DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-087, May 25, 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 AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1275: Wed 2200 WOR WBCQ 7415 17495-CUSB [first airing of each edition] Thu 1000 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Thu 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Thu 2030 WOR WWCR 15825 Thu 2300 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 0000 WOR WTND-LP 106.3 Macomb IL Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Fri 2105 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 2300 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sat 0000 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream Sat 0800 WOR WRN to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar, Telstar 12 SAm Sat 0855 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1030 WOR WWCR 5070 Sat 1730 WOR WRN to North America [NEW] (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) Sat 1730 WOR WRMI 7385 [from WRN] [NEW] Sun 0230 WOR WWCR 5070 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 WRN to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) 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 (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) 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 [1274] Mon 0415 WOR WBCQ 7415 [ex-0430] 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 [from Friday]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: [from early UT Thursday if not late UT Wednesday] WORLD OF RADIO 1275 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1275h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1275h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1275 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1275.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1275.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1275.html WORLD OF RADIO 1275 in true shortwave sound of Alex`s mp3 [tentative] (stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_05-25-05.m3u (download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_05-25-05.mp3 ADDITIONAL TIME FOR WORLD OF RADIO ON WRN TO NORTH AMERICA (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115): Saturday 1730 UT (and still Saturday 0830 UT, Sunday 1730 UT). The time suddenly became available due to the death of Stephen Sloan, producer and presenter of EcoZone (Tim Ayris, Marketing Manager, WRN – TRANSMITTING SUCCESS, May 18) DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ALASKA. See MADAGASCAR ** ALBANIA. 6115, R. Tirana, *0228-0244, May 24, English, IS loop, ID and frequency schedule. News re E.U. integration, relations with Macedonia. "Albania in a Week" program re July 3rd elections. Fair as was // 7160. 7120, R. Tirana, 2131-2138, May 23, English, YL with frequency schedule, news re Albanian politics. Battling for dominance with co- channel RNW-Madagascar relay. Poor (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHAMAS. This seems to be another case where the "official call letters" don't match popular usage. The Z--- prefix was the British Commonwealth allocation, e.g. ZFY-660 British Guiana, ZQI-720 Cross Roads, Jamaica, among others as well. On becoming independent, each of these areas got their own prefix allocation from the ITU, and Bahamas got C6--. I saw recently where this 810 station was listed as having the callsign C6B3, so presumably the 1540 Nassau station is C6B1and I imagine they still use "ZNS" unofficially for popular usage, imagine the public confusion if they tried to change it now (Bob Foxworth, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** BELARUS [non]. POLES WANT EU TO FINANCE BROADCASTS INTO BELARUS According to a news report on the website of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Polish lawmakers in the European Parliament, along with their Lithuanian colleagues, have been trying vigorously for months to persuade Brussels to launch and finance radio broadcasts into Belarus from neighboring countries. The report says that if they succeed, the information blockade imposed on Belarusians by the Lukashenka regime might be somewhat eased. Read the full story: http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/05/31514b18-6d54-40f3-913e-f3a6fe03baef.html # posted by Andy @ 11:51 UT May 25 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC SUDBURY ATTEMPTS GUINESS WORLD RECORD From The World at Six, May 24, 2005. CBC Sudbury's afternoon program Points North was broadcast today from 7680 feet below the surface in Inco's Creighton Mine in Sudbury. They are attempting to set a record for the deepest underground live radio broadcast. Hopefully some audio/pictures will show up on their website. http://www.cbc.ca/sudbury/ Short audio clip can be heard during the 21st minute of The World at Six http://www.cbc.ca/clips/latest/worldat6.ram but only until tomorrow when the program is updated (Wade Smith, New Brunswick, May 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. This one just threw me, that wild-and-crazy Fidel guy: I thought this might be WNMA, Miami Springs (on 1210 kHz) running an oddball format of US T40/Classic Rock pop oldies with a Spanish jock? As of 2345 GMT, 24 May: Rod Stewart's cover of "Some Guys Have All the Luck," (how much better Robert Palmer's cover was in retrospect), ABBA [Spanish version of] "Fernando," brief program promo break at 2357 but nothing solid copied, a Country song from 0000, etc. with Spanish man between tracks with a line or two. Promo 0014 with sound bytes of The Beatles "Hey Jude," Eagles "Hotel California," The Beatles "All You Need Is Love," Fleetwood Mac "Hold Me" then immediately into Bobby Vinton "(She Wore) Blue Velvet" then -- get this -- segued into Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" which gave me a whiplash. What? No Joy Division, Throbbing Gristle, Godley & Creme or Circle Jerks?. Finally, a newsbreak with ID at 0030 -- it's Radio Sancti Spíritus [Cuban provincial station], a time check at "8 y 32" into the far more traditional Cuban "Fantástica Noche" program. Now, here's the remaining mystery: someone [was] mixing at times with not that different of a format (though cannot confirm if Spanish or English); as I type it faded up with Sweet's "Love Is Like Oxygen" (what a brilliant song -- seriously). Sancti Spíritus totally on top now, 0038. Also, is WKTT, Silver Springs, FL inactive on 1210? I ask only because I do not see it listed in the Florida AM section of http://www.100000watts.com but it's in the WRTVH-2005. Let me guess, Tony will be the one who knows the answer to all of the above ;>) (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida USA 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also ECUADOR just below, but WTFK? ** ECUADOR. To avoid interference with Radio Habana Cuba, HCJB is moving its local morning Spanish release 1100-1500 from 11760 to 11690, as from Monday, May 23. On the same date, RHC will move from 12000 to a new frequency because of QRM to HCJB 12005 in English (Allen Graham, HCJB DX Partyline Mar 21, notes by gh for DXLD) ! I didn`t even realize HCJB was on 11760; all I hear is RHC. That HCJB broadcast is to SAm, so would be pretty weak here anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 11885, R. Cairo, 2327-2341, May 23, English, News of Ministries of Finance; Transport re EU markets, 4 city US fundraising tour of Egyptian antiquities. Arabic music, into fútbol news. Quick ID at 2338 then more music. Fair with constant "hum" (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 2250-2306, esta emisora está cerrando sus programas una hora más tarde de lo que lo hacía antes, ya que cerraba minutos más tarde de las 2200 y ahora lo hace minutos más tarde de las 2300. Música vernácula. A las 2302 despedida de la programación, por locutor: "Viva su Excelencia el Presidente de la República, "Arriba la República de Guinea Ecuatorial". Himno y cierre a las 2306. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) El pasado fin de semana pude captarla en mi estancia en Sacañet; en un momento dado se identificaron y dieron la hora, ya entonces vi un desfase de dos minutos respecto a la hora que tenía en el reloj de la radio. Pensaba que lo tenía yo mal, pero según tu log terminaron dos minutos después de la hora. Un detalle curioso sin más. Atentamente (José Miguel Romero, Noticias DX via DXLD) Efectivamente José Miguel, muchas emisoras domésticas no siguen un riguroso control del tiempo, y es frecuente ver que inician y cierran sus programas con varios minutos, incluso 15 ó 20 de diferencia sobre la hora exacta. Esto pasa en muchas latinoamericanas, y es frecuente comprobar, también, cuando anuncian la hora, que suele tener un desfase de uno o dos minutos con la hora exacta (Manuel Méndez, ibid.) ** GREECE [and non]. Do you think that this audio drop-out problem described by Glenn Hauser on the Saturday, May 21, "Hellenes Around the World" broadcast could have been caused by a malfunctioning recording machine player at the studio? I have heard this clicking noise on the air before, but I could not get a station direct from Greece to see if this were a problem both at Athens and at Delano or just at Delano on 9.775 MHz. Regards, (JOHN BABBIS, Silver Spring, MD, USA, via DXLD) Greetings. I want to say that last Saturday in the second interview with Mrs Hara Galanou, the criminologist, who talked about the definition of the term Genocide, had problems with the phone line. Maybe that can explain part of the problem. Filia, (Katerina, VOG via John Babbis, DXLD) I don`t think the dropouts were confined to the phone-on-air portions of the program (gh, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. LIBRO: ONDAS DE HONDURAS. 255 páginas. Libro sobre los inicios de la radio en Honduras y trayectoria de muchos periodistas. Por: Nahun Valladares. Editorial: Litho Press Industrial. Valor L. 195.00 REVISTA: RESEÑA HISTORICA DE LAS TELECOMUNICACIONES EN HONDURAS. 28 paginas. Revista de la empresa Hondureña de las Telecomunicaciones HONDUTEL. Distribución gratuita. http://www.hondutel.hn (DIEXISTAS "VAGABUNDOS DEL DIAL", BOLETIN ELECTRONICO MENSUAL. MAYO 2005. VOZ DE LA ASOCIACION HONDUREÑA DE RADIO ESCUCHAS. A.H.R.E. HONDURAS DX CLUB. H.DX.C., 1er club de radio escuchas de emisoras internacionales de Honduras. Apdo. Postal 376. C.P. 01-1804-01 El Progreso, Yoro. Honduras C.A. via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. 9525, R. Budapest, 2122-2128, May 23, English, Interview re organic foods in Hungary, music festival, program ID "Hungary Today". Schedule and contact info. Off at 2125 with open carrier thru 2130 re-check (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 15150, VOI, 1715-1733, May 24, English/Spanish, Surprised to hear this one so early. Familiar English announcement at tune-in. OM in Spanish between Indo ballads thru tune-out. Fair. Looked for the English service, 2000-2100, but the signal wasn't propagating to my location then (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See USA ** INDONESIA. JAPANESE SERVICE IN 'RRI' ATTRACTS LISTENERS City News - May 20, 2005 , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20050520.H10 The same soft but firm voice opens each Japanese Service broadcast at state radio station RRI with the words, "Kocira wa Indonesia no ko desu (This is the Voice of Indonesia)". The service has been broadcast around the world every Monday and Friday at 6:30 p.m. for much of the last three decades. The voice belongs to 75-year-old Machiko Katagiri, the Japanese-born broadcaster who has hosted the service since September 1977. The Japanese Service is one of nine foreign language services that make up RRI's Overseas Service, also called the Voice of Indonesia. The other foreign language services are English, Spanish, German, French, Korean, Malay, Thai, Mandarin and Arabic. Katagiri broadcasts not only the news, but introduces listeners to Indonesian music and language as well. Among the Japanese Service's various programs, Katagiri said the 20-minute Hito to Krasi (People and Life), which looks at daily life in Indonesia, was the most popular. "Japanese listeners are interested in the lives of Indonesians, especially ordinary people. Their stories touch the hearts of listeners because they tend to communicate the magnificent life principles held by poor Indonesians," she said, adding that she was also responsible for the reporting and scriptwriting for the show. Katagiri is married to an Indonesian and has taken Indonesian citizenship. She believes the service helps counter some of the bias of foreign news reporting on Indonesia that reaches most Japanese around the world. "We want to tell the Indonesian side of stories. We want to explain the cultural and historical backgrounds of a news story," she said. The coordinator of the program, Haruyo Tadera, whose Indonesian name is Hariyati Prabowo, said the Japanese Service set itself apart from the other foreign language services. "The other foreign services do not do the same thing as us; they do not do field reporting," said the 62-year-old. However, the future of the Japanese Service is in doubt because of the difficulty in finding replacements for Katagiri and Hariyati. "It is very difficult to find a Japanese native speaker to replace me because RRI only offers a small honorarium," Katagiri said. Hariyati said the monthly operational budget for the service was Rp 500,000 (US$45), which was not enough to attract Japanese native speakers to host the program. Katagiri has suggested that when she and Hariyati decide to retire, they be replaced by the Indonesian staff who have helped shape the service rather than by native speakers. "This program has successfully attracted thousands of Japanese listeners around the globe .... When it first went on the air, we received thousands of letters every month. Since the Internet era began in the 1990s, the number of listeners has fallen to only a few dozen. But it is still the most popular program compared to other foreign language services broadcast by RRI," she said (via Kim Elliott, Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. CQ Introduces "iDX Award" to Help "Wake Up DXing" (Hicksville, NY - May 17, 2005) - CQ Amateur Radio magazine today announced the introduction of the "iDX Award," the third and final piece of its three-part "Waking Up DXing" program designed to encourage more DXing activity among ham radio operators. DXing, for the uninitiated, is the "sport" of contacting other hams in faraway places. "The iDX Award brings back and updates an old concept," says CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, "of introductory-level awards to help bring newer hams into the sport and mindset of DXing." In the past, Moseson noted, there were Novice awards, but most have been discontinued as changes in licensing have meant that virtually all new hams today enter as Technicians, operating in the VHF and UHF ham bands. "The iDX Award brings the concept of the Novice award to where newer hams are operating today." . . . http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/IDX%20Award%20June.pdf (via Daily DX via Ori Siegel, ODXA via DXLD) ** IRAN. 9495, V. of Justice-VOIRI, 0135-0152, May 24, English, Kor`an at tune-in with English translation. IDs, program schedule followed by usual news and commentaries re Iranian virtues and U.S./ U.K. war abuses. Good. // 11875 audible under Cuba (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Re Kol Israel to End: Nothing new here, Konnie. Kol Israel has been on death's door step for years now. The cynic in me views this as just another political ploy for more funding, etc. If it comes to pass this time, I'll miss them, as they have been a great source of Middle East news. I still remember the Scud missile alerts during the first Gulf war. Riveting listening for sure! (Walt Salmaniw, HCDX via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. STAR RADIO BACK ON THE AIR 24 May 2005 Source: NGO latest press release FH 2005 Fondation Hirondelle - Switzerland: http://www.hirondelle.org Monrovia, 23 May 2005 - STAR radio will resume broadcasting as from Wednesday 25 May 2005, at 1600 local time [= UT]. The independent news & information radio station will transmit on FM & Short Wave to Liberia & the Subregion from its studios located at Mamba Point, Monrovia, Liberia. STAR radio was established by the Hirondelle Foundation - Media for Peace & Human Dignity in 1997 and had established itself as a primary source of independent & unbiased information for Liberians. It was forcibly closed by the then President Charles Taylor in 2000 and could not be reopened as long as he was in office. Taylor left Liberia for exile in Nigeria in August 2003, and in November the same year, the ban on STAR radio was lifted by Gyude Bryant, the Chairman of the National Transitional Government which replaced the Taylor regime. STAR's program schedule is designed to be relevant to post-war Liberia. The accent will be on news and current affairs. There will be bulletins on the hour every hour, and three one hour current affairs programs daily. But as Liberia moves towards elections in October there will be voter education programs and an opportunity to quiz the multitude of political aspirants. There will be programmes giving medical and other expert advice on all sectors of society, and STAR radio will endevour to reach a mass Liberian audience by broadcasting in all of Liberian languages. STAR radio will be on air daily from 5.00 AM to 10.00 PM on FM for Greater Monrovia, as well as 2 hours per day on Short Wave for Rural Liberia & the Subregion. STAR radio is a non profit organisation run by Liberians in partnership with the Hirondelle Foundation. It is jointly funded by the European Commission, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway & the United Kingdom. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/218498/11169654750.htm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg, via DXLD) Same: http://www.hirondelle.org/hirondelle.nsf/caefd9edd48f5826c12564cf004f793d/bb0fdd66966ce5a4c1256fe50055f325?OpenDocument (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) WTFK!?!?!?! Well, we have only 27000 kHz to choose from. Two hours a day on SW? WHICH TWO HOURS? Geez! Media Network has a dossier on it http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/media/dossiers/liberia-p.html indicating SW lasted from Sept 1997 to Oct 1998, but again, WTFK???? Seems I recall it was somewhere around 3480, but I believe there was another one way out-of-band in the 5 MHz range. Of course that does not mean the new operation will be on same (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. Mebo 1 & 2 in Libya - Part 1 --- Some rare photos here of the former RNI ships after the station closed in 1974. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/leroibob/ScrapBook/LibyaMebo/MebLib1.html (Andy Sennitt, May 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR [and non]. CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING STATION IN MADAGASCAR TO REACH FIVE BILLION --- Tuesday, May 24 , 2005 World Christian Broadcasting has begun a new project to build a broadcasting facility on the island of Madagascar. This new radio station will increase the potential audience from three to five billion people, to over two-thirds of the planet who will be able to listen to Christian broadcast signal. The second shortwave transmitter and antenna in Anchor Point, Alaska of the Short Wave Station KNLS, owned and operated by World Christian Broadcasting doubled the daily transmission time from 10 to a total of 20 hours. The broadcasts in 4 languages of Mandarin, Chinese, Russian and English are made possible by churches, individual Christians, foundations and businesses using the facilities of Station KNLS, and the new structure is the result of "Double the Dream" - a successful fund-raising campaign. Andy Baker, Vice-President, directing the campaign said, "The success of the 'Double the Dream Campaign' is the result of the efforts of a dedicated staff of workers and a whole host of generous contributors." "Without them, we would have had only a faint hope of success, but thanks to God, we have realised our dream. Now, we can broadcast a full ten hours to the Chinese, without interruptions, a full six hours in Russian and four in English. That's twice what we have been doing since 1983!" Baker added. President of World Christian Broadcasting, Charles Caudill explained about the hard work of staff in Anchor Point, "They had to work in some of the worst weather conditions you can imagine. The toughness and perseverance of Kevin Chambers, Dave Dvorak and Charlie Perry is an outstanding example of dedication and purpose. We are very grateful to them." In a response, the President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, offered enough land for the World Christian Broadcasting company to build a state-of-the-art, digital broadcasting facility, capable to reach all of Africa, Australia, Europe, the entire Middle East, European Russia, several Scandinavian countries and South-western China. Arabic programming will be added to the three languages used now. World Christian Broadcasting, a non-profit organisation whose purpose is to help make it possible to teach God's Word each day to people who are otherwise beyond missionary outreach, says that the land is secure and ground preparation has started. World Christian Broadcasting will now fully focus on building the facilities there. After completing the first preparations, digging the wells, stringing the power lines and installing the security fences, the combined stations will constitute one of the largest and most powerful digital broadcasters in the world. http://www.christiantoday.com/news/ministries/christian.broadcasting.station.in.madagascar.to.reach.five.billion/275.htm Janet Dean (via Mike Terry, Andy Sennitt, dxldyg, Kim Elliott, Artie Bigley, DXLD) Digital?? No analog??? Does Janet really know what she is writing about? BTW, World of Radio has a *potential* audience of everyone on earth. It is reasonable to assume that at least one of our multiple transmissions on SW stations will propagate just about anywhere at some time or other, and could be tuned in if any person in any place had an appropriate SW radio and antenna. Not to mention satellite footprints. So what? (gh, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. PROGRAMMING CHANGES ANNOUNCED FOR NATIONAL RADIO Tuesday, 24 May 2005, 2:00 pm Press Release: Radio New Zealand Limited http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0505/S00209.htm Radio New Zealand Chief Executive, Peter Cavanagh, has announced changes to National Radio programming and on air presentation to be implemented later this year. The announcements follow a six month internal programming review involving all Radio New Zealand staff. Commenting on the programme changes, Peter Cavanagh noted the importance of the Radio New Zealand Charter in the long term planning for the network. ``The review of National Radio programming and presentation has provided a valuable opportunity to examine whether, as a public service broadcaster, the network could further improve on its Charter objective to be relevant to the society it serves. In a society that is rapidly changing, Radio New Zealand needs to reaffirm its position as a dynamic, relevant and contemporary public service broadcaster, and these changes will help us to do so.`` ``The Research International All New Zealand Radio Survey 2004 showed that National Radio was New Zealand’s number one radio station in terms of nationwide audience market share among people aged 15 years and over, but there is no room for complacency and I want to reinforce the fact that our focus in this six month process has been to further improve the sound of National Radio for existing and potential new audiences.`` Key points from the programming review include an overhaul of the National Radio music policy, new programming, and the creation of a new Radio New Zealand website to provide up to date information and audio on demand facilities to enhance what listeners can hear on air. Birdcalls The famous Radio New Zealand birdcalls have been retained and will be expanded and integrated in a new project which will build a sound library of field recordings reflecting the social, environmental and cultural diversity of New Zealand. Weekday Mornings There are no major changes planned for National Radio’s premier news and current affairs programmes Morning Report and Nine to Noon with Linda Clark though some minor adjustments will be made to content and presentation within existing formats. Weekday and weekend afternoons will see the biggest changes: Weekday Afternoons The format for weekday afternoon programming will change with a new weekday afternoon programme which builds on the regional focus of the existing In Touch with New Zealand programme. The magazine and lifestyle format will be retained and, contrary to recent media speculation, it will not become a talk-driven news programme. The programme will be presented from Radio New Zealand’s new Auckland studios. Wayne Mowat continues to play an important role as the anchor of ``In Touch With New Zealand`` which will focus on special outside broadcasts from throughout the country and which will feed into the new regional afternoon programme. Wayne's Music moves from weekday afternoons but continues as a valuable part of the nostalgia listening theme of Saturday and Sunday evenings. National Radio’s top rating evening news programme Checkpoint will be extended from one hour to two. Saturday Afternoons Home Grown is retained as the title for a new expanded music programme, which will showcase New Zealand contemporary music over three hours each Saturday afternoon. National Radio is not reducing its long-established commitment to the promotion of New Zealand music. Sunday Afternoons In place of the present weekday afternoons programme ``What`s Going On?``, a new 3 and a half hour books, arts and movies programme will be developed for Sunday afternoon with dedicated host Lynn Freeman Timetable for Change Emphasising that changes were about growth, Peter Cavanagh said no staff positions will be lost and new positions will be established. New ideas and programming reflect the needs and interests of diverse National Radio audiences. Several new jobs have been created at National Radio and these will be advertised with the intention of having production and presentation teams in place by early August to develop and pilot the new programmes. A revised National Radio programme schedule will be launched on Saturday 17th September. ENDS (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) Interesting - "Checkpoint" looks to become more like NPR's ATC -- longer than one hour. I look forward to increased audio on demand -- I must admit that I am getting spoiled with audio on demand from CBC, ABC RA/RN, the BBC and DW. Roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of RNZI's overall programming, and 3/4 of its English program consists of National Radio relays. The increased availability of on-demand audio is of keen interest for those (like me) whose listening habits don't often cover the late night / early morning hours when RNZI propagates the best here. Hopefully the desire of NR to be "more relevant to the society it serves" doesn't mean it will dumb down its services like the CBC did in its overhaul (Rich Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) NATIONAL RADIO KEEPS THE BIRDS http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10127381 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** NORWAY. The Norwegian operator Norkring is carrying out DRM mode field strength tests this week for the LW transmitter at Ingøy on 153. The transmitter is switched to DRM at the following times: Mon 23 - Thu 26 May from 0805-0900, 0905-1000, 1205-1300, 1405-1500, 1810-1850; Fri 27 May from 0805-0900, 0905-1000, 1205-1300, 1405-1500. (Info: radionytt.no) (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MWC via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. Re 5-085, the Shamrock TX thread; when rechecked May 24, it had been deleted from http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=417931&Board=oklahoma Someone must have Reported It To Moderator. As I recall this was one reason the KBKH guy set up his own board some years ago, http://www.monsterfm.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=56 while it still exists, has been inactive since Sept 6, 2004 (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Glenn, I enjoyed your material on KXOK in Enid. I am curious about the station; is it still on the air? The reason I'm interested is that I am one of the naysayers in the alt.fan.gene-scott newsgroup. Here is a thread I posted there. http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.fan.gene-scott/browse_frm/thread/da4cb19a37bbb0c3/1b424a5be694d87f#1b424a5be694d87f Did you notice that Gene Scott and KXOK owner Rex Faulkner died within 2 days of one another? Here they had sued one another. Both men left wide paths of destruction in their lives, and their lives intersect with a simultaneous death. Weird. Tim, KXOK Channel 32 in Enid is still running, seemingly on autopilot and am not sure who is really in charge. Mostly America-One network, with a lot of local auction time in the evenings. Scott was long gone from KXOK by the time he died. Tnx for the input (Glenn to Tim, via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Thanks, Guy for the heads up on Wantok Radio. Well, I set my 7030+ timed for 0830 to 1030 this morning, 24/5/05 and the Recall-Pro. Nothing definite, although there is a signal there. Like a 1-4-1 S-I-O. It peaked here in Victoria, BC at around 0900 at almost threshold levels. The first 30 min seemed all talk, but there was some music and mostly female announcer around 0900. Within about 15 minutes, the signal faded into the mud and did not reappear with any strength. Could not be sure whether they were still on at 1000 or not. I'll keep trying. My experience with PNG over the years suggests that on some days reception can be quite good, and on others nil. Don't know what kind of morning we had today. The NVI transmitter doesn't matter to us, as it will still propagate across the globe. If you don't believe it, try any of the Australian 120m frequencies (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Papua New Guinea Christian Broadcasting Network (PNGCBN) Wantok Radio Light heard lovely and strong in Sydney tonight at 0900 UT, 7120 kHz. EZL religious music in English and Creole [Pidgin]. MA with prepackaged religious program and many IDs. See http://www.wantokradio.net/ 73 de (Jem VK2JEM Cullen, Australia (and I 100% stand behind this logging, this frequency and this time), May 25, ARDXC via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA [and non]. A long interview with Eric Wiltshire of Radio Tatras International: http://www.ukradio.com/news/articles/02BA4725DD994AF9A2FECD7197BD5C13.asp (Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [and non]. Adam Lock of WWCR visited Brother Stair`s compound at the beginning of April. It`s a working farm, also with radio room, computer net with geek/guru, gardens, greenhouses, chapel, machine and woodworking shops. Adam was awe-stricken with it. It`s a self-sufficient community farm with several families whose people are free to come and go, and some also have jobs in town; very pleasant. Due to demand for airtime, focus was on which times would be most productive for B.S. Reducing his hours was not a snap decision but has been under discussion for over a year. WWCR is also discussing the possibility of adding a fifth transmitter, tho George says he has too much work already. You can hear exactly what Adam says starting 7 minutes into edition 203 of Ask WWCR via http://www.wwcr.com/wwcr_ask_wwcr_program.html (and #204 is a Best-of repeating interviews with Kim Elliott, gh, and Larry Van Horn) (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. Dear Glenn, Refer to May 05 'Contact' DXLD under VENEZUELA [non] "At 1418 11875 ... seemingly in Indonesian". Yes, that should be Radio Taiwan International in Indonesian scheduled also in A04 to start from 1400. They have asked some Indonesian listeners to check other frequencies approaching end of A04 sked, but finally they agree to stay on 11875 as advised. 73, (Tony Ashar, Indonesia, May 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. It was nice to once again hear the greater variety in programming afforded by the strike. It was like "the good old days" when the WS was more committed to being a full service broadcaster. On the way home from work, I heard a repeat of one of the excellent "Heritage" series programs and then Outlook on schedule but with an interesting half-hour retrospective interview with Yoko Ono. Yessir, this listener might just be looking forward to the next bout of "industrial action" (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. BBC SOUTH ASIA SERVICES DISRUPTED The BBC`s South Asia services were amongst those hit as staff at the Corporation, protesting job cuts and privatisation plans, went on strike Monday severely disrupting several TV and radio networks. The BBC’s Tamil service provided almost normal service despite employees joining the protest as senior staff crossed the picket lines of what was described as the ``most successful strike in BBC history,`` sources said. BBC Sandeshaya and Tamil Ossai staff on the picket in front of the BBC's World Service offices at Bush House [caption] Large numbers of BBC staff, from several professions and departments joined the 24-hour strike Monday. Hardest hit were live shows on BBC Radio 4, the World Service and the TV channels News 24 and BBC World, reports said. Broadcasting union Bectu said up to 15,000 of the 27,000-strong workforce were taking part. Staff taking part in the strike action lose the day`s pay. Yet Monday's action was "the most successful strike in BBC history", Bectu's BBC official Luke Crawley said. Staff on the BBC’s Sinhala service, Sandeshaya, joined the strike with only Mr. Priyath Liyanage, Sandeshaya chief, in the studio to broadcast music and notices of service disruption, listeners and staff said. Sandeshaya correspondents in Sri Lanka also joined the strike in sympathy. The BBC’s Tamil service maintained uninterrupted broadcasting, as senior management, – Mr. Thirumalai Manivannan, Tamil Ossai chief, and Ms. Anandhi Suriyaprakasan, senior producer – crossed the picket line. A London-based freelance Tamil broadcaster, Mr. Wimal Sokanathan, was also called in to assist Tamil Ossai maintain its output, sources said. Bectu officials denied an earlier TamilNet report that Tamil Ossai staff had not joined the protests, pointing out that producers Ethirajan Anbarasan and Ramesh Gopalakrishnan had been amongst those on the pickets in front of World Service headquarters at Bush house. The BBC`s flagship news programmes were among those severely disrupted. On the World Service, the English language service had no live programming but there are five-minute news bulletins every 30 minutes. The influential BBC Radio 4 cancelled the Today programme, The World at One, PM and The World Tonight but carried short bulletins. The proposed job cuts and plans to privatise parts of the BBC were "savage" and would "decimate programmes [and] devalue the BBC", the unions have said. The BBC management has offered to "talk" to and "consult" unions about the changes. But unions argue "consultations" give them little say - and are demanding "proper negotiations." (TamilNet, May 24, 2005 11:00 GMT via Sakthi Vel, DXLD) ** U K. BBC BRACED FOR 48-HOUR STOPPAGE NEXT WEEK Lisa O'Carroll Tuesday May 24, 2005 http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1490961,00.html?gusrc=rss Thousands of BBC staff returned to work this morning, but viewers and listeners face two more days of severe disruption to live programmes next week with unions saying there were no signs yet of concessions from management. Staff unions, who launched a 24-hour strike that finished at midnight last night, say management do not seem to have taken on board the grievances felt by those facing almost 4,000 redundancies. Yesterday live programming on TV and radio was severely disrupted, with Radio 4's Today programme and BBC2's Newsnight taken off air and coverage of the opening of the Chelsea Flower Show, one of the biggest outside broadcasts of the year, abandoned. A similar level of disruption is set for next Tuesday and Wednesday, when a 48-hour strike is planned. "I will be writing to the BBC today to express the hope that they have heard the voice of their staff, but from the interviews they have given there is no sign that they have taken on board today's lesson," said Jeremy Dear, the general secretary of the National Union of Journalists. He told BBC News 24 this morning that the unions would rather not go on strike next week and were willing to enter talks, but only if "meaningful negotiations" were on the agenda. BBC management are holding firm with the director general, Mark Thompson, claiming said job cuts and privatisations were "a price worth paying to see a strong BBC in the long-term". And today the deputy director general, Mark Byford, maintained that line, telling BBC News 24 it was impossible to achieve the planned -L-335m savings a year without compulsory redundancies. BBC bosses are hoping staff anger will have dissipated by next week and have taken comfort in the fact that they managed to keep some sort of service on air for the 24-hour duration of yesterday's strike even if it did mean endless repeats on radio and TV. While last night's Newsnight's was cancelled altogether, the BBC managed to put out the second scheduled programme on the Chelsea Flower show with presenters Alan Titchmarsh and Diarmuid Gavin. The show covering the opening of the annual gardening festival had to be abandoned in the morning but the evening catch-up coverage was salvaged by a crew of freelancers, much to the anger of unions. TV news remained severely disrupted, however, with Stephen Cole, a virtually unknown BBC World presenter who once fancied his chances as a movie star, reading a limited bulletin at 10pm at BBC1. And viewers in London waiting for their local update were treated to a flickering line across a black screen for the full five minutes of the regional bulletin. Privately BBC bosses do not know what concessions they can offer and there will be little comfort from the coverage of the strike in today's newspapers, all of which predict further disruption as inevitable. There is also talk that unions plan a summer of guerrilla action, with staff targetting high-profile events including the G8 summit at Gleneagles and the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Unions are also looking at a working to the letter of their contracts, downing tools at lunchtime and refusing to do more senior jobs than they are contracted to do. Viewers and listeners have also thanked the BBC for the alternative programmes - listeners wrote to the Today programme saying it was a pleasure to hear the dulcet tones of Nicholas Parsons, who presented a replacement of the Just a Minute quiz. Another listener asked if there would be a rebate for one day's wasted listening time (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K [non]. COMMENTARY: MORE BBC STRIKES COULD LOSE WORLD SERVICE LISTENERS Andy Sennitt comments: Monday's strike at the BBC prevented the Corporation from broadcasting its normal extensive news and current affairs programming. The World Service in English was restricted to 5 minutes of news every hour. As a result, some radio stations that normally relay the BBC's output decided to broadcast alternative coverage. For example, in the US WBUR-FM (90.9), the Boston University-owned National Public Radio affiliate, opted to air an extra hour of NPR's "Morning Edition" during the 1400-1500 UTC BBC slot. "They had a programme, but it wasn't their normal news programming,'' WBUR Programming Director Sam Fleming told the Boston Herald. "We thought listeners would be better served with "Morning Edition." Fleming said WBUR has not decided what it will do if the 48- hour strike beginning on 31 May goes ahead. But if the threat of industrial action continues, some of the stations that carry BBC output may get fed up with having to keep changing their schedules, and reduce or even drop their BBC coverage. The Corporation must be hoping for a swift resolution of the current impasse between management and unions, if it is not to start losing listeners outside the UK, which cannot be good for either side in the dispute. # posted by Andy @ 15:20 UT May 25 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U K. I just was doing some net-audio listening over at the BBC website (my neighbor's computer now has this capability, which I didn't have access to before), and I ran across a very interesting From Our Own Correspondent segment I wanted to recommend. The annoying thing about it is that it is only listenable. It is NOT one of the entries in the FOOC webpage that gives you the text of the segment, and it isn't listed in the titles of segments shown on that page. It is the last segment in the FOOC program identified on the "play the program audio" page as being aired on Radio 4 at 11:30 on 21 May 05. So I fear that it will disappear soon. The subject is the Eurovision Song Contest, but the report is not just about that pop-music program itself, but on the attitude of the British to Europe in general. Ironically, in specific the reporter mentions how difficult it has been for him to get European-themed news items and stories on the BBC. And here we see an exact example of that: this FOOC segment is NOT listed and directly accessible from the BBC's FOOC webpage!!!! You can only discover it by playing the audio and noting its mention in the intro, and then fiddling with the player-control click-buttons to go to about 5 minutes before the end of the audio-playing file. I'm going to send a complaint to "Write On" about this, but I wanted to let you-all know that this interesting item existed in this hidden form. Maybe somewhere else in the BBC's websites there IS a direct reference to it from the domestic-BBC side of things, but I'm working from the Worldservice side. The Worldservice has had a history of making European-specific news coverage rather hard to hear, with limited broadcast time compared to other regions of the world. 73, (Will Martin, MO, swprograms via DXLD) viz.: FOOC Segment Hidden Dear Sirs: You've been trying to force us shortwave listeners in the Americas to move over to Internet audio, and I have been reluctantly complying with this. However, when you do this you need to make the website as user-friendly as possible. I've recently run into difficulties with the From Our Own Correspondent page and I'm writing you in the hope that this will be remedied. First off, there are no entries that specifically list each day's (or week's) programs with a directory of the segments contained in that specific program. If I miss hearing it over the air, I should be able to go to the web page and find entries for each compiled program with a breakdown of its contents; basically a "table of contents" for each one. What we now have is a seemingly-random assortment of segments displayed; we can click on each of these and read the text, but only down at the bottom of each of these do we see when it was broadcast. Leave those as-is, but add the directory of program-contents I described above on the main page. Secondly, not all the segments are shown! I just discovered a very interesting segment on the Eurovision Song Contest that was in the audio file for the program aired May 21 at 11:30 on Radio 4. But the written text isn't given and there is no entry for it in the segment- listing on the main page. Ironically, the reporter in this segment specifically refers to how the difficult it has been for him to get the BBC to air European-themed news stories, and here we see a perfect example of this attitude -- the segment is NOT listed and the text is NOT given on your web page! This segment is not just about the contest; it really is about the attitude of the British toward Europe in general, and is well worthy of inclusion and retention for future reading and listening for the Worldservice audience. Please add it to the FOOC web page now. Please try to improve this user-interface for FOOC; it would make it far more useful for your listenership. Thank you (William Martin, Saint Louis, Missouri USA, May 25, to BBC Writeon, cc to DXLD) ** U K. AN EVERYDAY STORY OF COST-CUTTING FOLK Dominic Dromgoole Wednesday May 25, 2005 Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5200975-103680,00.html What unites insomniacs in Oxfordshire, truckers in Gdansk, concierges in Beijing, hospital patients in Benin and internet nerds in Arkansas? Why do they all obsess over the lovelife of a blind Chinese physiotherapist? The answer is Westway, an unassuming radio soap, which has been poured into the ears of a listening world over the past eight years by the BBC World Service. The soap is an anomaly in many ways. Enormously popular round the world, with an audience estimated at one point at 34 million, it is unheard of at home. Since it is broadcast here only in the small hours, an in-depth knowledge of its storylines isn't the best advertisement of mental health. Even some of those closely involved aren't the most ardent listeners. I once sang the theme tune to an actor with a knowing wink. "What's that?" he said blankly. "It's the intro to the radio soap you've been in for the last seven years," I told him. The contradictions multiply. Although most definitely a soap, and burdened with storylines pitched at the level of generic silliness which soap shares with Greek tragedy and Broadway musicals, it is also the home of much quality writing. The series was conceived by some of our finest stage writers, including Sarah Daniels, and has been the greenhouse for some of the most exciting young writers to have emerged over the past decade; Gurpreet Bhatti, whose Bezhti proved such an inflammatory talking point last year; Roy Williams, the most brutally honest recorder of the contemporary black experience, and many others. All have benefited from the narrative rigour and the monthly paycheck that Westway has sent their way. Its final and most telling contradiction is that within a BBC which booms on like an unending brass brand about its commitment to multiculturalism, and yet behaves towards strangers with all the suspicion of a mid-Somerset cub scout troupe uneasily admitting a new member from north Somerset, Westway is genuinely root-and-branch multicultural. Located in a health centre in Hammersmith, it has a cast of characters as diverse as its audience. Beside the blind Chinese physiotherapist, there is an Indian GP; a Nigerian couple who run a chop shop; an Iranian Shia musician and poet, and, until recently, a Russian asylum seeker, who copped it from Aids. Nor is this international cast written for by an Oxbridge Crispin and Camilla indulging in ethnic speak; the writers are as diverse as the cast, bringing together the best and the brightest young multicultural voices. And the final contradiction. Given that it ticks almost every conceivable box available to BBC boxifiers - it is popular, it is quality, it is diversity made manifest, it is cheap - given all that, it is still being brutally and summarily axed in the latest round of BBC cuts. What's the excuse? That the World Service is being transformed into a 24-hour rolling news service - goodness, how we need another one of those - and there is no room left for weedy little nonsense such as drama. Drama, together with anything else that shows the taint of those old infections, imagination, empathy and insight, will be left to die as roadkill as the great juggernaut of fact goes steaming on by. This is, of course, stupid, on an interesting variety of levels. Aside from the fact that Westway carries as much hard information about how we live now as any number of lengthy reports from the Michael Jackson trial, or whatever other titbit they will be repeating ad nauseam on a steamrolling news service, aside from that, there is much more. It is one thing the BBC does well; it broadcasts the virtues of our multiculturalism to the world as well as fortifying it at home; it trains young people; and it is a rainbow of big-city colour for the millions who listen in across the world. Also, it is a drama programme, and surely the aim of the brutal cuts coursing through the BBC is to retain and strengthen drama programming. This is not getting rid of some unseen floor full of grey middle-management - it is getting rid of a piece of culture that is consistently fresh and bold and surprising. Why do they think they can get away with it? Simple this. Because Westway has a low profile at home, and is thus weak. As with any playground bully, the first to feel the force of the fist are the weak and the exotic and the unnoticed. It would be grand to see whatever-his-name-is with a beard take on the inflated egos of some of his heavyweight presenters or star actors or flagship programmes, many of which are as past their peak as a pint of milk left out in the sun for a summer. And as rank. But would he show the courage? Nope. Uniformity will continue to flatten the landscape, as whatever is different continues to get crushed in the stampede to join the latest cultural bandwagon. What is going on at the BBC? Is it anything more substantial than a bit of new-management macho Thatcherite posturing, tricked out by some rightwing commentators into a coherent policy? Can't someone give the man with a beard a slap and tell him that this is the 21st century and there are other ways of impressing the government beyond making thousands unemployed? And when did this daft idea that the BBC has to win at everything take hold? It is demeaning to watch something once so chaotically diverse try to squeeze itself into a shape defined by others. Surely we give money to the BBC so it doesn't have to enter the same frantic and sweaty games as everybody else, and so it can balloon off in new and interesting directions. The purpose of the BBC, I always assumed, was to nurture the wildest plants in our society and to tidy, with a gentle but sure hand, the most hidden corners in our room. Both functions were served by Westway. Why is it letting it go? Dominic Dromgoole is artistic director of the Oxford Stage Company. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005 (via Dan Say, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. VOICE OF AMERICA OUTSOURCING NEWS, 'JAMMING ITSELF' At the height of the Second World War, on Feb. 24, 1942, a new radio station went on the air in New York City. Using transmitters borrowed from the BBC, the station began its first broadcast in German, saying: "Here speaks a voice from America. . . http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2005/05/22/a1e_dosa_0522.html (Palm Beach Post, Sat, 21 May 2005 10:51 PM PDT via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ``Jamming`` is thrown around way too loosely (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA OPENS JAKARTA BUREAU. VOA director David Jackson on hand for the launch. Nine people will work there. . . http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20050521.C04 (Jakarta Post, 21 May 2005 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. This week`s HCJB DX Partyline May 21 has an interview with Jeff White, about the recent NASB meeting, DRM, FCC SW rules changes, etc., in the first half of the show which actually was recorded at WRMI; to be continued next week. Rather than make notes about this now, I am waiting for the next NASB Newsletter which Jeff has been working on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi, Glenn! Re your query in DXLD: Herald of Truth is still on WBCQ at 0415 UT most evenings. I, too, was surprised when WoR came on then Monday instead of after a HoT transmission, but fell asleep before it ended, so couldn't hear if they aired a HoT afterwards. But HoT was on the past couple nights since then. It was aired late Tuesday when they let Amos & Andy run on and start the next program before cutting that off and airing HoT. Then regular sign-off after HoT the past two nights, no special late-night programming (Will Martin, MO, May 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Subject: Re: [ARDXC] WWCR 5070 or 5770 better? G'day Glenn listening to both frequencies at present; the second frequency is 5765 0738 UT 5070 S5-S6 5765 S8-S9+ Mode AM 4 kHz filter cheers (John Smith, Brisbane, Drake R8A & EWE, May 25, ARDXC via DXLD) 5070 is the better signal at 1000 hours, 5765 is not so good. 5070 is much clearer whereas 5765 is noisy (Arthur, Kakanui, New Zealand, AOR 7030+ Longwire antenna, ibid.) Is there an email addy for reports? Nothing on 5770 at 0930. 5765 is stronger signal then 5070 but AFN [Guam] is even stronger on 5765 USB (Jem Cullen, ibid.) Oops, 5765, not 5770. I will forward reports about this to WWCR; for QSL I think they prefer P-mail (gh, DXLD) This comes in well here in Auckland, will need to try and see if anything on 5770 but 5070 is fine. Regards (David Norrie, New Zealand, May 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also SOUTH CAROLINA ** U S A. Tune into THE PEOPLE'S COURT this THURSDAY (5/26) to watch RAMA COMMUNICATIONS Travel Info WTIR-A/COCOA BEACH, FL Station Manager PAUL WALKER defend himself against charges that he lost a former associate's airchecks. WALKER is being sued for $550. You can check out WALKER's website at http://www.walkerbroadcasting.com/ To find the local time & channel that "The Peoples Court" will be on, check your local TV Guide or Newspaper listing. It is a syndicated show and not necessarily on a certain network affiliate. You can also log onto http://www.tvguide.com/ or http://www.zap2it.com/ to check your local listing there as well. The episode was taped 3 months ago in New York City before I moved from Connecticut to Florida my new job here at WTIR 1300 in Cocoa/Cocoa Beach! Please pass this message on to as many people as you can! I hope you'll enjoy the show! (Don't ask about the verdict/outcome! If you don't already know, you'll just have to watch the show) Sincerely, (Paul B. Walker, Jr., Station Manager/Chief Operator, WTIR-AM 1300, "Traveler Information Radio Network", Rama Communications, Cocoa Beach, FL, May 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. WFRV-TV MARKS 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION GREEN BAY --- Television has changed dramatically since a group of Neenah businessmen formed the Valley Telecasting Co. in 1955 and applied to the Federal Trade [sic] Commission for a license to operate a TV station. . . http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/archive/biz_21082103.shtml (WISinfo, Sat, 21 May 2005 10:44 PM PDT via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ** U S A. About W0WOI ... The callsign was issued in January 2005 at the request of the licensee, Bill Smith, a native of Ames, Iowa and home of Radio Station WOI, Iowa State University. A Short Version of the Long History of WOI Radio Radio broadcasting began at Iowa State University in 1911 when the engineering department established a wireless telegraph station. Newspaper reports from 1913 indicate station 9YI was regularly sending and receiving weather reports by Morse code and communicating with amateur radio stations. The first non-code broadcast took place November 21,1921 and consisted of one hour of live concert music. In April 1922 the United States Department of Commerce issued a formal license for station WOI. The first licensed broadcast by WOI happened on April 28, 1922. WOI radio remains on-air today at 640 kilocycles, fulltime, still owned and operated by Iowa State University as an active, contributing member of educational National Public Radio. The original 'amateur' callsign 9YI is now W0YI, the ISU Campus Radio Club. The callsign WN0WOI was issued for one year in the 1950s. The current W0WOI is 'original.' For a more complete history of WOI radio, a true amateur and broadcasting pioneer, please read the following. Spark Meets Agriculture --- The Story of WOI Radio The year was 1911. An Iowa State College physics professor fondly known as "Dad" Hoffman became interested in the new medium "wireless." Hoffman thought radio might have a future and that the college should begin experimentation. Professor Hoffman approached college administrators requesting money to build a "wireless station" on campus. The rotary spark-gap transmitter and receiving equipment was assembled in 1912, mostly of hand made and the then few available commercial parts. Most likely the station was operated during the forepart of 1912 to a limited extent, unlicensed, as was common practice of the era. On August 13, 1912, Iowa State College received a United States Department of Commerce Land Station License bearing assigned call letters "9YI, " The station operated as an amateur, or ham radio station, through personalized two-way communication with other similar stations as far as several hundred miles distance. Through 1913 station 9YI remained on-air. The highly recognizable 240- cycle tone note of 9YI`s synchronous spark gap transmitter became well known to ham radio operators throughout the Midwest. The frequency was near 375 meters. In 1914 the station came under control of the college Electrical Engineering Department directed by Professor F. A. Fish. He maintained 9YI as a highly efficient station, an educational tool for a half- dozen years transmitting weather, farm products and market reports as well as amateur radio communications. In the fall of 1915 Iowa State College demonstrated their wireless expertise at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. Soon after KDKA*, generally accredited as Americas first "broadcast" station, went on-air November 2, 1920, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania broadcasting in voice Harding-Cox presidential election returns. Professor Fish first heard a voice radio transmission and Iowa State College began seriously investigating broadcast radio. Iowa State College was paying due heed to KDKA developments which were proving the possibilities of and the future for "broadcast" radio. Determined to construct a broadcast station, the college`s Electrical Engineering Department chose Massachusetts Institution of Technology graduate Harmon B. Deal to supervise the project. Construction of the transmitter, designed for 50 watts power, began in early 1921 by engineering students Andrew G. (Andy) Woolfries and Eugene Fritschel, both radio amateurs, at the Engineering Annex. A multiple-wire aerial was strung between the building and the college water tower, but this presented a hazard. The water tower was the only metal structure on campus and lightning vulnerable. To minimize danger to the transmitter and staff the station went off-air during storms. The aerial was connected directly to earth ground. At least one engineer refused to return to work during inclement weather following a lightning bolt mishap. In early 1921, 50 watts was considered a "super-power outfit," but by October, the transmitter design was changed to an even more powerful 100 watts as the constructors learned by doing. The "Big Outfit" was completed and tested the evening of November 21, 1921, on a wavelength of 375 meters. Andy Woolfries, using a carbon element microphone, spoke the first words over 9YI thus becoming "chief announcer." The first program was one hour of concert music. We shall visit Woolfries' distinguished history at WOI later. That first evening on-air 9YI with Woolfries had two-way voice communication with stations in Pennsylvania, Fort Worth, Texas and Denver, Colorado`s Fort Simmons General Hospital. The 100-watt radiotelephone transmitter, technically described by the engineering staff as "a constant current system of modulation of alternating current filament lighting and 1500 volt plate potential," was constructed at a cost of $1396. Station 9YI initially broadcast only a few hours a week. Each broadcast began with playing Bacchanal from the Tales of Hoffmann. This was done so that listeners could locate the signal of 9YI amongst the clamor of other stations. After an appropriate length of time, either Woolfries or Fritschel would read weather reports and a few market figures, then sign 9YI off the air. Chancy Hoover, a young Iowa State electrical engineering student and amateur radio operator, recalled later when he joined the WOI radio staff, "You had to search around for 9YI because of interference from other stations, most ham, but Ames always played the Bacchanal so you knew you had the right station." 9YI`s broadcast operation was not nearly as smooth as it may seem. Government rules of the time required all news and entertainment content to be transmitted upon 833.3 kilocycles (360 meters) and all government reports, e.g., weather information, to be transmitted at 618 kilocycles (485 meters). This regulation, imposed upon all American broadcast stations, forced both the radio station and the listener to change frequencies from 360 to 475 meters and back to 360 meters during the course of single broadcast. Fortunately this regulation was short-lived. In May 1922 Iowa State College hosted and the Campus Radio Club 9YI sponsored the first statewide radio convention and short course. Over 500 radio operators from across the Iowa attended. The annual conventions continued through at least 1925. A month earlier, on April 28, 1922, Iowa State College received its official broadcast station license with the call sign WOI and assigned an 800-kilocycle frequency assignment. WOI began immediate broadcasting. As true in many discussions of early broadcasting, there is conjecture of how the call sign became WOI, but it appears it was a random selection by the United States Department of Commerce. The original license has not been seen for many years, presumably forever lost. While the WOI engineering staff performed marvelous feats constructing superior equipment and coverage area, the purpose of WOI was its broadcast program content. The station had outgrown its original function as an engineering school experiment. The 100-watt transmitter soon proved inadequate to cover the whole of the intended fledgling Iowa radio audience. A 500-watt transmitter was built and placed into operation during December 1923. This new transmitter, too, was considered the "last word" in equipment and power. The 500 watts gave `fair` coverage of central Iowa and under favorable conditions, the state. Expansion within WOI brought 1924 demand for additional physical space. It was commandeered from adjacent users in the same building. Improvements included new wooden furniture and the hanging of large, heavy velvet drapes to deaden unwanted studio sound. The drapes remained until the studios were moved in 1939 although reportedly tattered. In late 1924 another 500-watt transmitter, having the capability of 750 watts with government approval was built by WOI engineering staff. Permission was granted in August 1925. The new 750-watt transmitter was built at a cost of $3402. General Electric had asked $18,000 for a similar transmitter they would build. Inasmuch as Iowa State`s president received a $10,000 salary in 1924, it seemed imprudent to spend nearly double for a commercially built transmitter. In January 1925 WOI was reassigned to an operating frequency of 1110 kilocycles by the Department of Commerce. Shared with 13 other stations and therefore interference laden, 1110 proved detrimental to the station's geographical coverage. To offset the lost of coverage area, ISC graduate student Ralph Knouf, who had been employed by General Electric, was contracted to build a 5,000 watt transmitter. It went into operation in January 1927. Once again WOI boasted one of the most powerful and technically advanced transmitters in the United States. The new transmitter featured automatic crystal-controlled frequency in use by only eight other broadcast stations. June 1927 brought yet another frequency assignment, 1130 kilocycles, which proved interference plagued by stations on nearby frequencies. Similar problems were developing throughout the country as more broadcast stations came on the air. A general nationwide US Government change of broadcast frequency assignments came in 1928 implementing directives of the Radio Act of 1927. This was most welcomed at WOI. Ames was assigned a shared frequency of 560 kilocycles with KFEQ, St. Joseph, Missouri for daylight broadcasting. WOI had to reduce power to 3,500 watts, but that power level at 560 proved vastly superior coverage to any previous frequency. WOI and KFEQ operated without difficulty on 560 kilocycles, although out of KFEQ's commercial necessity and their need of a full-time license, WOI moved frequency once again. In November 1929, WOI was licensed for daylight hours at 5,000 watts on present day 640 kilocycles. The frequency was also used full-time by commercial stations KFI, Los Angeles, and WAIU, Columbus, Ohio, but caused no problem with WOI`s daytime broadcast schedule. The Iowa State College administration mandated that "WOI exists for the primary purpose of making available to the state of Iowa (by radio) services of the College. Therefore, the station should stand for education, information and such entertainment as will be recognized as Iowa State programs." In July 1922 scheduled daily weather reports were broadcast, one of the first American stations to do so on the exclusive 485-meter wavelength. Market reports were hand copied in code over-the-air from NAJ, a government station near Chicago, and rebroadcast. Come fall 1922 WOI broadcast its first ever college football game with the announcer sitting upon a high wood fence, holding his microphone. Coe College (of Cedar Rapids, Iowa) beat Iowa State 24 - 0. WOI was reorganized in 1925 funded from the college`s agricultural extension service, engineering extension service and the general college fund. Professor D. B. Faber, director of the engineering extension service, was put in charge of WOI. Professor W. I. Griffith was named program director and Professor Fish was charged with technical operations. During 1925, WOI broadcast a total of 425 hours. The program schedule included short course lectures, weather forecasts, market reports, educational talks, chapel and music played from the famous Iowa State Campanile. Andy Woolfries began his popular program "The Music Shop" which is still aired today on WOI-FM. The program remains as one of the longest running radio programs in the United States. In 1925 the program aired between 7:30 and 8:50 AM and included Woolfries` comments about the composers and their works. Woolfries retired in 1941 after a distinguished engineering and broadcast career at Iowa State. 1926 was a banner year for WOI. Station organization was simplified and placed under Professor Griffith`s supervision, a position he held for two decades. Griffith is credited with fostering positive notoriety for WOI`s broadcast product. The United States Department of Agriculture installed its long-sought current crop and market news wire service in July ending the hand copied code reports from NAJ. This valuable information source coupled with expanded services from the college`s educational, music and athletic programs found much favor with the station`s growing audience. WOI broadcast 1,228 hours in 1927 including the beginnings of four book club programs which were popular due to lack of rural libraries. WOI began a by-mail circulating library in 1930. The library operated as a nonprofit organization and was granted a special postal rate by the government. This service has highly used by rural Iowans. In 1931, WOI was selected Iowa`s most popular radio station in a national magazine poll. WOI remains today at 640 kiloHertz with 5,000 watts and a full-time license. WOI is affiliated with National Public Radio, a consortium of cooperating educational broadcast stations in the United States. WOI- FM began broadcasting July 1, 1949, with 100 kilowatts on 90.1 megacycles as an early Iowa FM station. WOI-FM remains as such today. WOI-TV became Iowa`s second broadcast licensed television station February 21, 1950 when it signed on channel 4. It was the country's first educationally owned television station that also broadcast commercial programming. WOI-TV exists today as a fully commercial station on channel 5 although no longer owned by now Iowa State University. *KDKA had its beginnings as land station, 8XK, built by Westinghouse engineer Frank Conrad. Westinghouse and Dr. Conrad were interested in radio as a means of marketing newly developed products, none other than $10 radio receiving sets selling in a Pittsburgh department store. Author's Statement: I gratefully acknowledge the permission of Donald T. Wirth allowing me to research WOI archives for information contained in this article. Mr. Wirth is WOI`s Associate General Manager, Finance and Operations. The information was gleaned from newspaper clippings, albums, station memos, thesis papers and my previous knowledge of the subject matter. Any factual error in this article is my sole responsibility. This article is not copywrited and may be republished as useful. --- Dwight W. "Bill" Smith, W0WOI Revised January, 2005 (via DXLD) ** U S A. Of course, you can get Channel 6 audio at the low end of most FM receivers. However, I noticed that during a Spanish music video program on WNYZ-LP in New York, they identified themselves as being not only on Channel 6 but on 87.7 FM (Joel Rubin, NY, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) I think I've heard Philadelphia's WPVI-6 mention their audio was available at the low end of the dial as well (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) Lots of channel 6 TV stations do that, indeed would be missing out not to do so; but they don`t pretend to be radio stations (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Channel 6 in Birmingham Alabama promos you can hear them on 87.7 on station promos --- word is its totally inaudible (Bill Bergadano, KA2EMZ, swprograms via DXLD) Regular TV audio sounds ``weak`` on an FM receiver, but should be totally audible, unless maybe there is an unfortunate local FM mixing product blocking the frequency? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WNYZ-TV is a low power station testing out of Long Island City with an ERP of 3 kW. It is supposed to be a Spanish "for-hire" station. NYC Fox-5 is not happy, not is WPVI-6 However Channel 6's aural carrier falls on that FM frequency at a typical level of 10 dB below the visual carrier. The audio travels much further than the visual (Chris, RAF Wireless, Buggs Island, Virginia, May 24, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the standard for the TV stereo system a 15.575 kHz pilot, the same as the NTSC video horizontal lock pulse/blanking? Channel 6 is using the FM Stereo standard (19 kHz pilot) since it is locking FM Stereo in on FM tuners. It is a shortcut to having an FM station and a TV station with one license. How legal it is to use a different standard is questionable. We actually did some testing today from a Queens location and found that the stereo lit when the receiver tuned in 87.8 MHz. Channel 6 audio is supposed to be at 87.75 MHz, either exactly or assigned a +/- 10 kHz offset for the entire channel to lessen co-channel interference. WNYZ-LP is Plus offset which explained why 87.8 was a better tune. It is unlikely that the station will be reassigned a Minus offset, channel 5 is a Plus offset and that would technically be adjacent channel interference. Tomorrow we're setting the rotator for the TV back up and will check out the visual. Where I live off the side of the beam there is hardly anything we can get of channel 6. There is too much splash from channel 5's audio (Steve Coletti, NY, ibid.) Steve, et al., I guess you haven`t seen the WTFDA item in DXLD 5-086. As for offsets, those on channel 6 have nothing to do with offsets on channel 5. Five could be plus, six could be minus, no problem. Offsets are to lessen co-channel interference on the same channel among stations adjacent geographically. I suspect this subject is more OT than usual for this list, hi. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) [Later:] At least I think that`s the way it is with offsets; tho normally there is at least one blank channel between TV stations in the same city, so the matter has not arisen until LPTV stations started to be authorized on first-adjacent channels in the same city (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15.750 kHz was the horizontal scan frequency back in the days of black and white TV. With the advent of NTSC color the frequency had to be changed to 15.734 kHz as I remember. The frequency shift was necessitated by the need to have sidebands of the horizontal scan frequency interleave with the color information sidebands. The purpose of this interleaving in the frequency domain was to minimize the apparent crosshatch one sees in highly saturated colors from the color 3.579545 subcarrier frequency in the luminance video. That change in horizontal scan frequency necessitated the vertical field rate to also be shifted slightly from 60 fields per second to 59.94 as I remember. I will check these numbers when I can get to my reference book. I have no specific recollection about the frequency of the TV stereo pilot but I believe you are correct that it is locked to the horizontal scan frequency. It would be interesting to see if a properly aligned stereo tuner would demodulate the stereo on this station (Joe Buch, DE, ibid.) ** U S A. Re 5-086, IBOC on WMYM 990 Miami: I must admit to being mystified by this. All along I've been reading that IBOC is actually bad-sounding even when received by a for-real IBOC radio, and that those radios really do not yet exist, except for jury-rigged test setups. Now I read the above. I'm really confused. Is "HD Radio" another name for IBOC or am I getting this basic definition wrong? What is this guy using for a receiver? I didn't realize or never knew that this was a method for getting AM Stereo. This is what it is supposed to do? If the old AM Stereo system(s) didn't make it, it sure seems odd that all this IBOC expense and hassle would be worth it for the operators/owners of AM stations; I would have thought that this would have been a case of "once burned, twice shy". Can you shed any light on this for me? 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, the term ``HD Radio`` is exactly the same as ``IBOC``, chosen for PR reasons. As I understand it, IBOC can be operated in stereo if desired. This follow-up has come, and you`re not the only one with doubts about the ultimate commercial viability of it (gh, DXLD) ``I take it that you heard this on a real, true IBOC receiver. What kind? And where did you get it or have access to it?`` I heard it on a car radio. Don't remember offhand what brand, but it belonged to my boss at WDNA/88.9 in Miami, where we run HD Radio (Tony, Miami, ABDX via DXLD) Hi, Glenn! Thanks for the quick reply! I didn't realize that the IBOC car radios were in actual production and being sold, but now that I think carefully about it, I guess I *do* recall mentions of that. I just never think about car radios unless they're specifically mentioned... :-) So I guess that is really what they're aiming at; the car-listener market. 73, (Will Martin, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Saludos cordiales queridos colegas diexistas. Espero se encuentren muy bien. En estos momentos a las 0235 UT Mayo 25, Radio Amazonas con muy buena señal por los 4940 kHz, con canciones religiosas en ritmo de salsa. Sigue siendo actualmente Radio Amazonas, la única representación venezolana en la onda corta. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. ANALYSIS: VENEZUELA STARTS TEST TRANSMISSIONS OF REGIONAL TV SERVICE TELESUR | Text of editorial analysis by Steve Metcalf of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 25 May On 24 May Venezuela started test transmissions of its ambitious, pan- American television project Telesur (Television of the South), based in Caracas. The project was given the go-ahead in January by Venezuela's controversial populist and left-wing president, Hugo Chávez. During his weekly TV and radio talk show "Hello President" on 9 January he described it as "a hemispheric audiovisual means of communication aimed at giving a true vision of the social and cultural diversity of Latin American and the Caribbean in order to offer it to the world". More succinctly, in his annual state of the nation address a few days later Chavez called it part of an "international counteroffensive" against foreign criticism and a challenge to what he called CNN's "media dictatorship". Journalistic experience The chairman of Telesur, and one of the main movers behind the project, is Venezuela's communications and information minister, Andrés Izarra. He has extensive experience in television, having worked in the USA for NBC news and CNN, as well as for a private Venezuelan station. After he left that station in protest at its anti- Chávez coverage, he did a stint as press attache at the country's embassy in Washington before being offered his current ministerial post. Izarra has said that he sees the new channel as projecting Latin America's vision of itself to the rest of the world. It will have a strong news content, but will also broadcast regionally-produced documentaries, features and films. Or, as the New York Times put it, anything from "long documentaries about landless peasants in Brazil or indigenous movements in the Andes... [to] nitty-gritty reports about politics and sports from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego". Telesur's director-general is Ahram Aharonian, a veteran Uruguayan journalist who has worked as a correspondent for numerous Latin American and European newspapers and agencies. In an interview with the Venezuelan newspaper El Tiempo in April, he said the station's aim was "to end the dominance of large media outlets". But he denied that it intended to compete directly with the likes of CNN; rather it hoped to set a new agenda, in which "society is the main player". Aharonian said people have become accustomed to a culture of news flashes. "We are going to bring back stories; we want to do feature news reports, get back to journalism." To this end, Telesur will start with correspondents in half-a-dozen Latin American capitals, and in the USA. International participation The method of distributing Telesur's broadcasts across the continent will be "quite original," according to Aharonian. Test transmissions will be carried on the NSS 806 satellite, which can reach most of the Americas and western Europe. For those potential viewers without access to satellite broadcasts, there are plans for it to be carried by cable TV operators and regional and community TV stations; it will reportedly be broadcast free-to-air in Uruguay. Telesur has been established as a corporation with a multinational board of directors. Andres Izarra hopes it will eventually become an "Andean multinational company". Currently, four governments have shareholdings: Venezuela has 51 per cent, Argentina 20 per cent and Uruguay 10 per cent. The most recent addition is Cuba, which agreed at the start of May to buy a 19-per cent stake. Brazil, which had earlier expressed an interest, has decided for the time being to concentrate its resources on TV Brazil International, its own project for a Spanish-language service to the region. A planned tie-up with Al-Jazeera appears not to have materialized, for the moment at least. Izarra said on Venezuelan radio on 6 April that an agreement with the Arabic satellite channel, including the establishment of an office in Caracas, would be formalized during a visit by the emir of Qatar in May. But the visit, presumably timed to coincide with the Latin American-Arab summit in Brazil, did not take place. The station has had an initial investment of 10m dollars. It will not carry commercial advertising, although it may accept sponsorship and advertising from public and private institutions, according to Aharonian. Independent but not neutral Test transmissions, consisting of recorded programming, are due to run for two months from 24 May. After that, says Izarra, it will broadcast a test signal with news summaries until its full launch in September. The channel is using temporary premises in the Venezuelan capital while a building adjacent to state-run Channel 8 is being refurbished. Critics say that the channel will be no more than a "Tele-Chávez" spreading pro-government and anti-American propaganda across the region. They see it as part of a strategy which has seen the introduction of a media law regulating broadcast content and a series of fines levied on opposition channels for giving free air-time to anti-Chávez commercials. Telesur executives insist that the station will be editorially independent. As director-general Aharonian said to an interviewer: "If it's a propaganda channel, then no-one will watch it." But that does not mean that Telesur will not have an opinion to express. Its director of news is Jorge Enrique Botero, a Colombian TV journalist. He sees the project as part of a larger one to promote regional integration. He told the Colombian El Tiempo newspaper that the station would be independent but "never neutral". Botero said it would give a voice to those who are not usually heard or seen, citing the example of the Bolivian coca-growers' leader Evo Morales. Botero is an exile from Colombia, where he received death threats for what was seen by some as his sympathetic coverage of the FARC rebel movement. All the governments participating in the Telesur project are currently left-wing or left-of-centre. This creates two potential problems for the station and its integrationist ideals. Governments of the opposite political inclination may be reluctant to sign up as partners or facilitate transmission of the channel. For example, in Colombia the only reported interest in relaying Telesur broadcasts has come from two local networks in areas administered by former trades union leaders. The other question is what effect, if any, there will be on the channel if there is a change of government in any of the participating countries, especially the main shareholder Venezuela. What started out as part of a drive for regional integration could founder on the vicissitudes of party politics. Source: BBC Monitoring research 25 May 05 (via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. or ALGERIA --- Polisario Front's changed 7460 to 7466 kHz both evenings & mornings surely to avoid adjacent QRM. Their evening schedule still reads 1700-2400 in Arabic, except Castilian 2300-2400, as monitored yesterday, 24 May, and the morning sched. is 0600 (?) - 0800 in Arabic. The QRM situation does improve after some time, but is terrible at the time they sign-on 1800, lasting for quite some time; unfortunately, the morning panorama is not bright either, with an adjacent signal gradually fading out as Polisario's program reaches its end at 0800, like on 25 May, observed 0732-0802* with talks, music and finally announcements preceding the national anthem; rated 54433 but improved to 55444 at sign-off. Meanwhile, their // 700 kHz is alive and well, while still no trace of former 1566 whatsoever, and remains a good alternative to their HF outlet; at least here in Portugal, the sole evening QRM source over 700 kHz emanating from Monaco 702 kHz (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, May 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ARGELIA, 7466, Radio Nacional de la República Arabe Saharaui, 2104- 2303, 24-05, escuchada hasta las 2303 sin que todavía cerrase, con programa siempre en árabe en esta nueva frecuencia de 7466 en vez de 7460. Hoy no transmitían su habitual programa en español, como otros días. Locutor, con comentarios, mencionando muchas veces "Arabía Saharauia". 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. ZIMBABWE INTERNET RADIO STATION LAUNCHED IN US By Staff Reporter Last updated: 05/24/2005 21:50:39 http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/fm9.12683.html A NEW Zimbabwean internet radio station has been launched by a group of Zimbabwean journalists based in the United States of America. Southern African Radio launched on Independence eve in Manhattan, and is headed by former ZBC DJ Chaka Ngwenya The launch of the station follows that of Afro Sounds FM by other former ZBC employees. Afro Sounds FM is based in the United Kingdom and is soon to go on DSTV. SAR-FM, as they have branded themselves, have also signed up top names like Brenda Moyo and Praxedes Jeremiah, both former ZBC DJs. The station which is only available on the internet has also signed up some promising names, mainly college students. Representing for South Africa is Nozipho Sibanyoni, and Zambia’s Webster ``Achimwene`` Mininyembe has also been enlisted. Radio stations like SAR-FM and Afro-Sounds FM are banned in Zimbabwe, and the former's launch is seen as further weakening Zimbabwe's tight media and information controls. Station bosses say SAR-FM offers music fans "a unique and compelling radio listening experience". ``With the availability of SAR-FM, users can enjoy quality music, meet other Southern Africans on SAR-FM’s chart room, and enjoy music from the continent broadcast 24/7 from New York City, the world's cultural and entertainment capital city,`` says station director Ngwenya. "SAR-FM strives to bring the latest music, news and other programs from and associated with Southern Africa and the Diaspora, he added. TO LISTEN TO SAR-FM: http://www.sarfmradio.com (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. GROWING MEDIA RESTRICTIONS IN AFRICA RAISE CONCERN: http://www.dispatch.co.za/2005/05/25/Foreign/cmedia.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ NATIONAL RADIO CLUB, LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2005, KULPSVILLE PA I've placed the 2005 Convention Information, and registration on the web site. Should there be any changes, I can make them as time permits. To view it, go to http://www.nrcdxas.org and click on "Conventions" (Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ GETTING WORKED UP ABOUT USE OF HEADSETS BY JOHN HANC, a regular contributor to Newsday. May 24, 2005 In a country that seems to have collectively sprouted rubber ear buds and transparent silver wires dangling from its head, admonitions against using headsets while exercising outdoors now sound quaint. But an incident at this year's Long Island Marathon serves as a reminder that these warnings shouldn't be tuned out. . . http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsnutrition4272584may24,0,4855751,print.story?coll=ny-health-headlines (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) TOYOTA PRIUS CAR RADIO Marriage has a few perks, including my wife's purchase of a Honda Prius hybrid this past week. I had a chance to drive it around today and determined several interesting things: 1. The FM radio is far more selective than the radio in my Honda. Most adjacents where I live midway between Rochester and Buffalo appear to be DXable. So in addition to the better mileage as an incentive (44 mpg today in city and rural driving), I may need to grab the keys for the Toyota more frequently during skip season. 2. The radio is also equipped with RDS. I notice that RDS on Rochester and Buffalo signals is a little iffy, depending on where I am on hills and turns. I look forward to seeing how well RDS comes in with skip. Some of the RDS text is just call letters (or slogan), while others have scrolling DJ names and song titles. 3. The scan function allows a listener to search for particular types of programming. Though I noticed that more than a few stations have the wrong program tag. WBEE 92.5 is shown as "Rock", for example. And WXXI-FM seems to have the "Misc." tag ("Hmm, I'm in the mood for some miscellaneous programming today!". It also groups Jazz and Classical as one program type. 4. Some of the stations have a "msg" tag, which allows the listener to push an onscreen button for more information. About what? I don't know! When I pushed it I was told that the message would not appear on the screen while I am driving - for safety reasons. Maybe the passenger seat has a weight sensor, which when occupied opens the message? I forgot to look when I stopped the car in the driveway tonight. If it gives traffic info, it won't be useful if I can only read it when the car is stopped. I can only dream that "msg" will reveal Hepburn tropo maps, MUF, or the latest A & K indices 5. It is possible to adjust volume, cycle through pre-selected channels, and scan for strong signals with a thumb control on the steering column, in addition to touch screen controls on the dash. It is not possible to step-tune, though lightning quick reflexes can get it to stop on weak signal frequencies. 6. There are six AM presets and 12 FM presets. The tuning dial allows for scanning or step-tuning. The AM radio is not spectacular, but that may be due to late spring conditions. I've yet to try it at night. 7. The hybrid operates with gasoline and self-generated electricity. I did not notice any buzz on AM or FM in either engine mode. So far so good. The negatives: 7. The tuning dial is on the right hand side of the radio, which involves a slightly uncomfortable reach. Worse, there is no place to rest the wrist or even a finger or two while tuning. I figured out that a 20 oz. soda bottle in the cup holder gives a little bit of arm rest, so I may need to manufacture some sort of solid cylinder to put there. 8. No TP or TE signals noted in the late afternoon. (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, May 24, WTFDA via DXLD) Re 3: My understanding is that in the US stations aren't really using the programming tag, which is apparently used extensively in Europe. The majority of stations I've decoded with the RDS software either are transmitting nothing there or something which isn't aligned with their format. I suppose the law of averages says some will be correct (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) CALIFORNIA COMPANY USING TV SIGNALS FOR DE FACTO GPS SYSTEMS Redwood City-based Rosum Corporation has secured a number of patents for its system of using television signals to locate people inside buildings and other locations where global positioning system signals fail. The high-tech company will debut its products next year, and backers say it could lead to new ways of pinpointing the locations of 9-1-1 callers or those using Internet-based telephone service. The following URLs work intermittently, so be patient: http://tinyurl.com/ckbq3 http://tinyurl.com/7umhs (CGC Communicator May 25 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) TEXT MESSAGING VS. MORSE CODE - THE GREAT SPEED RACE Which is faster, text messaging on a cellphone or good old Morse Code? That question was decisively answered on the May 13, 2005 Jay Leno show in a great on-stage speed race. Here is the high quality video clip (a large file): http://www.tarc.org/index.php?load=leno Enjoy some behind-the-scene comments from K6CTW, one of the ham operators whose code skills came into play: http://ac6v.com/Leno.htm In case you are wondering, Morse code, the ancient technology, stomped text messaging (CGC Communicator May 25 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ LOGO GALLERY IS BACK My website went back up today. I renewed for five years, so we shouldn't be seeing this again anytime soon ;-) While I was at it, I threw up the new Channel 2 map and am now working on Channel 3. Big thanks to Scott for hosting the gallery over the weekend, I'll have to give him an exit on my EXIT 9 page. As always: http://www.egrabow.com/gallery/ "End of message. End of transmission." (Ryan Grabow, North Massapequa (Long Island), NY, http://www.egrabow.com/dx/ May 25, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to severe storm levels. The period began with active to minor storming at middle latitudes, while active to severe storming at the higher latitudes were observed as effects from the interplanetary shock and CME continued. These conditions persisted through about 16/1800 UTC. Thereafter, through early on 20 May, activity levels decayed to quiet to unsettled levels at middle latitudes with some periods of major storming observed at the higher latitudes. By early on the 20th, activity levels increased to minor to major storming as effects from one of the weak/slow CMEs of 16 and 17 May became geoeffective. By 20/1200 UTC, activity levels decreased to quiet to active at the middle latitudes and quiet to minor storming at the higher latitudes. These conditions persisted through the remainder of the summary period. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 25 MAY - 20 JUNE 2005 Solar activity is expected be at mostly very low to low levels. Isolated M-class activity is possible after 28 May upon the return of old Regions 758 (S10, L=136) on 28 May, 759 (N12, L=055) on 03 June, and 763 (S16, L=016) on 06 June. All three regions were M-class producers on their previous transits. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is not expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 28 May – 02 June and 07 – 19 June. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storming. Recurrent coronal hole high speed wind streams are expected to produce active to minor storm levels on 27 – 28 May and 11 – 14 June. Otherwise, expect quiet to unsettled conditions. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2005 May 24 2215 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2005 May 24 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 May 25 85 8 3 2005 May 26 85 12 3 2005 May 27 85 15 3 2005 May 28 95 20 4 2005 May 29 100 10 3 2005 May 30 100 8 3 2005 May 31 100 8 3 2005 Jun 01 100 5 2 2005 Jun 02 100 5 2 2005 Jun 03 105 8 3 2005 Jun 04 100 15 3 2005 Jun 05 95 15 3 2005 Jun 06 100 12 3 2005 Jun 07 105 12 3 2005 Jun 08 105 15 3 2005 Jun 09 105 12 3 2005 Jun 10 105 8 3 2005 Jun 11 100 20 4 2005 Jun 12 95 20 4 2005 Jun 13 90 10 3 2005 Jun 14 85 20 4 2005 Jun 15 85 15 3 2005 Jun 16 85 10 3 2005 Jun 17 80 10 3 2005 Jun 18 80 10 3 2005 Jun 19 80 8 3 2005 Jun 20 80 8 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1275, DXLD) ###