DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-085, May 21, 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 1274: Sun 0300 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0330 WOR WRMI 7385 Sun 0630 WOR WWCR 3210 Sun 0730 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Sun 0830 WOR WRN1 to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP Sun 0830 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0830 WOR WXPR Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9 Sun 0830 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0830 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1200 WOR WRMI 7385 Sun 1300 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1730 WOR WRMI 7385 [from WRN] Sun 1730 WOR WRN1 to North America Sun 1900 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sun 2000 WOR RNI Mon 0230 WOR WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0330 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [Extra 56] Mon 0430 WOR WBCQ 7415 Mon 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Tue 0600 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 [also WPKM Montauk LINY 88.7] Tue 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 0930 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1274 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1274h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1274h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1274 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1274.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1274.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1274.html WORLD OF RADIO 1274 in true shortwave sound of Alex`s mp3: Keep checking http://www.dxprograms.net [see INTERNATIONAL INTERNET] ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN BROTHERS HEAD HOME TO LAUNCH RADIO STATION News, gossip and music banned during Taliban's 6-year rule now on country's FM radio Arman The Age Wednesday, May 18, 2005 By Carolyn Webb http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=24524 Christina Aguilera music videos, female newsreaders, political dissent - these are all things Afghanistan did not have under the Taliban. But they do now. Two years ago, three Afghan-Australian brothers, Saad, Zaid and Jahid Mohseni, all aged in their 30s, gave up cushy careers in Melbourne to found Afghanistan's first commercial radio station. It's a youth-oriented station similar to Fox-FM, and is called Arman, meaning Hope. If Afghans want to listen to the latest hit from the Turkish heart- throb Tarkan they can tune in, or they can ring talkback to whinge about their local politician or the garbage in their street. All this was unthinkable under the Taliban, who ruled for six years until December 2001. The brothers say they are "always in trouble" with Afghanistan's hardline clerics, who have twice lobbied the Government to close Arman FM down. Last October, the Mohseni brothers also opened a commercial television station, called Tolo, or "Dawn". Its programs, in either the Dari or Pashtun languages, include the investigative 6.30 Report, a music video show called Hop, and a comedy show called Moments. The addition of satellite technology last month means Arman FM and Tolo broadcast all over Afghanistan and into Iran, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The Mohsenis also started Afghan Scene, a monthly magazine for English-speaking expatriates in Kabul. Last year the brothers published, online, Afghanistan's first Yellow Pages directory. It has 1000 entries. The Mohsenis' father, Yassin, was a diplomat under the Daoud regime of the 1970s. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Yassin Mohseni resigned as second-in-charge at Afghanistan's Tokyo embassy, and in 1982 the family, including the boys' sister, Wajma, now 30, and mother Safia, migrated to Australia. When the Taliban fell in late 2001, Saad was a stockbroker, Zaid a lawyer and Jahid a financial analyst. Saad and Zaid flew to Kabul four months later to have a look at the place Saad had left at the age of 12. Zaid was 9. They were shocked by the ruin, says Saad, and "people walking around like zombies". The Mohsenis' house, which they still owned, had been illegally occupied by a "local thug". The Mohsenis paid the Government just $US2000 ($2600) for their radio licence, but have put hundreds of thousands of their own money into building up Arman FM. The brothers have since flown to Kabul more than 100 times. Saad and Jahid have wives and children, and Zaid has a fiancee, who live in Melbourne because of health and safety reasons. Jahid says being away from family is hard, particularly with his daughter, Aaliyah, just 15 months old. But he hopes to achieve something beneficial for both the family and the country. Date Posted: 5/18/2005 (Asia Pacific Media Network via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ** ALASKA. ALASKA FROM THE LOWER 48 STATES [on mediumwave] 05 May 2005 It's that time of year again, when the greyline does a pivot over Anchorage, Alaska and swings over the continental US. This gives DXers a unique chance to hear a very difficult state. With solar activity on the decline, this is a better year than last. Here's the article. [illustrated] http://www.am-dx.com/geo_alas.htm (via gh, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA [and non]. Re Informe DX de gh: La Radio Voz Cristiana en português ha dicho en el programa DX "Altas Ondas": la radio de Antártida no está en el grupo de radios mundial. Han hablado con la radio y la persona responsable es en vacaciones ó bajo de salud. 73, (Sérgio Oliveira, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I have already reported all this. But that`s no reason to delay the resolution of this problem (gh, DXLD) ** BELARUS. Radio Belarus International programme : 0100-0300 5970 kHz 250 kW Minsk 6170 kHz 150 kW Minsk 7210 kHz 75 kW Minsk 1900-2200 1170 kHz 800 kW Minsk 7105 kHz 250 kW Minsk 7280 kHz 75 kW Minsk 7290 kHz 150 kW Minsk Local programme : 0300-2200 279 kHz 500 kW Minsk 6080 kHz 150 kW Minsk 6115 kHz 75 kW Minsk 1278 kHz 10 kW Brest 6010 kHz 5 kW Brest 6070 kHz 5 kW Brest 6040 kHz 5 kW Grodno 7110 kHz 5 kW Grodno 7145 kHz 5 kW Grodno 6190 kHz 5 kW Mogilev 7235 kHz 5 kW Mogolev 0400-0600, 0900-1000 and 1500-1700 1170 kHz 800 kW Minsk 1500-1700 7105 kHz 250 kW Minsk 0400-0600 11735 kHz 250 kW Minsk 0900-1000 11960 kHz 250 kW Minsk Kanal Kultura 0400-2200 1026 kHz, 1108 kHz, 1125 kHz, 1197 kHz, 7265 kHz 5 kW Grodno (Alexander Mazgo, Vitebsk, Belarus / / "Club DX" # 738, VOR via Rus-DX May 22 via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. DRM tests: see GERMANY ** BOLIVIA. Quito 21/5 2005, Saturday morning edition: 1542.42, Radio Bendita Trindad y Espirito Santo, El Alto, Depto. La Paz (Bolivia) --- My unID Bolivian station on 1542.42 kHz (see 17/5 2005) now identified by Rogildo F. Aragão, La Paz (Bolivia). Thank you VERY much, Rogildo for your help. Yesterday I was near an ID "Somos... Bolivia" but the signal was too weak. Always female preacher talking and crying, with interruption sometimes by OM with short ID. It´s not easy to identify this station, Rogildo had to listen 2 hours to get an ID. New station probably. Comments, photos and recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Glenn, "Na radio" feminine means the radio station, "no radio" masculine means radio receiver. Regards, (Vincent Ferme, Ottawa, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Portuguese. That is correct (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Quite by chance, once again on May 20 I was tuning across 11965 at 1944 when RCI made its English announcement at the end of the Arabic semihour: ``Join us now for language lessons for adults. . .`` and then carrier immediately off! I guess the LL follow on the satellite service, but since they do not follow on the SW service, this announcement should not be heard. Either that or they played the closing rather than the opening of the program. This was a big risk in the cartridge age, where some stations still find themselves, if the open and close are put on the same cart. The only way to cue them is to play them until they reach the next cut. One can re-cue it by mistake so the wrong one is played (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re CKZW, 5-084: The article you cited seems to have forgotten about CIRA 91.3 FM, Radio Ville-Marie, which is essentially a French (vastly) Christian Radio station. It came on the air 10 years ago on May 1, 1995. Its Web site is here: http://www.radiovm.com/ Technical specs of its network stations here: http://www.radiovm.com/information/Enregion.aspx Programming includes religious/spiritual talk; music that sounds like Christian contemporary; classical and world music; and news bulletins from the French service of Vatican Radio. 73, (Ricky Leong, Calgary, Alta., ex-Montreal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [non]. RFPI to return from Illinois? see U S A --- ILLINOIS SHORTWAVE PROJECT ** CUBA. 530 kHz update: as of today, May 21 at 1500 GMT, they have now shifted the audio back to Rebelde (ex-Radio Cadena Habana from post-rally coverage May 17th through yesterday, the 20th). But it remains a high-power, good signal all day now; not all that much weaker than the 1180 flamethrower. As for the "what's happening to Radio Visión Cristiana" questions: here on coastal west Florida, RVC is not audible (weak carrier only when the channel was otherwise vacant) in the daytime, though it's quite loud south of here (Naples, etc.). This allows the airborne Radio Martí, when active, and the 530 Cuba to come in on the direct water path (along with most other western Cuba stations). At night, RVC trashes both signals though (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DESECHEO & NAVASSA. KP1-5 PROJECT http://www.kp1-5.com [425DXN 729 and 720] consists of a group of Amateur Radio operators who are advocating the reopening of Navassa (KP1, NA-098) and Desecheo (KP5, NA-095) to Amateur Radio operations. Both islands, wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), have been closed to Amateur Radio and other lawful use for ten years. The KP1-5 Project is attempting to change the situation through legislation in Congress, H.R. 1183, and federal court review of the FWS's denial of applications for permits for Amateur Radio use of the Navassa and Desecheo refuges. * KP1-5 Project at Dayton (20-21 May) Members of the KP1-5 Project team will be at the Dayton Hamvention on 20-21 May at Booth 194. Amateur Radio operators will be able to send a message to their Congressman from Booth 194 in support of H.R. 1183. The team will present an update on the legislative and legal front during the Hamvention's DX Forum on the 21st. * Conference Call (23 May) The KP1-5 Project will conduct a conference call for Amateur Radio media and others on 23 May at 9.00 p.m. eastern time via telephone and Echolink. To participate in this conference call, please contact Brad Farrell, K4RT at 202-623-5713 or farrell@clm.com for instructions. * Congressional Subcommittee Hearing (26 May) Renowned DXer Bob Allphin, K4UEE and court appeal plaintiff Brad Farrell, K4RT have been invited to testify before the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans on 26 May in Washington, D.C. The Subcommittee invited Mr. Allphin and Mr. Farrell to testify to hear the Amateur Radio perspective on the issue of access to the nation's island wildlife refuges. The Subcommittee hearing will be open to the public. [TNX K4RT] (425 DX News via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Tal como lo ha confirmado el colega Manuel Méndez, desde hace un tiempo he registrado como inactivas en República Dominicana a Radio Cima/Super Q en 4960v y Radio Pueblo en 5010v. La primera lleva más de un año silenciada y la segunda más de 8 meses fuera del aire. Efectivamente, la única estación de onda corta activa en Dominicana es Radio Amanecer en 6024.93 kHz (Adán González, Estado Vargas, May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. See HCJB stamp, cancelled: RADIO PHILATELY below ** GERMANY. (and Belgium non): Tomorrow the Jülich station will try to use 75 metres under broad daylight. The Maeva FM broadcast will be carried on additional 3955 // 6015, 1100-1200 AM and 1200-1400 DRM: http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?s=43ad1aca44df2e36b49792551b6315f5&threadid=1084 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] Hello, I just checked 3955 for the announced test from Jülich: Nothing to detect, not even a trace of a carrier. However, 49 metres from Jülich is also not that strong today, so I think this observation doesn't necessarily mean that nothing is on. I see also various "don't hear anything" messages at http://forum.myphorum.de/read.php?f=8773&i=185855&t=185855 As for the programming on 6015: I can get Natasha Beddingfield and R.E.M. on half a dozen FM stations here. So what? Also checked out Freie Volksmission Krefeld till 1130 on 5945: Yes, it's in German. They put a strong echo effect on all talks, probably to create an impression of the preacher speaking through a large PA system to an even larger crowd. The closing announcement was made almost unreadable by putting the echo-echo-echo talk on a loud bed. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1201 UT May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later2:] It has been reported now that the 3955 test was limited to the DRM portion of the Maeva transmission, signing on at 1156, cf. the link I already gave. They mention that the bitstream was in synch with 6015, so apparently originated from the same encoder (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1936 UT May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Just found a bunch of pictures from the Rohrdorf/ Bodenseesender station: http://www.darc.de/distrikte/p/13/fotoalben/bodenseesender_htm/album.htm No captions there, so I can only guess, referring to the last two numbers on the thumbnails: 22...26 should be the shortwave transmitters, probably the frontmost one being the 50 kW from Radio Bremen. 31...37 transmitter and audio control (note RTW peak meters in 32 and EMT limiter/compressors in 37). 38 appears to be an older mediumwave transmitter, usually described as own construction by SWF, but the housing reminds me on the plate-modulated transmitters Telefunken made in the seventies? 39 (and detail in 41) must be the current 666 kHz transmitter (Telefunken PDM, so should be an S4003). The following pictures apparently portray the power supply (tube rectifiers???). On the last row apparently antenna switches (remember their day/night pattern switch). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Hellenes Around the World == Greeks Everywhere page with previews of topics, tnx to John Babbis; however on May 21 it was still showing May 14, so not sure if this be a permalink: http://www.voiceofgreece.gr/en/omogeneia_ekpompes.asp?catid=148 The May 21 show at 1400-1500 on 9775 via Delano was 75% about Turkish (or Ottoman) genocide against the Pontian Greeks in 1915. That`s a region of NE Turkey on the Black Sea with a Greek minority, going back to antiquity. One American author was interviewed about her book on this topic: Turkey needs to acknowledge and come to terms with its genocidal past, not only against Greeks, but other Christians, such as Armenians and Assyrians. Then another American guest discussed the definition of what`s genocide and what`s not. The only way you are going to get the names of the guests is from the webpage, as Katerina never pronounces them clearly or spells them out, nor even repeats them at the conclusion! This broadcast again suffered from audio drop-outs. Fortunately they were split-seconds rather than full-seconds, so only an occasional syllable would be lost rather than entire words. Averaged about 5 per minute, but not evenly spaced at all. These VOG relays via USA sites have been going on for years now. Why can`t they get the satellite feed problem, if that`s what it is, straightened out once and for all? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "Hellenes Around The World In English" was on from 1400-1500 UT today. Katerina: You had a very interesting program on genocide (a word that did not exist until Nazi Germany came into being). Perhaps you should look into the root causes of genocide (killing of a race). The other side of the coin should also be investigated. Was it brought about by genozilia (jealousy of a minority race) by the majority, for whatever reasons? My parents went from Thessaloniki to Vasilikos (Anatoliki Thraki) in the late 19th Century for economic opportunities before the breakup of the Ottoman Empire and did not feel threatened by the Turkish majority there. With the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, the Bulgarians took over the land and white-washed the interior of the Greek churches among other actions, and forced the Greek minority to return to their homeland. In his youth, my father had worked in his brother's grocery store at age 14 and slept on a shelf in the back room. He went to Constantinople to learn the barbering trade and came to America about 1912. He returned to Greece, got married, and returned to New York in 1916 on the Greek ship Themistocles. Shortly thereafter he moved to Washington. When we started school, we knew only Greek, and my sister Anastasia flunked Kindergarten! Knowing only the Greek language, our parents were unable to assist us in our classwork, so we struggled our way through school, doing well in our studies. My father's proudest possession was his American citizenship certificate and the fact that my sister became a secretary at the Department of Agriculture, me at the Government Printing Office, and my brother Nicholas at a major printing plant. All this happened because we blended in with the Amerikani by being friendly and helpful to one another. We did not feel like a minority, and they did not act like a majority. That is the great thing about America -- the true melting pot of mankind. So much for history (John Babbis, Silver Spring MD, May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. RRI Fak Fak 9th Harmonic --- Hi All, Noted the Item in World Of Radio 1274 May 17, 2005, and WOR Online Summary of Anthony Mann`s logging of 42749.9 = 9th Harmonic of 4750, RRI Fak-Fak heard in Perth, Western Australia. Congratulations, Tony; we'll know where to look now! Might be a bit late in the season, but will keep an eye out for Harmonic 8, 7, 6, 5, etc. Looks like the first logging of this one, seen no other reports, of this. A pretty rare catch. Well done, Tony. Wonder when it will be heard again? 73 (Dave Vitek, Adelaide, South Australia, harmonics yg via DXLD) So here are the approximate harmonic frequencies to look out for: I`ll include 2 thru 18 for sake of completeness, tho VHF propagation could go even higher, but how much harmonic output would remain? -- 9500, 14250, 19000, 23750, 28500, 33250, 38000, 42750, 47500, 52250, 57000, 61750, 66500, 71250, 76000, 80750, 85500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Post subject: dxprograms.net I was listening to World Of Radio today on 7415 WBCQ and I heard that cat talking about: http://www.dxprograms.net So I went on over there and discovered a years worth of archived radio programs alot of which are DX related. Found quite a few of the Allan Weiner World Wide shows there. As some of you know, I have webtv instead of a real computer. And so it dont let me do alot of stuff like download certain kinds of audio and other b.s. but when I clicked on 'stream' for any one of the shows archived at http://www.dxprograms.net It let me download it like nothin. Shit I listened to 30 minutes of a Allan Weiner World Wide show from 4-16-05 with no troubles except it paused for a few seconds in order to get the next section of audio for me. Then it lasted for 15 minutes with no pause at all. I only stopped it at the 30 minute mark because I actually listened to that same show when it was live on the air on the 16th. So I just wanted to tell those who didn`t already know about http://www.dxprograms.net to go on over there and getcha'a'pull off of some of that goodness archived over there. Its excellent. I cant get over the fact that my webtv with its Connection Speed of 19200 bps (uncompressed) could actually download the full meal deals. A big hell yah and thanks to whoever the cat is who put that site together. I couldn`t find any contact info for the cat on the site. Anyone know who the cat is? And I wish that somebody could put together a site like that but just have it be nothing but WBCQ shows only. Post a years worth of stuff then through-out just litter classic surprises in there. http://www.dxprograms.net HELLA COOL SITE THERE (GutteralTexage, April 21, WBCQ forum via DXLD) Agreed; but as sometimes happens, latest WOR 1274 is not up yet as of Saturday evening; guess Alex couldn`t get the first airing Wed from WBCQ as he usually does. Maybe 5070 will work Saturday night. BTW, I should point out that 15825 may surprise you Thu at 2030 if you are normally too close to WWCR or there is a MUF depression; sporadic E openings can bring it in at shorter ranges, including Enid at only one megameter away (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. My most interesting discovery was a company called Octoshape, based in Copenhagen. They have a technology which allows a much more efficient delivery of "live" streaming over the Internet. At the moment, someone like the BBC has to produce and pay for thousands of separate streams to serve relatively small audiences to its audio and video streams. In a crisis, no system can cope. This technology means that users downloading a stream also act as transmitters for others.. bit like Bit Torrent but then for live streaming. Steven Alstrup has certainly come up with a technology for the future! http://www.octoshape.com posted by Jonathan Marks @ 5/18/2005 10:28:00 PM (Critical Distance blog via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Advertisement against sat radio I heard a first yesterday... while monitoring KNX's interference effects on XEPRS, there was an ad AGAINST satellite radio in general. They told listeners that the content is very harmful to children, and offensive to others, so don't buy a satellite radio, because regular radio is safer and more "decent", and to "use your IPod or other mp3 player for your music listening." (Darwin, CA, ABDX via DXLD) There's no question about it: terrestrial radio is scared. Very scared. And the really funny thing is they're blind to the competition coming their way from cellphonecasting, WiMax, WiFi "clouds," etc. If they think satellite is bad, they haven't seen anything yet. Lesson in all this? If you spend enough time in a government-sanctioned oligopoly, you eventually forget how to compete, just like AT&T and the U.S. auto industry did. (Harry Helms W5HLH, Wimberley, TX EM00, http://futureofradio.typepad.com/ ABDX via DXLD) See also RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM ** ISRAEL. RE: Radio Riddler Delights (and Stumps) Israelis I searched around and found the "Mishpat Chamizer" webpage - in Hebrew - at: http://www.iba.org.il/Index.asp?classto=139 I couldn't find "Mishpat Chamizer" in the Reshet Bet schedule at http://www.iba.org.il/radioshidurim/files/week1-bet.pdf since it is actually a part of the "Inyan Acher" show (a news and actuality program). "Inyan Acher" is broadcast Sun - Thurs 8 am - 10 am Israel time (0500-0700 UT, or 1 AM EDT) on Reshet Bet - in Hebrew. You can listen to the show via Reshet Bet in Israel on AM/FM. Around the world you can listen, live via shortwave on 17535 kHz or in the media window at the IBA website http://media.iba.org.il The IBA media window also has the show available on-demand-which helps alot for those of us in the U.S.! There is a direct link from the Mishpat Chamizer website I listed above (Doni Rosenzweig, May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. XHLGT-2/XHL-2 Leon GTO --- The unknown logo that I recently reported seeing on a Mexican station carrying "Cristina" turned out to be Televisa independent XHL-2 León. After receiving the logo two more times, I was able to read the station's name: El Canal de Casa. An Internet search for that name lead me to Fred Cantú's Guanajuato page, which has XHL (El Canal de Casa) listed on channel 2. Fred must have a contact in that part of Mexico. The programming caught here (and written in my DX notes) matches XHL's Website schedule for all three days. Now here is the switch: XHL was on channel 11 until recently and is still listed as such by most sources. In turn, XEW relayer XHLGT was on channel 2. The logo that Fred uses and is displayed on the XHL site is outdated, which is common for Televisa independent/non-network sites. The new logo is a partial ring (or backward "C") with a TV set in the left side of the broken ring. Oddly, XHLGT-2 was a new log for me in January. I was lucky to catch the text ID before the channel swap. As this situation is similar to the channel switch in Miami a few years back, XHL does *not* count as a new log (Danny (Shreveport, LA) Oglethorpe, Mexico/Latin America TV ID tips: http://www.geocities.com/doglethorpe May 16, WTFDA via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. Re Bonilla stations: Dennis, No surprise there. México never will have a totally coöperative attitude toward US until US "returns" several states that we stole, fair and square (my words) under prevailing European ideas of jurisprudence of that era; or until those states have enough Mexican nationals population to effectively accomplish the same. Anytime México slips something past us, they rise in the estimation of the rest of Latin America (especially Cuba!). (Charlie L Taylor, Greenville, North Carolina, IRCA via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. ENGLISH, SPANISH MERGING ON THE AIR --- MUSIC STATION AIMS FOR UPSCALE LATINO [KFMR 95.1] Yvonne Wingett, The Arizona Republic, May. 21, 2005 12:00 AM The music is in Spanish. The deejays speak English. Sometimes. Radio station Club 95 Latino Vibe hit the airwaves Friday, putting the hip-hop beats that keep urban Latinos in the clubs onto the Valley's airwaves. It's designed to appeal to a population that smart marketers are after: a young, bilingual group of educated 18- to 34-year-olds who identify with both cultures. Un poquito Español and a little English, the "Spanglish" format is on fire with Latinos and other ethnic groups in Miami, New York and Houston, experts say. Second-, third- and fourth-generation Latinos identify with the format because it bridges the American and Latin lifestyles and blends Spanish dialogues from Cuba, Mexico and Puerto Rico. . . http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0521spanglishradio.html (via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) See also USA ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Perhaps you will remember that Dutch pirate operators ran last December a high power station on 97.0 from a site immediately behind the Dutch-German border near Bad Bentheim, where they secretly built a 100 metre tall tower with an eight-bay antenna, resulting in hardly less than 100 kW ERP. Now http://www.etherpiraten.com/ mentions that Agentschap Telecom ordered a fine of 53,000 Euro for this violation. This considerable amount is meant to make a point that it is definitely no clever idea for Dutch pirate stations to do it from German soil. Probably matters are even worse for the 97.0 operators, since the unauthorized construction of the 100-metre-tall structure could be probably considered as a criminal offence in regard to aviation security. Pictures of the tower, the transmitter (a professional 10 kW Rohde & Schwarz model) and the raid: http://www.etherpiraten.com/bestanden/KKA/KKA.asp (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. Re KBKH FM Update: Things are getting really, really, nasty in Shamrock, TX. Check out the replies to the first post already published in DXLD, from http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=417931&Board=oklahoma One of which reminds us why this is relevant to OK. Some of the same plus additional posts are at the RI texas board (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [and non]. While the radio was away from the PC I did some further scanning: All 41 metres had to offer were three DRM signals, on 7240, 7265 and 7320. All well-known as Flevo, Sines and Rampisham, of course. And 31 metres? There was Greece on 9375, and the next signal appeared on 9525, unexpectedly in German, but after a few seconds I realized that this is an old Radio Polonia standard. Did not recognize them even faster because there was surprisingly no growl. And yes, an interesting broadcast really worth to listen to. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1201 UT May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Voice of Russia What`s New http://www.vor.ru/English/Exclusives/what_new.html MUSICAL TALES (May 23 – May 29). The history of arts knows figures that for centuries came to symbolize genius, light, kindness or --- villainy. One of the gloomiest and darkest characters was the composer Antonio Salieri, who for centuries has been blamed for killing the great Mozart. Was Antonio Salieri a villain? What kind of man was he? We`ll have 20 minutes to find that out. JAZZ SHOW (May 23 – May 27). This edition of JAZZ SHOW is dedicated to one of the most popular jazz clubs in Moscow. The club`s owner, Alik Eidelman, will tell you of the club`s traditions and introduce the musicians. One of the pieces on the program is called ``Let`s Go to Alik`s for Jam.`` You`ll hear recordings of prominent jazzmen, including Igor Bril, Yuri Markin and the Jazz Contact Orchestra led by Oleg Stepurko. And the program will feature a brilliant jazzwoman from Sweden, Agneta Bauman. MUSIC AROUND US (May 24 – May 27). Jewish national culture has never been able to find support in Russia, either from the Tsars or Communists. But times change, and this season the Moscow International House of Music has launched a whole series of concerts entitled ``Jewish Holidays on Red Hills.`` ``Music Around Us`` will feature this series and play Jewish folk melodies and music by composers of the 20th century. Tune in on Tuesday at 0430, 1430, 1730, 2030 UTC, on Thursday at 1430 UTC or on Friday at 0530 UTC. MOSCOW MAILBAG (May 16 – May 22). Joe Adamov – the regular host of this program, who has been around for more than 60 years on it, is currently vacationing. Sitting in for him will be Yuri Reshetnikov to tackle your questions. ``Is it true that your president is an ex-KGB officer? Is he trying to restore the power of the former USSR?`` ``Why is Christian religion so strong?`` ``Joe Adamov once described NATO as an American-German alliance? Do you really believe in this?`` These questions and more will be answered in this edition of Moscow Mailbag. CHRISTIAN MESSAGE FROM MOSCOW (May 21 - May 22). For those interested in the Russian Orthodox Church and the lives of Orthodox Christians in Russia. In the next edition of the program you will hear REFLECTIONS ON DEATH by one of the greatest Russian saints, Bishop Ignaty Bryanchaninov, who lived in the 19th century. We invite you to visit our site at http://www.vor.ru/English/Christian_Message/index.html for the text version of the program. KALEIDOSCOPE (May 16 – May 22). In the program you will hear a correspondent`s report from Krasnoyarsk, the south of Central Siberia, about a lyceum that teaches the handicapped, making use of experience of German Experts in this field, and an item filed by our correspondent from Ryazan, the Central European part of this country, about the Oksk Nature Preserve. Our permanent author Professor Vsevolod Marinov shares some results of a sociological survey on reaction in Russia to the death of Pope John Paul II. We shall tell you about Mikhail Sholokhov, author of the famous novel ``Quiet Flows the Don,`` laureate of the Nobel Prize and many other prestigious awards. This year he would have turned 100…These and other stories, plus some very interesting reflections by David Yeomans, our friend from Great Britain, about --- billionaires! Stay with ``Kaleidoscope`` to learn more about life in this country! MUSIC AND MUSICIANS (May 21 – 22). In early May, as Orthodox Christians were celebrating Holy Easter, an Easter Festival went underway in Moscow for the fourth time running. In the orbit of the Festival were 20 cities and towns, and on the program were 90 concerts at prestigious Philharmonic venues and children`s musical schools, student clubs and churches, museums and city squares. Organized by one of the world`s most renowned conductors Valery Gergiev, the Festival was a spectacular event, of which we`ll tell you in MUSIC AND MUSICIANS. MUSICAL TALES (May 16 – May 22). Music is created by the people, and we, composers, make the arrangements, the Russian classic Mikhail Glinka said. Folk tunes are my ideal, echoed the German romantic Johannes Brahms. These quotations from the world celebrities could serve an epigraph to our program in which we`ll recall dance melodies of different peoples that acquired second lives in works by classical composers. You`ll hear fragments from the music by Brahms and Dvorak, Grieg, Glinka and Sarasate (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VLADIVOSTOK MEDIA GUIDE | This media guide is compiled from observations made by BBC Monitoring and comment from media observers, regional leaders and officials. Authorities and media Regional administrations in the Far East Federal District (FEFD) are politically and economically powerful. With smaller urban populations, municipal authorities are economically, and therefore politically, weaker than counterparts in western Russia. Financial investment, and use of administrative resources by the regional administration during the 1990s, has resulted in the regional administration obtaining levels of ownership in the majority of media sources, resulting in a largely compliant media. Continuing financial inducements has resulted in a legacy that sees political, rather than economic, interests exerting influence over media sources in Vladivostok. Television Broadcasting since 1955, GTRK Primorye Television is the oldest and, with 90 per cent coverage of the Maritime Territory, the most popular station. Daily news bulletins cover most local events. GTRK Primorye Television claims to be objective, however any criticism of the regional administration does not extend beyond low-level stories about municipal failings. The regional authorities have a contract with GTRK Primorye Television for `information support,' and the new Vladivostok mayor Vladimir Nikolaev, has a similar contract. Obchestvennoye Televidenie Primorya (Public Television of Maritime Territory, or OTV) was founded in June 1998 by the Maritime Territory administration. Ex-governor Yevgeniy Nazdratenko established the television station to obtain favourable coverage of his election campaign. Thus from the very beginning, OTV has supported the regional administration and governor, media observers report. Currently, OTV supports Vladivostok mayor Vladimir Nikolaev who is politically linked with governor Sergey Darkin. OTV describes itself as the "first information channel" in the Maritime Territory. It has 13 news bulletins during weekdays; however most of them are pre- recorded and repeated several times during the day. OTV is the only channel that has its own local analytical programme Chas Pik (Rush Hour). OTV covererage includes the cities of Vladivostok, Nakhodka, and Ussuriisk, some 50 per cent of the Maritime Territory. There are three private television companies in the region. TNT- Vladivostok, STS-Voskhod and TV3 with Vostok TV. These stations broadcast time-shifted versions of programmes from Moscow, although TNT-Vladivostok has weekday news programming; the content and style are similar to OTV news. TNT- Vladivostok also enjoys financial support from the Maritime Territory administration, report media observers. Radio GTRK Primorye Radio is the only state-owned radio station in Maritime Territory. It broadcasts locallyproduced programmes when not relaying national Radio Rossii. With the exception of the most popular local radio stations Lemma and VBC (Vladivostok Broadcasting Company), other local radio stations rebroadcast programming from Moscow-based stations. Founded in 1993 and broadcasting with a music-based format, VBC is the oldest commercial radio station covering most of the Maritime Territory. Lemma is an information, speech-based radio station founded in 1996. Programming includes interviews with officials, deputies and public figures. News bulletins are broadcast every half-hour. While Lemma calls itself the "independent voice" of Maritime Territory, programming is supportive of governor Darkin. Roman Kondratov, the owner of Lemma, also owns the Akvaresursy Fishing Company and used Lemma to confront ex-governor Nazdratenko, broadcasting criticizm of the regional administration. However, Kondratov and governor Darkin are business partners and Lemma has ceased criticizing the regional authorities, report media observers. Press Vladivostok is a daily newspaper with the highest local circulation of over 70,000 copies. Owned by the Dalnevostochnaya Aktsionernaya Infornatsionnaya Izdatelskaya Kompania Vladivostok v Novosti stock holding company, journalists own a quarter of all shares, the Far Eastern Shipping Company owns 11 per cent, with other shares owned by commercial companies. Vladivostok was first published in 1883, the modern version of the paper appearing in 1989. It covers most aspects of life in Vladivostok and the Maritime Territory. Another daily newspaper published in Vladivostok is Novosti (News). First published in September 1993 and positioned itself as a tabloid newspaper, the newspaper has evolved to publish stories about crime with other political, economic and cultural news. The ex-mayor of Vladivostok, Yuriy Kopylov, generously financed Novosti. During the last mayoral election campaign in 2004, it was the only paper that dared to criticize the eventual winner, Nikolaev. It has a circulation of some 40,000 copies. Two local weekly newspapers target businessmen and entrepreneurs. Zolotoy Rog (Golden Horn) and Koncurent (Competitor) have smaller circulations of some 10,000. Both newspapers appeared in the early 1990s. The newspapers claim to be independent and sometimes criticize the regional and city authorities. At the same time they do not hesitate to publish material praising a certain official, deputy or businessmen. Both newspapers publish business news and have well-written analytical and economic-based articles, report media observers. The holding company, Zolotoy Rog, publishes the newspapers and the magazine Dalnevostochniy Kapital (Far Eastern Capital). However the magazine largely contains articles about the business activities of the large companies of the region. In 2002 the weekly newspaper Dalnevostochnye Vedomosti (Far Eastern Gazette) was established. It is a mixture of news, analysis and scurrilous stories more typical of the tabloid press. The same journalists work for Dalnevostichnye Vedimosti and Moscovskiy Komsomolets vo Vladivostoke, so the character of two newspapers is very similar. Dalnevostichnye Vedimosti has a circulation of 33,000. Several federal newspapers are available in Vladivostok with a locally produced section. Moskovskiy Komsomolets vo Vladivostoke, Komsomolskaya Pravda na Dalnem Vostoke, AiF Primorye. All of them publish local news and sometimes (MK vo Vladivostoke in particular) reveal corruption by local officials. Source: BBC Monitoring research 20 May 05 (via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. ZARQAWI AUDIO TO BROADCAST ON RADIO TAJDEED By Nick Grace May 21, 2005 Radio Tajdeed, a satellite program targeting Saudi Arabia and run by a man with extensive al Qaeda ties, announced Friday that it would air a new audio tape of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Global Crisis Watch (GCW) Middle East correspondent Marwan Soliman reports exclusively in a special edition of the program that the station promised to air a new tape. "I was tuning to them around 1830 UTC yesterday," he said. "They were interviewing as usual Dr. Mohammed al-Masari and they came up with a special announcement saying that they would be broadcasting a special speech by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi... They said the broadcast would take place around 1800 hours UTC on Saturday." It was not clear at press time whether the audio would be from a tape released on May 18 or a new one. Radio Tajdeed, which uses the French-owned Eutelsat Hotbird satellite, was raided earlier this month by British authorities for suspicion of ties to the kidnappers of an Australian national inside Iraq. Its program, GCW and Clandestine Radio Watch note, is clearly supportive of al Qaeda and has encouraged through its music a global jihad against non-Muslims. "They have to be very cautious," Soliman reports. "(but) I wonder if they have become very supportive of al Qaeda since the raid on their studios. We will just have to wait and see what will come out of Tajdeed Radio after broadcasting this speech or audio file of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi." A full report on the broadcast will be carried on the regular edition of Global Crisis Watch on Monday, May 23, 2005. The Special Report can be found at this location [6 minutes]: http://www.clandestineradio.com/gcw/050521.mp3 Global Crisis Watch, Clandestine Radio Watch and ClandestineRadio.com's weekly current affairs podcast, brings listeners to the front line on the War of Ideas and interviews people who are fighting tyranny and terrorism with the pulse of freedom (CRW Extra May 21 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. See USA: WBCQ ** SWEDEN. THE GRIMETON RADIO STATION: A UNIQUE PIECE OF IT HISTORY GRIMETON, Sweden - The methods we use to communicate with each other are under constant development, and technology offers ever more sophisticated means of human contact. . . http://english.epochtimes.com/news/5-5-17/28849.html (The Epoch Times, Wed, 18 May 2005 7:05 AM PDT via Sheldon Harvey, Andy Sennitt, Mike Terry, DXLD) illustrated; the Alexandersson Alternator on VLF, WTFK? (gh) ** SWITZERLAND. NEW INSTALLMENT OF 2 BOBS FROM MAY 25, 2005 Hi Glenn. I trust this finds you well. The popularity of the original Two Bobs recording for Switzerland in Sound has proved so popular, that Bob Thomann and I have just recorded a second, one-hour installment, in which we discuss some of the classic technical issues in shortwave including propagation, antennas, receivers, and reducing man-made and natural interference. You are the first to be informed of this news, and that we expect this new material to be available on the website from Wednesday, May 25th. It will remain available for an indefinite period. I appreciate the publicity you have given SIS in the past, and ask you for your help in spreading this latest news. 73, Robert "Bob" Zanotti, founder and editor, Switzerland in Sound, "radio on demand" http://www.switzerlandinsound.com Switzerland in Sound, 3507 Biglen, Switzerland (Bob Zanotti, May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKS & CAICOS. 530: See CUBA ** U K. Think Global 2005: BBCWS participating after all; other schedule changes Interesting -- with the BBCWS moving to a weekly program information cycle, they're making changes on the fly. The "For Richer, For Poorer" global debate co-hosted by Robin Lustig ("Talking Point") will air to all regions on shortwave at 1800 UT Saturday. The UEFA Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool will air 1830 UT on May 25th in all regions. There is also mention that schedule changes are possible on Monday, May 23rd, but they don't explain this further. You can register for this weekly e-mail guide by clicking on "Email Network" appearing on the main BBCWS webpage, http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice You might see an e-mail here from me inviting you to subscribe -- it appears that you can win a shortwave radio by referring someone else to the e-mail service (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, May 20, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) May 23 is the first 24-hour strike against BBC by the unions. More to come May 31-June 1. KUNM also moved For Richer, for Poorer from originally planned 1600-1800, to 1800-2000 UT (gh, DXLD) ** U K. THE GUARDIAN PROFILE: MARK THOMPSON --- The director general of the BBC faces a staff backlash against his plans to axe about 4,000 of them. But those who know him say he is unlikely to waver from his belief that the cuts are vital for the future of the corporation Owen Gibson, Media correspondent, Friday May 20, 2005, Guardian As the BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, is driven through the picket lines surrounding the corporation's gleaming Media Centre in west London on Monday, his mind may wander back to the last time that massed ranks of BBC staff brought traffic to a standstill. Then, it was an emotional show of spontaneous support for the outgoing director general, Greg Dyke, brought down by the fallout from the Hutton report. On Monday, the atmosphere will be very different as their anger is targeted at Thompson, the man who replaced Dyke and is attempting to push through the biggest job cuts in the corporation's history. . . http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5197907-103690,00.html (via Dan Say, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. RE: GENE SCOTT, KHOF - AN HONEST MAN? Dear Glenn, I don't think we've met in person. But as the second ever manager of AWR (Adventist World Radio) from 1976 - 1981 (Lisbon, Portugal), a colleague of Dr. Adrian Peterson and an amateur radio operator (K9RWA and F6IBB), I have heard your name hundreds of times, and admire your enormous mastery of the wide world of radio. Your name surfaced again today while I was searching the WEB for information about former station KHOF, Los Angeles. Much is written about the late Dr. Gene Scott, the eccentric lunatic who took over and ran KHOF from late 1975, and who goaded the FCC so badly that it eventually stripped the broadcasting licenses. But little has been written about the extraordinary man who was the station founder, Pastor Ray Schoch, or his chubby, happy-go-lucky daughter Linda, or singer Walter Arties who with the help of the Schochs founded the Breath of Life telecast, reputed television engineers such as Bruce Braun (a Baptist, Producer-Director for NET 98) and Joe Snelson (2001 national broadcast engineer of the year), Pat Rutherford (creator of Praise Until Dawn and Praise Broadcasting Network, only to mention a few of the extraordinary men and women who passed through KHOF. Paul Crouch (Trinity Broadcasting Network) was KHOF station manager during the run up to ruin and the eventual high- jacking of the Faith Network by cigar-puffing Scott. On the web and in some of your journals, I read with considerable amusement comments about the "honesty" of Dr. Gene Scott. My short but intense personal contact with him in 1975, at the onset of his burst into national and international infamy, convinced me that the man was at best an opportunist. He possessed all the qualities of a practicing guru, twisting truth, civil and holy law for personal pleasure and gain. Scott was anything but honest. I remember the story well because I worked at KHOF-FM & TV from 1971 to the end of 1975, when Scott took over. I was the first Seventh-day Adventist Christian to be hired by Pentecostal Pastor Ray Schoch. And I was the first man Gene Scott disposed of. Pastor Shoch had hired me in early 1971 as a television transmitter engineer. A year later I became the afternoon FM announcer. In 1974, Program Manager of KHOF- FM, post I held during the final year before everything went wrong. Until Gene Scott's arrival, KHOF had been a wonderful place to work. There was a vibrant, positive aire about everything. It was a warm, serious, effective Christian ministry, firmly attached to Scripture and Christian values. During nearly five years at the station, I witnessed thousands of transformed lives. Jesus was lifted up and He drew many people to Him. The Schoch family and his local church members were humble, sincere, lovely Christians and absolutely honest. Scott destroyed that reputation within weeks of arriving. Financial difficulties had begun to plague Faith TV Network during the energy crisis of 1974. The purchase of KVOF-TV in San Francisco and WHCT-TV in Hartford, Connecticut, further stressed the budget. Donations were not keeping pace with their adventurous "faith". In spring of 1975, the decision was made to sell off KHOF the highly profitable FM radio station. I resolved to find the money to buy it. The Faith Center board accepted my bid of $700,000 down payment, another $1 million to be paid over the next 10 years. Donations of $30,000 were rapidly found which I paid at the signing of the purchase agreement, to be returned if I could not come up with the rest. I continued to raise money and was well on the way towards my goal, when one day in November, Gene Scott rolled up to the KHOF Glendale studios (opposite the famous Forest Lawn Cemetery) in one of his chauffeured limousines, his latest concubine, a young, oriental-looking girl on his arm. The Schoch family announced that Scott would be our new boss and that there would be nothing to fear. Our jobs were secure. "What about my purchase contract," I protested? "Too late", I was told. "You'll have to work that out with Dr. Scott." Long story short, nothing got worked out. Scott literally stole the station from me and Faith Media, the not-for-profit group I'd organized. Then, a few weeks before Christmas, a Friday afternoon at the end of my on-air shift, Scott sent up his "hit man" (a quiet fellow with a soft German accent), who fired my wife and me on the spot, then locked us out of the building. I never met Scott again. He eluded any communication, and would not respond to phone calls or letters. Through his staff he scoffed at my demands that he honor my purchase contract. (Note: he was a far better lawyer and business tycoon than theologian, although he bluffed a lot of Bible-ignorant people). Ultimately, he refused to return my $30,000. I soon realized that I was dealing with a mad man and a thief; definitely not a Christian. Without money to pay lawyers, there was little I could do. Euphoria had electrified preceding months. I had been convinced we could rescue KHOF-FM, permitting 20 long years of ministry to continue for hundreds of thousands of the potential 10 million listeners in the L.A. basin. But dreams were dashed; hopes crashed. Painfully dark days and nights followed as I battled depression. Out of a job, I briefly filled in at semi-Christian stations KQLH-FM in San Bernardino and KREL at Riverside. And I lent a hand towards completing the construction of the new 5 tower directional antenna array at the 50,000 watt Storer-owned station, KGBS on 1020 AM, which became KTNQ. In September, 1976, I sold my home, left Los Angeles, moving to Lisbon, Portugal, to manage and develop AWR, yet in its infancy. In 1981, at the ascendance of François Mitterrand to the French presidency and the demise of the State broadcasting monopoly, I moved to France, building a dozen FM stations at local Seventh-day Adventist Churches. Independent of the Church, I opened RADIO 74 in January 1982. Unsupported by Church, State or commercial advertising, God blessed this tiny ministry at the doorstep of Geneva, Switzerland, which gradually developed into a few dozen FM and DAB stations in France and America, and three satellite radio networks with listeners in some 100 countries. Reflecting over the past three decades, I sometimes muse about how different my life would have unfolded had Gene Scott not steam-rolled over KHOF, bullied the staff (not to mention Church members), squandered money and lost the licenses. This personal blow early in my career firmed my resolve to ever after work with diligence and tenacity. It was excellent training in mob mentality which later served me well as I founded and operated FM stations at Florence, Ventimiglia and Rome, Italy. There, endless court battles and threats on my life were the norm. KJOI, 102.7 FM in Rome, was bombed in 1989 as the parting gesture of a small scale thug I had defeated in court in a dispute over rights to the frequency. France wasn't much of an improvement where, for years, the State made life miserable, although in recent years things have mellowed somewhat. Dr. Gene Scott now sleeps in his grave, until resurrection day and the judgment. I long ago forgave the man. My only regret is that he never extended the opportunity for me to tell him so. Looking back over my eventful life, I leave the results of my labour in the hands of the Lord. He sees the end from the beginning. And as I survey the increasingly sick world around, I rejoice that Jesus Christ is returning soon. He has given me perfect confidence that all will turn out well. You see, I've read the last two chapters of God's book, the Bible. If you've read this far, congratulations! I'm not usually so verbose with a stranger, but then, Glenn, I feel that you are more of a friend. All the best! God bless! Kindest regards, (Ron Myers, Programme & Technical Services, RADIO 74, RADIO 74 INTERNATIONALE, RADIO AMITIE, 161, Chemin de la Montagnère, 74160 - Archamps, France Tel: +33 (0) 4.50.43.74.74 Fax: +33 (0) 4.50.43.76.63 http://www.radio74.org EUROPE http://www.radio74.net USA info@radio74.org May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing beats such a first-person account! Thanks, Ron (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. You may know this, but if not, Pastor Peters (racist, anti- Jew, anti-black, anti-Catholic, anti-Constitution --- by his own admission) --- now has 48 hours straight through on WWCR's transmitter #4 on the weekends. Also, he would like the 7 p.m. MDT (0100 UT) slot on Friday evenings (Saturday mornings UT) on WWCR's frequency of 5070 kHz, because the guys who currently have that slot (Frank from Queens and John from Brooklyn) have been bad-mouthing Pastor Peters for the crime of making anti-Pope comments. So Pastor Peters and his flock have been praying about acquiring that slot. Thus far Pastor Peters has been devoting much of his 48 hours to interviewing others, so it's not his voice all the time, but it's his broadcast. Pastor Peters said on Thursday, May 19, 2005, in his 8 p.m. MDT time slot on WWCR (broadcast simultaneously on 5070 and 5765) that this has added $250,000 per year to his budget. He is rather cryptic, though, about how he has come to control that much money (as you would say, a quarter of a mega dollar). Incidentally, if you have not heard Frank from Queens and John from Brooklyn on 5070 on Fridays at 7 p.m. MDT (this is Saturdays UT at 0100), then you might get a kick out of them. They're usually quite a hoot. They have a segment, usually weekly, called "Hello Afrika" done in a German accent. Supposedly (I've never confirmed this) their show is one hour live on WWCR at 7 p.m. MDT and the second hour continues on the Web only, at The Right Perspective Dot Com or Dot Org (I forget which). They do this to try to get people to tune away from WWCR during their "second hour," which is when the hated Pastor Peters is on the air! That's one of the reasons why Pastor Peters and his flock are praying to acquire that Friday slot. Such is the politics of shortwave in the U. S. of A. (John Cruise, May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Noticed on WWCR 15825, Sat May 21 at 1501: some preacher giving his schedule as 10 am Saturday on 15685, a frequency which WWCR abandoned several years ago. According to May schedule, this is James Hickey, on Let the Bible Speak. There appear to be several programs of this name, including one in Ulster, UK, but not this one as an address was given of NTC, P O Box 137, S. Pittsburg TN 37380. Google searches unproductive, and contact info is missing from WWCR site. He went on to criticize all the new Bible translations which are primarily to make money, since the KJV can`t be copyrighted. Is this a real old tape, or is Hickey, if that`s who it is, so out of touch that he doesn`t even known WWCR`s current frequency carrying his program? Contrary to posted sked, Ask WWCR followed at 1515 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBCQ Programming Notes, May 20, 2005. A new programmer, "Radio Classics," will debut on 7415 at 0000 UT on Sunday, May 29, 2005 (8 PM eastern time Saturday May 28). The new show will feature old time radio broadcasts. WBCQ will be conducting test transmissions of The Overcomer Ministry on Saturday, May 21, 2005, on the following services: 1300-1600 (9 am-12 n ET) on 9330 1300-1600 (9 am-12 n ET) on 17495 1600-1900 (12 n- 3 pm ET) on 7415 Regards, (Larry Will, WBCQ Program Guide via dxldyg via DXLD) I checked around 1300 but did not hear either 9330 or 17495 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Everyone, I stumbled on something new in yesterday's Champaign, Illinois News-Gazette. There are preliminary plans underway for a new left-wing shortwave station in Illinois. As the article in question is horrendously long- and unavailable online, I'll just pass on the following press release from the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center mentioning this: http://www.ucimc.org/feature/display/35393./index.php The News-Gazette story was a profile of Bill Taylor, the force behind WEFT 90.1 FM Champaign, Illinois. In it he mentioned wanting to raise money for the construction of a 50 KW shortwave station to be located at Monticello, Illinois. The News Gazette article had a slightly less abrasive characterization of private American shortwave broadcasting in it (though STILL highly critical). This could be interesting --- a radio duel between the two Monticellos! (Curtis Sadowski, Paxton, Illinois, May 21, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) I believe this is the revival of RADIO FOR PEACE INTERNATIONAL, Costa Rica. Keep reading below to ILLINOIS SW PROJECT, Viz.: (gh, DXLD) Bill Taylor fun and fundraiser Current rating: 0 by via email (No verified email address) 19 May 2005 You're invited to an evening of good music and friendship at a fundraiser to benefit Bill Taylor on Friday, May 20 from 7:30 pm-10:30 pm at the Channing Murrary Foundation in Urbana. Bill lost his hand in a carpentry accident several weeks ago. He hopes to be fitted with a prosthesis in a few weeks. He is one of the founders of community radio station, WEFT, 90.1 FM and director of several progressive radio projects and the Kalyx Center. Cajun band the Noisy Gators, the Boneyard Jazz Quintet, and others will perform. Food and drink provided. Sliding scale donation of $8- $20 requested per person. And, with Bill's permission, there will be a contest to name his prosthesis. Bill says "it's gonna be black with either chrome or some artsy purple/orange lightning bolts, with stainless hook. And, yeah, about any name would be better than 'prosthesis'." Funds raised will go directly to help defray Bill's medical expenses, including a $12,000 helicopter ride from Urbana to Indianapolis and a $10,000 prosthesis, and towards his progressive work in the community. Bill's many projects include: KALYX CENTER Housed in a converted 1875 horse barn and farm house, the Kalyx Center provides a safe retreat space for community events such as retreats, campouts, concerts, exhibits and family gatherings in a wooded setting next to Allerton Park. PRIMARY COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT We work in solidarity with indigenous, union and other progressive movements in the developing world, mostly Central America. We're currently working with CONPAH, a confederation of indigenous peoples' organizations in Honduras to build medium power community radio stations to aid in organizing, educating and basic communications. We get donations of equipment from folks and companies in the U.S., prefabricate radio stations, deliver them, and train people to use them. ILLINOIS SHORTWAVE PROJECT While relatively unknown in the U.S., shortwave radio is the most universally owned communications medium in the world, with 660,000,000 receivers worldwide. Currently, U.S. shortwave is dominated by right wing kooks and propaganda. We're working to build a high power listener sponsored shortwave station near Champaign-Urbana which will be able to bring progressive programming to all areas of the U.S., and at the same time show the outside world that there are many people here who have a world view which differs with that of our government For more information about these projects, call Bill Taylor at (217) 762-9561 or email btaylor (at) prairienet.org btaylor (at) prairienet.org Please join Bill and others for an evening of fun on Friday, May 20 from 7:30 to 10:30 pm at the Channing Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon St. in Urbana. WEFT is a co-sponsor of this event (via Sadowski, ibid.) ** U S A. Amy Goodman's 'Empire' --- by LIZZY RATNER [from the May 23, 2005 issue] Amy Goodman didn't know if anyone was listening. . . http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050523&s=ratner (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Radio Days--and Nights by OUR READERS [from the May 23, 2005 issue] Responding to our call for "Radio Raves," readers eager to extol the virtues of their favorite radio stations overwhelmed our in-box. Air America Radio (although it's not actually a station) was extremely popular (a "life raft" to one reader), as was any station that carried Amy Goodman's Democracy Now!, the most often cited program. Many readers rely on NPR for insuring their sanity in these trying times, but others find it "too mainstream." College stations and independent volunteer-staffed stations were high on many lists. --The Editors _________________________________________________________________ Orange, Conn. The best station is Bridgeport's WPKN, of course. It's truly independent -- no college affiliation, no NPR or PRI, no corporate underwriting, just community support. The free spirit of college radio but with mature production values. Eclectic music selection that's both broad and deep. A strong social conscience. Oh, yes, they carry RadioNation. JOHN BROWN [first of many brief comments] This article can be found on the web at http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050523&s=letter (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Congress Tunes In --- by ROBERT W. MCCHESNEY, JOHN NICHOLS & BEN SCOTT [from the May 23, 2005 issue] Back in the mid-1990s, radio policy debates in Washington generated so little interest that many members of Congress were surprised to learn that they had voted -- in the Telecommunications Act of 1996's grab- bag of giveaways to corporations -- to completely rewrite the rules regarding the ownership, character and content of what ought to be this country's most democratic medium of mass communications, radio. But as the twentieth century gave way to the twenty-first, the dimensions of the disaster created by years of bad policy-making became clear to everyone who was listening. Musicians stopped hearing their songs on the air, as disc jockeys were replaced by robots. Citizens stopped hearing local news, as thousands of broadcast journalists were replaced by syndicated right-wing ranters from New York and Los Angeles. What diversity there had been on the airwaves rapidly disappeared, as Clear Channel Communications bought up more than 1,200 radio stations nationwide--while its competitors gobbled up most of the rest -- and American ears were assaulted by the heavily formatted, intellectually insipid and ideologically narrow sound of radio produced under a regimen of concentrated media ownership. Needless to say, Americans hated what they were hearing, and millions of them came to recognize the connection between consolidation and the decline of radio as a useful -- to say nothing of enlightening -- medium. . . http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050523&s=scott (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Lots of good stuff in the May 23 issue! (gh) ** U S A. A DIFFERENT RECEPTION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING Kenneth Y. Tomlinson remembers exactly when it was and what he was watching when the thought struck him: Public television has a problem. A liberal problem. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/19/AR2005051901975.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/19/AR2005051901975_pf.html (Washington Post, Thu, 19 May 2005 7:54 PM PDT via Sheldon Harvey, Mike Cooper, DXLD) Hmm, the latter would be Printer-Friendly ** U S A. IS PUBLIC BROADCASTING UNDER ATTACK BY CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGUES? --- May 19, 2005 Concerns are growing among public broadcasting supporters that the process of funding and the decision-making about content in public radio and TV are being politicized. Here are a few resources to help you become informed on these issues: A petition to stop political meddling with public broadcasting: http://www.freepress.net/action/pbs Freepress.net article: http://www.freepress.net/news/8140 Good Gray NPR, an article that appeared in The Nation: http://thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050523&s=sherman [also via Mike Cooper] Article in public broadcasting trade paper "Current": http://www.current.org/cpb/cpb0509mess.shtml Bill Moyers' speech at the National Conference on Media Reform, May 15, 2005: http://www.freepress.net/news/8120 (KUNM website via DXLD) ** U S A. Here is only a brief excerpt from Moyers` speech, when he touches on VOA and USIA: ``Tomlinson is the man, by the way, who was running The Voice of America back in 1984 when a partisan named Charlie Wick was politicizing the United States Information Agency of which Voice of America was a part. It turned out there was a blacklist of people who had been removed from the list of prominent Americans sent abroad to lecture on behalf of America and the USIA. What’s more, it was discovered that evidence as to how those people were chosen to be on the blacklist, more than 700 documents had been shredded. Among those on the blacklists of journalists, writers, scholars and politicians were dangerous left-wing subversives like Walter Cronkite, James Baldwin, Gary Hart, Ralph Nader, Ben Bradlee, Coretta Scott King and David Brinkley. The person who took the fall for the blacklist was another right- winger. He resigned. Shortly thereafter, so did Kenneth Tomlinson, who had been one of the people in the agency with the authority to see the lists of potential speakers and allowed to strike people’s names. Let me be clear about this: There is no record, apparently, of what Ken Tomlinson did. We don’t know whether he supported or protested the blacklisting of so many American liberals. Or what he thinks of it now. But I had hoped Bill O`Reilly would have asked him about it when he appeared on The O’Reilly Factor this week. He didn’t. Instead, Tomlinson went on attacking me with O`Reilly egging him on, and he went on denying he was carrying out a partisan mandate despite published reports to the contrary. . .`` (via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. CPB`S PROPAGANDIST-IN-CHIEF KEN TOMLINSON AND HIS CHOICE FOR ITS NEXT PRESIDENT: ANOTHER GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDIST --Patricia Harrison, Washington Watch, May 19, 2005 Conflict of Interest between his Role as Chair of Broadcasting Board of Governors and CPB is Another Reason Why He Should Resign Kenneth Tomlinson is a very busy man, holding down the board of directors chairs at two US government-connected agencies. While better known outside the Beltway for his role as chair of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Mr. Tomlinson also oversees the U.S’s official propaganda arm --- the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). He has served as chair and member since August 2002. . . http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/tomlinson.html (Center for Digital Democracy via Aaron Zawitzky, DXLD) ** U S A. TWO THOUGHTS ABOUT IBOC --- As a ham long concerned about BPL, I have been reading the IRCA traffic on IBOC with a strong sense of deja vu. Tonight I came across a site outlining an another technology for AM which claims to provide digital advantages without IBOC's hash = http://www.diymedia.net/feature/a1/a10403.htm Also of interest to me, particularly, is that NPR is up to its snoot in promoting IBOC, using CPB grants. WETA here in VA is licensed for it and WHUR in DC has been on the air for over a year. A question suggests itself: why is an entity supported at least in part with tax dollars getting into the business of promoting a sole-source technology with negative side-effects all thru an essential medium? That sounds too much like a Kafkaesque version of socialism for corporations -- particularly when Ibiquity itself has done such a lousy job of marketing to date (Alan Bosch/KO4ALA, Arlington, VA, May 19, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. In tuning by KEX 1190 today, I now notice the IBOC whoosing under their signal on 1190!!! It sounds like a windstorm under their talking. Who is going to listen to this? Just think, KEX at one time was such a fantastic "Hi Fi" sound back in the 70s. What a shame. Of course the 1180/1200 sidebands are still there. The next time I am in Portland during the day I will see how much QRM they cause locally. Unbelievable! (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, May 20, NRC-AM via DXLD) IBOC on the local Clear-Channel sports station in Mpls has added a nice broadband hiss on its main analog channel. I wonder if the station with its new noise level could still pass an FCC Proof-of- Performance? (Mark Durenberger, ibid.) Mark, Back in the old days, of course, noise and hum had to be down at least 45 db below 100% modulation on an AM station. Nowadays, the commission has not delineated specific values for such things as noise, distortion and frequency response. As long as you're within the NRSC-2 RF mask, that's all they really care about. I can't remember the last time I heard of an inspector asking to see an audio proof. I still do them to get a heads up on any potential problems, but most of the engineers I know don't even bother anymore since the FCC stopped requiring them (Rene' Tetro, PA, WFIL, ibid.) One thing I've noticed now that I have a local IBOC is that you get what I would refer to as multipath noise. The IBOC is supposed to cancel itself out the portion that is in the analog passband. When you get around high buildings and other structures that reflect radio waves, I can hear the hiss at varying levels depending on how out of phase the signals come back to the radio. Another example would be the effect of ground wave and skywave mixing. Sure causes the hiss. I just can`t see this playing for too long without causing listener fatigue (Paul Smith, W4KNX Sarasota, FL, ibid.) Paul, This is in the middle of the day in May, no skywave, no fading etc. Solid groundwave as far as I can tell. 50 kW at 75 miles away over the coast range. I agree, I can see KEX's ratings dropping. A very high rated AM station in Portland for many years. Well maybe that is what it will take. It is all money. Ratings is the ticket. 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) Patrick, what receiver were you using when you observed the noise, and what mode and bandwidth settings were used? If the noise on KEX has suddenly increased, I wonder if they, inadvertently or otherwise, increased the power of the digital signal. There is a low/ high power switch in the AM IBOC spec that can increase the power of the inner digital sidebands (0 - 10 kHz from the carrier) by about 6 dB. I believe the lower power setting is the default (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) Barry, The whooshing under their signal on 1190 is heard on any receiver. The R8 in the AM mode and 6 kHz and also the SPR4 in the 4.8 kHz wide AM. It really makes listening to KEX uncomfortable (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) Hi Patrick & Brother auteurs of the Ether; Let's look on bright side. How 'bout IBOC promo emphasizing phasing effects, appeal to aging Boomers lost in reverie of Small Faces' '68 JAN hit "Itchycoo Park"? Works also as 'dual purpose' promo for currently hot 80's-retro with period Peter Gabriel 'flanged' / phase-shifted bass as music bed. Imagine flanging on Gabriel's Schock den Affen/Shock the Monkey from title album, and I Don't Remember/Frag mich nicht Immer from Ein Deutsches Album augmented by IBOC windstorm distortion? Beyond mind- expanding. Like standing at runway threshold as the Phantom II lights the wicks. Hope for IBOC yet. "All flanging alla chyme"? "Flange-a- lange-a-ding-dumb"? "Turn on, tune in, phase out"? Can thrash out spinoff and turnaround specifics later. Smells like a winner. -Z.- (Paul Vincent Zecchino, Manasoviet Key, Sarashunned County, FL, BT, ibid.) Nah, the original analog phasing in "Itchycoo Park" is fine with me, I can do without IBOC thank you. Incidentally they were still doing that kind of phasing in the early 80's, two tape decks one slightly out of synch with the other. I did some stuff in a studio in Germany in 1981 with all the latest stuff for the day and they thought they sounded much better than the electronic phase shifters they had at that time. I caught WBZ 1030's noise today from 1010 to 1050 (Bob Young, Millbury, MA, Hammarlund HQ-180C 4' loop/375' LW, ibid.) ** U S A. 830, KMUL TX, Farwell -- 20 May 2005 1500 MDT -- with norteño type music, English ID at TOH mentioning Clear Channel. These guys were on 1380 with a mere 1 kW before; this must be a relatively recent move and power increase. FCC shows they are still licensed to 1380 to Muleshoe, TX, but have a CP for Farwell on 830 at 50 kW days, 14 kW CH, and a whopping 9 watts night. CP must be on (Mike Westfall, N6KUY, WDX6O Los Alamos, NM (DM65uv) Online logbooks at http://dxlogbook.gentoo.net ABDX via DXLD) That should put an end to daytime reception of WBAP 820 in eastern NM, which I believe I was able to do on a quiet day with caradio or defacto fence beverage. Also bad news for Tucson 830 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. OZARKS STATION CONVERTS TO SPANISH BROADCASTS Associated Press Posted on Thu, May. 19, 2005 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - An Ozarks radio station has become the first in southwestern Missouri to fully broadcast in Spanish. KQMO-FM had previously offered Spanish-language programming only on the weekends, but a surging Hispanic population persuaded broadcasters to target the demographic full-time. The new format began April 30. DeWayne Gandy, president of Falcon Broadcasting Inc., which owns the Aurora-based station, cited census data that shows a 1,577 percent rise in the number of Hispanics in McDonald County since 1990, and a 1,024 percent increase in Hispanics in Barry County over the same period. Besides Hispanic music and news, program director Frank Soriano said KQMO plans to offer local and international sports coverage and a call-in show with immigration attorneys. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.springfieldnews- leader.com (via Kansas City Star via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) Actually licensed to Shell Knob MO, on 97.7, had country format per 2- year-old FM Atlas. See also MEXICO [non] (gh) ** U S A. Ch 6 NYC On Air --- The new LPTV in New York City (Long Island City) is now on the air with ethnic music programming. The SMPTE bars and tone are gone (Karl Zuk N2KZ, 2128 UT May 20, WTFDA via DXLD) WNYZ-LP Channel 6 in NYC is broadcasting their audio using FM width modulation and a FM stereo generator. This is the first time I have ever caught this combination. They are actively trying to promote this operation as a FM and TV dualcast. Does the FCC care? Will TV sets be forgiving enough to decode FM stereo as TV stereo? (probably not). Their format is a Spanish-speaking hip hop and rap music video festival. Yo! Señorita! (Karl Zuk, N2KZ, 0103 UT May 21, ibid.) ** U S A. Q. Is there an easy way to contact the FCC to report excessive power, overmodulation splatter, and illegal tower height of AM and FM broadcasters? (Tom Shrilla, Westerville, OH) A. Yes. Try this web site: http://www.fcc.gov/eb/broadcast/interference.html (Bob Grove, W8JHD, Ask Bob, June Monitoring Times via DXLD) ** U S A. 530 Socorro NM pirate --- As I was leaving Socorro around noon today to return back to Denver, I observed that the 530 pirate was not on the air. I believe they operate nights only. Although they were on all day Thursday, that was the only time I heard them during the day. As I listened a little more to this station I'm not so sure that the programming is originating here. I'm quite certain that several IDs mentioned the frequency as 630 instead of 530. There are also the pro jingles which seem a little unlikely. And they mentioned the Radio One web site but didn't give the web address. I'm starting to wonder if this may be a relay of another station possibly from the internet. I enlisted the help of the local police in Socorro and I think I have the correct address. I plan to mail them a reception report / QSL request. I suspect that they will be quite curious how I figured out their location. I also made one last pass by the station today before I left town. With the better view provided by the mid-day sun I observed another antenna which I now believe is the AM antenna. It also originates from the antenna tower on the property. It crosses over the nearby street at about 30 feet in height and is strung between several wooden light poles on an adjacent property. The insulator at the far end appears to be a 2 foot chunk of black PVC pipe about 6 inches in diameter. The overall length is probably about 250 feet. I actually drove under the antenna at the point where it crosses the street several times the previous day and didn't see it (Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, May 20, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. KOA Historic Item --- When I passed through Denver International Airport today I was drawn to one of the historic displays. In a small room next to the TSA screening area is the old green and white beacon from Stapleton Airport which DIA replaced. On the wall I noticed a copy of an old 1930s era aeronautical chart. Upon close inspection I noticed that the chart marked the location of the KOA-AM transmitter which was located just a few miles east of Stapleton at the time. The chart indicated that the top of the 475 foot tower was 5,911 feet above sea level. For anyone interested in seeing it I have placed a close-up photo of the chart on my KOA tribute page located at http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/KOA850 (Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, May 20, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. PCA PLANS RADIO STATION --- LOW-POWER FM STATION TO BE OPERATED BY 3 GROUPS May 18, 2005 By COREY YOUNG, ARGUS-COURIER STAFF [Petaluma County CA] South county residents interested in planning a new radio station are invited to take part in a meeting next week. The low-power FM station, licensed by the FCC in October, will be a unique arrangement between three local organizations, said Peter deKramer, former president of Petaluma Community Access (PCA). That's because the FCC split the station's license among the three groups -- PCA, Sonoma State University and Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Cotati -- in a first-of-its-kind partnership, deKramer said. "All three of us had overlapping requests," he explained. "So we got together and said we would share time." Now organizers are looking for public input on the station. "Having three programming sources for a single channel should result in some very high-quality content," deKramer said. Interested residents are invited to a 6 p.m. meeting Wednesday, May 25 at the PCA studio on the Casa Grande High School campus, deKramer said. Organizers want to form a committee to look at facilities and programming for the station. "I really hope folks are able to run with it and get it going soon," deKramer said. "It will be a great asset." According to the terms of the FCC's approval, station officials have 18 months from the October 2004 licensing to get the operation up and running. That puts the start-up date no later than spring of next year, deKramer said. The best spot for a transmission tower would be Debbie Hill Road north of Petaluma -- on the west side of Highway 101, between Pine Lane and Railroad Avenue, deKramer said. "We would be able to cover all the way from SSU down through Petaluma," he said. Programming would be broadcast from each of the three groups' facilities through computer network or Internet connections. The central computer would be housed at Sonoma State, according to the proposal. A radio station would further PCA's goal of providing public access to the airwaves and the three operators could put a range of programs on the air, deKramer said. Keith Leitch, director of the radio ministry for Redeemer Presbyterian Church, said the church plans to offer Christian programs through the station, but whether that means talk radio, music, a combination of both or other programming hasn't been decided. Organizers said the community can help decide what goes on the air by getting involved, starting with next week's meeting. The PCA studio at Casa Grande is at 333 Casa Grande Road, Building E. Attendees are asked to RSVP to the station at 773-3190 (via Sheldon Harvey DXLD) WTFK? ** U S A. AM 1040 ON THE AIR --- By: Matt Cota [San Marcos Pass, Hwy 154, CA] http://www.ksby.com/news/headlines/1560126.html Residents living in a fire-prone area on the Central Coast are getting a little help, as a new radio station hits the airwaves. Nearly one year ago, sparks from a car traveling on Highway 101 set off a blaze in Gaviota. As day turned to night, the wildfire reached its most volatile phase, leaving many residents in the mountains north of Santa Barbara to wonder: whether they should they stay or evacuate their homes. "The chief problem was that no one in the mountain community knew what was going on," says Michael Williams, of the Wildland Residents Association. Williams and other residents came up with the idea of a radio station, and now one year later, AM 1040 is on the air. The low power radio station transmits from the top of the San Marcos Pass, and anyone living or traveling along the Highway 154 corridor can tune in during a flood or wildfire to find out about traffic or evacuation orders. "It allows us to get emergency information out to the mountain community as fast as possible, also the 154 corridor area," says Captain Diondray Wiley, of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Residents in the area will also maintain the new radio system. "It's more work for us," says Ted Adams, of the Wildland Residents Association. "We know if there is an incident we need to be out of bed, taking care of what needs to be done but it is really gratifying." A Caltrans officials says that signs will soon be posted on Highway 154 to let people know about the emergency information radio station (via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ** U S A. College radio 101 May 21 2005 By JEANNE DINEHART The Mirror The broadcast students of Green River Community College have two radio stations to choose from to begin their career: KGRG 89.9 FM and PULSE 1330.com . . . http://www.fedwaymirror.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=91&cat=23&id=429598&more= (Federal Way Mirror via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) 2004-2005 NRC AM Log shows 1330: KENU Enumclaw WA. Remember, Enumclaw spelt backwards is Walcmune (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. rec.radio.amateur.misc May 20\21: Ham Radio Getting Boring? Something weird from rec.radio.amateur.misc: From: ``Sparky`` Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc Subject: Ham Radio getting boring? Here`s a little spice to your radio life! Date: 20 May 2005 21:26:58 -0700 Simply put, Amateur Radio has become terribly boring. CB radio may have its share of occasional light hearted moments, but the real excitement and thrill of the magic of radio has certainly disappeared due to various factors of which we are all most familiar. For those of you who are searching for the excitement and thrill you once experienced when you first discovered the mystical allure of radio communication, there`s a place where you just might find for what you`ve long been searching. Let me invite you to check out and ultimately join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/all-band_radio_renegades_and_outlaws This group is specifically designed to provide bored Amateur Radio Operators, CB`ers, Pirate Broadcasters, Commercial Radio Station owners, engineers, on-air talent, RF Technicians, Shortwave Listeners, Legal-Beagles, Newbies and non-techies a place where one can regain a sense of wonder at the sheer exploration of what we like to refer to as ``Phunny Phreekin`cies.`` Modify your radios, put `em on phreekin`cies on which they were not intended to operate, and enjoy a little harmless game of ``cat & mouse.`` We`ve done and are doing the exhaustive research as to what operating phreekin`cies are not going to cause any disruption of official, life-dependant traffic. Our first and foremost concern is that we do not jeopardize existing services and their operations. Fellow bootleggers, there are TONS of phreekin`cies just waiting to be populated by a bunch of fun- loving renegades and radio outlaws! Remember, the 11 meter freeband is again taking it`s cyclical demise, so we have to go ``where the weather suits our clothes``, so to speak. Right now, we`re playing around with 6800 LSB and 13555 USB (the 45 meter and 22 meter bands respectively). So what are you waiting for? When you finish listening to your favorite Pirate Broadcaster on 6.925 MHz or thereabouts, QSY to the chit-chat channel of 6.800 and discuss the programming you`ve just heard. Or get on and call CQ and see who comes back! Please join us and put a little fun back into your two radio operations before your radios become homes for mice, insects, and various genus of mold. 73 -- ~Sparky~ Often imitated -- NEVER duplicated. Sparky -- AM/FM/SSB/CW from the ol` Cornpatch Mobile: KALL-2671 -- CB Radio; Unit 412/RF412/CO3026 -- Freeband 26-28MHz; Radio Outlaw 412 -- 6.800 LSB & 13.555 USB; W9*** -- Amateur (Ham) Radio; WQRM313 -- GMRS; M/V Mysterious Traveller -- Marine; plus FRS, MURS, Shortwave... in other words DC to Daylight. ...got frequencies? ...got phun phreekin`cies? From: ``Dr. Ace - WH2T`` Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc Subject: Re: Ham Radio getting boring? Here`s a little spice to your radio life! Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 12:45:19 -0500 Bored with amateur radio??? Spice up your life with an exciting visit from the FCC and various other federal authorities. For the small price of a several thousand dollar fine you may also get a very long stay in one of several luxurious federal prisons ``meals are included.`` During your stay you will not be bothered with that damn old boring amateur radio! Ace-WH2T (via John Norfolk [who does not endorse ``free radio`` in any way, shape, or form], dxldyg via DXLD) ** VATICAN. A recent issue of Amateur Radio Newsline featured a report stating that "ham radio may be disappearing from the Vatican" as HV1CN, HV5PUL and HV3SJ are "all inactive"; as for the station located at the North American College, rumours were that "it was going to be dismantled because there were problems". A few days ago, in a joint press release Luciano Blasi, I0JBL and Francesco Valsecchi, IK0FVC (chief operator at HV4NAC and HV0A) stated that it "is true that some stations have been closed due either of restructurings or OM's SK"; however "since 1992, we manage and maintain the station installed in the Pontifical North American College (HV4NAC and HV0A), continuously on the air, logging at least 70.000 QSOs, all bands, all mode". The latest operations from HV0A took place in April to celebrate the election of pope Benedictus XVI. QSL via IK0FVC (425 DX News via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. YVTO, 5000 sigue inactiva desde hace más de 5 semanas. Radio Amazonas prosigue más regular en las mañanas que en las noches, en 4939.67 kHz. 73 y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO PHILATELY +++++++++++++++ An HCJB stamp is actually at the following url http://www.ayrshirehistory.org/dx/hcjb_stamp.jpg (Ken Baird, Scoland, May 19, MWC via DXLD) DRM +++ Hi, heard on vacation near La Spezia (I) on 702 kHz: DIFFUSION EXPERIMENTALE EN DRM DEPUIS L' EMETTEUR MCR DU COL DE MADONE Label RFI TEST DRM Bitrate 23.54 kbps Mode A Bandwidth 9 kHz e.g. on May 19, at 1200 UT, 1530 UT. Anyone knows what "MCR" stands for? Another DRM pest ... 73, (Günter Lorenz, MWC via DXLD) "MCR" stands for "Monte Carlo Radiodiffusion" - it is the operator of transmitters in Monaco, Roumoules and Col de la Madone. 73, (Stefano Valianti, ibid.) France: Today Günter Lorenz observed from his holiday vacation DRM tests with RFI programming on Col de la Madone 702 kHz. He asks what MCR is: Of course Monte-Carlo Radiodiffusion, the operator of the transmitter. Nothing on drmrx.org about these tests so far (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So Günter carries a DRM receiver on his holidays despite his dislike for it? See also GERMANY (gh, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ FREE C-BAND PARABOLIC DISHES My C-band system is the one piece of electronic equipment I am most satisfied with! I've had it for almost 10 years and it has worked very reliably. The picture quality is dazzling --- if your TV has an SVHS input, you won't be able to tell the difference between TV Land in analog C-band and the HDTV displays at the mall --- at least I can't. If just for that I recommend it wholeheartedly. If you only subscribe to a few channels, then the pricing is also a major difference. I only subscribe to a handful of channels (TVLand, Family and the like) and it costs me about 50$ a year for programming. When I tell that to my friends they always say: 'you mean per month right?' (grin) If you lived in this corner of the world, you could easily get all the parts you need (including the dish) for free. There are literally dozens sitting around unused and people will pay *you* to haul it off their property. Just take a drive around the countryside; you will probably spot one that looks like it hasn't been used in a while, and if there is a new small dish on the house, your search is probably over. Offer the owner to rid him of his big unused dish, and voilà. Of course, he might end up like the guy I bought mine from --- he had just switched to the small dish but said the picture absolutely 'could not be compared'. Oh well, their loss! :) (Steven Durocher, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SPORADIC E TVDX BY BACKSCATTER? One thing I noticed about yesterday's Es opening was that between 5 pm-5:30 pm [EST?] I was picking up some weak tropo CCI while monitoring the Es. At one point, I was getting WCIA-3 Illinois starting to come in color before KSWK-3 boomed in. After that, WCIA was gone. Also just before getting an unID-2 playing "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire", WTWO Terre Haute was coming in and suddenly when the Es signal took over, I saw a strong CCI floater of WTWO-2 in the background. This was fascinating because WCIA and WTWO are 2 stations I don't receive very often and also prior to and after the Es, I noticed those two tropo signals to not be found anywhere. In fact, there was almost no tropo to speak of that I saw while monitoring the Es opening yesterday. I thought I would bring this up because this unusual occurrence has happened before in past Es openings I noticed but not all of them. Anyone have any theories as to why they would come in clearer just before the skip signal got stronger? I think this topic was mentioned a long time ago but can't be sure (Aaron Mitterling, Warsaw, IN, May 21, WTFDA via DXLD) Could it be backscatter? The signal goes up to the Es cloud and a bit of it reflects back (more or less) toward where it came from. This occurs on HF (tho it`s hard to pin down), but must be very rare if ever on VHF. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Hello Glenn, I've had backscatter on VHF before. It happened during that F2 event in December 2001. I was receiving RCTV [Venezuela] and TTT [Trinidad & Tobago, presumably both channel 2] in with a Bose Waveradio infomercial (from an unknown station) mixing with their audio. When the event ended, so did the infomercial. Girard digitalized a recording of this, he might be able to send a snippet of it on to you (Curtis Sadowski, Paxton, Illinois, ibid.) RYAN GRABOW'S TV LOGO PAGES AT A NEW HOME While Ryan tries to get his egrabow.com domain fixed, I'm delighted to give his pages a temporary home at fybush.com. Find the TV logo pages at: http://www.fybush.com/egrabow/ch2.htm http://www.fybush.com/egrabow/ch3.htm http://www.fybush.com/egrabow/ch4.htm http://www.fybush.com/egrabow/ch5.htm http://www.fybush.com/egrabow/ch6.htm http://www.fybush.com/egrabow/ch7.htm ...and join me in wishing Ryan the best of luck getting his domain mess straightened out! S (Scott Fybush, NY, May 21, WTFDA via DXLD)###