DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-115, July 12, 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. 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) FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO EXTRA 58: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415 Wed 2300 on WBCQ 17495-CLSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO Extra 58 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx58h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx58h.rm WORLD OF RADIO Extra 58 (low version): [same as COM 05-04] (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0504.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0504.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0504.html WORLD OF RADIO Extra 58 in true SW sound of Alex`s mp3 [projected]: (stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_07-13-05.m3u (download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_07-13-05.mp3 NEW! WORLD OF RADIO 1280 downloads in studio-quality mp3 [soon]: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/worx58h.mp3 (low) http://www.obriensweb.com/worx58.mp3 DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS July 12: http://worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** ALBANIA [and non]. /CHINA --- The Albanian RTV Technical Director Arben Mehilli gave me a good news today in the afternoon that the ARTV Web page will be active as it is configured at http://www.rtsh.com.al available in Internet from about a week ago. Your comments and kind suggestions on this pre-Radio Tirana Web page would be highly appreciated from us. Thank you and best regards from a sunny hot Tirana, Drita Cico, TV- Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA. (direct July 6) [later] As you know, I always forward all reception reports to Radio Tirana Management, TWR, CRI and You/WWDX Club. In the end of June, I discussed with our Technical Director Mr Arben Mehilli and Radio Tirana External Service Director Mr Astrit Ibro on SWL reports with complains and remarks on A05 ALR. Again discussed on your yesterday reception with Tech. Dir., who gave me the permission to propose according to reception reports the necessary Radio Tirana frequency corrections, which he will order to be executed - he said (Drita Cico, TV-Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA, July 8) Re: Radio Tirana-ALB. Interference on 7120 at 2130 UT. Hello Drita, I had the opportunity to try 7120 last evening - July 5th - around 2145 UT. I can confirm Olle's findings. China Radio International is a very strong signal at my location in North-West England on this frequency and Radio Tirana is unusable. There are other frequencies available in the 7 MHz band at 2130-2200 which seem sufficiently clear, and either Shijak or Urumqi should move to one of them. I note these A-05 HFCC registrations: 7120 2130-2200 28NE URU 500 308 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7120 2130-2200 27 SHI 100 300 0 216 123456 ALB ALR ALR Unfortunately, SW signals are not as selective in their target areas. What is audible in Ciraf Zone 28NE will also be audible in Ciraf Zone 27. In other words, it is an impractical sharing of a frequency (Noel R. Green-UK, wwdxc BC-DX July 6) Dear Drita, Your transmission in English at 2130 UT on 7120 kHz is currently inaudible here as the frequency is used by CRI Hungarian at the same time. The CRI transmitter puts in an enormous signal even at my location in the far north of Europe. Before 2128 UT, the frequency is empty ... (Olle Alm-SWE, wwdxc BC-DX July 4) [Insert Kai Ludwig`s previous item in DXLD here] Frequency check for A05ALR: English & German Dear BBC Mon, DW, ... & Radio Tirana Listeners, According to the planned Radio Tirana A05 frequency changes for English and German programs, please kindly send us reception reports made from Monday to Saturday: * for English Program 2130-2200 UTC Ciraf 27 100 kW Freq: 6225, 6230, 6235, 7110 kHz. * for German Program 1801-1830 UTC Ciraf 28 100 kW Freq: 6115, 7105, 7110, 7115, 7135, 7140 kHz. Please, let us know which one of the above or other frequencies results the best to use during A05 ALR. Your cooperation would be very useful and much appreciated! Looking forward to hear from you ASAP (Drita Cico, TV-Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA, July 8) ...for English Program 2130-2200 UTC Ciraf 27 100 kW Freq: 6225, 6230, 6235, 7110 kHz. Dear Mrs. Drita Cico, I checked the wanted frequencies at 2100-2200 UT, see above - twice times. Receiver location is in south-west Germany, just midst on the propagation path from Shijak towards United Kingdom. 6225 is not bad, but suffers slightly on upper side by Utility sce which covers 6227-6232 kHz. 6230 is useless, see UTE previous line. 6235 is useless, see UTE previous line before. 6240 would be a much, much better choice, no QRM. 7110 Powerhouse CRI leaves at 2100 UT [means 2200??]. But small thiny co-channel signal of Belarus Home service still stays here. And also slight sideband QRM of Belarus External service on 7105 kHz occurs. 7115 seems free so far. Resumen: 7110 kHz would work at least on fair level, depending on Belarus signal propagation and how strong Shijak 100 kW signal reaches U.K. target. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX July 10) Dear Wolfy, Very many thanks indeed, for your nice observations, also forwarded to Radio Tirana Management. What about frequency observations: * for German Program 1801-1830 UTC Ciraf 28 100 kW Freq: 6115, 7105, 7110, 7115, 7135, 7140 kHz ? Are you satisfied in your location with 6130 kHz? (Drita Cico, TV-Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA, July 11; ALL via BCDX July 12 via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 5400.0-LSB, R. Continental, Buenos Aires; 0741-0803, f/p on 6/26. Soft songs with YL DJ talk to 0800, then into usual news ``Informativo Continental`` (Takeshi SEJIMO, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Re Brasília hardware used on 9665 external service to Africa? Also listed 6170 0730-0400 250 kW 344deg 6185 0730-0400 250 kW 344deg 9665 0500-0800 250 kW 314deg 9665 1800-2200 250 kW 314deg 11780 0000-2400 250 kW 312deg and taken from Radio Nacional Z-98 schedule [HISTORY!] kHz kW deg 0115-0215 PORTUGUESE Am 11780 250 312 0415-0515 PORTUGUESE Am 11765 250 314 0700-0800 PORTUGUESE Af 9745 250 089 1000-1120 SPANISH Am 9745 250 220 1200-1320 ENGLISH Am 15445 250 326 1330-1450 SPANISH Am 15445 250 326 1630-1750 PORTUGUESE EuME 15265 250 040 1800-1920 ENGLISH EuME 15265 250 040 1800-1920 PORTUGUESE Af 17750 250 089 1920-0000 Sun only PORTUGUESE Af 17750 250 089 1930-2050 GERMAN EuME 15265 250 040 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX July 11 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Laos. La emisora local ``Noua Fan`` [sic] utiliza otra frecuencia para sus emisiones de 1000 a 1230 horas. La nueva frecuencia es 4649 kilohercios que viene a sustituir la de 4678 kilohercios (Rumen Pankov, versión español: Boyan, R. Bulgaria DX program via Dino Bloise, dxldyg via DXLD) Got it backwards! No credit given, but it`s hard to imagine this coming from any other source than: ``Lao National Radio Houa Phan. Monitoring in Japan on 15th June, Lao National Radio Houa Phan has changed its frequency from 4649 to new 4677.9 kHz. This station is on the air from 0957 to 1230 and relays news from Vientiane at 1200, then Parallel with 6130 (Kenji Takasaki, Mie pref. Japan, June 16, JRC NRD-515/535D/545, HCDX via DXLD)`` That was in 5-097 (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Here`s the answer to what The Talking Stick is all about, an 8-week RCI summer series replacing Media Zone until September 3: http://www.rcinet.ca/rci/en/emissions/1654.shtml and how it got its name: a tool used by First Nations to determine who has the right to speak (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. See ALBANIA [and non] ** COLOMBIA. Hola Rubén y demás colegas; Muy cierto es lo que comentas, son necesarios los reportes ya que se están realizando permanentes ajustes; además tengo la seguridad que todos los informes recibidos serán confirmados con su respectiva QSL y cabe la posibilidad de adjuntar una sorpresa. Así que invito a todos los colegas que por favor reporten las señales de La Voz de tu Conciencia 6010 kHz para mejorar y poder solucionar la situación con Radio Mil; además también se necesitan reportes de la señal 5910 kHz Marfil Estéreo ya que todavía se encuentra en etapa de pruebas y ajustes. Marfil Estéreo 88.8 MHz transmite desde Lomalinda, vereda del Municipio de Puerto Lleras en el Departamento del Meta. Desde allí mismo transmite Alcaraván Radio 1530 kHz y LV de tu Conciencia 6010 kHz. Para una mayor seguridad de recibir la QSL respectiva por favor canalizar los reportes por: Colombia Para Cristo, Calle 44 No. 13-67, Bogotá D.C. libreria@... [truncated] (Rafael Rodríguez R., Colombia, July 11, condiglist via DXLD) ** CUBA. Startled to hear some Castilian-accented Spanish as I tuned across RHC at 1357 July 12, toward the end of Despertar con Cuba. A few news headlines, must have been a clip from R. Nederland`s morning broadcast with Jaime Báguena. 11760 was hummy and undermodulated compared to 11800 which was if anything overmodulated. Please wiggle your patch cord, RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON [non-non]. Africa No 1: Q: Note the station HQ is in Paris, Gabon [non]. Does any programming ever come from Libreville or Moyabi? (gh) A (homepage): Envie de participer à une émission émise du Gabon? Contactez les studios à Libreville au 00.241.76.00.01. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I would say yes. See the picture at present posted on the first page and the studio picture at http://www.africa1.com/animateurs.htm (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** GREECE [and non]. Good luck with the dentist, John. Thank you for the reports, are really useful. I have posted on our web page the presentations for last Saturday. The following two Saturdays I will be away to cover two conventions of the Panmacedonian Federation, in Pieria where the 9th World Panmacedonian Convention will take place and in Kavala from the 26-31st of July, where the 59th Convention of the Macedonians from USA and Canada will convene. So, there will be prerecorded radio shows those two Saturdays. I have found a new CD titled: VOYAGE and I like the music it is only instrumental and I can use it for opening of my show. I hope you like it. It is not traditional it is more new wave let's say. That is for know. Talk to you soon (Katerina Thanasoula, Hellenes Around the World, V. of Greece, July 12 via John Babbis, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Katerina: Thanks for the information about your shows for the next two Saturdays. Glad to hear about the new CD "VOYAGE" that you will be using to open your show. Happy to learn that it is only instrumental and does not have singing, which I find distracting after listening to discussion. I like to give my ears a rest and just listen to the music in-between! (John Babbis to Katerina, via DXLD) ** GUINEA. RADIO TÉLÉVISION GUINÉENNE BACK ON SHORTWAVE In early June, a thunderbolt damaged the transmitters of Radio Télévision Guinéenne (RTG) installed in Sonfonia, on the outskirts of the capital Conakry. This prevented the station from broadcasting on shortwave. The government appealed to "friendly countries" for assistance, and after one month China responded by handing over a spare part which meant that shortwave transmissions could resume on 7 July. The shortwave transmissions are necessary to reach the rural parts of Guinea as well as neighbouring countries. But RTG technicians say a renovation of the transmitting centre at Sonfonia is necessary to ensure reliable peformance in the future. (Source: Boubah.com) # posted by Andy @ 14:41 UT July 12 (Media Network blog via DXLD) So check 7125 again (gh) ** HAWAII. Amendments to Applications Submitted: 1450, NEW, HI, Hilo - -- original Auction 84 application was for U1 250/250, later amended to U1 500/500 CH 500. This amendment requests U1 5000/5000. Graveyard superpower? (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News July 11 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. As you probably noticed, VOI is back on 15150 kHz this Sunday. Heard on 15136 yesterday Sat 9th (Jean-Michel Aubier, France, wwdxc BC-DX July 10 via DXLD) INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT ORDERS CUTS IN BROADCASTING HOURS Indonesia has ordered television and radio broadcasters to sign off for four hours every night as part of a government effort to save energy, according to an official document seen today. Communication and Information Minister Sofyan Jalil, in a decree obtained by the AFP news agency, stipulates that television and radio stations should not broadcast between 0100 and 0500 local time. The decree cited "the rising price of world oil that could lead to a national energy crisis" and called for "a national energy-saving movement by all components of society." The shut-down is effective immediately for a period of six months but will allow broadcasters to start programs at 0300 during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful are required to fast from dawn till dusk. A ministry official said the order was issued after a presidential decree on energy saving at state institutions. Indonesia has been wracked by fuel shortages, forcing some public transport operators to halt services. Several regions have experienced power cuts with consumption surpassing generating capacities. According to the Jakarta Post, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has criticized the government for issuing the decree, although they say they understand the government's objectives. KPI deputy Sinansari Encip said that such an instruction could be viewed as an effort to meddle in the country's independent broadcasting industry. "We completely understand and support the government's intention to launch programs aimed at conserving energy. But we feel that the government has no authority at all in ordering broadcasting stations to cut transmission times," he was quoted as saying. Encip said the government should be aware that the country's broadcasting industry has made basic changes regarding the government's role and authority since the enactment of Law No. 32/2002 on broadcasting. "In the past, under the information ministry, the government was authorized to give an instruction and intervene in broadcasting stations. Nowadays, no such authority exists," said Encip. # posted by Andy @ 11:26 UT July 12 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Does that include VOI external service between 1800 and 2200 UT? They could have started by turning off the open carrier at 1400-1600 on 9525 (gh, DXLD) VOI 1600-2100 UT, not heard on 15 MHz today, v15136 and v15149 are empty channels in 1800-1822 UT time slot. Heard only fair signal level on \\ frequency of 9524.89 kHz today. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, July 12, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Newsline Special Bulletin July 12: Space Shuttle launch --- The Following From AMSAT -UK Radio Amateurs make up 6 of the 7 crew members of the STS-114 Space Shuttle due for launch at 1951 UTC on Wednesday July 13th. They are: Mission Commander - Eileen Collins, KD5EDS Mission Specialist - Wendy Lawrence, KC5KII Mission Specialist - Charles Camarda, KC5ZSY Mission Specialist - Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP Mission Specialist - Andrew Thomas, KD5CHF/VK5MIR Pilot - James Kelly, KC5ZSW Further information on them can be found at: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/crew/ and http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-05zzn.html The Amateur Satellite PCSAT2 will be carred onboard STS-114, however, it will not become operational until it has been mounted on the outside of the International Space Station. An EVA to do this is scheduled to take place on July 21st. PCSAT2 webpages: http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/pcsat2.html http://www.pcsat2.info/ 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK: http://www.uk.amsat.org/ ****************************************************************** The following information is from N5VHO - AMSAT-NA STS-114 will not be carrying a SAREX package so the crew will not have access to amateur radio prior to docking with the ISS. Once onboard the space station, they will be able to use the equipment on ISS if they have time. STS-114 is carrying an amateur radio payload called MISSE 5 / PCSAT2. This should be placed on the exterior of the ISS during the third space walk. It will primarily be a packet system with a couple of other options. More info on it at http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/pec/pc2ops.html Kenneth - N5VHO ******************************************************************* The Following From the Goddard ARC in Maryland USA - Launch Info On The Ham Bands The Goddard Amateur Radio Club, WA3NAN will begin shuttle retransmission with the next mission. The next mission is set for July 13, 2005. Shuttle retransmission frequencies used will remain the same. The frequencies are as follows: Band Frequency [plus/minus] 5 kHz, QRM or Nets 80m 3.860 MHz 40m 7.185 MHz 20m 14.295 MHz 15m 21.395 MHz 19m 28.650 MHz 2m 147.450 MHz We welcome back manned missions to space. Any problems please send E- Mail to: hodonnel @ pop500.gsfc.nasa.gov John Klim, N3KHK, PIO, Goddard Amateur Radio Club (Amateur Radio Newsline Special Bulletin July 12 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Sirius -- so long, Air America The former Air America channel is now paralleling channel 143... Someone forwarded the following note from Sirius on a Radio-Info message board. Little of substance, but there is a plan to do something with the slot. Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA --- Quoting from Sirius: Thank you for your recent email. We appreciate the time you have taken to contact us, and will gladly address your concerns regarding the programming on Air America // Channel 144. We regretfully inform you that Air America programming will no longer be available on SIRIUS, however, we're thrilled to announce that we are currently working to develop an exciting new programming lineup for SIRIUS Channel 144. We suggest you visit our website regularly for exciting new additions to our programming! You're the reason we're here, and that's why we always love hearing feedback concerning our services. We feel that communication with our listeners is imperative to ensure proper customer satisfaction, as knowing precisely what our listeners want is the first step in allowing us to provide that programming. Your concerns for the future of progressive talk programming on SIRIUS are appreciated, and have been forwarded to our Talk & Entertainment programming team (via Rich Cuff, July 12, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) I'm not surprised since XM re-named their America Left channel Air America exclusively. My bet if they are going to continue with same semi themed type programming, I would put my chips on Pacifica getting the slot (Ulis Fleming, ibid.) I don`t think Pacifica has a (continuous) ``network`` -- each station is programmed independently. They could just pick one of them, maybe not KPFA [see story under USA] (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I hadn't thought of them -- since Pacifica isn't exclusively a "talk" network -- but that's not a bad bet. XM had announced an exclusive deal with Air America a few months back -- and it finally kicked in. /cynic on What I find somewhat ironic is that I'd think a liberal-oriented network would -- by definition -- eschew a commercially exclusive deal. That would run counter to the populist undercurrent of Air America Radio. But no, their pursuit of the almighty greenback got in the way of making business judgements consistent with the populist theme of the network. /cynic off 8-) (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) I happen to agree with that cynic. I heard Randy Rhodes, one of the AA talk jocks, complaining today (on WLIB 1190 NYC) that XM still doesn't carry the whole schedule and intimated that she was none too happy with AA management for making this decision (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, ibid.) AIR AMERICA RADIO 570 KQNG Lihue, HI 590 KTHO South Lake Tahoe, CA 620 KPOJ Portland, OR 680 WWTQ Memphis, TN 730 WLTQ Charleston, SC 750 WWKK Petoskey, MI 760 KKZN Thornton, CO 790 KFPT Clovis, CA 850 WCPT Crystal Lake, IL 870 WLVP Gorham, ME 880 WPEK Fairview, NC 910 KXEB Frisco, TX 920 WHJJ Providence, RI 930 WRVC Huntington, WV 940 WINZ Miami, FL 950 KTNF Saint Louis Park, MN 950 WROC Rochester, NY 960 KQKE Oakland, CA 990 KTHH Albany, OR 1010 KXXT Tolleson, AZ 1050 KCAA Loma Linda, CA 1070 WTWK Plattsburgh, NY 1080 KUDO Anchorage, AK 1090 KPTK Seattle, WA 1100 WTAM Cleveland, OH 1110 KAOI Kihei, HI 1150 KCCT Corpus Christi, TX 1150 KTLK Los Angeles, CA 1190 WLIB New York, NY 1200 WKOX Framingham, MA 1230 KJFK Reno, NV 1230 WOIC Columbia, SC 1230 WTPG Columbus, OH 1240 KSCA Sacramento, CA 1260 WWRC Washington, DC 1270 WKBF Rock Island, IA 1270 WWWI Baxter, MN 1280 KPTQ Spokane, WA 1290 WJNO West Palm Beach, FL 1290 WLBY Saline, MI 1300 WAVZ New Haven, CT 1310 WDTW Dearborn, MI 1340 KIST Santa Barbara, CA 1340 KYNS San Luis Obispo, CA 1340 WHAT Philadelphia, PA 1350 KABQ Albuquerque, NM 1350 WARF Akron, OH 1360 KLSD San Diego, CA 1360 WCHL Chapel Hill, NC 1360 WYOS Binghamton, NY 1400 KVSF Santa Fe, NM 1400 WHMP Northampton, MA 1430 WXKS Everett, MA 1450 WSRQ Sarasota, FL 1470 WNYY Ithaca, NY 1490 WKVT Brattleboro, VT 1500 KUMU Honolulu, HI 1500 WKIZ Key West, FL 1530 WCKY Cincinnati, OH 1600 KOKE Pflugerville, TX 1600 KOPT Eugene, OR 1690 WWAA Avondale Estates, GA 92.1 WXXM Sun Prairie, WI 92.5 KRPT Devine, TX (via Art Blair, Folsom, CA, July 12, IRCA mailing list via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. CHUM and Astral file their appeal against CRTC XM / Sirius decision --- No surprise -- this was expected. http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2005/12/c0513.html (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, July 12, swprograms via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. HURRICANE WATCH NET TO ACTIVATE FOR EMILY (Jul 12, 2005) --- The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) has announced plans to activate on 14.325 MHz Wednesday, July 13, at 1600 UTC for what it expects will by then be Hurricane Emily. The HWN works in cooperation with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center to gather ground-level weather data for relay to NHC forecasters. As of 1800 UTC July 12, the NHC was reporting the fast-moving Tropical Storm Emily had maximum sustained winds of 50 MPH with higher gusts and had the potential to reach Category 1 hurricane force before it reached the Windward Islands. The storm was some 530 miles east-southeast of Barbados, moving at 20 MPH. ``Given present forecast information, it appears we will attempt to stay active until 11 PM EDT (0300 UTC) or until the 20-meter band closes--whichever comes first,`` said HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP. The HWN Web site includes current forecasts, advisories and discussions as well as detailed satellite loop imagery and graphical plots of the forecast track. Pilgrim said that as Emily`s behavior becomes more clear, the net will be announcing its plans for later in the week (ARRL main page via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. The Kol Israel REKA network (Immigrant Absorption Network), has opened up a new, mostly English, website: http://reka.iba.org.il The main portion of the website has pretty much the same English news headlines as http://bet.iba.org.il/?lang=23 Besides this, it also has: The schedule for all of the foreign language broadcasts on REKA, the history of foreign language Kol Israel broadcasting, telephone contact information for each language, staff members (including some pictures) and some website links especially useful for immigrants. The international shortwave service is a combination of relays of REKA, plus internationally geared Reshet Hey broadcasts (Doni Rosenzweig, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA [non]. STAR RADIO LIBERIA LAUNCHES SHORT WAVE BROADCASTS Fondation Hirondelle - Media for Peace and Human Dignity PRESS RELEASE Lausanne/Monrovia - On Tuesday 12th July 2005, STAR radio Liberia begins short wave broadcasts over Liberia & the Sub region, which are aimed to reach the entire population of Liberia and the neighboring countries. The short wave will initially be for three hours, daily, with morning broadcasts at 0700-0900 UT (on 9525 kHz) and evening broadcasts at 2100-2200 UT (on 11965 kHz). STAR radio was reopened on 25th May 2005 after having been forcibly closed down by the then President Charles Taylor in March 2000. It currently broadcasts for 17 hours a day bringing News, Current Affairs and a variety of Feature programs to the people of Monrovia and its environs. STAR radio is a Liberian not for profit organization, operated in partnership with the Hirondelle Foundation – Media for Peace & Human Dignity, Switzerland. ``From now on people in distant parts of Liberia and elsewhere in the region, until now deprived of accurate and credible information, will be able to hear about the latest political sporting and other socio- economic and cultural developments. They will also be able to send messages and greet each other over the airwaves`` said Robin White, the Hirondelle Foundation’s Project Director in Monrovia. Liberia has come out of 15 years years of civil war. STAR radio will be a major player in helping with the peace process and reconstruction of the country. FH/DC, 12.07.2005 For contacts at STAR radio in Monrovia, Liberia Mr. James Morlu, STAR radio Station Manager, +2316.518.572 starradio_liberia @ yahoo.com For contacts at the Hirondelle Foundation in Lausanne, Switzerland Mr. Darcy Christen, +4121.647.28.05 dchristen @ hirondelle.org Web site: http://www.starradio.org.lr and http://www.hirondelle.org (via Bill Westenhaver, RCI, July 12, DXLD) VT Merlin test loop previously reported on 9525. Now to try to figure out the site(s) (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Star Radio, 9525. New shortwave broadcast for Liberia heard at S7 level when tuned at 0830 UT on 7/12 with English "trumpeting" the new service (Steve Bass, Columbus, Ohio Drake R8B and Wellbrook 330S Loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Turned off my noise-producers and fired up 11965 on rx #2, at 2054 found a weak carrier slightly off frequency, says the BFO. At 2100 with BFO off, I heard the same het once Star Radio came on for its first evening broadcast (via UK?). This was only marginally better than Zanzibar [q.v.], but sounded like woman in English. A bit of yelling at 2110 and a man talking. Wonder what the het is from, if not something local. Increasing T-storm static as storms approach from north did not help at all. Propagation is pitiful today, so I am sure there will be better occasions for both of these. 73, (Glenn, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) On 12 Jul at 2100 Star Radio, Monrovia, Liberia (via unknown relay) on 11965 was audible here with decent signal but propagation condition was not good at all (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, ibid.) Hello all, In Japan, Star Radio, Liberia heard quite good condition (TOKUSA Hiroshi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, JAPAN, 2137 UT July 12, ibid.) I had marginally better reception today in the Columbus, Ohio, area of the station on 11965. *2059:50 - West-African vocal music, followed by apparent (but uncopyable) ID by a woman in English at top of hour. Then apparent news in English, rough copy through the noise. Mentions of "congress" and "presidential" and several references to Liberia. 2106 - "You are listening to a bulletin... [of news?] ... From Star Radio...." by the same woman. Then more of the same talks that sounded like news and commentary. 2110 - Now a different woman with a possible ID and mention of Liberia; more of the same vocal music as at intro; into talks and occasional laughter by two men. Copy more difficult now, and was either heavily accented or not in English. 2126 - Brief talk by the first woman in English (maybe another ID, but couldn't copy), and into non-English talks by two different men. 2129:30 - Suddenly nothing but silent carrier. I finally gave up at 2143, with no further audio. I also heard a het underneath, but it was minor compared to the noise level (Larry Cunningham, Gahanna, Ohio, ibid.) Escuchada Star Radio el día 12-7-2005 a las 2100 UT; la emisión comenzó con identificación de la emisora y con un boletín informativo de noticias, la frecuencia de 11695 [sic, presumably means 11965]. La señal es muy fuerte en el Sureste de España; posiblemente emita a través de algún transmisor en Europa. El SINPO 35545, el idioma escuchado es inglés (José Hernández Madrid, Cartagena España, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. Hi Glenn, Voice of Africa from Tripoli, super strong signal in English, on 7320, 2228 UT, giving details of frequencies, nice modulation. Regards, (Christopher Lewis, England, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very good; was this part of another hour-long rather than 5-minute broadcast like at 1300? What were the details? (gh) 1800-2000 UT on 15205 test tone (Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX July 1- 10 via DXLD) As gh had noted, also assuming this was LIBYA non ** MAURITANIA. Hola compañer@s, voy con una pregunta a ver si alguien sabe contestarla: alguno de vosotros estais captando RADIO MAURITANIA por los 4845? Es que no sé si es la propagación que lo dudo ya que en períodos de baja propagación la he captado sin problemas o es que ha salido fuera del aire por la frecuencia tropical de 4845? Sin nada más, se despide desde el sureste de España vuetro colega y amigo (JOSE HERNANDEZ MADRID, EA5-0819, AER-EA5-1153, ADXB, DSWCI-3633, playdx yg via DXLD) Hola Amigo José, en los últimos 5 dias parece que está fuera del aire, aunque no me parece que es una gran pérdida debido a su programación obsesivamente dedicada a lecturas del sagrado librón del Kor`ano (Dario Monferini, Italy, ibid.) Hola Dario, ayer contestó el colega Costa Ricense Raúl Saavedra y decía que Mauritania sí que llegaba a Tiquicia por los 4845, pero yo no la escucho por aquí por Cartagena; esta emisora por aquí entraba con un SINPO de 5, así que como no sea que hayan orientado antenas para otro lugar, deberíamos cogerla como siempre. Con respecto a la programación de Mauritania llevas razón y la política QSL de esta emisora es muy mala. Yo llevo muchos informes enviados sin obtener respuesta de la misma. Bueno, Dario, un abrazo desde el Sureste de España de tu amigo Pepe (JOSE HERNANDEZ MADRID, July 9, ibid.) ** MEXICO. Break the XEPF 1400 Ensenada BCN distance record: see U S A ** MEXICO. La Pantera, XHBCE-FM 105.7, has signed on from its new transmitter location at Cerro Bola in Baja California. The station is at 8.2 kW of effected [sic] radiated power (SDRadio.net July 12 via DXLD) Are you sure? This is one of the stations over which there is all that fuss, QRMing a US station illegally (gh) ** MEXICO [and non]. CHALLENGE READERS KNOW ALL ABOUT RADIO ICON WOLFMAN JACK --- Jul 9, 2005 : 5:46 pm ET http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-625037.html Challenge readers know all about howling radio disk jockeys, including Frederick Hess in Chapel Hill who knew the answer to the following Challenge question: "What pop-culture icon, who spent a lot of time at XERF in Mexico, died in North Carolina on today's date in 1995?" The hint was "Have mercy!" It turns out we were wrong by two days. But that didn't stop Hess, who knew the answer was Wolfman Jack. According to Kim Summers at http://www.music.aol.com Bob Smith, aka Wolfman Jack, was born in Brooklyn: "He developed an interest in radio broadcasting as a youngster. He would listen to the radio as an escape from everyday teenage life and was influenced by Dr. Jive, Jockey Jack, Professor Bob and Sugar Daddy? The road to stardom was long for Smith. His education in radio began at WNJR-AM in New Jersey and continued at the National Academy of Broadcasting in Virginia. While going to classes at night, he supported himself as a door-to-door salesman. Being a high school dropout, he was amazed when he graduated at the head of the class with an A average." The Wolfman moniker appeared in the 1960s: "In 1962 Smith got a job at Shreveport's KCIJ-AM with his show, Big Smith with the Records. Although the show was successful and had many listeners, Smith was looking for something national. The Wolfman Jack character formed in his mind before he moved to XERF-AM in Mexico. The station basically catered to U.S.-based preachers selling their religions, but was heard all over North America. In 1965, he moved to XERB-AM, another Mexico-based radio station. It was here that the legend began to make news. With his mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm & blues, Wolfman Jack developed a radio personality that seemed to send energy and attract attention across North America? Wolfman Jack died in Belvidere, North Carolina, on July 1, 1995. For more than three decades he was a rock music legend, doing things nobody had done. His initiative, style and energy remain part of his legacy." Two tickets are on their way to Hess (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** MOROCCO. Re 5-114: ``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)`` --- I see a programme Beit Assadaaka shown there from midnight to 5 AM: http://www.medi1.com/dedicaces/equipe.php Looks like 24 hours on all frequencies I would say. At least they don`t sign off at 2100 but are now, after 2200, still on. And not be missed should be the pictures of the Nador transmitters: http://www.medi1.com/medi1/diffusion.php In fact there are two shortwave transmitters, and the second one is not idle but carries RTM, apparently since they phased out the ancient Tangier transmitters in the nineties. All other remaining shortwave outlets of RTM come from IBB`s Briech facilities (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Back in English on 15140 at 1400-1500 UT: 15140 Jul 8 1400- OMA: R Sultanate of Oman, Thumrait. Per Noel Green tip, the other Omani SW transmitter noted back on the air and in English at this time. Reading dedications and playing Sade's "Smooth Operator" after the news (Mauno Ritola, Finland, DXplorer July 8 via BCDX via DXLD) Nothing heard on both Seeb 15375 and Thumrait 15140 around 1300-1430 UT. Maybe 15140 starts later (Wolfgang Büschel, July 11, ibid.) The transmitter listed at Thumrait is heard back on air today via 17630 kHz. A good signal was logged around 0630 UT \\ Seeb 13640 kHz but the THU audio still has a background rumble. If it stays on air it might be worth tuning 15140 kHz at 1400 UT to see what language is broadcast. It used to carry English for one hour but if I recall correctly English was dropped before the transmitter went off (Noel R. Green-UK, wwdxc BC-DX July 9 via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Evangelical station Wantok Radio Light, Port Moresby inaugurated on 12th June 2005. Presently planned 4 FM and one SW station which would increase to 12 FM stations by end of next year covering all areas of PNG. The SW station is located 9 miles outside Port Moresby and is rated at 100 watts only [thought it was 1000 --- gh]. Now testing on 7120 kHz and have already received reception reports from surprising distances including Japan and a taped recording from the US with good quality signals. Broadcasts are in English and Pidgin and between 7 to 8 am local time [UT + 10 = 2100- 2200 UT] carry local information. The inaugural ceremony was held in the Highlands in memory of the first major donor who lived there and whose donations helped to start this project. The licenses for the stations were presented at this ceremony by government officials. Some of the local Governors attended this function and one former PNG PM said "PNG needs Jesus". (Excerpts of an interview of the station Engineer of Wantok Radio Light heard over HCJB Australia 10th July 2005 1055-1100 UT on 15425 kHz via Supratik Sanatani, Kolkata, India, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good to hear from you again! (gh) ** SAMOA AMERICAN. License Cancellations/Call Letters Deleted: 648, WVUV, Leone --- licensed canceled, along with their application to move to 720. I suspect this is a ``Red Light Dismissal``. If the station does not appeal in 30 days, the license is canceled and the frequency is opened up to new applicants (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News July 11 via DXLD) Shouldn`t that be ``yellow light``? I believe this was the original AmSAm radio station and for many years, the only one, government? WRTH 2005 does not specify its nature, but said it was on low power (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. SLOVAK PUBLIC RADIO TO END SHORTWAVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE BROADCASTING IN JULY | Text of report by Slovak newspaper Sme on 12 July Bratislava: Slovak Radio (SRo) will lay off 84 employees and will end foreign language broadcasting on shortwave by the end of July. The SRo management wants to cut costs and make up for revenue shortfalls in this way. The number of the public broadcaster's employees will go down to an all-time low of 825. The SRo management has also halted all investment projects. The SRo's shortwave foreign language broadcasting will be replaced by broadcasting [sic] through the Internet. "Since we estimate this year's revenue shortfall from subscribers' fees at 400m korunas [Slovak crowns] and from the state budget at 130m korunas, these measures have become unavoidable," said SRo Director-General Jaroslav Reznik. The radio wants to save some 130m korunas by the end of the year in this way, of which more than 16m korunas will be savings in wage costs, after the deduction of severance pay. "The loss of 150m korunas that we posted in the first six months of this year therefore should not markedly increase," Reznik said. Source: Sme, Bratislava, in Slovak 12 Jul 05 p 2 (via BBCM via DXLD) http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/index.php?page=showSprava&id=22120&lang=1 Looks like Rezník says herein that they will continue to produce foreign language programs and only take them off shortwave, judging from the keyword string ``internetu, satelitu a prostredníctvom rebroadcastingu``. How much a difference this may be . . . (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, main savings was seemingly coming from firing 84 people, but are they foreign-language producers? (gh, DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. The Sudan Radio Service: Sudan itself being an enemy of Israel with no diplomatic or postal connexions. USG pays for this, broadcast from Woofferton in England. Address in Nairobi, Kenya. WRTH clandestine/special target listings are for winter frequencies, and does not give English times. I discovered it just by twiddling the dial. On 17660, at 1500-1545 is in English. Tuned in today and was careful [buffering, lost something], Address P O Box 4392, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya, and gave summer frequency schedule, but did not give when they broadcast in English. Sked is 11865 [sic] at 0300-0500, 15325 at 0500-0600; 17660 at 1500-1800. After 1545 they are in simple Arabic, first time I heard it mentioned. Interesting content because it is paid by American government, so I don`t expect to hear anything terrible about Israel, I hope. WRTH says they reply with a QSL letter, indicating that they don`t get many reception reports. Participants are very likely Sudanese. No rp necessary, paid for by US government. Reception may improve from the start to the end of the broadcast (David Crystal, Israel, July 12, on Live from Turkey [q.v.], notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. For the first time in ages, I checked Live from Turkey, scheduled Tuesdays at 1850-1920 or so, via webcast here of course. Two guys were discussing terrorism, and how it should not be called ``Islamic`` any more than what happened in Northern Ireland was called ``Christian Terrorism``. By 1902 still no calls so they played some music, after giving out the phone number again; 1906 resumed discussion, still no calls. Seems like same old situation. David Crystal in Israel, where are you? Ha, at 1909, ``Hello, David``! but no connexion, then horrible feedback, geez! OK in a bit: his topic today is The Sudan Radio Service, [q.v.], and he added that reception of VOT was awful today, so he used the telephone. I didn`t care for their pop music in English interlude, but when I tried the connexion an hour earlier during the German broadcast they were playing some nice Turkish music, and it came over in stereo, via one of the WM links at http://www.publicradiofan.com (I am usually listening to BBC Radio 2 at this time, 1800-1930 UT Tuesdays, for The Music Goes Round, and the Organist Entertains, but put the pause feature to good use on the Real player. BTW, where is all that audio being buffered/saved in the meantime --- in my computer or at the source or at Real? Or does this question make any sense?) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC ANNUAL REPORT PUBLISHED TODAY The BBC Governors have published the annual report on the Corporation for 2004-2005. The report can be viewed on the Web and/or downloaded in its entirety (1.4 Mb PDF, also available as two separate parts). The section devoted to BBC World Service contains the following interesting items: "We remain committed to the idea of launching a BBC television news service in Arabic. Although no new funds were made available in the spending review, it remains an important strategic aim and discussions continue with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office." "By the end of the year [2004], BBC World Service output was on FM in 144 capital cities, up from 139 in 2003." "BBC World Service is estimated to reach 149 million listeners each week (up from 146 million in 2004).This is more than 50% higher than the audience to any other international broadcaster." "The USA now has 5 million weekly listeners – its highest level ever, up from 4.7 million last year. One in five opinion formers in New York and Washington listen each week while the figure in Boston is one in four." BBC Annual Report 2004-2005 http://www.bbcgovernors.co.uk/annreport/index.html # posted by Andy @ 10:42 UT July 12 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U K. BBC DIRECTOR-GENERAL WAIVES BONUS AMID JOB CUTS BBC Director-General Mark Thompson has waived his right to a £135,000 ($238,500) performance bonus after initiating a series of controversial job cuts and weathering an employee walkout. Thompson, who moved to cut thousands of jobs amid a government review of the public broadcaster's charter, said today that it "just wouldn't have felt right" to accept the bonus. "I took a personal decision to waive my own right to a bonus this year," Thompson said in an e-mail to staff. "I believe the change programme will deliver a BBC which is stronger both creatively and financially, but I don't underestimate its immediate impact." Thompson's salary for the year was £453,000. Unions representing BBC employees staged the broadcaster's biggest strike in more than a decade in May over plans to cut about 4,000 jobs before reaching a compromise deal last month. BBC Chairman Michael Grade said that in the future the broadcaster would limit executive bonuses to a maximum of 10 percent of compensation, down from 30 percent currently. However, the salaries of many top executives will be raised "based on the market median" for media executives, the BBC said, with a cap of 10 percent on the increases. The National Union of Journalists called on all BBC executives to follow Thompson's example and return their bonus payments. "These people should be ashamed of themselves. Managers at the BBC should not be rewarding themselves at a time when their staff fear for their jobs," said NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear. # posted by Andy @ 15:59 UT July 12 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. FAMILY ADD FINAL CHAPTER TO DJ'S STORY [JOHN PEEL] July 11 2005 By Graham Davies, Daily Post http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=15722410&method=full&siteid=50020&headline=family-add-final-bhapter-to-dj-s-story--name_page.html John Peel's autobiography will be published almost a year to the day he died after his family completed his half-finished work. The Wirral- born DJ was writing the book when he died from a heart attack in Perú last October. He was 65. But his widow, Sheila, and children, William, Thomas, Florence and Alexandra, decided to keep his memory alive by filling in the gaps. ``Margrave of the Marshes`` will consist of the 50,000-plus words already penned by the legendary broadcaster, alongside biographical material and personal reminiscences written by the family. The book charts Mr Peel's varied life, including his upbringing in Heswall, Wirral, his early career as a DJ in Texas and as a champion for new bands on his long-running Radio 1 show. Yesterday, his book editor Doug Young told a Sunday newspaper: "It was such a big part of John's later life that the family felt they should finish what he started. "It's been a real family effort. The second half is written from Sheila's perspective but every member of the family has been involved in the research, rifling through John's old journalism and his record collection. "It's been great for them, it's been like therapy. They learnt more about him and celebrated his life through the work. "There are so many great stories, but home life with John involved a lot of him telling stories to the family. "A lot of the stories, involving John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Marc Bolan or David Bowie, the family already knew. It's part of their daily life. John kept everything, from his records to his old concert tickets." Mr Peel had reportedly been paid a £1.5m advance for his memoirs by publishers Transworld. The book's title refers to a Margrave, a medieval German nobleman, after Mr Peel told friends that was the title he would most like to be given. The Marshes refers to the Suffolk home he shared with his family. Mr Peel joined pirate station Radio London in 1967 and moved to Radio 1 later that year. He would remain there for the rest of his life, the only surviving member of the station's original line-up. His Peel Sessions in the studios gave many bands their first big break, and he was famed for his genuine enthusiasm for music. He broadened his appeal when he began his first regular programme on Radio 4 - Offspring, between 1995 and 1997 - which won a Sony Gold Award. He received an OBE in 1998 and earned a place in the Radio Academy Hall of Fame and in 1994 was given the NME Godlike Genius award for his services to music. Before his death last year he was voted the nation's fifth favourite Scouser, in a poll topped by footballer Wayne Rooney. A mainstay at Glastonbury - he attended every festival from the opener in 1970 - he was honoured with a stage named after him at this year's festival (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. US PUBLIC BROADCASTING CHAIRMAN DEFENDS ACTIONS ON ALLEGED BIAS IN PROGRAMMING --- By Dan Robinson Washington 11 July 2005 http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-07-11-voa44.cfm Tomlinson report (Real Media) - Download 561k Listen to Tomlinson report (Real Media) Kenneth Tomlinson [caption] The chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes money from the federal government to non-commercial radio and television stations in the United States, has defended actions he says were necessary to ensure political balance in programming. Kenneth Tomlinson faced tough questions Monday at a Senate hearing examining the issue. Mr. Tomlinson has been the focus of controversy because of steps he took as chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to ensure balance regarding at least one program he said had become an advocacy platform for the political left. Under his chairmanship since 2003, a number of programs were monitored for content by outside consultants, with a particular focus on one in particular, the Public Broadcasting Service's Now which was hosted by respected journalist Bill Moyers, who is a political liberal. Amid increasing media and other scrutiny in recent months, Mr. Tomlinson defended this and other actions as reasonable, and within the law requiring public broadcasting to adequately reflect all political views. Appearing before a congressional committee for the first time since the controversy began, Mr. Tomlinson strongly denied he is trying to politicize public broadcasting, saying he is merely advocating for what he calls common sense political balance. "It seems to me we should be able to agree that we don't want bias, and if we do in the interests of provoking debate, if we have some bias on public television, let's balance it out in the course of the evening," he said. But critics, including some Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate who have called for his resignation, believe Mr. Tomlinson's actions reflect an agenda by political conservatives to place a permanent stamp on public broadcast programming. On Monday, the toughest questions for Mr. Tomlinson came from Senator Richard Durbin, who believes charges of politicization are well- founded. "If it reaches the point where the average viewer, who now thinks so highly of public broadcasting, by radio or television, begins to believe that it has now been taken over by people with the a political agenda, who want to spare this administration or any administration [from] criticism, who want to make certain that those who are the most effective advocates for one point of view are silenced or diminished, it is going to really tear at the heart of what is good about public broadcasting," he said. Although Mr. Tomlinson is a political conservative, the board he chairs is bipartisan, and he describes himself as a strong supporter of public broadcasting, adding that other programs are balanced. "I don't see that today we have a balance problem. We have a 30 minute show, Now, and a 30 minute show [by] The Wall Street Journal. That is balance. Let the people decide. Balance is common sense." But Senator Durbin cited surveys showing a high approval rating among Americans for public broadcasting. "The people... have already decided. They thought that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was presenting balance, and they gave it a high approval rating. You have perceived a problem which the American people obviously don't perceive," he said. Mr. Tomlinson's critics have also pointed to the recent election of Patricia Harrison, a former co-chairperson of the Republican National Committee who also served the Bush administration in a public diplomacy position, to be president of the CPB as a another sign of what some call a conservative assault on public broadcasting. However, responding to a question from Senator Durbin in Monday's hearing, she denied bringing any political bias to her position. "I am committed to protecting the non-partisan nature of public broadcasting." Appearing on the same panel, John Lawson, who heads the Association for Public Television Stations, called for greater transparency in the way the board operates. Some conservative critics alleging liberal political bias also argue for reducing government funding for non-commercial radio and television programming, or eliminating it altogether. They say public stations can survive on private and corporate donations which now account for all but 15-percent of operating costs. Pat Mitchell, president of the Public Broadcasting Service, says that would be a serious mistake, and a blow to what Congress originally intended when it created public broadcasting. "Two years ago we looked at our editorial standards and said, they need to be updated, we need to be very clear with our producers what we expect from them in terms of fairness and objectivity, accuracy and transparency. So we clarified it," she said. "...we work very hard to ensure that there is not [political bias], and when there is an opinion or a point of view, we are very clear that that is what the viewer is hearing. It is someone's point of view, someone's commentary." The House of Representatives last month voted against a proposal to cut 100 million dollars from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the 2006 fiscal year. Monday's hearing was part of Senate preparations to consider the same funding legislation affecting the public broadcasting budget (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Patricia Harrison, the controversially-appointed new president of CPB http://www.current.org/cpb/cpb0512harrison.shtml today made her first public appearance in that role. In testimony before the Senate subcommittee overseeing CPB http://current.org/pbpb/legislation/cpb-harrisonJuly05senate.html Harrison pled pubcasting's case for greater federal funding than the House has approved to this point http://www.current.org/cpb/cpb0512funding.shtml "The federal dollars are critical to leveraging all the other resources," she said. "It opens the door for funding from state and local governments, universities, businesses, foundations, by providing a `seal of approval` from the federal government." Embattled CPB Board Chair Ken Tomlinson also appeared to add his two cents and take shots from senators regarding his efforts to hire consultants and otherwise act on his much-reported concerns about pubcasting balance http://www.current.org/cpb/cpb0512tomlinson.shtml "You've perceived a problem the American people don't perceive," said Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) during a contentious barrage of questions. Responding to a query from multiple lawmakers, Tomlinson said he'd "absolutely" be willing to meet Bill Moyers for a televised debate on pubTV balance issues, but said it "wouldn't be good for public broadcasting." Tomlinson's written statement http://current.org/pbpb/legislation/cpb-tomlinson-july05senate.html also defended the much-maligned Hallmark, er, Mann study http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4724317 PBS President Pat Mitchell and APTS President John Lawson also testified, as did David Boaz, executive v.p. of the Cato Institute, who argued that the government should end all federal funding for pubcasting within five years (Current via DXLD) I hear that Tomlinson will be debating Bill Moyers on Democracy Now; no further details yet (Clara Listensprechen, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not today, that show already done (gh, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. Emiratos Árabes Unidos. Radio ``Buenas Noticias`` [Good News Radio] con emisiones en inglés transmite ahora también a través de una antena ubicada en territorio de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, los días viernes desde las 1130 hasta las 1145 horas por la frecuencia de 15525 kilohercios. Desde finales del mes de marzo los programas de esta emisora se airean los viernes desde las 0745 horas en frecuencia 5945 kilohercios, el sábado desde las 1800 horas en 11965 kilohercios y el domingo desde las 1530 horas por la frecuencia de 13590 kilohercios todos vía transmisores ubicados en Alemania (Rumen Pankov, versión español: Boyan, R. Bulgaria DX program via Dino Bloise, dxldyg via DXLD) AIREARSE --- I don`t recall *ever* hearing or seeing this word used in connexion with radio waves. But it`s in the dixionary. Must remember to use this tongue-twister on Mundo Radial (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. What do you listen to from America's "non-public" SW broadcasters? I am working on my August NASWA Journal column, and I'd like to mention programming suggestions on America's SW broadcasters. I tend not to listen all that often myself -- I tend to favor the documentaries and analysis programs on the traditional public-service broadcasters -- but I'd like to summarize any suggestions folks have here regarding their favorites on WHRI / WHRA / WBCQ / WWCR / WWRB / WRMI and the others. Thanks - (Richard Cuff, Swprograms mailing list July 12 via DXLD) I like hearing Unshackled on WYFR. This show is an authentic throwback to the days of commercial radio drama. It's been airing since 1951, and the Pacific Garden Mission started the program as a way to reach a commercial radio audience. I believe it was initially aired live on WGN. The program was started by professional radio drama actors, and after some early mishaps with Christian non-actors playing certain roles, PGM has made it a point of pride to use professional actors regardless of their belief. They have quite a pool of actors to draw from for the weekly Saturday tapings, many of whom are regulars of the Chicago theater scene. Other highlights of the show include live music cues played by a rotating team of two organists, a live sound effects man, and some staff members that have been around for almost the whole run. I was fortunate to attend a performance about four years ago, and it was a very memorable experience, and I was well treated by the Unshackled team (David Goren, ibid.) ** U S A. I pick out a very few of the latest listings of FCC Actions, which I consider unusually interesting (gh) Grants to Existing Facilities: 980, KICA, NM, Clovis --- CP granted to add two towers to their single stick in order to increase the daytime power. When operational, KICA will be U5 50000/172. The almost circular day pattern will be aimed at 030E Applications from Existing Facilities: 1440, KTNO, TX, University Park --- Applies to add a fifth tower in order to increase their day power to become U4 50000/350 [frequency hijacked some years ago from Denton. U.P. is on N side of Dallas, i.e. SMU --- gh] Amendments to Construction Permits Submitted: 770, NEW, FL, Nassau Village-Ratliff --- New station not yet on the air, has a CP for U4 50000/410 from a six-tower site at N30-33-27, W81-50-49. They later requested an amendment changing the CoL to Baldwin, FL, with the same power/tower set-up, but from a different location. Now they`ve requested U4 50000/500 from N30-17-57, W82-00-26, diplexing into the 6-tower site of WIOJ-1010 Jacksonville Beach`s CP location. 1010, KCPW, UT, Tooele --- licensed for U1 50000/13 CH3100, KCPW has a CP for U8 50000/178 CH 35000 plus other pending amendments on file. This latest request is for U7 50000/194 CH 42500 1680, WTTM, NJ, Lindenwold --- WTTM has CP to change their city of license from Princeton at new transmitter site of N39-52-13, W75-01- 38. The location of the tower was denied by the Planning Board of Lawnside, NJ. This amendment requests to relocate to an already- standing tower at N39-53-15, W75-00-05 in Camden, NJ. WTTM will remain U1 10000/1000 Applications Reinstated: 1080, WNWI, IL, Oak Lawn --- application reinstated for U2 30009/2600, requesting a two step nighttime operation, It is proposed to operate with 650 watts nighttime until WTIC Hartford CT switches to its nighttime directional operation at sunset of KRLD Dallas TX. Since WTIC operates non-DA until the sunset at Dallas, dual protection to WTIC is required. Upon the WTIC switch to nighttime operation, WNWI nighttime power will be increased to 2600 watts. 1620, NEW, NJ, Toms River --- Application reinstated for U1 10000/1000 at N39-55-43, W74-11-12. The proposed tower is an existing 360` land- mobile tower, whereby the 1620 antenna consists of a folded unipole based 20 feet above ground level with six radials elevated 20 feet above ground level (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News July 11 via DXLD) See also HAWAII, SAMOA AMERICAN, VIRGIN ISLANDS US ** U S A. 720, WGN, Chicago IL, July 1 at 1300 UT: Formerly ``Chicago`s News and Talk``, is now going by the slogan ``The Voice of Chicago``, as monitored. The Sun Times` Robert Feder on 6/28 reported that this change would take place 7/1, and it did (Bill Dvorak, WI, Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News July 11 via DXLD) ** U S A. WHO Radio [1040] is broadcasting from their new radio studio and offices building in downtown Des Moines. The radio is now totally physically separate from the television studio and offices building. The switch was completed July 9 and was REPORTED this evening in WHO- TV news at 6 PM. 73 de (Bill Smith, W0WOI, IA, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KSBN FACILITY ON TOP OF THE DELANEY BUILDING, SPOKANE WA I paid a visit to Spokane in June and took some pictures and short surveys of the radio station facilities there. One of the most interesting facilities there was the one of KSBN [1230] which transmits from the top of the Delaney Building at 242 W Riverside. I took several pictures of the station's aerial counterpoises and of the tower on top of the building. Glenn: If you are ever in Spokane and are interested in radio broadcasting, it would be worth your trip if this facility was the only one you saw. Note that the rest of the site is not complete and in a "draft" form. http://spokane.philcobill.com/kfio/tower.php (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bill - here in Santa Bárbara we had a similar antenna on top of a seven story building from 1946 until the early 1990's. It was KIST- 1340. A postcard was printed showing the tower on top of the building. They used to show up on eBay but I wasn't able to find one there. KIST had to move because as the bank on the ground floor started using computers the RF caused problems. I have some video somewhere (unknown) of the tower being dismantled. Considering the relatively poor ground (straps connected to the top floor rails) they got out pretty well. Here's an interesting story about the tower: http://www.scbeacon.com/beacon_issues/04_01_01/heros.html (Dennis Gibson, CA, ibid.) Thanks for the write-up and pictures of the KSBN radio tower atop the Delaney Building. This arrangement reminds me of the old KRKD AM towers in downtown LÁ. The station has not been on the air for years, but the towers are still in place at a building I believe to be on Broadway Street downtown. The towers are easily seen from any of the freeways near downtown, with the old call letters still attached. The 1150 kHz frequency is now occupied by KXTA, its current transmitter site somewhere near Arcadia. Does anybody on this site know why the towers were never removed? (Dan Ramos, Huntington Beach, CA, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Bill, Seems like I have seen AM towers on buildings somewhere in my Latin American travels years ago. FM for sure, you can see those just across the border. I mean relatively low buildings, not the ESB or the Sears Tower (Glenn to Bill, via DXLD) Glenn: I am not surprised. FM's on top of buildings are not that difficult of a proposition because of the shorter length for the counterpoise radials. On MW, the length of the counterpoise radials become problematic when suspended in the air. This also becomes problematic for stations which were in rural locations 30 to 60 years ago are being encroached by suburban sprawl now. That is one reason KJRB-790 and KGA-1510 moved further south of Spokane. I am sure the story repeats itself in other USA cities (Bill Harms, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bill, Thanks for sharing the pictures. KBSN is probably the hardest station to log in the NW. The last time I heard them, other than when I was in Spokane was back in the 70s, when they were KSPO and they were C&W at the time. That tower on the building is the same one KSPO had, when I saw it in the 70s. Being up on the building probably does not help them get out (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, NRC-AM via DXLD) Surprisingly, KSBN gets into Alberta pretty regularly, and at times can be one of the most regular graveyarders from Washington State, at least from here in the southeast and also up near Edmonton. 73, (Nigel Pimblett, Dunmore, Alberta, IRCA via DXLD) I've noticed this too. They don't seem to get out to the west or southwest much at all, but I have logged them from several points north and east: AB Jasper, AB Johnston Canyon, BC Fernie, BC Manning Park Resort, BC Radium Hot Springs, BC Rogers Pass, BC Trail, MT Lake Mac Donald, WY Yellowstone Lake Village. 73, (Tim Hall, ibid.) ** U S A [and non]. GRAVEYARD DISTANCE RECORDS RIPE FOR THE BREAKING: The National Radio Club keeps a remarkable tally of distance records, both from North America, and from DXers abroad, for each station on 1230, 1240, 1340, 1400, 1450 and 1490 kHz, where in the US power is normally limited to 1000 watts day and night (years ago it was 250), and each channel has hundreds of stations, somewhat more than the so- called regional, or ``clear`` channels. Most of the record distances reported are in the hundreds of miles, but a good many are in the thousands. However, I am going to pick out the few, arbitrarily, that are 200 statute miles or less, which means someone who is traveling or happens to live near one of the stations, could claim a distance record, until bettered by someone else. Although I don`t consider it a comparable DX achievement to picking up and identifying one of these by skywave, fighting incredible interference, I did just this in the case of KSSR 1340 Santa Rosa NM (my old hometown), which now appears to be off the air (haven`t been back there yet this year), but was on when I pulled it in on groundwave as far away as Vega TX, west of Amarillo on I-40, with a fence beverage. I would still dearly love to DX it by skywave from Enid if it were still on, or I might be able to increase my groundwave distance record for it from somewhere else in OK, TX, KS, CO or NM. I was hoping to get it the last time I was near Taos NM, where 1340 is currently open but used to have KKIT and a new station is on the way, but no luck. If one has the time, or the timing, sunrise or sunset propagation conditions can obviously be quite advantageous at these distances. Anyhow, from a 5-page list of 1400 kHz Graveyard Achievements just published in DX News July 11, maintained by Bill Hale, I am picking out the short ones you may want to go after. I`m not sure if you have to be an NRC member, but probably not, as long as the reception can be reliably claimed, not necessarily QSLed --- on your honor. There are no `zero` listings, so there are probably a number of other stations which for one reason or another have NEVER been reported by a DXer, at least not to Bill for this listing (to w_r_hale @ sbcglobal.net or 6124 Roaring Springs Drive, North Richland Hills, TX 76180-5552 – and if you do break one of these records, be sure to tell gh too). Call signs, even those cross-referenced below, may or may not apply currently, as there have been a lot of changes over the years, but the frequency and city usually remain the same. The NRC listing includes the name and location of the record-holders, of course. KRCQ CA Indio 89 [now KESQ, relays KUNA 96.7] WUEZ/WTRR FL Sanford 20 [now WSDO] WLTA GA Alpharetta 173 [// WNIV 970] WCLB GA Camilla 182 [no longer listed] WWRK GA Elberton 129 [now WSGC] KJJR MT Whitefish 136 [no longer listed] WLSE NC Wallace 85 [no longer listed] KBCH OR Lincoln City 197 [from lower 48; separate record from AK) KYLR TX Huntsville 195 [now KHCH, relays KHCB 105.7] KTFS TX Texarkana 70 [now KKTK] Bracketed remarks result from cross-checking in the 2004-2005 NRC AM Log. There are also short records for five Canadian stations, four of them LPRTs, but none are in current listings, so DXing them now could be problematic from any distance. They have probably been replaced by FM, if they still exist at all. I left in three US stations no longer listed, in case they might return. And one Mexican qualifying is on the latest IRCA Mexican list: XEPF BCN Ensenada 165 Perhaps I shall extract equivalent target challenges, as records for the other five GY channels appear from time to time (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. CBS TO LAUNCH 24-HOUR INTERNET NEWS NETWORK CBS News today announced plans to create a 24-hour on-demand Internet news network that bypasses cable television and could transform one of the oldest US broadcast news operations. The move aims to transform CBS News into a "multiplatform" news operation that would be available to Internet users worldwide, with news and many other features available on demand. "CBS News will move from a primarily television and radio news-based operation to a 24-hour, on-demand news service, available across many platforms," said a statement from CBS, which is a unit of media giant Viacom but is in the process of being spun off in a division of the company. "This major expansion of CBSNews.com is designed to capture an audience that is increasingly looking for news and information at all times of the day, not just during scheduled periods, and using the Internet for that purpose," said Larry Kramer, president of CBS Digital Media. # posted by Andy @ 16:07 UT July 12 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Newsnight on CNN was also alluding to increased availability of video on their site; I have yet to investigate (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. FUTURE OF RADIO TALK SHOW --- This will air Tuesday, July 12 at 8:00 p.m. CDT (0100 UT July 13) on the program Here on Earth on Wisconsin Public Radio. The program can also be heard at the Here on Earth website http://www.wpr.org/hereonearth/ Podcasting is the latest booming activity on the Internet. It may change forever the traditional way of doing broadcast radio. After eight, on Here on Earth, Jean Feraca and her guests discuss the future of radio and how disruptive technologies impact our way of life. Guest: (1) Peter Day, BBC radio presenter; (2) William Draves and Julie Coates, authors of "Nine Shift" (Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, July 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard part of it; available OD too (gh) ** U S A. Something else to do at that time, a reminder of previously published info: KPH, the ex-RCA coast station located north of San Francisco, will return to the air for commemorative broadcasts on 12 July at 1701 PDT (13 July at 0001 GMT), 6 years and one minute after the last commercial Morse transmission in the US. These on-the-air events are intended to honor the men and women who followed the radiotelegraph trade on ships and at coast stations around the world and made it one of honor and skill (via gh) ** U S A. 0200-0300 UT July 13 on PBS-TV, times vary (0300 in OK): P.O.V. "THE FIRE NEXT TIME" Tuesday, July 12, 2005 ``10 - 11:00 pm`` Over a stormy two-year period, this film follows a deeply divided group of Flathead Valley, Montana citizens caught in a web of conflicts intensified by rapid growth and the power of talk radio. (CC, Stereo). Residents of the Flathead Valley had the opportunity to screen "The Fire Next Time." Log on and watch streaming video of community members speaking up about the film and their own experiences in the Valley. http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/thefirenexttime (PBS previews via DXLD) ** U S A. Berkeley Daily Planet article details some of the latest disputes engulfing Pacifica's KPFA-FM http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?issue=06-28-05&storyID=21702 (via CURRENT 7.11.2005 via DXLD) ** U S A. ANSWER MAN: SIGN-OFFS PEACEFUL AND PAINFUL By John Kelly, Washington Post, Monday, July 11, 2005; C11 Two weeks ago in this space, we pondered the television sign-off, the little ritual that preceded TV's nightly, and temporary, hibernation. Typically, the national anthem would play over some patriotic scenes, and then somewhere a switch would be thrown and your screen would fill with snow and a staticky roar. A reader had asked why Channel 5 signed off with the America song "Lonely People" (which I mistitled as "This Is for All the Lonely People"). A longtime WTTG technician said he couldn't recall that particular sign-off. Washington's Gary W. R. Alston was among readers who remembered it. "Many a night I sat in my parents' basement in Southeast D.C. after the Vietnam casualty report had rolled by and cried," Gary wrote. James R. McIntyre of Columbia remembered it, too. "I'm not sure if it was Channel 5, but if it wasn't, it must have been Channel 7, because those were the only two Washington stations we could get in the small Pennsylvania town where I grew up," he wrote. "I seem to remember that the closing was set to video shot from space." Farrel Becker of Laytonsville provided the most detailed description of the sign-off, which he remembers from the mid- to late 1970s, when he worked at the National Theatre and Kennedy Center and routinely got home late enough to watch it. "They didn't simply play the tune with random video," Farrel wrote. "They ran a piece which I believe must have originated with NASA. The video that accompanied the music consisted of beautifully edited video from all of the Apollo missions." How beautifully edited? Farrel said that the lyrics "Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup and ride that highway in the sky" were backed up with images of astronauts on the moon zipping around in lunar rovers. His favorite scene began with a shot of the Apollo 17 lunar module on the surface of the moon ready to lift off and rendezvous with the waiting command module. The lyrics were: "Well, I'm on my way back home. Hit it!" On "Hit it," the lunar module's engine fired and the spacecraft lifted off. The camera -- controlled remotely from Earth -- zoomed in on it as it rose. "It was absolutely beautiful," wrote Farrel. "I was a teenager during the Apollo era and followed all of the missions with great interest. Even though Apollo was over, this 'Lonely People' sign-off always brought me great joy." One sign-off that didn't bring great joy was the one Neil Bobrick of Laurel remembers from the late '60s while a communications major at Arizona State University. ASU owned KAET, the "educational" TV station for Phoenix, and Neil's job was pushing a camera around the studio. The station signed off with the national anthem about 11 p.m. Different branches of the armed services gave stations handouts of the anthem set to footage shot on 16mm film. Neil was at the station one night as it signed off. "I watched in horror as a handout [film] from the Army showed an airplane dropping napalm, exploding in time to the music," Neil wrote. "The scene changed as artillery blasted the Viet Cong with the beat of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' " Said Neil: "I wasn't the world's biggest antiwar protester, but I did march when the spirit moved me. This film got to me. Was this really how Channel 8 wanted to be perceived by the viewing audience?" The next day Neil and several co-workers marched into the general manager's office to demand that the sign-off be replaced with something less militaristic. The general manager had no idea what the group was talking about and asked to be shown the film. When he saw it, he was mortified and ordered it replaced with something a little saner. Said Neil, "Not the biggest victory in the protest movement, but it sure felt good." Several readers asked about another long-gone fixture of television watching: the test pattern. It featured circles, lines, crosses and, at the top, an Indian chief. Studio technicians used the test pattern to calibrate their equipment, and homeowners could do the same, adjusting the vertical and horizontal hold on their TV sets. Just try to do that on a modern TV. (c) 2005 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. Applications reinstated: 1690, NEW, Charlotte Amalie --- application reinstated for U1 10000/1000 at N18-18-57, W64-53-02, diplexed into the WGOD-1090 tower (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News July 11 via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA. Zanzibar surprising (ex-11734v). Long-standing problem of Voice of Tanzania from Zanzibar always standing off-channel (11734v) is seemingly over now. Today I was extremely astonished to find them on 11735.00 kHz started after 1630 UT. All titles are as usually in Swahili. I had to caught ID because till the last moment I was thinking about something like IRIB in Swahili or anything else. I guess this July 11 is quite certainly HISTORIC date in African DX scene. [later] For me 6015 is permanently closed (except early morning grey- line conditions): in the evenings there is always KRE's jN (noise jammer) very strong (as 'dx'). Yes, I also had first thought about Chinese technicians when finally IDed Zanzibar 11735.0 kHz. From another side: for many DXers this DX possibility will be lost due to co-channels easy blocking of TZA signal (Vlad Titarev, Ukraine, DXplorer July 11 via BC-DX via DXLD) Hi Vlad, some German guys heard an UNID greyline station on 6015 kHz on early evening in past days. I believe the Chinese technician has done a EXCELLENT job on 6015/11735 TZA site. Close-down at 2101:15 UT with National Anthem? (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX July 11 via DXLD) Voice of Tanzania-Zanzibar on 11735 kHz. Heard here in Birmingham from around 1745 UT tune-in, 11 July 2005. News in English at 1800-1808 (didn't quite catch an ID in English), otherwise in presumed Swahili (ID's as "Sauti ya Tanzania, Zanzibar"), including news at 1900 and 2000. Nice selection of music too. Still good at 2015 UT ... presume will sign-off at 2100 UT? (Tony Rogers, UK, BDXC-UK July 11 via DXLD) Picked up my email at 2055 and following a tip off from Tony Rogers on the BDXC-UK list quickly logged Radio Tanzania, Zanzibar on 11735, on channel not 11734.1 as previously, lady in Swahili, anthem and off 2100, fair on clear channel. Tony had them from 1745, English news 1800-1808, Swahili news 1900 and 2000 and nice selection of music (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth Garden City, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but have we considered that this may be a relay from somewhere else? Tanzania was never on any other frequency but just below 11735. This is how I always ID'd the transmitter. With it being exactly back on 11735.00 suggests to me a different transmitter, and with more and more broadcasters relying on relays from fewer and fewer organizations, the thought has crossed my mind. Any other comments? (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Zanzibar back on exactly 11735! Following a report from Vlad Titarev in DXplorer mailed around by Wolfgang Büschel, Zanzibar must a have had quite a number of listeners in Europe last night (July 11th). They reported a nice signal until sign-off at 2100 throughout Europe. So, let's search for the morning transmission. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I assume it's Zanzibar already at good strength on 11735.00 at 1630. Announcements/discussion in Swahili followed by typical popular music and song from that area. And then an extract from the Kor`an at 1645 followed by a talk. Sideband splash is coming from CRI via KAS in Arabic on 11730. 73 (Noel R. Green [NW England], July 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yep, good signal on 11735 prior 1800. At 1800 news in English, a bit hard to ID the English station name but I guess the lady announced "FiveFM". So a news relay of local station? Around 1808 back to Swahili. [Later:] Hmm, Hans Johnson (Jihad DX) got the FM ID better than me. It is SpiceFM, the FM service of Voice of Tanzania (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, July 12, ibid.) Nice signals here at 1700 with YL reading news in local language (Swahili?), slight splatter from 11750 CRI. Several IDs noted. At 1800 English news by YL again, splatter from 11740. Relay of Spice FM - announced as "this news coming to you from Spice FM". At 1810 ID noted again by OM, then back to Swahili, splatter from 11730 noted at 1830 as CRI signed on. Regds (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, ibid.) As reported elsewhere in past days, Zanzibar program on 11735 is well heard here tonight, seemingly a new Chinese made tx of the 100 kW class is in use. Similar ones erected at Shijak-Albania, Kashi-CHN and at La Habana-CUB site in last year. Modulation is excellent, so the feederline also refurbished seemingly. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, July 12, dxldyg via DXLD) Turned off my noise-producers and fired up 11735.0 at 2052 UT July 12 --- very weak signal there, no doubt Zanzibar, with oud(?) music, and from 2056 talk mixing with music, off at 2100. Increasing T-storm static as storms approach from north did not help at all. Propagation is pitiful today, so I am sure there will be better occasions (Glenn, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 12 July follow. Solar flux 96 and estimated mid-latitude A-Index 33. The mid-latitude K-index at 2100 UTC on 12 July was 3 (30 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level occurred. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level occurred (SEC via DXLD) TANZANIA, 11735, Voice of Tanzania, escuchada a las 2042 UT emitiendo un programa de música árabe; entre canción y canción hacía comentarios un hombre en idioma Swahili, dia de la escuha 12-7-05 y el SINPO 22222, en AM, prácticamente ni se escuchaba mejor en LSB (José Hernández Madrid, Cartagena España, Noticias DX via DXLD) It appears to be evident that new shortwave transmitters have been installed at Zanzibar. Tonight I noted 11735 on even frequency, as already reported, and with a quite remarkable signal strength, sufficient for casual outdoor listening with the ATS 909. Quite exciting, since I never heard them before. And quite a surprise. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. Re the comments by GH in DXLD 5-114 "V. of the People, with which RN itself is involved." Since GH is so anxious to avoid "misinformation, if not disinformation", may I just clarify that the involvement of RN is confined to the broadcasting of the programme via our relay station in Madagascar. RN is not involved in the production of the programmes, which are produced in Harare. I know that's what Glenn meant, but the wording of the item could be taken to imply that I used the word "involved" in the interview, which as far as I can recollect I didn't - though I did have chickenpox and a fever at the time so I might have done :-) (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, July 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Andy, I really don`t mean to be contentious, but wasn`t VOP the station you also were referring to, about some of their journalists having trained at RN, and you were lamenting that the would not be able to do their job properly back in Zimbabwe? Or maybe not; really not sure without listening again. 73, (Glenn to Andy, ibid.) Yes, sure, I did say that. But we have loads of different broadcasters coming to our Training Centre from all over Africa and Asia. These courses are going on all the time. There are usually 25-30 people at a time on the courses, as there were on the one the two guys from Voice of the People attended. The only reason I singled them out for mention in the interview was that we were specifically discussing the lack of press freedom in Zimbabwe (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. When I was DXing I came across this weather radio station that is pertaining to our local listening area. This radio station is found on a frequency of 1680 kHz in the AM bands, rebroadcasting audio of KHB37 that is usually heard on 162.55 MHz. Is this radio station unlicensed or not? I can't find information on the net if this station is licensed or unlicensed. Please let me know if you have information about this radio station on 1680 kHz heard in Virginia Beach VA. Thanks. Have a good evening and 73 FREQ: 1680 kHz HEARD: 0138 UTC PROG: NOAA WEATHER RADIO KHB37 RADIOS: GRUNDIG YB-400 PE and GE SUPERADIO III with TERK AM LOOP (Adam E., DXer, July 12, AM-SW-DX yg VIA DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. ¡Saludos a todos! Escribo con una consulta. El pasado 02/Jul por 4895 kHz alrededor de las 0700-0714 UT capté una emisora con débil señal y QSB (SINPO=1***1) emitiendo música estilo "rancheras" o "charros" y entre canción y canción identificábanse simplemente como "La Única". Intenté seguir la escucha, pero se fue debilitando rápidamente hasta que la cubrió el ruido. ¿Alguien sabe de qué emisora se trata? 73 (Élmer D. Escoto, San Pedro Sula, HONDURAS, July 11, radioescutas yg via DXLD) No non-Brazilians known to be currently active on 4895; Colombia and Perú have been there in the past (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICICTED TESTIMONIALS +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Still cleaning up a bit of coffee I coughed up while laughing as Glenn read the Slinky song lyrics. You sounded like you really enjoyed it (Ray T. Mahorney, WA4WGA, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Let this be a warning whilst listening to Extra 58 (gh) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WRTH SUMMER UPDATES FILE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD. WRTH is pleased to announce that a pdf file containing updates to the Summer 2005 schedules is now available for download from our website at http://www.wrth.com and is approx. 55k in size. You will need Adobe Acrobat 4 or later to open the file (a link to the Adobe website is provided on our site). Regards, Sean D. Gilbert G4UCJ/G4001SWL, International Editor - WRTH (World Radio TV Handbook) E-Mail: sean.gilbert @ wrth.com Fax: +44 (0) 709 2332287 WRTH Web site: http://www.wrth.com G4UCJ's Radio Website: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/g4ucj WRTH - THE Directory of Global Broadcasting WRTH2005 is now available - 688 pages (80 in full colour) visit http://www.wrth.com to order yours (Sean Gilbert, dxldyg via DXLD) A REMARKABLE RADIO VIDEO You will love this one --- Amateur radio operator AF4K has a remarkable web site which includes a great video. If you aren't afraid of heights and have a high speed ISP connection to the Internet, click on: http://www.af4k.com/video.htm Then, click on: "REMARKABLE HAM RADIO VIDEO PROMO." Don't know whether the incredible dare devil air shots are real so have contacted the guy to find out more, hopefully I will have more details to post soon (This came from a posting on rec.radio shortwave) (Mike Terry, July 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] "Yes, Andrew really is at the top of the 100 foot tower singing the song, and Lissa is really up at 66 feet singing the harmony vocal! There are some more songs on "The Ham Band" page. If you want to order the CD or tape call 1-800-721-4077 or 208-882-6526 or send an email to lissa@lissa.dk or if you prefer you can buy the CD electronically (MP3) (This version includes the version of the song we use in the video as an extra track which is not on the regular CD and it is cheaper too!!). If you really want the actual video too - it is quite a big file - then first purchase the CD and then email me and I will tell you where the video can be found. Please send your comments to lissa@lissa.dk " http://www.hamband.com/html/video.html (via Mike Terry, ibid.) There's a radio CD as well. "Yes, a CD of songs about amateur radio! Hear some of the songs: On the Monday evening greyline Now it's night Always on the air The contest The radio widow Rotuma bound It's great to QSO in morse again You should be able to hear the songs by clicking on the titles. If not you need Real One player which you can get for free HERE (get the free RealOne player, not the trial version). The Ham Band is Andrew (G3WZZ/OZ1XJ/OZ5E) and his wife Lissa and a group of Nashville session musicians. All the songs are about amateur radio and the booklet which comes with the "Seek You" CD tells the whole story of contests, DX-peditions, antennas etc. In the US and Canada call 1-800-721-4077 or 208-882-6526 to order otherwise send a mail to lissa@lissa.dk and we'll tell you what to do. In Germany go here. If you would like to buy the CD electronically (MP3) go HERE! It is cheaper too!! - There is a music video of one of the songs. http://www.hamband.com/html/the_ham_band.html (via Mike Terry, ibid.) This music has been around a few years and previously mentioned in DXLD (gh) I'm pretty knowledgeable re special effects, and if the aerial shots were faked I'm extremely impressed -- and I want to know on what the hell greenscreen stage they set up their antenna mast setpiece, and how they matched movements to the background plate as well as they did. Of course if it was shot for real, this begs the question of how they found so many fearless idiots to climb the tower -- and what system they used to send playback audio to those poor folks on the tower so they could lip-sync. Whether it was fake or real, an astonishing bit of film-making, frankly wasted on an obscure website, but I digress ... WOW! (Tom Flynn, Buffalo NY, dxldyg via DXLD) I also figured they were lip-syncing --- studio quality sound, after all, no hint of wind or other noise. How about --- radio --- as a means of their hearing the playback? I believe I saw a safety belt on him, not sure about her. Why not? Somebody had to climb the towers before to work on the antennas. I did wonder if a rash of pixillation was hiding something, or just bad video. The shot from above the antenna was a head-scratcher. Maybe with a crane? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Perhaps they ``looped`` the dialog afterwards --- after all, that happens in movies all the time --- but didn`t have the time (or even cared) to get the sounds in synch (John Norfolk, ibid.) O, I thought the synchronisation was pretty good, unlike a lot you see on TV these days (gh) Speaking as an idiot who would climb a tower, I noticed safety belts (waist) on 2 people. Crane -- or a cherrypicker from the local Rent-A- Gizmo would be my guess (Clara Listensprechen, ibid.) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ Re 5-110 [and 5-109] TV CO-CHANNEL INTERFERENCE BARS Glenn: I saw your comment about CCI interference patterns. That was me. I remember several people in the VUD commenting that 20 kHz caused more lines than 10 kHz. And I was noticing just the opposite. I studied the pattern and found out that the number of lines, actually slightly diagonal was equal to (15734-f)/60 where f is the frequency difference. Since 15734 and 10000 are 5734 Hz apart and 15734 and 20000 are 4366 Hz apart, 10 kHz would cause more diagonal lines. Someday I would like to get back into the hobby. I'm buying a new home in a few months. Maybe I can get back. But I'm just outside Philadelphia and I know there have been major changes in the technology in the past two decades. I don't know if VHF-UHF DX will ever be the same. Take Care. If you're still in the WTFDA tell the old timers hello (Bill Fahber, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MORE AVAILABLE SPECTRUM WHEN TV GOES DIGITAL This following is from the article which appears at this URL: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/050712/3/3tfmu.html The government wants to sell the old airwaves used by broadcasters to wireless companies and provide some of them for public safety communications. The sale could also reap billions of dollars and potentially fill a budget gap. |snip| Does this mean there will be more spectrum available once TV goes digital? If that is true, why not convert the spectrum over to digital radio broadcasting and leave AM and FM analog alone? I say this because I had heard that one of the objections to putting digital radio on another piece of spectrum was that there was no spectrum available (Bill Harms, Elkridge, MD, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Shhh, that would make too much sense. Plan is to withdraw present on- air TV channels 52 thru 69. Just one of those 6-MHz chunx could hold a great many digital radio stations (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ INTERNET AT HOME RIDING POWER LINES --- LIBERTY MEDIA IN JOINT VENTURE THE TECHNOLOGY OFFERS A HIGH-SPEED ALTERNATIVE TO HOMES WITHOUT WIRELESS OR SATELLITE SERVICE. --- By Ross Wehner, Denver Post Staff Writer Article Launched: 07/11/2005 01:01:00 AM Douglas County's Liberty Media Corp. has teamed with Google, Goldman Sachs and Hearst Corp., among others, to help roll out a new technology for delivering high-speed Internet access over power lines. The technology, known as Broadband over Power Line, is a possible option - along with wireless and satellite service - for the majority of Americans who do not yet have high-speed Internet service. . . http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_2850743 (via Rob de Santos, Columbus, Ohio USA, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ HFCC B-05 España. La conferencia para el acuerdo y distribución de las frecuencias radioeléctricas para el período B—05 en la que participan un gran número de países incluida Bulgaria, se celebrará en el Museo de la Ciencia de la ciudad de Valencia entre los días 22 y 26 de agosto. Allí se fija el usuario de cada frecuencia en onda corta a partir de octubre de este año (Rumen Pankov, versión español: Boyan, R. Bulgaria DX program via Dino Bloise, dxldyg via DXLD) Not cada, unfortunately (gh) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to severe storm levels. The field was mostly quiet from the beginning of the period through early on 09 July. By about 09/0900 UTC, levels increased to unsettled at the middle latitudes and unsettled to active at higher latitudes, as transient flow from the full halo CME on 05 July arrived at Earth. By early on 10 July, activity further increased to active to minor storm levels at the middle latitudes, while major to severe storm periods were observed at the higher latitudes, as transient flow from the full halo CME of 07 July arrived at Earth. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 13 JULY - 08 AUGUST 2005 Solar activity is expected be at low to moderate levels with a chance for M-class activity from Region 786 through 14 July. From 14 to 28 July, very low to low levels are expected. Isolated M-class activity is possible after 28 July due to the return of old Region 786 (N10, L=055). A greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible with significant flare activity from Region 786 through 15 July. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 13 - 19 July, 23 ? 27 July, and 07 ? 08 August. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels. Transient flow from CME activity is expected to produce unsettled to active conditions on 13 July. A large, recurrent coronal hole high speed wind stream is expected to produce active to major storm levels on 20 ? 21 July, while a smaller coronal hole wind stream is expected to produce unsettled to active conditions on 28 ? 29 July. Otherwise, expect quiet to unsettled conditions. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2005 Jul 12 2215 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2005 Jul 12 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 Jul 13 90 18 4 2005 Jul 14 85 7 2 2005 Jul 15 85 7 2 2005 Jul 16 85 7 2 2005 Jul 17 80 5 2 2005 Jul 18 80 5 2 2005 Jul 19 80 7 2 2005 Jul 20 80 30 5 2005 Jul 21 80 20 4 2005 Jul 22 80 12 3 2005 Jul 23 80 10 3 2005 Jul 24 85 8 3 2005 Jul 25 90 5 2 2005 Jul 26 90 5 2 2005 Jul 27 90 8 3 2005 Jul 28 95 15 3 2005 Jul 29 100 15 3 2005 Jul 30 100 12 3 2005 Jul 31 105 8 3 2005 Aug 01 105 8 3 2005 Aug 02 110 7 2 2005 Aug 03 110 7 2 2005 Aug 04 110 7 2 2005 Aug 05 110 10 3 2005 Aug 06 105 10 3 2005 Aug 07 100 10 3 2005 Aug 08 95 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ###