DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-013, January 20, 2006 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 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html For restrixions and searchable 2005 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid5.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 For latest updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html NEXT SW AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1301: Days, times strictly UT Sat 1700 on WWCR 12160 Sun 0330 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0730 on WWCR 3215 Sun 1400 on WRMI 7385 Sun 2230 on WRMI 7385 Full schedule, including AM, FM, satellite and internet, with hotlinks to station sites and audio: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml MUNDO RADIAL enero-febrero: http://www.worldofradio.com/espanol.html ** AUSTRALIA. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME EXTENDED IN AUSTRALIA Changes to time zones (and therefore broadcast schedules) can occasionally benefit DXers through opportunities to hear stations that otherwise might not be on air. In recognition of the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the Australian states of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania, plus the ACT, will delay the change back from Summer Time to Standard Time by a week. Transition now takes place at 3.00am local time on Sunday 2 April (Jan NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RA music program on 6020, Jan 19 at 1355 ended abruptly at 1358 as Waltzing Matilda came on for a minute, and 6020 cut off the air at 1359, without any frequency change announcement! Fortunately, I knew I could tune to 5995 for continuation, but it would have been courteous of RA to advise all listeners of this, like they do at some other hours. At this time, 9590 was audible but very poor (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 2310. ABC Northern Territory. Alice Springs. Nearly "armchair" level signal on 1/19 from 0950-1215 featuring ABC's broadcast of Australian Open tennis tournament including the Hewitt- Chela match (Stephen Bass, Columbus, Ohio, Icom 746PRO Transceiver, Wellbrook 330S Loop Antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also PNG Dear Glenn, Heard 2310 Alice springs, 1720 GMT with weak signal, but intelligible, growing stronger. Heard 2485 kHz at 1811 GMT with stronger signal, quite listenable. It's taken me 8 years to hear these --- I thank the new transmitters! (Christopher Lewis, England, Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS [non]. /EU: EU-FUNDED BROADCASTS TO START BEFORE MARCH ELECTIONS | Text of report by Ahto Lobjakas published in Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Media Matters newsletter on 19 January The European Commission said on 10 January that EU-funded television and radio broadcasts to Belarus will "definitely" start before the presidential elections in mid-March. The announcement came in response to reports that the EU would be unable or unwilling to speed up the tendering process after the elections were brought forward. A commission official said broadcasters seeking to win the EU contract must be able to provide preelection broadcasts to Belarus. The selections will be made before the end of the month. The European Commission has sought to put to rest accusations that the EU is unwilling to take tough action against the authoritarian regime of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Belarus. Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin said on 10 January that the ground- breaking 2 million-euro (2.4 million dollars) project to start independent media broadcasts to Belarus is on track. She said television and radio broadcasts will begin before the presidential elections, which were recently brought forward to 19 March. "There will be specific TV and radio programs dedicated to the elections broadcast ahead of the election date," she said. Polish media last week suggested the delay in the tender would prevent broadcasts from beginning in time for the elections. But Udwin said the contracts will be awarded according to who is able to guarantee pre-election broadcasts. She added, however, that the broadcasts would not likely reach full strength until some time after the elections. Udwin said the commission has whittled down the number of candidates to a shortlist of four, and that a final decision will be made within weeks. "I can confirm it is definitely the case that there will be a decision on the successful candidate for the new contracting for broadcasting into Belarus in January," she said. "That will happen within the month of January - so we're just a week or two away from that now." The EU last year advertised for companies interested and able to conduct both television and radio broadcasts into Belarus. It said it was also looking for companies open to future expansion into other media like the internet. Udwin said the EU shortlist includes four consortiums, each made up of two companies. The teams include one with two Polish partners, a Russian and German partnership, one made up of two Latvian companies, and a Lithuanian and Belarusian combination. The EU had set a turnover threshold, forcing smaller interested companies in neighboring Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia to seek other partners. Under the terms of the tender, the broadcasts will take place in Russian and Belarusian. The commission has argued that Russian- language coverage has a greater chance of being understood in Belarus, and could also attract interest in neighboring regions in Ukraine and Russia. Last year, the EU awarded a smaller, pilot contract to broadcast to Belarus to the German international news organization Deutsche Welle. The broadcasts started on 1 November and will initially run for 12 months. Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty website, Washington, D.C., in English 1140 gmt 19 Jan 06 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BERMUDA [non]. Pirate, R. Bermudadreieck, 6245 kHz, QSL card, letter, infosheet and visit card in 56 days. RP: 1$. QTH: SRS Deutschland - Bermudadreieck - PF 101145 - D-99801 Eisenach - Germany. V/s: DJ Dipol (Luca Botto Fiora, Italy, Japan Premium Jan 20 via DXLD) For those whose vision blurs whenever they see a long German compoundword, let me explain that the name means Bermuda Triangle, drei-eck = three-corners (gh, DXLD) ** BULGARIA: DEUTSCHE WELLE OPENS NEW STUDIO IN SOFIA | Excerpt from report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA on 19 January The Deutsche Welle German radio station opens a new studio with state- of-the art digital equipment in Sofia, sources from the station said. The new equipment, worth some 9,000 Euros [approx. 10,900 US dollars], has capabilities for recording and broadcasting of complex radio programmes. Long-time reporters in the Bulgarian section of the radio will use the new studio, among them Emi Baruh, Antoaneta Nenkova, Mirela Ivanova, Georgi Papakochev, Nikolai Tsekov and Yavor Dachkov. [Passage omitted] Source: BTA news agency, Sofia, in English 1242 gmt 19 Jan 06 (via BBCM via DXLD) So will there be any point in sending programs back to Germany first, or just operate directly on FM from Sofia? (gh) ** CANADA. RCI Sackville spur: 9405. 1500-1515+ Jan 13, fairly strong, two separate English programs mixing together. // 9515 RCI and // 9625 CBC Northern Service. 110 kHz separation. Did not hear any other spurs. I noticed the CBC announced frequency as ``96.25 kilohertz``. Yes, they said 96.25 kHz (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CUBA [and non] re X-band ** CANADA. Here are some notes concerning Canadian election coverage on RCI: (a) There will be no extra times/frequencies added on shortwave for coverage on UT Tuesday 24 January. (b) The Tuesday editions of "Canada Today" and "Canada en direct" will be special post-election editions. (c) The regular Tuesday repeats of "Maple Leaf Mailbag" and "Le Courrier mondial" will be replaced by special post-election editions of "Media Zone" and "Zone médias." (d) On http://www.rcinet.ca RCI-1 will carry CBC Radio election coverage; RCI-2 will carry RCI-2 election coverage. IN BOTH CASES, that online coverage will only start at 0300 UT Tuesday, due to Canadian election laws. Coverage on both RCI-1 and RCI-2 will continue until 0800. (e) On HotBird for Europe/North Africa/Middle East, RCI-1 will carry CBC Radio election coverage 0000-0800 UT Tuesday; RCI-2 will carry Radio-Canada election coverage 0030-0800 UT Tuesday. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, RCI, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. This will pre-empt Monday's CBC R1 schedule. It will be interesting to see what the Sirius R1 schedule includes, since my Sirius receiver is at warranty repair, I won't be able to listen myself (Richard Cuff, PA, Jan 20, swprograms via DXLD) Viz.: CBC NEWS: CANADA VOTES - ELECTION NIGHT On election night, Monday, January 23, tune in, log on and listen to CBC News for the most comprehensive, in-depth coverage of the vote. Up to the minute results - and what they mean - will be delivered on CBC Radio, CBC Television, CBC Newsworld and online at http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes CBC.CA/CANADAVOTES --- Visit CBC.ca on election night for breaking news and live riding-by-riding election results when the final polls close in B.C. and Yukon at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. Obtain election results in any riding in the country with our interactive election results tool and get an overall picture of how the parties are faring across the country. Access CBC.ca's live audio/video streams from CBC Television and CBC Radio live election broadcasts starting at 10 p.m. ET, once polls are closed in B.C. and follow CBC.ca's special election blog that will run alongside the live video feed. CBC TELEVISION AND CBC NEWSWORLD If it happens on election night, you'll see it on CBC. Tune in to Peter Mansbridge and the entire CBC News team, joined by political insiders John Manley, Hugh Segal and Ed Broadbent. Plus special insights from Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, George Stroumboulopoulos and Rick Mercer. Live CBC NEWS: CANADA VOTES Election Night coverage starts 30 minutes before the polls close in every region - 8 p.m. NT/AT/CT; 9 p.m. ET; 7:00 p.m. MT and 6:30 p.m. PT. CBC Newsworld's coverage starts at 9 p.m. ET. (Newsworld blackout in effect 6:30 p.m. PT to 7 p.m. PT in B.C. and Yukon only.) CBC RADIO On CBC Radio One, national election-results coverage will begin in Newfoundland at 8:30 p.m. NT, joined by the Maritime provinces at 8:30 p.m. AT. For the rest of the network, coverage will begin at 9 p.m. ET, until the final results are known. Network hosts will be Michael Enright and Anthony Germain, joined by Bernie St-Laurent, Dave Taylor, Louise Elliott, Donna McEligott, Susan McNamee and national reporters in all regions. Then on Tuesday, January 24, tune in to a special edition of Cross Country Checkup (1-3 p.m. ET) as Canadians talk about what the election results mean to them. You are currently signed-up for CBC.ca's Events-and-promos newsletter (via Rich Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI IS NOW RECRUITING MONITORS FOR 2006: CRI is now recruiting monitors for 2006. Those of you who provide a year's worth of service (January through December) will receive a gift at the end of the year. Below are the details: 1) We would like you to send us program reports two times per month by e-mail. These reports should consist of comments and suggestions regarding our programs, including content, structure, announcers, etc. Monitors with Internet access should also include comments and suggestions about the CRI website. 2) If CRI opens a new broadcasting channel in your area, we would also like you to give us immediate feedback on the news, programming service and signal quality for your area. If you would like to donate some of your time to help CRI, become the best it can be, please reply with your interest. Tell us something about yourself, including your profession and contact information. Don`t forget to let us know whether or not you have access to the Internet. Thank you in advance! Let’s work together to make 2006 our best year ever! Our e-mail address is: crieng @ crifm.com The English Service, China Radio International (CRI Website) (via MD. AZIZUL ALAM AL-AMIN, RAJSHAHI-6100, BANGLADESH, DXLD) ** CONGO DR [non]. Radio Okapi, MONUC Radio For D. R. Of Congo, via Meyerton S. Africa, 20-01-2006, 1640-1700 UT, 11890, good with QSB, French, commentary, phone interview, ID, music, end of transmissions http://swli05639fr.blogspot.com/ (Francesco Cecconi, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. 7110, 0328, CLANDESTINE (GERMANY?), Radio República, new clandestine in Spanish promoting political change in Cuba, fair improving to good. Closing announcements 0356. Weak bubble jammer then just audible through open carrier 29/12. Thanks to Glenn Hauser`s World of Radio for tip-off on this one - BCM (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai, Northland, New Zealand with AOR7030+ and 60 metre longwire NE-SW, Jan NZDX Times via DXLD) Help pin down Radio República Radio República has been going for almost a month via some secret site other than WRMI, and we still don`t have it pinned down. One directional bearing for it runs thru `central England`, so who would like to approach Woofferton one night during these broadcasts and find out if the RR transmissions are at local strength (like audible with no antenna on a portable insensitive receiver)? I remind you that the schedule is: 22-24 6135 00-02 6010 02-04 7110 Any other method of pinning these down, such as multiple bearings producing a fix, would be most welcome. In case the `central England` idea is a bit off, it would also be helpful to visit the neighborhood of Skelton and Rampisham. I look forward to some helpful investigation on this. Thanks (Glenn Hauser, Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. For the last couple nights I have been copying Radio Reloj's distinctive signature on 1610 kHz. The top of the minute 1000 Hz tone followed by the 1800 Hz letters "RR" in Morse Code ".-. .-.". The signal is weak at best, often inaudible. Using Spectran I have captured traces of the tone and code signals, as well as audio on some stronger occurrences. There are no listed stations for this, that I've found. In fact, there are very few stations on 1610 at all in the Caribbean region and vicinity. The only listed 1610 stations I found are: Anguilla - "The Caribbean Beacon", 8 kW, Religious programming Ecuador - HCTP5, Ecos del Portete, Girón, 3 kW, 1200-0330Z Perú - OAU6O, "R. Flor de los Andes", José Luis Bustamente v Rivero (R. El Sabor, Arequipa), 0.5 kW, & 2 no detail repeaters With no domestic U.S. stations, the only other 1610's in N.A. are: Canada, CFOS, Collingwood, ON, 1 kW Canada, CHHA, Toronto, ON, 1 kW This from the 2006 WRTH, FCC Database, or "The Central American and Caribbean AM DX Page" at: http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/amdx-ca.html None of these are likely candidates for Radio Reloj. That leaves the natural suspect, Cuba, where R. Reloj stations are prolific. Though none are listed on this frequency, this means next to nothing as to whether one is there. I suspect what I am hearing is a Radio Reloj station on 1610 kHz in Cuba. Any other opinions or observations would be welcome (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Raton, (southeast) FL, [Ten-Tec RX- 320D; LFE M-601] IRCA via DXLD) I can`t imagine there being some non-Cuban Radio Reloj with the characteristics you describe, such as the ``RR`` in code. As to being on 1610, maybe Cuba has finally entered the X-band, or some mixing product, since it is so weak (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) (The "CFOS Collingwood" that shows up on many 1610 lists was never built; it was applied for as a repeater for CFOS 560 Owen Sound, but never made air and has been deleted by the Canadians, though not from the FCC's list.) The problem with using 1610 as a full-power frequency is that it has to clear the adjacent-channel restrictions to existing stations on 1580, 1590 and 1600, and there are a LOT of those out there. The din from all those 1610 TISes doesn't help matters, either. Since the KALT [Atlanta TX] license was returned, I get the impression the FCC (which is in no hurry to authorize new X-banders of any sort, anyway) has more or less given up on the idea of using 1610 as a full- power frequency. s (Scott Fybush, IRCA via DXLD) See USA X-band list I was checking out 860 and noticed that the time pip on the R Reloj outlet there was happening about 22 seconds early (or 38 secs late). Checked some other Reloj stations and found the same thing, so apparently it's a network problem... or something really wonky is happening in Cuba tonight! (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF Ottawa, ON, Jan 19, IRCA via DXLD) Barry, Interesting catch. Wouldn't you know, after three days of monitoring RR on 1610 and other normal frequencies, tonight I wasn't paying attention. Still at 0700Z, Jan 20 2006, RR is still off by just what you observe, and that includes the one on 1610 I've been tracking -- though obviously not closely enough. I would suggest 38 seconds late because at the TOH the RR Morse code is delayed more than other times. With the time tone at 0700:38, the RR was sent at 0701:01 instead of the approximately 3-6 seconds later at other times. This would indicate the TOH tone was late rather than early; otherwise this delay would have been before 0700 instead of after it. On 950, where I can hear two RR's, they're both off, but also about a half second apart. Seems setting one`s clock by RR may be a chancy proposition. A half second is bad enough, but 38 seconds leaves a whole lot to be desired. Still, if all you have is an hour hand, what's the big deal? Maybe Fidel is flying his satellites extra high tonight (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Raton, (southeast) FL, ibid.) Maybe Fidel has learned how to make time stand still? After all, he's not getting any younger (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) Re: Reloj Time Slips --- For all those who worried the revolution might be delayed, Radio Reloj is back on ET -- Earth Time -- today, rather than the spaced out 38 second delay of last night. Maybe RR was doing call-ins and had the delay so they could zap out profanity, or worse, truth (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Ratón, (southeast) FL, Jan 20, IRCA via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. BROADCASTING A VISION OF DEMOCRACY INTO A VOID The U.S. has sunk nearly $200 million into TV Marti's programming aimed at Cuba. But one scholar estimates it has 'nearly zero viewership.' http://tinyurl.com/7gu7f (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The scholar is John Nichols, and this is from the LA Times (gh, DXLD) ** DENMARK [and non]. You previously paid attention to the Danish drawings of Mohammed, shown at: http://www.newspaperindex.com/blog/2005/12/10/un-to-investigate-jyllands-posten-racism/ I can now add that the book of the original texts of Mohammed/Islam just has been published - with (other/more) drawings. It has, of course, already caused discussions... And more: Tomorrow, Saturday, our new crown-crown prince will be baptized. Our weather is extreme at the moment and usually it takes me half an hour to get to/from work, but it took me 2½ hours tonight to get home... Have a great week-end, please! (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 9558.8, V. of Democratic Alliance via R. Ethiopia, Jan 13, 1520-1540, 35433, Arabic and Kunama, Talk and Ethiopian Pops, 1530 IS and ID. 9558.8, R. Ethiopia, Jan 13, *1600-1615, 33433-34433, English, 1600 IS, ID, Music and talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) That`s further off-frequency than usual; used to be slightly on the hi side (gh, DXLD) ** GABON. R. Gabon, 4777, *0458-0520+ Jan 14, sign-on with NA. 0459 opening French announcements, 0500 possible news. 0504, 0505, 0507 ``Radio Gabon`` IDs. 0508 local children`s chorus; fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. It seems that the only broadcast on SW of Radio Hara (= Radio ``Together``), is Mon & Thu 1700-1733, repeated Tue & Fri 0500- 0533 UT on 48875. Heard on 24 and 28 Nov with talks in vernacular and songs from the 60s-70s sung by Tom Jones, Bob Marley & The Wailors --- wonderful music choice! (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Berlin radio house anniversary --- Rundfunk Berlin- Brandenburg celebrates the 75th anniversary of Haus des Rundfunks, the radio building at Masurenallee in Berlin. Webpage with a Flash presentation and PDF file of a brochure: http://www.rbb-online.de/haus-des-rundfunks/ Funk-Stunde / Reichsrundfunkgesellschaft went on air from Haus des Rundfunks for the first time on Jan 22 1931, replacing the provisional Voxhaus studios. In 1933 the station came under strict state control. From 1938 Haus des Rundfunks was the headquarter of German radio altogether; from 1940 basically only programming produced here was still broadcast (no own services from the individual Reichssender stations anymore). German radio staff was supposed to destroy the equipment on May 1st 1945, but they refused to obey to this order. Broadcasts ceased in the wee hours of May 2nd 1945 after reporting the death of Adolf Hitler at midnight and again at 1 AM (another source describes the very end as an announcement "hiermit beendet der Großdeutsche Rundfunk seine Programmfolgen", not followed by any other modulation anymore; the transmitter just went off after who knows how many seconds or minutes of open carrier). Broadcasting under Soviet control resumed on May 13, first provisionally because the audio circuits were disrupted. Berliner Rundfunk / GDR radio continued to use Haus des Rundfunks until 1952 when the British forces blocked the building, leading to GDR radio abandoning Haus des Rundfunks and continuing from provisional studios at Berlin-Grünau until the Nalepastraße radiohouse was ready. The Soviet forces still controlled the now unused Haus des Rundfunks until finally handing it over in 1956. After a reconstruction Sender Freies Berlin (founded in 1954 out of the Berlin branch of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk) moved into Haus des Rundfunks in 1957/1958. Today Radio Berlin 88acht, Kulturradio and Radio Multikulti broadcast from Haus des Rundfunks. Inforadio will follow in 2008 from new studios in an extension of Haus des Rundfunks to be built until then, in fact the first one since 1933. These new studios will replace the current, all but not ideal facilities in a pavilion at the near-by TV buildings. It is certainly well known that Sender Freies Berlin and Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg merged in 2003 to the new Rundfunk Berlin- Brandenburg, maintaining the former headquarters of both institutions as equal seats. One note on Sender Freies Berlin: For quite a lot of people in the GDR Sender Freies Berlin was the radio station they trusted, contrary to RIAS which was often considered as a propaganda outlet like GDR radio, just the other way round (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BERMUDA [non] ** GERMANY. R. Multikulti, Berlin, heard on Sundays via DW 1130-1200 on 11690 & 15275 in the Romish/Romanies (Roma?) language (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GREECE [non]. 15485, 1639 14/12, V of Greece via Delano, folk music // 7475, 9420, Greek, SIO 132 (David Gascoyne, Staplehurst, Kent, Grundig YB 400, 93cm telescopic whip, AKD Target HF3, Datong AD370, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) I can dream of such a signal as my own YB 400 and other radios are overloaded by this monstrous signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** GREENLAND. 3815-USB, 2057 27/11, Greenlandic R, hymn, 2100 announcement, snatches of music, Uyl with song, 2200 IS, talk, 2208 closing announcements by man, 2210 off, SIO 222 (Reginald Hayes, Bournemouth, Dorset, JRC NRD 545, random wire, ALA loop, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 3815-USB, 2059 18/12, Ammassalik Radio, Tasiilaq, presumed, sounded like NA, them OM with presumed news at 2100. Program a mix of speech and music. Usually comm. QRM pops up frequently. Heard regularly; weak, SIO 231 (Nick Rank, Burton, Derbyshire, Sony ICF2001d, ALA 1530 loop, ibid.) ** HAWAII. Martin A. Hall, Clashmore, Scotland provides a long article in Jan BDXC-UK Communication on how he succeeded in pulling in HI on MW, namely KUMU 1500. Links to noisy but historic audio clip at http://www.gorrell.supanet.com/1500_KUMU_24Oct05.mp3 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. AFN on new 9340 from here? see UNIDENTIFIED ** INDIA. Hi all! In Glenn's current WoR [1301] he asks about the times of the All India Radio's 'Faithfully Yours'. Here in Copenhagen I hear the program on MONDAYS at: 1030-1045 UT on 13710, 17510, and best: 17895 (to Oceania I guess) 1830-1845 UT on 7410, 9445, 9950, 11620 (to Europe) 2120-2135 UT on 7410, 9445, 9950, 11620 (Erik Køie, Denmark, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) AIR SPECIAL PROGRAMS ON REPUBLIC DAY (26 JAN 06) Dear friends, All India Radio will broadcast special programmes on 26th January 2006 in connection with the Republic Day Celebrations- 2006 at 0350-0645 UT. The running commentary on the Republic Day Parade and Cultural Pageant will be broadcast as follows: Hindi 6155, 9595, 11620, 15050 English 6030, 9950, 11830, 15020 Note: 9950 is via Aligarh, others are via Delhi Look out also 9470 (Aligarh) & 10330 (Bangalore) All stations of AIR will relay at least one of these programs. The following changes will be there to the External Services of AIR on that day: 9910 at 0215-0415 in Pushtu & Dari will be cancelled. The Urdu Service on 6155, 9595 & 11620 will carry the Hindi commentary from 0350. Some regional SW stations will change to their daytime frequencies in the 6 & 7 MHz Bands just before 0350 on that day. (Others are already schedules on their day time frequencies from around 0230) The current AIR SW Schedule is available at: http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm and at http://www.allindiaradio.gov.in/schedule/fqsch.html Reception reports can be sent to: spectrum-manager @ air.org.in or sent on line at http://www.allindiaradio.gov.in/recepfdk.html 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, Tel: 91-40-5516 7388, Telefax: 91-40-2331 0287, EchoLink: Node No. 133507 VU2NRO, http://www.niar.org dx_india via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. XM LISTENER FILES SUIT OVER "COMMERCIAL FREE" CLAIMS According to the ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE, a PULASKI COUNTY, ARKANSAS man has alleged in a federal lawsuit that XM SATELLITE RADIO is violating state consumer protection laws by advertising that its 67 music channels are 100% commercial-free. MATTHEW ENDERLIN claims that promotional announcements and other non- musical content broadcast on the music channels constitute "commercials," and that XM's claims are false and misleading, since the channels are not commercial-free, in his view. (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) That`s telling `em (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. I remain less than impressed with NASA TV. Jan 19 at 1900 UT, I had to watch CNN for live coverage of the launch to Pluto, since NASA TV was playing some animated feature for children, and did not break away from it for this momentous event, as seen via our local cable access channel Pegasys, which carries NASA TV M-F 1700-2000 UT, AFAIK from a direct satellite feed. Did anyone see the launch live from NASA-TV on some other satellite channel? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Re 6-012: It seems that frequency changes have occurred. At 1500 I hear Reshet Bet on 13855 parallel 9985.1. A search of other "traditionally used" IBA frequencies such as 17535 15760 15640 11605 etc. reveals them to be empty. And BTW - note that the WRTH lists the Persian programme for 1700 (i.e. not 1500). I don't know if this is correct but I'll try it later (Noel R. Green (NW England), Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) O o, the 2006 WRTH Israel schedule is in local time, UT +2! (gh, DXLD) If you go to http://www.iba.org.il/reception/ Click on "EN" on the right side, to get an English menu. Click on "Shortwaves" Towards the top of the page, you'll see the following : "For download, please click here". If you do click on the "click here", that will bring you to http://www.iba.org.il/doc/shortwaves.pdf In the mean time, I checked Bezeq's website --- the shortwave schedule there, hasn't been updated since 2003. I'm trying to get some follow-up regarding 13855 (Doni Rosenzweig, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Regarding the Israel info: you can also go to another Israel B05 SW sched. at: http://israelradio.org/sw.htm 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, ibid.) The unofficial one, I think (gh) And re my earlier message: Persian has appeared after 1600 and heard on 7420 and 9985.1. Both frequencies are jammed. Service closed at 1625. There has always been a third frequency for Europe & NAm but I cannot locate it if still in use. 13855 has gone off and now no transmission of Reshet Bet is heard [nothing on 13850 or 13580 either]. 73s (Noel R. Green, UK, ibid.) Re earlier messages concerning IBA --- Thursday from at least 1700 all services appeared to be on air as scheduled but the highest frequencies - even 11590 after about 1800 - were inaudible, and assumed due to propagation. Friday Jan. 20 I just missed hearing English 1030 but the following Ladino at 1045 was on air followed by French at 1100-1115 on same 15640. But listed 17535 was carrying Hebrew (sounded to be Bet) and this was heard to close abruptly at 1455. At c1458 frequency 13855 appeared in Hebrew but this suddenly switched to Persian just after the hour. No jamming audible and strength of this signal seems to indicate that it replaces 15760 (unheard) for NAm/WEu. Persian was also heard via 7420 and jammed. Frequency 9985.1 also came up and was jammed but this carried a Russian language service. Some time before 1600 this changed to Persian and was heard with ID at 1600 (Fri. only) close down. Co-channel 9985 QRM from as yet unID American religious station - WWCR? [yes – gh]. 1600 Russian (Fri. only) was heard via 13855, and 11605 came up later. No transmission audible on 15760 or 17535 or other 'traditional' frequency. 1630 after IS had filled the "lost" five minutes of Russian, time pips were heard on 13855 and 11605 followed by local non-stop popular music/song. No French at all. Listed 15760 and 17535 not heard. 1645 time pips and intro to announced español - frequencies as at 1630. 73 (Noel R. Green, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY [non]. Dear Friends, Received QSL card from IRRS, sent the report by e mail, got the whole thing in three days! A nice QSL card, on textured card, showing the Theatre Royal della Scala. Also sent an informative sheet regarding coverage areas and transmitter powers. The information sheet also mentioned transmitter powers between 10 and 1000 KW. Also read that transmitter powers can range from 20, 50, 100, 150, 250, 500 or 1000 kW. Greetings from England (Christopher Lewis, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But not locations!!! I notice that most DXers simply list this as ITALY as IRRS claims. No one else seems to be concerned about the TRUE transmitter site(s) of the IRRS broadcasts, perhaps because, unlike me, they care about getting QSLs from them. I am more concerned with getting to the TRUTH of the matter. This is not a criticism of Christopher. Note that WRTH 2006 says ``via leased relays abroad, Bulgaria presumed``! PWBR `2006` gives no hint that IRRS is not transmitted from Italy! BTW, how can you have a valid coverage map without showing the point of origin of the signals? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. DRM logs: 9880, 1346 8 Nov, Arabic chanting Perfect 9880, 1436 12 Dec, YL with Arabic program Perfect 13620, 0944 26 Oct, Arabic song Perfect 13620, 0957 10 Dec, Arabic song Perfect (Richard Thurlow, Ipswich, Suffolk, Ten Tec 320, Lowe HF 225, DSP- 599ZX, LW, ALA Loop, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) i.a. This is the first time we have included DRM logs. I think it is the right time to be welcoming such logs. 2008 is certain to be the year of consumer DRM receivers in Europe. Of course, many of our contributors already have the ability to receive and decode these broadcasts. One such person is Richard Thurlow, who has sent in the first DRM logs this month. I am looking for suggestions on how to present these logs, particularly for reception quality. Obviously, the SIO rating is obsolete for DRM reception. Any ideas? (Stephen Howie, HF Logbook editor, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** LATVIA. Relays 9290 kHz Sat January 21 Radio Six 0700-0800 UT Sun January 22 Radio City 0900-1000 UT Radio Six 1200-1300 UT Good Listening (Tom Taylor, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. TRAXX FM also confirmed in UK on 7295 from 1700 to 1730 on 30 Dec with fair reception (Tony Rogers, BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. I had a go at monitoring Zapatista clandestine Radio Insurgente, Friday Jan 20 on 6000, from tune-in 2139. I could barely make out some programming, music and talk, I think, but my FRG- 7 hooked to my longest antenna (which is east-west rather than north- south), produces little carriers internally every 1000 kHz. Worse, there was QRM from data bursts like clockwork every 17 seconds, consisting of a burst, a tone, another burst, and a lower tone. Of course this sounds rather different with BFO on. I stayed with it anyway, until the RHC carrier came on at 2149:50. After that there was a SAH of 8 Hz (give or take 1 Hz), more likely RHC beating against the FRG-7, than Insurgente. If one could record any bit of readable audio, even lacking anything identifiable, I suppose one could subsequently match it to Radio Insurgente weekly archived audio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 20 January follow. Solar flux 91 and estimated mid-latitude A-Index 5. The mid-latitude K-index at 2100 UTC on 20 January was 2 (12 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) ** MEXICO. I'd like to appeal to an experienced DXer with some knowledge of Spanish, in the San Diego area, to compile and publish in DXM a detailed bandscan of Mexicans audible there, with emphasis on nearby states, especially BCN, BCS, Sinaloa (Los Mochis is often heard here) and Durango. Perhaps Robert Wien and Kevin Redding could cooperate on a provisional list and then perfect it by taking a camping trip, say, to Ensenada. I'd like to see close attention to daytimers (with s/on and s/off times) and graveyarders (for example, has anything replaced XESS in Ensenada on its old frequency since it moved to 620?). Also, check for modulation problems and minor frequency drifts (I'm working hard on an unID on 1630 which has both and must surely be audible in Southern CA, yet I can't find a report in recent DXM's). The bandscan should also list formats, slogans, and times when the Mexican National Anthem is played, also any stations which don't carry La Hora Nacional. XEPE-1700 BCN apparently doesn't, presumably because it is in English, though this strikes me as no excuse. How about other English stations? I'd like more info on 500-watter XEMMM- 800 Tijuana, once heard here and probably my best Mexican catch. Is it all or partly in English? Your semi-locals are my DX targets, so I need your help! (Richard E. Wood, HCR3, Box 11087, Keaau, Hawaii 96749-9221, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Jan 21 via DXLD) 1630 – you mean XEUT, a well-known station, or something else? (gh, DXLD) Richard Wood, XEUT-1630 is still on the air but they seem weaker than they used to be. Hope everyone had a good holiday season (Martin Foltz, Mission Viejo CA, op. cit.) ** MEXICO [and non]. San Diego border station addresses: 620 XESS, 1030 XESD and 1700 XEPE, Jaime Bonilla Valdez-President, Pacific Spanish Network, Inc., 296 H Street, Suite 300, Chula Vista, CA 91910-4753, USA 800 XESPN, 8900 Grossmont Bl., Suite 4, La Mesa, CA 91941-4047, USA 860 XEMO and 1470 XERCN, 5030 Camino de la Siesta, Suite 403, San Diego, CA 92108, USA Also: Grupo Uniradio S.A. de C. V., General Manuel Marquez de León, No 950, Zona Rio, Tijuana BCN 22520, México. contactus @ unimedios.com.mx 1090 XEPRS, 3655 Nobel Drive, Suite 470, San Diego, CA 92122-1005, USA 1270 XEAZ, P O Box 430233, San Ysidro, CA 92143-0233, USA 1420 XEXX, 1001 B Avenue, Suite 300, Coronado, CA 92118-3425, USA 1550 XEBG, Avenue Los Olivos 305, Fracc. Cubillas, Tijuana 22410, México (Dale Park via IRCA's "soft" DX Monitor 5.1.2006, via ARC LA News Desk via editor Tore Larsson, DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. Glenn, I haven't seen this mentioned in DXLD for some time so I thought it would be of interest (Daniel Sampson) Hi Daniel, Love your resource... Did you know about PMR broadcasts on shortwave at 1700 UT in English for Europe from Moldova? Here´s my posting on this: http://madridkid.blogspot.com/2005/12/pmr-broadcasts-in-english.html We`re hearing them loud and clear here in Madrid... (Marty, Madridkid, Jan 5, via Daniel Sampson, PTSW, 1/19) Viz.: PMR broadcasts in English --- The would-be breakaway region of the Transdniestrian Moldovian Republic (or PMR) in eastern Moldova is now broadcasting every day in English to North America. Radio Pridnestrovia or Radio PMR is being heard clear in Madrid on 5961.8 kHz from 1700 to about 1730 UT. The lengths of their broadcasts appear to vary each day. According to their announcer, the transmissions are intended for North America. There is little spillover from Rai on an adjacent frequency. They ask for comments on their broadcasts, in which they trash Russian-Moldovan relations. Their address: Radio Prinestrovia, ul. Rozy Luksemburg 10, 3300 Tiraspol, Rep. of Moldova. Check `em out! (From the Madridkid blog via Daniel Sampson, DXLD) Ha, mid-day on 49m to North America? I don`t think so, even with a midwinter megawatt. Other reports put them close to nominal 5960.0; is Madrid Kid side-tuning to avoid Rai and reporting his readout rather than the true carrier frequency? No, Rai is on the hi side at that hour, 5965! WRTH 2006 shows English at 1700-1715 Mon-Thu, and 1700-1730 Fri, to Europe. Less informative website: http://www.president-pmr.org/radio HFCC B-05 shows 265 degrees to CIRAF zone 28 only, which is Central Europe only, not even UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [non]. Monaco/France --- Some DRM tests are scheduled next week from Monte Carlo Radiodiffusion (MCR). Transmitter: Fontbonne Frequency: 25700 kHz Time: Day time from January 23th to 31th. Target area: Côte d'Azur (Cannes & Nice). Note that regular DRM broadcasts from Monaco: relay of RMC Info (// 216 kHz). 0700-1100 & 1200-1600 UTC on 6175 kHz beamed to the North of France (Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, France, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Radio Netherlands transmitter site change. The transmitter site for the Radio Netherlands Dutch transmission to W Europe at 2100-2300 UT has been changed. Instead of Dhabayya, the transmission now comes from a 500 kW transmitter at Grigoriopol [MOLDOVA], beamed 265 degrees (Media Network newsletter Jan 19 via DXLD) WTFK? 6015 (gh) ** NEW ZEALAND. RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL DRM SERVICE STARTS AROUND 1 MARCH Latest information from Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) is that the full DRM Service, originally due to start on 22 January, will be delayed and is now expected to start around 1 March. The RNZI service is intended primarily for partner stations in the Pacific that relay RNZI programmes off shortwave. The schedule will be: [even tho ``UTC`` is put after every time entry, they are all wrong -- - see below. BTW, I am constantly removing most of the redundant ``UTC``s and ``kHz``s that so many insist on specifying after every single time and every single frequency --- gh] ``0651-0750 UTC on 7230 kHz to NE Pacific, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands`` etc. etc. (Source: RNZI via Chris Mackerell, DRM Software Radio Forum) # posted by Andy @ 15:14 UT Jan 19 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Corrected to UT by wb; NZ time - 13 hours: UTC kHz 1300-1750 on 7230 to All Pacific 1751-1851 on 11745 to NE Pacific, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands. 1851-2235 on 13595 to All Pacific 2236-0358 on 15720 to All Pacific 0400-0759 on 13690 to All Pacific 0800-1059 on 9765 to All Pacific 1100-1300 on 13840 to NW Pacific, Bougainville, PNG, Timor, Asia (RNZI via Chris Mackerell, DRM Software Radio Forum; RNW MN Jan 19) (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Would international SW stations PLEASE QUIT PUBLISHING ANY SCHEDULES IN LOCAL TIME?! Thank you (gh, DXLD) Hi Glenn, My sincere apologies. I have removed the offending item. The formatting of the item I quoted from went wrong on the Forum and I inadvertently removed the wrong column. The fault lies, as usual, with me and not with the original source. Thanks for pointing it out. 73, (Andy Sennitt, Media Network, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OK, but my point is that such mistaxes could not happen if stations would publish their schedules ONLY in UT. They are, after all, external services, so who cares what time it is in the home country where there is no target audience, anyway (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Settled down to listen to RNZI, 15720 AM, after the 2200 UT Jan 19 news, but at 2215 Myra Oh signed them off for the weekly maintenance period until 0300! That`s UT Thu into UT Fri. Bye (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 4770, 0557-0610+ Jan 13, tune-in to Afro-pop music. 0600 ID and English news; fair V. of Nigeria, 15120, *1630-1730+ Jan 13, sign-on with Arabic programming. 1632 Kor`an. 1700 into English with news, commentary. Good signal strength but the usual audio problems. Some programs with very good audio and some programs distorted with low modulation (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. R. Sultanate of Oman, 15140, *1404-1500 Jan 13, abruptly on midway thru their English newscast. 1409 ID and into Euro-pop dance music. Fairly strong carrier but very low modulation and barely audible by 1415 due to low modulation which just got weaker and weaker. Not heard next day, Jan 14 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. R. Pakistan heard with ``Weekly Discussion`` on Sats, two university professors talking about political issues, at 1530-1600 on 4790, followed by news in English at 1600 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 4790, 1600 16/12, R. Pakistan, English news bulletin by M after ID; SIO 141, weak, // 9385 11570 (Nick Rank, Burton, Derbyshire, Jan BDXC- UK Communication via DXLD) A melding of external and domestic (gh) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. All these PNG stations logged on 1/19 with mostly "Pacific island music" plus some news and announcements about Papua New Guinea during multiple tune-ins between 1155-1310 . Signal levels for these "PNG's" were highest noted since January 2005 at this Midwestern QTH. 3205, R. West Sepik. Vanimo. 3235, R. West New Britain. Kimbe. 3385, R. East New Britain. Rabaul. 3905, R. New Ireland. Kavieng. 4890, NBC. Port Moresby. A large "thank you" is owed to Bruce Churchill for reporting recent (1/14) excellent Pacific DX reception, including PNG 3205. (Stephen Bass, Columbus, Ohio, Icom 746PRO Transceiver, Wellbrook 330S Loop Antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 3329.4v, Ondas del Huallaga; Huánuco, Jan 18, 2314, Nice Andean music (mostly flutes). Clear IDs in between some of the songs. Mention on SW, MW and FM at 2331 UT. Drifting up from 3329.42 to 3329.60 at the end of the listening period. QRM from CHU on 3330. 33333. 73, (Mark Veldhuis, Borne, the Netherlands. Icom IC-R75, Wellbrook ALA-1530, Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3329.53, Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco, 1100-1130 Jan 12, blasting in, ``Ondas del Huallaga presenta`` by OM; Much weaker signal 0000 to 0100 Jan 13. 5039.21, Radio Libertad, Junín now signing on at 1045, 13-15 January. Not heard 2300 to 0100 (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** POLAND. Polish Radio are offering a nice Red 80th anniversary QSL card. Best, (Christopher Lewis, England, Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Dear Radio Colleague, Another interesting opportunity for an AWR QSL card from another relay location has just become available. For those who can hear it, Adventist World Radio is now on the air from Samara in Russia, beamed towards the Indian sub-continent on 5865 kHz. This is a 250 kW unit, the timing is 1500-1600 UT, and the languages are Punjabi & Hindi. This new relay service began on December 23 last year. For those who can remember, AWR was on the air from Samara for a period of 4 years, extending from 1992 - 1996. On Sep 10, 1994 AWR broadcast a special announcement from Samara only, as part of the annual contest in the Nordic DX Championships for that year. At the time of the current AWR relay from Samara, the frequency 5865 kHz is a clear channel and Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, states that the signal in India is particularly strong. In Indianapolis, all that is heard at 1500 UT, due to the daylight factor, is a very low het in the SSB mode, which may or may not be from Samara (Adrian Peterson, DX Editor, Adventist World Radio, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAINT HELENA. Re 6-012: Folks, here's further information about what is required to get RSH back on the air, via Robert Kipp in Germany: Radio St. Helena : The Dream We all now have a singular chance to take part in the revival of the famous international, multi-media (Telephone, fax, Email), listener- interactive (in real time) shortwave broadcasts from Radio St. Helena. The CEO, the Board of Directors, the Station Manager, and everyone even remotely connected with RSH is hoping very much indeed that we will be successful in this venture. We Friends of RSH will, however, need to fund this "Project" entirely by ourselves. When these world-wide transmissions stopped in late 1999, the old transmitter and the complete antenna system with towers were scrapped. We are starting with only a dream, but quite often, dreams do become reality. A technical concept for our "Project" has been decided upon and resembles a high-powered amateur radio station. After many discussions, specific equipment has been selected and suppliers have been found. Used equipment is being sought, when possible. To cut transportation costs, the heaviest items are being sought in the UK. We are hoping for the donation of two used amateur radio transceivers such as the Yaesu FT-757GXII or similar. If you can help, please send me an email. This is OUR opportunity to say, "RSH, that's MY station!" The revival of the shortwave programs would spread the word of this wonderful and historic island and lead to increased commerce, trade, and tourism for St. Helena, especially when the planned airport becomes operable. Together we all can make this dream a reality. Let's do it! Let's put RSH back on the shortwaves! More soon. Robert Kipp RDC-Roberts-Data @ t-online.de (via Walt Salmaniw, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, maybe we need to push the issue and probably as the ("longest"), DX Club away from St Helena. What can we do to help? Regards (Johno Wright, Australian Radio DX Club, HCDX via DXLD) Finding a used hf transmitter shouldn´t be the problem. But: Is the RSH technician willing to do the technical service for such a transmitter and its antenna? Otherwise it would not make sense to shop for a transmitter, because it would go the same way as many swbc transmitters in f.e. mainland Africa. Regards, (Harald Kuhl, Germany, ibid.) Here's the third of four information letters from Robert Kipp in Germany. He tells me that in the last letter he will provide information regarding monetary donations, so please stand by: Radio St. Helena : The Project Our "Project" to put Radio St. Helena back on the air on shortwaves and to revive the famous "RSH Day" interactive broadcasts is still a dream, but day by day this dream is coming closer to becoming reality. Anyone who has attempted to put together a 1000 Watt amateur radio station with an outdoor antenna system will appreciate the difficulties. We need a receiver, a separate 100 Watt transmitter, a robust 1000 Watt linear amplifier, a sturdy antenna for 27 meters, a heavy-duty rotor, various special cables, an SWR-monitor, a power meter, and a 13 meter tall antenna tower. In addition, about 2.5 cubic meters of expensive concrete for the tower is almost essential. Add to all that the transportation costs for the ship from England to St. Helena, and the fact that the ship only visits England twice per year. On top of all that, we need to coordinate this "Project" more or less remotely from a distance of several thousand kilometers and to turn every coin over twice before we spend it. We are hoping for the donation of two used amateur radio transceivers such as the Yaesu FT-757GXII or similar. If you can help, please send me an email. This is quite a nice "Project", and amazingly, it is proceeding fairly well! This may be the first time ever that radio friends have actually helped to build "their own" shortwave radio station! This is really a unique experience. However, without your many donations and some sponsors, we will not be able to succeed. RSH still needs a lot of help from us all. Let's do it! Let's make this dream become reality. More soon. Robert Kipp (via Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. Radio Shabelle QSL --- Received an email QSL this morning confirming my reception of Radio Shabelle (Somalia) on 27 November, 2005 on 6960.1. I sent out several emails to addresses I found on the following page, and the one that I finally received a response from was mustafa AT shabelle DOT net. http://www.shabellenews.com/ Mustafa Hajji is their English Page Editor (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Congratulations on a nice catch! FYI: electronic QSL's are not presently recognized as valid verifications. If you are seriously collecting and/or verifying countries heard, I would suggest that you send hard copy reports with several IRC by airmail (Duane W8DBF Fischer, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Sez you Not recognized by whom? They certainly are recognized by the SWL community, and to the best of my knowledge they are recognized by NASWA, and for me, that's good enough! (Steve W6SWL Lare, ibid.) As long as you are happy that is all that matters. Electronic QSL's are easily faked. Any reputable organization rejects them for this reason. You cannot use them for awards in contests etc. (Fischer, ibid.) Ahhhhh, you're thinking of the ARRL. However, I don't think that the ARRL gives a hoot about SWBC QSL's (Steve W6SWL, ibid.) ** SPAIN. REE English language program schedule: WEEKDAYS: First half hour: Newscast of Spanish / International news with emphasis on the area to which the broadcast is directed: Europe, Africa or North America. Second half hour: includes Spanish pop music; daily review of the Spanish press and each day`s general interest programme including `Radio Waves`, a special spot for DXers; `Euro-American Chronicles` focusing on Spain`s relations with the EU and US; `Entremeses` relating to food and travel; `Africa Today` and the mailbag programme `Radio Club`. WEEKEND: Includes `Visitors Book`, on foreign personalities who have visited Spain recently; `Window on Spain`, on some aspect of the cultural scene; different series giving a more in-depth look at Spanish history and culture; and rebroadcasts of weekday programmes for listeners who cannot tune in during the week (via Michael Beesley, Radio World, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) English schedule: NAm 0000-0059 6055. Eu/Af 2000-2059 9680/9595 Mon- Sat [sic, means -Fri], 2100-2159 6125/9595 Sat/Sun (Radio World, ibid.) This is rather confusing; Radio Waves is supposedly on Sat/UT Sun, not a weekday! And why not specify exactly which day that and the other shows are on?! I find the above text is taken verbatim from http://www.rtve.es/rne/ree/pningl/ingl.htm so that is as much detail as REE is prepared to provide (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. TVE-1 from the Madrid Channel E2 transmitter remains on air for the time being, thanks to the inadequate UHF replacement coverage and various co-channel interference issues (Keith Hamer & Garry Smith, DXTV, Jan Radiouser [UK] via DXLD) Good news for TVDXers, as that is one of the most widely seen signals, and a trans-Atlantic possibility, 48.25/53.75 MHz (gh, DXLD) See also PROPAGATION ** SWEDEN. New Program from Radio Sweden --- While searching the Radio Sweden website this morning, I saw that it is producing its first new show in more than 10 years, called Inside Sweden. It is not broadcast on shortwave apparently, but you can listen to the show online, and it is available in Stockholm on public FM radio. The program is primarily oriented to people who have recently moved to Sweden, but also does a good weekly review of current events. The first program is dated Jan 20, 2006. The website is: http://www.sr.se/rs/english/index.htm On a personal note, my mother was born and raised in Sweden, and I have visited the country about a dozen times or so over the last 30 years. The rapid change in the once homogeneous population, especially in the cities, is striking. As a child in the 1970s, I can't ever remember seeing a person of color anywhere in Sweden, even in Stockholm. Now, the city is as diverse, and perhaps more so, than many of the very largest cities in the USA. My mother, who emigrated to the US in the 1950s, had never seen a person of color until she stepped off the boat on the west side of Manhattan. Perhaps this show reflects how many non-Swedes now live in the country, and might help them adjust (Matt, Owner and Moderator, Sangean 803 Club http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sangean803/ Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. As expected, free-to-air BBC World Service radio has disappeared from the Galaxy 13 satellite. A BBC World TV service remains. Heaven forbid that Americans might be able to listen to BBCWS via satellite without also paying for 100-plus channels they don't wish to support -- and with better quality than the artifact-laden signals delivered via XM and Sirius that are so fatiguing to listen to. Oh well, back to RNW, DW, RFI and other international broadcasters that make their programming available via satellite for free or a very small price. Having BBCWS accessible for a couple of weeks reminded me how a small number of feature programs are run up to four times a day -- a far cry from the rich program mix BBCWS offered 10 or 20 years ago (Mike Cooper, GA, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BIRD FLU, BALLPOINT PENS, BOOGIE MUSIC AND MORE [BBC WS] A new four-part edition of "Heritage" begins next week, with Malcolm Billings reporting on the Hejaz Railway, nearly 100 years old, which ran from Damascus to Amman to Medina. The section from Damascas to Amman remains in service, with ancient steam locomotives still plying the route. This airs in the "Documentary 2" timeslot and is enabled for podcasting. Billings' series are generally very well done; hopefully this one will be no exception. Documentary 2 airtimes: Australasia: Tue 2206, rpt Wed 0306, 0806, 1506, Fri 2306, Sat 2106 East Asia: Wed 0306, rpt 0706, 1306, 1906, Sun 0106 South Asia: Wed 0506, rpt 0906, 1406, 1906, Fri 2206, Sun 0506 East Africa: Wed 0706, 1306, Thu 0006, Sat 2106, Sun 0706 West Africa: Wed 0906, rpt 1406, Thu 0006, Sat 2206, Sun 0906 Middle East: Wed 0806, rpt 1306, 1906, Thu 0106, Sun 0706 Europe: Wed 0906, rpt 1306, 1906, Thu 0106, Sun 1006 Americas: Wed 1406, rpt 2006, Thu 0106, 0606, Sun 1106, 2206 Public Radio Fan reference: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=707 (Rich Cuff, Jan 19, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. VOICE OF AMERICA: STILL ON THE AIR, BUT TOUGHER TO RECEIVE The VOA has seen its services scaled back in recent years, with English language broadcasts to the Americas consisting exclusively of Special English, which is of little value to native English speakers. In addition, the News Now rolling news format has been transformed into a regional format based on the regions being targeted at a particular time – editions exist for Africa, South Asia and East Asia. The magazine & lifestyle programs ``Coast to Coast`` and ``Main Street`` have been discontinued, and ``Communications World`` is long gone. However, the VOA continues to be audible on shortwave, especially on those frequencies targeting Africa. I`ve found the VOA particularly audible in Eastern Pennsylvania from 0300 to 0500 and from 1700 to 2100 UT, in all instances on frequencies targeting Africa. VOA also is available in English live 24/7 on the Web, and many of its programs are available for on-demand listening and podcasting. ``News Now`` should be considered somewhat like RCI`s ``Canada Today`` in that the stories chosen are not necessarily news about a target region, but they include topics that are believed to be of interest to the geographic target in question. Here`s a rundown of what you`ll be able to hear at these times, along with frequencies noted as the best in Eastern Pennsylvania at a French Creek DXpedition: 0300 M-F: ``Daybreak Africa``, a magazine-oriented program of news, interviews and sports of interest to Africa; Sa-Su: ``Africa News Now``, international news, news of the USA, and news of Africa (6035, 6045, 7340, 9885) 0330 M-F: ``Africa News Now``; Sa: ``World Of Music``, featuring music and interviews, with particular emphasis on the African Diaspora; Su: ``On The Line``, an interview program on important international issues with officials, policy experts, and scholars (6035, 6045, 9885) 0400 M: ``American Profiles``, the personal stories of notable Americans in today`s world; Tu: ``America`s Global College Forum``, interviews with international college students attending college in the USA; W: ``Wordmaster``, stories on the origin of words and phrases in English; Th: ``International Press Club``, discussions with editors of global English-language newspaper editors; F: ``Hollywood Highlights``, a weekly look at the American movie industry; Sa-Su: ``Africa News Now`` (9885) 0430 M-F: ``Daybreak Africa``; Sa: ``Music Time In Africa``, highlighting the best in traditional and modern African music; Su: ``Our World``, examining global issues in science, technology, agriculture and the environment (try 9775) [skipping more broadcasts in the 0500-1700 period] 1700 M-F: ``Africa World Tonight``, an evening news magazine broadcast live, including the popular ``Sonny Side of Sports``; Sa: ``On the Line``; Su: ``Africa News Now`` (15240) 1730 M-F: ``Africa World Tonight`` continues, with an editorial at 1755; Sa: ``Press Conference USA``, an interview program featuring multiple interviewers and a single newsmakers, with an editorial at 1755; Su: ``Music Time in Africa`` (15240) 1800 M-Th, Sa, Su: ``Africa News Now``; F: ``Sonny Side of Sports``, a phone-in program hosted by Sonny Young (hence the program name) regarding the African sports scene (15240, 17895) 1830 M, Tu, Th, F, Sa: ``World of Music``; W: ``Straight talk Africa``, a call-in program examining topics of special interest to Africans; Su: ``Encounter``, a panel of experts discussing opposite sides of a controversial issue (15240, 17895) 1900 M, W, Th: ``World of Music`` (tentative based on schedule interpretation) Tu: ``Housecall``, a live call-in health program that puts listeners directly in touch with medical professionals; F: ``Reporters` Roundtable``, a program analyzing the week`s major developments in Africa; Sa: ``Hip Hop Connection``, the latest hip-hop music from the United States and Africa; Su: ``Africa News Now`` (15580, 17895) 1930 M-Th: ``Africa News Now``; Fr: ``VOA News Review``, with VOA reporters and editors reviewing the week`s news; Sa: ``Hip Hop Connection`` continues; Su: ``Music Time in Africa`` (15580, 17895) 2000 M-Fr: ``Africa World Tonight``, with a second live edition, plus an editorial at 2055; Sa, Su: ``Nightline Africa``, featuring news and sports from Africa and around the world (13710, 15580) (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, Jan NASWA Journal via DXLD) I happened to be listening during the 2000 hour Jan 20 on 15580, by far the best frequency here, since it`s Greenville, when the announceress mentioned their being on only two frequencies, 13710 and 15240! Also omitting four other SW and two MW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. UT Thu Jan 19 at 0650 I was hearing on 6125 a guy talking about how wrong it is for people`s names, especially Christian names, to be spelt in all-capitals on government documents such as driver`s licenses. This went on and on; he was not screaming and yelling, but quite soft spoken. Yet he was obsessed with this matter. Names are supposed to have only their first letter capitalized!! I couldn`t bear to listen long enough to learn the rationale (?) for such concern, but he did mention his name was ALFRED ADASK, and spelt it. Oops! Alfred Adask. Looking it up later, this was WHRI, and the program was ``American Independence Hour/Financial Survival, Alfred Adask & Melody Cedarstrom``. This is a strange one-hour-only transmission on 6125, and this show airs only on Thu, Fri and Sat. I expect Alfred had some numerological objexion to being broadcast on 7315. Let`s see: 7+3+1+5 = 16, and if you add 650 to that, you know what happens! The WHR frequency schedule shows 7315 in use instead during the 0600 hour other days of the week; yet the WHR program schedule shows some other shows occupying the 0600 hour on 6125 Sun-Wed. Just another example of self-contradixon at WHR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. [continued from AUSTRALIA on 120m:] In fact, between 1700 and 1830, there were some remarkable reception conditions, with WTJC also coming in excellent on 9370 (Christopher Lewis, England, Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. U.S. X-BAND AT A GLANCE - JANUARY 2006 COMPILED BY TONY KING, GREYTOWN, NEW ZEALAND Send corrections or updates to broadcast.dx @ radiodx.com [Updates originally in bold are shown here between * and *] 1610 CHHA Toronto ON Rel Spanish, *Ethnic* [still missing Montreal on 1610] 1620 WHLY South Bend IN "WHLY AM 1620" Standards *``Radio Hollywood``* KOZN Bellevue NE "ESPN 1620 Omaha's 'The Zone" WTAW College Station TX 'Newstalk 16-20 WTAW' Takes 'USA Radio News' & C-to-C AM KBLI Blackfoot ID Spanish, sports ESPN Radio KYIZ Renton WA Urban, *r&b, hip-hop* // KRIZ "Z Twins" KSMH West Sacramento, CA Rel. ETWN Catholic. "KSMH West Sacramento" WNRP Gulf Breeze FL C & W ``Classic Country AM 1620 Gulf Breeze" WDHP St Croix, US Virgin Islands Carries BBC WS until after 0700, otherwise b2b music [but see VIRGIN ISLANDS US] 1630 KCJJ Iowa City IA Hot AC "16-30 KCJJ" KRND Fox Farm WY SS ID 'La Grande 1630" KKGM Ft Worth/Dallas TX Rel. *Southern Gospel* WRDW Augusta GA Talk/Sport 'Newstalk 1630" [XEUT Tijuana still missing from this listing] 1640 WKSH Sussex WI Disney "AM 1640 WKSH Sussex-Milwaukee" KDZR Lake Oswego OR Disney 'KDZR Radio Disney Portland" "AM 1640 KDZR" KDIA Vallejo CA Talk/religious/life issues WTNI Biloxi MS ``Talk Radio 1640 WTNI Biloxi" KFXY Enid OK "Fox Sports radio 1640 KFXY Enid-Oklahoma" KBJA Sandy UT SS/Radio Latina. EE ID on hour 1650 WHKT Portsmouth VA Disney. ``AM1650 WHKT Portsmouth, Radio Disney`` KHRO El Paso TX Modern Rock "Hero Rock 1650" KCNZ Cedar Falls IA *Talk, Fox Sports* "The Fan KCNZ Cedar Falls- Waterloo" CBS news KWHN Fort Smith AR 'Newstalk 1650 KWHN' Takes C to C [xmtr in OK] KBJD Denver CO Talk. ``KNUS-2`` KFOX Torrance CA Korean/ English ID on hour 1660 KTIQ Merced CA Now "Radio Visa" SS talk. English ID "KTIQ Merced" WFNA Charlotte NC *sports, some ESPN* "1660 AM WFNA Charlotte" The Franchise. WWRU Jersey City NJ Korean (10 kW) [at night???] WCNZ Marco Is FL *religious Catholic, Starboard Relevant Radio* WQSN Kalamazoo MI Sports/talk ESPN KRZI Waco TX ESPN + local sport. News on hour/local ads :05 KQWB West Fargo ND *talk, Talk-Radio 1660* KXOL Brigham City UT ``Oldies Radio Network" KXTR Kansas City KS 'Classical 1660' WGIT Canóvanas Puerto Rico Spanish oldies "El Gigante" 1670 WMWR Dry Branch, GA News/Talk "Talk Radio 1670 WMWR " WTDY Madison WI Talk. *``Madison 1670, WTDY The Pulse``* KHPY Moreno Valley, CA Radio Católica Spanish Sung ID on hour. "KHPY Moreno Valley 1670" KNRO Redding CA "Sports. ESPN Radio 1670 KNRO' 1680 WTTM Princeton NJ Ethnic – Asian "EBC Radio" WLAA Winter Garden FL Spanish *``Alma Latina``* WDSS Ada MI "R. Disney 'AM1680 WDSS Ada-Grand Rapids" KAVT Fresno CA Disney/Spanish KTFH Seattle WA Ethnic/Spanish Rel/AM 16-80 KTFH Seattle *Radio Sol* KRJO Monroe LA Urban Gospel. ``Rejoice AM 1680`` 1690 KDDZ Arvada CO "R. Disney AM 16-90 KDDZ Arvada Denver" KFSG Roseville CA SS rel. and Asian. EE ID on hr "KFSG Sacramento" WRLL Berwyn/Chicago IL "Real Oldies 16-90" WWAA Avondale Estates GA News/Talk CNN. "1690 *Air America*`` WPTX Lexington Park MD *sports, Sporting News* 1700 WJCC Miami Springs FL Spanish/Rel/"Radio Luz`` French/Ethnic WEUV Huntsville AL *black Gospel* KKLF Sherman TX Talk // KLIF 570 "Talk Radio KKLF" KBGG Des Moines IA *CNN News* "The new AM 1700" KVNS Brownsville TX "Newstalk 1700 KVNS The Valley's Talk" & C to C. XEPE Tecate BCN *``Cash Radio 1700, Where Money Talks``; Spanish ID 3x an hour* (Tony King, Jan NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** U S A. The "mystery" of 1710 kHz --- It's being used by a lot of TIS stations these days. No licensed full-power operation there (Scott Fybush, IRCA via DXLD) Scott I've never heard of a TIS on 1710 before. Can you elaborate? The FCC TIS information page says that the TIS band extends from 530 to 1700. Searches of 1710 in the FCC databases turned up no licenses (Patrick Griffith, CO, ibid.) Patrick Griffith and Bill Harms may be able to elaborate further (perhaps changes of which I'm not aware?), but ALL TIS/HARs operate on a non-interference basis, to paraphrase. Information is at 47CFR90.242 Sec. 90.242 Travelers' information stations and the link (which I hope works) is http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=47&PART=90&Section=242&TYPE=TEXT To further elaborate from the above site, ``(3) Travelers Information Stations will be authorized on a secondary basis to stations authorized on a primary basis in the bands 510-1715 kHz.`` I've been actively involved with DXing/understanding TIS/HAR stations going back to the early/mid 70's, and while not an expert, it's always nice to see the area discussed. As for a station on 1710 kHz, I call upon our esteemed members in the Southern California area (Tim Hall, for one) to help my brain housing group: wasn't there a STA for a TIS/HAR to move from 1700 to 1710 kHz due to interference on 1700 kHz? As I recall, the station moved to 1710 with a STA and shortly thereafter, the FCC pulled the STA? (Mike Hardester, Jacksonville, NC, ibid.) ** U S A. KKOH [780 Reno NV] seems to be having some more problems. They are alternating between off, on at full power, on at some level of reduced power. WBBM is blasting in when KKOH is off, and doing battle with them when KKOH is "somewhat" on. WHAS/840 is coming in better tonight than I have heard in years. Wish it wasn't so cold or I'd plant my butt in a chair in the backyard and do some listening. I think the music on 780 is KAZM/Sedona...they alternate between adult standards and talk. I have heard them with C2C recently, but they seem to be the most likely music on 780. (Mike Hawkins, Jan 19, location unknown, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. Listen to KPRL Paso Robles CA 1230 this morning If anyone happens to be in the listening area of KPRL Paso Robles CA (1230 AM), tune in on Friday morning at 6:10 a.m. Pacific time. This is what you're likely to hear in the end of the local newscast: "The mighty 1000 watt blowtorch --- in Finland! It`s Friday --- and many times we like to end the week on a positive, sometimes unique and often funny note. This non-news report is just one of those --- but, actually, one of considerable interest to those of us who love radio --- and especially, those people who love to listen to it --- especially if that means listening to KPRL wherever you may be. Now, we know that when the sun goes down, it seems in the winter that KPRL sounds like, say, Radio Finland --- in portions of Atascadero, just 10 miles away --- or, like nothing but static in Morro Bay, first thing in the morning, until the sun comes up. Then, the 1000 watt blowtorch we know and love as KPRL is pretty much easily heard up towards King City and to the Cuesta Grade. But now --- we`re proud to say --- that at least for the moment --- the radio voice of the North County has a family of fans --- in Finland --- right outside of Helsinki, the nation’s capital. And, no --- it`s not on the Internet. Listen --- it`s KPRL in Finland just a few days ago --- on the 5th of January --- thanks to a big radio receiver and a very very long wire antenna --- (KPRL dx 0119 Q: Doug Limmerick) While most of us sleep at 2 a.m on the West Coast. --- someone in Finland --- Mika Makelainen, had some idle time twirling the radio dial during her daytime hours --- and found us deep in the static and fading in and out of radioland. Our new radio friend is a reporter for the Finnish version of Public Broadcasting --- YLE television and has also reported worldwide for CNN on all things Finnish --- like reindeer and such, I imagine. Finland, after all, is in the news here --- about as much as Paso Robles is in Finland. We received a wonderful two page letter and tape yesterday, complete with family picture --- and it gave both Kevin and me cause to stop a moment to reflect on just how radio really does work --- even small stations in small communities in a big world. To those many of our home area --- we are very grateful for you joining us each day --- and we may not tell you that enough. To those who can`t listen to us on the Internet --- we sure would like to, but thanks to ``regulations`` --- it`s a huge challenge. And to those --- in Finland --- like Mika --- who were as amazed as we were --- our thanks for sharing a few seconds of who we are --- before we faded into the ether of static and noise --- for you to hear. And to those really into this kind of stuff --- realize that somewhere, somehow, out there in the cosmos above --- what you hear today won’t be heard on distant planets for years, yet --- and stargazers won’t hear from us for light years. In Finland, we hope to pop back into your atmosphere again soon. We`re out there. Somewhere. And we thank you. We come in peace. KPRL News time is --- 6:17." -------------- Check out http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/lem220rep.dx for details on the DXpedition when KPRL, among others, was heard! Can DXing be more rewarding than this? This will keep me going for a long time... 73 (Mika Makelainen, Vantaa, Finland, ABDX via DXLD) And congrats on your sex-change. O, just to be sure I checked http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/mtm.dx and Mika is a ``him``. And, whew, I had to replace 39 sets of 3 dots with 3 hyphens (gh) Neat stuff, Mika - congratulations! KPRL is a great little small-town radio station. It's in a wonderful Art Deco building that just LOOKS like a small-town station should look. The world needs more KPRLs! s (Scott Fybush, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A . WVNN Tentative now positive! The "Inventory Insert" concept continues to prove it's worth. After nights with virtually no reports of anyone receiving the WVNN 770 kHz test [Huntsville AL], the propagation gods smiled, and this morning brought news of loggings from Tulsa, Memphis, Florida --- and two very notable loggings. One is reprinted below from Wayne Heinen who logged the 250 watt station from Aurora, Colorado at a distance of 1043 miles and another from California at almost 2,000 miles! Tonight is the last night for the WVNN 770 Test, and we also have the KAVT 1680 kHz test tonight. [UT Sat Jan 21] Next week starts the WUMP 730 test. Best of DX to all! Thanks again to Rick Shaftan and Fred Holland for bringing us the WVNN and WUMP tests! (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator, Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter will be off the air for maintenance. (205) 253-4867, IRCA via DXLD) Viz.: Les, I'm in Aurora, Colorado; distance calculated from FCC coordinates of WVNN to my shack 1043 miles. Now here is the better part, I got Morse Code at 0059 ELT with the sweep tone! BTW this was my third night of taping so it is a matter of the right propagation at the right time. I will send an official report to you this weekend once I take the wav home tonight on my flash drive. In light of some of the nay-saying I've seen about the inserts and this WVNN test, feel free to re-post this to NRC-AM and IRCA lists if you want; more as it happens! Wayne Heinen, CO (via Les Rayburn, AL, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. KDZR 1640 khz Lake Oswego, OR Maintenance Test Date(s): January 29, 2006 (Late Sunday Night starts the test) Time: 0000-0100 PST (0800-0900 UT) 1 Hour Duration Test Modes of Operation: Normal Programming at Full Day Power/Pattern. 10 KW, Non-Directional Programming: Station will conduct one hour at full power to test transmitter components. Station format is Radio Disney. No codes, tones, or other test signals will be transmitted. There will be some potential for confusion with WKSH 1640 in Sussex, WI who also runs Radio Disney format. DX'ers are encouraged to listen for local ads, and station ID "KDZR, Lake Oswego, Portland". Reception Reports: Reception reports are desired via e-mail (first choice) and snail mail (only if e-mail is not available) Station would prefer to received recordings of the test (MP3, CD, or cassette). Submit reports to: les @ highnoonfilm.com Please put "KDZR DX Test" in the subject line. All standard mail reports should go to: Les Rayburn High Noon Film 100 Centerview Drive Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35216 Notes: Special thanks to IRCA member Mary Anne Sanford, KE7CGZ for arranging this test! ========================================================== KKPZ 1330 khz Maintenance Test Date(s): January 29, 2006 (Late Sunday Night starts the test) Time: 0000-0100 PST (0800-0900 UT) 1 Hour Duration Test Modes of Operation: CW ID's 5KW, Non-Directional On for one hour for transmitter testing only. Morse code and voice ID's. Programming: KKPZ 1330 (also Located on Mt. Scott, Portland, OR) will be on non-directional (normally very directional to the NW days) with CW ID during the same time. Reception Reports: Reception reports are desired via e-mail (first choice) and snail mail (only if e-mail is not available) Station would prefer to received recordings of the test (MP3, CD, or cassette). Submit reports to: les @ highnoonfilm.com Please put "KKPZ DX Test" in the subject line. All standard mail reports should go to: Les Rayburn High Noon Film 100 Centerview Drive Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35216 Notes: Special thanks to IRCA member Mary Anne Sanford, KE7CGZ for arranging this test! (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator, Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter will be off the air for maintenance. (205) 253-4867 IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. It used to be, back before the consultants told us that the average listener's attention span was too short to remember all four letters in a station's call, that the call letters were the station's primary identity. Now that most stations hide their call letters (along with the city of license) in a mumbled jumble somewhere near the top of the hour, I don't understand the need to change call letters so often. Oh, I suppose I should correct the above paragraph to read "to short to remember all three letters" because it was KQV that pioneered the non-ID name as "13-Q." Perhaps all U.S. stations should adopt a single call ... KLCD west of the Mississippi and WLCD east of the Mississippi, based upon the audience they seem to be seeking. Q, the K (John Callarman, Krum TX, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. Another heritage call on a heritage frequency/station --- *poof*! --- gone! This "creation" of a new format and moving an old format and old calls to another frequency ---- geesh, I sure hope it pays off for someone. WTWP AM/FM, a partnership with The Washington Post, in-depth news etc. etc. ZZZzzzzzz. Well, so much for the probability of catching the traffic reports on a frequent nature 200 miles out of Washington on my trips through that area, and so much for short, sweet and to the point on news making headlines. Let`s not forget heritage classical FM WGMS too. I guess the old saying good things must come to an end is certainly true (Bob Carter - KC4QLP, Mid-Atlantic-Engineering-Services of Utica NY / Elizabeth City NC, ABDX via DXLD) I know it's not a popular move among DXers, but there IS a pretty good rationale behind the moves at WTOP/WTWP. The key point here is that the 1500 signal, while it's a barn-burner along the East Coast after dark, does a miserably poor job of reaching the target audience within the Washington metro market. The transmitter site in Wheaton, Maryland, which made sense when it was built in 1940, is now a terrible place to put a nighttime signal that has a deep null to the north and west (protecting KSTP), since most of the population sprawl of the market is now deep in that null. Washington's also a terrible AM market in general, with rotten ground conductivity, very high levels of ambient noise and lots of big concrete and steel office buildings. You can't hear 1500 well, even during the day, inside buildings in downtown DC and northern Virginia. AM listening levels in DC are among the lowest in any major market, and no surprise - none of the other signals do any better than 1500 at covering the market after dark. WTOP has been aggressive about moving its audience to FM in the last few years, and the station claims that it was drawing more listenership on its rimshot 107.7 signal from Warrenton (40 miles west of DC) than it was on 1500. The move to 103.5, while it disenfranchises distant listeners, makes tremendous sense from a local perspective, since it puts the WTOP programming where most of the listeners are (FM), on a full-market signal with excellent downtown building penetration. Washington Post Radio on 1500/107.7 is, if anything, an afterthought in the whole matter. I rather suspect it won't be around for more than a year or so. It's basically a flanker designed to draw some audience away from the NPR stations in town, which draw very high listenership. (And speaking of NPR stations... I'm on WXXI 1370 all morning today. Tune in on 1370 or at http://wxxi.org from now till 9:30 ET...) We'll probably list it on 100kw as news/talk. It's supposed to be longer-form programming than WTOP's headline news on 103.5/820, sort of a commercial competitor to NPR, which gets huge numbers in Washington. 1500/107.7 is also the front-runner for Washington Senators baseball for 2006 (it had been on sister stations WFED 1050 and WWZZ 104.1/WWVZ 103.9 in 2005), so Sens fans - if there really are such things - will be able to hear the games across much of the east coast next season, which may be more than we poor Red Sox fans get. (The team hasn't yet renewed its deal with WTIC, and its flagship, WEEI 850, doesn't go west.) s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, Jan 20, ibid.) You mean the Washington NATIONALS, no? Though I think WTOP-1500 used to be the Washington Senators flagship before they became the Texas Rangers in 1971 (if not the flagship of the Senators team that became the Minnesota Twins in 1961). (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. On MSNBC Countdown Jan 19, Keith Olbermann promotes Glenn Beck from his Jan 17 segment [UT dates Jan 20 & 18]: But the winner, Glenn Beck, the radio talk show host to whom CNN gave a show on Headline News, calling him ``conversational, not confrontational.`` On the radio he had a mock contest to see which public figure was the, quote, ``biggest prostitute.`` Among the selections possibilities, Cindy Sheehan. Beck said, quote, ``That`s a pretty big prostitute there.`` Then his producer corrected him and Sheehan should be called a quote, ``tragedy pimp.`` Bring me back on camera for a second so I can talk to my friends at CNN, directly, the ones who gave me my first break in TV. Guys, about the ``Glenn Beck Show,`` from personal experience, maybe you should bail on this right now. Two simple words, Michael Savage! Glenn Beck, today`s ``Worst Person in the World.`` (from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10945721/ via DXLD) ** U S A. CHRISTOPHER GLENN PLANS RETIREMENT FROM CBS NEWS Award-winning radio news journalist CHRISTOPHER GLENN has announced that he will retire from CBS Radio News. A 35 year veteran of the network, GLENN was honored with the RADIO TELEVISION NEWS DIRECTOR 2005 EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD for Best Newscaster (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. ABC RADIO SALE ON HOLD AS IGER CLOSES IN ON PIXAR Don't look for Disney to announce a sale of ABC Radio anytime soon. We reported earlier this week that the bidding for ABC Radio had been put on the backburner while Disney CEO Bob Iger focused on reversing his predecessor's devastating loss of Disney's distribution contract with Pixar animation Studios. But the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the talks with Pixar are for something far beyond just a new movie distribution deal. Rather, it said, Iger is in serious talks to acquire Pixar for around seven billion in Disney stock and make Pixar (and Apple) CEO Steve Jobs Disney's biggest single shareholder, surpassing Roy Disney. Such a deal, assuming it's not very dilutive in the near-term for Disney shareholders, would no doubt make Iger a hero on Wall Street and give Disney a much stronger position in one of its most important areas - - animated feature films. RBR [??] observation: No doubt the bidders for ABC Radio are very frustrated, but they're just going to have to wait. The Pixar deal is the main event for Iger and ABC Radio is only a sideshow. In truth, Iger will be such a hero with shareholders if he pulls off the Pixar merger that they likely won't care whether he gets three bucks or three billion for ABC Radio. The latest we hear is that Citadel is still in the running for ABC Radio (and, in fact, never dropped out) along with Entercom, but that KKR isn't likely to win the bidding. But who knows what could happen in the coming weeks as Farid Suleman and David Field wait for Iger to turn his attention back to them (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** VATICAN. While trying to follow the new broadcasting paths of DRM, satellite and also DAB, Vatican Radio also sticks to the traditional MW and SW bands. And it`s time again to see what they will broadcast until march 2006, during the musical half-hour at 1530 GMT (not Fridays) on 5885, 7250 and 9645. On Sundays, starting on New Year`s Day, it`s a long series on African music with Bernard Ledoux --- of course, everyone who is not satisfied with the Top 40 won`t miss out on this programme! Thursdays, from the 5th of January on, just the same can be said for Music from Latin America, with Augusto Garay Gonzales. Mondays, on the classical music side, a programme studying the relations between the music of Ciajkovskij and Italy will be on the air from the 2nd of January until the 27th of February, and this programme is by Valerij Voskobojnikov (Stefano Valianti, Southern European Report, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Love that Italo-Slavic rendition of Tschaikowsky! (gh, DXLD) Revised B-05 schedule for VR in English based on printed schedule leaflet. Changes to Dec issue marked by * [gh excerpted SW only] 0140-0200 daily As/Au 7335 9865 0250-0320 daily Am 7305 9605 0300-0320 daily As/Au 12070* 0300-0330 daily Af 7360 0500-0530 daily Af 7360 9660 11625 0600-0630 daily Eu 4005 5885 7250 0730-0745 Mo-Sa Eu/Af/As/Au 4005 5885* 6185 72509 9645 11740 15595 1130-1200 Fri Af/As/Au 15595 17515* 1530-1550 daily As/Au 9310-ta [Taldom, Russia?] 11850 13765 1715-1730 daily Eu/Af/As/Au 4005 5885 7250 9645* 9755 1730-1800 daily Af 9755 11625 13765 2020-2100 Mon Eu 6185 (Italian/English) 2050-2120 daily Eu 4005 5885 7250 2000-2030 daily Af 7365 9755 11625 [sic, out of order or wrong time?] (schedule interpreted by Dave Kenny, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. Excellent on 1620 kHz right now 2320 UT. I checked the WDHP streamed audio which was in // with 1620. http://www.reefbroadcasting.com/ So WDHP programme schedule on their website is inaccurate & out of date. 1620 WDHP is definitely carrying Talk Star Network (at 2315). Though not listed on website it is streamed. It then switched to listed C&W programme after midnight (Steve Whitt, UK, Jan 19, MWC via DXLD) Steve, WDHP was running X-Zone from Talk Star Network already by the 18th - as per my log of that day (Jack Weber, UK, ibid.) Steve, It must be 1620 kHz where I've heard the Talk Star Radio Network recently. I was checking the channel around 0800 this morning, looking for a legal ID from WNRP, but caught "Talk Star Radio Network", followed shortly afterwards by the WDHP ID, though all a bit of a mix with WTAW in there too (WTAW has C2C). At this time WNRP was bottom of the pile, so didn't catch any ID that might have been there ;-( 73s (Martin A. Hall, Clashmore, Scotland, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 6-012: Checked 9340 this morning at 1330 and could hear AFN on the frequency in USB, weak but // 7811. Checked again at 1600 and can hear nothing on the frequency. I've sent an email off to AFN hoping to learn where this is transmitted from (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9340 -- I L G mentions Keflavik, Iceland, 10 kW, 9340 instead of 13855, nighttime on 7590. http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/ program: http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/afn/schedule.asp differs compared against http://www.npr.org/worldwide/shortwave.html 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9340 is a very good signal at my location in NW England at 1000 and Keflavik looks a very likely location. But I suggest 9340 replaces 9980 (which replaced 13855?) as it isn't on air. Frequency 7590 is also on air at 1000 in // 9340 and is currently very much the stronger of the two. 73 from Noel R. Green, England, ibid.) A few chex of 9340 here so far turned up only some digital mode (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for all your efforts, Glenn, in providing a clearinghouse for DX/SWL info. You make the toughest part of the hobby (relatively) easy. P.S. I LOVE your "Tips for Rational Living!" (Very 73 and all the best in '06 de Anne Fanelli, Elma NY, with a cheque) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ MADRID KID`S QSL COLLECTION http://myprizedqsls.blogspot.com/ Another online display; some really nice ones there. Name is never given, but seems to be Marty Delfín, ex-Caracas, ex-Puerto Rico (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see KUWAIT, NEW ZEALAND ++++++++++++++++++++ HD DIGITAL RADIO ALLIANCE LAUNCHES 264 NEW CHANNELS January 18, 2006 The HD Digital Radio Alliance has announced the first markets that will be broadcasting HD2 multicast programming. The initiative will launch within a few days in 28 markets with 264 completely new HD2 channels covering a variety of music and talk formats. "We`re moving very rapidly to improve consumers` radio listening experience," confirmed HD Digital Radio Alliance President and CEO Peter Ferrara. "Listeners will now have even more local choices of new and diverse programming. I think a lot of people are going to want an HD Radio for their car, home and office." This marks the first wide-scale launch of HD2 multicast channels across the country since the announcement of the HD Digital Radio Alliance. Member broadcasters will be responsible for programming each of their multicast channels and all HD2 formats are initially commercial-free. In addition, all current analog radio signals will also be available as HD digital radio broadcasts (on HD1 channels). Some of the totally new formats to be introduced in the first wave include: Viva La Voce (opera), Classical Alternative, Traditional Jazz & Blues, Coffee House, Female Talk, Future Country, Extreme Hip Hop and in-depth news. Also of note is the wide variety of new rock formats being developed under the initiative. A sampling of some of the Rock formats that will be appearing in some of the markets: includes Deep Cuts Classic Rock, Live Rock, New Alternative, Fusion Hispanic-Anglo Rock, Chick Rock, Indie & New Rock. The first 28 markets are: New York City, Los Ángeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Houston, Wáshington, D.C., Boston, Detroit, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Baltimore, Portland, Cincinnati, San José, Indianapolis, Memphis, Hartford, Birmingham, Dayton, McAllen, Tulsa, Albuquerque, El Paso, Springfield, MA and Wichita (FMQB.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) CLEAR CHANNEL BEGINS HD2 ROLLOUT IN NY, SAN FRAN. Clear Channel Radio began rolling out its multicast channels in New York and San Francisco; with Dallas yet to come this week and Los Angeles and Chicago launches planned for Monday. . . http://www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=8393 (Radio World Jan 19 via Bill Smith, W0WOI, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ KRAFT DINNER MACARONI & CHEESE AM/FM RADIO Somehow I missed this model AM/FM radio when it first came out. My old Monitoring Times and Passport managed to miss it as well. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7211907782 I think I posted this because it's lunch time. Forgive me :-) (Pete Costello, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could this be new Super Radio3, Toshiba style? Tweeter/woofer combo plus SW, what a Super Radio4 should be. So far only marketed in S/C America. although you can get one out of the UK for $31/40 shipping. I'd like to try Mexico if I could get it cheap, but I don't know where? http://www.semptoshiba.com.br/site_novo/audio/produtos_audio.asp?cod_modelo=386&img=gr# http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-38221097-radio-toshiba-tr-486-novo-com-garantia-_JM (Scott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It better be damn good on MW, since it`s analog, slide-rule dial, and probably not much use on SW (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ You know TA conditions are good when you hear Denmark-1062 on your car radio driving home from work! That's exactly what happened yesterday on Rt 6 in West Barnstable, MA 2250-2256 UTC. Noted with rock music and man in Danish pushing aside KYW-1060 with no trace of WBIX-1060. No way to eliminate the raucous 2 kHz het with the Toyota radio but you can't have everything! (Marc DeLorenzo South Dennis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, NRC-AM via DXLD) And, when you can hear Europe One 183 kHz on consumer European radios with their built in ferrite antennas! This morning (0030 Jan. 19 UT) was such the case. I was doing a LW bandscan with my longwire, preamp, and 2010. Europe One on 183 was as clear as WSM or WWL on medium wave here in Georgia. It was as loud and steady as the Far East Russian lw stations I heard when I lived in Hawaii. I tried, and sure enough, I could hear clear audio on a domestic Grundig portable, and a 1950's German Wega tube radio, using just their respective built in ferrite aerials. Europe One also heard, on the 2010 "barefoot." A great two weeks for longwave here. Three new ones logged since January 9: Poland on 225, and Morocco on 207. The Morocco signal in almost every night. Not bad for 400 KW. And I finally heard Iceland on 189, a major TVI harmonic frequency. Monte Carlo (France) equal at times to the powerful CLB Beacon on 216. As was BBC Radio 4 with World Service under beacon DIW on 198 kHz. The beacons lie in the same direction as Europe from here. No nulling I'm afraid. Regulars are the above mentioned 183, plus 153, 162, 234, and 252 kHz. I am shooting for Medi Un on 171 kHz [Morocco]. It has been a great two weeks for longwave. Try between 10PM and 1 AM Eastern local. This is what makes DX'ing fun! (Brock Whaley, WH6SZ, Lilburn, GA, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LONGWAVE DOWN SOUTH --- WHAT A NIGHT! At midnight local last night (Jan 20), Europe One was static free on the longwire/tuner, and lit up five LED's on the 2010 "barefoot" with no antenna. The amazing three weeks of longwave reception continues here. Signals seem to peak between 11 PM and 1 AM Eastern local. I kid you not, Europe One on 183 kHz (1640 meters) sounded as good as a local mw station. The best longwave TA reception I have ever heard. Equal to Russia on 1666 meters (180 kHz), and 1075 meters (279 kHz) when I lived and DX'ed in Hawaii. Since I use so many European radios calibrated in meters, and I am a longwave history buff, I will list last night`s reception by wavelength: Jan. 19 0500 UT hour All stations heard on a 2010 with longwire and tuner. Also all stations heard on a WEGA tube radio (1950's) and the longwire/tuner. Europe One and Luxembourg could be heard on European portable consumer radios with no external antenna. 1960-meters-Algeria-Arabic-Fair-153 kHz 1852-meters-France-French-Very Good-162 kHz 1640 meters-Germany-French-Excellent-183 kHz 1587 meters-Iceland-Icelandic-Poor with TV oscillator harmonic on 1588 meters-189 kHz 1515 meters-United Kingdom-Poor under super power "DIW" beacon-198 kHz 1450 meters-Morocco-Arabic-Good-207 kHz 1388 meters-France-French-Monte Carlo studio. Over super power "CLB" beacon-216 kHz 1333 meters-Poland-Polish-Weak-225 kHz 1282 meters-Luxembourg-French-Very Good-234 kHz 1190 meters-Algeria-French-Good-252 kHz (Germany-1960m, 1650m, 1450m, and Ireland 1190m, all heard before, but absent last night.) I am going to connect the CD burner to the 2010 through an audio preamp to boost the 2010's low line out into the recorder. I want to record the strong reception of Europe One if it ever reaches the strength it did last night. I have made a few outstanding longwave airchecks on mini-disc, but the portable mini disk recorder adds "beeps" to the reception and the recording. I guess some logic circuit in the MD recorder falls within the long wave band. Has anyone else noticed this? Regards and good DX, (Brock Whaley, WH6SZ (We Have 6 Zenith Superheterodynes) Lilburn, GA, Jan 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Besides their nostalgia value, the trouble with metres on LW & MW especially is their imprecision. Starting with which conversion factor do you use --- 300 even, or 298.something, closer to the true speed of light in a vacuum --- but skywave propagation is only partly in a vacuum (gh, DXLD) GEOMAGNETIC INDICES - GEOI Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary December 28 2005 through January 18 2006 Tabulated from daily email status Date Flux A K Space Wx Au 12/28 92 14 4 minor 7 29 89 14 3 minor 8 30 90 10 1 no storms 6 12/31 90 7 x x x 1/ 1 87 13 1 no storms 8 2 87 4 x x 1 3 85 5 1 no storms 1 4 85 2 x x x 5 84 1 0 no storms 5 6 83 3 0 no storms 5 7 82 9 1 no storms 6 8 79 6 2 no storms 6 10 x x x x x 11 78 1 x x x 12 77 2 1 x 5 13 77 2 1 no storms x 14 77 2 2 no storms x 15 77 2 1 no storms x 16 81 4 2 no storms 6 17 84 14 2 no storms 4 1/18 83 8 1 no storms 6 ********************************************************************** (IRCA Soft DX Monitor Jan 21 via DXLD) ###