DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-114, July 11, 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 1280: Days and times here strictly UT. Mon 2200 WOR RFPI Tue 0200 WOR RFPI Tue 0600 WOR RFPI Tue 1000 WOR RFPI Tue 1400 WOR RFPI Tue 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 0930 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Mon 0330 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 Latest edition of this schedule version, with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1280 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1280h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1280h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1280 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1280.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1280.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1280.html WORLD OF RADIO 1280 in true shortwave sound of Alex`s mp3 (stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_07-06-05.m3u (download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_07-06-05.mp3 NEW! WORLD OF RADIO 1280 downloads in studio-quality mp3: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1280h.mp3 (low) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1280.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO PODCAST: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml (currently available: 1277, Extra 57, 1278, 1279, 1280) WORLD OF RADIO ON STUDIO X, ITALY [not] I have been trying to confirm whether Studio X is still carrying WOR twice a week. Last time I tried, I could not even access their website, but now tnx to Roberto Scaglione (who himself has a show on the station), I don`t find WOR anywhere on the schedule: http://www.radiostudiox.it/prog.html I don`t ask for much, but I do expect stations carrying my program to have the courtesy to notify me of any changes or cancellation (gh) ** ANGUILLA. DGS back on 11775 when checked at 1230 UT July 11 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. MANÍAS, TICS Y CURIOSIDADES DE LOS CONDUCTORES RADIALES -- Los hábitos de los conductores más famosos, que los oyentes jamás podrían imaginar extraida de http://www.gacemail.com.ar/Detalle.asp?NotaID=2420 El público es fiel a los conductores de radio. Los escucha todos los días, sabe lo que piensan y sienten, coincide con su ideología, conoce a su familia, sus gustos personales. Pero no supone ni imagina todo aquello que cada uno y los que lo secundan realizan durante el transcurso de sus respectivos programas en los estudios. De las décadas de oro de la radio, todavía se recuerdan algunos momentos especiales, como aquel en que las parejas de radioteatros protagonizaban episodios divertidos o pintorescos, simulando besos, bofetadas y arrumacos en distintos planos, incluso acostados en el piso, para lograr una mejor emisión de sonido. Las anécdotas más representativas tienen una misma escenografía: el estudio mayor de Radio Rivadavia, en Arenales al 2400. Allí, hace más de 20 años, un popular y prestigioso locutor de radio y TV, en medio de los festejos de un 31 de diciembre, tomó el cesto de la basura, lo subió al piano que había en el estudio y orinó allí. En ese mismo ámbito, Juan Carlos Mareco, un eterno histrión, ilustraba con gestos las noticias que brindaban los informativistas, imitando, por ejemplo, el movimiento de gorilas y otros animales salvajes. En más de una ocasión quemó con su encendedor las páginas que ellos leían, lo que provocó pánico y risas al mismo tiempo. En años más cercanos, Fernando Bravo fue objeto de una broma por parte de su compañera Rina Morán. Ante un accidente doméstico, debió quitarse el pantalón para que lo cosieran, y grande fue su sorpresa al comprobar que ingresaba al estudio un grupo de maestras y él, en vez de pararse para saludarlas, debió permanecer asustado, quieto y sentado. Mario Sánchez, en los tiempos que interpretaba a Bartolito en "Rapidísimo", con Héctor Larrea, más de una vez ingresó al estudio vestido de ciclista o envuelto en el tapado de piel de Beba Vignola, y le pintaba el rostro de rouge a Héctor Ivas cuando éste leía imperturbable el informativo. La ropa y la comida La gente de radio, en general, concurre a su trabajo vestida de manera informal, salvo algunas excepciones como Magdalena Ruiz Guiñazú, que ensambla trajecitos y calzado, o Néstor Ibarra, habitualmente de traje y corbata, o de elegante sport. Por estos días, en que el calor aprieta, en los diferentes estudios se observa un constante desfile de conductores en bermudas, zapatillas, zuecos, ojotas, remeras, chombas, musculosas, gorros con visera y otros implementos veraniegos. El tema culinario adquiere un gran protagonismo. Si bien en la mayoría de las emisoras está prohibido, por razones de higiene, comer dentro de los estudios, la gente de la Rock & Pop y de la Metro llevan la delantera y en cualquier horario puede aparecer una fuente de ñoquis con salsa, comida mexicana, sushi, arroz con pollo o varios kilos del mejor helado. Andy Kusnetzoff informa sobre los deliciosos pancitos que trae su padre una vez por semana y, sin ir más lejos, hace unos días, él y todo su staff hablaron durante varios minutos con dificultad porque saboreaban exquisitas cerezas. El mate es amo y señor de la radio, y los litros de agua y kilos de yerba que se consumen son impresionantes. Víctor Hugo Morales --- que tiene incluso cebador oficial ---, Mónica Cahen d´Anvers, César Mascetti y Lalo Mir son también adictos a esta infusión. Rolando Hanglin llega a Continental portando su caja de madera tallada con saquitos de té y consume varias tazas por día. Chiche Gelblung, en Radio 10, come todo el tiempo (sus oyentes pueden comprobarlo en el aire) y además le encanta chupar cubitos. Mascetti es capaz de pedir a gritos un enorme sandwich de fiambre. A la hora de las extravagancias, hay que mencionar a Marcelo Bonelli, quien hizo más de una vez su programa sabatino vistiendo la camiseta de Racing. Junto a su elenco consume varias docenas de factura acompañadas con copas de champagne. Teté Coustarot, siempre al comenzar su programa, pide un vaso grande de agua o un café bien cargado, si está cansada. Pero cuando tiene hambre compra pan lactal, fiambre, mayonesa, papas fritas, y reparte sandwiches tipo picnic. Cada uno con su tema Julio Lagos y Hugo Guerrero Marthineitz hacen el programa de pie. Ari Paluch no usa auriculares, sino su propia radio, y generalmente permanece con los ojos cerrados cuando hace una entrevista, al parecer para concentrarse mejor. Bravo efectúa una serie de señas al operador tan particulares que los humoristas del programa ya hacen su caricatura. Graciela Mancuso habla todo el tiempo, como si estuviera en el aire. A Carlos Rodari le gusta hacer sus programas con la luz apagada. Pepe Eliaschev, a la hora de decir su editorial (que no está escrito), no permite que nadie permanezca en el estudio y hace cerrar todas las ventanas. Mirtha Legrand llega vestida y producida como para la TV, perfuma el micrófono, tira besitos a la cámara web, usa un almohadoncito en la espalda y otro en los pies y un tercero para apoyar los codos. Magdalena llega todos los días cargada con bolsas con los discos de su elección para poner en el aire, desde clásicos hasta los preferidos por sus nietos (Bersuit y Los Piojos), y es de las más generosas para distribuir todos los presentes que recibe y hace regalos para los cumpleaños de cada uno de los que integran su elenco. Idéntica actitud, poco frecuente, asume Fernando Niembro. Mariano Closs se sienta sobre tres sillas para relatar desde la cabina de transmisión. Luis Majul practica para descontracturarse ejercicios de yoga en el piso, hace lagartijas y hasta se pone cabeza abajo. Alejandro Fantino realiza en el estudio abdominales o patadas de taekwondo y en cuanto finaliza una nota, sale a buscar una gaseosa de la máquina expendedora. Gelblung es muy exigente con el equipo de producción: se enoja al aire con ellos, dice que los quiere matar cuando se equivocan y en más de una oportunidad les ha lanzado algún elemento contundente. Hasta se lo ha visto por los pasillos corriendo a algún productor, algo que se ha convertido en un paso de comedia. Pinky hace el programa con su perrito yorkshire en el estudio. Lo más curioso se suscitó cuando tuvo como invitado a Pepe Cibrián, quien entró al estudio con dos ovejeros alemanes, componiendo un cuadro más que especial en el ámbito radial. Marcelo Longobardi usa los auriculares en la frente, en la nuca o de un solo lado, nunca en las orejas; Jorge Jacobson tampoco es muy afecto a utilizarlos y los manotea rápidamente en el momento de la entrevista. Lalo Mir usa los auriculares con una cinta verde para distinguirlo de los demás. Suele aparecer con un silbato colgado al cuello y cuando nadie lo espera, lo hace sonar; siempre tiene biromes y lapiceras muy bonitas y se pone loco cuando le desaparecen. Mira por arriba de los anteojos y lo más pintoresco es que siempre pierde todos los papeles. Fabio Alberti se tira un ratito en el suelo mientras sus compañeros de "Day Tripper" siguen con el programa. De estas y otras curiosas situaciones que el oyente no imagina se nutre la magia de la radio. Mas información sobre radio Fuente: http://www.lanacion.com.ar (via Conexión Digital July 9 via DXLD) ** CANADA. O programa Canadá Direto informou que o telefone gratuito 0800, colocado à disposição dos ouvintes, continua ``com a corda no pescoço``. A emissora pode suspender tal forma de contato com a audiência devido a um grande número de trotes (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX July 10 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Re 5-113: I recall from past visits to Whitehorse and area that there is an Environment Canada low power weather station (much like the one on 1580 in Revelstoke) on 810. It prevented me from listening to KGO . . . Walt, I also had the pleasure on a few occasions of listening in from Two Hill -- very nice location (Eric Flodén, Vancouver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There's one list of these at http://home.cogeco.ca/~dxinfo/wx-am.htm Don't know how accurate it is (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Viz.: 810 WXR CBPY YT Whitehorse 50w 60 41 33 134 58 09 // VHF 1260 WXR CBPM BC Sicamous 30w 50 50 09 118 58 18 // VHF WXR/FERRY CBPZ BC Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal 5w 48 41 10 123 24 28 WXR/PARK CBPU BC Ucluelet-Pacific Rim National Park 30w 49 03 12 125 43 10 1580 WXR/PARK CBPK BC Mount Revelstoke National Park 50w 50 59 24 118 13 08 // VHF (above site via gh, DXLD) That`s the complete list ** COLOMBIA. 5910, Marfil Estéreo, 0604-0650, 10-07, Marfil Estéreo ya volvió a su programación habitua, como antes de estar fuera del aire, con mucha música, sobre todo romántica latinoamericana, baladas, rancheras, canciones colombianas y venezolanas. Hoy ya no transmitían en paralelo con 6010, sino la programación propio de la emisora de FM en 88.8, y también retornó la señal fuerte de hace unos meses. Identificación: "88.8", "Usted está escuchando Marfil Estéreo 88.8". 45444. 6010, La Voz de tu Conciencia, 0615-0830, 10-07. Después de un cierto tiempo muy débil, prácticamente inaudible por aquí, hoy se volvió a escuchar con señal débil y por momentos moderada y sin rastro hoy de Radio Mil. Comentario religioso por el locutor habitual de esta emisora, canciones, Identificación a las 0814: "Desde Colombia, La Voz de tu Conciencia", y a las 0823: "Están Ustedes escuchando la Voz de tu Conciencia". 24222 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 10 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola Rubén, el Sr. Stendal también respondió a mi mail sobre quejas por la interferencia de La Voz de tu Conciencia a Radio Mil, pero, a pesar de los esfuerzos que dice que está haciendo, lo cierto es que, hace unos días, la cosa parece que estaba en vías de solución, pero por las escuchas de varios colegas, entre ellas las mias, todo indica que en los últimos días, La Voz de tu Conciencia está recuperando potencia en 6010 kHz. En fin, creo que debemos seguir observando esta frecuencia, pues unos días parece que Radio Mil no es interferido y otros sí lo es. Esto es lo que me escribió el Sr. Stendal, en respuesta de un mail que le envié y que ya puse por aquel entonces en Noticias DX: "Estimado Amigo, La señal de 5910 está todavía en prueba -- por el momento va bien -- pero hace unos meses hubo muy fuerte interferencia desde Radio Kiev y no sabemos si ellos van a volver nuevamente a la frecuencia en los meses del invierno. Nos ha preocupado mucho el problema con Radio Mil y hemos gastado dinero y esfuerzo para que nuestra señal en 6010 no salga hacía México. Es probable que sí salga mas fuerte hacía España y el émbolo puede comenzar a ganar fuerza desde la República Dominicana. Mas que todo la queja del Señor Julian Santiago ha sido en Diciembre y Enero -- y hemos hecho todo posible para complacerlo -- en cuanto a no irradiar hacía Mexico. En los últimos dos años y medio no hemos recibido reportes QSL desde América Central (incluyendo México) ni siquiera de California. Por muchas razónes -- no es posible cambiar de frecuencia. Y el problema de interferencia es muy complejo -- no solamente con nosotros – hay por lo menos cuatro fuentes más (y algunas de ellas son mucho más fuerte que nosotros). Ver Reporte a continuación. Hace tres años y medio pasamos por un período muy largo de prueba cuando no hubo queja alguna. Después de tener la resolución definitiva y después de regalar miles de radios solares fijos en la frecuencia vino la queja. La semana pasada acabamos de tomar medidas adicionales con la señal de 6010 y estamos a la espera de recibir reportes de síntonia para confirmar qué efecto hayan tenido. Gracias por su carta, Martin Stendal" (via Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gracias Manuel! La intención de Stendal es continuar en la misma frecuencia pero orientando antenas hacia el sur, tanto es así que ya estoy recepcionando mejor que nunca la señal de La Voz de Tu Conciencia aquí en Sudamérica (disponible grabación de audio 580 KB) incluso desafiando a Radio Inconfidência de Belo Horizonte, Brasil. De hecho, nosotros por aquí no podremos escuchar a Radio Mil ya que --- además de la brasileña --- suelen emitir Radio Parinacota de Chile y Emisora Ciudad de Montevideo de Uruguay. La solución debe enmarcarse al área de influencia que detenta la emisora mexicana operando con 1 KW, esa es la cobertura que LV de Tu Conciencia no debe interferir. Gracias a tí, y a todos los colegas que siguen chequeando los 6010 kHz para terminar con el conflicto (Rubén Guillermo Margent, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** CUBA. Spanish speakers sure are backwards. They say ``blanco y negro`` while we say black & white. And neither would sound right in the native language if reversed. Another example heard today on RHC`s sports segment is ``campo y pista`` for track & field. [LL] Also heard a bit of Haciendo Radio on R. Rebelde, much weaker on 9600 than // 11655 at 1248 July 11. I thought they reported that three oil platforms had been destroyed by Dennis; contradicting some US TV network news crawler (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. TV MARTI'S LATEST JOKE -- How Life Can Imitate a Sitcom By Verni Itasso*, Collaboration, Washington USA, La Nueva Cuba, June 25, 2005 Since its inception in the late 80's, riding on the coattails of Radio Martí's indisputable success from its first broadcast (May 20, 1985,) TV Martí [hereafter: Marti] has managed to garner few supporters outside of its budget allocators in Congress. There's much to explain this apparent discrepancy between the two media services to Cuba, but the bottom line is audience size: there's scant proof that TV Marti has ever even had an audience on the island. This is mostly due to intense jamming of its signal by the Castro regime, determined not to let the Americans deliver images that might challenge its version of "reality" beyond its control borders. Thus, even the tenacious viewer has seen it only for a few seconds before it is effectively "displaced" (jammed) out of its wavelength by a local, stronger broadcast. It's easy to see why over the years TV Marti has been widely criticized by the American mainstream media as a waste of tax dollars. Its mostly symbolic broadcasts are expensive, sometimes hurting Radio Marti's own budgetary needs and taking away from other worthwhile spending. And then, there are complications: TV is aimed only at the Havana metropolitan area where it would air at the oddest hours, beginning at 3:00 am and barely seeing the light of day before being turned off. This in order to comply, more or less, with international broadcasting regulations. (TV Marti would later switch to a post-prime time slot, equally blocked.) Moreover, TV Marti's content has been termed anywhere from outdated, to ineffectual, to highly polemical; minimally complying with its intended mission and stated mandate. Matters have only gotten worse in its second decade of beaming from a tower in Cudjoe Key; the physical relocation of its employees and office headquarters from D.C. to Miami in the late 90's appears to have aggravated what detractors pointed out from the beginning: that it was one large "pork" concession, making some sort of vague political point but unable to deliver on its promise. Congressional concessionaires, seemed to care little about the lack of quantifiable success, but made sure its budget was untouchable, in order to appeal to -- or appease – a significant constituency both in Florida and New Jersey (where most Cuban-Americans reside). TV Marti's allocation is very close to Radio Marti's own, both contained under the umbrella known as the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, yet it has never provided a real service (Castro's expenditure of resources to block it notwithstanding). This has mostly to do with TV broadcasting costs being higher than radio's. At times, even loyal employees have found some of TV Marti's expenditure on "special" coverages, such as those involving travel to faraway locations, to be anywhere from surreal to a waste of limited resources. They wonder, for instance, if TV Marti really needs its own team at political conventions when video feeds are available at no cost. Yet, they also recognize the frustration of colleagues who work basically for a ghost audience and are resigned to wait until these years of rehearsal pay off. Apparently this will happen the day when Communism on the island crumbles and a government friendlier to the U.S. takes over. Then, it seems expected, TV Marti's signal will not only be broadcast free of jamming but will have the green light to expand its target audience, perhaps to all Cubans on the island. Yet, this scenario poses some obvious questions: is TV Marti even ready for such an event? Will it actually be allowed in by a new power? Though the latter is pure speculation, the former should be easier to ascertain. As if to prove the point, recently the White House approved new tactics to make the signal reach the island at any expense, including the flying of a US military plane (Commando Solo) blasting the programming from much closer in a game of jamming cat-and-mouse. (Possibly the loss of Dade County in the last presidential elections, with Cuban-Americans more sympathetic to Democrats than usual is resulting in new Republican efforts to show solidarity with "traditional" exile voters.) Nonetheless, so far reports of sightings are few and far from constituting hard data of actual penetration. There appears to be anecdotal stories of TV Marti viewing from sources close to the U.S. Interest Section in Havana. These are being touted as proof of some kind of anti-jamming triumph by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG,) the government agency charged with supervising Radio and TV Marti. Its Executive Director [1], who in 2002 told Congress that Radio Marti's audience (once well into the double-digits) had fallen from 9% to 5% in the previous year, and then disingenuously implied it was due to Cuba's jamming (as if that had not been present against the radio signal since 1985). Thus, ironically, were there to be any such success on the TV side for the BBG to bestow praise, the same BBG repeatedly fails to explain the truth about its dismal record on the Radio Marti side. Since taking over the former State Department-run USIA, which supervised all U.S. international broadcasting, the BBG has allowed (some say encouraged) Radio Marti's audience to free fall to a mere fraction of what it was in its heyday -- right before the dissolution of USIA. Insinuations by BBG officials that this audience loss is owed to Radio Marti's current Miami climate are a cynical way to wash hands from institutional accountability. One remembers when the late Miami lobbyist Jorge Mas- Canosa was similarly blamed for using politics to interfere with the Agency's authority. With him gone, it was the Cuban-American Congress members that inherited the charge. At neither point has the responsible agency shown any disquietude over these matters, however directly they fall under their purview and responsibility. In fact, the defeatist attitude was shown as early as April of 1998, when the last of USIA's directors, Joseph Duffey, even wrote a laudatory op-ed piece in the Miami Herald, lending his -- and the agency's -- full support to a Radio and TV Marti director who, among other unorthodox behavior, was found guilty of discrimination by an EEO judge. No apologies then. That same OCB Director also had the distinction of initiating the downward trend with the audience by changing most of the programming with little, if any, forethought and no experience in the field. Yet, the BBG has acted as if everything were running smoothly, the very avatar of bureaucratic nonchalance. It now appears they are quite taken by the new TV Marti circling plane idea. So much so that they have once again tellingly evaluated TV Marti's readiness through a look at the potency of its signal rather than by the content of its message. The programming, which can kindly be described as "outdated" barely hides ulterior motives that stray from its mandate into the minefield of propaganda, including a most unclever comedy that mimics present-day Cuba and its problems. One wonders how the U.S. Interest Section and the State Department interpret the material that, whether seen or not, is being aired. For instance, one of the "new" programs created after the recent ousting of the original TV Marti director Antonio Diéguez (whose wife held a lucrative contract at Radio Marti, coincidentally, for a healthy run), is literally called "Dare to Dream." As the name already implies, the program attempts to challenge the one-man rule on the island by illustrating for Cubans something they would appear not to know on their own by now: that in the U.S., hard work -- and some luck -- can result in making the so-called American Dream come true. All programs so far feature Cuban-Americans who have achieved fame and/or fortune by landing in Miami and getting to work hard and fast. And it is easy to understand the pride of so many Horatio Alger-like stories in the exile community. However, balance and objectivity are part of the mandate that grants TV Marti's budget; yet this program avoids the thousands of less remarkable stories and the failures, common to every ethnicity and culture coexisting in the U.S., including Cuban-Americans. Yes, the American Dream is a very fine thing, and Cubans on the island ought to have the chance to Dare to Dream what they may. But financial success that invariably leads to a happy, well-adjusted life is hardly guaranteed with a Green Card and a Miami address. It borders on the cruel to show images that "show off" wealth more than anything else; and if these images do inspire, one hopes they do not lead to any more treacherous crossing attempts by sheer contextual clumsiness. If, again, such programs were termed motivational, as we call them in this society, they lack the required balance as stated in clear TV Marti guidelines. This is counter-productive at many levels. For instance, Cubans brought up entirely under Castro's asphyxiant grip, which kills ambition and stifles productivity, are perhaps attracted by the images shown of fulfilled ambition, but many are ill-prepared to fend for themselves in a competitive environment such as the American. It is becoming distressingly common to hear stories about Cubans who "couldn't hack it" in this country after giving it a go. Not used to relying on their own skills and efforts, they return to the island to have the meager portions required to survive provided to them by the paternalistic system to which they're accustomed. If TV Marti's staff thinks they can reach the occasional, vulnerable "dreamer" with its new fare, they ought to do so by being mindful of Cuba as it lives today. Unlike good old American sitcoms, made to entertain and sell dry goods, reality does not always come with a happy ending: why present this illusion to TV Marti's audience? It would be a real tragedy to waste such an expensive U.S.-Cuba link because its material backfires or is unable to seize the moment, when it comes, because of the heavy load of its obsolescence. Mockery (of the Castro regime), editorializing and painting a rosy picture of life in South Florida should hardly be the primary results of nearly two decades of broadcasting. TV Marti's programming should be re-thought with an eye to the future -- to the moment we all await when Cubans gain the chance to be free. The U.S. Congress might then justify the tens of millions of dollars already spent on the operation. Since that future could be around the corner, the BBG ought to act fast to discharge its duties of supervision, evaluation and planning. To continue to place the blame on the Miami staff is conspiratorial at best, as the freemasonry-like atmosphere that prevails was unable to ponder the many requests of its former Cuban-American colleague to look into the status quo. Yet, it's right there on the BBG's Charter to which they all subscribed: they are the responsible party -- the Board members above the rest -- whether or not they ever had the avocation before undertaking the commitment. A second plane may be necessary to rescue TV Marti from this picayune body -- From many conversations held to write this piece, it appears they'd hardly be missed in any corner of the Agency. * Verni Itasso is the nom de plume for a US international broadcasting official. NOTES 1. The International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) is the executive tool of all US government foreign broadcasting operations and is still under the control of Democrat bureaucrats from the Clinton era. There are allegations that the BBG Executive Director/Interim IBB Director Brian Coniff and the Broadcasting Board of Governors Legal Counsel, Carol Booker (a Clinton political appointee who found a way to stay on board as a career bureaucrat), worked hard in enforcing the Clinton Agenda to dismantle and make innefective Martí's broadcasts to Cuba. They are still in control of Marti's agenda. Radio Martí's last audience survey showed a dismaying 1.7% of listeningship. (Reagan and Bush Sr.'s era audience surveys were in the range of more than 70%.) (via Perestroika Marti, July 11, DXLD) Sure, blame the demos (gh) ** GABON. 17630, regular sign-on of Africa No. 1 is now at 0800 (Thorsten Hallmann, Muenster, Germany, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Der pan-afrikanische Unterhaltungssender Africa No. 1 hat folgenden Sendeplan auf Kurzwelle Richtung Zentral- und Westafrika: [UT] 0500-2300 9580, 0700[sic]-1600 17630, 1600-1900 15475 Das Programm, das auf den höheren Frequenzen immer wieder auch in Europa gehört werden kann, ist hauptsächlich in Französisch, beinhaltet aber auch englischsprachige Segmente (Radio-News, May Radio Journal via DXLD) ANO used to have some brief English newscasts, but I haven`t seen any logs of such for many years. Let`s check the program schedule at http://www.africa1.com/programmes.htm where we find nothing in English except some program titles which would give the Académie fits: GRILLE DES PROGRAMMES Du Lundi au Vendredi Tous les horaires sont en TEMPS UNIVERSEL (GMT) Ajouter 2h à Paris. 04H30 Bonjour l'Afrique : tranche matinale animée par Bruce Walker MAPOMA 8 Journaux d'information toutes les 30 minutes : Africainfo : (04h30 - 05h00 - 05h30 - 06h00 - 06h30 - 07h00 - 07h30 - 08h00) 04h20 Horoscope avec Laeticia NGALIBICKA 05h50 SOS amitiés 06h20 Le Monde est fou avec Bruce W. MAPOMA 07h50 SOS amitiés Africainfo toutes les heures: (09h00 - 10h00 - 11h00 - 12h00 le grand journal - 13h00) 08h30 "Akwaba" avec Pheel 09h35 Couleur des mots avec Huguette MALAMBA 11h10 Challenge (jeu) - Fanny ELLA-ASSA 12h30 Le journal des auditeurs - Jules AHADZI KOMLAN (vos appels au +33 1 55 07 58 05) POURSUIVEZ LA DISCUSSION SUR LE FORUM ! 13h30 Africa vie Animée par Eugénie DIECKY et Patrick NGUEMA NDONG Africainfo toutes les heures: (14h00 - 15h00 - 16h00) 16h30 Le débat avec Rodrigue ASSEYI Africainfo toutes les heures : (Le grand journal: 18h00 et 22h00; Journaux à 19h00 - 20h00 - 21h00 - 22h00) 17h10 Kilimandjaro avec Pheel [African music] 18h30 Le journal des auditeurs (JDA) Jules AHADZI KOMLAN (rediffusion) 19h10 Africa Song avec Robert BRAZZA (Lundi: Tout feu, tout foot : 50 minutes sur les joueurs africains évoluant en France et en Europe) 21h10 Flash back avec "Brother B" Samedi ... et toujours des journaux d'information au début de chaque heure... 04h30 Africa week-end : tranche matinale animée par Fanny ELLA-ASSA 04h30 Africainfo: 8 journaux d'information toutes les 30 minutes : (04h30 - 05h00 - 05h30 - 06h00 - 06h30 - 07h00 - 07h30 - 08h00) 04h20 Horoscope avec Laeticia NGALIBICKA 05h50 SOS amitiés 06h30 Africainfo + Les grands RDV sportifs du week-end 07h30 Africainfo + Chronique économique 07h50 SOS amitiés 09h10 Transafricaine avec Ludovic KOUMBA 11h10 La Corbeille : jeu avec Fanny ELLA ASSA 12h30 Africa Presse Club, le rendez-vous politique hebdomadaire d'Africa N 1 13h30 "La perche" - Nouveaux talents avec Régis MASSIMBA 14h10 Africavenir avec Léandre NDAMBO 15h10 Ecran noir - Huguette MALAMBA. 16h10 Hit Parade International avec Jean-Jacques MAYI 17h10 Rap avec Régis MASSIMBA 18h30 Africainfo Sports 19h10 La discothèque avec Robert Brazza 21h10 Africa Dance Dimanche 04h30 Africa week-end : tranche matinale animée par Fanny ELLA-ASSA Africainfo : 8 journaux d'information toutes les 30 minutes : (04h30 - 05h00 - 05h30 - 06h00 - 06h30 - 07h00 - 07h30 - 08h00) 04h20 Horoscope avec Laeticia NGALIBICKA et (05h20 - 05h50) 05h50 SOS amitiés et 07h50 08h30 Parcours de star 09h10 Manu DIBANGO sur Africa n 1 (en 2 parties avec Robert "Tito") 11h10 7 jours en Afrique avec Ludovic KOUBA 12h30 JDA PLUS avec Jules AHADZI KOMLAN 13h10 Afrique Santé avec Joëlle EDEDEGHE NDONG 13h40 Histoire d'Afrique 15h00 Africa Sports 18h30 Le journal des résultats sportifs 19h10 L'Aventure mystérieuse avec Patrick NGUEMA NDONG 20h10 Africa Presse Club, le rendez-vous politique hebdomadaire d'Africa N 1 21h10 Tendresse avec Irène NDEMBE (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Note the station HQ is in Paris, Gabon [non]. Does any programming ever come from Libreville or Moyabi? (gh) ** GUATEMALA. 4052.5, Radio Verdad, Chiquimula, 0556-0600, 10-07, Fin del programa en inglés que se emite entre las 0500 y las 0600, canción de despedida y cierre. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 10 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. INTERESANTE MISIVA RECIBIDA POR EL COLEGA ASHLEY AGUILAR, DESDE HONDURAS Estimado Sr Aguilar: Le ruego me disculpe por la tardanza en reponder a su atenta carta de febrero anterior del corriente año debido a las múltiples ocupaciones aquí en la radio. Sin embargo nunca es tarde para comunicarse con amigos de la radio; uiero contarles que actualmente ya no transmitimos en la Onda Corta como en nuestros inicios y las emisiones son únicamente en Onda Media y FM en las frecuencias de 560 kHz y 97.9 MHz. Contamos con un sitio en internet el cual les invitamos a visitar en la dirección: http://www.radiojuticalpa.forever.as [American Samoa [NON]] en donde podran leer en la sección de "Historia" una lectura completa sobre la fundación de la radio escrita por nuestro padre y fundador el Prof. Victor Rubi Zapata (QDDG). En los proximos dias estaremos poniendo nuestra señal de audio por internet y poder alcanzar audiencias fuera de nuestro departamento y del país como una vez lo hicimos en SW. Personalmente creo que el resurgimiento de la Onda Corta está a la vuelta de la esquina con la próxima implementación de el sistema DRM o cualquier otro que finalmente se adopte como estándar, el cual le dará a la Onda Corta la ventaja de llegar con sonido de mas alta calidad y con el alcance que tiene la Onda Corta esta puede convertirse en una competencia seria para la banda de AM u Onda Media comercial. Saludos y los mejores DX para ustedes, Victor Osorio, Station Engineer, HRRZ Radio Juticalpa, (504) 785 2783 (via Conexión Digital July 9 via DXLD) Sez they are about to start streaming in order to reach an audience abroad like they used to on SW; thinks a resurgence of the SW medium is just around the corner with DRM (gh, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 15135.15 (on 9 July) VOI, 1927 with ballad / rock songs by OM. Station clip "English to know more`` showing station's email and web address but the program was in French. Thanks to Wolfie for this log and Vlad Titarev. But today 10 July at 1733 station is heard again on 15150 at 1733 with semi 'melayu-deli' songs and other oldies, S9 max. ID at 1748 in Spanish. German program at 1800, S8 max, 43433, some QRM from 15155 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Altho FE hi-latitude paths were subpar July 11 at 1217, VOI was still making it on 9525 with some talk in Korean, ID at 1220, and then some marimba music. Or was it gamelan? Don`t think so. Certainly an eclectic format (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. The Global Crisis Watch podcast, after an initial flurry of publicity, has been dormant for almost a month, but I don`t think the latest one from June 13 has been mentioned here yet (gh) June 13 , 2005: Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, on Zimbabwe, Congbang Nguyen, Hoa-Mai Club, on Vietnam, Sam Voron on Papua New Guinea. (Clandestineradio.com via DXLD) This one is 68 minutes long, the host also prematurely claiming ``SW Radio Africa is gone from SW``. If they had been paying attention to the DX press, GCW should have known better at that time, and avoided spreading misinformation, if not disinformation. Whilst listening to GCW on July 11 http://www.clandestineradio.com/gcw/gcw_050613.mp3?PHPSESSID=ac9e5e654a88026a164b3bdb92f3f8e3 I took another look at the SW Radio Africa website, http://www.swradioafrica.com --- The first link I clicked on, Commentary on the need for SW Radio Africa by Andy Sennitt led instead to http://www.swradioafrica.com/news110705/miniskirts110705.htm ``Police beating up women wearing trousers and mini skirts`` ! But on the first 20-minute segment of GCW itself, Andy discusses at some length, not only SW Radio Africa, but VOA Studio 7, and V. of the People, with which RN itself is involved. Then a nice little snip of Vietnamese music and hard-to-follow interview by phone with accent; part 3, with Sam Voron mentioned his website http://www.somaliahamradio.8k.com/ (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. http://www.cantfindongoogle.com/ (via Critical Distance blog via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Re 5-113: Jew's Harp on Hmong Lao Radio --- Glenn, Thank you for your years of service to the shortwave listening hobby. I have been trying to hear Hmong Lao Radio for some time and often wondered if the mention of flute-like sounds often reported was Throat-singing... a style common to these peoples. I also wondered if the mention of the jew's harp would someday appear in the posts. Today I have my answer. As the Webmaster for the Jew's Harp Guild http://www.jewsharpguild.org I would like your permission to use the the clip below on our website as a note of interest. The Hmong people of Laos and Vietnam have a long history of making and playing their own style of the instrument, made of brass and classed as an idioglot. See http://www.mouthmusic.com/trumps.htm#Hmong These are wonderful instruments with a sound all their own. 73 de (Mark D. Poss (WB8URH/6 Temecula, CA, Webmaster -The Jew's Harp Guild, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Certainly ** LATVIA. R Tatras report 10 July, Sunday: 0622, 9290, Slovak, 35132 S6? just a carrier 0925, 9290, SL 34433, to 1102 with 4m random wire (nearly overloading) 1257, 9290, SL 35133 S6 QRN S10, 44333 using phasing system 1345, 9290, SL 35133 S9 1641, 9290, English, 45133 S9 RX system: DE1102 on beach and 'unfolded' reeled wire about 3-4 m, House: R75 with 2x16m inverted V and 16m horizontal wire connected into MFJ 1025 phasing unit. QRN phasing out is a very fine adjustment, requiring less than 5 degrees for a temporary nulling of QRN. Sometimes a little more phase tuning is necessary! Programming: 0925 talks in Slovak. Man in English with public address in Aqua(?) talking on the situation of Slovak economy. At 0940 with music program, mixed Slovak and western songs with several IDs at 0940 and 0950 but always as 'Radio Tatri'. 1647 YMCA song intervened by YL DJ, 1650 Lipstick song, 1654 'Mayday' rhythmic song, 1700 program Superstar with old pop songs, 1720 Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. 5470, Radio Veritas, 2022-2100, 09-07, sigue escuchándose, con señal aceptable, esta emisora al anocher por aquí. Entre las 2000 y las 2100 transmite el programa en inglés para Africa de la Voz de América." VoA news", locutor y locutora, "The African Service of The Voice of America". Noticias de Africa con conexión corresponsales en diversas ciudades "VoA news, Nairobi". 24322 variando a 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 10 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CATHOLIC BROADCASTER RADIO VERITAS OBSERVED ON SHORTWAVE BBC Monitoring observed Radio Veritas relaying Voice of America's "Nightline Africa" programme on 5470 kHz shortwave at 2025 gmt on Saturday 9 July 2005, with reception varying from poor to fair. At 2100 gmt the following announcement was heard: "This is Radio Veritas, the Voice of Truth. We are broadcasting from Monrovia on the standard frequencies of 97.8 megahertz on the FM band, and 5.470 megahertz in the 60-metre band shortwave." The broadcast continued with the following programming, all times given are Greenwich Mean Time: 2100-2130: "Education Forum" 2130-2200: "The Soap Opera" 2200-2215: News 2215-2255: Music 2255-2300: Religious programme 2300-2304: Closing announcement, repeating the above frequencies but mentioning that they would be back on air the following morning at 0545 gmt on 6.090 megahertz in the 49-metre band shortwave. Radio Veritas is operated by the Archdiocese of Monrovia and broadcasts daily in English and vernacular languages from the city's Catholic Media Centre. Source: BBC Monitoring research, 0820 gmt 11 Jul 05 (via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEXQ, 6045, with Pomp & Circumstance march at 1205 July 11 and a SAH, but not too bad; FE signals were attenuated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also COLOMBIA ** MONGOLIA [and non]. 12085, La Voz de Mongolia, 1000-1010, 10-07, Programa en inglés, Música de sintonía, identifcación por locutora: "The Voice of Mongolia". Fuerte interferencia de Radio Damasco, Siria, en la misma frecuencia con programa en árabe. Malas condiciones de escucha para esta emisora en esta época del año debido a la interferencia de Radio Damasco. En el período de invierno se recibe mucho mejor el programa en inglés de La Voz de Mongolia a las 1000, ya que Radio Damasco comienza una hora más tarde. 21321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 10 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. MARRUECOS: Radio Mediterranée Internationale (Radio Medi 1), transmite las 24 horas en idioma árabe y francés por la frecuencia de 9575 kHz, siendo éste fácilmente audible en el cono sur de América alrededor de las 2100 UT en adelante. QTH: Radio Mediterranée Internationale (R. Medi 1), 35 Rue Lamsallah, B.P. 2055, Tanger, Marruecos. E-mail: med1 @ medi1.com Web: http://www.medi1.com (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital July 9 via DXLD) Not quite; PWBR ``2005`` shows 0500-0400; HFCC A-05 lacks it! But does show Greenville occupying the 24th hour. WRTH 2005 shows 0500-0100, and so does EiBi, plus plenty of co-channel competition at various other times. But NDXC has Medi 1 as 24 hours. Which are we to believe?? Here`s the program grid from above website, at http://www.medi1.com/medi1/programme.php With details of alternating French and Arabic shows, but it doesn`t bother to mention frequencies; seemingly shows a gap between 0000 and 0500 (or 0100? and 0500), timezone not specified either. You finally find 9575 mentioned in a general way if you click on various regions on the map at http://www.medi1.com/services/ecouter.php (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Programmes I Like (#4) "The Week Ahead"--Radio Netherlands: Good things do indeed sometimes come in small packages.... In the era of digital communications, and the use of e-mail lists to obtain programming details, it is a pleasant surprise to hear upcoming programming info via the radio itself. "The Week Ahead" is a wee 4-5-minute spot after "Wide Angle" on Radio Netherlands. The show provides previews of upcoming programmes on the station from Monday until the following Saturday. Each day's feature programme is previewed. These previews come in several guises: the host of the programme previewed introduces an audio clip from that particular show, or the host of the show provides a verbal preview, or the host of "The Week Ahead" does the verbal preview. Sometimes, several items in magazine-type shows are highlighted. Regardless of the format of the preview, the host of "The Week Ahead" provides the continuity links joining everything into an organised whole. Although it is a nice to have programme specifics in verbal form via the radio, the main attraction of this programme are those audio clips. They give the listener a much better idea of the nature of an item/programme than can be given via e-mail (Peter Bowen, July 11, swprograms via DXLD) ** OMAN. Oman heard opening in English on 15140 kHz today at 1400 UT - excellent reception. Identified as "Radio Sultanate of Oman" This transmission is scheduled daily from 1400-1500 but had been off the air for several months. 73s (Dave Kenny, July 10, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Nothing heard here of R. Oman today July 11. Seeb should be on 15375 100 kW 240 degrees; and 15140 kHz 100 kW 315 degrees via Thumrait site (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, 1758 UT July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PUERTO RICO. Hoy Lunes a las 0445 UT estoy sintonizando en buena forma a Mix 107.7 FM de Puerto Rico a través de los 1660 kHz [WGIT]. Hubo identificación de la radio y música (José Elías Díaz Gómez, July 11, DX LISTENINGT DIGEST) ** REUNION. FRANCIA: 4334 kHz - Station FUX (Marinha Francesa) - Le Port - RÉUNION. Recebido cartão QSL. 51 dias. V/S: Major Jacob. QTH: Commandement de la Marine à la Réunion, Unité Marine, F-97420 Le Port, Réunion (Ivan Dias, Sorocaba, SP, Brasil, Conexión Digital July 9 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Special Radio on 6240 is from Samara and aims at the Ukraine and Belarus, according to an own statement from the station if I understand Patrick Robic correctly (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Subject: [A-DX] Spezialnoye Radio Hallo ! Spezialnoye Radio (Special Radio) sendet donnertags von 1800- 1900 UT auf 6240 kHz via Samara für die Ukraine und Belarus. Mein E- mail RR wurde innerhalb von 4 Tagen mit halbdet. e-mail beantwortet. Die Station hat keine eigenen QSL-Karten, freut sich aber über Zuschriften. v/s ist Maria Anikeeva, the press attaché-PR manager und ist zu erreichen unter anikmay @ specialradio.ru Die Postanschrift lautet: office 417, Efremova st. 10, Moscow 113092, Russland. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, July 11, A-DX via Kai Ludwig via DXLD) ** SCOTLAND [non]. Glenn - herewith details of some changes to our [radio six international] broadcast schedules for next couple months. JULY 2005 Schedule (All times UT) 0000 - 0100 5105 kHz (50 kW, Monticello, Maine, USA) Daily 0000 - 0300 88.2 MHz (FM Stereo 500 mW, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand) Sa, Su 0100 - 0200 5105 kHz (50 kW, Monticello, Maine, USA) Su, Mo 0600 - 0700 9290 kHz (100 kW, Ulbroka, Latvia) and 88.2 MHz (FM Stereo 500 mW, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand) Sa 0700 - 0800 13840 kHz (20 kW, Milan, Italy) Su 10th 0830 - 0930 13840 kHz (20 kW, Milan, Italy) Sa 9th 1900 - 2000 5775 kHz (20 kW, Milan, Italy) Th 14th 2300 - 0000 5105 kHz (50 kW, Monticello, Maine, USA) Daily AUGUST 2005 Schedule (All times UT) 0000 - 0300 88.2 MHz (FM Stereo 500 mW, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand) Sa, Su 0600 - 0700 9290 kHz (100 kW, Ulbroka, Latvia) and 88.2 MHz (FM Stereo 500 mW, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand) Sa 0700 - 0800 13840 kHz (20 kW, Milan, Italy) Su 14th 0830 - 0930 13840 kHz (20 kW, Milan, Italy) Sa 13th 1900 - 2000 5775 kHz (20 kW, Milan, Italy) Th 18th Our webfeed http://www.radiosix.com will continue 24 hours a day. Regards (TONY CURRIE, Programme Director, Radio six international, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA [non]. See LATVIA ** SOMALIA. SOMALI PRESIDENT REPORTEDLY ORDERS GAALKACYO-BASED RADIO CLOSED | Text of report by Somali web site Somaaljecel on 10 July Reports reaching us from Gaalkacyo say interim Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad ordered today the immediate closure of a radio station based in the city. The director of Voice of Peace, Burhan Ahmad Abdullahi, was quoted as saying that Abdullahi Yusuf issued the order alleging that the radio station was working with and giving prominent coverage to activities of the Mogadishu-based [dissident] legislators and cabinet members. This is not the first time that a radio station based in Puntland has been shut down. There are journalists in detention in the regional state, jailed for exercising the freedom of speech. They had been pressured to be the mouthpiece of the authorities there. The circumstances under which Voice of Peace radio station was shut down are different from other actions against the media in Puntland, in that the radio station was accused of connection with the dissident MPs and ministers of the interim government. Source: Somaaljecel web site in Somali 10 Jul 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? ** SPAIN. ESPANHA – Sim! A Rádio Exterior da Espanha transmite em português para o Brasil! Desde Guarulhos (SP), Renato Uliana compartilha que, de terças a sextas-feiras, das 1800 às 1900, a emissora apresenta, em 21700 kHz, o programa ``O Espanhol no Brasil``. É apresentado pela brasileira Cíntia Fabiana e pelo espanhol Alexandre Laguna. Com textos manchetados, o espaço mescla frases de Cíntia em português e outras de Alex, em espanhol. Além de notícias da Espanha e do mundo, também são priorizadas informações do Brasil. O correspondente Victor Guerrero é o ``Olho Espanhol no Brasil``. Já as notícias de países vizinhos são apresentadas no ``Loucos por América – A Notícia da Nossa América Latina``. Entre os minutos 20 e 40 da emissão vai ao ar o curso de espanhol para falantes do português, que é produzido pelo Instituto Cervantes, do Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Antes do final da emissão, o programa irradia uma vinheta, gravada em todas as línguas em que a Rádio Exterior da Espanha transmite, saudando o programa ``O Espanhol no Brasil``. O espaço espera comentários, sugestões e críticas no seguinte endereço: O Espanhol no Brasil, Rádio Exterior da Espanha, Caixa Postal 156202, E-28080, Madrid, Espanha. Endereço Eletrônico: elespanolenbrasil_ree.rne @ rtve.es Quer ouvir um dos últimos programas? O sítio Amantes do Rádio disponibiliza áudio em: http://www.amantesdoradio.com.br/oenb050706.mp3 (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX July 10 via DXLD) ** SUDAN. 4750, Radio Peace, 0247-0313 Jul 8, group singing followed by two men with Vernacular talks. At 0258 brief instrumental music with a man in English giving ID and frequency announcement at 0259: "Thank you for listening to Radio Peace broadcasting on 4750 kHz in the sixty meter band." Brief choir vocals followed by another ID: "This is Radio Peace." Instrumental music opening another program with a man talking in a local language. Program of talks and choir vocals. Poor to fair signal with intermittent CODAR interference (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. 8000 kHz, LV de Sudán, emisora del Ejército Popular para la Liberación de Sudán, actualmente activa en onda corta, quizás dentro de poco deje de emitir dado que el líder rebelde John Garang, también lider del EPLS, ha realizado un historico retorno a la capital de Sudán por primera vez luego de 22 años, luego de liderar durante dos décadas una guerra civil en contra de Khartoum. Hoy, retorna a la capital de Sudán para tomar nada menos que el cargo de vice-presidente del país. El movimiento rebelde, en guerra con el gobierno central desde 1983, se encontraba atrincherado en las montañas de Nuba y el estado sureño del Nilo donde goza del apoyo de gran parte de la población. El actual presidente de la República Islámica de Sudán, Omar el-Bashir, ha recibido a Garang en la sede central del gobernante Partido del Congreso Nacional. Todo esto como consecuencia de unos acuerdos de paz firmados en enero pasado en Nairobi, Kenia, en los que se llamaba a formar un gobierno de coalición, siendo esta quizás, la ultima oportunidad de lograr mantener a un Sudán unido y así evitar la secesión del sur animista. Las emisiones de LV de Sudán, anteriormente llamada Radio SPLA (SPLA: Ejército Popular para la Liberación de Sudán) comenzó sus emisiones en 1990, siendo La Voz de la Alianza Democrática Nacional, una gran organización política que nuclea a nada menos de 13 organizaciones políticas del país. Entonces amigos, a estar atentos con las emisiones de LV de Sudan en 8000 kHz (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Conexión Digital July 9 via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. Il programma in italiano di Radio Tunisi Internazionale è ora in onda dalle 1300 alle 1400 UT. Dalle 1400 alle 1500 UT è ora in onda il programma in inglese (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, http://www.bclnews.it July 10, via DXLD) That would be 963 kHz ** U K. The two-month Promenade Concert season is about to begin Friday July 15, all broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and ondemand for a week following. I see no mention of ``webcasts``, i.e. video as well as audio, tho half of the concerts will also be on TV in the UK. All the details including the full schedule via http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/ I listened to the Performance on Three slot Monday July 11 at 1830- 2100, which was a preview of the Prom season. BBCR3 live streams at 44 kbps, tho it sounded like somewhat less during the music; while the Listen Again player runs at 125 kbps, so the audiophile might be better off skipping the live broadcasts for the archive anyway; tho I`m not positive if these rates are stonecast (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Better enjoy them this year. . . ** U K. NOBODY DOES WEB RADIO BETTER THAN BBC http://tinyurl.com/9htxl Live streams of music, news, entertainment – plus archives -- are so good they can lure you to areas you might never have thought about. The first Internet radio station broadcast was in December 1993. The subject: a speech by Larry King at the National Press Club in Washington. The number of people who tuned in: nine. King gets a bigger audience than that when he has breakfast at Nate 'n Al's. Now there are 3,834 broadcast radio stations in 151 countries that stream online, according to a tally compiled by Live-Radio.net in London, not to mention the thousands of personal Internet channels that emanate from bedrooms and basements around the world. These stations include the highly official — China Radio International http://en.chinabroadcast.cn — and the highly obsessive — the all-"Ave Maria" channel http://www.avemariaradio.tv that plays the song 24/7, performed by the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, José Carreras, Barry Manilow and Jewell. But no one does Internet radio better than the grande dame of broadcast radio itself: the British Broadcasting Corp. At the BBC radio site, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio you'll find live broadcasts of the network's hallowed World Service — in 43 languages — that debuted in 1932 and set the standard for international radio. But the Internet has also brought the rest of BBC radio — designed for domestic consumption — to a far wider audience. It is some of the most vibrant, entertaining radio in the world. The domestic service consists of 10 English-language, live channel streams with programming on business, current affairs, drama, comedy, science, religion and a variety of music genres, including pop, classical, hip-hop, jazz, country-western and world music. It's also a site that many people apparently turn to for breaking news. Shortly after the London public transit bombings Thursday morning, I tried to access the BBC's all-news Five Alive channel online, but it was so overloaded with people seeking its live local coverage that I couldn't get to it for nearly two hours. Under normal circumstances, however, the service is so good that it can lure you into areas you never thought you'd find engaging. Take hip-hop, for example. Even if you're one of those people who thought you'd never like the genre (my hand is raised), it would be hard to find the mixes by announcer Ras Kwame on the Radio 1 channel as anything less than enthralling. Conversely, any open-eared listener to "Discovering Music" — probably the best show explaining classical music since Leonard Bernstein's "Young People's Concerts" half a century ago — would find it hard to dismiss dead-composer music as no longer vibrant. In addition to the live streams, hundreds of archived programs are just a click away. And in the last few weeks, the BBC has begun making a few of the shows available via podcasting. BBC executives decline to release figures on how many foreigners are tuning in to these domestic channels, which went online in 1999. But given that about one-third of the visitors to the radio website are from outside Britain, there's no doubt they are globally popular. Maybe too popular. Enjoy it while you can; they might be taking it back. Sending BBC's domestic programs around the world for free amounts to subsidizing foreign consumption of a service that British citizens have to pay for, and BBC management is considering ending it. The domestic service, including the online streams, is subsidized out of the annual license fee charged to every household in Britain that has a television set. The fee, which also supports a variety of other noncommercial BBC radio and television operations, comes to about $230 per household. The fact that we outsiders get the service without having to pay a fee probably would not be an issue if this was standard broadcast radio, which costs the same to distribute no matter how many people are listening. But the more people listen to online radio, the more bandwidth the broadcaster has to purchase. "It's a complex situation," said Simon Nelson, controller of the BBC's radio and music interactive services. "I'm proud that we deliver a service that is valued all over the world. But I have to make sure we are not using the public license fee to subsidize free international services. We need to find the right balance." Nelson said no decision has been made on the possibility of restricting the online domestic service in some way — possibly to listeners who have Internet addresses inside Britain. The message is that it's probably not going to disappear right away. But just in case, go for it now. You'll need access to a broadband connection. The channels stream at the fairly bountiful rate of 44 kilobits per second. That information stream is fat enough to provide quite adequate stereo quality, but it's too rich in digital content for dial-up connections to comfortably handle. (The World Service, meant for an international audience and subsidized by a separate government fund, streams at a 16-kbps rate that accommodates listeners with dial-up connections.) At the BBC radio home page, a list of music and spoken-word categories can be found on the right. Clicking on one leads to archived shows — most broadcasts on the domestic service are held in the archive for a week and some for far longer. Access to the live broadcasts are in the center of the page. Here are some highlights: • Radios 1, 2 and 6 are pop/rock stations with various degrees of edginess. • The 1Xtra channel is billed as "new black music," encompassing hip- hop, R&B, garage, dancehall and other styles. • Radio 3 is the killer classical service, with nearly 150 of the aforementioned "Discovering Music" shows — each of which typically examines one piece of music to explore its themes, history and importance. • Radios 4 and 7 are the spoken-word channels, with business news, drama, comedy (Radio 4 streams adaptations of the late Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") and children's shows. There are also general news and sports channels, but the news — unlike on the World Service, which provides an international perspective — is weighted to local coverage, and the sports coverage is of limited interest unless you are into professional soccer and cricket. I hope it doesn't all go away. When I was a kid growing up in a small town, there was a retired neighbor who had on her screened-in porch an old shortwave radio in a cabinet the size of a washing machine. I would sit there for hours, slowly twisting the frequency knob to work my way across the dial, looking for stations. That was a long time ago, but I still get a bit of a kick out of listening to live radio that is originating from the other side of the world. The fact that the stations are of such high quality adds immeasurably to the experience. I hope it stays around for generations to come. [must be sidebar:] Ten channels from the BBC's domestic service are available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio In addition to the live broadcasts, many of the programs are archived for at least a week for listening later. Here's a guide to the channels and a sample of their offerings: Channel: Radio 1 Genre: Top 40, dance, hip-hop, live concerts Current programs: "Radio 1's Chart Show," "OneMusic With Ras Kwame," "Dance Anthems" Channel: 1Xtra Genre: "New black music," including hip-hop, dancehall, garage, R&B; documentaries Current programs: "Destination Africa," "Mixlab," "Dancehall Splurt," "Sounds of Soca" Channel: Radio 2 Genre: Album pop/rock, oldies, jazz, folk, musicals, gospel Current programs: "Lulu," "Elaine Paige," "Beverley's Gospel Nights," "Masters of Rock" Channel: Radio 3 Genre: Classical, jazz, world music Current programs: "Discovering Music," "Composer of the Week," "Early Music Show," "Jazz Legends" Channel: Radio 4 Genre: Current affairs, arts, business, science, history, religion, philosophy Current programs: "Adventures in Science," "A Good Read," "Poetry Please," "Year in the Arab/Israeli Crisis" Channel: Radio 5 Live Genre: News, business, sports, call-in shows Current programs: "Morning Reports," "Wake Up to Money," "Sport on Five," "The Rumor Mill" Channel: Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Genre: Live sports Current programs: Live coverage of sports events Channel: Radio 6 Genre: Archived studio sessions, documentaries, album pop/rock Current programs: "Dream Ticket," "Tom Robinson's Evening Sequence" Channel: Radio 7 Genre: Drama, comedy, children's programs Current programs: "Anna Karenina," "Big Toe Radio Show," "Comedy Monologues" Channel: Asian Network Genre: News, music, discussion, soap operas Current programs: "Devotional Music," "Silver Street," "Film Cafe," "Weekend Punjabi Show" By David Colker (Via www.latimes.com) Regards & 73’s (via Mukesh Kumar, MUZAFFARPUR, INDIA, Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The bad news in that article is... there's no doubt they are globally popular. Maybe too popular. Enjoy it while you can; they might be taking it back. Sending BBC's domestic programs around the world for free amounts to subsidizing foreign consumption of a service that British citizens have to pay for, and BBC management is considering ending it (Andrew J. O`Brien, K3UK, NY, ibid.) But... Presumably they do this for domestic consumption too. And they have lots of nationals living and working abroad. The audience for domestic British media among foreigners is really just a drip in the ocean. So where's the huge cost in the fact that a few outsiders can listen in? If that truly is the problem, it seems like the solution you say is under consideration is a prime example of throwing out the baby with the bath water. PS: Of course, this is BBC management we're talking about, so I'm not doubting the veracity of what you say; only its prudence (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, ibid.) ** U K. EXTRA CARE IN NEW BBC NEWS GUIDELINES RE: LONDON BOMBING The attack was the first big breaking news story since the BBC published its new editorial guidelines that made explicit the new "accuracy is more important than speed" creed. With so many people turning to breaking news during the day, whether on the digital rolling news channels or the main networks that had ripped up their schedules, clear differences in tone, style and content were laid bare to a mass audience for the first time. 'We had 50 images within an hour' Britain watched the story of the London bombings through mobile phone pictures and video clips, while America saw another 9/11. MediaGuardian reflects on a momentous day for journalism Monday July 11, 2005 http://media.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5235536-105337,00.html Guardian (London, UK) MediaGuardian (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) ** U K [and non]. THE BBC ADVANTAGE --- The Boston Globe compares UK and US public broadcasting http://tinyurl.com/7mq7e (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. THE AUDIT --- TOMLINSON EXPANDS WITCH HUNT Looks like everyone's favorite bureaucrat, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, is hiring yet more consultants in an effort to try and refashion the workings of publicly funded broadcasting. This time, it isn't the content of domestic public broadcasting that Tomlinson's putting under the microscope, as he did to try and sniff out any "liberal bias" on PBS. Instead, it's the business and organizational practices of the Voice of America. Remember, Tomlinson chairs not only the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which manages domestic public broadcasting, but also the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other U.S.-funded, non-military international broadcasting -- roles that no one has ever held simultaneously before. Taking the lead in this review is the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), which provides "administrative and engineering support" for the BBG's international broadcast services. In an internal email sent out to IBB employees on Thursday (a copy of which was provided to CJR Daily), the IBB says that it has hired the consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton to "undertake a review of the organization and structure of [Voice of America] and IBB." Consultants, as we all know, are usually brought in to provide cover for management intent on making some big changes. In this case, they walk on stage at a time when, as Corey Pein pointed out in the March/April issue of CJR, the VOA is "being supplanted by a new model, something closer to MTV than the BBC. Voice people are nervous about the future of journalism at their network, some fearing it will be replaced by pure propaganda." According to the email, the consultants will, in part, be: Collecting "comparative business practices" utilized by other public and private sector broadcasting organizations to derive relevant lessons for BBG's current operating practices; Assessing cost implications, keeping in mind the federal budget process and justification requirements What this will mean in the end is anyone's guess. But CJR reported back in March that Arab-language radio stations run by the BBG are beginning to concentrate more on pop music than news, and comparing "private sector" broadcasters to the VOA certainly sounds like this might be a road they're contemplating traveling. One long-time VOA staffer who wishes to remain anonymous due to job concerns is wondering if the VOA is next. "Many believe this could be the way they will set up the 'final blow(s)' to VOA," he told CJR Daily. What is certain is that Tomlinson, despite the heat he has felt from Congress in recent weeks, isn't backing down from any of his initiatives to fundamentally recast publicly-funded broadcasting -- both domestic and international -- in a whole new light (Paul McLeary, CJR Daily July 11 via DXLD) ** U S A. I think I also heard Alan Weiner's "rant" on WBCQ. Will Martin noted in DXLD 5-113 that AW seemed a bit paranoid that the FCC might come after him for using some of George Carlin's famous "Seven Dirty Words," or whatever. But it's not too far-fetched. The FCC is going after K1MAN, the ham who broadcasts "radio shows" on 20 meters, right? And I think that with this FCC, anything is possible. A good thing AW is Libertarian or Right instead of Liberal. Then the FCC would really be after him... (Ed Stone, New York, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. HAL TURNER KOOKS OFF (AGAIN) http://www.rfma.net/archives/000550.html (RFMA via DXLD) ** U S A. TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK TARGETS RUSSIA VIA HOT BIRD 6 US-based international religious broadcaster Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) has launched its seventh foreign language channel in Russian on the Hot Bird 6 satellite. Paul Crouch Jr, Vice President of Administration for TBN, says "Hot Bird 6 provides a total of 32 active transponders. Of those 32 transponders, 28 are connected to a high- power Super-Widebeam coverage. This facilitates the provision of television broadcast and multimedia services over the European continent, North Africa, parts of Russia and the Middle East." TBN claims to be the largest religious network in the world, reaching virtually every country via 47 satellites and 14,000 television and cable affiliates. Dr Paul Crouch Sr and his wife, Jan, founded TBN in 1973. # posted by Andy @ 09:32 July 9 (Media Network blog via DXLD) By the way, is KTBN still on air, after last year`s dramatic threats to shut it down? (Kai Ludwig, 07.10.05 - 11:37 am, ibid.) Until a few days ago; now nothing heard on 7505 or 15590, the latter just checked at 1825 UT July 11 [and no 7505 when checked at 1230 July 11] (Glenn Hauser, 07.11.05 - 8:30 pm [CEST], ibid.) Then I went to http://www.tbn.org and after seeing nothing about SW, or even radio on the homepage, I took their invitation to Search --- on KTBN --- and got nothing but hits to some other radio station, WLMC, but there was a hotlink to this page: http://www.tbn.org/index.php/2/21.html with only the most rudimentary info about KTBN as if it were still on the air (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. IRAQ: US LAUNCHES MEDIA CAMPAIGN | Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA Washington, 9 July: A number of US broadcasters will head for Iraq in a campaign they termed as an attempt to convey to the world facts on the real situation in the Arab country. The mission of the media team is also to redress stereotypes on Iraq, they were quoted by the BBC as saying Saturday [9 July]. Some 10 talk show presenters will be air- lifted to Iraq, in a new bid to show that the US has come out victorious in Iraq war, according to press statements they gave. Critics see the visit as an empty propaganda campaign for the US occupation of the Arab country. Source: MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 2140 gmt 9 Jul 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) Which ten talk shows? When? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Apparently the new excuse for closing down pirate operations is that they could potentially interfere with Amber Alerts! I was also surprised to see the Florida law enforcement's press release claiming they seized a 10,000 watt FM transmitter. http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/press_releases/20050701_Pirate_Radio.html http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/sfl-cpirate02jul02,0,960454.story?coll=ny-leadnationalnews-headlines (Phillip M. Dampier, Rochester, New York, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There is a lot of ``potential`` (gh) ** U S A. DAMN! NOBODY DEAD, NOBODY INJURED http://www.cjrdaily.org/archives/001667.asp The windy excesses of CNN, MSNBC (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. AMATEUR RADIO DEALS WITH DENNIS; NEW STORM IN THE WINGS http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/07/11/1/?nc=1 NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 11, 2005 --- Following four days of operation as Hurricane Dennis swept through the Caribbean before making landfall along the US Gulf Coast, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz secured operations July 10. HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, said the net worked in concert with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center to relay real-time, ground-level weather data from net members to assist NHC forecasters in determining the storm`s behavior. He said today, however, that he anticipates it won`t be long before the HWN activates once again. ``As we awaken on this sunlit morning in South Florida, it is with a surprised awareness that there is yet another tropical storm on the horizon out in the eastern Caribbean,`` Pilgrim said. Tropical Depression 5 is still more than 1000 miles east of the Windward Islands, but it`s predicted to become a tropical storm this week. ``It appears highly probable that the Hurricane Watch Net could be pressed into action again as early as next weekend for what will be called Hurricane Emily,`` Pilgrim predicted. The net racked up more than 50 hours of activation time for Hurricane Dennis from July 7 until July 10, he said. Pilgrim thanked all who participated in the HWN-WX4NHC cooperative operation and expressed relief that the storm`s impact on the US was somewhat less severe than it could have been with no fatalities reported. Property damage from winds and flooding is still being assessed, however, and could be significant. Before heading toward US shores, Hurricane Dennis left behind a path of death and destruction in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba. Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) reports from areas along the US Gulf Coast are still coming in. Northern Florida Section Manager Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, rode out the storm at the emergency operations center (EOC) in Santa Rosa County, which includes Pensacola. The Florida Panhandle and the Alabama Gulf Coast appear to have taken the brunt of Dennis, a Category 3 hurricane as it came ashore. Hubbard said ARES teams in the Panhandle District of Northern Florida have been handling necessary communication assignments and did not need assistance from outside the section at this point. He praised ARRL West Panhandle District Emergency Coordinator Bobby Tyree, KG4KGX, for ``doing an outstanding job in coordinating emergency communications in the four counties he covers.`` Hundreds of residents in the Florida Panhandle and elsewhere along the storm`s expected landfall point took advantage of Red Cross shelters. Thousands remain without power in the affected area. Dennis hit the region less than a year after a series of devastating hurricanes ravaged Florida last year, and that point was not lost on Northern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Joe Bushel, W2DWR, who noted that many ARES members were among those still recovering from 2004. ``I was thinking about these folks and how much they have put up with in the last year,`` he said. ``All of that and they`re still in shelters and EOCs helping others. We do have a choice group of great people, don`t we?`` Hubbard said coordination among the various county EOCs and the State EOC in the capital of Tallahassee also worked smoothly. He said Florida Gov Jeb Bush was expected to visit the Santa Rosa EOC during his tour of the hurricane-affected areas. Although ARES members were at the ready all along Florida`s western coast, Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jeff Beals, WA4AW, said Dennis was ``primarily a rain event`` in most counties of the Southern Florida section. He noted that officials in Monroe County in the Florida Keys had evacuated the lower keys including Key West, and some shelters opened in Dade and Lee counties. In addition, special sessions of the Southern Florida ARES Net were called into session as the storm moved into the Gulf. In Mississippi, the West Gulf ARES net activated Sunday afternoon, and ARES teams invoked the memorandum of understanding with the Louisiana and South Texas ARRL sections regarding assistance with net control duties. Mississippi SM Malcolm Keown, W5XX, said the net secured this morning as Dennis exited the state. ``Early reports indicate that as Dennis approached, ARES responded very quickly in counties along the Gulf Coast and along the Mississippi/Alabama line,`` Keown said, thanking everyone who took part. The Alabama Emergency Net and the Alabama EOC activated July 8. ``Now is a good time to bring in that extra battery to run the rig when the lights go out,`` Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN, advised at the time. He asked local clubs to spread the word about which repeaters had battery backup. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Network (SATERN) and the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Net also were called up in advance of Hurricane Dennis. SATERN typically handles health-and-welfare traffic via Amateur Radio and its Web site. In addition to monitoring the HWN, WX4NHC also gathered weather data via EchoLink and IRLP participants via the WX_Talk Conference Room. Pilgrim said he was pleased to report that participants in the IARU HF World Championship contest July 9 and 10 posed no problems for the HWN, although less-than-optimal band conditions and solar flares did complicate things. ``We received total and complete cooperation from the contesting community and were left with virtually a clear frequency on which to conduct our business,`` Pilgrim said. ``Thanks to all those who demonstrated their respect for and belief in the ultimate value of Amateur Radio Service --- our ability and dedication to render support and assistance during times of emergency.`` Copyright © 2005, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. Re 5-111, Little Saigon Radio at 1500-1530 July 3 on 7380 is not via Taiwan but via Nakhorn Sawan, Thailand. I've been in Nakhorn some 32 years ago during the Vietnam war time era, on holiday tour to THA, CBG, LAO. BUR, MLA, and SNG (Wolfgang Büschel, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) wb adds that 15110 is via Taiwan as is 11540 at 1130-1200. But in 5- 110, Bernd Trutenau said July 4 that 7380 had already been replaced by 15110, no sites specified then, but assumed all to be Taiwan. In any event, Nakhorn Sawan is the BBC/Merlin site, which has been used exclusively by BBCWS, at least that is what HFCC A-05 shows, tho it would certainly be useful for `target` broadcasts to Asia, such as this. I wonder if each one must be approved by the RTG, as is supposedly the case for IBB Udorn. I checked http://www.clandestineradio.com/intel/intel.php?id=198 but they still haven`t added Little Saigon Radio to their Vietnam roster (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. Radio One [tentative] today July 10, on 5915, 2030-, Afro- music, somewhat weaker than co-channel Israel in Arabic (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. See INTERNATIONAL; somewhat outdated now, but Andy Sennitt discusses the various clandestines on Global Crisis Watch (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 5745.32 kHz, unID spanish speaking religious station with "Radio Católica Mundial" IDs at 0000 UT. Is there both mornings and evenings but not very strong. Anyone knows from where this station is transmitting? 73 (Björn Malm, Quito, http://www.malm-ecuador.com My Equipment: Ten-Tec DSP Receiver RX 350D MFJ-616 Speech Intelligibility Enhancer, MFJ-1025 Phaser LW x3 + Magnetic Longwire Balun Sharp Digital MD Recorder, UT July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, WEWN is not scheduled currently on 5745, tho they are on 15745 (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Bonker pulsing away on 11740, battering whatever broadcast station was underneath, at 1253 July 11; five short pulses and one long. Could the bonker please stay in the utility bands. Thank you (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ I.B.M. AND PARTNER MAY OFFER BROADBAND FROM A WALL PLUG The New York Times July 11, 2005 By KEN BELSON I.B.M. will announce a partnership today with CenterPoint Energy, a utility based in Houston, to develop broadband services to be delivered over electric power lines. The companies will open a technology center in Houston to test and demonstrate the technology for consumers and other utility providers. CenterPoint Energy will also set up a pilot program in about 220 Houston homes that will run through August. Because power lines can carry data as well as electricity, utilities and broadband companies are hoping the technology will allow consumers to get high-speed Internet connections simply by plugging a special adapter into a wall outlet. Some utilities, including Con Edison in New York, have started offering such services on a limited basis. By relying on the adapters - which currently cost about $200 but are expected to become less expensive - utilities do not need to send a worker to install equipment. Consumers can use the adapters in any room with an outlet. The Federal Communications Commission is backing the development of this technology in hopes of creating a counterweight to the cable and phone industries, which provide the bulk of the 36 million broadband lines now being used in American homes. The service could also be cheaply deployed in rural areas where phone and cable companies have not yet expanded. CenterPoint says it will be one of the first utilities to test new technology, including faster chips that roughly triple connection speeds. With these chips, consumers will be able to receive Internet connections at about 7 megabits a second, equal to some of the fastest speeds available from cable companies. Utilities are interested in offering broadband services, not only because it could help them generate new revenue but also because it would allow them to read meters remotely, pinpoint problems throughout their network and monitor power surges as they take place rather than long afterward. Utilities say they could save millions of dollars if they could avoid long power failures and if they did not have to send workers to read meters. "People don't understand how little the utilities can see of their network," said Ray Blair, vice president for broadband over power lines at I.B.M., which is advising CenterPoint on the project. "If your power goes out, they don't know about it until you call. This will tell them exactly where to go and what to fix." Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) IBM, CENTERPOINT TEAM UP FOR BPL TEST IN HOUSTON http://futureofradio.typepad.com/the_future_of_radio/2005/07/ibm_centerpoint.html Last week I posted about Google investing in a broadband-over-power- lines (BPL) startup venture. Now IBM is participating in a BPL test in Houston in conjunction with CenterPoint Energy: http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=2982DD10-4C31-46E9-AFAC-7C759CE088EB BPL has been the subject of much fearful speculation in some quarters --- especially among shortwave radio listeners and ham radio operators --- over its potential for widespread noise generation below 30 MHz. But BPL has several strikes against it, such as the current widespread use of competing technologies such as DSL and cable modems and the looming threat from new technologies such as WiMax. And the second article linked above discusses the cost of building a citywide BPL network in Houston --- over $200 million. That's more than it would cost to provide citywide coverage through WiMax or WiFi "clouds," and cable, DSL, etc., services already have most of their infrastructure in place and paid for through other services such as cable TV and telephone. And the article also notes there are currently no industry- wide standards for BPL, in contrast to broadband wireless (WiMax is based on IEEE 802.20, for example). However, the article does mention what I feel is the real driver behind BPL technology, namely the capability for remote monitoring of gas and electric meters. Currently this is a labor-intensive project, and BPL could enable substantial savings for utilities. My fearless prediction is that few, if any, consumers will be users for BPL for internet access, but a lot of meter readers will be unemployed because of BPL. Posted on July 11, 2005 (Harry Helms, Future of Radio blog via DXLD) ENDING RADIO AS WE KNOW IT BPL and HD amount to 'ending radio as we know it'. BPL does for 2 - 70 Megs what HD does for AM. Hams and other HF users contact FCC re interference from this Nineties' Techno-jalopy. Greased off lapdogs ensure findings to be 'operating within limits'. My foot. Create interference, deny listening except to paid subscriber outlets, increase monopolistic control over public airwaves. End radio as we know it. Carrier current systems have long been used to broadcast college AM stations to dorm residents. Transmitters are located in dorms. Reception outside dorm was by design difficult if not impossible. College carrier current sta's operate on one freq. BPL spatters 2 to 70 megs with noise. It transmits through power lines, fine antenna system, that. We're not supposed to rudely notice. Heaven forfend some corporado greaseball becomes 'offended'. Invertebrrate, prissy, poltroons consider it 'uncivil'. Rightly so, after all, they just want to steal spectrum. In what has become a putrid 90's cliche, FCC fell 'victim' to a 'paperwork glitch'. They failed to notice many police, fire, and other public safety users still use 30 to 50 MHz. BPL is horrible, destructive, and designed to wipe out competition in favor of a few cronyistic tin-pots terminally afflicted with avarice. Drudge has two articles today, one on BPL coming to Houston, TX. Another describes BPL's backers. Shills....sorry, promoters of this poorly conceived clunk claim it provides internet access everyone. This 'world is running out of RF spectrum' faux-crisis canard well served adventurers who dumped 800 meg trunked systems on allegedly 'cash strapped' municipalities during the 90's, before Nextel rendered them questionable, and many users realized they would do well to keep VHF/UHF systems on cold standby. BPL promoters claim they'll make internet available to all. They'll not say who lacks access. WiFi, cable, u.s.w., render obsolete this early-90's concept, conceived in a fit of pique by plutocrats 'offended' by shortwave broadcasts. This is 2005, not 1985. How can anyone fall for thi$? Whether they do or not, Wall St. cash pushers ensure that BPL and it's mutant twin sibling, HD radio, will in fact 'end radio as we know it'. This is destruction masquerading as progress. Those who dare question this putrescent techno-fecalith are accused ot impeding progress. Typical 90's victimspeak, in which predator spouts language of its prey. Tedious. We're all for progress. Radiating destructive ubiquitous - might one rudely mention unlawful? - interference is not progress. It is what it is. Polite thuggery. Forget politeness. Team BPL/HD used undue influence to slick the FCC, so as to wipe out spectrum. They declared war on everyone with a radio. They fear exposure and dread pens' power. That's why feckless craven gits take such - feigned - umbrage at those who so rudely point out that post-90's Emperors of the Ether have no clothes. They just gass off about good intentions. The more they so do, the more one hears the chains rattling. -Z.- (Paul Vincent Zecchino, Manasoviet Key, FL, 12 0022Z JUL 05 BT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ Re 5-113: $12.99 radio It's radios like this one that have given shortwave such a black eye when it comes to the general consumer. They get it home --- all excited --- and it works just like a $13 radio should. Lousy. And that opinion sticks to the concept of shortwave in that consumer's mind along with the radio. Thanks a lot, Coby (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KUDOS to UNIVERSAL I also have to give kudos to your sponsor, Universal Radio. Having no faith in my skills to repair my ailing FRG-7, a few months back I decided to buy an Icom R75 from Universal before the radio disappeared (Icom has discontinued the R75). I'd never bought anything from Universal before, but it was a pleasant experience from start to finish. They handled my order very professionally -- Barbara even called before shipping it to check that I was getting exactly the options I wanted, and it that it was being shipped exactly the way I asked. It's nice doing business with a firm that values its customers (Ed Stone, New York, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re OLD RUSSIAN RADIOS http://oldradio.onego.ru/foy.htm : ``old Russian 78s (or whatever rpm they used)`` --- Just the usual standards. The only question is when they started to made micrograve records and phased out 78 rpm. Anyway in 1964 stereo records were in production, otherwhise there would have been no need for a suitable stereo set. ``But the photos are too small to make out the dial markings`` --- Also checked out the ``New digital photos`` pages? http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/TSIFR/sh_zarya_b.jpg --- Belgrad, Berlin, Sofia ... http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/TSIFR/d_minsk61_b.jpg --- Bukharest, Praga ... and especially noteworthy http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/TSIFR/sh_kim_b.jpg where I can make out at least Atlon (Athlone/Ireland) and Stokgolm. Note also how the longwave range of all sets extends to 400 kHz. At http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/TSIFR/d_minsk61_b.jpg also a station in this range (Minsk?) is marked. And here even the FM scale is calibrated in wavelengths, although I can hardly image FM stations ever being announced as operating on 4.31 metres etc.: http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/TSIFR/d_octava_b.jpg http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/BIG/siriusm_b.jpg Here is warning to connect the set only to 50 Hz grids, suggesting that in the fifties still DC main power was around at some places in the USSR: http://oldradio.onego.ru/IMAGES/TSIFR/zad_neva52_b.jpg Also interested in a look at Radio Moscow microphones? Not exactly nostalgia, however... http://www.oktava-online.de Look at the MK 012 series and the MK 219. Especially the latter one is a well-known sight on studio pictures. Noteworth that meanwhile Oktava suffers from Chinese plagiarism like Neumann (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MUSEA +++++ BAWDSEY RADAR "TRANSMITTER BLOCK" Members may recall that The Transmitter Block at Bawdsey, Suffolk featured in the BBC2 series "Restoration" in 2004. If you are in the area, it is worth a visit there to see "The Magic Ear" Exhibition currently running at the site, which I found very interesting when I visited it recently (although there is little else to see when inside the Transmitter Block). More information can be found on their website at http://www.bawdseyradargroup.co.uk (Alan Roe, July 11, worlddxclub via DXLD) Viz. From their website: 'The Magic Ear' - A Radar Exhibition on display in The Transmitter Block, Bawdsey, Suffolk - Sundays and Bank Holidays from 1st May 2005 to 18th September 2005 - 12:00 to 16:00 [BST = 1100-1500 UT] The exhibition tells the story of a technology and an institution which helped win a war - and shape our future. It reveals how scientists came together in total secrecy before World War 2 to prove that radio waves could locate aeroplanes, ships and other targets and how their invention dramatically affected the course of the conflict. It explains how their work laid the foundations for the age of electronics and the computer. The exhibition was designed by David Robertson, a communications professional specialising mainly in science and technology, as a touring exhibition for the Millennium celebrations in Malvern. It has also been on display at Bletchley Park and more recently at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton. Entry to the exhibition will be: Adults £2, Children (5 - 16) £1, Family £5. Special visits can be arranged. Please phone (01394 277669) or email info @ bawdseyradargroup.co.uk for details (via Alan Roe, World DX Club yg via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ HALLICRAFTERS DVD IN THE MAKING Please take a break from herding the sheep on loan from the county 4H association who are keeping your grass trimmed because you can't afford gas for the riding lawnmower! Pour yourself a tall, cool glass of lemonade, iced tea with a lemon slice or one of those flavored water things and join us on Sunday July 10th for the Hallicrafters Collectors International 20 meter Net. I will repeat the special announcements from Saturday, for those who were not able to hear them first ear. (First ear not to be confused with firsthand). Some way cool stuff is coming your way over the next twelve months, one about every three months, if all goes as hoped. As soon as our super talented Web master, KA1DGL, Fred Mooney, who just moved to a new QTH, gets his feet planted long enough in one spot to sprout some roots, he will be putting up a really attractive and colorful page that will describe what is on the DVD I will be releasing in September that features a forty-five minute never before seen by the world exclusive video interview with Bill Halligan. This was filmed in November of 1983 when Bill was twenty days shy of being eighty-five years young. I have acquired the actual original VHS tape and I already have a DVD copy that is presently being edited. However, no part of the original video will be electronically altered or enhanced, it will appear just as it does on the original VHS film. There will be still photos inserted by freezing the frame, showing the closeup of the still image for a few seconds, then fading back into the video. The interview was done by Bill's close friend Dr. Max De Henseler, HB9RS in NYC. Max did this interview more or less on the spur of the moment. He holds up different QSL cards, magazine articles, photos etc. and silently lets Bill Halligan know what he wants him to talk about next. I have obtained all of these images, the originals, and these are what the still close up shots will show the viewer. So you get to see exactly what Bill Halligan saw. There will be a number of other unique items on the DVD also. Including a text copy of the dialogue from the video. A video trip back in time to 1948 for the Getti DXpedition sponsored by Hallicrafters to Africa and the highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro at 19,340 feet, or 5898.7 meters, located in NE Tanzania, near the Kenya border. See all original QSL cards, Hallicrafters promotional documents, actual letters from some who made that historic climb and more. Hear the Hallicrafters recording released on a 45 rpm record called "The Amazing World Of Short-wave". About fifteen minutes of actual events heard on Hallicrafters by Hams and SW listeners, recorded on reel to reel tape and preserved on a vinyl recording. Hear actual short-wave coms from a balloon making history in 1935 setting an altitude record, President Dwight D. Eisenhower in December 1958 speaking to the world on America's new satellite Explorer 4 with a Christmas wish for peace and a whole lot more! Absolutely fascinating, as all these events were live, not staged! Most recorded by Hams and SW listeners, not professionals. There will be more on the DVD too, but I think you have gotten the idea by now that it will be a one of a kind collection of history that transcends Hallicrafters to all who enjoy radio from librarians to high school/college instructors to historians to Amateur Radio operators to Short-Wave listeners and beyond. Details for ordering by request, write me direct. The first 100 of the DVD will be certified and will include a document with the issue number and the owner's name and call sign (if applicable). Price is $25 plus postage. The first CD series, two CDS, will also be certified for the first 100 sold. These will contain lots of live audio, many photos, the historic Vatican DXpedition fully documented and much more. It should be released at the end of October. Price is $15 plus postage. Join us for the pre-Net at 12:45 PM EDT, (1645 UT). The Net proper at 1:15 PM EDT, (1715 UT). The frequency will be 14.293 MHZ usb +/- for key clicks, mike splatter and a whole lotta fun, facts, fellowship, for sale items, famous fibs and more. Be there! Be counted! And enjoy those wonders that still go glow in the dark without having to first eat Radium treated paint! Duane Fischer, W8DBF NCS: Hallicrafters Collectors International netcontrol @ w9wze.org HCI: http://www.w9wze.org (via swl at qth.net via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ 6 METER MAP FEATURE -- DYNAMIC I just spotted this, a new feature on the 6 meter map, a "dynamic view", which gives a much more detailed look at the 6 meter paths, especially as a North America close-up. Maybe it's been here a while, but this was the first time I've noticed it. http://maps.dxers.info/gmap/ (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, July 10, WTFDA via DXLD) Hi Jim, I hang out at http://www.dxers.info more than I care to admit in a public forum, hi. (whoops!) But anyway... W4TRH, Tim, the site owner has recently implemented the dynamic map that you mention. There's so much stuff at that site, it's amazing. Quite a bit of it goes over my head, but it truly is the premier real-time source of info on the net for 6 meter enthusiasts. As well as folks who use it for propagation purposes, like us WTFDA'ers. 73, (Todd KC9BQA Sprinkmann, ibid.) Jim, It is NEW, as in, the last day or two. I discovered it earlier today. And I absolutely love it! You have to wait for it to load the info after the map loads, but it gives a much more detailed look, and in the upper left corner, you can click on the link to ZOOM to the region of the world you're interested in (Jim Thomas - wdx0fbu, Milliken, CO - 40 mi N of Denver, ibid.) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ CAFTA If any DXLD readers take vitamins or supplements, I urge you to call your Congressional representative and tell him/her to vote against CAFTA - the Latin American version of diabolical NAFTA. CAFTA automatically would accept the European Codex Alimentarius -- which makes Europeans get prescriptions for vitamins, instead of being able to buy them over the counter. This raises the cost of the vitamins. It also reduces the vitamins you can buy to ridiculously small amounts that are not effective in helping any health condition. So if you want to retain our right to buy vitamins and supplements that really work, we must defeat CAFTA (Ed Stone, NY, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###