DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-091, June 2, 2005 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2005 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1276: 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 Sat 0855 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1030 WOR WWCR 5070 Sat 1730 WOR WRN to North America (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) Sat 1730 WOR WRMI 7385 [from WRN] 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]: WORLD OF RADIO 1276 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1276h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1276h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1276 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1276.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1276.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1276.html [by Friday] WORLD OF RADIO 1276 in true shortwave sound of Alex`s mp3 (stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_06-01-05.m3u (download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_06-01-05.mp3 NETS TO YOU, May edition by John Norfolk: http://www.w4uvh.net/nets2you.html ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Salaam Watander Internews service heard on 15500 via Rampisham April 26th 1330 to 1431 off, time pips 1430 and off with identification ``Salaam Watandara, Salaam Watandara, da Salaam Watandara Radyo-dah. Inja radio-ye Salaam Watandara`` with alternate man and woman. Fair reception (Finn Krone, Denmark via Wolfgang Bueschel, June World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) Should that be May 26? BTW, I recently dated a Media Network item March rather than May. Wish dates already appeared on their footers ** ARGENTINA. 8098-LSB, R. Continental, May 27 0740-0804, 25342-23342 Spanish, Talk and music, ID at 0800 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA [and non]. Re AM 1710, ex-1700: I have been hearing someone on 1710 recently with LA type ballads and presumed Spanish announcements under and over the Brooklyn Jewish station but have presumed it to be another pirate. Maybe it is the Argentinian. Remember a few years ago when an Argentina station was being heard on 1620 before the X-banders got active ? I heard that one several times. Radio Esmerelda or something like that (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford [SE corner, PA], May 30, NRC-AM via DXLD) Bill Dvorak and I heard something over/under the Brooklyn pirate two weekends ago when he came to check out my DX setup in Grafton WI. This was best on the 475 ft, 97 degree BOG and had choral religious music (Sat night) and I presumed it to be a Boston Area pirate? Info appreciated. I'll look for the Argentine on my SSE antenna. Yes, I managed to copy bits of Spanish religion there from Barrington IL mixed occasionally with distant TIS`s 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Ben, That was Esmerelda 1620. I even got a QSL out of them from a Cardinal or someone at the Catholic station. There was some question if the station was licensed at the time. It was running 5 kW or something like that. The one on 1640 was a relay of an FM and they were licensed. I got a beautiful certificate from them. I believe they are Radio Red. Listed as 1/5 kW. The BBC on 1670 never replied. Even though a few QSLs on that one were issued. Now that I have a way to record on CD, I might try again. There may not have been a way to play my cassette tape at the time. But these low power X-Banders from Argentina seem to get out well at times. This would probably be a good time to try for them, Deep South Americans in the Summer. We have 1610 TIS stations around, but none are strong. 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) Again last night I heard the station on 1710 going in and out with the Brooklyn Jewish station. Best between 2230 and 2300 EDST. As mentioned by Les, the second station was playing romantic Spanish type music with some vocals but I did not hear any announcements. Quite loud at times and over the Brooklyn station at times. Sure could have been the Argentina station that moved from 1700. However, both the station and I faded just before 2300 so I could not get and ID. I faded after an afternoon and evening of family Memorial Day activities. Kaz, did you try last night? (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford, PA, May 31, ibid.) Hmmm. The "Escúchanos Online" button doesn't do anything! And I don't see the power listed anywhere on the website. Also notice on their "coverage map" (under the Alcance link) that the capital of the Falkland Islands is shown as "Puerto Argentino". Those silly Argies! (Mike Westfall, Lost Almost NM, ibid.) Most of the Argentine X Banders are low power per the WRTH though. Some are as low as 500 watts. The 5-10 kW should make it as I think the ones I heard were in that power range. 73 (Patrick Martin, ibid.) I just listened to 1710 (6/1 0855-0905 UT) and report the following. There was audio at the threshold level. I mostly heard a man talking and not much else. Because of lightning noise, I could not even identify the language. I suspect I at the least had Lubavitcher Radio (the Jewish Station in Brooklyn). I took a spectrum snapshot of the channel and noted there were at least six distinct carriers. Two of them looked strong enough to produce audio. This is similar to what I noted in the past. In addition to the Brooklyn station, the other strong carrier was likely the Haitian pirate station in the Boston area. I have no idea who the other four stations are. So --- This is a "crowded" channel and we will have to be careful about IDing whatever we hear. In the past, the Brooklyn station is usually off the air Friday evening and Saturday morning, assumed for the Sabbath, so that may be the best time to hunt for the Argentinean station. I measured the two strong carriers at 1709.972 and 1710.022. The other carriers were at 1709.989, 1709.992, 1710.011, and 1710.060. Please keep in mind that these measurements are relative to each other and may not be exact because of calibration error. If anyone is interested I can send an inage of the spectrum snapshot on request. If there is enough interest, I will post it to my web site (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, 0924 UT June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Right now 6/1/2005 2305 EDT, I detect at least six distinct carriers on SpecLab. There are at least three stations yielding audio. One is a guy in English, assumed to be the Brooklyn pirate. It is the strongest signal. The second strongest signal is another guy talking. I can't tell the language. I think this might be the Boston pirate. There is a third station right above the threshold with music. I have no idea who this might be (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, R8B K9AY/300 foot longwire, Quantum Phaser, Spectrum Laboratory Software, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA [non]. See CANADA ** BELGIUM [and non]. Vlaams Belang is Flanders` largest political party. It is right wing and supports Flanders secession from Belgium. In November the Belgian Supreme Court upheld a decision deeming Vlaams Block racist opening its members up to prosecution. It was formally disbanded and reorganised as Vlaams Belang (Mike Barraclough, June World DX Club Contact, DXLD) That`s the 6015 flap, to come from Rampisham starting Sunday June 5 (gh) ** BRAZIL. R. Cultura FM, São Paulo, 6170, plus MW and FM, and which I often listen to on webcast, has made some scheduling changes this week. The detested but required government hour, Voz do Brasil, has been moved from its live airtime of 2200 UT, or 7 pm local, primetime, to 0200 UT, or 11 pm local. Or so the schedule at http://www.tvcultura.com.br/radiofm/programacaofm.htm says, but on UT June 2 I found that hour occupied by the unscheduled Concerto Romântico and no Voz do Brasil. It would be a pity to have VdB really intruding on classical and other fine arts programming in the middle of our evening. Taking the 2200 UT slot is a new produxion of their own, simulcast on AM, ATENÇÃO BRASIL - Com Paulo Markun about which more at http://www.tvcultura.com.br/radiofm/programacaofm.htm plus at 2230 MÚSICA E NOTÍCIA, at least on weekdays (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Hello Glenn, Over the past several weeks while listening to RCI's broadcast of Sunday Morning on 13655 I notice the Blue Danube playing under the audio. At first I thought it to be another station but it happens every week and I'm listening to a tape now of last Sunday's show and a few minutes into hour three the music starts. Also I have had lots of trouble hearing the 1900-2200 UT relay of Radio One on 17765 here in Ohio. I use an Icom R-75 with a random wire so I should be able to hear them but more often than not they just don't make it. Many times when they do I'll also hear something in Spanish on the same frequency. I have written RCI but got no reply (Dale Rothert, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Dale, Blue Danube would be the interval signal from Austria, which Sackville relays at 1500-1600 on 13775. Perhaps a mixture somewhere along the feed line, or could it be that your receiver is overloaded with the 13775 signal also cross-modulated on 13655? See if it is still there when you attenuate the RCI signal. The programming should go into German and English, but it wouldn`t be the first time they lost the feed and just ran the IS. I also sometimes have problems with 17765. Some days when propagation is disturbed, it isn`t there. You may be too close to Sackville to get it well on a normal day. That`s the problem with trying to use one frequency to serve a wide area. There is a lot of sporadic-e (short) skip this time of year, so you might luck into a good signal by that mode. Regards, (Glenn to Dale, via DXLD) It is indeed Austria, heard them in the background, I'll do some experimenting next Sunday if I'm home, if not the following Sunday. I usually tape the program and playback at another time. 17765: Yes, I hope they learn especially since they're supposed to be using this feed for North America. I heard about it when they first started when you mentioned it on WOR. Like many folks, I've become more and more unhappy as more and more shortwave is cut back. I listen for program content. Thanks for the information (Dale Rothert, OH, ibid.) ** CANADA. I have personally observed several Canadian AM stations over the years who have routinely operated during nighttime (sunset to midnight) hours with day pattern and power, or day pattern at reduced power, or night pattern with higher than authorized power. And by observed I mean been in the transmitter building and looked at the metering. And, when I have enquired of both DOT/DOC/Industry Canada personnel and station technical staff or contractors, been told that the Federal government either had no real enforcement power except TCOC revocation, or that the authorities simply didn't care one way or another. I was told years ago by someone at DOC (as it was then) that they did occasionally require stations to file antenna certification (proof of performance) measurements, and then reject them a time or two until the "message" was delivered (Aaron Zawitzky, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But, but, this is a matter of international treaties. We must break relations with Canada immediately (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Re CJML, 580, the temp Winnipeg station, I was wondering if their website (actually geocities) http://cjml.cjb.net/ is still up a biweek after their activity, and indeed it is, crawling: ``...CJML will be back on the air!!!.....AUGUST 6 - 20 to celebrate VJ - DAY broadcasting from Deer Lodge Center......`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CJNS MAKES THE MOVE TO FM [Saskatchewan] By Jennifer Kaban Sunday May 29, 2005 http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/story.php?id=163125 Meadow Lake radio listeners will soon be able to enjoy CJNS on the FM dial. By the end of June, the station, which now broadcasts on AM 1240, will be switching to FM 102.3. David Dekker, general manager at CJNS, said Meadow Lake was a growing community, and therefore there was an increasing need to switch to FM. ``There will be an increase in the quality of the broadcasts. Now they are only in mono, but on the FM dial they will be in stereo.`` Currently, the broadcast area only reaches Meadow Lake and a small portion of outlying areas. On the FM dial, listeners will be able to hear the broadcasts from south of Glaslyn to north of the provincial park and west to the Albertan border. For the next few weeks, the FM frequency will be in the testing stages. During this time listeners can hear the broadcasts, although there may be periods with no transmission. Dekker said testing is important to prevent interference with other radio frequency transmissions. ``We let people know we are using these frequencies. This is just to make sure it’s not interfering with aircraft navigational systems or two-way radio airplane communications. There is very seldom a problem.`` In addition to the changes at CJNS, listeners will be able to receive Q98FM from North Battleford on 104.5 FM (Meadow Lake Progress, Sask., via Sheldon Harvey, QC, DXLD) ** CANADA. The Pearson International Airport high-power TIS CFYZ-1280 is off the air indefinitely. According to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority "service has been suspended pending exploration of alternatives". The AM and PM drive shows ("Takeoff in the morning" and "Touchdown in the afternoon") were likely too costly to maintain, even if they probably attracted a bigger share of the local market than MOJO-640 and some of the other bottom-feeders. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, May 30, NRC-AM, via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. REBELS CONTINUE TO BLOW UP RADIO AND TV MASTS | Text of press release by Paris-based organization Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) on 30 May Reporters Without Borders [RSF] wrote to Colombia's communications minister today voicing support for a request by Gabriel Morales, the manager of the privately-owned radio station Latina Estereo 91.3 FM, for the authorities to rebuild its transmitter in Puerto Asis (in the southern department of Putumayo) in a different, protected location after it was blown up for a second time on 25 May. The press freedom organization also urged the authorities to "deal with the problem more globally by offering to protect the installations of radio stations in the Cali region, if they so request." The letter continued : "The deliberate destruction of a news media's installations is a direct violation of press freedom if it is done with the intention of depriving the public of its right to be informed. This has become common practice in the south of Colombia and must be brought to a stop as quickly as possible." Reporters Without Borders added : "The authorities have a duty to deploy all available resources to ensure that journalists can work freely and without fear." Latina Estéreo 91.3 FM was attacked for the first time on 13 February when two explosions destroyed its antenna and other equipment. The station was forced off the air for two weeks and its journalists have been working in a climate of tension ever since. A car-bomb wrecked 70 per cent the building housing the RCN [Radio Cadena Nacional] radio and television stations in the city of Cali on 20 February. The Marxist guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) claimed responsibility for the attack four days later. The television broadcasts of RCN and Caracol, another privately-owned TV network, went off the air in much of Putumayo department following an attack on a joint relay station near the locality of Mocoa on 2 March. And on 13 March, a bomb near the town of Florencia (in the southern department of Caquetá) destroyed an antenna used jointly by local radio stations Cristalina Estéreo and Espléndida Estéreo, reducing the area their signals reach. Source: Reporters Sans Frontières press release, Paris, in English 30 May 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. We wanted English from Habana in the mornings; we got it! Unfortunately it`s not innocuous cultural or musical programming, but a running and rather halting, rough, translation by a woman of a nonFidel live speech in Spanish about Posada Carriles and the long dirty history of US terrorism against Cuba (as if there is no blood on Fidel`s hands) --- first noted in progress at 1341 UT June 2, in Spanish on 11760 and 11800, but in English on 9550, 12000 and 13680! At 1355 announcers broke in, to explain it is coverage of an International Conference Against Terror, etc., taking place in Habana, and some historian had been speaking, but didn`t catch his name. Exciting stuff. Later after 1400 a woman was speaking, apparently in original English. Still going past 1500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I'm listening on 9550 --- absolutely riveting radio! (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, 1443 UT June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Are we serious? ** CUBA [and non]. I have this thing for R. Martí which in my opinion is the biggest waste of my tax dollars there is. Considering that VOA has suffered cutbacks the way they have, yet Martí seems to be going strong. Funny thing is this past week I noticed that Martí was running a baseball game between Boston Red Sox and NY Yanks and the jammers where turned off. To waste the time usually spent by radio and TV adverts, Martí kept playing this jingle over and over till the game was resumed. When the game was over, the jammers where turned back on. What a rip. Maybe I have missed the skinny on Radio Martí because I don't speak the language, but I just can't see its purpose if jammed. It sure screws up the shortwave band with the broadband jammers used by the Cubans (Bob Montgomery, PA, swprograms via DXLD) I would grant that ANY broadcaster oriented toward a goal so specific as putting Castro on welfare will always be hard-pressed to justify themselves. Yet, my response was to highlight the fact that your example undermined your point. Instead of waste, your example was one of those rare and priceless occasions when the actual front-line cold warriors held an impromptu truce for everyone's benefit! Martí ops pulled the normal strident spots (which explained the repeating jingle) and jamming ops arranged a little "accident" so they could hear what was hopefully a good game. End result: mutual benefit. I'm sure you are aware of the Cuban passion for Baseball, no? And, lest you doubt that such incidents occur, let me direct you to the piece R. Nederland did a few years back on Soviet jammers. It turns out that such accidents were not uncommon. Management -- if it noticed -- didn't get too upset because the particular unjammed broadcast was useful for them also (Scott Royall, Conch Republic, May 30, swprograms via DXLD) Well, I have to admit I'm lost as to your point, Scott. Bob just stated that he felt that Martí was a colossal waste of resources due to jamming. How does the fact that one baseball game got through change or undermine that fact? I thought his example underlined his point. The only time Martí *was* useful was when it broadcast a baseball game and it wasn't jammed. Otherwise --- like I said --- a colossal waste. Your other point, about "avowed" enemies sometimes collaborating, I do get. And it is indeed interesting when that happens. If only it would happen more often (John Figliozzi, ibid.) The problem is you and Bob apparently can't recognize a good thing even when it French-kisses you. ;/ OK, I stated that the situation was probably a case of mutual benefit. For R. Martí, the benefits would come from pleasing its target audience. If you do that often enough, your audience tends to increase and become more tolerant of your message. That doesn't mean they will agree with your politics, but they won't dismiss you quite as quickly as before (Scott Royall, ibid.) ** FRANCE. Re 5-090: ´´- les ondes courtes, à partir d'Issoudun, sur un émetteur de grande puissance (500 kw) couvrant l'Afrique et l'Europe de l'Est. [WTFK???]´´ --- At present all on 6175, see http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?s=55c6bedbae7a9315cacb8d40b43bc502&threadid=1003&perpage=15&pagenumber=8 This discussion also reveals that they use one of the old "Centre E" transmitters for their DRM, not the new units from the nineties. Apparently a first attempt to run DRM with one of them failed for whatever reason (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. 15896 kHz DRM --- Ciao a tutti, vi segnalo stamattina alle 1000 UT la ricezione dei segnali DRM di BiteXpress, che trasmette dalla Germania sui 15896 con soli 100 watt. Il http://watt.Il tutto grazie ad una buona propagazione e al solito Ft 817 modificato, converter 455/12 kHz SatService e antenna multidipolo 10/20/40 metri. Saluti, (Andrea Borgnino, IW0HK, Roma, http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk http://www.mediasuk.org/archive May 30 bclnews.it via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Re NY Times, DXLD 5-082 May 18: --- Of course the description "the Voice of America, which is restricted by law from broadcasting in English in most European countries" is sheer nonsense, and indeed we should emphasize this, because VOA is in fact restricted by BBG's own policy. I understand that since last year Europe is officially no target area for VOA's English programming anymore. Hence they took it off 1197 as of April 2004, leading to the total closure of this outlet only one year later. Also concerning 87.9 at Berlin in particular I am not aware of any legal restrictions that would have VOA prevented from applying for this frequency without a cooperation with a German company. Nevertheless they choose to do so, and with not much fortune, since their first partner failed. This was a program called Charlie 87.9, run by Hundert,6, one of the first commercial stations in Berlin. Charlie 87.9 had been discontinued, and VOA had to search for another partner, Dornier Medien and their Star FM project. And "German regulators are considering the two options" simply means that both VOA and NPR will file competing applications to Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg, who will have to choose one, probably indeed NPR. I think I should tell about Hundert,6 after mentioning it anyway, since this station is at present subject of the biggest scandal in the German broadcasting industry for years. Recently the company running Hundert,6 went bankrupt. With some legal tricks the licence was transferred to another company called Medialog, and in all secrecy the Hundert,6 operations were moved to another location; in fact the transmitter was switched to the new studio location while overnight automation was running, and the next morning (Sunday, April 17) staff arriving in the radiohouse had to note that something else went out but not their signal. The primary aim of this trick was to get rid of most of the staff members. Only a few, hand-selected people produce Hundert,6 at the new seat, and it is a really professional operation, as you can here in a recording from April 18 (also the nice mains hum is transmitted): http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/050416_a2.ram But Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg did not agree with this "solution", since the transfer of the licence was not meant to authorize such an action by CEO Thimme. So the licence had to be returned to the bankrupt Hundert,6 Medien. To be continued ... Here is a series of photos from the old Hundert,6 radiohouse, taken shortly before and after the "cloak-and-dagger-operation" (secret switch to another studio location): http://www.radioszene.de/hundert6_fotos1.htm Click on "Mehr Fotos" to get the next page. On picture 23 you will still see traces of Charlie 87.9 as well as JFK 98.2, another failed project of Hundert,6. Yes, JFK referred to John F. Kennedy, meant as a political statement by the station operator of the time (who later blamed the East Germans for the lacking success of JFK 98.2). This particular console controlled the speakers of the main control room, and reportedly it had been discovered here in the morning of April 17 what had happened: The speakers were switched to off-air monitoring of Hundert,6 as always, surely there was program audio -- but not from here. Must have been a really eerie discovery. You will also find various mentions of "Best of Deutsch" from studio 2 and a belonging 91.8 frequency. This was a new program, carried by a transmitter at the Zehlendorf AM site. The licence for Best of Deutsch had not been returned to Hundert,6 Medien. After the "cloak-and- dagger-operation" the Zehlendorf transmitter first just carried Hundert,6, but now Medialog relaunched this station as Power Radio. If this reminds you on the defunct Kiel 612 kHz station: Exactly on spot, it was nobody else than Mr. Thimme who ran this Power Radio. And the publicity around Hundert,6 also brought up the circumstance that Mr. Thimme still continues legal action against the withdrawal of his mediumwave licence in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2001. There nothing made it ever on air over years, away from a tape loop, carried on Wöbbelin 999 only for some time in 1999, promising that "soon the new Talk Radio" will start on this frequency --- cf. http://www.dxing.info/audio/index_germany.dx --- which it of course did not. By the way, Best of Deutsch ran through the same circuit as years ago Charlie 87.9. On picture 28 you can just barely see how the label for this channel, visible in the extreme left of the picture (with the upper right one of the green lights on = switched to studio 2) had been changed with a sticker into "91,8". All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUAM. AWR via Guam heard on several checks 1130-1200 on 15435 in English not Thai as listed in their schedules (Tony Ashar, Indonesia, June World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) I think they default to English whenever a scheduled language broadcast be missing from whatever reason (gh, DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 5954.967, Radio Cultural, active this morning at 1050 UT. Same DJ as always and religious music. http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Re 5-090: Glenn, I've been asking around if anyone has both XM and Sirius subscriptions, as the item in this DXLD had requested. So far I haven't found anyone. I know Joe Buch has made a theoretical case that Sirius' orbits should lead to improved reception especially in Canada, though I don't think Joe has specifically assessed reception differences in the USA. As for my own Sirius experience: in auto environments, I've never had any issues with Sirius reception. I traveled last year with John Figliozzi into southern Ontario and saw no degradation of reception. My own indoors reception quality varies. At home, where I have the home antenna on a ledge outside a window, I have maybe one hour/day where I do not have reception. A more aggressive mounting strategy (i.e. on the roof) would probably eliminate that dead time. At the office, where I have an auto antenna on the inside window frame, I lose reception for 90 minutes per day on average. As I have high-speed Internet access at home and at work, I can always avail myself of the webcast versions of Sirius audio streams at no additional cost (Rich Cuff / Allentown, PA, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. In today's mail (May 31) I had an oversized envelope from the "Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting" with a nice partial data QSL card for a November 7, 2004 reception report (time only, no frequency mentioned). A nice night photo of the 17th century Khaju Bridge in Esfahan. There was also a glossy one page schedule, mostly of their broadcasts over the Sahar Universal Network Data, and various satellite frequencies for Hot Bird 3, Telstar 5 and other satellites, FM 100.7 MHz in Tehran, but no shortwave schedules or frequencies. Go figure! This was postmarked May 3, 2005, and curiously, was obviously opened at the end. The envelope was sturdy enough and lined with a dark green opaque plastic lining. The postage on the envelope was 51000 Rials. At the current exchange rate of approximately 8967 Rials to US$1.00, the package cost about US$ 5.68 to airmail, a very high price for just a QSL card. I have to assume that there was a newspaper or some other printed matter in the envelope that was confiscated. For some reason it must have been considered too sensitive for American sensibility (at least in some one's eyes). (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is totally unacceptable in our `free` country!!! (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 4375.94, V. of Communist Party of Iran, May 21 *1626- 1636 33343-32342 Farsi, 1626 sign on with IS and ID, 1630 ID and opening music, Talk. 4375.95 V. of Communist Party of Iran, May 27 *1627-1636 34343-35343 Farsi, 1627 sign on with IS, ID, 1630 ID and Opening music, Talk, No jamming (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** ITALY. Hi Glenn, I send you news about the new list of Italian transmitters, Viz.: THE ITALIAN FILE FOR RDSDX IS READY Hi all, The Italian FM list for RDSDX* software is updated and ready to be used. About 50 members of FMDX Italy, radio listeners or professionals, contributed to the list. Compared with the old list, made with data taken from UKWTV, in the new one were changed 6.000 names of radio, there are 4.000 new data, deleted 2.000 information, updated 3.000 frequencies or transmitter sites. So far the list includes 11.500 records, even if 500 need to be controlled yet. The work went on for one year and it was difficult because of the complex FM Italian situation. Then many data were really old, 10 or more years. The list reports the RAI transmitters powers, the only company with reliable information about. It appears quite impossible to get reliable sources about private transmitters power. You can consider that in North Italy the average power (not ERP) is about 3.000-5.000 W, 2.000-3.000 in Central Italy and 500-1000 in South Italy. Then there are a lot of local transmitters with 300 W or less. Most of RAI local transmitters are 100 W. Some important sites, that cover larger areas as Monte Cavo (to Rome), Valcava (to Milano), Monte Serra (to Tuscany) can get also 10 or 20 kW. This is a work in progress, so if you observe mistakes or new radio please write to FMdx_italy @ fastwebnet.it Sometimes it is possible to find that some transmitters belonging to the same network use different PI codes. This may happen because the go on air with second hand transmitters, without changing all the RDS settings. Fabrizio Carnevalini, Milan, Italy fmdxITALY Group http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/fmdxITALY *RDSDX is a software developed by Arno Vainio from Finland. RDSDX decodes and displays extended RDS information, which is normally not displayed by the receivers. This information can be used to identify stations and their locations. It is also possible to create a database of radiostations and the tuned station can be searched very quickly according to the frequency and received PI-code. This programme is completely FREEWARE for non-commercial use (Fabrizio Carnevalini, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. Radio Japan has lined up some special programs on the occasion of 70th anniversary of first international broadcast from Japan. First part of the series of programs were broadcasted today. ((((( Japan & the World 44 Minutes ))))) Mon.- Fri. 14:15 - 15:00 (JST) (repeat) 19:15, 23:15, 2:15, 9:15, 10:15 (JST) [JST = UT +9, so subtract 9 hours from the Center of the Universe] Jun. 1, Wed. - Jun. 3, Fri. * NHK WORLD 70th Special: Introducing Japan for 70 Years The three-part series goes behind the scenes of NHK's international broadcasting services, discovering the history and the thoughts of the program makers. Jun. 1, Wed. - The Start of International Broadcasting - Jun. 2, Thu. - Post-war International Broadcasting in the Age of Radio - Guest: Setsuro Kitayama (former NHK employee) Jun. 3, Fri. - The Advance into TV and Internet Broadcasting - Guest: Toshiyuki Sato, (Director-General, International Planning & Broadcasting Department of NHK) ---------------- ((((( Radio Japan Focus ))))) Jun. 1, Wed. - Jun. 3, Fri. * NHK WORLD 70th Special: Frontline of the Grobal Broadcasting (1)-(3) This 3-part special series commemorates the 70th anniversary of NHK's international broadcasting on June 1st. Satellite broadcasts from the Middle East are in the spotlight; Western nations are employing new information strategies; an NGO has started international broadcasts in Africa. What do international broadcasts tell us today? We present the frontline (via Alokesh Gupta, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** JORDAN. Glenn recently enquired about reception of Radio Jordan 11690 in the European area. Their English service at 1300-1630 is not on air every day for whatever reason - June 1st was another "off" day. But when it is on air, reception at my location is always good strength and clear of QRM. 73s from (Noel R. Green, UK, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked 11690 June 2 after 1400 and could hear nothing but HCJB, RTTY (gh, OK, DXLD) ** KENYA. The VOA FM relay in Nairobi is back on the air after a brief outage. The contractor and sub-contractor are blaming each other, but outages were actually caused by UPS failure [uninterruptible power source] and not a turn-off by Nation (Aaron Zawitzky, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. 15660 heard if not 15650: see SOMALIA [non] ** MONACO [non]. Brother Scare quit 702 again: see SOUTH CAROLINA ** MONGOLIA. Voice of Mongolia English is 1000-1030 on 12085, 1500- 1530 and 2000-2030 on 12015. Email reports to densmaa9 @ yahoo.com address Voice of Mongolia, English section, CPO Box 365, Ulaan Batar 13. I received a colourful QSL and nice postcard (T. R. Rajeesh, India, June World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** NEPAL [non]. Re Kathmandu orders closure of radio centre http://www.comconnepal.com is working fine ... no problem (Alokesh Gupta, dxldyg via DXLD) Maybe no problem for you but when I just checked I got a ``Web Site Not Responding`` prompt. BTW, if you add http:// in front of the URL it turns it into a hot link and one can click it immediately instead of cutting and pasting (John Norfolk, OK, ibid.) Sometimes it works for me, sometimes not. I am constantly adding http to URLs from people who think that`s unnecessary (gh, DXLD) No access problem from here (LTU) today or on the last days. This site is hosted in the US, btw. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES [and non]. Not sure what is going on on 15190 this morning at 1207 but hearing both BBC and Radio Nederland in Spanish it seems at the same time. Wires crossed somewhere? Seems as though someone finally caught on and the Radio Nederland feed removed at 1213, leaving BBC in the clear. And today, after 1300 they can't even seem to get the transmission going via French Guiana. I've noted them coming on in the past around 1303-5, but today no trace of them yet and it's 1320. Pretty soon no SW listeners at all! (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. PARTNERS HELP LAUNCH SHORTWAVE STATION IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA --- Wednesday, Jun. 1, 2005 Posted: 4:53:11AM EST http://www.christianpost.com/article/missions/1625/section/partners.help.launch.shortwave.station.in.papua.new.guinea/1.htm The first test broadcasts from a new shortwave station that covers Papua New Guinea with Christian broadcasts went on the air Friday, May 20, through a partnership involving Atlanta-based Life Radio Ministries, Inc., EBM International of Summerfield, Fla., HCJB World Radio and local believers. According to HCJB World Radio, the milestone culminates three years of planning as the partners established the nation's first Christian Broadcasting Network with a single FM station in the capital city of Port Moresby in January 2002. It was recently rated as the city's leading radio station. "At 3:43 p.m. May 20 the first test programming from the shortwave station at Wantok Radio Light in Port Moresby was beamed to the nation of Papua New Guinea on 7120 kHz," said HCJB World Radio engineer Curt Bender of Elkhart, Ind., in an e-mail report. "This initial broadcast was heard by an enthusiastic crowd of men and boys who had helped us build the station and get it operational. The programs aired for about 20 minutes, and then we patched in a station identification, telling listeners in Papua New Guinea about the station." After three hours of inspection and testing, communication officials in Papua New Guinea approved the shortwave installation. Although one test remains, Wantok Radio Light has been granted approval to continue with regular broadcasts. "Praise God for this approval," said Bender who worked with Mike Axman and Don Hastings of the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart along with seconded missionaries David and Patti Olson to install the shortwave station. A live nationwide broadcast to dedicate both the shortwave station and the FM network is set for Saturday, June 11. "We have been deeply impressed with the sincere desire of the Christians in Papua New Guinea to see Wantok Radio Light grow and be used of God to reach the lost for Christ," Bender said. "Many people have sacrificed much to make this happen, both in Papua New Guinea and in the United States. Many prayers have been lifted up for the success of this project, and now it is at hand." According to HCJB World Radio, the 1,000-watt shortwave station will make the signal available to the nation's entire population of nearly 5 million. Music and Bible teaching programs will air in English (the official language) and in Pidgin. Life Radio Ministries President Joe Emert said the Christian broadcasts have plenty of local support. "At a recent radio-sponsored luncheon for pastors in Port Moresby I was told by our leadership there that such a mixed group of evangelical pastors rarely came together for fellowship prior to the birth of the FM station," he stated. "Now many churches and pastors are working together to bring Christian radio to all of Papua New Guinea. They gather almost daily for prayer at the radio station studios. I look for that same spirit of revival nationwide as the shortwave is launched. "The station is also having an impact for Christ at the highest levels of government with financial support coming from the Prime Minister, the deputy prime minister and a number of parliament members," Emert continued. In early June, Emert and Doug Doran of Life Radio Ministries will assist Olson with the installation of four additional FM repeaters in the cities of Ialibu, Goroka, Lae and Rabaul. The national license issued by the Papua New Guinea government approves up to 30 repeaters. The shortwave broadcasts will originate from the same location in the highlands where, 50 years ago, a missionary school and church was established by veteran missionary G.T. Bustin, founder of EBM International and Christian radio station 4VEH in Haiti. For more information, visit http://www.missionaryradio.info (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) 7120, Wantok R. Light, May 26 0816-0905, 35333-35433, Pidgin, Music and talk, ID at 0817 etc, (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) 7120, Wantok Radio Light. May 27 at 0934-1005. SINPO35333 -34333. Music program in English, followed by religious talk in Pidgin at 0941. Music program again at 0945. Another religious program from 1000. ID at 0957 as "...Wantok Radio Light, your inspiration station." (Iwao Nagatani, ibid.) ** PERU. Re 5-082: is anyone paying attention, including gh? This item lacked a frequency, and nobody has queried, WTFK? It was 4790, which in the original item was only on the subject line, a risky way of conveying info (gh, DXLD) ``I have a nice copy of Radio Atlántida, right now (1220 UT May 15), male and female giving news, ID 1219 to music. SINPO 13411. Monitoring in LSB (Chris KC5IIE, Tulsa, OK Rec: FT-897D Ant. Inverted L, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Wow, that`s really late for Peru on 60m; auroral conditions, mid-latitude K index 7 at 1200 (gh, OK, DXLD)`` ** RUSSIA. NEW RADIO STATION PUTS RIGHTS FIRST --- Free Voice, a new St. Petersburg radio station focusing on human rights issues, was officially launched Monday. The station broadcasts for one hour a day in the dead of the night from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. on medium wave 684 kHz. More on http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/1074/news/n_15835.htm The St. Petersburg Times (31/5-2005) 73s (Ydun Ritz, May 30, dxldyg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Re 5-090: RADIO RUSSIA BROADCASTS LAST "VOICE OF ISLAM" PROGRAMME --- This appears to be a different programme to "Islamic Wave", which was broadcast on shortwave from Russia in the early 90s, or its successor "Islamic Civilization" which is/was aired on 612 kHz for the Moscow region, observed as recently as December 2004 -- hear clips of both on http://IntervalSignalsOnline.Com (Dave Kernick, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA [non]. Please check at 1730-1800 on 15650, as the new name- unknown Somali clandestine is supposed to have started regular broadcasts June 1, daily except Fridays. 73, (Glenn Hauser, June 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Prior to suggested time I checked nearby frequencies. At 1658 impressive S9+40db signal on 15660 in Arabic with continuous announcement with frequencies and mentions of most African countries. V. of Africa from Libya. Around 1708 into Qur`an. Great signal, but audio a bit distorted (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Nothing heard here on 15650 at 1730. I monitored the frequency up until 1735 and nothing noted (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, ibid.) There is no audible signal here on 15650 today [Thursday June 2]. The time now 1745. I don't hear anything in Somali elsewhere between 15600 and 15800. And re Jari's message, Libya [non] on 15660, This one is peaking about 15dB over 9 at my location and still with some splatter to 15650. Tones are audible mixing with the audio but impossible to tell whether a ute or via another source. Continuous speech tonight and no English/ French news so far. 73s from (Noel R. Green, (Blackpool-UK), ibid.) Nothing here on 15650 at that time either. At 1735 I was on 15670. There was a clandestine-like station with lots of mentions of Dimukratiya. I'm not sure of the language. Sounds pretty much like Arabic, but not the way Arabs talk. Sounds also Somali but not like what I've used to hear from the Somali stations. The music was HOA, and they announce e-mail "webmaster@xxxxx.com". This one on 15670 pulled the plug around 1758 mid music. Good signal here anyway. I haven't been following these higher frequency clandestines too much, so this one on 15670 probably is well-known to you guys. I should brush-up my language knowledge about these HOA guys, too :-) (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) 15670: That's a bucket of four different [or sister organization] stations in Amharic, Somali, Oromo, Arabic, Tigrinya, registered via DTK T-systems Juelich since March 27 in A05: 100 kW, 130 degrees between 1600 and 1800 UT on different days and broadcasting times. Like "V. of Ethiopian Medhin", "R. Huriyo", "V. of Democratic Ethiopia", "V. of Oromo Liberation" 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. FW: MW 702: Overcomer Ministry goes QRT - Fundraising per Ausschaltknopf Summary: R.G. Stair cancelled the transmissions via Col de la Madonne 702 again as of today. Said that they can revive if enough donators will be found. Mentioned that he needs 50,000 USD to continue on 702. Liebe MW-Freunde, nach Ansage des Moderators "Brother Stair" (er bezeichnet sich selbst als "Gottes Prophet der letzten Tage") lief gestern vorläufig zum letzten Mal das abendliche Programm von "Overcomer Ministry" auf 702 kHz (engl.). Es wurde jedoch in Aussicht gestellt, die Programmaussendungen abends auf dieser Frequenz (via Monte Carlo, 200 kW) für Europa wieder aufzunehmen, sollten sich genügend Interessenten - und Spender - finden. Dabei wurde eine Bedarfssumme von 50.000 US-Dollar genannt. Eine für Europa ungewöhnliche Methode, dieses - in freundlichen Worten gesagt - Fundraising per Ausschaltknopf (Thomas "Tom" Kamp, DF5JL, Köln, A-DX June 1 via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. SWISS BROADCASTING CORPORATION CENSORS swissinfo Tuesday, 10 May 2005 Press release from swissinfo employees http://www.vivaswissinfo.org/sen/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=7&Itemid=33 swissinfo had to remove its special dossier on the proposed cutbacks to its services from its website on May 9, 2005. According to Armin Walpen, the director of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), the dossier could be damaging to the SBC's interests. The staff of swissinfo is shocked that such an action, which is close to censorship, took place, especially as the dossier in question did not contain any defamatory statements against either the SBC or its director. This dossier http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=2490 tries to show the different sides of the debate according to traditional journalistic principles. It contains balanced articles on the restructure proposals, reactions from politicians and opponents of the project, as well as carefully chosen and edited feedback from readers. The SBC continues to uphold its plans to restructure swissinfo despite support from two parliamentary commissions to keep swissinfo and for the Swiss federal government to finance 50 per cent of its operations. swissinfo is now unable to use its own portal to communicate to its readers and to archive information about the proposed cutbacks. Its only channel is www.vivaswissinfo.org, an independent website, which was launched in April by swissinfo staff. http://www.vivaswissinfo.org contains press releases, open letters, reader feedback and a petition. swissinfo employees Bern, May 10, 2005 (via WORLD OF RADIO 1276, DXLD) So now something akin to the RCI Action Committee, and the Unions at IBB is necessary, run by staff rather than management (gh, DXLD) ** UKRAINE. At last a log --- Hi all, good sporadic E to the east today; A Ukrainian TV Transmitter on Channel R3 is putting out spurs either side of its 83.75 MHz audio frequency. They fall on: 83.64 & 83.865 MHz; the lower one is a lot stronger than the upper one. They are currently still audible at 1804 UT 01/06/05. Equipment Used: Uniden Bearcat BC9000XLT + Hs Publications VF100 Aerial on Rooftop Rotator. Best regards (Tim Bucknall, UK, harmonics yg via DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBCWS relay problems: see NETHERLANDS ANTILLES [and non] ** U K. 5:15pm (UK) --- BBC: Date for Union Meeting By Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent Fresh talks to try to avoid further industrial action at the BBC are to be held next week between union leaders and Director-General Mark Thompson, it was announced tonight. Thousands of journalists and technicians staged a 24-hour walkout last week which disrupted programmes and unions have warned of further industrial action unless a deal can be agreed on job losses and outsourcing. The technicians' union Bectu said Mr Thompson had agreed to hold further negotiations next week to try to resolve the row over plans to axe almost 4,000 jobs. Assistant general secretary Gerry Morrissey said: "We welcome the fact that Mr Thompson will meet us and we hope we get on with discussions in the coming weeks and months to resolve matters." Hope things are going well, (via Ed Mayberry, TX, June 2, DXLD) ** U K. Re Big-Ben failure: Letters to Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5205423-103683,00.html Back-up for Big Ben Wednesday June 1, 2005 You say (Leaders, May 30) that Big Ben was broadcast throughout the war. In fact a recording was used lest analysis of the overtones allowed the Luftwaffe to calculate the barometric pressure and thus the weather over London. David Metcalfe, Penrith, Cumbria I was sorry to hear about Big Ben's problems. The clock on St Chad's in Far Headingley has the same chimes and could be used as a back-up. If it had such national attention, it might be encouraged to keep better time. Peter Shilson, Leeds See also: Big Ben chimes stoppage mystery Hear how Radio 4 dealt with the missing bongs http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4589527.stm (via Dan Say, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Radio London returned to the air May 14th using 1395 from a transmitter in Holland. Programmes for the station are from a studio in Frinton-on-Sea and beamed back to the UK. The station is also transmitting on Sky Channel 940 and streaming on the internet via http://www.bigl.co.uk The station is aimed at the over-30s with music from the 1950s. The station was launched by Sir Cliff Richard who arrived in Frinton on a red London double-decker bus; 200 of his fans were in the seaside town. His 1964 recording of ``I Could Easily Fall in Love With You`` was the first song played on the original offshore station; his latest release ``What Car`` was the first played on the new station. Unfortunately the transmitter in Holland went off just 30 minutes after launch due to an overheating problem and did not return till May 16th. The station is off the air 1800-2100 on 1395 daily as the frequency is occupied by TWR via Albania. Address is P. O. Box 7336, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex CO13 0WZ, phone 01255 676252 (Mike Barraclough, Roy Patrick, June World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** U S A. JUST THE FACTS --- by David S. Jackson Sanford Ungar's allegation of politicization at the Voice of America (VOA) ("Pitch Imperfect," May/June 2005) is filled with errors and unsupportable accusations. He charges, for example, that employees have "tried to fend off directives from VOA director David Jackson and other political appointees, who have suggested that the network report more favorably on the actions of the Bush administration in Iraq and the Middle East." This is simply not true. Anyone who watches, listens to, or reads the VOA's reporting can see that our balanced, objective, and comprehensive reporting fully lives up to our congressionally approved charter. If I had made such demands, it would be easy to prove. The reason Ungar cites no supporting memos or statements is that there are none. Ungar goes on to say that editors "have repeatedly been asked to develop 'positive stories' emphasizing U.S. success stories in Iraq, rather than report car bombings and terrorist attacks." Again, not true. What I have done with regard to our Iraq coverage is the same thing most editors with correspondents in Iraq have done: pushed our people to go beyond the wire-service stories to tell our audiences what else is going on in Iraq. As a result, our coverage has included the daily bombings as well as -- not instead of -- more in-depth, enterprising stories. Ungar also charges that VOA editors were "instructed to remove from the VOA Web site photographs of abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison." That is also not true. Here are the facts: after two weeks of the VOA's covering that story and posting (and broadcasting) the photos that were being leaked, I became concerned about the effect of such sexual content on intended listeners, viewers, or readers whose cultures are even more sensitive than ours to such material. I issued the following guidelines: all of the photos we had used would remain on our Web sites, and those photos could be used in future broadcasts and Web postings as needed, but no new photos should be broadcast or posted on-line unless cleared in advance. As it turned out, many other news organizations issued similar guidelines at about the same time, all apparently motivated by similar concerns. Ungar goes on to charge that "VOA management has objected to stories quoting Democratic politicians or newspaper editorials critical of the Bush administration's foreign policy." This is an outrageous falsehood. As Ungar well knows, the Board of Broadcasting Governors that oversees the VOA is equally divided between Democratic and Republican presidential appointees. It would be a violation of both their responsibilities and mine to allow such political meddling. As a journalist with 30 years of experience in the private sector (including 23 years with Time magazine), I would not engage in such actions, and they would not allow it. Finally, Ungar writes that the former newsroom director was "punished for refusing to make the daily news report more overtly sympathetic to" President George W. Bush. This charge is also not true and is unsupportable by the facts (probably Columbia Journalism Review, via DXLD) NEW ALLEGATIONS BY FORMER VOA DIRECTOR OF HIGH-LEVEL ATTEMPTS TO SKEW THE NEWS In stunning allegations, the former Director of the Voice of America (and current president of Goucher College in Maryland), has accused present VOA Director David Jackson of a range of actions aimed at forcing VOA to more closely tow the line of the Bush administration in its broadcasts. Ungar's points are part of a response to a response by VOA Director David Jackson, who many VOA journalists see as having taken unusual steps to force VOA radio and television programming to reflect a more positive view of U.S. military operations in Iraq, and President Bush's agenda of spreading democracy in the Middle East. Responding to Mr. Ungar's article in a previous edition of Foreign Affairs, Jackson accuses Ungar of presenting "errors and unsupportable accusations" and "outrageous falsehoods" in his criticisms of Jackson and the Broadcasting Board of Governors which oversees U.S. international broadcasting. Regarding VOA coverage in Iraq, Ungar said Jackson had personally attempted to squelch reporting on violence and setbacks to U.S. military operations in favor of reporting on positive news. "What I have done with regard to our Iraq coverage is the same thing most editors with correspondents in Iraq have done: pushed our people to go beyond the wire-service stories to tell our audiences what else is going on in Iraq. As a result, our coverage has included the daily bombings as well as -- not instead of -- more in-depth, enterprising stories." Ungar gets very specific, listing a number of examples of alleged political interference he says are widely known and that have caused resentment in the VOA rank and file. Among Ungar's points: criticism by Jackson of VOA's broadcast of comments by former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle concerning the war in Iraq; an alleged Jackson order to produce a story criticizing Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), an outspoken critic of Bush administration policy on Haiti; Jackson criticism of a 2003 report by a VOA Correspondent in London on security precautions in advance of President Bush's visit, saying there were more positive aspects to focus on. More recently, Ungar says, Jackson ordered VOA division directors who implement programming in VOA's many language divisions, to include the U.S. government position "in all stories" in all languages on any issue, warning that if this did not happen, the number of broadcast editorials reflecting U.S. policy would have to be increased. This directive led to a memo from one of VOA's senior news managers that many VOA journalists describe as having had at least a momentary chilling effect on reporting. The July edition of Foreign Affairs also contains comments by former VOA White House Correspondent and News Division Chief Philomena Jurey, who says VOA's reputation for credibility earned over the decades is being "[dismissed] by the Broadcasting Board of Governors and by the VOA's management in its attempt to skew the news," adding "the demeaning of the VOA is continuing." Among responses to Ungar's original article in the May/June edition of Foreign Affairs was Ken Tomlinson, the chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), in the news in recent weeks because of actions he took at the other board he runs, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Tomlinson rejects any notion of high-level attempts to interfere with VOA programming. "I have worked in four administrations, and this is the first time there has been no attempt from the White House, the National Security Council, or the State Department to interfere with the programming broadcast by our professional journalists." Tomlinson goes on to defend Jackson, adding "I have yet to see any case in which his news decisions were dictated by anything other than professionalism. As much as I respect Sanford Ungar, he should deal with specific case histories as opposed to general and unsubstantiated charges." The outbreak of accusations between current and former VOA and BBG officials comes as members of the House of Representatives prepare to hold hearings into Mr. Tomlinson's actions at CPB, and amid continuing appeals by VOA journalists for a hearing on the future of the Voice of America. Congress has yet to hold a hearing in response to a petition signed by hundreds of VOA journalists in 2004 in the wake of the ouster of a former VOA News Division Chief, Andre DeNesnera, who defended VOA's broadcast of an interview in 2001 with a Taleban leader, and had clashed with Jackson on a range of issues (VOA sources via DXLD) ** U S A. [Re VOA outsourcing of newsroom to Hong Kong]: It is quite incredible that the director of the Voice of America cannot see the difference between British rule and that of the Chinese Communists (Mike Barraclough, June World DX Club Contact, via DXLD) ** U S A. Following the re-location of the R. Sawa studio to Springfield VA on May 15, the re-location R. Farda was also completed on May 26. R. Sawa feed interruptions have diminished (Aaron Zawitzky, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also KENYA ** U S A [non]. Re 5-082, VOA via Munich, Berlin: see GERMANY ** U S A. WBCQ Observations and Schedule Updates, May 30-31, 2005 Tuesday, May 31, 2005 --- After an absence of over a year, 17495 is once again audible here in Maryland during the day. Conditions have ranged from very faint to clear and strong over the past few days between 1400 and 2200. Recent loggings include the following: Tuesday, May 31, 1710, 17495: Global Spirit Proclamation, sio 333. Sunday, May 29, 2005, 1946: Global Spirit Proclamation, sio 444. Finally got an address and e-mail contact for this show: HR60, Box 11, Sence Lake, NM 87315, e-mail prophet @ hubwest.com. Saturday, May 28, 2005, 1809: Global Spirit Proclamation, weak and fadey but clear, sio 333. Monday, May 30, 2005 --- The Overcomer Ministry adds 17495, daily from 1400 to 1700 UT. Confirmed here on Sunday, May 29, 2005, at 1509, parallel to WWRB 9320 (Larry Will, WBCQ Program Guide and dxldyg) ** U S A. Per George Jacobs May 25th, WRNO was installing their antenna coupler that week and he anticipated them being on the week after (Hans Johnson, Jihad DX, via June World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** U S A. Lubavitcher and other pirates as obstacle to DXing Argentina now on 1710: see ARGENTINA ** U S A. Re IBOC from WTOP 1500 Washington DC, 5-090: Hi [Tom] Ray: I am 22 miles NE of WTOP, which is in its main lobe. This was recorded from the audio output of my Drake R8B while listening to 1490 with a 6 kHz bandwidth. The audio output from the receiver was inputed into my computer's sound card. I used a program called Power Record and played back on a program called RipEditBurn (both under the product name Blaze Audio.) Yes, I suppose it could be called an unmodulated waveform. It clearly shows that as soon as WTOP turns on their IBOC, it destroys the adjacent channel. I could have made the same recording on 1510. WTOP destroys the second adjacent channel 1520 which is occupied by WTRI within part of WTRI's main coverage area (in Montgomery County.) The IBOC hash is audible here in Elkridge on the second adjacent channels, but of course it is not as bad as in Montgomery County. Also, I understand that WTOP infringes on part of WARK's (1490) primary coverage area when WTOP turns on the IBOC (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, NRC-AM via DXLD) Bill: What's on 1490 in your area? Are you in the primary coverage area of some station? It's hard to know how to react to your recording when 1490 might be an empty channel or might be in someone's protected contour (Chuck Hutton, ibid.) Closest 1490 is WARK Hagerstown MD. That's the one which was involved in the test some time back with WTOP (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) Chuck, 1490 is a DX channel here in Elkridge. I used to hear WLPA and WARK in the clear during the day. I can pick them up if I fiddle with the antennas and the radio. WARK is supposedly interfered, with IBOC hash in part of their primary coverage area. I believe there is even a paper on this subject some where on the Internet. South of DC is a station in Culpepper, VA, which I also understand is interfered with in its fringe coverage area (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, ibid.) Bill: The paper you're referring to is "Statement of Jeff Littlejohn (Senior VP Engineering Services, Clear Channel Communications) Regarding AM IBOC Field observations" which was submitted to the NRSC in 2002. I am almost sure it was also submitted to the FCC's 99-325 proceedings. In any case, it documented unacceptable interference to WARK from WTOP's IBOC. The interference was noted up to at least .75 uV/m - in other words, well inside their normal coverage area (Chuck Hutton, ibid.) Thanks, Chuck! That is what I thinking of. Now this begs the question of why is WTOP operating IBOC if it is causing unacceptable interference. Did WTOP reduce the amount of IBOC and therefore reduce the interference? Did WTOP come to some sort of accommodation with WARK? (Bill Harms, ibid.) There are several cases of official complaints of interference being filed with the offending station and the FCC. It is my understanding that no action is being taken on any of these because there are no final IBOC rules. Probably wont see any action till after the R and O comes out and procedures for interference resolution are defined (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, ibid.) And the url for the page where you can see the report is http://www.nrscstandards.org/DAB/doccitedinamiboc.asp where'll you then click on "Statement From Clear Channel Communications". As for resolution of interference, I just don't have any idea what (if anything) they worked out. While a bad enough situation, it's nowhere near worst case in terms of proximity of their protected contours. I'm waiting for the real fun when someone turns on IBOC with a very near by 1st or 2nd adjacent (Chuck Hutton, ibid.) Maybe like 1230 & 1240 ? Actually I still think an acid test would be 1050 in NYC and 1060 in Philadelphia (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) The FCC database shows four new additions to the AM IBOC roster: KENI- 650, WBBM-780, KEX-1190 and WRTO-1200. While the others are digital notifications, it is interesting to note that KEX has a digital STA, indicating that they may be doing something out of the ordinary with IBOC there. Could this be related to the on-channel noise noted by Patrick Martin and others? Updated list of AM IBOC stations is at: http://topazdesigns.com/iboc/station-list.html Also, for an interesting read about the future of AM broadcasting, see http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/guywire/gw-05-24-05.shtml (Barry McLarnon, Ont., ibid.) Hi Bill, 22 miles NE of WTOP is (considering NE as 45 deg true) is on the back side of the WTOP day pattern main lobe in an area that may be subject to some phase bandwidth variations, thus the standard NRSC mask limit may be met in the lobe but could be excessive at your location. FCC rules imply and general practice dictates that occupied bandwidth measurements of directional stations are conducted in the main lobe of the pattern. If a station has poor phase bandwidth in its directional array, the occupied bandwidth measurements may show a significantly different result in or near pattern nulls. IOW it is possible that IBOC subcarriers can be several dB higher relative to carrier level in these areas than in the nulls. Remember that antenna element spacing is fixed, in WTOP's case at 87.3 degrees for 1500 kHz. However, the spacing in degree terms at the extremes where the IBOC subcarriers reside is NOT 87.3 degrees, but more for the upper sideband and less for the lower one. Also, the phase delay in the system feeding the radiating elements will be greater for the higher frequencies and less for the lower ones. The result is that the pattern shape will tend to vary with frequency in the areas of the nulls. This is called phase bandwidth. If phase bandwidth is poor, a station can pass its NRSC annual tests in the main lobe, yet cause substantial interference near the nulls. This problem was recognized in a Kintronics paper presented at the 2005 NAB radio engineering sessions and there are corrective possibilities, but they mean substantial transmission system rebuilding to improve phase bandwidth. Demodulation of digital subcarriers by an analog product detector will display the appearance of random hash noise. This is not particularly useful in interference determinations because what it says is that noise was decoded, and that the noise floor increased substantially. There is no way to reference this noise to the field strength of WTOP's signal. For that, you need a calibrated antenna and spectrum analyzer. In this case, your only recourse is talking with the management of the station where you believe WTOP is causing interference. If they believe the interference is harmful to their interests, they have standing to make a formal complaint to the Commission, and they are then required to investigate. As the IBOC proceeding now stands, unless interference is found within a station's protected coverage, the complaint will probably be found to have no merit. I know of one instance in Central Michigan where a Detroit station is reportedly causing audible interference inside an adjacent station's 5 mv/m coverage within its City of License. It will be interesting to see how that develops. Right now, nothing is completely clear about IBOC because the final report and order in the 99-325 docket has not been issued so no rules are established yet. The FCC has had the NRSC recommendations for about a month, and I would expect action once they get their new pecking order squared away under Commissioner Martin. One thing you can be sure of is increasing noise levels across the AM band as IBOC is deployed more widely. Essentially, this was decided in the preliminary rules. Personally, I think the thing to begin thinking about is how to DX IBOC stations. There must be ways to do it. Otherwise, offshore DXpeditions may be the only way in the future. Now, please don't shoot the messenger, I'm only trying to report the news as I know it, distasteful as it is for this hobby (Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMD, Indianapolis, Nems-Clark 120E, EMC-25 and several loops, ibid.) Can you elaborate [re phase bandwidth]? From my minimal knowledge of DA's I'd think corrective action would amount to computer modeling of the system and readjustment of a few controls -- that few if any additional parts would be necessary, just engineering time. From context (not just your post) I'm gathering that's not true (Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) ** U S A. R Free Clear Channel? From Creative radio list: http://blog.stayfreemagazine.org/2005/05/radio_free_clea.html "It's official: even Clear Channel is sick of Clear Channel. The company has set up a fake pirate radio station in Akron, Ohio, which it's using to hurl insults at other Clear Channel stations...." Update: The RadioFreeOhio website is now just radio silence; nothing but a launch date and a promise of "revolution." But we've posted some text from the site here. http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/public/radio-clear-channel.html Update 5/30/05: Clear Channel acknowledges stunt. See this followup post. http://blog.stayfreemagazine.org/2005/05/ny_times_on_cle.html See also From today's New York Times... CLEAR CHANNEL IN A STEALTH PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN By ROBERT LEVINE Published: May 30, 2005 http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/business/media/30clear.html? To the average listener, Radio Free Ohio has all the earmarks of pirate radio. For weeks, it sounded as if amateurs had been bleeding their voices into the broadcasts of stations in Akron, Ohio, owned by Clear Channel, the corporate radio giant. At the Web site http://www.radiofreeohio.com there was a manifesto about "corporate- controlled music playlists" that took potshots at several local Clear Channel stations. But there was no information about who had posted the screed, or what exactly Radio Free Ohio was. But last week it came out that Radio Free Ohio was not a prank on Clear Channel but in fact a prank by Clear Channel. Tomorrow, an AM station the company owns in Akron will switch formats from sports talk to progressive talk, and Clear Channel would very much like anyone suspicious of corporate media to tune in. "Once we determined we were going to change the format, we tried to get into the mindset of people who would listen to this new station," said Dan Lankford, vice president and market manager for Clear Channel in Akron. That mindset may involve a suspicion of Clear Channel itself, which has used loosened rules on media ownership to build a radio empire. That Clear Channel owned the http://www.radiofreeohio.org Web site was revealed on http://www.stayfreemagazine.org a magazine and blog about advertising and popular culture. Stay Free's editor, Carrie McLaren, said that she had learned the information from someone who had seen it on an Akron Web site. "In a way it's the heart of the problem with Clear Channel," Ms. McLaren said of the manifesto. " 'We're this huge corporation and we do everything to fake being local.' " Naturally, Clear Channel disagrees. "Clear Channel, as I see it, is dedicated to entertaining radio and to getting results for our advertisers," Mr. Lankford said, noting that the company owns both conservative and progressive talk radio stations. "There's a hole in the market here and we're going to fill it." (via Mauno Ritola, Finland, ABDX via DXLD) Mauno, Thanks for this; I found it rather amusing. It appears that Clear Channel has to play with the Hegelian dialectic to stay in business. Create a problem, observe the reaction, and tailor a solution to your advantage. All I know, is that before CCU was allowed to get huge, thanks to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, radio was a lot more interesting. Now American radio is amusing in the way morbid curiosity would make you watch a train wreck (Kevin Redding, ibid.) 'RADIO FREE OHIO' LAUNCHES AT WTOU/AKRON-CLEVELAND May 31 http://www.radioandrecords.com/Newsroom/2005_05_31/radiofree.asp Clear Channel's Akron cluster has for the last week been under siege - - supposedly by local pirates. Rumors then arose that one of the company's stations would flip to Adult Hits as "Jack." All becomes clear this morning, however, as WTOU-AM (Fox Sports 1350)/Akron moves to Progressive Talk as "Radio Free Ohio," featuring syndicated hosts Ed Schultz (pictured), Stephanie Miller, Tom Hartman and Lionel, plus some local content. WTOU enjoys a 5 kW signal that allows it to cover not only Akron but also neighboring Cleveland, to the north. Meanwhile, across the hall at Clear Channel's WKDD/Akron, morning icon Matt Patrick plans to made good on his promise to make a career-changing announcement this morning. After 26 years at the station, is Patrick leaving? Nope. WKDD PD Keith Kennedy says the station is giving away a chance to win $1 million, and the winner can always quit their job, thus making the situation life-changing for the lucky listener who scores the cash (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. 99.7 FM Pirate, Champaign, IL 5/30 Hi Folks, I had something interesting in at work in Urbana last night, Radio Free Arrrgh. Audio was fairly good, power level stated during the broadcast to be 150 Watts. Reception started out excellent, but they were increasingly slammed after sunset by Shine 99, WSHW Franfort, Indiana. Programming was typical pirate fare, you know, songs with obscene lyrics, drug songs, ancient party records (sung by a French-Canadian). Non-standard fare was a lot of badly done electronic music (when I first had them in, I thought I was getting computer RFI), quite a few audio collages of various political figures they obviously didn't care for (including, Rudolph Giuliani, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tony Blair. and, of course, President Bush), also quite a few of what are called musical mash-ups, and many heavy metal songs with a non-musical vocal accompaniment by a category of women we called "screamers" back at Illinois State (if you catch my drift). The show was hosted by Captain A and DJ Pally Pal, with a featured guest, Poodles McGee, allegedly of the Chicago-area FCC enforcement bureau. Talk segments focused on Free Radio activities around the country, the NAB convention (and various indiscretions taking place there), and pointed comments about various FCC officials and personages, including a scathing critique of the sexual attractiveness (or lack thereof) of some official named Abernathy. As the evening went on, the hosts and guest were slurring more and more, unable to pronounce the station name correctly. I had them in from just before 8 P.M., until I lost their signal at about 12:15 A.M., just north of Urbana (Shine 99 overtook them there). (Curtis Sadowski, Paxton, Illinois May 30, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. GOVERNOR SEEKS TIME ZONE HEARINGS Associated Press May 20, 2005 http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050520/NEWS01/50520022&SearchID=73209572069768 Gov. Mitch Daniels asked the federal government today to hold hearings on whether time zone boundaries in Indiana should be changed. Daniels was required to make the request to the U.S. Department of Transportation under provisions of a new state law that will mandate statewide observance of daylight saving time starting next April. Daniels lobbied hard for the daylight change, saying it would eliminate confusion and boost commerce. He also said repeatedly during the campaign that he thought most of Indiana should be in the Central time zone, but after taking office he said the issues should be kept separate. To help keep the bill alive, proponents agreed to include the time zone request at the insistence of Rep. Dave Crooks, D Washington, who said he opposed Eastern daylight time because most constituents in his southern Indiana district did. Seventy seven counties in Indiana have remained on Eastern standard time year round for more than three decades. Five counties in southeastern Indiana are in the Eastern zone but ignore state and federal law and observe the time change. Five counties each in the northwest and southwest pockets of Indiana are in the Central zone and change their clocks twice a year. The new law suggests to the federal government that the 10 counties in the Central zone should remain there, and the five in southeastern Indiana that observe daylight time should stay in the Eastern zone. It does not state a preference for the other 77 counties. Transportation Department spokesman Bill Mosley said recently that it was unprecedented for a state, county or city to request a time zone change without stating a preference. He said he was not sure the agency could decide for itself whether boundaries should be changed and would have to evaluate Indiana’s petition after it is submitted. The agency asks governments to provide detailed information on why a change would serve ``convenience of commerce.`` That includes such factors as transportation, where area businesses get their supplies, and the location from which television and radio broadcasts are received. Daniels’ petition to the Department of Transportation notes the state law’s preference that certain counties remain in their current zone. But he did not make any recommendations about possible boundary changes. He simply asked the agency ``to hold hearings on the location of the boundary between the Eastern Time Zone and Central Time Zone in Indiana.`` Daniels said in a recent interview that if the agency requests specific changes, it might give the state more time to come up with suggestions (via Steven Cline, IN, May 30, DXLD) ** U S A. KGFE (2) analog - IS ON (barely) --- OK...here's the scoop. Ice damage to the antenna and feedline, and water damage to the transmitter itself forced complete shutdown of the full power KGFE facility (on the WDAZ (8) tower near Petersburg, ND just over a year ago. The damage inflicted by huge chunks of ice falling from the WDAZ antenna atop the tower was massive as it hit the side mounted KGFE superturnstile (bat wing) antenna about 300 feet below. Ice also penetrated the roof of the building and initiated a series of events that ruined the transmitter. While I didn't ask how long it's been operating, there IS a low power KGFE transmitter on channel 2 near I-29 on the west edge of Grand Forks. Tower height is about 200 feet (it's a microwave tower that they've hung a directional channel 2 antenna on) --- and the ERP is 6 watts, all beamed east toward the city. That's right --- SIX watts ERP. The engineer I spoke with said the actual transmitter output was about 1 watt. It will be in operation until at least this fall (Tom Bryant / Nashville, TN, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. KVBC-DT photo: http://www.geocities.com/doglethorpe/kvbc2.html Mexico/Latin America TV ID tips: http://www.geocities.com/doglethorpe (Danny (Shreveport, LA) Oglethorpe, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. CANCER SILENCES LOCAL RADIO LEGEND HOPPY ADAMS By VANESSA FRANKO, Staff Writer When Hoppy Adams excitedly announced "Tonight! Tonight! Tonight!" over the airwaves at WANN 1190 AM, it signaled one thing: Somebody big - maybe James Brown or the Coasters - was about to step on to the stage at Carr's Beach. He was the master of ceremonies in the 1950s and '60s at the concert pavilion on the then-segregated beach for African- Americans just outside Annapolis [Maryland]. Mr. Adams was part of the "Original Ten," a group of African-American radio announcers in the country who gained a reputation with their own playlists of up and coming songs. . . http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2005/05_29-40/TOP (The Capital, via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** VIETNAM. Here`s a site I found that has a few radio clips in it from the Vietnam war including Hanoi Hanna and AFN: http://www.manchu.org/sounds/ (RON TROTTO, WDX4KWI, dxld yg via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. from Clandestine Radio Watch 183 : Self-Introduction: Radio Hoa-Mai --- We are a Vietnamese language radio station based in California, USA. We have two programs serving the people in Vietnam and Overseas Vietnamese Communities as well. The Web Air program serves as Internet Radio. The Shortwave serves short wave programs into Vietnam. Both programs are aimed to help promoting democracy and developments in Vietnam. Name: RADIO HOA-MAI URL: http://www.radiohoamai.com Email: radio @ hoamai.org Contact: Miss Ngoc-Anh Trinh Thank you very much. Sincerely, NgocAnh Trinh, Program Director (Radio Hoa-Mai May 31, 2005 for CRW via Martin Schöch, dxldyg via DXLD) Time and frequencies??? The referenced website apparently confuses shortwave and webcasting! Under the latter it mentions 11555 at 8:30 to 9:00 --- but I don`t know am from pm in Vietnamese, so it would either be 0130-0200 UT or 1330-1400, more likely the latter if prime time is a consideration (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz. (let`s see if and how all those Viet accents get thru unscathed): Câu l?c b? Hoa-Mai hân h?nh m?i b?n nghe... S H O R T W A V E: Phát thanh trên h? th?ng m?ng lu?i internet toàn c?u vào m?i Th? B?y, v?i các ti?t m?c ch?n l?c nhu Quan Ði?m, Ð? Cuong Vi?t Nam M?i, Ð?c Báo Dùm B?n, Bình Lu?n, Nh?ng Ti?ng Nói Dân Ch?, Ki?n Th?c Dân Ch?, v.v... W E B A I R: Phát thanh v? Vi?t Nam qua làn sóng ng?n 25m (11555 Khz) vào m?i Th? B?y và Ch? Nh?t, t? 8:30 t?i - 9:00 t?i (gi? Vi?t Nam) v?i các ti?t m?c ch?n l?c nhu Quan Ði?m, Ð? Cuong Vi?t Nam M?i, Ð?c Báo Dùm B?n, Bình Lu?n, Nh?ng Ti?ng Nói Dân Ch?, Ki?n Th?c Dân Ch?, Ð?c Truy?n, Ð?c Hi?u H?nh, Thi Van T? Do, v.v... (via gh, DXLD) See http://www.whr.org/index.cfm?fa=schedule&Search=Angel3 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DXLD) So it`s just another program from KWHR, and is at 1330-1400 UT. On the yg post the accented characters came out as a variety of 4-digit numbers; in my MS Word editing file, as I look at it just above here, question marks appear instead (gh, DXLD) Re ``let`s see if and how all those Viet accents get thru unscathed`` These are the only ones that made it to me ||| á â à ê ì ó ù ||| The rest came as ||& #|| or numerals and what I assume is Viet text. It looks 'interesting' but doesn't mean much, unfortunately. And re Angel 3 from Hawaii - I am hearing a CNR transmission on 11555 between 1400 and 1500 which I assume has been 'attracted' to the frequency due to a listed programme called ``Dafa Hao (Mandarin)``. So far there is no trace of KWHR at my NW England location during this time period (Noel Green UK, June 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Glenn, This morning I asked Radio Hoa-Mai about their SW broadcasts and received this reply a few hours later: Dear Mr. Anker Petersen, Chairman DSWCI, Denmark, Thank your very much for your kind intention. Following is information you requested. Radio Hoa-Mai is based in Southern California, aimed to help promoting the process of democratization and developments in Vietnam. It currently has two Vietnamese language programs. Web Air (Internet) 2 Hr – 3 Hr each Time: Each Saturday (California Time) URL: http://www.radiohoamai.org Since: February 12, 2005 Shortwave (Vietnam) 11555 kHz (25m) Time: 30’ on Saturday 1330 UT (8:30 pm Vietnam time) Time: 30’ on Sunday 1330 UT (8:30 pm Vietnam time) Archives http://www.radiohoamai.org Since: May 01, 2005 Name: RADIO HOA-MAI Name in Vietnamese: Dai Phat Thanh Hoa-Mai URL: http://www.radiohoamai.com Main URL: http://www.hoamai.org (Vietnamese) http://www.nvnp.org (English) Email: radio @ hoamai.org Contact: Miss Ngoc-Anh Trinh We would appreciate if you could list our station name on your web site. If you need more information about our campaign policy or activities please visit our English language site at http://www.nvnp.org or contact our Supervisor, Mr. Nguyen CongBang, at congbang @ nvnp.org He would be glad to provide you more detailed info. By the way please note that we are looking for radio broadcasting company which provides MW (AM Channels) frequencies into Vietnam. If you know any please forward us some info. Again thank you for your kind concern and support! Sincerely, Trinh Ngoc-Anh (via Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. -----xxxxxxxxxx Breaking News xxxxxxxxxx----- ZIMBABWE'S SW RADIO AFRICA IN CRISIS --- By Nick Grace May 30, 2005 SW Radio Africa is in crisis, station founder Gerry Jackson tells Clandestine Radio Watch in this week's edition of Global Crisis Watch. The lack of international funding is leading to the closure of the station's short wave frequencies on Tuesday, May 31. SW Radio Africa's situation, she said, "is very dire at the moment. Our last short wave broadcast will be Tuesday... Thereafter, we can continue for one month on medium wave. But short wave is gone." Since 1980 Zimbabwe has been under the iron grip of President Robert Mugabe, cited recently by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as one of the world's "outposts of tyranny." The deficit of freedom in the country is among the world's worst and has put Zimbabwe at the top of lists of human rights violators. Leading up to elections earlier this year Mugabe received assistance from China, according to reports, to jam SW Radio Africa's broadcasts. The jamming, which forced the station to transmit on additional frequencies, continues. Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, has also provided the regime with broadcasting assistance. The loss of SW Radio Africa plays into the regime's game, she said, and is exactly what Mugabe wants. "It gives Mugabe a completely open playing field," she said. "We need more pressure, not less, and as it is he is like a chess master. He plays with the West... He wants absolute credibility and regional support. He's just going to have an open season to get his message across... While everyone is talking about 'saving Africa,' I just see the entire southern Africa region going down the tubes." The full interview can be heard at: http://www.clandestineradio.com/gcw/gcw_050530.mp3 Global Crisis Watch, Clandestine Radio Watch and ClandestineRadio.com's weekly current affairs podcast, brings listeners to the front line on the War of Ideas and interviews people who are fighting tyranny and terrorism with the pulse of freedom (CRW May 30 via DXLD) GCW INTERVIEW with Gerry Jackson is 15+ minutes. Sez they can continue on MW only one month longer to Junend, concentrating on the southern half of the country and the RSA border area where there are millions of Zimbabwean exiles. If no further financial support is forthcoming, will then have to shut down completely, sending the wrong message to the world community (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Unfortunate news indeed. The last SWRA Shortwave broadcast will be this evening Tuesday 31 May 1600-1900 (David Pringle-Wood, Zimbabwe, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: -----Original Message----- From: Gerry Date: 31 May 2005 03:54 Subject: Last shortwave broadcast It is with much regret that we announce that Tuesday 31st May 2005 is our last shortwave evening broadcast. The jamming of our transmission signal by the Zimbabwe government has required that we broadcast on multiple frequencies. This has been very successful and our listeners have been able to clearly receive us. But it is financially unsustainable, adding a huge amount to our normal running costs. As from 1st June 2005 we will, therefore, be on medium wave for two hours in the early morning (5 – 7 am Zim time) and 24 hours a day on our website http://www.swradioafrica.com Unfortunately our medium wave signal does not cover the whole of Zimbabwe and many of our faithful listeners will no longer be able to hear us. Our future even on medium wave remains critical and in the balance, but we are doing everything we possibly can to maintain our financial viability. Our medium wave signal is clearly received throughout the whole of South Africa so we do know that the two to three million Zimbabwean exiles there will be able to clearly receive our programming. A free media is the cornerstone of any democracy and we will do our very best to ensure that we continue to provide a voice for Zimbabweans, as we struggle along this difficult road to freedom together. A luta continua (the struggle continues) was the slogan of African liberation movements. Sadly, it`s a slogan that is still applicable to Zimbabwe (via David Pringle Wood, Zimbabwe, WORLD OF RADIO 1276, DXLD) Dear Glenn, 12145, SW Radio Africa, via Tbilisskaya, Russia, 1630- 1745, May 31, in what obviously was their last SW broadcast as they announced several times: "This is the last Shortwave broadcast from SW Radio Africa." They would continue on 1197 MW and the internet. They also said at 1728: "We wish our listeners to stay strong, in whatever prison they are in right now!". Mostly News reel in mixed English, Shona and Ndebele, and often in the latter two native languages with many English words included. Slight jamming at times from jamming stations purchased from China. Some audio fall outs throughout the broadcast. 44434 heard // 15145: 33222. It seems to me that President Robert Mugabe has won this air battle! Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, WORLD OF RADIO 1276, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4751.72, unID LA Spanish speaking OM DJ with news program followed by sports and close down 0102 UT. Weak signal. http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, UT May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ EUROPEAN MEDIUMWAVE GUIDE updated Hi all, I finally managed to update the EMWG. It had been a while. I am now also busy preparing the PDF edition for a new release (during July). It seems changes on MW are fewer than before and things have quieted down. Not that they have disappeared, of course, but I had expected to find myself with much more changes to be found over the past weeks. Another weird thing is that I could not find any news item on a new Italian station that contacted me directly and is broadcasting on 1503 kHz. I am also thrilled to see that this mailing list now counts no less than 442 subscribers. Thanks to you all for showing your interest in the EMWG. I will of course send you all a mail when the new PDF edition has been published. In the meantime, don't hesitate to send me your corrections, additions, info on favourite shows, etc. Cheers, (Herman - Boel, emwg yg via bclnews.it via DXLD) DRM +++ Re 5-090: ```¿Howcum the very name Digital Radio Mondiale is pseudo- or semi-French, but yet in the French language, the term for ``digital`` is ``numérique``? (gh)``` The name was chosen as a working title because it is half French and half English, and was acceptable to all the founder members of the organisation. Remember, DRM was founded by a group of engineers, not linguists :-) (Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) Put DRM into Google and most links are for Digital Rights Management. I have also seen several articles in the mainstream press using DRM as an abbreviation for Digital Rights Management (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) Absolutely right, and you may recall that I have made this very point in one of my articles. Our DG Jan Hoek is vice-chairman of DRM, and every chance I get I tell him they have to come up with a name and marketing strategy that will not confuse the consumer. As far as I'm concerned, DRM was an OK title for an industry working group, but will not work as a brand. And there's also a threat of legal action from Microsoft. Mind you, the term "World Band Radio" is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) All-purpose digital radio module: Several interesting points -- 1) shortwave is specifically mentioned; 2) DRM is forecast to become "Key" in 2006; 3) IBOC is not mentioned. Interesting development -- whenever a commercial entity mentions DRM I figure it's worth noting. Commercial announcements regarding DRM have been few & far between. The European bent of this suggests that DRM has a much better shot of becoming reality in Europe -- both for MW and SW -- than it (obviously) does in the USA. http://www.eet.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=163702092 (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The "forecast" is from a marketing manager for the product and is not backed up by any quoted research. It's meaningless (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) You have a point, but we have seen precious few marketing folks wax optimistic regarding anything having to do with shortwave (or DRM) in recent years. Even self-serving hyperbole is better than being ignored, which is what most marketing folks have done with shortwave. There are very few people with a true marketing bent associated with shortwave -- it seems to be either sales people or engineering types (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) Somehow, I don't think hyperbole helps (Scott Royall, ibid.) More DRM: see FRANCE, GERMANY PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to major storm levels. The period began with quiet to unsettled conditions, with some isolated high latitude minor storming midday on the 23rd, as effects from CME activity from the 16th and 17th waned. From late on the 23rd through most of the 28th, the geomagnetic field was at quiet levels. Late on 28 May, conditions increased to quiet to unsettled at middle latitudes and quiet to active at higher latitudes as a recurrent coronal hole solar wind stream became geoeffective. The summary period ended as conditions increased to minor storming at the middle latitudes, while the higher latitudes observed periods of major storming, as the 26 May CME arrived at Earth. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 01 - 27 JUNE 2005 Solar activity is expected be at mostly very low to low levels. Isolated M-class activity is possible from Region 767 and again with the return of old Region 759 (N12, L=055) on 03 June, which was an M- class flare producer on its previous transit. 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, 07 – 15 June, and 18 – 24 June. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storm. Recurrent coronal hole high speed wind streams are expected to produce active conditions on 01 June and active to minor storm levels on 11 – 13 June, and again on 25 – 27 June. Otherwise, expect quiet to unsettled conditions. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2005 May 31 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 31 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 Jun 01 95 15 3 2005 Jun 02 95 12 3 2005 Jun 03 95 10 3 2005 Jun 04 90 10 3 2005 Jun 05 90 10 3 2005 Jun 06 85 15 3 2005 Jun 07 85 15 3 2005 Jun 08 85 15 3 2005 Jun 09 85 12 3 2005 Jun 10 85 8 3 2005 Jun 11 85 15 3 2005 Jun 12 85 20 4 2005 Jun 13 85 15 3 2005 Jun 14 85 10 3 2005 Jun 15 85 10 3 2005 Jun 16 85 10 3 2005 Jun 17 90 10 3 2005 Jun 18 90 10 3 2005 Jun 19 90 8 3 2005 Jun 20 90 8 3 2005 Jun 21 90 5 2 2005 Jun 22 90 5 2 2005 Jun 23 90 8 3 2005 Jun 24 90 12 3 2005 Jun 25 90 18 4 2005 Jun 26 90 20 4 2005 Jun 27 90 15 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1276, DXLD) ###