en FM. Organismos no gubernamentales indicaron que desde 1965 la emisora comunitaria transmitía en onda corta para la población campesina e indígena de la región, y el pasado 14 de febrero la SCT le otorgó el permiso correspondiente. La Asociación Mundial de Radios Comunitarias (AMARC-México), el Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez (Prodh) y la Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH) reconocieron que este es un avance en los compromisos adquiridos por el Estado mexicano en materia de libertad de expresión. Indicaron que el permiso a una emisora de tan amplia trayectoria en el trabajo comunitario de la región es también un paso más para la radiodifusión comunitaria. Con la de Huayacocotla suman seis las emisoras comunitarias que cuentan con autorización para transmitir y que forman parte de la red de AMARC-México. Sin embargo, los organismos recordaron que respuesta cinco peticiones de permisos de ese tipo que, al igual que las emisoras autorizadas, cumplieron con todos las obligaciones que les requirió la SCT. Por ello, conminaron al gobierno federal a que cumpla su compromiso de dar respuesta cabal a las radios comunitarias que se atuvieron a los procesos legales correspondientes para obtener su permiso de transmisión. Entre las emisoras pendientes figuran Radio Calenda de Oaxaca, Radio Bemba de Sonora, Radio Erandi de Michoacán y Omega Experimental y La Voladora Radio, ambas del estado de México (via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, condiglist via DXLD) This could be the beginning of the end for 2390 kHz, an assignment considered to be only slightly better than nothing. Let`s hope they keep it once the FM is going (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEJP-AM 1150 kHz, El Fonógrafo. Hola a todos: Como antecedente en marzo de 1997 hubo un intercambio de formatos entre dos estaciones de Grupo Radio Centro, Radio Variedades XEJP-AM 1150 kHz y Formato 21 XECMQ-AM 1320 kHz. Como resultado de ello quedaron como sigue: Formato 21 XECMQ-AM 1150 kHz y Radio Variedades XEJP-AM 1320. Posteriormente, la emisora XEJP-AM 1320 kHz de Grupo Radio Centro fue transferida a Infored junto con XEFAJ-AM 1560 kHz, y en marzo de 2004 estás dos estaciones cambian sus siglas a XENET-AM 1320 kHz y XEINFO- AM 1560 kHz. Por lo que ya en este año 2005 la estación El Fonógrafo en los 1150 kHz cambió su indicativo de XECMQ-AM a XEJP-AM, regresando así a sus anteriores siglas. En mi opinión creo que son muy pocas las veces que una estación regresa a sus anteriores siglas para identificarse. 73's (Roberto Edgar Gómez Morales, México, Feb 17, Noticias DX via DXLD) These are México DF stations. Comparing to WRTH 2005, this is a bit confusing. It has the callsign XED on 1320, but that is surely wrong, as the real XED remains on 1050 in Mexicali (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEPAL. RADIO FREE NEPAL BLOG SEEKS TO CIRCUMVENT CENSORSHIP Despite the ban on independent news media since the King of Nepal took over the running of the country, it's still possible to get uncensored news out of the country thanks to the Bloggers. We came across the Radio Free Nepal Blog which says "King Gyandendra of Nepal has issued a ban on independent news broadcasts and has threatened to punish newspapers for reports that run counter to the official monarchist line. Given that any person in Nepal publishing reports critical of "the spirit of the royal proclamation" is subject to punishment and/or imprisonment, contributors to this blog will publish their reports from Nepal anonymously." The Bloggers add: "Please help tell the world about what has happened in Nepal. Do not forget us. We want our democracy back! If you have questions or would like to help spread the word e-mail us. For media please send questions via e-mail and we will do our best to get good answers for you. Radio Free Nepal http://freenepal.blogspot.com/ # posted by Andy @ 16:52 UT Feb 16 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Radio???? ** NETHERLANDS. Speaking in Tongues --- The tsunami disaster has concentrated minds on the fact that there are occasions when it's necessary to broadcast warnings or other important information that must be understood by everyone in a community, including those who may not be proficient in a country's native language. That's one of the reasons mentioned by Cheryl Lai, President of Radio Taiwan International, for the decision to start broadcasting in foreign languages for listeners in Taiwan. Here in the Netherlands, there's sometimes a strange attitude towards domestic broadcasting in languages other than Dutch. I explain why this ought to be seen as a benefit, not a threat. . . http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/media/features/bc050217.html (Media Network newsletter via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. See UNIDENTIFIED 4850 ** PETER I. From Team co-leaders Ralph Fedor, KØIR and Bob Allphin, K4UEE --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: February 15, 2005 It's a GO!!!! --- After a trying week of travel, re-positioning of the team and equipment, working with a new ship, being blind-sided by cancellation of the first helicopter company, negotiating a new helicopter contract, and re-configuring our supplies; the 3YØX team is ready to roll! Today at 1800 UT arrangements with the ship and the new helicopter company contract were finalized. Specifications of the helicopter and experience of the pilot were reviewed and found satisfactory. Our ship, the Cavendish Sea, and a Lama helicopter will begin moving in a matter of hours and converge on Ushuaia, Argentina. This evening we will begin an extensive review of our shelter set up procedures, camp layout, and equipment review. We will continue our familiarization with our radios and propagation. When you hear us signing LU/, please call us so we can continue to study propagation from this part of the world. Don't worry about duplicate contacts. We expect to depart from Ushuaia midday, February 18, and begin our sail to Peter I. Weather permitting; we will land on Peter I within five or six days. Because our time on the island has been shortened by the difficulties we encountered, we will shift to the "fast strike" mode and get one or two stations on the air as soon as possible. These last days have been extremely difficult for us. Uncertainties were around every corner. With things changing so rapidly, it was difficult to release meaningful information. We are now better positioned and can send out updates more frequently. Our entire team thanks the DX community for their patience and good wishes expressed on the air. Please continue to check our web site for updates. This is a huge undertaking and very, very expensive. The team members are funding 74% of the total cost and need your help with the remaining expenses. Your contribution will be very much appreciated. Send contributions to either: W4GKF, F2JD, JA1ELY or ZL2AL (check the website for an easy- to-use donation form). (from http://www.peterone.com via WORLD OF RADIO 1264, DXKD) ** RUSSIA. REPORTER BAGROV FACES DEPORTATION Thursday, February 17, 2005. Issue 3108. Page 3. By Francesca Mereu Staff Writer Authorities are planning to deport Yuri Bagrov, a Radio Liberty and former Associated Press reporter from the North Caucasus, in what his colleagues believe is retaliation for his independent coverage of the Chechen war. . . http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/02/17/012.html (via Gerald T. Pollard, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Voice of Russia What`s New http://www.vor.ru/English/Exclusives/what_new.html SONGS FROM RUSSIA. ``The songs that I sing now are very close to my heart, my soul, and I hope they will move the hearts and souls of my listeners,`` says Anzhelika Agurbash, the guest of another edition of Songs from Russia. Although Anzhelika Agurbash makes her home in Russia now, she will represent Belarus at the popular song contest Eurovision, which is due in Kiev in May this year. Anzhelika was born, grew up and studied in Belarus, where her career got off to a good start. Tune in to another edition of Songs from Russia to learn more about Anzhelika Agurbash. The program will go on the air on Friday, February 18, at 1630 UT. The program will be repeated on Sunday, February 20, at 0300 and 0830, and on Monday, February 21, at 2130 UT (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) Add 11 minutes or a sesquiminute to those times (gh) ** SPAIN. Estimados amigos, en esta grabación se puede escuchar un sesquiminuto de grabación de la conversación de los bomberos en el edificio Windsor. Creo que es un documento curioso. Asunto: [Scan-Espana] Bomberos en la torre Windsor --- Conversación de los bomberos durante la inspección de la torre Windsor. http://estaticos.elmundo.es/documentos/2005/02/16/bomberos_windsor.mp3 (José Miguel Romero Romero, Spain, Feb 16, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. Anti-Syrian government programme by the Arab Radio noted 16 UT on 12085 and 7470 kHz. Signal on 12085 kHz extremely strong. Transmitter site somewhere in Eastern Europe? Passport says 7470 is coming from Samara. More here: http://www.arabicsyradio.org After the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Harir and people putting blame on Syria, Arabic Radio must have listeners both in Syria and Lebanon. Not only DXing community. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Feb 16, WORLD OF RADIO 1264, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jari Savolainen says 12085 kHz is Grigoriopol, Moldova. TNX Jari! 73´s de (Jouko, ibid.) ** SYRIA [non]. Radio Free Syria --- 9495, at 1909 Feb 6, talk by woman and man on the Syrian government in Arabic. Short music bridge between segments, but same man and woman presenting the entire show. Quick ID by woman as "Sowt Sur-re-ah Al-Hurra," at 1948. Some longer talks by man, and seemed to be outlining their system of opposition to the present government, who would participate, what their relationship to the opposition would be, etc. 1958 giving telephone and fax numbers, and sudden off in what sounded like mid-announcement. Hard to understand as co-channel Deutsche Welle interval signal started up at this time and signed on at 2000 in Arabic. Their website says "Radio Free Syria is looking for dedicated Syrians living inside Syria and who are willing to work with other Syrians on expanding the radio operations. We will provide you with a complete package including the feeling that you have participated in freeing Syria from the oppressive regime of the Ba'ath party.`` A banner mentions they plan to expand their broadcasts in 2005. Via DTK Sunday 1900-2000 (H. Johnson-USA, Jihad-DX via CRW via DXLD) ** TINIAN. The VOA transmitter used on 7235 for Korean at 1300-1400 (listed Tinian 250 kW) has had a problem with spurious signals, especially on 7205, for some days now, though not to the extent noted a few weeks ago. Today there was a real mess on 7235 with TWO transmitters carrying the same program in parallel with about three seconds difference. This was first noted at 1340 and continued until one transmitter left at 1358. The signal strength was about equal for the two transmitters all the time, so I guess the second transmitter was the Tinian 500 kW transmitter listed for the period 1400-1500, which was apparently switched on prematurely. To make things even worse, there was a bad SAH of about 15 Hz. The culprit here was the transmitter that stayed on, measuring about 15 Hz low, and not the one causing the spurious emissions. The running of the station is on tender, and apparently the BBG badly needs a new operator to take care of things. 73s (Olle Alm, Sweden, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. SPECTRUM RADIO'S RELAYS OF RADIO BEIJING [sic] I have just received a reply to an e-mail concerning The People's Republic Of China having their national broadcaster relayed to Southern England on 558 kHz by Spectrum Radio, while they deliberately jam the BBC and other western SW transmissions targetted towards the China mainland. Just can't wait to see what their General Manager says. 73 Andy Cadier. -----Original Message----- From: Enquiries [mailto:enquiries@spectrumradio.net] Sent: 16 February 2005 02:31 PM To: Andy Cadier Subject: Re: China radio jamming western broadcast and internet services. Dear Mr. Cadier, Your email has been passed onto the General Manger Regards, Spectrum Radio Broadcasting each week to over 30 different communities on 558AM to London and the South East, DAB Radio in London, Sky channel 935 Live on the internet. Click on this - http://www.spectrumradio.net On Monday, February 7, 2005, at 09:23 am, Andy Cadier wrote: Hi Spectrum Radio, I notice you are broadcasting a relay from China Radio International each day, I have been approached about providing reception reports for 558 kHz in South East England. While I applaud programmes for ethnic minorities in the UK, I am unsure about the direct link with the communist regime in the People's Republic of China that deliberately obstructs incoming foreign broadcasts, including the BBC, to their own country. I would have thought a local radio station would have originated its programmes locally and not in downtown Beijing. CRI engineers are actively engaged in disrupting British and foreign radio broadcasts back in China, yet at the same time want clear reception for their own transmissions on 558 here in the UK. Is this not hypocracy? Andy Cadier. Folkestone, Kent. (via BDXC-UK via DXLD) Also can I suggest that we have grounds to complain to Ofcom. ILR stations have a duty to provide fair and balanced news reporting. Relaying CRI propaganda certainly doesn't meet that Criteria ;-) best regards (Tim Bucknall, UK, ibid.) ** U S A. WBCQ Schedule Update, Sunday, February 13, 2005 American Magazine, Monday at 0600 on 0500//7415, is gone; the early morning weekend rebroadcasts of other WBCQ programming, e.g. The Country Music Show, Real Radio Show, Uncle Ed, Duh News, etc., are also discontinued, as are the extra the two hours of Hank and Jim on 5105 Sunday at 2200 and all Area 51 programming on Sunday from 0200 to 0600 on 5105. On Friday evening, Allan and Scott told listeners that the programs' sponsor had not delivered payment for services on WBCQ (Larry Will, dxldyg via DXLD) I heard this but might have gotten distracted at the start of the discussion. They were ranting away at the deadbeat aspects of the person who had sponsored all of this but I don't recall actually hearing them say WHO it was. Did they? Was it the "Tom Anderson" whose name had been on that "American Magazine" program? Is that a real name or a stage name/radio identity? What's the story behind this? Why would someone go to all the trouble to "buy" (or at least contract for) airtime and also offer to sponsor a batch of other- producers' program repeats and then just disappear when payment fell due? (And I hope that WBCQ demands some advance payment in the future from new clients!) Wonderingly, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DXLD) I noted the consolidation of Hembree programs into one block on the latest WBCQ sked I printed out. What surprised me was that it seems to be a THREE-hour block, when I only knew of 4 half-hour programs. But maybe we should stop considering "Radio Weather" as a DX/Media program anyway. There seems to be so many repeats of very old versions, and few new editions, and the content of any of them seems to be less and less radio material and more and more religious/Christian rock/comments about gadgets/noisy production stuff of sound effects and parody voices that I fear that RW no longer qualifies for inclusion in the DX Program List maintained by jn & gh. They're of course welcome to keep it in but it probably isn't worthy of spending any time or attention to keep track of it. I still try to listen to RW but tune away as soon as I recognize it as yet another repeat. Do others share this view? Or does completionism justify including RW in the list despite the above? (As a longtime completionist myself, it is actually hard to espouse this viewpoint! :-) By the way, I add my compliments to cosmikdebris for keeping up the WBCQ on-line sked, recently a constant task! And I complement jn & gh for maintaining the DX Program List for us all. 73, (Will Martin, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have been thinking about deleting it, completionism or no, and as far as WBCQ goes I already have from the main list since the exact times are no longer listed. It seems odd that Hembree wants it this way, but let`s face it, producers of ``Christian`` programming, at least on shortwave, don`t really seem to care if the times and frequencies of their programs are published, otherwise they would be complaining to stations like WRMI and WHR about the lack of timely updates on their program schedule, and Hembree would be putting the times and frequencies of his programs on his web site. BTW, I never listen to Radio Weather (John Norfolk, ibid.) ** U S A. Here are a few things that I heard last night and this morning. A couple were especially interesting. 5875 Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, 34433 English. Ad for composting material. Ad for a natural deodorant. Dave and Joyce interviewing YL Joan? Talking about global corporate fascism. Talking about Britain and China, "Who controls who". 0521 ad for "Minerals from the Sea" snake-oil. 0530 OM announced "GPN Radio Network"? Not sure what station this one is, not in ILG, HFCC, or Passport, it sounds "WWCR like". 0507 UT (Phil KO6BB Atchley, Merced CA, Feb 17, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Phil, it`s WHRA in Maine. They are using this frequency for only one hour. WHRA - Angel 5 UTC Eastern Frequency 0000 - 0200 7PM - 9PM 7.580 Mhz 0200 - 0500 9PM - 12AM 5.850 Mhz 0400 - 0500 11PM - 12AM 5.850 Mhz 0500 - 0600 12AM - 1AM 5.875 Mhz 0600 - 0800 1AM - 3AM 7.580 Mhz 1300 - 1600 8AM - 11AM 17.560 Mhz 1600 - 2100 11AM - 4PM 17.650 Mhz 2100 - 0000 4PM - 7PM 9.455 Mhz I think there have been some other changes at WHR. Their currently posted schedule for all five transmitters is here: http://www.whr.org/index.cfm/fa/frequencies WHRI - Angel 1 UTC Eastern Frequency 0100 - 0500 Mo-Fr 8PM - 12AM 5.835 Mhz 0100 - 0600 Sa,Su 8PM - 01AM 7.315 Mhz 0500 - 0600 Mo-Fr 12AM - 1AM 5.970 Mhz 0600 - 1000 1AM - 5AM 7.315 Mhz 1000 - 1300 5AM - 8AM 9.495 Mhz 1300 - 1900 8AM - 2PM 15.105 Mhz 1900 - 2200 2PM - 6PM 15.665Mhz 2300 - 0100 6PM - 8PM 7.315 Mhz WHRI - Angel 2 0800 - 1100 3AM - 6AM 5.860 Mhz 1100 - 1300 6AM - 8AM 7.535 Mhz 1300 - 2200 8AM - 5PM 9.840 Mhz 2200 - 0800 5PM - 3AM 7.535 Mhz KWHR - Angel 3 0200 - 0400 9PM - 11PM 17.510 Mhz 0400 - 0600 11PM - 1AM 15.220 Mhz 0600 - 1900 1AM - 2PM 9.930 Mhz KWHR - Angel 4 0600 - 1000 Mo-Fr 1AM - 5AM 11.565 Mhz 0600 - 1200 Sa-Su 1AM - 7AM 11.565 Mhz 73, (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PASTOR EMBRACES NEW CHURCH AFTER LEAVING LESEA POST --- For those who like gossip, more about the rows between the Sumralls has emerged: http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2005/02/17/faith.20050217-sbt-MICH-D3-Pastor_embraces_new_.sto (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) A few excerpts: . . .Stephen Sumrall left, rather than terminate assistant pastors and other employees at Christian Center as his brother Peter Sumrall and David Sumrall, another relative, had ordered, he said at the Feb. 6 service at Christian Center. "(Peter and David Sumrall) have brought down some edicts that once again are based on that we don't have enough people (at Christian Center)," Stephen Sumrall said, according to an audiotape of the Feb. 6 service. The service continued for the next two hours with music, preaching and the cacophony of the worshippers' spontaneous prayers. In the Pentecostal tradition of Christian Center, many worshippers spoke in tongues, which they call the Holy Spirit's gift. Stephen Sumrall referred to the legacy of his father at the Sunday service and organized an "international day of prayer" meeting on Tuesday night to commemorate Lester Sumrall's birthday. . . (via gh, DXLD) Hmmm, did they or do they broadcast tonguespeaking on WHR? Would be amusing to hear if one knew just when (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Perhaps it's public pressure that's gotten the Voice of America to expand its shortwave service, according to a letter I received from David Crystal in Israel. I haven't been DXing for VOA much, but David has praise for VOA because it has ``greatly expanded its English on shortwave.`` ``I don't even have to list the transmissions for you,`` he writes. ``They are already in Daniel Sampson's Prime Time SW. The VOA welcomes reception reports from outside USA, and that includes Canada. They reply with a big sturdy envelope with a fi ne QSL and lots of goodies. I mean, there is much more English in B-04 than in A-04. And I am the fi rst to point this out explicitly in the hobby press.`` (Sue Hickey, NL, CIDX Forum, Feb Messenger via DXLD) ** U S A. 9265.04, WMLK barely audible 15 Feb at 1910. They're never on frequency anymore and the s-meter never bends, altho' they were always weak here (Liz Cameron, Utility Editor, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts http://mare.radio.tripod.com Feb 15, WORLD OF RADIO 1264, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WRNO plans to start testing a new 100 kW transmitter in the next couple of weeks, 15420 daytime, 7355 nighttime; owned by a church (George Thurman, TX, Feb 16, WORLD OF RADIO 1264, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Has been silent for years, but hardly eagerly anticipated (gh) ** U S A. 3810, WXYT Detroit (1270 x 3) at 0747 15 Feb. with very weak signal. This is the first time I've heard a harmonic from these folks. WJR was the local culprit for awhile, sending out a signal on 1520 (Liz Cameron, Utility Editor, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts http://mare.radio.tripod.com Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NEW INDECENCY ACT HAS INDUSTRY FEELING EXPOSED Radio By DAVID HINCKLEY DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER With the House of Representatives likely to pass the Broadcast Indecency Enforcement Act of 2005 as early as today, broadcast and performers groups are mobilizing against legislation they say is less a surgical strike against indecency than machine-gun fire that could wound both broadcasters and artists. Sponsored by Fred Upton (R- Mich.), the House bill would raise the ceiling on indecency fines from $32,500 per offense to $500,000. It would make individuals personally liable and contains a "three strikes" clause in which a station could lose its license for three violations. Supporters of the bill, which was voted out of the Energy and Commerce Committee by a tally of 46-2, says it merely gives the Federal Communications Commission stronger tools to fight a growing wave of explicit material in places where even children can't miss it. But performers groups like AFTRA and the Screen Actors Guild, joined by trade groups like the National Association of Broadcasters and Recording Industry Association of America, say the bill at the very least fails to allow for crucial factors like context and intent. They fear a newscaster on a live report could be fined half a million dollars if someone near the microphone said a bad word, that an artist could be liable for language in a song recorded 30 years ago and that performers could be held liable for scripted material that they read. Broadcasters also fear this could make stations so conservative that they would be crippled in competing against unregulated media like cable and satellite. Opponents of the Upton bill see some hope in the Senate version, which also raises the ceiling on fines but does not extend liability to individuals. If both bills pass, as expected, the House and Senate would draft a compromise, which President Bush is expected to sign. Like most members of Congress, Bush can hardly afford to oppose any crackdown on indecency. Whatever version passes is also expected to face a court challenge (NY Daily News via Mike Cooper, Feb 16, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. WORLD CONSIDERS U.S. TV STANDARDS TOO STRICT In European countries, people often regard U.S. rules about indecency on public airways -- and their enforcement by the FCC -- as puritanical. By Thomas Wagner THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LONDON -- When the BBC recently announced it would air "Jerry Springer: The Opera," the West End hit famous for its vulgarity and a cast of characters including transsexuals and a man wearing a diaper, no one batted an eye. In Britain, after all, the biggest-selling daily newspaper carries a photograph of a bare-breasted woman every day. . . http://www.dailybreeze.com/today/articles/1267757.html (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Imagery alert! Skip to the next item if you are offended by thoughts of beautiful naked young women. Whilst channel-surfing I happened upon the 2005 SISSI show on the Spike! Cable network. ?? Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, The Making Of, that is. It`s so heartening to see how far they can go now on basic cable --- full frontal nudity, no blurring, no pixillating. They`ve done this before in previous annual SISSI shows, which are rerun periodically, in the last segment of the hour, a session of elaborate body-painting (or latex gluons). Evidently, as long as the girls are prancing around with nothing but paint/latex, they are NOT officially FF nude! But it`s hard to hide the contours of pert, nubile of-age models, especially with freeze-frame/slowmo, despite the distraxions of all the clever designs, many of which involve advertising. If you don`t believe me, TV Guide online predicts repeats: Saturday February 19 at 2100; UT Monday February 21 at 0700, Tuesday 22 at 0100, 0510 UT. Usual disclaimer about different timings on a delayed westcoast feed. It was recently reported that Spike! Is considered a failure, because too large a fraxion of its viewers are female. What more can be done? (Glenn Hauser, mid-America, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FCC Chief, Commissioner Suggest "Sunshine Act" Impairs Decision Making The FCC: (L-R) Kevin J. Martin, Kathleen Q. Abernathy, Chairman Michael K. Powell, Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein. [FCC Photos] NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 16, 2005--FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell has told a US Senate committee that the open-meeting requirements of the "Sunshine Act" constitute "a barrier to the substantive exchange of ideas" among FCC members and hamper commissioners' decision making. The Sunshine Act's open-meeting provisions require essentially every part of every FCC meeting to be open to public observation when a quorum of Commissioners is handling official business. A February 2 letter from Powell and Commissioner Michael J. Copps to Sen Ted Stevens (R-AK), chairman of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, supports changes in the act to permit "closed deliberations among Commissioners in appropriate circumstances." Powell and Copps cite bipartisan support for such a change--Copps is one of the FCC's two Democrats--as well as a body of scholarship favoring reforms. "Due to the prohibition on private collective deliberations, we rely on written communications, staff or one-on-one meetings with each other," the commissioners told Stevens. "These indirect methods of communicating clearly do not foster frank, open discussion, and they are less efficient than in-person interchange among three or more commissioners would be." FCC Chairman Powell has announced his resignation, but the White House has not yet announced his replacement. As a result, Powell and Copps conclude, FCC decisions "are in some cases less well informed and well explained than they would be if we each had the benefit of the others' expertise and perspective." The letter to Stevens noted plans in Congress to revise US telecommunication laws. Powell has announced plans to step down as FCC chairman. The ARRL's recent Petition for Reconsideration in the BPL proceeding, ET 03-104 and ET 04-37, charged that Powell had violated Sunshine Act requirements prior to casting his vote in favor of adopting new Part 15 rules to govern Access BPL. "Based on the Commission chairman's action preceding the BPL decision, what the FCC needs is more sunshine, not less," ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, commented this week. Just two days before the FCC's unanimous October 14 BPL vote, the ARRL asserts in its petition, Powell violated the Commission's own ex parte rules by attending a BPL provider's demonstration during the so-called "Sunshine Agenda" period, thus tainting the proceeding. The League had called on Powell to recuse himself from taking part in the BPL vote, but he declined. The ARRL petition also noted the League's extensive efforts through the Freedom of Information Act to get the FCC to release studies and reports it said it had relied upon in making its favorable decision on BPL but had not made public. The Commission ultimately released hundreds of pages of material, some of it heavily redacted. The League's petition maintains that the FCC adopted the BPL rules even though it already possessed information suggesting BPL was technologically unsuitable and a spectrum polluter. In their letter to Stevens, Powell and Copps say they are "in complete agreement with the Sunshine Act's goal of providing the public with reliable information about the basis for Commission decisions." But they say they support amending the Act because experience has shown that the FCC "can satisfy this goal through other means that better serve the public interest." One method posed was a requirement that brief summaries of topics decision makers discuss at non-public meetings "be recorded and placed in relevant administrative records." (ARRL via Bill Smith, W5USM, DXLD) This is one bad idea (Smith) ** U S A. ANOTHER MOVE: This one involves Michael Powell packing up & departing the FCC lead-post, at the end of March. A collective of 30 Republican Congress-dwellers is wasting no time in calling for a new FCC head who will burn witches, and protect us from ourselves and our questionable morals. A letter to President Bush, prompted by Reps. Charles Pickering of Mississippi, and Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania, calls for, "a Chairman who will continue to uphold the laws passed by Congress and continue to crack down on patently offensive material on public airwaves." The note says indecency debates should also, "include concepts such as issuing fines based upon each utterance, enforcing the prohibition on 'profanity' over the airwaves, and emphasizing industry self- regulation. The FCC has been entrusted with promoting the public interest with respect to our public airwaves, and as such, should firmly enforce our federal decency laws, applying the plain meaning of the statute, and the Congressional intent behind the statute. The next FCC Chairman will oversee an important time in our nation's history, and they must be ready to aggressively enforce the laws that Congress has passed. We encourage you to nominate an individual of boldness, strength, and vision, who will continue the work already begun. We must not let immorality become normalized, nor federal laws ignored." A bipartisan measure which would raise indecency fines up into the $500,000-per-incident district, was approved by the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and now awaits a full House vote. Now, don't you feel warmer and safer knowing this?? Before you curl up the toes, do note that at least one bill floating around Capitol Hill would fine individual performers for their "indecent" broadcast-outbursts. Looks like Conception, for the State Committee for Entertainment Evaluation, and a happy day ahead for those parents who don't want to be bothered raising their kids...just let the Government do it! AS IF TO HELP MATTERS: The FCC says it's streamlining the process, whereby such indecency complaints are processed. According to "The Washington Post", this comes in response to gripes by advocacy groups, who say the Feds have inaccurately recorded some of these alleged incidents OOPS: We learn an emergency Statewide-evacuation order was mistakenly sent out over Connecticut's EAS network on February 2, with the following scrolling across the state's TV screens that Winter afternoon: "Civil authorities have issued an immediate evacuation order for all of Connecticut, beginning at 2:10 p.m. and ending at 3:10 p.m."...note that the order called for a one-hour evacuation, just long enough for muggers from NYC to go through everyone's wallets. State honchos first suspected a hacker of some sort, until an embarrassed worker in the State Office of Emergency Management owned up to accidentally sending the wrong message during a scheduled system test. Seriously, officials are a bit concerned over the general lack of public reaction; the thought has surfaced that perhaps not everyone is attuned to the EAS system, or its purposes. "The Hartford Courant" points out that the office cue-sheet displays the code for emergency evacuation, one measly line above the code used for regular tests...seems as if some involved planner certainly had a Sense Of Humor (Greg Hardison, CA, Feb 15, Broadcast Band Update via DXLD) The complete issue was posted in the dxldyg (gh) ** U S A. JAY MARVIN TO RETURN TO STATE'S AIRWAVES ON AIR AMERICA RADIO --- By Dusty Saunders, Rocky Mountain News February 17, 2005 http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/television/article/0,1299,DRMN_25_3553772,00.html [it seems at the RMN, radio is a subset of television] Jay Marvin, former controversial talk show personality on KHOW- AM (630), will return to Denver radio Feb. 28 as local host on the liberal Air America network. Marvin's program, live from Boulder, will air from 6 to 10 a.m. weekdays on KKZN-AM (760). A lightning-rod broadcaster on KHOW's 3 to 7 p.m. weekday slot for three years, Marvin left Denver in September 1999 to co-host a daytime talk show on WLS-AM in Chicago. He departed from that station two months ago. "We feel that Marvin's liberal politics and knowledge of the Denver area will fit in with the national format of Air America," said Jerry Bell, KKZN program director. Marvin, who has purchased a home in Boulder, said he "jumped at the chance" to come back to Colorado. "I'll enjoy providing a liberal perspective amid the radio world dominated by conservative talk," Marvin said Wednesday. He added, "I'm not quite as argumentative and caustic as I once was." In his time period, Marvin will partially compete against two other local Clear Channel radio talk personalities - moderate Peter Boyles (5 to 9 a.m.) on KHOW and conservative Mike Rosen (9 to 11:45 a.m.) on KOA (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) [clock:] --- days --- hours --- minutes and --- seconds until Bush is out of office! Coming Soon...Local Progressive Talk Where Your Voice Counts! Jay Marvin's joining AM 760 in the mornings from 6 to 10 am beginning Monday, February 28th. Morning Sedition will air 4-6 am. You now have the ability to voice your opinion on a local level...live & local straight from America's most progressive city, Boulder! Jay Marvin [illustrated] --- Monday-Friday 6-10 am beginning Monday, February 28th [MST = 1300-1700 UT] Host: Jay Marvin Jay's website http://www.jaymarvinonline.com A 23 year veteran of radio, Marvin has worked as an FM DJ and AM Talk Show Host in Tampa and Chicago. Marvin is no stranger to Colorado’s airwaves; he previously spent several years as the afternoon host on 630 KHOW. In addition to his work in radio, Marvin also found work as a poet, writer, painter and computer artist (from http://www.am760.net/talent/marvin.html via Artie Bigley, DXLD) I remember guesting on Jay`s show in Tampa, along with Kim Elliott, during an ANARC convention in St. Pete --- squeezed behind a tiny RV kitchen table on a remote. KKZN does webcast, but you have to register; strings? http://www.760thezone.com/listen/live.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) To Kris Olinger, head of AM programming for Clear Channel-Denver, the dead heat between Franken and O'Reilly demonstrates that 760 is no longer the embarrassment it was when she assumed her current post last year. To build on this momentum, she confirms that she's hired Jay Marvin, who worked at KHOW in the late '90s, to be the station's first locally based host; he'll be heard weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. beginning February 28. Marvin auditioned for the slot on February 4, providing the outlet, nicknamed "Boulder's Progressive Talk," with the first chance to weigh in on the biggest recent controversy in its figurative home town: the Ward Churchill flap. He talked up the experience on his personal blog, http://blogs.salon.com/0002606/ where he identifies himself as "America's favorite lefty and outsider-art troublemaker," writing that "It was nice to be able to get my point... http://www.westword.com/issues/2005-02-17/news/message.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. WPYM Party 93 FM on the South Florida Airwaves becomes now the New 93 Rock --- South Florida's Pure Rock Station. Party 93-1 will become an Internet only Radio Station. The same station, simply on- line (Dino Bloise, Hollywood, FL, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 93.1 will always be WTMI to me, as emblazoned on my once-white cap (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. THE FUTURE OF DX TESTS This post is long and I apologize, but think that it needs to be said. Please feel free to publish my remarks in any of the club bulletins. I completely agree with Paul Smith's recent comments on the NRC reflector. He cautioned DX'ers about complaining about DX tests that were conducted with short notice or limited publicity. In my viewpoint, all DX'ers need an attitude adjustment when it comes to our relationship with the stations. Two weeks ago, I attempted to schedule a DX test with a station on the West Coast, only to be told a horror story by the engineer. Another station in his group was cited by the FCC after a DX'er complained that they were "cheating" on their nighttime power. Even if the complaint was valid, that DX'er affected the attitude of not only that station's staff, but also of other engineers and station managers within the group. All of whom had received memos about the incident. I'm also aware that Clear Channel's legal department has questioned the entire practice of "DX Tests" because they fear complaints from other stations who might receive interference during the event. Lawyers always err on the side of caution, and if Clear Channel were to adopt a policy to not hold DX tests it would have a large impact on future testing. Such a step would almost certainly cause other legal departments to review their policies. Can you see where this going? In a perfect world, engineers would test with plenty of notice, testing for hours at a time, with the program material that we want, etc. They'd print up pretty QSL cards, and send them out quickly after the event. But we don't live in a perfect world. Many engineers have to manage maintenance on multiple stations. Most stations are automated at least to some extent. Ad revenue during the overnight hour is viewed as being important to the bottom line; and management certainly doesn't understand the need to lose revenue for a test. Fewer engineers are ham radio operators, or DX'ers. So they don't understand what all the fuss is about. In short, we are beggars. We need to approach stations with a humble and thankful attitude. Playing "cop" and complaining about less than perfect tests can only hurt us all. Allow me instead to suggest some positive actions that DX'ers can take: 1. Cultivate personal contacts with radio station engineers and management. Use those contacts to educate them about DXing --- and why it's such a great hobby. Reach out to those contacts for DX tests. Please use the letters on my web site for guidance: http://www.highnoonfilm.com/amdx If possible, try to schedule the test a few weeks or more in advance. Let myself and Fred V. know, and we'll get the word out. 2. When asking for a test, take the extra steps to make it possible. Provide the station with test material. You can download a small program called "WinMorse" from my site as well. This makes it easy to generate CW ID's. Include the NRC sweep tones and burn them onto a CD. You can find lots of test material on my web site. Feel free to include it on the CD. Take that with you when you ask for the test. Offer to handle QSL chores. If you can't do this or don't want to. Let me know. I'll be happy to do anything to support these tests. 3. When a station tests, always drop them an e-mail or card thanking them for the test, even if you don't hear it. Many on the lists are great about this --- and I know it helps. Look at the number of repeat tests we have. That is based on the station or it's staff having a positive experience. 4. If for some reason, you feel compelled to complain about a station that is "cheating" --- I suggest you reconsider. If you still feel compelled, then contact the station that is "cheating", and leave a nice message stating that you think there might be a problem with their automation. Be nice. Don't expect the situation to change quickly. It may take days for your message to reach someone who will understand it. Longer still for an engineer to actually look into the problem. If you insist on contacting the FCC or being rude, just identify yourself as a listener. Tell them that you're trying to hear polka music on a station three states away. Don't mention DXing, your radio club, etc. Do the rest of us that favor. Otherwise, we may all someday be nostalgic for the good ole days when stations transmitted Morse Code in the middle of night, just for some nut half a world away who was trying to hear them. When you think about it, it's amazing that anyone would agree to do us this great favor at all. 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, IRCA CPC Chairman, via ODXA via DXLD) ** U S A. Here`s a fourth DX test for early Sunday morning Feb 20: WTTB 1490 Vero Beach, FL TEST Date(s): February 20, 2005 (Late Saturday night into Sunday Morning) Time: 00:00AM EST until 00:20AM EST (20 Minute Test) [0500-0520 UT] Modes of Operation: 1KW Non-Directional Programming: Morse Code ID's, Sweep Tones, etc. Reception reports can be e-mailed to: gualdaj @ bellsouth.net Special thanks to Juan Gualda for arranging this test! Great chance to add to your GY totals (via Les Rayburn, IRCA, DXLD) ** U S A. BID TO OPEN THE FARALLONES DRAWS A WARNING Washington -- A measure by two leading House lawmakers to open the Farallón Islands to limited public visits is raising concerns among marine biologists who fear that a greater human presence could harm one of the largest seabird breeding colonies south of Alaska. House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, and the top Democrat on the committee have introduced a bill that would direct the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to offer special permits to visit the Farallón National Wildlife Refuge in response to requests from amateur radio operators who enjoy broadcasting from remote islands. But scientists who study seabirds and other species on the islands 28 miles off the coast of San Francisco -- which some call "California's Galápagos" -- said even limited public visits could have serious effects on populations of birds and marine mammals that have rebounded since access to the islands by humans was strictly limited in 1969. Critics of the bill also warn that it could be precedent setting, allowing not just ham radio operators but birders and others to visit the main island, which is less than a quarter of a square mile in area and is densely packed with seabirds and other marine life. "This is not about ham radio operators. ... This is about opening the floodgates of public access to the Farallones," said Ellie Cohen, the executive director of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, which has conducted research at the island since 1969 under a special contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Public access is not compatible with the refuge mission to conserve and protect marine wildlife." . . . http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/17/MNG1IBCSV41.DTL (via Ken Kopp, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. Radio Que Me --- 11850, R. Que Me now here, ex 19 mb channels. 1159 open carrier, open with classical female vocal song at 1200 and ID at 1202 (via DX Tuner Japan) (H. Johnson, USA Feb 12, 2005 in Jihad-DX via CRW via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 7460, R. Nacional Rep. Árabe Saharaui Democrática, 29 Jan, 2342-0001*, Obvious political feature by M mentioning Polisario, política, independencia, Kofi Annan, Europa, presidente, etc. 2347 outro by M over beginning of "Here Comes the Rain Again" by the Eurythmics mentioniong "...amigos oyentes... servicio informativo, muchas gracias por la... R. Nacional Saharaui". Then 2348 canned ID by M sounding like "R. Nac. de Saharaui, la voz del pueblo casas". Into easy Spanish Pops. 2357 canned ID by M (same as at 2348) over beginning of "Loverboy" by Billy Ocean as "R. Nac. Saharaui, una emisoras ?? servicios". One more song, then live M with short closing announcements over music mentioning amigos oyentes and ID as R. Nacional. 0000-0001 instrumental band anthem, and off. Good signal of course (D. Valko-USA, for CRW via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. ALGERIA Polisario Front's 1550 outlet is missing for a few days' time this week while \\ 7460 kHz is on & regular. The Moroccan jammer is still on though as noted on 7th & 8th inst. While DXing on the SW coast site while hardly perceived these days when listening from the capital, but the signal is very weak, probably meaning it's on reduced power; at any rate it's certainly not comparable to what it "looked" like in the past. Curiously, it's on even when Tindouf 1550 kHz is off (it's off today too as I write this). (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 11 via DXLD) Speaking of "off", the Polisario's still silent on 1550 kHz (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 15/16/17 via DXLD) ** YEMEN. Radio Sana'a Yemen sent me after 695 days for a reception report in English without return postage a full detail QSL card, plus a full detail QSL letter (with beautiful stamps on the envelope). Dear Sir, We received your interesting reception report about the standards of listening to Sana'a Radio Transmission, We thank you for this useful reception report, We hope to continue correspondence from you and we appreciate this a good step from you. Date 23. 3. 2003. // 9780 kHz // Time 1802-1822 UTC // Program English With best Compliments.. Technical Department Director Eng. Altashi Ali Ahmed Radio Sana'a General Program, Technical Dep. 26 September St., P. O. Box 2371 Tel. 967- 1- 282060/61 Fax: 967- 1- 282053 Sana'a, Republic of Yemen 73 (Paul Gager/ Austria, Feb 16, BDXC-UK via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. During the last couple of days (since 14 Feb) I've noted an unID station on 4850.4 around 1330. They seem to sign-off at 1400. Weak and a bit muddy audio, no idea about the language. Male talks and at one point I thought there was Qur`an chanting. AIR Kohima on 4850 isn't much trouble but the (presumed) Belarus Army bc relay on 4855 is usually badly overmodulated and splattering around that portion of the 60 mb. Once again: any ideas? (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re the unidentified on about 4850 reported by Jari --- My guess is that it is Radio Pakistan which is scheduled to use 4850 via Islamabad-Rewat (API-3 100 kW) at exactly the time the unID was heard - 1330-1400. The language is Turki, beaming to AFG at 270 degrees. This same transmitter is used on 15625 until 1315 after Bangla & Nepali services and changes to 9340 for Russian from 1415. 73s from (Noel R. Green [NW England], ibid.) Hi Noel and many thanks for your info. Heh, didn't sound like 100 kW, more like 10 :-) I should have checked first the listings. And the poor audio should have told me something. Rather strange they use this frequency, co-channeling AIR. 73, (Jari Savolainen, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. Yosemite Sam is no longer audible in Topeka, first noticed as of about 0130 UT Feb 17. Disappeared or moved?!?? (Ken Kopp, Amateur Radio - KKØHF, dxldyg via DXLD) Tnx for keeping an ear on it. After a few seconds, I`ve found YS programming rather boring and repetitive (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 11884.7, Feb 16 1030-1231 MLA: Tentative: VOM Kajang. Could not make anything out of the audio, but what else could it be with these sign-on and -off times? Strangely enough, nothing heard on 15295 kHz (Mauno Ritola, Finland, HCDX online log via DXLD) Didn`t you previously suggest this was a reactivated RRI site on Sulawesi? And see 5-025. Has that been ruled out? (gh, DXLD) PUZZLE: Already sent an e-mail to Alan Davies on Lombok and Uwe Volk touring in CBG, VTN, and THA at present, to help identify the 11885 kHz outlet. 11885 is covered by RL Russian Lampertheim 1100-1400 UT, so no chance to check out that here in Europe. Mauno: But Kajang-MLA could fit, see 11885 VoMLA in Chinese 1030-1230 UT entry on WRTH 2004, page 527. Unfortunately 25 degrees azimuth from K-L is a little bit easterly; lobe to EUR would fit around 310 to 320 degrees. And this Kajang schedule from A03 season includes: 9665 0300 1230 55,58-60 KAJ 250 130 0 218 Eng/Chin MLA RTM 11885 1030 1230 44N,45NW KAJ 100 025 0 218 Chinese MLA RTM 15295 0300 1230 55,58-60 KAJ 250 133 0 218 Eng/Chin MLA RTM (A03 2003) 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DX CLUB (CIDX) CIDX is Canada's national radio monitoring club, serving radio hobbyists since 1962, entering our 43rd year of operation. Our monthly newsletter, Messenger, covers all aspects of the radio monitoring hobby. Our new February 2005 electronic edition is now available. Sample copies are available for $2 each, in Canada or the U.S., or $3 overseas. Membership is open to radio hobbyists worldwide. Visit the CIDX web site for complete information, as well as special features and web site profiles, or for a membership application. http://www.anarc.org/cidx/ (Sheldon Harvey, Radio HF Internet Newsletter via DXLD) CL'S SHORTWAVE RADIO LISTENERS SERVICE Om, Thanks for publishing my website address in your excellent web page. But I have this web site moved to a other address. Old name was: Shortwave WorkBench Old Address: "http://www.inter.nl.net/hcc/Shortwave" New name is: CL's Shortwave radio listeners service: New address is: http://people.zeelandnet.nl/cor19vs Thanks in advance and 73' -- QTH: Vlissingen - The Netherlands (JO11SK) RX: JRC-NRD515 * Plessey PR2250 * Plessey PR2251 Ant: 70 mtr. ended feed wire antenna direction NW - SE 50 mtr. ended feed wire antenna direction N - S 2x PE1ABR's active antennae Decoder: SeaTTY150 - Code300/32 - Code3 gold - Hammcom3 - PE1ABR Navtex Web site: http://people.zeelandnet.nl/cor19vs News group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radiohobby/ (Cor van Soelen, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Includes Utility Station Callsign Files --- one PDF page for each alfabet letter (gh) TV GUIDE GIVEAWAY I had not checked out TV Guide`s online listings for a while, but decided to register and get my local listings with more accuracy, I hope, than printed schedules. I could hardly believe the enticement to register: a 52-issue hard-copy subscription for only $5! Hey, that`s about what TVG is actually worth, less than 10 cents an issue, and less than 4% of the newsstand price of $2.49 each! I accepted that offer but got no e-mail acknowledgment, so wondered if it went thru. It did: just got my first issue, soon followed by a bill for $5. Beware: the tvguide site may intrude with buzzy insects and the magazine itself makes other offers claimed to be incredibly low, like 25 or even 99 cents an issue. When renewal time comes, it`ll pay to shop around again. This is little compensation for the fact that TVG hardcopy listings are woefully incomplete outside primetime. Most annoying to me is the cutdown to only selected listings in the 10 pm - 1 am period, and nothing after 1 am, whilst the primetime hours get both grid and normal coverage, much of that duplicated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRM +++ Re: ``Texas Instruments Incorporated is working with RadioScape to develop the necessary hardware and software to support Digital Radio MondialeT (DRMT). Leveraging its vast technical expertise in Eureka Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) technology. . .`` ---------------------------- This is certainly encouraging news and opens the path for combined DRM and DAB radios to be manufactured. I have not been all that enthusiastic about DAB being pioneered and heavily promoted in the UK when it is not (and may never become) a global standard like the AM and FM analogue services. DRM however is catching on comparatively quickly amongst major broadcasters all over the world. For third world countries going digital with DRM is not as expensive as with DAB and in many cases existing transmitters can be modified to provide a digital service. I know there are concerns over the bandwidth of DRM transmissions, particularly on SW, however short wave will only remain viable if it can produce acceptable audio to listeners. While in the past people were happy to listen to phase distorted and noisy signals, people now expect a lot better particularly if music is being broadcast. I will be saving my pennies ready for the day when someone brings out a combined DAB/DRM and analogue world-band radio or communications receiver. Our hobby is changing fast and is entering a new exciting phase that may well be even more interesting and absorbing than the system we currently enjoy. 73's (Andy Cadier, BDXC-UK via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ WBCQ TO EXPLAIN STRANGE PROPAGATION Hi, Glenn! Regarding that message I sent to WBCQ and CC'd you on: Allan sent me a reply saying that he would be doing a propagation- explanation show "a week from Friday" on Allan Weiner WorldWide. Also the new wbcq @ wbcq.com address is the one to use from now on. 73, Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be UT Sat Feb 26 0100 on 7415 and whenever it`s repeated (gh, DXLD) RE: LIST OF STATIONS IN THE US WHO HAVE SO FAR ELECTED TO USE CHANNELS 2-6 FOR DTV While the clearance date for analogs from low band is not yet certain, let me remind you that the Canadians are going to be behind by several years, followed by Mexicans. And then there are the Central Americans, Caribbeans, northern South Americans. So here is my "prediction." For a few years, while the balance of the western hemisphere "catches up" to digital, there will be a "boom" in double, triple even four-hop Es loggings all over the USA from outside the 48 states. In good old fashioned analog! (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, WTFDA via DXLD) I really like Bob's scenario. However, in my typical bubble-bursting way, there are a few things that keep coming to my mind. (1) Are analogs allowed to use their transmitters on their anlog channel until the transmitter dies, or must they turn it off on a certain date? (2) Will the FCC fill the low-band with more LPTVs? (3) Is it possible that the FCC will allow low-band channels to be used by *new* RF services? (4) Will the low-band in my area (and other areas) be killed by ever-increasing RF sources? I'm amazed at how many new sources of interference enter the low-band every year. I recently sent Jeff Kruszka a photograph of KUTV-2 Salt Lake City. If he publishes that picture, you will see the damage on KUTV's signal from one of those interference sources (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, ibid.) Not yet decided for sure, but it is almost certain the FCC will set a "drop-dead" date for analog. That date was supposed to be the end of next year but there's an "out clause" in the law that allows them to extend that date. Just about everyone believes that clause will be used. But just about everyone also believes a fixed date will be set, and soon. I would be surprised if a drop-dead date isn't set by the end of this year, and I would not be surprised if one is set by spring. The end of 2009 is the date I see mentioned most often. ``(2) Will the FCC fill the low-band with more LPTVs?`` LPTVs can certainly be authorized on any "core" channel, including low-band. Interest in VHF LPTVs seems to have increased somewhat since the power limit was increased to 3 kW. ``(3) Is it possible that the FCC will allow low-band channels to be used by *new* RF services?`` There is a proceeding in progress that would allow the sharing of *all* TV channels by unlicensed wireless devices. Said devices are supposed to automatically detect whether a given channel is occupied by TV signals before transmitting. Broadcasters fear they won't do a very good job of it. (IMHO a reasonable fear, given that in most cases TV viewers have a FAR better antenna than any unlicensed wireless device is likely to use) I suspect low-band will not be particularly popular for this kind of device though. The antennas are too big and there's too much interference from computers. – (Doug Smith W9WI, ibid.) Drop dead means EVERYone is off their analogue channel. It won't happen all at once - some of (you) will find low band channels clear before others do. And it will be a channel at a time (such as WCBS leaving analog months or a year before NBC-4 or Fox-5 in NYC). Each station's cable relations, satellite (DirecTV + DISH) will figure into when they shut down analog. So it will be a phased-in situation, over time with a final ("drop dead") date at the end - whenever it might ultimately be. In addition to the multiple hop possibilities (western Canada for USA, including Alaska into New England which is a FREQUENT Auroral Es happening, etc.) we have to consider that with so few REAL stations broadcasting on channels 2-6, digital Es should become quite common there. What prevents it now is the presence of CCI. When half or more of the stations in a target area have abandoned their analog service, the digital signals will be as frequent visitors "then" as KDLO analog or WPBT analog are now. No CCI, or very little CCI, and the lower EIRP digital signals will bowl through. But at reduced signal levels which is where the possibility/probability of double, triple and quadruple hop Es comes into the scenario. This is not IBOC for FM - it is entirely different and I for one think it will be a positive, not a negative effect in the coming years. I would NOT be taking down my low band antennas anytime soon! (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, WTFDA via DXLD) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Good editing, your service is THE BEST in our little planet of ...."W" apes .... 73's (Dario Monferini, Italy) ###