DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-092, June 26, 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 NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRING OF WORLD OF RADIO 1319: Wed 0930 WWCR1 9985 Complete schedule including non-SW stations and audio links: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.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 DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS June 27: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN. (Update). Mika, OH6MKL, is now active as T66T until the end of July. Suggested frequencies are: CW - 1820, 3520, 7020, 10120, 14020, 18090, 21020, 24900 and 28020 SSB - 1880, 3680, 7080, 14180, 18150, 21250, 24980 and 28495 He was heard this past week on 30 meters between 1700-2100z and on 20 meters CW between 1400-1700z. QSL via OH6MKL (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 June 26 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 11665, R. Solh via Dhabbaya, *0200-0215, June 20, Vernacular, Pop-like instrumental at sign-on. Various announcers over and between musical bits. ID at 0214. Fair/poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverages, MLB-1, DTS-4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. 11765, KNLS, 1051-1059, June 23, English/Mandarin, YL in English re festival where the participants douse one another with water, OM with Mandarin translation. Music at 1055, YL in Mandarin with contact info. Wiped out at 1059 by 11760-Cuba IS. Fair/poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverages, MLB-1, DTS-4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. 6115, R. Tirana, *0229-0239, June 24, English, abrupt sign-on with ID, frequency schedule. YL with news re Albanian politics. Poor with weak, muffled audio. // 7445 not any better (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverages, MLB-1, DTS-4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA [non]. 9710, R. Algiers via U.K., 2103-2120, June 23, Arabic, Call to prayer at tune-in, OM with presumed frequency schedule (sure sounded like "kilohertz" being frequently mentioned). Call to prayer bits between OM with talk. Caught mention of "...al-Kareem"; presumably the "Idha'atu Qur`an al-Kareem" Holy Ko'ran Radio ID reported by Dave Kernick; at 2111, followed by Kor`an chanting. OM with (presumed) program intro at 2118. Good. // 7150-fair (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverages, MLB-1, DTS-4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7260, ENGLAND, Radio Algerienne via Rampisham, Jun 24, *0400-0503 in Arabic, instrumental music opening followed by a woman announcer with ID and opening announcements. Program of Arabic language talks, music and Qur`an recitations. Fair to good signal. // 9540 (Woofferton) was Poor to fair (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6214.1, 8.6 0230, Radio Baluarte på portugisisk, musik og annonceringer. S/off 0258 UT. 24332 SHN (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, SW Bulletin June 25 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. WORLD-WIDE INTEREST GROWS FOR MARCONI CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS The Marconi Centenary Celebrations scheduled for July 12th between Geelong Amateur Radio Club, Victoria and North-west Tasmania Amateur Radio Interest Group, Tasmania marking 100 years since the first wireless transmissions across open water in the Southern Hemisphere, is generating a lot of interest around the world. We can now tell you the operating frequencies of the two special event stations. VI3MC in Queenscliff, Victoria and VI7MC in Devonport, Tasmania, plan to be on the air from the 12 to 16 July. They will be operating on 20, 40, and 80 metres. around the following frequencies depending on QRM and usage. We will try to have the other station very adjacent, say, 5 kHz away. 20 metres 14170 (plus/minus) 40 metres 7100 (plus/minus) 80 metres 3570 (plus/minus) As well, VI7MC can be contacted on IRLP node 6616. (EchoIRLP Node 152375). An attractive QSL card will be available. We would like to receive messages from groups interested in Marconi, to broadcast on the 12th. These can be sent as an MP3 file via email to nwtarig @ spamex.com or on CD or tape by post to: 177 Best St., Devonport, 7310 Tasmania. Other means are by way of IRLP node 6616 or EchoLink 152375 (VK7AX-R). Tony, VK7AX can then record them for replay on the 12th. There will be more exciting news about the Marconi Celebrations in the next WIA News bulletin. Source: Wireless Institute of Australia via Southgate Amateur Radio Club (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADTEL --- The Radtel Network provides travellers who are out of normal mobile telephone range with access to the fixed and mobile telephone systems through its five HF bases strategically based around mainland Australia. North West Base (NWB) Derby WA VLI606 3760 5105 8160 11450 16104.5 North Eastern Base (NEB) Charters Towers QLD VNG914 3760 5105 8160 11450 16104.5 Eastern Base (EAB) Dudley NSW (Near Newcastle) VNN777 3760 5105 6910 8160 11487 14622 Western Base (WAB) Wyalkatchem WA (160 km NE of Perth) VLI607 3760 6910 8160 11487 14622 Central Base 1 (CAB1) Ti Tree NT (175 km N of Alice Springs) VKD868 8083 12211.5 Central Base 2 (CAB2) Alice Springs NT VLD450 3760 5744 15968 This network is one of those set up since the demise of the land mobile service previously provided by Telstra Maritime. Radtel bases are monitored at all times however subscribers to the service may access the domestic phone network by direct dial. Subscribers are advised to make a ‘beacon’ call prior to calling to find out which base/frequency will provide best communication. Selcal access is available if required. Access also to the RFDS or VKS737 networks. Overall cost of this system to subscribers is substantially less than satellite phone services. When direct dialled calls are being terminated, it appears the called party has to press a couple of keys to deactivate the base transmitter. Suitable transceivers are available from Barrett or Codan for use on this net. Subscribers are advised that best communication conditions are during daylight hours as problems caused by overseas interference are avoided. However, the lower frequency 3760 kHz is common to all geographical areas (UTILITY DX, A section for members interested in utility stations, logs and news. EDITED BY ALLEN FOUNTAIN, July Australian DX News via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Report from Florida --- Bolivia Survey -Banda Tropical- 21 Junio 2006 Bob Wilkner - Pompano Beach, Florida. NRD 535 746Pro R75 Emisoras de Bolivia ``logged`` en junio en La Florida del sur. Cualquier comentario y ``logs`` adicionales recibidos aquí serán muy apreciados. Logs from 01 to 21 June. Corrections and additions appreciated! 3310.05 Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba, 0000 to 0100, 0900 21 June 3390.29t Emisoras Camargo, Camargo, 0000 to 0020 very weak / muy débil. 21 June 4409.838 Radio Eco, Reyes, 0016 to 0035, 21 June. 4449.90t to 4450.00 Estación Frontera, Cobija, Pando, 0955 to 1020, 21 June, per log in ADXN for July. Cataract Dam Dxpedition. 4498.075 R. Estambul, Guyaramerín, 1020, 21 June. Weak / débil 4545.39v Radio Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza. under CODAR, interferencia de CODAR, 0000 to 0045 21 June. 0120 to 0130 17 June con interferencia de CODAR! 4555.265t Radio Paitití, Guayaramerín, Depto. Beni 0000 to 0020, very weak / muy debíl, 21 June 4650.2 R. Santa Ana, Santa Ana del Yacuma, 1030 weak/débil 7 June 4716.70v R. Yura, Yura 0930 21 June. Fuerte! Todos los dias! Strong signal every day 1000 to 1030. 0120 to 0130 16 June. 4781.35 Radio Tacana, Tumupasa, Iturralde, 1015 to 1023 11 June 4796.42v R. Mallku, Uyuni *0900 to 0930 sign on, Fuerte! Todos los días! Strong signal every day 1000 to 1030. 4844.47 R. Norteño, Canaviri 1030, 5 June. 4865 R. Centenario, Santa Cruz de la Sierra. No Logs, Nada! 4901.927 R. San Miguel, Riberalta. ``Buenos Dias ...Radio Sán Miguel``. Fuerte! Todos los días! Strong signal every day 0920 to 1030. 5580.2 R. San José, San José de Chiquitos, 0026 to 0045 on 27 June; 0940 18 June 5680.736 Radio La Voz del Campesino, Sipe Sipe, 0925 poor signal/ débil 21 June, 0840 on 20 June (via SW Bulletin June 25 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. RADIO CLUBE DE MARÍLIA --- Depois de muito tempo a Rádio Clube de Marília voltou a ser ouvida em 3235 kHz, informa Renato Uliana, Guarulhos-SP que a ouviu em 20 de Junho às 0450 UT. Esta frequencia há algum tempo vem sendo utilizada pela Rádio Guarujá Paulista através dos transmissores em Marília (@tividade DX June 26 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Diversos radioescutas e ouvintes estão preocupados com a ausência da Rádio Inconfidência, de Belo Horizonte, na freqüência de 6010 kHz. Temem que o governo mineiro esteja desmantelando aquela tradicional emissora. Desde Vila Velha (ES), Paulo Cabral comenta que a Inconfidência ``pode estar abandonada``, já que nem seu site funciona nos últimos dias. Entretanto, de Belo Horizonte (MG), Jaime Soares informa que a emissora está trocando as válvulas do transmissor de 49 metros. Em breve, segundo ele, vai voltar ao ar. Foi o que um funcionário dos transmissores da emissora disse a Soares. De Varginha (MG), Bruno Caldeira agrega que os telefones da emissora para contatos dos ouvintes são os seguintes: 31 3297-7344 e 31 3297-5803. BRASIL – Ao que tudo indica, o sinal da Rádio Globo, do Rio de Janeiro (RJ), sumiu da freqüência de 11805 kHz. Isso em plena Copa do Mundo. Pelo menos foi o que o colunista constatou, em 25 de junho, por volta de 1820. BRASIL – Ao que tudo indica, a Rádio Guarujá Paulista, de Guarujá (SP), desfez a parceria com a Rádio Clube, de Marília (SP), sobre o uso da freqüência de 3235 kHz. Conforme monitoria de Reinaldo Gomes, desde Altamira do Paraná (PR), a Clube foi ouvida, em 21 de junho, às 2345, naquele canal, quando transmitia o programa Show da Noite. BRASIL – A Rádio Guarujá Paulista, de Guarujá (SP), foi sintonizada, pelo colunista, durante miniexpedição DX, realizada em Viamão (RS), em 17 de junho, às 2013, pela freqüência de 3385 kHz. Na ocasião, a estação da Baixada Santista estava em cadeia com a Rádio Gaúcha, pela Copa do Mundo. José Aldo Pinheiro narrava o jogo entre Itália e Estados Unidos. Confira alguns detalhes do jogo acessando: http://blog.romais.jor.br/2006/06/21/dx-camp-guaruja-paulista-em- cadeia-com-a-gaucha-nacopa-do-mundo/ BRASIL – Em alguns lugares do Brasil, as emissoras Novas de Paz, de Curitiba (PR), e CBN Anhangüera, de Goiânia (GO), chegam praticamente juntas, impossibilitando ao ouvinte compreender o que emitem pela freqüência de 6080 kHz. É o que relata Bruno Caldeira, de Varginha (MG). Segundo ele, as estações possuem potência, autorizada pela Anatel, praticamente igual. BRASIL – A Rádio Clube Paranaense, de Curitiba (PR), permanece inativa na freqüência de 9725 kHz. Pode ser sintonizada apenas em 6040 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 26 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Are there ever any local ads on CBC affiliates? Local news? Anything to distinguish one from another (save for the obvious things like time zone and schedules)? (Matt Sittel, NE, WTFDA via DXLD) There is a difference between "CBC affiliates" and "CBC owned". CBC affiliates (CKPR, CHEX, etc) have at least semi-regular local IDs. CBC owned (Calls with "CB...") now almost all lack local IDs except at sign-on & sign-off. The exception is CBC North. Local ads & news promos are the only way to ID. CTV-owned stations are like this now too. They no longer use call signs or ID. The few remaining CTV affiliates still ID. Global has started to ID with the main city or region again, such as "Global Saskatoon" (except for the Ontario CIII/CFGC stations will still just ID as "Global"). In the case of the CBLT rebroadcasters, they are strict relayers without local ads I believe (so, ads from Toronto). The only way to separate the Eastern time zone CBCs on 2 are by offset (Kearns is z, Kapuskasing is +). CKPR has a local ID. If you can't determine the offset, I would suggest logging the stronger of the two (Kearns) until sometime in the future when you can determine offsets and log both separately (Bill Hepburn, ON, ibid.) ** CHINA [and non]. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28TH --- A LOOK AT THE FALUN GONG What is the Falun Gong? Founded in 1992 by Li Hongzi, it is a spiritual movement whose adherents seek renewal through meditation and exercise, but it has gained international attention and controversy because of its persecution by the Chinese government, which has labeled it a dangerous cult. Tonight, we will look inside this religion with some of its practitioners and examine its role in China today. Our guests will be SEN YANG, chairman of the Mid-USA Falun Dafa Association, STEPHEN GREGORY, opinion editor for the Epoch Times, and WENYI WANG, a former researcher at Mt. Sinai hospital and Falun Gong practitioner since 1996 who was recently arrested for interrupting a White House appearance by Chinese president Hu Jingtao. That`s Extension 720 on WGN Chicago, webcast, UT Thu June 29 at 0205- 0400 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CUBA. More anomalies uncovered by monitoring the afternoon of June 26: At 2025, 13680 // 11760 in French. What became of R. Nacional de Venezuela relay?? Spanish on 9550 // 11800; nothing at this hour on 9505 and 15230. At 2030 RHC English on 13680 and 11760. Isabel García and ``Ed Newman`` thought it was evening. Since RHC no longer broadcasts to Europe at 2030, and English at that hour isn`t even on their published schedule, how can they think it`s evening? Also referred to this as the ``first hour`` of ``tonight`s program``, so this is either a replay of the NAm service last night or a preplay of the one to be heard tonight, with stale ``news`` starting with something about the CIA, built in. The 2030 English should be an hour long, but rechecked at 2107, 13680 had gone off, good news for the weak NHK Warido signal there, but 11760 remained with music and no announcements in English until 2030 when into French again. Meanwhile, 9505 had come on and was // to that, weakly. Need to check other times to see if Venezuela relay still exists, such as 2300 on 13680 [Yes, q.v.] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. July Australian DX news in pdf reproduces an actual Hallicrafters cold-war era ad captioned: ``Have you actually ever heard this son of a bitch? You can --- on a Hallicrafters shortwave receiver!`` I copied it in .doc and uploaded it to the dxldyg files (not photos) section. Please let me know if you can see it (gh, 73702, DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. 7110, R. Rebelde, Havana. Poor to fair, Spanish pop music and discussions 0315, 24/5 (Frank Agius, Niddrie Vic, Sangean ATS909, 15m longwire, July Australian DX News via DXLD) Do you mean Radio República (via Woofferton), or are the Cubans jamming it? (Craig Seager, ADXN ed.) Cuban jamming, unlike Chinese, does not rely on putting its own programming on jammed frequencies, so deniability is maintained. It would be even more unusual for the dentrocubanos overtly to put a broadcast inside the 40m hamband, unlike the fueracubanos for whom this is obviously no problem. And how many times do we have to point out that Rampisham, not Woofferton, has antennas suitable for Cuba? We have had monitoring from the UK confirming it is Rampisham, altho VT are RR are mum on the controversy (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [and non]. See FRANCE ** DJIBOUTI. DJIBUTI – A Rádio Djibuti foi sintonizada, pelo colunista, durante mini-expedição DX, realizada em Viamão (RS), em 17 de junho, às 1957, em 4780 kHz. Transmitia, naquele momento, músicas típicas e leitura do Corão. Confira alguns detalhes acessando: http://blog.romais.jor.br/2006/06/19/dx-campaudio-de-sintonia-da-radio-djibuti/ (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 26 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 4909.17, R. Chaskis, Otavalo, 1050 15 June with flute music solo beginning with the melody from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (Bob Wilkner, FL, SW Bulletin June 25 via DXLD) ** FRANCE [and non]. I just returned from a week each in Copenhagen and Paris. Kalundborg-1062 and the Swede on 1179 were about it daytimes on MW in Copenhagen. At night I heard Chinese on 1557 around 11 pm local time a couple of nights; presumably this is the Lithuanian. In Paris, the locals on 585 738 864 1062 1314 and 1575 were noted. A weak French signal on 1080 was also noted days but it was not identified. Paris is listed with 5 kW but that seems unlikely with 1 kW on 1062 also listed and at good level (we were actually about 10 air miles SW of the Eiffel Tower). 1062 had very erratic hours (a 4:45 pm sign-on was noted [1445 UT]) but the carrier was left on when there was no audio. Receptions were on a bare DX-398. All Paris FMs had RDS so were readily identifiable on the 398. They are spaced every 400 kHz (as opposed to our 800). In Copenhagen, it looks like the private FMs have a 160w max and share frequencies a lot so RDS IDs were elusive (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA, June 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** GAMBIA [non]. 9405, V. of Gambia Diaspora, via Germany. Noisy signal at fair strength of group singing then off at 2027 without further announcement. 2024 11/6 (Charles CJ [Jones], Castle Hill NSW, Icom R75 and 7m vertical antenna, July ADXN via DXLD) This went off the air at the end of B-05, and RMI broker Jeff White told us they might return in August or September [6-044, 6-045]. Meanwhile, a search on the frequency showed that Brother Scare used it for a few weeks via Germany during this time period, but no longer [6- 068, 6-070]. So is Gambia Diaspora back early? Furthermore, June 11 was a UT Sunday, and it had been on Saturdays only (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: No Diaspora back yet, as far as I know. Report must be mistaken (Jeff White, RMI, June 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Then what did CJ hear? Nothing else found on current schedules on 9405 during that time period (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** GERMANY. VOICE OF RUSSIA VIA BURG? The removal of a pipe mast at Burg was also covered by Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk in a regional TV report. Herein they made an interesting statement: "Soon" Voice of Russia will broadcast via Burg. No frequency was mentioned, so for the moment only the theoretical options can be discussed. One is 261 kHz, silent since 2001. This frequency is allocated to Europe 1 for a new German-language program, probably from the Saarbrücken studios of Radio Salü, their FM station in Sarre. However, there are no obvious preparations for a launch of this station, and recently unconfirmed rumours spread about Medienanstalt Sachsen-Anhalt losing their patience with them (probably because T-Systems said "we have a potential customer who would not make big announcements but just go on air at short notice"?). The other possibility would be 657 kHz. This frequency was on air from Burg the last time in 1991 and at least a few years ago assigned to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. But of course such assignments can be changed, and MDR Magdeburg contextualized the "imminent" VOR relays with the other pipe mast, clearly pointing at 657 kHz. On the other hand one should certainly weigh such words in mainstream media reports not too well. The TV report also claimed that this was at 210 metres the highest mast in Europe ever removed with explosives. Dismantling the mast piece by piece would have cost not less than 200,000 Euros, so T- Systems was of course quite happy about this alternative. Four video caps and, well, an unusual kind of a station sound are in the yg (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. ``Greeks Everywhere`` --- Congratulations Katerina, and welcome back at 10 p.m. EDT Sunday (0200 UT) on 7475 and 9420 KHz. The SINPO is 55555, loud and clear. Are you still on at 1400 UT Saturday? (John Babbis, MD, USA, via DXLD) Hello Babis, nice to be here again. Yes, I think I am. The program now is recorded and it broadcasts again at 5 am, Greek time to Australia. There is the frequencies schedule on our web page. I hope you enjoy the program. Let me know. Filia (Katerina Thanasoula, Journalist - ERT S.A., 25, Rodon str., Agia Paraskevi - 15341; Tel# +30 210 6531755; Mobile: + 30 694 2400726; FAX# +30 210 606 6309; E-mail: katerina @ thanasoula.gr via John Babbis, DXLD) And to North America! (gh) The other English show ``It's All Greek to Me`` is still broadcast to Europe, noted opening 0905 June 25th on 9420 12120 15630, 9420 and 15630 strong here, 12120 very weak (Mike Barraclough, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9420 best here in Copenhagen. 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, ibid.) ** HUNGARY. HUNGRIA. En el programa de lectura de cartas del pasado domingo 18 de Junio comentó que el futuro de Radio Budapest será decidido en Agosto, cuando sea elegido el nuevo Presidente de la Radio Húngara. La situación económica del país no es buena. No se tiene buenas perspectivas de que las emisiones en Onda Corta continúen (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Re World`s Smallest QSL card --- Received a letter from NC Gnanaprakasam at AIR Chennai confirming reception of "Vaanoli Ulagam" program along with the promised QSL card which pictures the Labour Statue at Marina Beach. On reverse side is printed as QSL-2 along with full reception details (John Durham, Tauranga New Zealand, HCDX via DXLD) What`s next? The World`s Thickest (or Thinnest) QSL Card! (gh, DXLD) Up to now AIR Chennai send QSL to those who are send the IRC. Dear Klemetz, Thank you for your comment. But I want to know that the name of your friend who doesn’t get the QSL still now?! Upto now AIR Chennai send QSL to those who are send the IRC. Here I want to mention that it will take some time to dispose, so kindly bear with us. 73's, (Jaisakthivel, Radio World, June 26, HCDX via DXLD) Dear Sakthi Vel, I have mentioned his name in a message sent to your private email address. Best wishes, (Henrik Klemetz, ibid.) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, June 25 (Sun.), 1001-1022, KGRE program #5112; idioms: on the ball and run with the ball; talking a lot about ISELP (Islamic Schools English Language Program), which helps train teachers in East Java. Aussie song: "The Boys Light Up". Fair (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. VOI, 9525, June 26 around 1340 was playing ``Under the Double Eagle`` march again as background to whatever they were talking about in Indonesian, but occasionally let parts of it play without talkover, finally crossfading it disrespectfully to an Indonesian ballad; later, gamelan music. Around 1355 cut to final news headlines, but collision at *1357 as Mezhdunarodnoye Radio Kitaya came on frequency with Chinese music prélude to their Russian service. No crash-starting here. BTW, I cannot detect any Chinese accent on the Russian spoken by these CRI announcers, unlike the ones speaking English. BTW2, ``Under the Double Eagle`` is not by Sousa as we are prone to assume, but by Josef Franz Wagner --- or was it Andrew Szabo as some site claims. Sousa gets the credit for popularizing it in his repertoire. BTW3, Sousa should be pronounced ``SOH-zuh``, coming from Portuguese, not ``SOO-zuh``. Here`s a MIDI of it I googled, for dulcimer, not the full orchestra version VOI plays! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. SW Festival in the World Cup Festival of SW frecuencies (as if you wouldn’t know: just a reminder) for today’s World Cup match between Portugal and The Netherlands, forwarded as a top of the line, starting at 1900 at Nürnberg. Although RDPI has not published it so extensively as RNW, this game deserves full coverage because the loser team will be eliminated from the WC, as sadly happened yesterday with México playing so well against Argentina and while back with Ecuador making a great match, in which England needed of a free kick by his master Beckham to defeat 1-0. Sadly BBCWS was not available not even on 17830. Go to the WRTH A-06 especifically for the non-publicized here RDPI frecuencies, to see how propagation behaves today, that IMHO ``están en la calle``. Yes, a tico saying for ``they are in the street`` when referring to something that`s malfunctioning or not working well (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, June 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mundial en SW, 25 Junio. 15:00 Inglaterra-Ecuador --- Partido retransmitido por Radio Finland en 11755 en finlandes y por la Voice of Grecia en griego por 9420. 19:00 Portugal-Holanda --- Partido retransmitido por Radio Francia Int en francés por 180 kHz en LW y 7315, 9790, 11995 y 13695. Por Radio Nederland en holandés por 6035, 9695, 9895, 11730, 17620, 15425, 15530, 15535,15540, 17705 (José Miguel Romero, June 25, ibid.) Got a terrible T-storm this Sunday afternoon here while Portugal was beating The Netherlands in the WC 1-0, at the end of first half and I had to disconnect all my electronics, preventing me from checking all RNW and RDPI frequencies in use. T-storms got away by mid second half and until the game ended near 2100, turned my TV off and went to check frequencies and RDPI were there with very good signals on 15560 // 15295 // 11945 and weaker and noisy 9820. RNW was heard on 17705M // 17620B // 15425M // 15540B and barely audible 13735Sac // 15335Wer // 15530Asc. Surprising signal was that one on 11730Dha // 9700F was OK but signed-on at 2100 at match`s end. So next Saturday July 1st the date is in Gelsenkirchen when England will be facing Portugal, another top of the line match with full coverage by RDPI but I`m afraid not the same from BBCWS (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) The England-Portugal match kicks off at 1500 on 1 July, and is the last match Portuguese fans will need to worry about (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, United Kingdom, ibid.) Raul - I really don't understand why the BBC is not broadcasting World Cup commentary on either World Service or additional frequencies such as RNW is using. There has to be spare transmitters at Skelton and Woofferton doing nothing so that doesn't appear to be a problem. I assume that it may be due to "contractural" difficulties - but apparently this is no problem for Holland or Portugal - or even Tunisia. If commentary from the BBC is not available on any platform overseas then it seems they have only paid to broadcast domestically. I can tell you that our domestic 'Radio 5' and '5 Live Extra' are broadcasting each and every game. It is broadcast on several 'platforms' varying from medium wave to DAB and all the latest internet and other gizmos but I assume that you cannot access their internet site from Costa Rica. By the way, it was football that Portugal and Holland were playing wasn't it? It seemed to resemble a game of Rugby at times! And our ITV commentators were beginning to wonder how may players would be left on the park by the end of the game. I didn't see any blood though! (PS : we will get Glenn interested somehow if it's the last thing we do!) Roll on Gelsenkirchen. 73 from (Noel R. Green June 26, ibid.) The World Service is not a service for expats nor is it a sports network. It would be interesting to know how much financially Holland, Portugal and Tunisia have paid for shortwave coverage; are the commentaries basically domestic service relays, are the domestic service football commentaries available via the internet? If they are domestic service relays in getting the coverage rights did FIFA take into account the fact these services were relayed via shortwave and charge extra? The UK commercial sports network Talksport have appeared on German DAB networks during the tournament, good publicity move and service for the fans in Germany (Mike Barraclough, UK, ibid.) I would guess that FIFA is at least as guarded about broadcast rights as the IOC -- and the latter is legendary in this regard. Certainly, the emergence of the internet as a platform has to have heightened that awareness. In this regard, it would be surprising if FIFA hasn't taken international access into account when setting rights fees. The fact that this coverage is in a language other than English might have served to make such fees more "reasonable" for some international broadcasters. I can't imagine what it would have cost the BBC to gain international broadcast rights on shortwave and/or the internet. But I would point out that while the WS is not a sports network or a service primarily for expats, it still does a considerable amount of sports programming, including Premier League football and Wimbledon tennis (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) Yes, I think that John and Mike are both correct in what they write. I believe it would currently be unthinkable for football to replace the whole - or even part of - World Service for two hours or more (the current games are "open ended" due to a possibility of extra time) and so something additional would be necessary, much like the former RTE sports relays. And what I of course forgot to write in my previous mail is that the BBC no longer owns it's transmitters and it would therefore need to hire additional ones at additional cost from somewhere. 73 from (Noel R. Green, ibid.) Surely Mike, BBCWS may not be a sports network. But caught my attention that when the British team made its debut against Paraguay on Sat. June 10, they were transmitting narrated excerpts from the inaugural match Germany vs. Costa Rica, limiting interventions from the WC just to comments at half time and by match's end. Same pre- match comments, interviews and soca music before 1700 that Saturday, when Trinidad & Tobago was about to face the Swedish team. I had to come out on this, as I have heard BBCWS giving full coverage to Premier League matches on Saturday from 1400 UT. The only explanation I found why BBCWS is not transmitting matches in which the British Football team is involved at the WC, is a matter of budget to face possible high coverage rights. Regards (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) I'm at work and don't have a SW receiver with me, but for those who can go checking what's going on right now with RAI and Radio Australia as the WC match between those two countries is about to start. So important it is as the winner team will get green light for the quarter finals. Hurry! Leaving now to watch that game. 73s (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, 1503 UT June 26, ibid.) Doing major coverage outside of Saturday and Sunday Sportsworld means other programmes have to be cancelled. I notice today they have Wimbledon coverage on their internet schedule but not at the expense of World News, World Briefing, Europe Today and World Have Your Say. To cover a World Cup Football game comprehensively, as has been said you have to clear two hours of airtime, though you could put in a short news programme at halftime, during the group stages and then be prepared, in the knock out stages to clear up to nearly an hours more to accomodate possible extra time and penalties. Is there really a demand for this amongst the regular BBC World Service audience, given coverage of the competition on other outlets. Given the size of the World Service's audiences and it's many FM outlets in cities around the world the broadcasting rights for all this would be pretty high I would think. And what happens if a major news story breaks while all this is going on? And what would be the cost/benefit analysis of, as has been suggested, hiring extra shortwave transmitters for a separate, presumably BBC WS, service for the World Cup games, presumably you would need several for worldwide coverage, i.e. how many would make the effort to tune to these one time shortwave frequencies, if they could be found and co-ordinated, set against the cost of hiring the transmitters, establishing a full time commentary team and buying the broadcasting rights (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) Don't get me wrong, Mike. I wasn't arguing; just pointing out that WS has done it in the past -- FA Cup Final, e.g. and just the way you described: a brief news bulletin at half time and before overtimes if necessary. Of course, that's a one-off and on a Saturday no less when WS is already somewhat less committed to its news cycle. I agree with you on the World Cup. Global English language rights fees would be astronomical and, given the number of national outlets available (XM Satellite Radio has the NA rights on radio with ABC/ESPN carrying the video rights in the US) would not be smart from any cost/benefit rationale. It would be nice to have access to WC commentary if one were in the rain forests of Borneo far from electricity or any local rights holder. But the economics no longer (if indeed they ever really did) permit it (John Figliozzi, ibid.) Holland: Andy can certainly clarify this, but at least years ago, when one could find out easily by way of 747 kHz, RNW relayed Radio 1 on such occasions. Portugal: I suspect the football coverage of RDP Internacional to be relays of Antena 1? Tunisia: Here it is anyway the National Network they put on shortwave. Deutsche Welle broadcasts no live coverage either. When asked about this by a listener they referred to their program format, saying it would be impracticable to cover full matches. No mention of rights issues in their response, at least as I saw it quoted some weeks ago. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) PORTUGAL - Em época de Copa do Mundo, aqui vai a dica da RDP Internacional! Até o final do campeonato mundial, a emissora leva ao ar, diariamente, o Jornal Diário do Mundial. Vai ao ar, entre 2230 e 2245, pela freqüência de 15295 kHz. A RDP, no entanto, não recebeu autorização para irradiar os jogos do mundial. Em 25 de junho, mais uma vez a emissora deu um show de cobertura, especialmente antes e depois da partida em que a equipe portuguesa despachou os holandeses para casa! (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 26 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Re 6-091: Well, I hope "Debra G" is right, but I can't help but feel that this reads as a non-denial denial. She appears to have interpreted the question not as "Are the BBCWS and PRI going to be removed from Sirius?" but instead as "Are channels 136 and 141 going to be deleted entirely from the Sirius lineup?", which is a question that nobody has asked. I'm quite confident that 136 and 141 will still be there come July 1 (or whenever); what we want to know is whether the content of those two channels is going to change or not. "We have not been informed of the reason behind the name change of those channels" leaves an awful lot of room for speculation, especially since there must have been _some_ reason for the name change (Aaron Dickey, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. FCC RELEASES GUIDELINES FOR NEW SPECTRUM June 26, 2006 --- Last week, http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=234723 the FCC announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on licensing and service rules for new satellites authorized to provide service to the United States in the 17/24 GHz Broadcasting Satellite Service (BSS). Now the commission has laid out the specifics for any proposals for use of the spectrum in a 65-page document. The FCC hopes that the new spectrum can be used for a new generation of innovative satellite services to U.S. residential and business subscribers, such as video, audio, data and multimedia services. The Commission writes, "The services will potentially include standard-definition and high-definition formats and, in certain cases, may complement existing direct broadcast satellite services. This should provide U.S. consumers with access to a wider variety of services and suppliers. Increased competition may also lead to reduced prices for those services and further technological innovation." The FCC also revealed that applications have already been submitted from DirecTV, Pegasus, EchoStar (The DISH Network) and Intelsat North America. The applications are described as "a wide range of system designs and business." The entire document can be found here http://www.hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/fcc-06-90a1.doc (fmqb.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) Or not ** IRAN [and non]. IRIB German service now revealed the site of their new, additional 7540, as quoted in the enclosed message from Uwe Volk: It's --- Sitkunai in Lithuania, and they are testing not only on 7540 but also on 9315 and 11555 (when? at least not right now). For the time being they leased the transmitter for two months; a decision on whether to continue will be made after analyzing listener responses. I think in the last few years no foreign customer used the Sitkunai shortwave transmitter, or did something slip by my attention? I assume 7540 to use a more northerly beam, since it is not as strong as 7330 from nearby Bolshakovo here (a bit stronger than Sirjan, but not as strong as one would expect a single-hop signal to be). (Kai Ludwig, June 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Hallo a-dxer, wie soeben im deutschen Hörerpostprogramm von IRIB "Wir und unsere Hörer" bekannt gegeben wurde, werden die Frequenzen 7540, 9315, 11555 kHz über einen angemieteten Sender in Litauen ausgestrahlt. Der Mietzeitraum beträgt vorerst 2 Monate und bei genügender Hörerresonanz wird über eine evtl. Verlängerung entschieden. Auf 7540 kHz ist das deutschsprachige Abendprogramm aus Teheran zu hören. Viele Gruesse, (Uwe Volk, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, dxldyg via DXLD) IRIB via 11555 is - as reported soon after 7540 started - on air in Italian at 0630-0730. It goes off air at 0730 but I don't know if it is also used before 0630 for other services. I haven`t found 9315 on air as yet. I find it astounding that considering the large number of transmitters they have at their disposal in Iran (54 if I count correctly those listed in the WRTH) that they should rent another in Lithuania! I would guess operational costs come into the equation somewhere as they almost recently decided to close, or reduce, their SW operations didn't they? 73 (Noel R. Green, UK, ibid.) Hallo a-dxer, hallo Andreas, Deine Nachricht von Montag, 26. Juni 2006 09:02 Uhr Weltzeit (UT) lautete: Nichtdeutschsprachige Dienste von IRIB Richtung Europa. In der HP-Sendung wurden die Sprachdienste erwähnt, jedoch ohne die jeweiligen Sendezeiten. Gruß, Uwe Volk, A-DX via Ludwig, ibid.) Bekannt ist zumindest schon Italienisch 8.30-9.30 Uhr MESZ auf 11555 kHz. Liegen evtl. die besagten Nennungen der jeweils aus Litauen ausgestrahlten Sendesprachen vor? Zeiten könnte man dann nachschauen bzw. zumindest versuchen, das zutreffende anzukreuzen, da mit Sicherheit jeweils das Hotbird-Programm 1:1 übertragen wird (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) To check their Lithuania relay schedule, see enclosed TIME sorted IRIB schedule. Except 9710-mornings and 9875-2300-0100 Vilnius foreign services. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The attached IRIB schedule by time shows only domestic sites, not 7540, 9315 or 11555 (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Recibida QSL de Galei Zahal confirmando escucha en 6973 kHz. Informe enviado a Galei-Zahal Broadcasting Station of Israel Defence Forces, Military, Post Office 1005. Zahal, Israel. Demoró 58 días (José Miguel Romero, June 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9855, Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) via TAIWAN (presumed), June 25, *1030-1057*, in English; reading names and birth years of Japanese abducted by N. Korea (read along with piano music). Fair. All the programs heard in English this week (Mon., Thurs. & Sun.) had different formats. Nice to hear so many English programs (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: DXLD 6-090 - Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) & FNK --- Hi Glenn, Jerry Berg and I both question what is happening with the Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) and FNK schedules, broadcasting via TAIWAN. I cannot figure it out. When I listened to 9855 kHz. (*1030-1057*), last Mon., Thurs. & Sun., I clearly heard English and had positive IDs for Shiokaze (Sea Breeze). Listened Tue., Wed., Fri. & Sat. and heard usual *1030 (suddenly comes on within a few seconds of BoH), with what sounded like the usual Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) type of slow tempo piano music and was in either Japanese or Korean, but I was unable to ID the program. What is the FNK introduction music (IS) like? What days are they supposed to be on and has the new FNK schedule actually started yet? Does anyone have any insight into this? Thanks for your help! (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Japan, 9855, Radio Sea Breeze, 1030-1056 June 26. Noted a man in news and comments. He seems to be speaking English, but it's very poor and difficult to follow. Can hear him mention "North Korea" almost in every sentence. At 1045 heard an ID as "This ... Sea Breeze, from Tokyo Japan". Someone reported this was coming from Russia, but ID stated from Japan. Signal fair. Off at 1056 (Chuck Bolland, FL, http://www.orchidcitysoftware.com/IMAGE80.HTML DX LISTENING DIGEST) May originate in Tokyo, but site moved from Russia to Taiwan (gh) ** LAOS [non]. 15260, Clandestine, Hmoob Moj Them Radio via Taipei. Noisy signal at poor level with brief instrumental bridges. Reported language is Hmong. Off on schedule at 0257 after anthem-like music. 0250 5/6 (Charles CJ [Jones], Castle Hill NSW, Icom R75 and 7m vertical antenna, July ADXN via DXLD) See also NEW ZEALAND ** LITHUANIA. Is relaying IRAN! q.v. ** MALAYSIA. 6049.59, RTM, (Sibu presumed), 1008-1030 June 26. Noted the usual type of EZL music with a man in comments between tunes. At 1017 noted a conversation between a man and woman. Couldn't distinguish the language being used. Sounded Oriental. Signal was poor at tune in, but began to fade in to a fair level around 1020. At 1030 HCJB comes up and completely blocks the frequency (Chuck Bolland, FL, NRD545, dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONTENEGRO. On 22 June the UN Security Council decided to recommend to the General Assembly that the Republic of Montenegro be admitted as a Member of the United Nations. The Assembly is expected to act on the matter next Wednesday (28 June) - keep an eye on the UN News Centre http://www.un.org/News/ In their latest press release, the organizers of the "DX Festival Montenegro 2006" [425DXN 787] say that the all- band all-mode DXpedition to the newest DXCC Entity is now expected to take place from 20 July to 12 August. Bookmark http://www.yu6scg.cg.yu/international-dx-festival-montenegro-2006/ for updates (425 DX News via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. WORKING PARTY RECOMMENDS MAJOR CHANGES TO DUTCH PUBLIC BROADCASTING A working party looking at the future of Dutch public broadcasting has today published its proposals. The Werkgroep Andere Publieke Omroep (APO) - in English, the Working Group for a Different Public Broadcasting - says that the radio and TV channels should be commercial-free. The number of public TV networks should be reduced from three to two, and radio channels from five to three. To strengthen the news coverage of public broadcasting, the Wereldomroep (Radio Netherlands) should be incorporated into the NOS. These plans would radically alter the structure of public broadcasting in the Netherlands, but the working party believes they could be achieved within 18 months. The working party warns that public broadcasting is facing several major problems: increased competition with the arrival of Talpa TV, serious divisions amongst the public broadcasters, and the rapid pace of technical developments. The working party believes that sport should no longer be regarded as something to fill the evening schedules, but should be covered on the basis of its newsworthiness. The rights that NOS currently holds to the Champions League should be sold on to other broadcasters. That would reduce the cost of sports broadcasting from the current 101 million euro per year to just 18 million. The proposals also says that the Internet must become the third pillar of public broadcasting, alongside radio and television. The working party calculates that the two television channels will attract on average 22 per cent of viewers older than 13 years. That’s less than the current amount, but the sports programmes currently being broadcast attract a lot of viewers. The working party believes that many people who only watch a small amount of TV will start watching more public TV if the breaks between the programmes no longer have commercials. (Source: ANP) (via Media Network blog June 24th, 2006, 19:02 UTC by Andy via DXLD) Presumably `TV2` would be sold off to the commercial sector in television, whilst `Radio 2` and `Radio 3` would go the same way in radio? Can`t say I`m overjoyed at the thought of NOS getting their hands on RNW, but that is (of course) a matter for the Dutch people to decide (Ray Woodward, UK, June 25th, 2006 at 07:38, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. Radio New Zealand Sked Problems --- I was listening to Radio New Zealand this morning on 7145, at 1058 they indicated that transmission was closing on 7145 and to retune to 9870. They never did switch to 9870 and transmission continued on 7145 with news at 1100. I was checking 7145 yesterday for Laos, but it was of course blocked by RNZI. Anyone know if Laos is indeed still using 7145? If so, RNZI must be causing them a bit of a problem (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, June 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PANAMA. Re: Listado FM, MW y TV. Glenn: -- Odds are, this is 2600 MHz Multipoint/Multi-Channel Distribution Service (thus, MMDS), as is utlized by many Universities and pseudo-Educators in U.S. urban zones (GREG HARDISON, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. A drawback to the list mentioned in 6-090 is that it shows corporate names, not station names; address info is confused, referring to transmitter sites and/or studios and offices without mentioning which. This seems to be the WRTH default list. Another lesser known list, which helps relate the station name to the corporate name, can be found at http://www.cpi.com.pe/DIRECRAD.PDF From the date, one would think it is completely out of date, but it is not (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4790.24, 23.6 0220, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, sendte religiøst program fra Pinsekirken (der ejer stationen). ID kl. 0229. 23332 SHN (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, SW Bulletin via DXLD) ** PERU. Novedades enviadas desde el Perú por nuestro colaborador habitual Hector Alvaro Gutierrez, desde Lima: 87.85, Radio Fama Líder (nueva pirata o superestación, cambio de nombre?) señal regular, activa en las mañanas y noches. Escuchada el 17 de junio. . . Starting a lengthy Lima-area FM bandscan, in section 9 of Conexión Digital for June 25, http://www.conexiongra.com.ar/conexion.htm then archived at http://www.conexiongra.com.ar/Files/ConDig373.txt (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Re RIR, 6-091: Yes Liz, you`re right. Reports from Russia International Radio are hardly seen. But your posting was an invitation to confirm my previous comments about that tremendous signal they put into Tiquicia from 2300 to 0500, erasing co-channel RTG Conakry 7125. Not depending the listener on today`s tiny radio speakers, you can enjoy with a pair of decent headphones their rich and deep bassy sound, reason that has made of RIR one of my regulars. Altho I can`t get what they are saying, most part of their music is worth listen to. WRTH in SW Stations of the World section says its rated at 500 Kw from Grigoriopol. But if you go to Moldova (in International Radio section) they mention that the transmitter operator Pridnestrovsky Radiotsenter houses 5 x 1000 Kw. So who to believe? Unless they`re usually operating with half power for RIR. 73s. (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, June 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 6-091 Russian International Radio --- It is typical for many Russian AM transmitters (but not the mediumwave units at Grigoriopol) that the audio frequency range goes down all the way to 50 Hz, and I immediately liked this when I first heard it. RIR sounds especially bassy due to the audio processing they use already on the studio side. Actually they overdo it and their audio level is too high, at least on the feed chain to Germany, resulting in severe distortion/clipping. I did not note this problem on FSU transmitters (Grigoriopol, Bolshakovo, Sasnovy) so far; apparently there the limiter/compressor units bring down the level before it starts to cause trouble. And yes, the Grigoriopol shortwave transmitters are 1000 kW units but Voice of Russia books "only" 500 kW anymore. RNW even uses "a mere" 300 kW from this site. Simple reason: Nobody wants to pay for 1000 kW anymore. However, Radio DMR transmissions are said to be run with full 1000 kW. The same way Deutsche Welle is about the only customer who uses full 500 kW from Wertachtal (and 200 kW for DRM, as already discussed). Most other transmissions from this site are run at 250 kW. I think the IBB transmitters in Morocco (Briech) are always run at 250 kW as well (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOR via Burg? See GERMANY ** SEALAND. FAMILY VOWS TO REBUILD SEALAND 24 June 2006 | 23:15 http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveningstar/news/story.aspx?brand=ESTOnline&category=News&tBrand=ESTOnline&tCategory=znews&itemid=IPED23%20Jun%202006%2017%3A01%3A43%3A230 Sealand's royal family today pledged to rebuild its ``country`` - and to repair all the damage caused by the fire which devastated half of the independent kingdom. Michael Bates told the Evening Star the family would not give up its ownership of the former war-time fort and wanted to carry on running it. He was visiting his parents, Major Roy Bates and his wife Joan, the self-styled prince and princess rulers of Sealand, at their home in Spain when he heard about the blaze, which was reported in later editions of yesterday's Evening Star. Last night he was flying back to the UK to his Essex base, and hoped to visit the old Roughs Tower, seven miles off Felixstowe, over the weekend. He said: ``We need to assess the damage and see what has happened. Of course, we will rebuild it. We have done a lot of work in there over the years to make it very nice and it is a big part of our family and its history. But as yet we do not know the full extent of the damage or how this fire happened. ``I have been told it was fire in a generator and the generator room will be gutted, but how much other damage there is we will have to wait and see. I understand the fire tug was able to pump some water in through smashed windows to the fire, and it appeared to be out very quickly.`` The fire tug pumped a blanket of water over the structure all afternoon to try to extinguish the fire. He said there was about to be a crew change at the former gun emplacement - which is manned constantly - when the generator caught fire. He said the man airlifted off by a helicopter rescue crew from Wattisham air base and taken to hospital was called Chris, but would not give his surname. He said the man had inhaled smoke and was undergoing tests at hospital. It was the first time there had been a fire in the chequered history of the 932 sq yard mini-state, which was founded in 1967, and has been home to pirate radio stations and more recently an internet company. WEBLINK: http://www.sealandgov.com Did you witness the fire or take any photos? Call the Evening Star newsdesk on 01473 324788 or e-mail starnews @ eveningstar.co.uk second story: WITNESSES watched in amazement as a huge plume of smoke started to rise from one of the legs of Sealand - and boats raced to the scene. As the drama started to unfold seven miles off the coast, people watched with binoculars and telescopes, others shaded their eyes from the sun and squinted out to sea. Evening Star Felixstowe editor Richard Cornwell was with his wife Rachel on the clifftops in Hamilton Gardens eating their lunch when they spotted the smoke. Mr Cornwell said: ``It was hard to tell at first whether the smoke was coming from Sealand or a ship's funnel somewhere in the distance behind the structure. We rang a friend on the seafront who has a powerful telescope and he said it was definitely Sealand and he could see flames shooting out of the left-hand pillar of the fort. ``Then we spotted the fire tug coming out of the harbour really fast and followed a few minutes later by the Harwich inshore lifeboat. At first there was not much smoke at all, but it quickly grew into a huge thick black plume which then drifted northwards for several miles. There appeared to be several other boats in the area, but no-one venturing too close. ``The rescue helicopter arrived, winched the man off very quickly and flew back with him to hospital. It returned later and hovered near the fort for about 20 minutes in case it was needed. Through binoculars we could see the tug pumping a wall of water at the structure and over the top of it from its powerful jets.`` Seafront worker Bruce Harrison said: ``It was quite spectacular. The amount of smoke was huge and people kept saying there must have been an explosion. Everyone is always fascinated by Sealand and visitors often ask what it is.`` Factfile: Sealand Sealand was built as a North Sea war-time fort called Roughs Tower in 1941 at a cost of £1m. Its two 70ft concrete towers weigh 4,500 tons and contain seven storeys of living quarters. Visible from Felixstowe seafront, it was used for pirate radio stations in the 1960s. In 1967, Roy Bates, now 82, a wealthy businessman and former 8th Army Royal Fusiliers major, and his wife Joan, a former beauty queen, declared it as the sovereign state of Sealand. It has its only currency, flag, stamps, national anthem, constitution and laws. Over the past four decades the weatherbeaten structure has been the scene of many colourful incidents and its history is as chequered as any of the most volatile hot spots around the world. There have been at least seven attempts by raiders to try to seize it from the Bates family with petrol bombs, shotguns and hand-to-hand fighting. One German man was even imprisoned for seven weeks before receiving a royal pardon, and in the 1990s there was considerable concern after Interpol found forged Sealand passports being used to launder money from drug smuggling (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) This appears all very sad really. I had originally thought that the fire was restricted to the generating equipment housed in their shed on rear deck, this report suggests the fire has engulfed the interior of the fort. So it looks as if the blaze may have started on one of the original internal generators situated on the the top floor of each leg. The steel deck areas of these forts were originally covered in tarmac, both indoors and out, which could have assisted the spread of the flames. Now nobody from Sealand is aboard, I wonder how long it will be before the tower is declared as a dangerous wreck and disposed of by HM Govt. By all accounts they have wanted to get their hands on this place for years, ever since they demolished Sunk Head fort in 1967. I don't think Sealand ever achieved the business potential that had been hoped for, the condition of the fort possibly being evidence of this (Andy Cadier, UK, June 25, BDXC via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Re 6-091: She called it the "last" Saturday edition "on shortwave" -- it's 0105 UT as I write this, and I just heard the program. Katarina has mentioned previously that she will not be with RSI after the first of July; it's just Pete Miller and a Slovak guy whose name I can't recall (Ted Schuerzinger, swprograms via DXLD) In the mailbag show of RSI's German service the presenters use to put in frank comments on the situation of their station. Today they said: ``Our listeners sent us no questions anymore, only their statements on the end of RSI, at least as we know it. One can imagine the extent of the management's plannings, but one can realize it only when it becomes reality. In fact this will be the case very soon, but these days we are just way too much occupied by our workload, also due to the already reduced number of team members. The end is approaching us, making it difficult to sit down in the studio and speak to you via the microphone.`` Looks indeed as if it will be over next Friday (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ESLOVAQUIA. Hoy 25 de Junio se ha radiado el último programa de lectura de cartas de esta emisora; en ella se han limitado a leer las últimas cartas sin contestarlas como es habitual. La situación anímica de los locutores era de cierta tristeza. La despedida ha sido escueta y difícil (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WVUD ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Tuning across 19m, June 26 at 2013 found Brother Scare on WWRB 15250 saying that he is live during the 18-19 UT hour inviting phonecalls, on these frequencies: WWRB 9385 and 15250; to Europe/ME 250 kW on 9310; to Africa and beyond on 13855; to NAm and secondarily to Europe on 17815. The last frequency is new, reported recently tho I have not heard it myself yet. Guiana French? Yes! There is now a map at the bottom of http://www.overcomerministry.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=151 showing 17815 emanating from GUF and aimed toward NAm; as well as 15250 supposedly covering most of SAm but not NAm or Carib! And 9955 WRMI, not mentioned in his announcement, for Carib/CAm/NSAm. BTW, at least in the mornings I still hear a continuous noise on 9385 interfering with BS. On the website, 13855 is called ``Radio Juelich``, but not 9310, so is it from somewhere else? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And, more: 17705, FRENCH GUIANA. Radio Nederland, (Montsinéry). Checked for this one-day usage at 1800 on 6/21 only to find Brother Stair ranting away. But he was suddenly cut off at 1801 and RN appeared in Dutch. No change in carrier strength. So "BS" is on from Fr. Guiana, too? (Gerry Dexter, WI, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) At least testing (Ed. Mark Taylor, ibid.) ** SWEDEN. UPDATE ON SAQ TRANSMISSION SCHEDULE Opportunities to listen for Alexanderson alternator on July 2. The historic transatlantic VLF station at Grimeton, Sweden, scheduled several extra periods of operation this spring and early summer, beginning with a series of transmissions that took place in mid-May, continuing with another on June 5th, and concluding with the usual Alexanderson Day celebration on 2 July. Lars Kalland indicates two 17.2 kHz transmissions are planned for the morning of the 2nd, at 0830 and 1230 UT, along with amateur radio activity as well. Thanks to Todd Roberts for passing along that information (LWCA via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** TATARSTAN [non]. 9690, Tatarstan Wave via Samara. Very noisy signal in unID language. Comes on at 0610 at conclusion, presumably, of the news bulletin from Moscow to which all Tatars are supposed to listen, 0610 11/6 (Charles CJ [Jones], Castle Hill NSW, Icom R75 and 7m vertical antenna, July ADXN via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Among the threads we are not putting into DXLD but which appeared in the dxldyg is one about the ``Jack`` format coming to the UK, its merits and demerits in the US, etc. (gh, DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Discussion of why World Cup is not on BBCWS: INTERNATIONAL ** U S A. At 1600 Glenn Hauser's World of Radio 1319 aired, a voice of sanity when we started to think shortwave was lost to the kooks and paranoids [Pastor Buddy]. However, when WOR ended, WWCR played a commercial that sounded like a cruel joke about "passing gas" until it was revealed that it was an anti-smoking PSA for http://dontpassgas.com Then, the incomprehensible foaming and frothing of The Full Gospel Hour followed. Poor Glenn, sandwiched between kooks and insanely screaming preachers (RFMA June 24 via DXLD) Well, I`m all for anti-smoking PSAs, and refer to tobacco smoke as ``poison gas``, sometimes preplexing those I accost. And I have also been ``sandwiched`` next to FGH on WBCQ (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. I started listening to your show in maybe 1982-85, WRNO`s days. . . I am trying to make a children`s educational show on WBCQ, proposed time slot every Monday morning, 5110, 6-7 am EDT. I`ll want to get a plug on World of Radio, please. ``Someone`s introducing a new children`s educational show called The Old Goat`s Treat for Children, coming on WBCQ 5110 Mondays dawn, 6-7 am EDST or 1000 GMT. Please always tote a pencil and paper when listening to educational shows like Marion`s Attic, Rich Conatty`s Big Broadcast, and that new show`` My web page http://profiles.yahoo.com/KA2PYQ [caps or not?] (Fred Jodry, New Rochelle NY, June 3, by P-mail, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later: I saw it before, but profile page unfound now; he is mentioned far down on this page: http://www.amfone.net/AMPX/105.html --- gh] I don`t think WBCQ has been operating any frequency around this time, as they have to sleep sometime. I am afraid that 5110 at 10-11 UT would not go very far as that`s around sunrise, but maybe it would reach your part of the country OK. I guess you didn`t make it to the FCC. We certainly could use more engineers, fewer lawyers. 73, (Glenn to Fred, ka2pyq at yahoo.com June 5, via DXLD) I have a First Class license, now demoted to General Radiotelephone. I want my coverage to mostly be the near-half of the country. As it is, 5 Mc is like 7 Mc in the middle of the sunspot cycle. Wonderful. People badly derate my choice because they expect blind perfection from Mother Nature having gone this far, or of course they want DX. Not this Ragchewer. Now I`m going to do my, as it were, one-way, Ragchew on 50,000 watts. Although I don`t know my North-South versus East- West propagation to the last crumb, etc., I don`t have to. (Imagining what happens to a signal that starts in daylight, hits the level part of the bend ((2 layers?)) sees the layers disappear then encounters a single ((?)) night layer, and goes down, is a bit mysterious and hard). Having roughed my choice nicely though, I think the next step is to look at a fine, thin ionospheric discovery made in England in the Early days of Electricity and Static, hundreds of years ago. - And you can quote me but please save the occasion for when my show goes on. Here it is: "I shot an Arrow in the air, it fell to Earth I know not where;"! (H W Longfellow). My show is actually a substitute. Around Christmas, distressed with what Old Sol and a one hour bump was doing to my "Marion`s Attic" Phonograph needle overdose, I hatched the idea of inviting an old good friend in California who needed advertising and better customers badly, to think about running commercials and a bit more, a dawn rebroadcast on 5110 Kc to perfectly bring up his Eastern half of US and Northern Europe advertising: "Marion`s listeners are the best imaginable. They`ll be licking your wrist and you`ll finally shore up your troublesome advertising area for cheaps. It`s a situation you, Want, to be in". A delay and a sudden uplift in his business canned it. I hope someday though. Another problem came when Jade Jones gave me Tim the Tron`s number and Tim told me that the 5110 is a slopjar TX. The only DSB AM is the 7415. No "Marion`s Attic". Glenn, I sent 2 programs paid, to WBCQ in the mail Friday, 16 June. The first program runs a minute overtime, so they might have to air it at 0959 UT, if they decide to put it on the 7415 instead of the 5110. (`Tho 5110, planned). Reminder -- They`re Monday shows. 73, (Fred, June 20, ibid.) I just got a postcard back from A H Weiner. They`re putting my first two programs on Wednesdays, not Mondays (starting this Wednesday = 28), 7415 Kc not 5110 Kc, and the hour before your program [5 pm EDT = 2100 UT]. My first program runs 50 seconds overtime. I still have to convince WBCQ that a pre-breakfast-to-breakfast show for children belongs at its time includingly because I`m digging for other people and shows to open up the same time through the rest of the week, minus Sunday because Martha Garvin`s Musical Memories is way deservingly popular. And on Sunday, the electrons rested. My July 5 second show runs 59:55 so I hope they quick ID. 73, (Fred Jodry, June 24, ibid.) ** U S A. GOSPEL HUXTERS CANCEL OTHER GOSPEL HUXTERS Hi Glenn, new this morning (from Bill in Somerset, Pennsylvania): http://www.thepowerhour.com/news2/shortwave_announcement.htm June 26, 2006 --- Effective immediately, we are NO LONGER carried on WHRI. We were informed of this programming change at noon on friday Please no NOT call our offices to discuss this issue! All calls should be directed to: Lori Sarkisian, World Harvest Radio Sales Manager-(574) 231-5264 We are live on WWCR for the first & 2nd hrs on 7.465... 3rd hr is 9.985. The replay is no longer on WHRA and we are WORKING on WWCR for 3.215 from 10PM-12M [what timezone, pray?] The Power Hour http://www.thepowerhour.com Joyce Riley & Dave vonKleist (via Clyde Ickes, June 26, DXLD) Coincidentally as I was tuning around 31m, noticed WHRI-2 9840 was missing before and after 1400 June 26. Then on WWCR-4 9985, they were excoriating Mr. Sumrall at WHRI for having cancelled GCN programming on short notice, but would continue on WWCR. Put in a good word for Lori, however. Surely this is a sign of the End Times, they say! Power Hour has indeed been removed from the WHRI online schedule. 9840 is supposed to be on the air still between 12 and 17, mostly with house produxions filling the time, but no sign of it today. What is the REAL story behind this? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Divine intervention? (Even God Herself has gotten sick of listening to all this bleep?) (John Figliozzi, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The bizzare "Subject" of this news is misleading. The Power Hour is a purely political broadcast, and its content has nothing to do with religion. "President Bush said Monday it was "disgraceful" that the news media had disclosed a secret CIA-Treasury program to track millions of financial records in search of terrorist suspects. The White House accused The New York Times of breaking a long tradition of keeping wartime secrets." http://www.forbes.com/infoimaging/feeds/ap/2006/06/26/ap2841279.html The NYT has dismissed the President's words. But it appears WHRI is more attentive to this long tradition of keeping the wartime secrets (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, ibid.) Yes, it does, as in their invoking End Times as a reason for WHRI`s cancellation. Connecting this with the current NYT bashing is really a stretch (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KJES was coming in well June 26 at 1427 on 11715, only somewhat undermodulated. Instead of the usual kids catechizing, an adult was preaching, referring both to the ``Holy Virgin Mary`` and ``Yahweh`` --- what kind of Catholic cult is this, anyway? Interrupted at 1429 for ID by kid obsessed with whether anyone is listening, and zip code (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWRB broadcasts stupid lies, such as this: June 26 at 2018 as I tuned across 12180, some nitwit was asserting that Baffin Island is larger than Australia. Maybe on a Mercator map, you numbskull! World Almanac shows 183 thousand square miles for Baffin, 2966 thousand square miles for Australia (altho probably including Tasmania), i.e. Au is more than 16 times as big as Baffin. This was in something called the Neutra-Medical Report, from the Republic Broadcasting Network, whose credibility about anything is obviously in the negatives. It should also make a laughingstock of anyone associating with them, such as Dave Frantz; we can only hope that not too many listeners abroad will have heard this and other crap spewed by RBN and assume it is representative of America. BTW, I was using the convenient calculator available on my yahoo. N/A in this case, but previously I have noticed that in dividing some figures which ought to come out exactly even, there is a small remainder way down in the decimal places. So not to be relied upon for precision, but why in the world would that happen, with a computer, no less? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. CVC La Voz, Miami via Chile, 17680, Sunday June 25 at 1315 with yodeling from Hamburg, the topic of this week`s Mundo del Arte, which wrapped up its half hour just before 1330; the only program worth listening to on this station, and it has to conflict i.a. with CBS Sunday Morning and A&E Breakfast with the Arts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CHILE (presumed): Voz Cristã noted on new 6110 kHz. in Portuguese as early as 0400 and as late as past 1100. IDs as CVC and Sua Voz; apparently ex-11890. Their site lists as 0400-1200 to Brazil. But I have noticed mentions of Angola and Moçambique, and besides the Miami address I have noted a Maputo, Moçambique address, so maybe also targeted to Africa. Also, 6110 would seem to be a much better choice for overnite broadcasts from Chile to Brazil; 25-mb would seem to be a little high for nighttime broadcasts (Alex Vranes, Harpers Ferry, WV, June 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think they have been using 6110 overnight for this and previous A-season (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WRMI DX programs update --- Jeff White has clarified some things about DX program scheduling. The new times for WOR are in effect immediately, including Saturday 1230 on 9955; Sunday 2230, not 2300 on 9955; the Mon 0500 on 9955 is not being dropped, as I erroneously stated. Perhaps this will all settle down by next weekend, but the situation is obviously subject to change with little or no notice. I`ll try to keep the latest known info on the radioskd page. Info should now be up to date at http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html and at http:///www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio La Rosa de Tokio will not start until next week, however. The Sat 1300 AWR Wavescan I heard on 9955 substituted for Viva Miami. Aventura Dxista is Sun at 2215 on 9955, not at 2230 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WYFR continues to step on the BBCWS morning broadcast on 11865. This morning, WYFR's open carrier supressed BBC's audio to virtually unlistenable levels for more than five minutes, between 1246:45 and 1252 UT. Then, while BBCWS was in the middle of a promo, WYFR came on at full-strength at 1259:15, obliterating BBC (Mike Cooper, GA, Jun 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I spotted the four new 184' towers of KKOL [1300 Seattle, which had been transmitting from a boat] in a wetland area of property owned by the Port of Tacoma. A "conditional permit" for the towers and an 800 sq. ft. building was posted. The building wasn't up yet. Some giant cranes are about a mile east of the towers. The KHHO towers are about a mile SSE of KKOL's; both sets are about 5 miles from my home. KKOL however has 50 kW and I will be in their major lobe at night (30kw N as I recall). I am not looking forward to the move (to put it mildly). (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA, ICF2010 + Kiwa air core loop, DX398; Palomar loop, June 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) Pete: KKOL is currently shown as 5 kw day and night. They have apparently applied for 50 kw day and 47 kw night. Currently one tower day, two at night. Going to three day and four night. To see the current and proposed pattern use BCmap on http://tonnesoftware.com (Jim Tonne, IRCA via DXLD) AM Station Patterns on USA Map --- Larry Vehorn has pointed me at http://tonnesoftware.com/index.html which contains BCmap http://tonnesoftware.com/bcmap.html a program with data that plots all the AM stations in the USA Canada Mexico on a screen map. Choice can be by frequency or area. REALLY NEAT. Much like the old Mutual pattern book, but up to date. An excellent complement to AMSTNS (Bob Carpenter, radio tech list via Bob Foxworth, IRCA via DXLD) The BCMap program is free. Haven't yet looked at it in detail. Thumbnail image on the index page looks much like the NRC pattern book image (Bob, sent 0950 edt, Foxworth, ibid.) ** U S A. 840, KPMP Modesto, CA was testing today 06/24/06. Very strong here in Livermore (Albert Lehr - Livermore, CA, ABDX via DXLD) That`s the brand-new station to replace KTRB 860 which went off the air a fews days ago in preparation for move to San Francisco (gh) I was unaware of this station so checked FCC patterns in hopes that I might nab them via sunset skip. Doesn't look to promising with a day pattern aimed SE and seeming putting a lot of signal towards KXNT [Las Vegas NV 840] Night pattern aims most of it west and southwest. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) 840, KMPH Modesto, CA is testing at 1047 PDT / 1720 UT 06/26/06 with open carrier and IDs as "KMPH AM, Modesto." On Saturday 06/24 they were IDing as "KPMP, Modesto." (Albert Lehr - Livermore, CA, IRCA via DXLD) KMPH Modesto ID heard here at 12:15 PM (Art Blair, Folsom, CA, ibid.) The FCC has them in the database as KPMP. They probably used that for the paperwork, now they will switch to KMPH as they go live. FCC probably just hasn't caught up with the callsign change yet (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. KEZZ-1470 Estes Park, CO --- We returned late Saturday evening from an enjoyable week in Estes Park, CO. Enjoyed hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park (my wife and I hiked to Chasm Lake at the base of the east face of Longs Peak -- amazing view!) and relaxing with family. No DXing at all. To follow-up on an earlier thread, I did listen to KEZZ-1470 while there. During the weekdays at least, they seem to be locally programmed with lots of local ads, interviews with local officials, "Fair Trader" (local radio version of eBay ;-) ) and lots of weather/ road reports. Mostly ID's as "K_E_Z" during local talk/news with the legal "K-E-Z-Z" at the top of the hour. Didn't listen at all in the evenings but I suspect they may be "satellite fed". As best I can tell, the KEZZ tower is in a horse pasture on Mary's Lake Road on the outskirts of town. The signal really drops off 10-15 miles outside of town. Any logging of KEZZ outside Colorado/Wyoming will be a real rarity! 73, (Bruce Winkelman AA5CO Tulsa, OK, June 26, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. I was looking thru Mike Westfall`s online logbook from Los Álamos NM at http://dxlogbook.gentoo.net/main.mv?account=mikew&logbook=dxlog_22 and saw that he has grabbed KSSR in Santa Rosa: 1340 KSSR USA NM Santa Rosa - 26 Sep 2002 Lunchtime - 1kW/1kW (AR- 4080) (New - #69, NM #21) 0 o, does that beat my distance record of 123 miles from near Vega TX, registered at http://www.nrcdxas.org/GYDXA/1340b.html --- ? No; Mike is about 112 miles away as best I can measure using a Rand McNally atlas scale. And this must have been during the long silence on 1340 from closer Taos, which now has a new station. (Assuming Mike is an NRC member and eligible to compete anyway; he does link to NRC on his website). While I am at it, I see how far away I need to be on various highways to top my existing record for KSSR: Anywhere in the OK panhandle US 64, anywhere from Clayton to Ratón, except Mt Dora I-25, N of exit 446, S of Ratón I-40, considerably west of ABQ (unlikely on groundwave with KABQ 1350) I-25, S of Belén US 54, S of Carizozo S of Ruidoso, e.g. Cloudcroft US 285, considerably S of Roswell US 70/84, E of Muleshoe TX US 54, in TX NE of Tucumcari [no towns or exits on map for reference point] Naturally, a further catch by skywave in Enid or anywhere would be terrific. This is more of a Note to Self, if you will indulge me. Caveat: KSSR has been silent the last few times we have been in the Santa Rosa area, and may be kaput on 1340 anyway! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {For those who are not aware, I am obsessed with KSSR since Santa Rosa is my old hometown for my first nine years, tho before there was a radio station} ** U S A. IN SHADOW OF TEXAS OIL DERRICKS, FIGHTING TO KEEP BRAHMS ON AIR --- By DANIEL J. WAKIN Published: June 26, 2006 KILGORE, Tex., June 24 — In this landscape of oil derricks and Rangerettes — a renowned drill team dressed in smiles and miniskirts — a tiny radio station sends out a lifeline to classical music lovers in East Texas. It is KTPB, the station of Kilgore College, which educates the children of oil hands and other blue-collar workers. Now the college has decided it can no longer afford to support the station and has announced its sale. The new owner? A Christian-music broadcasting company from California, which will pay the college $2.46 million over 10 years. Full story at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/26/arts/music/26radio.html?pagewanted=print (via KB9NXD Michael A. Mathis, Mike Cooper, Bill Westenhaver, Don Thornton, and Tom Deacon, rec.music.classical.recordings via John Norfolk, dxldyg) Hope this NYT story is more accurate than the one about ``KRTS`` on the other side of TX. Why Brahms? Is KTPB obsessed with Brahms? Tho one of the greatest composers, and his Symphony No. 1 is among my top ten, there is much more to classical music than Brahms. Reducing the genre to the name of one composer is just too much. O well, it is a well-done story (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. WNRG, Grundy, VA. Besides the fundamental frequency of 940 kHz, have noticed strong spurs on both 926 and 954 kHz throughout the night, with 954 being stronger here. Here in Harpers Ferry in Eastern tip of West Virginia, 954 is often stronger than 940, which also suffers co-channel QRM. By the by, in last name both vowels are short, sort of rhymes with Janice (Alex Vranes, Harpers Ferry, WV, June 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. One of the webcasts I often listen to is Map of the World, a global music show from WVUD in Delaware, UT Mon 00-02; but June 27 I heard talk instead after 0000, and at 0045 check Insight Central Europe. Turns out WVUD is webcasting the same programming as heard on WVUD-2. Looking at the website http://www.wvud.org you would never know there are two of them, and the only program grid still shows Map of the World. You can reach both webstreams via publicradiofan.com, but no specific program info there either. Is this a reunion for summer, or a mixup? At 0057 this outsending of ICE proved to have come from R. Slovakia International, and at 0059 to have come via WRN as scheduled at 0030. So WVUD and WVUD-2 appear to have plugged into WRN instead of their own programming. 0101 WVUD 91.3 ID and back into CRI with RealTime China via WRN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WCBS and WFAN go IBOC --- The two big 50,000 watt blowtorches on 660 and 880 are now on the air with IBOC during the day. Oh joy! The noise on 890 and 670 is unbelievable. I hope they turn off the noise generator at sunset (Larry Stoler, location unknown, June 23, NRC-AM via DXLD) Larry, I'm surprised that CBS has resisted putting it on for this long. It probably won't be long before CBS puts it on KYW and WPHT here in Philly. They already have it on WIP. 73, (Rene' F. Tetro, PA, ibid.) MORE WESTERN HASH COURTESY OF IBIQUITY AND BONNEVILLE --- Hello all - been hearing it the last few weeks and wanted to confirm it. Bonneville's 820-KUTR Taylorsville, UT is now running IBOC. You guys wouldn't believe what it sounds like close to sunset here. I get 820- UT, 830-CA, 840-Vegas, 850-Denver - ALL running IBOC. There is so much hash it sounds like hash-fight going on and whoever is strongest at the time wins although none of them are even close to being clean because of each other's hash - so we're talking 800 - 880 is TRASHED. That's a big chunk of the band to be hashed. Wondering what it'll sound like when all stations are IBOC? There ya go (Michael n Evanston Wyo Richard, June 26, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. EL GRUPO CISNEROS ABANDONA LA PUJA POR UNIVISION, TELEVISA SIGUE --- 24 de junio de 2006 http://es.news.yahoo.com/24062006/44-135/grupo-cisneros-abandona-puja-univision-televisa-sigue.html NUEVA YORK, EEUU (Reuters) - El grupo de comunicación Televisa ha perdido un socio clave en su puja por la compra de Univisión, dejando nuevas dudas sobre la venta del gigante del mercado latino. Sin embargo, una fuente cercana a las negociaciones dijo que la oferta que presentó Televisa no ha cambiado, a pesar del abandono del empresario de medios venezolano Gustavo Cisneros, un importante accionista de Univisión. Cisneros dijo que su empresa Venevision Investments no participaría en una propuesta inicial para tomar el control de la cadena estadounidense con Televisa y otros socios. La fuente dijo que Venevision participó en las discusiones sobre la oferta pero no dio el visto bueno para la definitiva. El consorcio liderado por la mexicana Televisa hizo el viernes una oferta que cuenta con financiación y es mayor a la oferta de 35.5 dólares (unos 28.40 euros) hecha por el grupo de Saban, dijo la fuente, sin dar detalles sobre el valor total. Responsables de Televisa y de Univision no estuvieron disponibles para hacer comentarios sobre las negociaciones. Tanto Televisa como Cisneros son ya importantes accionistas de Univisión y quieren aumentar su participación, pero la legislación estadounidense impide que un extranjero pueda controlar más del 25 por ciento en Univision, obligándolas a buscar socios. Televisa es además el mayor proveedor de programación para Univisión, entre otros productos de las telenovelas que han llevado sus niveles de sintonía a competir con las líderes del mercado estadounidense como CBS y ABC. Una fuente cercana a la operación dijo que el grupo de Saban no tiene planes inmediatos para hacer una nueva oferta, pero que no descarta reiniciar sus negociaciones con la cadena hispana si las conversaciones con Televisa no progresan. /Por Michele Gershberg y Michael Falherty/ (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Interesante trabajo en formato pdf de 181 páginas que trata de la Historia de la Radiodifusión en Venezuela, puede descargarse en la siguiente dirección: http://www.camradio.org/documentos/historia.PDF (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. See CUBA; RNV CI was not heard June 26 during the 20-21 UT hour on 13680, but instead RHC in French and English. But at 2306 check, 13680 // 11760 in Spanish talking about República Bolivariana de Venezuela; the former atop but badly mixing as usual with CRI via Canada co-channel (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, R. Zambia, Lusaka. Afro. accented announcer in vernaculars 0526, noted around the shortest day for the last 2-3 years on this or the previous channel, 6265. A difficult one via LP from Australia and virtually gone by 0600, 24/6 (Craig Seager, Bridle Track Dxpedition, near Bathurst NSW, July Australian DX News via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. 11735, RTZ, 2049-2100*, June 23, Vernacular, Hi-life music at tune-in, OM in language, Hindi/Arabic duet at 2053. More talk in language between brief OM in AR at 2057. NA at sign-off. Fair/good. (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverages, MLB-1, DTS-4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hindi/Arabic duet, really? I thought this was all in Swahili (gh) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. HARARE PARTIALLY JAMS US-BASED RADIO STATION Zim Online Mon 26 June 2006 HARARE - The Zimbabwe government using technology acquired from China has been able to partially jam signal from the Voice of America (VOA)'s Studio 7 radio station that broadcasts into the crisis-hit southern African country, ZimOnline has learnt. Studio 7 is one of three radio stations operated by exiled Zimbabweans and broadcasting into the country from outside its borders after President Robert Mugabe in the last six years shut down all independent broadcasting stations. Harare labels the private radios enemy stations bent on inciting Zimbabweans to revolt against Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe's 1980 independence from Britain. An official in the Ministry of State Security, who spoke on condition he was not named, said the state's spy Central Intelligence Organisation and engineers from the Ministry of Information were now working flat out to try and completely jam Studio 7 broadcasts into Zimbabwe. "There has been marked improvement on trying to block the US propaganda (Studio 7 broadcasts) from reaching us since the beginning of this month. The team is now aiming to look for ways to completely block the signal coming via a transmitter in Botswana," said the official. According to the official, equipment to block Studio 7 broadcasts was imported from China last year. The government has been quick to use the same equipment to jam broadcasts from another foreign-based radio station that targets Zimbabwe, the London-based SW Radio. ZimOnline was unable to immediately confirm with Studio 7 whether its broadcasts were being interfered with. But the spokesman of the United States embassy in Harare, Timothy Smith, said the mission was aware of problems listeners were having receiving Studio 7 signal, adding that Washington had been alerted to probe the matter. Smith said: "We have heard of the problem of the Studio 7 signal and we sent it to Washington so that we are 100 percent sure of the source of the problem. AM signals can have a number of interferences which are not specific. So the investigations will tell us what the real problem is before we speculate. By Monday (today) we should be having a definite answer." However, ZimOnline understands that the American government is aware of the Chinese technology imported by Harare to disrupt Studio 7 broadcasts and VOA technicians are said to be in the process of working out measures to counter the jamming. Zimbabwe's Ministry of Information refused to comment on the matter saying in the first place it did not recognise Studio 7 because the radio station was not registered in terms of the country's laws. Studio 7 is a US government sponsored project to try and provide an alternative platform for a variety of views and opinions that are otherwise unable to get heard on Zimbabwe state-owned radio because they are perceived as contrary to the views of Mugabe and his government. It broadcasts on AM and on shortwave but for more than a week now, listeners have been unable to receive clear signal from the station because of the jamming by Harare. Studio 7 broadcasts in English as well as in the two main vernacular languages, Shona and Ndebele, enabling it to reach out to remoter parts of the country, inaccessible to Zimbabwe's few remaining independent newspapers. Zimbabwe has four radio stations and one television station all owned and controlled by the government. The southern African country, which has laws providing for the imprisonment of journalists for up to 20 years for publishing falsehoods, was last year ranked by the World Association of Newspapers as one of the three most dangerous places in the world for journalists. The other two countries are the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. - ZimOnline (via DXLD) Studio 7 is on 909 kHz at 1700-1830 UT only (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO PHILATELY +++++++++++++++ WATCH OUT FOR EXPIRING INTERNATIONAL REPLY COUPONS QSL Manager Alan, VK4AAR, advises OPDX readers that "they should be VERY CAREFUL when QSLing and sending IRCs for return postage costs. The large IRCs have an expiry date printed on them and won't be accepted if they are past that date, but my local PO (post office) has been lenient with me up to now. I would imagine that, in view of this, the older (small) ones will no longer be accepted by the post office, and they will be of no use to me either. I suggest that DXers send U.S. dollars, if possible. A new IRC in USA costs more than a dollar in the post office, anyway." If YOU need a QSL Manager, just E-mail Alan at: al-mee @ aapt.net.au (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 June 26 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) This absolutely contradicts a previous item from another ham radio source that IRCs do NOT expire as far as users and redeemers are concerned, only insofar as when they may be originally sold by the PO, and the pertinent reg was cited (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ XM FILES PATENT FOR HD RADIO CONVERTER Washington - Jun 15, 2006 - The idea of modulating an audio signal to a radio frequency so that it can be heard via a traditional radio receiver is not a new idea. When FM was young, there were plenty of converters to receive the FM and remodulate it to an AM frequency. Today, every media player offers an option to listen to the device via an FM radio. In an ironic twist of the idea, XM Satellite Radio has filed a patent application that describes a system to receive an XM broadcast and then remodulate it on an FM HD Radio signal. The process would keep the audio signal in a digital form through the entire chain instead of converting it to analog at the input to the add-on transmitter. The patent application can be viewed online at this link http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=20060126716&OS=20060126716 The patent application number is 20060126716 (via Bob Cooper, NZ via Mike Bugaj, CT, WTFDA via DXLD) IBOC on WFAN, WCBS; 800s in the west: see U S A DRM LOGS IN AUSTRALIA {see also RUSSIA} 5980, DW, Sines. Jazz music 2130, patchy with lots of dropouts. A stereo signal per the on-screen data, SNR around 12 dB. Also had its ``Journaline`` service in the data stream, which seemed to consist of news headlines in English and German; however signal not stable enough for me to decode it properly, 24/6 (CS) 6095, RNZI, Rangitaiki. Now testing its DRM service, plenty of signal and accordingly, no drop-outs. SNR up to 23 dB 0940, only data in stream is an ID "Radio New Zealand - the Voice of the Pacific!". Makes a mess of this part of the band, however. 11/6 (CS) 9690, DW via Taldom. German program for Europe, reasonable strong and stable signal 0415, SNR 15 dB, World Cup news, 17/6 (CS) 9800, DW via Sackville. Snatches of audio only, English news, on- screen ID as ``DRM from CBC``, SNR peaking at 10 dB, 24/6 (CS) 13730, RNZI, Rangitaiki. News 0006, a few drop-outs, SNR peaking at around 17 dB, operating on a revised temporary schedule due to antenna work, 12/6 (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW, Icom R75, Dream DRM software, Horizontal Loop, 50m longwire, July Australian DX News via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ NAB STUDIES PART 15 DEVICES Washington - Jun 22, 2006 - With the proliferation of Part 15 devices for use with portable media players, satellite radio and other devices, the NAB hired the consulting firm MSW to evaluate some of these wireless devices to verify their compliance with the power and modulation restrictions established in the FCC Rules. The NAB is concerned that many of these devices are causing interference to established broadcast stations (via Bob Cooper, via Mike Bugaj, WTFDA via DXLD) If anyone had any doubts as to who the FCC was working for, this is it. They could [not] care less about the interference IBOC causes, the proliferation of translators, or cramming too many stations into too little geography, but the minute somebody alleges that these little devices might cause interference, they're all over that. I'm coming around to the idea that someone posted on one list or another a few months ago - if this is what they're going to do we might be better off if the FCC were dissolved (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Is this BPL? I've read a few articles about Toronto Hydro's plans to supply broadband internet access throughout the downtown, and eventually the entire city. It involves installing wireless routers atop light poles. Can someone confirm this is indeed a different approach than Broadcast Over power Lines (BPL). My understanding with BPL is that the actual hydro wire would radiate, as opposed to using routers. Is it safe to assume then, that the potential interference to the HF spectrum is not an issue, as it is with BPL? If anyone has a good understanding of the system being put in place in Toronto, I would like to hear about it. I would like to cover the topic in an upcoming ODXA Perspectives program, but need to have a better understanding myself! There's an article in today's Toronto Star, but it doesn't mention any interference potential or relate this system to BPL at all. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1151273413038&call_pageid=970599119419 73, (Greg Schatzmann, June 26, ODXA via DXLD) The Eastern PA utility that was one of the first ones who trialed BPL, PPL, used this configuration in some of their test sites. The hydro wire could potentially radiate at HF frequencies, whereas the wireless routers are at the UHF frequencies in which WiMax operates. Joe Buch -- NASWA's Tech Topics editor -- is perhaps the most knowledgable person I know in this area. I haven't heard much from Joe lately -- I think he's traveling quite a bit in his retirement -- but you can try contacting him at joseph.buch @ dol.net If I recall correctly, the approach proposed by Toronto Hydro could potentially be well-behaved and not pose RFI problems, but it depends on the exact way things are configured. Don't take my word on it though (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Re: 26 MHZ SPORADIC E RECEPTION There was a study released in 2002, Sporadic E Propagation and the Sun Spot Cycle By Jim Roberts and Tim Imholt, Department of Physics, The University of North Texas which concluded: Solar output is the major factor in changing atmospheric and ionic conditions on and near the earth to alter conditions for electromagnetic propagation. Such propagation as Sporadic E propagation seems to be strongly affected by the sun spot cycles and lags by about six months the maximum of a given maximum. This "phase factor" is probably associated with specific plasma conditions on the sun that both enhance production of radio emission and produces solar particles and emissions that enhance the ionic content of the earth`s atmosphere to better enhance Sporadic E conditions. http://66.13.204.74/Vol2002R.pdf It is quite possible mathematically to prove spurious correlation, though it is a reasonable assumption to make that solar activity has some effect on Sporadic E. There can also be more than one variable affecting any situation, and that certainly seems to be the case with Sporadic E, the amount and reliability of the data used can also be questioned. The Wikipedia entry on TV-FM DX states: No conclusive theory has yet been formulated as to the origin of Sporadic E. Attempts to connect the incidence of Sporadic E with the eleven-year Sunspot cycle have provided tentative correlations. There seems to be a positive correlation between sunspot maximum and Es activity in Europe. Conversely, there seems to be a negative correlation between maximum sunspot activity and Es activity in Australasia. but they don't give a direct reference to the studies referred to though they have a number of links at the end of their entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV-FM_DX The Worldwide TV FM DX Association has a long list of technical articles including this one on Sporadic E, including both theory and DXers observations: http://anarc.org/wtfda/sporade.pdf (63 kkb pdf) Full list: http://anarc.org/wtfda/treasury_of_technical_articles.htm What I meant to imply with my remark on this being the low end of the sunspot cycle was that F2 propagation, which affects 26 MHz, is more directly related to the sunspot cycle. Practical data and results are always better than theory and how much do we really have for 26 MHz given that it is proposed to establish a regular service on these bands, i.e. one that the general public will be using and thus be expecting Virgin Radio or whoever to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and not be dropping out due to propagation conditions (Mike Barraclough, UK, BDXC via DXLD) As far as I can make out, the Northern Hemisphere will have an above average "Es" season at solar minimum and the southern hemisphere will have above average seasons during the solar maximum; of course this this is still hotly debated but analysis of loggings here and in Australia seems to back it up somewhat. All the best (Tim Bucknall, UK, ibid.) ###