DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-115, August 2, 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 FIRST SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1324: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415 Wed 2300 on WBCQ 18910-CLSB Fri 2030 on WWCR1 15825 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 ** ANTARCTICA. Emisoras que parecen inactivas --- Durante mis vacaciones en la costa del Mar Cantábrico, mes de julio, he comprobado, prácticamente día a día, que las siguientes emisoras se encuentran o bíen fuera del aire o no se escuchan por aquí, cosa poco probable, sobre todo en algunas que entraban normalmente bastante fuerte: ANTÁRTIDA, 15476, LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel. Recuerdo que el año pasado en el mismo mes de julio hubo días que entraba bastante bién, lo mismo que en otros meses del año. Lo he intentado día a día, de lunes a viernes, entre las 2000 y las 2100, que era la mejor hora para poder sintonizarla y ni un sólo día he logrado captarla, ni siquiera su portadora (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Aug 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1324, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More to follow below ** AUSTRALIA. ABC`s Media Report about the BBC: see U K ** BENIN [and non]. Hola tropa: Todas las mañanas antes de irme al trabajo hago un repaso por el vecindario y vengo observando durante los últimos días una serie de cuestiones: Benin empieza sus emisiones en francés a las 0500 en 5025. Sin embargo, esta emisora que se suele escuchar bastante bien por la noche, se encuentra completamente interferida por Radio Rebelde y un programa sensacional de música salsa. Curiosamente hoy día 1 [de agosto] he podido escuchar cómo Fidel Castro delegaba todos sus poderes en otros compañeros del Comité Central (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta.Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N- 4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Depois de muito tempo desativado em manutenção, o transmissor de ondas tropicais de 120m da Rádio Educadora de Limeira, frequência de 2380 kHz tem estado no ar no período noturno, irradiando programas religiosos. Aliás, a religião está tomando conta das emissoras AM e até de FM. Sua potência é bem baixa. Os técnicos não souberam precisar quanto. Se alguém distante de Limeira sintonizá-la, favor informar aqui na lista e diretamente para a emissora. Forte 73 (Luiz Chaine Neto, Limeira -sp-, 2-8-2006, radioescutas via DXLD) Olá Luiz, Eu ouvi a Rádio Educadora de Limeira, nessa frequência de 2380 aqui em Vila Velha/Espírito Santo no sábado dia 29/07/2006 entre 0030 e 0120 TU - Não postei pois achei que fosse algum harmônico - O programa era Casa de Caboclo. Vou postar depois o log dela pois não estou com as anotações aqui agora, 73 (Paulo Cabral, Vila Velha-Esp Santo DEGEN, DE-1103, Coaxial loop magnética, Loop de ferrite para ondas médias, Degen Lonwire, ibid.) ** BULGARIA. No me voy a gastar ni un euro para enviar informes de recepción por correos y he empezado a enviar los informes de recepción vía E-mail a ver si me verifican a través de este medio. Pues bien hoy día 1 de agosto he recibido mi primera QSL vía correos después de muchos años sin recibir nada, bien a partir de ahora todas las verificaciones o QSL que reciba os lo comunico a través de este foro, para que sepaís todos que emisora verifica enviando el informe de recepción vía e-mail para que otros colegas utilicen este medio y se ahorre el dinero en sellos. Si otros colegas utilizan este medio y reciben QSL que lo comunique a través de este foro para enviar a esa emisora informes. Este es mi primera QSL que he recibido hoy día 1 de agosto. RADIO BULGARIA, Tarjeta QSL y pegatina pequeñita con el logo de Radio Bulgaria que pone I (corazón) radio Bulgaria, a tardado 11 días vía correos, el Informe fué enviado vía E-mail. En archvo adjunto os envío el escaneo de la tarjeta QSL y pegatina. Saludos (Juan Carlos (elescucha) http://www.lalistadelafm.com Noticias DX via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. Emisoras que parecen inactivas --- 5030, Radio Burkina, una de las emisoras que entraban por aquí con más fuerza en las bandas tropicales, parece inactiva todo el mes de Julio (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Aug 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1324, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales Manuel, respecto a Burkina no sé qué decirte; estos días en Sacañet (Castellón) conseguí escucharla con muy mala señal. Creo recordar que tenían problemas con el transmisor, pero no te puedo ni confirmarla al cien por cien, ni decir con seguridad de que esté inactiva; sé que he podido captarla con muy mala señal. Un fuerte abrazo, atentamente (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Noticias DX via DXLD) Gracias, José Miguel, pues por aquí nada de nada; mira que era una emisora que, normalmente se escuchaba con SINPO 44444, y en todo el tiempo que estuve en Reinante, escuchaba en 5030 una emisora China, cuando normalmente resultaba imposible sintonizarla debido a Burkina. Un abrazo también para tí (Manuel Méndez, ibid.) ** CANADA. RCI, Sackville, 17799.97, 1518 10 July, English, weak, seemed slightly off channel, SIO 242 (Tony Rogers, UK, BDXC Communication via DXLD) Never tried to measure it, but that accounts for the low het we hear against DW at 1300 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. BROADCAST OF CIVIC ADDRESS IN BREACH OF STANDARDS, SAYS CANADIAN BROADCAST STANDARDS COUNCIL --- The following is a press release from the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council: Ottawa, July 18, 2006 - The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) today released its decision concerning the broadcast of a civic address on CKYK-FM (Alma) on October 31 and November 1, 2005. On Halloween, the station`s hosts announced that a convicted pedophile lived at a particular address in Alma. They mentioned the street name and number on air that day and again the following morning. The CBSC Quebec Regional Panel determined that the broadcasts violated the privacy article of the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada (RTNDA) Code of (Journalistic) Ethics. During the day on Halloween, the hosts were discussing Halloween safety tips. One host mentioned that a listener had called the station to inform them that a convicted pedophile was living in the city and that this person’s house was decorated for Halloween. Apparently after verifying the information, the station announced the civic address on air. . . . http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/decisions/2006/060718a.htm (via Michael Rochon, Aug CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6960, Chinese music jammer, at 1737 July 2, SIO 343. Was looking for R. Shabelle, Somalia, but ony found this, blocking something from Taiwan? (Tony Rogers, Birmingham, BDXC Communications via DXLD) 6965, unID Chinese music, very clear, [time missing] June 29, SIO 353. Ideas? (Steve Calver, Herts, ibid.) ** COLOMBIA, Emisoras que parecen inactivas --- 6139.8, Radio Líder, antes entraba muy bién por aquí, imposible sintonizarla en todo el mes de julio, e incluso ya antes. Por contra, Marfil Estéreo en 5910 entra fuerte sobre las 0630 UT (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Aug 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1324, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Re 6-114: Glenn, Radio Marfil Estéreo was obs'ed on 5910 this time, not on ~.2 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA, Emisoras que parecen inactivas --- 5045.6, ya en el mes de Junio no la pude sintonizar en Friol, y tampoco pude hacerlo en Reinante en el mes de Julio (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Aug 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1324, DX LISTENING DIGEST) You mean 5054.6v? that`s where TIFC was (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. I appreciate the item on F. Castro in WORLD OF RADIO 1324, useful medical opinion that I had not heard on the cable news networks (Andy O`Brien, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also 6-114 As one might expect at this time, several shots of Anti-Castro talk station WAQI Miami 710, on the 6:30 PM EDT, 2230 UT Aug. 1 Univisión national television newscast (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, much more coverage of this on Univisión and Telemundo, to be monitored (gh, DXLD) I recently read a detailed biography "Che Guevara, A Revolutionary Life", by Jon Anderson. Raul was with Fidel when they were they were jailed under Batista, as political exiles in Mexico, when they made the landing on the southern coast of Cuba, fighting Batista's army from the mountains and then in Habana. Aside from the physical difference - Fidel with beard, and Raul without - Raul in the early days was much more open to aligning with the Communist Party while Fidel kept some distance from it in trying to establish a broader nationalist movement. Depending on your political perspective, Fidel was either pushed into the arms of the Soviet Union by the aggressive US effort to contain and/or undermine a free Cuba, or he was a closet communist using nationalism to hide his real aims. It also seems that Fidel was more patient, while Raul was more hot-headed, in the heat of conflict. Of course, this is from an account about their personalities nearly 50 years ago --- people change over time, and these two brothers are now 75 and 79 years old. The book also had some interesting stuff about the origins of Radio Rebelde as a guerrilla radio station (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, IRCA via DXLD) Hi Jim - Haven't read it, will check out. Dr. Mario Lazo's 1968 "Dagger in the Heart" draws a real sweet picture of the brothers kagasstro. marc masferrer's website linked to killcastro.com has charming anecdote re Raul's ponytail. Couldn't grow a lice condo like big bro's so he affected the 'tail. Pert, in a way. He's crafty and commendably up front about hatred for all things American. Nothing in the closet about ol' Raul. Nope. Not one stitch. http://www.therealcuba.com humor page has happy photos of playful Fido and little brother Raul. Hopefully when Raulito croaks off they'll have the sense not to cremate the carcass. Right, Raulito is a little scabies. Years of BigBoozo should have converted his liver into hob-nail leather, a dread manifestation of cirrhosis and prelude to blood-retching death. Wouldn't Raul's liver panels be a gas? SGPT & Bilirubin probably stratospheric. What will happen? who knows? Cuban mw's & hf's same superficially but little things off. Progreso 640 with big a/c hum and young announcer, regular mature baritone DJ missing during discoteca popular 1400 - 1700 EDT [1800-2100 UT]. Maybe techs working feverishly to leak-proof el jefe's bag? http://www.babalugblog http://www.therealcuba.com and fave, http://www.killcastro.com are Cuban truth sites. May I commend them to you for light reading on the beach? Thank you. Lenin's Bag Man of the Antilles is through. He long faked illness and some worry this might be don Fido's granddaddy of set-ups for a parting gassoff. But never has he relinquished power. There's the thread that holds all hope. Tyrants love control. They don't politely cede it. This 'transfer of power' means something as did two shorty speeches last Wednesday. All expected Fido's usual eight hour windy discourse. He surprised 'em. my little love offering to the Ghoul of Galicia appears on http://www.etherzone.com tomorrow or next day, edited to include great gag line from killcastro.com: killed by his own sxxx. Fitting end for all tyrants be they oppressors of nations, families, or businesses. F.E.A. =Z.= (Dr. Paul Vincent Zecchino, ManaKagasstroDeathWatch Key, FL, Aug 1, IRCA via DXLD) WE'RE IN THE THIRD ROW WATCHING THE PERFORMANCE Friends, RHC will broadcast sombre music on Castro death, and that's for those not even in the stadium. If violence breaks out, we'll have a good idea of where it is localized by a wrong program on a station in that city, or a station off the air. A tech, being nervous (if there is shooting going on hereby) may mispatch an audio patch or not even plug it in. If you notice a erratic but slight (+/- 500 Hz) frequency change in a station's frequency, that could indicate faults in the power system nearby. If audio goes from Havana out toward Oriente Province via landline chain, look for loss of audio on stations east of a point of conflict. Our spy close in better be alert (whatever a Lert is...I want to be one) and let everyone in on the performance. He's in the 2nd row. Rather than the conflict starting in the mountains, it'll probably start in the cities. For the folks in the sticks, life will go on pretty much as usual. Small stations will be a little bit in the dark (no pun). We can't see that far, but look for military aircraft coming into Key West and Dominican Republic. Or Kentucky. That's how the CIA learns things, by small signs. Charlie (Charles A Taylor, WD9INP/4, Greenville, North Carolina, August 1, IRCA via DXLD) Don`t bet on Cuba following the Soviet model in handling this (gh) Charles, Very interesting observations. There is elation in South Florida today, and being half Cuban myself, I would someday like to see a free Cuba. Even if Raul takes over after Castro is gone, I hope we can end the Embargo. It hasn't worked, and the biggest poison for Communism is Capitalism, and we can't export the poison with the Embargo in place. Cuban radio is, so far, sounding normal. No Reports of anything out of the ordinary. Not that I would expect anything but the Dogma, as usual (Juan Gualda, Ft. Pierce, FL, ABDX via DXLD) South Florida's media kicked into overdrive Monday evening and Tuesday as the news that hundreds of thousands of people had been waiting 47 years for appeared close to breaking. Telemundo's WSCV--TV 51 aired the Cuban goverment's announcement live at 9:23 p.m Monday. An editor, Ramon Real, had been monitoring Cuban television, which reported that an announcement about Castro was about to be made. . . http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15172881.htm (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Tuned into Radio Habana Cuba at 0100 UT (Aug 2) to get some news from them as to the Castro situation. I checked 6000, 6060 and 9820 which usually carries English starting at 0100; at 0101, 6000 went off, and the other two frequencies carried Spanish, which I believe was a domestic broadcast. Though I do not speak Spanish I heard many mentions of Venezuelan president Chávez. 73s (Bill Bergadano, KA2EMZ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Who was visiting Hanoi when he got the news (gh) With Fidel relinquishing power to his brother Raul due to his health problems, the news from Havana was interesting on Tuesday evening (Eastern time). While absent in English on 6000 kHz, at 0100 August 2, Radio Havana Cuba was on 6060, 9820, and 11760 kHz in Spanish with news, followed by reading several e-mails from Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador, Mexico, and Canada, wishing Fidel a speedy recovery. 6000 kHz remained off a while, then on in Spanish in parallel to the other frequencies. Rechecked later, at 0155, there was Arnie Coro with the end of DXers Unlimited, then English news at 0200. News began with details on the war in Lebanon, followed by war related news of a major oil spill on the Lebanese coast, nearly as large as that of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989, and expected to cause a major environmental disaster in the region. As is often the case with their usually excellent news service, this was the first time I had heard about this aspect of the current war situation in Lebanon. Their coverage of Fidel’s health and transfer of power was left unmentioned until their usual Cuban news beginning about 0210 UTC, shortly before I fell asleep (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I caught part of the DXUL repeat around 0550 UT Wed, when Arnie said something about the 05-07 English broadcast (only?) being webcast (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also BENIN [non] ** CUBA [and non]. Radio Martí, 6030, Aug. 2, at 1023, surprised to find this one in the clear, with no jamming of any kind. Cannot remember hearing it without the ever-present jammer (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also noticed that R. República`s reëxpanded broadcast on WRMI, 9955, was coming thru weakly with no jamming, at 0555 UT check August 2. Ah, anomalies are already cropping up. Scenario. Even the Dentro-Cuban Jamming Command is dying to hear what R. Martí and other exile broadcasts are saying about this. Fidel is so out of it that he won`t notice the jammers are turned off. Even if he has a SW radio in his hospital bed, if it is anything like US medical facilities there will be so much local noise that nothing can be heard, anyway. However, a quick check at 1550 UT August 2 of R. Martí found jamming as usual, heavy on 11845, less heavy on 11930, and maybe on 13820 which has the strongest signal here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. La emisión de Guinea Ecuatorial en 5005 no empieza regularmente a las 0500 como hasta hace unas semanas. Ahora lo hace más tarde, llegando algunos días a no haber escuchado nada hasta las 0630, que es cuando salgo de casa. Hoy día 1 sí que ha estado fiel a su cita (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta.Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N, 4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. R. Ethiopia`s external service is believed to be scheduled as follows; at least I haven`t seen any variations to this in recent years, apart from the addition of the Eritrean opposition programme which is believed to be on between 1500-1600; all on 7165v and 9560v --- 1200-1300 Somali, 1300-1400 Afar, 1400-1500 Arabic, 1500-1600 V. of Dem. Alliance, 1600-1700 English, 1700-1800 French. The English service can be heard at 1600-1700 on approximately 9560.4, not very strong but bits of programming can be picked out (Tony Rogers, UK, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** FALKLAND ISLANDS [and non]. 'Calling the Falklands' in 1984 By Major Ronnie N. Spafford (Falkland Islands Newsletter, No. 21, November 1984) One of the most familiar tunes heard in the Falkland Islands is 'Oranges and Lemons', which is part of the signature tune 'London Bridge', introducing the BBC External Service programme 'Calling the Falklands', beamed directly to the Islands twice a week from the United Kingdom. The programme is now forty years old this year, and so it has become a Falklands institution. However, although most Falkland Islands supporters will be aware of the programme, only those who have been to the Islands will have actually heard it. In July I went along to Bush House, just along from the Strand in London, and I turned the tables on them: instead of their staff interviewing me, I interviewed the present Producer, Lesley Wingrove, for the Falkland Islands Newsletter. Up until 1982, the programme 'Calling the Falklands' was a once weekly almost exclusively record request programme, interspersed with messages of good wishes from friends and relatives in the United Kingdom. From time to time there were interviews with influential people in and around London, who had something to say about the rather remote Falklands, and, in recent years, there was always a report from the annual Lincoln's Inn Reception. A Rock For The Islanders The programme came very much into its own and assumed great importance in maintaining morale immediately after the Argentine invasion on 2nd April, 1982, when, from Sunday 4th April, broadcasts were increased firstly to three transmissions a week and then to daily transmissions. Peter King, who had retired from BBC service was persuaded back into action, and he presented about five of the subsequent programmes each week. His especially appealing voice and sympathetic manner gave great comfort to the occupied Islanders, so that he became almost a local folk hero. The programme content naturally became much more concerned with current political and military events and, being part of the BBC External Services, it was easy to use BBC staff resident in other countries worldwide, for example, Chile, to report news and opinion regarding the Falklands, which gave a wider spectrum. 'Calling the Falklands' was like a rock for the Islanders to cling to: essentially something British and familiar, broadcast directly from London, especially for the besieged Islanders, assuring them that they were not forgotten and to hang on. . . http://www.falklands.info/history/histarticle1.html (via Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) & cancelled this March (gh) ** FINLAND. Scandinavian Weekend Radio, 11720, 1900 July 1, pop music, Finnish songs and talk, SIO 444 (Robert Petraitis, Lithuania, BDXC Communication via DXLD) Quite a signal; must be just the right distance for 100 watts. Reminds us another monthly 24-hour broadcast is imminent from 2100 UT Fri Aug 4 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Regarding Johan Berglund's program mentioned in DXLD 6-114, this would likely be "2000 Years of History," and the program should remain available at: http://www.tv-radio.com/ondemand/france_inter/HISTOIRE/HISTOIRE20060731.ram (Mike Cooper, GA, Aug 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The slogan "Radio-Paris ment, Radio-Paris est allemand" [Radio Paris lies, it`s German], the rhymes to remember the "V" sound (the opening of Beethoven´s 5th Symphony, rendered in Morse), the coded message announcing the landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944. The first verse of Verlaine´s "Chanson d´automne", Les sanglots longs des violons de l´automne blessent mon coeur d´une langueur monotone and much more can be found on a CD which comes with Aurélie Luneau´s book "Radio Londres 1940-1944: les voix de la liberté", published by Perrin. See http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/2262023875/403-7536393-7512449?v=glance&n=301061 (Henrik Klemetz, Suède, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. I see that the new WRTH July supplement says RFI`s Creole broadcast has been deleted, 1330-1345 Sunday on 15515 via Guiana French --- but I believe I heard it just this past Sunday July 30 as I was bandscanning, but did not log, after 1345 --- wasn`t it the full half hour on Sundays? Yes, they plan to cancel this broadcast, but not yet, I think. Let`s monitor next Sunday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. Comienza sus emisiones en 4777 a las 0458 con algo de música, seguido del himno nacional, una identificación de una voz femenina como Radio Gabón y un noticiario en francés. La señal suele llegar con bastante buena calidad (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta. Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N-4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. The Burg transmitter on 1575 is now on air with Oldiestar programming, not identical to their webstream (which should be // Zehlendorf 104.9) but with local news for Sachsen-Anhalt, allegedly originating from a studio at Magdeburg. Right now the signal strength here is about the same than it was on the open carrier tests a few weeks ago. Reportedly Voice of Russia audio was briefly on after 1000 instead, leading to wild speculations here: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,434184 [later:] Meanwhile, after it got dark, 1575 is booming in here as it did in the Megaradio days. Apparently the 500 kW gear left behind three years ago is on air again, with the same bass-hefty and slightly distorted modulation, so similar to the former Megaradio operation that one could even believe the then used Antenne Bayern studio is on air again. Programming originates from automation (anything else would have been a surprise of course), with canned slogans like "here is Magdeburg, here is Sachsen-Anhalt" thrown in time and again. After 1700 UT they briefly put an internal circuit ID for "Oldiestar, radio studio Magdeburg, digital audio feed, mediumwave 1575" on air by mistake: http://www.radioeins.de/meta/sendungen/apparat/060729_A1.ram In the already referenced discussion meanwhile an even wilder rumour appeared: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,434184,434288,sv=1#msg-434288 Says that 06:00-10:00 and 16:00-24:00 (most likely CET) "a foreign station with broadcasts in German, but not Voice of Russia" will be relayed. In a follow-up he narrowed down his claim to "eastern Asia". I have to emphasize that this is an anonymous posting, so it is absolutely possible that it is entirely nonsense. But if not: CRI would fit here I think. It would also answer my question how a small commercial station will afford a high power transmitter. Anyway it appears to be worth to keep an ear on 1575, just in case anything special pops up here (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also KOREA NORTH [non] Hi, long announced "Oldiestar Radio" testing 1575 kHz from Burg near Magdeburg. Still in AM, but their intention is to go DRM asap. With WDR on 1593 kHz operating in DRM that would lead to the situation, that four transatlantic-channels 1570, 1580, 1590 and 1600 are history then. What a bloody nuisance for European MW-DXers! More about the station here: http://www.oldiestarradio.de Truck Radio 531 kHz, also from Burg, seems to use increased power now. Both 1575 and 531 kHz with a S9+40 signal here, about 70 km west of the transmitter site. Now it's only 261 kHz to be revived, and the mess is perfect. -- Tschüß, (Martin http://home.wolfsburg.de/elbe/ Elbe, Aug 2, MWDX yg via DXLD) Tschüß = Geez? (gh, DXLD) ** GUAM. I am no longer in the Indian Ocean but on Guam island. Heard KTWR on 25700 kHz at 2255 UT and had wondered if they added a new frequency; since I am on Guam went to meet my friends there and wanted to get a frequency listing. They weren't on it so might have been a ghost transmission. One of the guys there was mentioning to me that KTWR has been looking into the possibility of purchasing a digital transmitter in the near future and might be experimenting in DRM. Not sure when it will happen but might be in a few years. Also learned the history of AWR's newest transmitters as these came from Africa and was originally from a country [which???] that was supposed to block transmissions from the outside world. They hadn't been used for 10 years and they bought all five of those transmitters. N6HPX/du1: Philippine islands member: ARRL, Pinoyhams, PARL, WUN, PARA, SCADS, ASWLC, 6m clubs US Merchant Mariner 29 years since 1977 http://www.qrz.com/n6hpx Radios on board: Sangean 909, Sony 7600gr, Yaesu FT530, VX5R, *FT60r (new), antenna: 40 ft wire sloper, AN-60 73's from (Larry Fields, n6hpx/mm on the island of Guam, August 1, if you have echo link we`re using link 9250, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** GUINEA. Otros guineanos, éstos de Conakry, llevan varias semanas sin aparecer por 7125 a las 0600 como lo hacían habitualmente, excepto el domingo pasado y hoy día 1, cuando se escuchaban deliciosas canciones africanas (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta.Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N-4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** HAWAII [and non]. This question has already been answered by Ben Dawson. But I posed it in more detail on the NRC-AM list July 28, to which there were apparently no replies, as I belatedly retrieved missed messages: I don`t doubt it`s the case as far as FCC rules, but it seems a bit extreme to me that Hawaii and California, some 2500 miles apart should influence each other as far as co-channel interference games. For DXers yes, for ordinary listeners, no. Perhaps someone will explain exactly why this matters. Would any other pair of entities that far apart, even over water, have to coördinate their MW bands so closely? Yes, I know, CA stations are commonly heard in HI, but the reverse is hardly true, and CA is where all the population and influence are. So little HI stations are protected from mainland CCI. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, July 28, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. Emisoras que parecen inactivas --- 4819.2, HRVC, La Voz Evangélica. Tampoco la pude escuchar en todo el mes de Julio (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Aug 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1324, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. Rikisutvarpid, 12115 USB, 1804 9 July, news in Icelandic including English actuality, SIO 433 (Dave Kenny, UK, BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** INDIA. 15770, All India Radio, recibida carta conteniendo tarjeta QSL especial, con datos completos, v/s Kniknay, conmemorativa del programa DX Vanoli Ulagam (Radio World), banderín y tarjeta postal. La QSL es de All India Radio, Chennai, y según consta en ella, es la mas pequeña del mundo: "World's Smallest QSL Card, Radio World 2006, World's First Tamil DX Programme", con un tamaño de 6 X 3.5 cm. Tardaron en contestar 1 mes y el informe de recepción, junto con 1 IRC se envió a la siguiente dirección: N.C. Gnanaprakasam Program Executive Vanoli Ulagam Thiraikadal Adaivaram Thamiizh Naatham Kamarajar Salai Chennai 60004 Tamilnadu INDIA (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. INDIA TO INVEST IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING India`s Information and Broadcasting Ministry has approved over 550 million US dollars for Indian national public broadcaster Doordarshan`s development, as part of the country`s tenth five-year plan outlay. Additionally, over US$88 million US has been set aside for the expansion of All India Radio’s (AIR) services. As part of the expansion plans for AIR, a special package will be provided for Jammu and Kashmir, and the north-eastern states including Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This was announced by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting and parliamentary affairs Priyaranjan Dasmunsi in parliament. (Source: Commonwealth Broadcasting Association) (August 2nd, 2006, 12:58 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) incl. SW? ** INDONESIA [and non]. Star Radio from Liberia with fair to poor signal was coming by 0745 with a het on 9525, so I got to go use USB to hear it in the clear. When they abruptly, as always, left the air, the het was gone and RRI in English emerged with poor signal. Commentaries about Indonesia/Singapur relations. ICF7600GR has no allowance to determine which transmitter was producing the het. I'm afraid it was RRI. Doubtful that Rampisham is out of frequency while relaying Star Radio (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Aug 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525 Star is Ascension. Did not check before 1400 August 2, but at 1401 CRI Russian on 9525 had a huge het from approx 9526, presumably the lingering VOI carrier, later clear (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** ISRAEL [and non]. It should be very interesting to hear what David Crystal, the regular caller to Live from Turkey, has to say this week --- I don`t think he was on last week. Try 1250-1320 UT Thursday on 15450, also webcast (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Rai International, Rome, 17780, 1830 10 July, IS, ID, Italian to NAm // 15380, SIO 444; note: spurious signals audible on 17484 and 18075 (Tony Rogers, UK, BDXC Communication via DXLD) minus 296 and plus 295 kHz. Wonder if this has anything to do with the squeal usually accompanying this transmitter (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** JORDAN. By sporadic E, 67.8 MHz, Jordanian TV audio in Arabic, 0900 UT June 17, SIO 555, harmonic or sub? (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony ICF 76009SW, Beyond the Horizon, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) Well, 67.75 would be the audio frequency of channel E4, but WRTH does not list such a channel for Jordan; the main program is on channel E3 which I recall is widely DXed (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. VOK, 3560.05, 1908 10 July, English news // 9975, SIO 242 (Franck Baste, France, BDXC Communication via DXLD) Supposedly a feeder or backup, missing from some schedule versions (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Re 6-114, Hi Glenn, I thought this item about a German language program would get your attention, hi. It certainly is unusual for a Japanese organization broadcasting to North Korea to be producing German programming, but in fact the Shiokaze Two program was broadcast by the state run Deutschlabdfunk, via FM, during their ``Markt und Medien`` segment several weeks ago. Seems there must be some interest in Germany about the Japanese abductees. Do not imagine we will hear this via SW. BTW, on Aug. 1, I e-mailed COMJAN (Shiokaze/Sea Breeze), informing them of the heavy jamming I heard today on their 9485 transmission. Received this e-mail: Hello, Mr. Ron Howard, Thank you for your information. We know the jammed situation on our broadcasting. As you know, this jamming was by N. Korea. Jamming by N. Korea is uneven in region. We research now the way of jamming by N. Korea and want to choice the best way of broadcasting. And then we will change frequency. Thanks for your regards, COMJAN Chief Director Sadaki MANABE - - - - - - (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 6-114: This is the DLF piece in question: http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/marktundmedien/520590/ Direct link to audio (the original file instead of the renamed rip- off): http://ondemand-mp3.dradio.de/file/dradio/2006/07/15/dlf_200607151724.mp3 Of course this is no Skiokaze production but a report by a German author. Apparently she visited the station, so they were aware of this piece. By the way, "Markt und Medien" was in fact rebroadcast by Deutsche Welle years ago. It disappeared from their program line-up when they gave up the eight hour schedule and returned to the previous four hours scheme (which after last year`s relaunch is now obsolete as well). And actually it's the other way round: Shiokaze created some attention for the matter of Japanese abductees in North Korea only by its sheer existence. It is my impression that one tends way too often to consider such stories as trivial "hobby SWL monitoring" (to avoid the D-word here) although they in fact can be of interest to a broader audience (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Kai, Thank you for the correction and for your insight into the German broadcast. It obliviously helps to understand German, hi (Ron Howard, ibid.) Finally got to listen to an entire Shiokaze broadcast in English, Wed Aug 2 at 1300-1330* on 9485 via Taiwan. Opening info with schedule, website, piano music, yes, in English but M with heavy Japanese accent. 1304 over to another M also with heavy Japanese accent, but he read slowly and as clearly as possible, with ``News Flash`` -- entire program of various AP stories about North Korea (not just the sequestration issue, so useful in a broader sense for NK news), with dates such as July 28, and as far back as July 24, starting with one about 6-power talks, sanctions, Kuala Lumpur. 1311 ID and more news items, all interspersed with electronic stingers. There was no listing of abductees on this edition. 1327 back to piano background for closing announcements similar to opening, sked in Japan time only, including this ``10 pm`` transmission on 9485. There was no jamming audible here; a brief data burst occurred at 1320. Overall SINPO rating 35433 with a slight decline as the semihour progressed. However, I have local ``jamming`` centred around 9250 and extending up and down 1 MHz, thanks to a cheap no-DTV-tuner TV set I couldn`t resist picking up for $50 at Dollar General. [see RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non?]. IRAN/IRAQ clandestines --- V. of the Strugglers of Iranian Kurdistan, 4405 and V. of Free Kurdistan, 4675, seem to be from the same transmitter site. Noted 1415-1624 on 4405, and 1627-1827 on 4675, 24 June, but neither heard on 29-30 June. Maybe V. of Iranian Kurdistan, 3960 & 4860 is also from same transmitter site. The communist stations on 3880 (// 4380 and 6425) and 3930 have the same schedules as given in previous DX News. All are jammed by Iran, but not observed the jammer feeders of Iran, earlier heard on 9530, 11960 and 15260 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, 9 July, BDXC Communication via DXLD) What do you mean by jammer feeder? (gh, DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. LEBANON/ISRAEL: “PALESTINIAN VOICE” SLOT HEARD ON ANTI-HEZBOLLAH RADIO MASHRIQ Radio Mashriq has been monitored carrying an Arab-language programme called ``Palestinian Voice Corner`` on a live audio stream accessed from its website at http://www.almachrek.org This was observed at 0430-0600 gmt on 30 July 2006. The programme opened with an identification announcement voiced over the strains of ``Mawtani`` [My Homeland], which was written by Palestinian poet Ibrahim Hefeth Touqan and adopted as the new Iraqi national anthem in 2004. The announcement went on to state that they were broadcasting on a trial frequency of 756 kHz AM/mediumwave, and gave their website address as http://www.pal-voice.org The website has a very similar layout to that of Radio Mashriq, and offers a separate live audio stream when the programme is aired. According to information on the site, this is at the following times daily: 0730-0900 AM [local time, equivalent to 0430-0600 gmt in summer] and 1300-1430 PM [local time, 1000-1130 gmt in summer]. The frequency of 756 kHz is given as ``temporary``. Radio Mashriq is a pro-Israeli anti-Hezbollah radio station which has operated on 756 kHz from the Lebanon/Israeli border region under various names since 1985. (Source: BBC Monitoring research, 1 Aug 06) (August 2nd, 2006, 09:21 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LEBANON [and non]. There are a large number of foreign nationals in Lebanon and it is a logistical nightmare to evacuate all of these people. An estimated 13 000 of the 40000 Canadians in Lebanon are believed to have evacuated the country http://www.rcinet.ca/rci/en/actualite.shtml#1 Radio Canada International shortwave and FM frequencies and transmission times to the Middle East can be found at http://www.rcinet.ca/rci/PDF/A06_SW.pdf The British embassy in Beirut advises British Nationals in the Middle East http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1063634069529 to listen to the BBC on 1323 kHz (according to the embassy this is a 24 hour service) for pertinent information as the evacuation is deemed to be essentially complete. This medium wave transmitter is located in Cyprus and a complete listing of BBC transmission frequencies to the Middle East and Gulf States can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/schedules/frequencies/mideast.htm Interestingly, the BBC advises that this service is not 24 hours but is available at 0200-2300 GMT. The British Forces Broadcasting Services (BFBS) is also providing coverage of the situation in Lebanon. The homepage is at http://www.ssvc.com/ and then click on BFBS Radio. Scroll down to ``Lebanon Evacuation`` and click for more information and then scroll down to nearly the end of the page that comes up and you will see all the FM frequencies listed for the BFBS in Cyprus. If you are interested in all BFBS frequencies worldwide then click on the left- hand side where ``Tuning Frequencies`` are listed (it will be under ``at a glance``). There will be a global overview link on the page that comes up and you can view all BFBS transmissions. Accordingly, the United States embassy in Cyprus is responsible for dispensing information to its nationals in Lebanon concerning evacuation details http://nicosia.usembassy.gov/LebanonEvac.htm This website advises that American citizens in Lebanon should listen to 105.5 MHz for announcements from the United States government (Dr John Barnard, Signals Unlimited, Aug CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** LESOTHO. R. Lesotho remains inactive on 4800 and presumably the situation is still the same as per Vashek Korinek`s report in January 2006 where they needed spare parts for the SW transmitter. However, RL can be heard online at http://www.leo.co.ls/media2.htm (Tony Rogers, UK, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. Emisoras que parecen inactivas --- 5470, Radio Véritas. Imposible captarla durante todo el mes en horas del atardecer y primeras horas de la noche, cuando antes era habitual escuchar (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Aug 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1324, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also INDONESIA ** LIBYA [and non]. VOICE OF AFRICA --- The Swahili service on 10 July mentioned a website at http://www.voiceofafrica.com.ly Having checked, it is under construction at present. Address: Libyan Jamahirayah [sic] Broadcasting, Voice of Africa, P O Box 4677, Soug al Jama, Tripoli, Libya. E-mail: info @ ljbc.net (Arabic), info @ en.ljbc.net (English), info @ fr.ljbc.net (French) Daily relays from Issoudun, France, 500 kW to Africa: 12-14 Arabic 17660 (alt: 17665-17695) 17670 (note: frequency usage may vary between 12-14 depending on the Sawt al-Amal situation)[below] 12-14 Swahili 17610 17725 14-16 English 17725 17850 16-18 French 15660 17695 17870 17-19 Arabic 11615 18-20 Hausa 11835 15660 19-22 Arabic 9590 22-24 Arabic 7320 RADIO OF THE GREAT JAMAHIRIYAH, Arabic music transmission daily 1200- 1400 was settled on 17665 around mid-July, check range 17620-17695; site not known, but presumably from a CIS transmitter, suggested by tones at start. Scheduled at same time as opposition station Sawt al- Amal, but does not operate co-channel to it. SAWT AL-AMAL, VOICE OF HOPE (Libyan opposition): Site: Maiac-Grigoriopol (Moldova-Pridnestrovye), 250 kW Daily 1200-1400 in Arabic to N Africa, check range 17620-17695. Probably sponsored by the National Front for the Salvation of Libya amongst others, began SW operations in January 2006; jammed by Libya and a transmitter believed to be located in Moyabi, Gabon, see below. Changes frequency by 5 kHz at 1300. FRANCO-AFRICAN MUSIC, site believed to be Moyabi, Gabon, Daily 1245v- 1530, check range 17620-17695. This entry has been included here as it appears to be an operation with some Libyan involvement. The purpose of this non-stop Franco-African music service appears to be as a source of interference against Sawt al-Amal until it signs off at 1400. The music then remains on air until 1530 (Tony Rogers, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) V. of Africa (LJB), vis Issoudun, 17685, 1330 11 July, talk, mentions of ``Ozma``, music, Arabic, ID, chimes, abruptly off at 1400; also on adjacent 17690; SIO 444 (Tony Rogers, log, ibid.) ** MADAGASCAR. RN Malagasy, 3287.7, Antananarivo, 1850 29 June, Malagasy, local music, // 5010, SIO 241 (Franck Baste, France, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) 3287.7 still on in the mornings? Have not seen it reported from NAm lately (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. DEATH OF A CHRISTIAN RADIO MINISTRY IN MEXICO --- Vandals topple transmitter, threaten lawyer/pastor who directed station. Elisabeth Isais, Compass Direct News [XEHN 1130 Nogales, Sonora] MEXICO CITY, July 31 (Compass Direct News) ­ Some 85,000 people listened faithfully to Radio Nueva Visión in Nogales, Sonora. At times the station reached the No. 1 spot in ratings. The station was directed by Héctor Manuel López Delgado, a lawyer and pastor of Rivers of Living Water Christian Center and leader of international evangelistic ministry La Unción (The Unction). The radio ministry began in February 2002, renting 24 hours a day on XEHN (1130 am) with 1,100 watts. It was supported by offerings. Mexico does not allow churches to own radio or television stations, although there is hope that the next government may change the law. The strong spiritual impact of its programs, including only Christian music from 7:30 at night until 6 a.m., [LT = MDT = UT -6] attracted the entire community, including the criminal element. Little anonymous notes began to appear stuck onto the pastor`s car, warning him to ``watch out.`` Messages such as, ``Things are going to be bad for you and your family`` also appeared. Vulgar telephone threats became common. The pastor decided to tone down some of the prayers on the radio, to have his car watched, to try to travel in the company of other pastors and generally to watch out for trouble. The radio programs helped people to withstand gales of evil. Listeners frequently called in to ask prayer for community needs, for protection against witchcraft and other occult practices, for healing. Pastor López said that they saw miracles ­ people healed of cancer and sight restored to the blind. Then attacks began in earnest. Twice in 2005 someone climbed the mountain to the transmitter and destroyed all the cables connecting the antennas. Both times the station went off the air for an entire week. Trying to be charitable, Christians thought perhaps someone wanted to rob the cables for their copper. One night the pastor was leaving the church with his three children, his wife, and other believers when a very tall and heavy man jumped him from behind, throwing him down. He intended to kill López, he later confessed. The Christians began to pray and finally were able to subdue the man, who began to foam at the mouth and shake, apparently from powerful spiritual forces upon him. Opponents put a price on the life of the pastor with the intent of destroying the radio ministry, the church and its influence. Concerned members of the church formed urgent groups of fasting and prayer. On June 16 came the final blow. Vandals climbed the mountain to the transmitter with axes and other tools and destroyed the entire installation. Radio New Vision was off the air definitively. When the Christians went to the authorities to denounce the attack, they were told, ``The other events definitely were not to steal the copper.`` Once when pastor López was on the other side of the border in Nogales, Arizona, he received an anonymous call on his cell phone saying, ``We know that a group of narcos and Satanists is against you.`` Pastor López said his passion for preaching the gospel comes from having persecuted the church for many years; describing himself as ``perverse and terrible,`` he said he came to belief in Christ 20 years ago after he was miraculously healed of cancer. In 1992, he began Rivers of Living Water on the Mexican side of the border; on the other side, he recently began its U.S. equivalent, The Unction. For now, however, his Radio New Vision has been silenced. Copyright 2006 Compass Direct News http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/1411244.html (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Now we would like to see an *objective* account of this story. For starters, why would they put an AM transmitter on a mountain? (gh, DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. Pridnestrovye --- R. Netherlands is relayed via Grigoriopol, 300 kW to Europe, daily 2000-2200 in Dutch on 6015. Third harmonic also heard on 18045 at 2145 10 July, SIO 242 (Tony Rogers, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]: see MOLDOVA ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI roaming? It was 0657 and I was tuned to 7145. Came out this male announcer ``...This is Radio New Zealand International...`` inviting to tune receivers to 7145 for the continuation of their programs. Funny, isn`t it? Where are they supposed to be coming from? Minutes before I tried 9875 and 15725 [sic] and heard nothing, so I went to 41 m just in case and found out this (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Aug 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also DIGITAL BROADCASTING below ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. En Utilitarias se puede escuchar en 8828 el boletín meteo desde Auckland a las xx20 y xx50. Sin embargo, sus compañeras en esta frecuencia de Honolulu (xx00, xx05, xx25, xx30, xx35, xx55), Tokio (xx10 y xx40 ) y Hong Kong (xx15 y xx45) no se escuchan a las horas previstas. Ea, a disfrutar del calor. Paz y Dx (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta.Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N, 4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** NIGER. En 9705 se escucha mejor por las tardes indistintamente en francés y árabe, aunque por la mañana, desde las 0500 también se la puede escuchar, pero con peor calidad (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta.Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N-4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. V. of Nigeria in English is scheduled 0500-0700 on 15120, 1000-1600 7255, 1700-2100 15120. Recommended listening is ``VON Link Up``, their global music request show, Sundays 1805 on 15120 (Tony Rogers, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. La emisora de Nigeria en 4770 se puede escuchar a primera hora con bastante buena señal pero un audio muy distorsionado. Hoy día 1, sin embargo, no se la escuchaba (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta.Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N, 4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. I am glad to report that the Oklahoma news segment had resumed on KOSU when checked Wednesday August 2 at 1250 UT; they also promoted Oklahoma Perspectives, Wed at 2144. This was less than 4 minutes starting at 2144:30, interviewing an OG&E guy about conserving electricity (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. I am glad to note that despite the current 2-week begathon in primetime hours, OETA is running PBS primetime after midnight, e.g. Wide Angle about a Swedish Cessna pilot in a burka fulfilling an Afghan girl`s dream to fly, which would otherwise be lost to viewers, tho not sure much if any of this is first-run. This is the first begathon we have had with OETA also on the air for overnight, when there are normally repeats of PBS primetime. If you are in a similar situation, check the schedules and have plenty of tape on hand (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. OKC GROUP IS EYEING ENID’S KXOK STATION By Robert Barron Staff Writer http://www.enidnews.com/localnews/local_story_214001208.html An Oklahoma City group has applied to purchase Enid’s KXOK television station. Steve Easom, a partner in C2 Productions, said the group entered into a lease management agreement May 1, and its application to purchase the station is on file with Federal Communications Commission. The group already has a production facility in Oklahoma City, and KXOK would be its first broadcast station. ``The individuals involved have a number of years of history in broadcasting. We will build a premier high-definition station in Enid. We are working on production now and a digital transmitter is on order,`` Easom said. The station still will provide normal broadcasting, but the new digital status is mandated by FCC. Easom said he sees a ``huge void`` in some outlying communities in the Enid area. Because of Enid’s proximity to Oklahoma City some signals soon will not be receivable without a digital TV. The station will carry University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University coaches’ programs and is producing baseball, softball, wrestling and soccer shows for OSU. Easom helped build a number of stations in the past. ``The Enid station came available, and we thought it was a good place to begin networks throughout Oklahoma. We will still be on the cable system on channel 18. That is the vehicle the homeowner will receive it,`` he said. Those without cable can receive the station on Channel 32, he said. KXOK is now a 24-hour hunting and fishing channel. Easom said the production group wanted to put programming on that was favorable to the city. In addition to sports programs, he hopes for other shows that are locally produced. ``We`d love to see shows in the city and outlying areas,`` he said. Easom and members of his group consulted with local media outlets, including PEGASYS [cable access], to find a way they could complement what those outlets are doing. They plan to sell advertising to support the station but say it is their desire not to shift advertising dollars but encourage businesses who want to advertise with them to increase their advertising budgets -- (via Ken Kopp KKØHF, http://732u.com/ DXLD) Beat me to it! I have to point yet again that on ch 32, KXOK analog blox reception of HDTV PBS from OETA, which is also on ch 32 in nearby OKC some 105 km away!! What we need to do is get rid of KXOK, at least from ch 32. Since KXOK is classified as LP, I am not aware that a separate DTV channel for it has been specified. However, as in 5-105, KETA is tentatively destined to return to ch 13 when the DTV transition be complete (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. QSL Radio Tawantinsuyo (Cusco - Perú) --- Recibida el día Lunes 31/07, carta QSL de Radio Tawantinsuyo a través de los buenos oficios de Carlos Gamarra Moscoso en 24 días, tras el envío de un follow-up por un informe de recepción enviado directamente a la emisora en Diciembre de 2004, por lo que el tiempo total fué de 582 días. La dirección postal a donde se envió el informe más un dólar norteamericano es: Sr. Carlos Gamarra Moscoso, c/o Radio Tawantinsuyo, Avenida Garcilaso #411, Distrito de Wanchaq, Cusco - Perú (Gabriel Schvartz, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** POLAND, 9525, 1218 25 June, R. Polonia, full ID, severe hum on frequency, English, SIO 352 (Steve Calver, Herts., Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** RWANDA. R. Rwanda, Kigali, continues on 6055 with news in English heard daily at 1835 (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, Dxplorer 2 July via Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) The evening `window` for hearing R. Rwanda clearly on 6055 here in the UK has been extended by half an hour following the closure of R. Slovakia International. Whereas Kigali was previously clear between 2027-2059, it is now clear 1958-2059, after CRI signs off at 1958 until R. Japan signs on at 2059. R. Rwanda itself signs off at 2100 (Tony Rogers, UK, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) Accompanying Spotlight on 6055 shows CRI is Cerrik, Albania, and R. Japan is Skelton, UK. Only other station on during this hour is R. Nikkei 1, Japan itself from 2025 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. R. Riyadh in French to WAf is aired at 0800-1000 on 17785 and 1400-1600 on 21600, which are relays of the service aired domestically on MW and FM. However, whereas in the past the transmitter sometimes overran at 1000 and 1600 and the start of the English programme could be heard, it is now cut abruptly at 0955 and 1555, so seemingly no chance of any English from SA on SW at present (Tony Rogers, UK, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** SUDAN. Omdurman`s General Service in Arabic has been heard with fair to good reception during July. During the early mornings it has been heard well on 7200 from around 0345 tune-in until R. Bulgaria`s sign-on at 0430. There seems to be a regular block of ads at 0355. During the afternoon and early evening, they are heard well on 9505, from around 1600 until blocked by R. Farda`s sign-on at 1900 (Tony Rogers, UK, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. 17.2 kHz, SAQ Grimeton, Alexanderson Day Broadcast 2 July: first noted at 0820 with CW ``VVV VVV VVV DE SAQ SAQ SAQ``. 0830 into CW message, too fast for me to copy, then more CW IDs until 0854; also at 1210 with second transmission, CW IDs, 1230 message to 1236, both good (Nick Rank, Buxton, Derbyshire, BDXC Communication via DXLD) Nick says that he managed to put together a makeshift receiver on experimental T-Dec, with fixed tuning around 17 kHz, but could not test it until SAQ came on. Managed to align it roughly with a signal generator, so was pleased when SAQ`s CW came through well, moving the meter to half its full scale deflexion, especially as it was a small ferrite aerial wound with 800 turns. But Nick has learnt one thing from sitting on a hill-top in the full sun with an experimental receiver --- keep your glass diodes out of the sun! It probably seems obvious now, but the beat oscillator, which was working at approximately 15 kHz, kept stopping and reception disappeared and reappeared whenever a shadow was cast on this pair of glass diodes. It took a while to make the link; Nick was frantically pushing wires and resistors back into the holes trying to restore reception! He has now built it onto veroboard with a pair of black opaque diodes, ready for next time. In an e-mail from the station, they received 76 reports from the 2nd July broadcats, some from the USA (editor Tony Rogers, ibid.) ** TIBET. Re 6-113, 11950 is more or less regularly heard at my place in Northern Sweden at poor to fair level. It goes off at 0900 or a few minutes before that. 11860 is very rarely heard due to its unfavourable beam and co-channel Indonesia. Usually no daytime reception of Tibet on 31m (Olle Alm, Sweden, Aug 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That sked showed 11950 on until 1000 (gh, DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. V. of Tibet, via Dushanbe (presumed), 17563, 1137 16 July, talk in presumed Tibetan, songs; better on USB with sgtrong Chinese music jammer on 17560; SIO 333 (Tony Rogers, UK, BDXC Communication via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. FM DX: R. Tataouine, 87.6, 1125 20/6, YL, OM talk in Arabic, chants; RDS: TATAOUIN, SIO 422. At 1151 20/6, on 93.0 ERTT with Arabic music, SIO 222. On 88.7 at 0859 13 June, presumed ERTT with Arabic music, news, SIO 422 (Tim Ritchie, Felixstowe, Suffolk, Sony SA3ES tuner with 6 element FM beam on a rotator, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) Distance? (gh) RTT, R. Tataouine, Zarais, 87.6 also heard at 1702 June 22, 1178 km (Giampiero & Luca Bernardini, Lerici area, La Spezia, Liguria region, Italy, Satellit 700 and Degen 1103 with filters, log periodic RKB 5 elements, ibid.) ** U K [non]. Re 6-114, BBC Caribbean Service --- The question is, was it really 11675 Greenville on the air, 2100 to 2200, for this new BBCWS Caribbean service? I heard nothing here for this supposed substitute of Montsinéry 15390. At 2200, 5975 Montsinéry was there with fair signal. So, if 11675 was indeed on the air, at least for us ticos this give us the impression that was a wrong move, but may have fulfilled the expected results for people in the target zone. Still have my doubts. No problem with 13765 Cypress Creek, showing a sustained S 5, with only insignificant fading for the full couple of hours. Compared with that great signal we got this morning, this South Carolina site has given us the best two good performances for this debut day. O.K., it`s 2300 at the time I`m closing this and that CC relay made the day for BBCWS Carib Service (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, August 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Propagation of new BBCWS frequencies about as expected here. Morning programs don't come in as well. Both Cypress Creek transmissions useless; nothing heard on the 11675 (VOA relay) frequency, not even a het. During the morning Caribbean show 6130 was poor and 9750 was fair to poor. At 2200, 5975 was listenable and, on this day, the best reception of any of the frequencies (Mike Cooper, GA, Aug 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unknown, 6130, BBC, 1100-1130 Aug 2. Noted news and sports in English. Everything identified as the BBC Caribbean Report. Signal was armchair. No fading or flutter. Probably being relayed from the Ascension Islands, but I could [not] find any reference to this frequency anywhere (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, You would in DXLD 6-114. Just started, it`s French Guiana, and switching to 9750 at 1200. 73, (Glenn to Chuck, via DXLD) So far the first two days I haven`t been able to monitor before 1300 and missed the 21-22 period; but Aug 2 at 2215, 13765 was audible, surprisingly weak and fadey, if it`s 500 kW, presumably due to being off the side of the beam. It`s listenable, but the strength is not much better than e.g. TIRWR on 13750. 13820 Martí (Delano) and WWCR 13845 are inbooming, incomparably stronger (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ``A Friend in the Corner`` is a six part series currently on BBC7 Monday evenings at 6 pm (1700 UT). Each episode spotlights a year and includes many recordings of BBC broadcasts in the featured year. So far, we have heard 1936 and 1943, and next to be featured will be 1947 (Alan Roe, Aug World DX Club Contact via DXLD) BBC7 = webcast only (gh) ** U K [non]. EMBEDDED IN THE BBC (Media Report: 03/08/2006) The Media Report Thursday 3rd August 8.30 am, repeated at 8 pm. [AET = 2 August 2230 UT, 3 August 1000 UT] Georgina Born, an anthropologist, spent years inside the BBC observing its inner workings during some of its most tumultuous times. In Australia to deliver a series of lectures about public broadcasting, she talks at length to the Media Report. . . URL: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2006/1703051.htm ...................................................................... Listen on the web: recent Media Report programs are available on our web site as streaming audio and for podcast. You'll find them listed on our front page: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport ..................................................................... We welcome your feedback on any of our programs. To send us an email go to: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/contact Post GPO Box 9994 Brisbane, QLD 4001 Fax: 07 3377 5171 Voice: 07 3377 5125 (during office hours) (Media Report notification list via DXLD) ** U K. Para los que os guste el tema de Utilitarias, se puede escuchar en 6739 USB a la RAF desde Bampton Castle, con el indicativo ARCHITECT y con frecuentes llamadas a aviones de todo tipo a cualquier hora del día (Ignacio Sotomayor, Sta. Mª la Real de Nieva, Segovia, Castilla, España (41º04'01''N-4º24'17''W), Rcvx: ICOM R-75, Anx: Hilo largo de 10 metros, Aug 1, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. R. Sawa, news in Arabic, ID, 1415 UT June 17 by sporadic E on 91.4, SIO 454 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, ICF 7800 SW, Aug BDXC Communication via DXLD) A very slow streamer on the main Arabic website of R. Sawa http://www.radiosawa.com/ lists all these frequencies, in English alphabetical order by location, not including 91.4: Radio Sawa on FM: Abu Dhabi - 98.7 FM | Agadir - 101.0 FM | Amman/West Bank - 98.1 FM | Baghdad - 100.4 FM | Basra - 107.0 FM | Bethlehem/Ramallah - 94.2 FM | Casablanca - 101.5 FM | Djibouti - 100.8 FM | Doha - 92.6 FM | Dubai - 90.5 FM | Erbil - 106.6 FM | Fes - 97.9 FM | Lebanon (Beirut, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, Bekaa Valley) - 87.7 FM | Kirkuk - 98.8 | Kuwait - 95.7 FM | Manama - 89.2 FM | Marrakech - 101.7 FM | Meknes - 91.9 FM | Mosul - 106.6 FM | Nasiriya 103.6 FM | Northern Jordan - 107.4 FM | Rabat - 101.0 FM | Sulimaniyah - 88.0 FM | Tangier - 101.8 FM After managing to copy that, I go to the English page and find the same list in static form, still no 91.4. Sawa page may not be up to date, or do some private stations relay news from R. Sawa? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re: DXLD 6-114: 2600's "Emmanuel Goldstein" "So now I am at a loss. Do you know if the person in the 2600 group using the name "Emmanuel Goldstein" is really named that or if that is also an alias? In the great scheme of things, I guess it doesn't matter, but I suppose I feel sort of deceived (Will Martin, MO, July 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST)" Emmanuel Goldstein is a pseudonym named for the character in George Orwell's novel "Nineteen Eighty Four." If you scrutinize the writing credits and indicia in any edition of 2600 Magazine you should be able to determine Emmanuel's real name. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Goldstein for more info (Larry Will, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks much, Larry! The Wikipedia article explicitly answered my question! What a wonderful reference that is! I should have Googled the name before asking my question; I'd have probably found this info right away and needn't have bothered anybody... Live & Learn... 73, (Will Martin, MO, ibid.) It`s not a bother! I like to have such questions raised and answered on record in DXLD (gh) ** U S A [non]. Pan American Broadcasting has a new broadcast Sundays 1930-2000 on 9430 via Wertachtal to North Africa (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via Wolfgang Bueschel, WDXC via DXLD) 9430 heard here July 30th with excellent reception. It was the ``God Is Just a Prayer Away`` radio broadcast by Ohio preacher Ed Bousmann who also hires time on other Pan American Broadcasting outlets. They describe this station as Beacon of Hope North Africa giving broadcasters the opportunity to save the souls of over 216 million Muslims as well as strengthening the faith of Christians and positively influencing all the other non-believing souls in North Africa, another 19.5 million. Does the Beacon of Hope North Africa advertise as such in the target area? If not how many of this audience would be tuning around shortwave and come across this half hour broadcast. Beacon of Hope North Africa on 9430, though I don`t believe that name is ever announced, for 2 and a half hours a week (Mike Barraclough, UK, Aug World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** U S A. PROPOSED FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS THREATEN FUTURE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING --- Summary & Update The Bush administration has proposed a massive cut in the federal funding for public broadcasting. While the Senate Appropriations Committee has taken steps to restore funding, the House Appropriations Committee has followed the President’s lead with a similarly disastrous allocation. If the full House votes for the level of funding reported out of the committee, it could have dire results for stations across the country. The Bush administration’s budget proposal for 2007 includes crippling cuts for public broadcasting. Just last summer, when a congressional subcommittee threatened to cut funding, viewers across the country contacted members of Congress in droves. Congress responded and preserved the funding for 2006. The Association for Public Television Stations responded to last year`s cuts by saying, ``Rather than embrace the overwhelming, bi-partisan majority who supported public broadcasting a few months ago, the Administration is charging ahead in laying the foundation for the elimination of public broadcasting in America.`` This year the administration proposes to cut $157 million, reducing the federal financial support of public broadcasting by almost 30 percent. This would mean for the 2007 budget: • Corporation for Public Broadcasting: $346.5 million • Ready to Learn Program: $6.79 million • Digital Transition Funds: zero • Interconnection Costs: zero • Ready to Teach Program: zero • Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (emergency response funds): zero For the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides seed money averaging 15 percent of each station`s budget, the administration proposes cutting $53.5 million in 2007, another $50 million in 2008, and proposes to provide no funding at all in 2009. Current Federal Funding The current level of public broadcasting funding is the result of a massive public outcry. In 2005, the Congress tried to slash $100 million in funding for public broadcasting, but it was reinstated after a backlash by viewers across the country. The Congress responded to thousands of calls and e-mails and put back the funds that were previously proposed to be slashed. In the House of Representatives, 87 Republicans, 196 Democrats and the one Independent voted to reject the cut. As a result, the 2006 funding for public broadcasting is as follows: • Corporation for Public Broadcasting: $400 million • Ready to Learn Program: $24.5 million • Digital Transition Funds: $30 million • Interconnection Costs: $35 million • Ready to Teach Program: $11 million • Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: $22 million The Congress had also voted last year to preserve the 2008 advance funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting at $400 million. Now funding is at risk for 2007 and beyond. What now? The Congress is currently writing the new appropriations bills -- they must once again hear from supporters of public broadcasting from across the country. The House Appropriations Committee bill significantly slashes the funds for public broadcasting along the lines of the President’s budget. The Senate Appropriations committee has passed a bill with full funding for 2007 and advanced funding for 2009, and funding for each of the programs listed above. The funding cuts would be crippling to stations across the country that rely on these funds to keep themselves on the air on a daily basis. Congress must continue to fund public broadcasting at current levels or risk losing one of our most treasured sources of news and entertainment in cities across the United States. Check these websites for the latest info: http://www.moveon.org http://www.freepress.net http://www.freepress.org http://www.cpb.org (August KUNM Zounds via DXLD) FUNDING AT RISK --- YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING. Please go to the website http://www.tellthempublicmatters.org so you can become an electronic advocate for public broadcasting and send e-mails to your elected representatives to ask for their support. You can also make a real difference if you ask your friends to help in the effort. Things have not fared well in the annual assault on appropriations to support the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn supports local public radio and television stations, along with other important public service initiatives. On June 13, 2006 the full House Appropriations Committee voted to restore $20 million of the funding cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), but left intact nearly $100 million in cuts to all of the other public broadcasting programs contained in the bill, including vital digital conversion and interconnection funds. In addition, no funds were provided for Ready to Learn or Ready to Teach, two critical early learning educational programs and the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP), an essential equipment replacement program, was eliminated as well. And finally, no advance appropriation for FY 2009 was included in the bill — which, if left unchallenged either on the House floor or in the Senate, would represent the first time two-year advance funding will not have been approved since the practice was begun 30 years ago, after the Nixon administration tried to intervene editorially in public broadcasting content. Update: On July 18, the Senate Appropriations subcommittee, led by Chairman Arlen Specter and Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and responsible for funding much of public broadcasting`s annual budget, approved the following: • $400 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in FY ‘09. In so doing, the subcommittee reaffirmed support for CPB’s two-year advanced funding and rejected the Administration`s proposed rescissions of $50 million in FY ‘07 and $53 million in FY ‘08. • $29.7 million in ‘07 for public broadcasting’s ongoing digital transition. • $36 million in ‘07 for replacement of public television’s interconnection system. The Senate Appropriations Committee was scheduled to meet on Thursday, July 20, to consider and approve these funding recommendations. On a related matter, the Senate Appropriations Committee in July approved $22 million for the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) administered by the Department of Commerce (August KUNM Zounds via DXLD) REPORT TO THE KUNM COMMUNITY From October 2005 through April 2006, public radio station managers, staff, system leaders, and representatives of public radio organizations met with NPR senior management, staff and Board of Directors in regional retreats, workshops and a national forum. These activities were convened by the NPR Board, to seek a new way to engage with stations on issues related to the important work of public radio. The working title for this national effort is ``New Realities.`` As part of the work, Dana Davis Rehm, NPR`s VP for Member & Program Services, issued a report on July 7, 2006 called, ``NPR Management`s Blueprint for Growth.`` Excerpts are reprinted here for your consideration. After many years of continuous growth, our current industry franchise --- public radio --- is facing its most significant challenge. Audience is no longer increasing and listener support is stagnating. At the same time, expectations are growing: our listeners, like other audiences, are looking for new ways to get what they want, when they want it, in forms that best suit their needs. Equally important, technology is accelerating changes in media usage patterns, social interaction and content distribution. While media participants are growing, the foundation of mainstream media is eroding, and public radio is captive to these same irreversible forces. We must compete — together. In the context of radical change and chaotic competition, NPR must be absolutely clear about its purpose, unique value and relationship to stakeholders, particularly our Member stations, upon whose health the current business and service model depends. For the past 30 years, NPR’s competitive actions have been directed internally – focused on ensuring our position as public radio`s primary program producer and earning the lion`s share of station revenues. NPR`s product development, speed to market, plans and programmatic focus were shaped by this finite public radio marketplace. This competitive perspective is no longer appropriate. All public radio organizations – stations, producers and networks - are now competing for audience attention with major media companies that are bigger and better resourced and that operate more nimbly across the commercial, internet and mobile landscapes. We are also competing with do-it-yourself bloggers and podcasters and emerging new media forums. Nonprofits, cultural institutions and businesses are starting to create and distribute their own media products. The historical relationships among producers, aggregators, stations, and listeners are blurring rapidly. For the past ten years, our fragmented approach to this new competition has been insufficient: slow, modest in scale, frustrating to existing audiences and a barrier to potential audiences. The workshops confirmed widespread dissatisfaction with these piecemeal efforts and demonstrated a willingness to consider new options: strategies that would move away from fragmentation toward cohesion, away from company-centric planning toward audience-centered services. The clarity and discipline that this kind of cultural change demands is not easy to accomplish and requires radical new ways of thinking and operating from all of us in public radio. We are challenged to act deliberately, collaboratively and swiftly. If public radio fails to change and adopt new approaches, our current and potential partners – and, worse, our audiences – may go elsewhere, and other content providers will take our place, fulfilling the audience’s needs and earning the trust that was once the province of public radio. NPR is ready to adopt a new system-oriented approach to competition and we invite other stakeholders to join us in leading that effort. Technology has irrevocably changed how people will receive and interact with content and content providers by creating new choices and opportunities. We must look beyond the technology and seek a transformation based on understanding and serving the audience, acknowledging that the audience can be trusted, and now wants more of a conversation with us and with each other. Our ability to remain vital will not be a happy accident; it must be purposeful. With the audience at the center of our decision-making and engagement as a new fact of life, management of that relationship becomes a shared responsibility. Working across networks and with Member stations, public radio can ride the wave of user-generated content by creating and curating content that grows from the audiences interactions with each other. By encouraging audience engagement with content that informs and enriches their lives, public radio`s relationship with them will be strengthened. Trust is our key value proposition. Our most precious asset is the public`s trust, and this is the central value against which NPR will measure itself across all activities. By building on the public trust that was established through our collective radio service, we can create a broader and deeper trusted space that transcends all platforms. The trusted space can define public radio regardless of where, when or how our service is produced, provided or presented. To live up to its part in achieving this aspiration, NPR will seek to build trusting relationships between and among the institutions of public radio, with other organizations of similar values and ideals and with the audience. NPR has established a reputation as a source of trusted content. We can do more, and we will, but the breakthrough in thinking is for NPR and public radio to be the convener of the trusted space where people can learn, grow, connect and contribute. Next month --- new initiatives from NPR based on New Realities outcomes (via Richard Towne, KUNM GM, August Zounds via DXLD) Check out Zounds each month, especially around page 12 with the program highlights, linked under advance info -- variety on our MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR, or direct to this issue: http://www.kunm.org/pdf/Zounds_20060801.pdf September issue will change the 8 to a 9, etc. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1503, bubble jammer, against what? 2130 UT 8 July, S-2 (Robert Petraitis, Lithuania, BDXC Communication via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 3116.5, lively music,, sounded east European, no announcements, 2012 UT 10 July, SIO 242. Minsk? (Nick Rank, Derbyshire, BDXC Communication via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 4824.7, Central Asia? Weak signal at 1945 July 7, also 1810 July 8, SIO 232 (Franck Baste, France, BDXC Communication via DXLD) We had a previous report of such an unID. Check it out! (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ SIGNAL SUSPENDED Dear Signal readers, For some personal reasons, I have to suspend publishing of the bulletin. That's a bit sad, but I really don't have much time for the hobby now. Thank you all who supported Signal with logs and other radio-related news during these years. I hope things will change some day... Best regards and 73, (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, signal notification list via DXLD) Sorry to hear this, but thanks for putting it out as long as you have! (Glenn) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEWS FROM THE HFCC A Steering Board Meeting of the HFCC/ASBU was held on 2 June 2006. High on the agenda were preparations for the next regular conference (B06) scheduled for 28 August to 1 September 2006 in Athens, Greece. Confirmation was received from the ERT colleagues (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation) in regard to the venue for the coordination conference for the B06 season. They have reached an agreement with the Divani Apollon Palace & Spa hotel in one of the suburbs of Athens near the sea, and they have chosen it as a conference venue and for accommodation purposes. The hotel is located 19 kilometers from Athens International Airport. The ERT sponsors of the Conference will provide coffee breaks, two lunches, a dinner, sightseeing in the center of Athens and a visit to the Acropolis and its museum. NASB Associate Member VT Merlin Communications will also sponsor an activity at the Conference. For more information and registration details, see the HFCC website: http://www.hfcc.org (July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC Haiku Some Japanese Haiku.... (Note three lines with 5, 7, and 5 syllables in each line) Ibiquity rules. I B O C must be heard. Does anyone care? (Joe Miller, Troy, MI, NRC-AM via DXLD) The threat of HD carriers and/or sidebands, and/or splatter has kept me from purchasing any new receiver, or add-on gizmo for broadcast band DX'ing. I'll still use what I have, but with the noise from HD, talk formats that hold no interest, paid religious formats, and broadcasts in a language I don't speak, the hobby of MW DX'ing is no longer a worthwhile investment for me. Nothing against broadcasters. I am one. You have to make money somehow. The band just no longer holds much interest. I am no longer thrilled to hear a 1000 watt station from 700 miles away if all I hear is Fox Sports Net, or a Sean Hannity show. Again, no fault to the broadcasters, and I fully understand change, but personally, for me, noise from IBOC is the nail in the coffin. Even shortwave continues to diminish. I see that Finland is about to go off SW, and even Radio Japan has announced plans to stop SW English to North America. I see all those great new radios advertised in Monitoring Times and Popular Communications, and I know they are far superior to the equipment I own and use. But I can't justify the outlay of new radio money, just to hear IBOC hash, WWV, Volmet weather, or a Rush Limbaugh repeat from five days ago. I still enjoy longwave. When Europe is in, it is still a thrill, and the music selection from Algeria, Ireland, France, and Germany can be compelling enough to listen to for hours when reception holds. When was the last time a DX'er spent hours listening to a distant domestic MW station because of its broadcast content? I will still tune around, and although I do miss the DX days of my youth when every market had a rock station with different playlists and personalities on MW, it does no good to look back. I will never again hear John Landecker on WLS, or WRDW in Augusta when it was owned by James Brown and his jocks talked a mile a minute. There are those like yourself, Pat, who live on the coasts and take great pains to hear marvelous MW reception from "across the pond." I lived in Hawaii for many years, and know how exciting it is to hear a TP or TA station, as opposed to another ad for prostate formula or a sleep number bed on a domestic networked broadcast. My hat is off to all of you, who experiment with antennas, tuners, and other equipment to make such fantastic, and I know enjoyable, reception possible. It still seems I have a passion for a hobby I cannot escape. I enjoy all the exchanges on DX lists like this one, and I read and relish with great pleasure every issue of Glenn Hauser's DXLD. I have a room full of books, logs, and magazines going back to the spark days. Some full of ads promising great programming from NBC Blue and the DuMont Television Network. Armstrong FM on 39 MHz, and the miracle (at least to me) of synchronous AM detection. And on the air, there are exceptions. A few bright spots left on MW. I am lucky enough to live in an area where small local AM stations still air live and local gospel music broadcasts on Sunday morning. The sound of a singer who is obviously "off mic," and the noticeable hum when a second mic is potted up, is fun to hear. But these are few and far between, at least 40 miles from me, and once the neighbors TV, or computer comes on, the fun is over. I have heard enough high pitched heterodynes to last a lifetime. Loops, longwires, and ANC-4's not withstanding. So, my listening needs are now satisfied by those small objects orbiting overhead, rock music or comedy from the BBC via broadband, and the anticipation of super Wi-Fi broadcasting. I love my hobby. I have for over, my God, 40 years now. But now my attention for DX is focused on 50 MHz and above, not 500 kHz and above. We are in the final days of analog television, and the E-skip this summer has been fantastic. It is going out with a bang. I wish I could say the same for MW (Brock WH6SZ/4 Whaley, NRC-AM via DXLD) I completely agree with everything you've said. As for e-skip, I've heard of it frequently, but no experience. At least this summer, I managed to hear "Boot Hill Missouri" (distance 700-800 miles) on one of the Citizens Band channels as well as Abilene Texas on FM (distance approx. 1,300 miles). And QSL wise, I'm probably going to have my best year since 1969. As for MW DXing, I will give it one last shot this coming winter, and hope for some great memories to come (Joe Miller, KD8DLU, Troy, Michigan, ibid.) Brock, Thanks for your comments on the hobby. I have to agree that there is very little to listen to on AM radio these days. I do like some talk. But only a few stations interest me. For oldies, we have KSWB Seaside that has a good mix. Stuff you normally don't hear these days. Then there is also KITI Chehalis WA that also is good with live DJs. But you are right, the small station is going away. KBCH Lincoln City OR used to run more local DJs and even Flapper music out of the 20s. Now they run Lars Larson in the afternoon. KBRD 680 250w Olympia WA is interesting with a mix of Big Band, flapper music, jazz, over the past 80 years. You never know what you might find there. But a person has to hunt for interesting programming today. It can be hard to find too. For me, satellite TV & radio has also taken some of my hobby interest. It is great to tune in TV from all over the world. I watch BBC World most of the time. I get DW TV out of Germany, Russia Today from Moscow, CCTV9 from Beijing. Those broadcast in EE. Plus many others. Many is foreign languages. Fortunately (so far), few IBOCers in my neck of the woods, but if it gets night time, I am sure that will change. I have been DXing MW for 43 years now and collecting QSLs for 41. I can't complain. With nearly 3,000 MW QSLs from over 90 countries, it has been great. Add in the SW, FM, TV, etc QSLs puts me at over 3500. But even QSLing is getting a lot tougher. I will continue to DX until I am put away in a pine box. But the pickings may get slimmer in the future. Hey, I could always move to Iceland and DX from there, hi. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) U.S. DTV ADAPTER VOUCHERS The National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comments on the program to distribute vouchers. Among other things, they'd like to know who should be eligible to get them (they plan to exclude any household that does not rely exclusively on off-air reception)and how to define an eligible adapter. Comments are easy to submit (e-mail is okay) and are due by September 25. You'll find links to the press release, FAQs, and other material here: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ This is the complete text of the NPRM. It's not very long and is relatively easy to read (if you ignore the boilerplate notices at the end): http://tinyurl.com/m8xk3 (Bob Cooper, NZ, via Mike Bugaj, CT, WTFDA via DXLD) To All: Well, now I'm upset. I don't get my $40 if there is cable coverage in my area? Now that's pretty dumb. I don't pay for my local TV stations now; why should I have to buy access to them through the cable company? Aren't these PUBLIC airwaves? The cable picture stinks! It's not anywhere near as clean and crisp as the signal from the Quantum. Right now, WNY is in the process of switching from Adelphia to Time Warner. For the last 3 weeks, local channel 7 has had some other audio on it. The cable company either can't figure it out or has not received enough complaints about it to fix it, I guess. And Channel 7 is one of my locals. That's what the consumer has to look forward to? I would suggest that EVERYONE file and complain at: coupon @ ntia.doc.gov or to Regulations.gov at http://www.regulations.gov Like Bob says, you have until Sept. 25 (Guy in Lockport, NY Falsetti, ibid.) DRM Re 6-114 NEW ZEALAND. RNZI on 9440 is variable - as are all their local daytime frequencies here, despite the close proximity. There is generally enough signal to resolve DRM audio, hence the "suitably strong" comment - but there are also intermittent drop-outs. In our evenings, RNZI is extremely solid, which seems to be what is really needed for pain-free DRM, at least using the configuration I describe. Rgds, (Craig Seager, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also GERMANY; GUAM RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ MAKESHIFT VLF RECEIVER: See SWEDEN PULSING TV SET JAMS 31 METRES I have local ``jamming`` centred around 9250 and extending up and down 1 MHz, thanks to a cheap no-DTV-tuner TV set I couldn`t resist picking up for $50 at Dollar General. Turns out that when it is turned off (only) it puts out rapid pulses in this SW frequency range. Only solution is to unplug it, but that`s inconvenient and requires it to be reprogrammed; so I forewent recording this Shiokaze broadcast. Or one can turn it on and enjoy instead the video hash over a much broader SW frequency range. The TV to avoid is a BrokSonic, with the S like a lightning bolt, address in NYC but made in Thailand; model CTGV-4563TCT, which yes, on the back label claims to be Part 15 compliant! It does inhibit my DXing especially on the 9 MHz band (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cf KOREA NORTH [non], QRMs Shiokaze 9485 AN ODD RF NOISE PROBLEM SOLVED IRCA, I have a pinched nerve in my back from a ruptured disk that is keeping me up a lot at night. So it is possible that I have already let you all know this and am just too tired to remember. If so, delete this. A couple of months ago I noticed a new kind of interference. It was always there even in the daytime. I shut off power to my house and it was still there so I figured for a while that it must be one of the neighbors. NOT! It was the propane powered mosquito trap that my wife bought so that she could work in the garden and not be constantly attacked by squadrons of huge mutant mosquitoes. I woke up at about 0300, and while in the kitchen attempting to get a cup of live saving balm, I noticed a faint blinking light on my lawn. Thinking that perhaps a UFO had landed in my yard, I went outside with my cell phone prepared to call Coast to Coast AM. I could see that the light was coming from her mosquito trap. As I got closer I could hear a fan running. Since I put it together for her, I knew that it had no source of power other then the propane. It turns out that they are using the propane burner to generate CO2 to attract mosquitoes, and to somehow generate electricity to cause two lights to blink, and to run a fan that sucks the careless mosquito that ventures too close into the trap. It also generates an odd almost whine on all frequencies below 10 MHz. Perhaps above also but those antennas are farther away so I had not noticed it there (Steve Hawkins, 73 49 111 01001001 NG0G, IRCA via DXLD) WOMAN CHARGED IN ASSAULT WITH ANTENNA By Cass Rains, Staff Writer --- An Enid woman was charged with two felony counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for striking her husband and another woman with a broken car antenna, the charge alleges. . . http://www.enidnews.com/siteSearch/apstorysection/local_story_213001543.html (via gh, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field was at quiet to major storm levels. Solar wind speed ranged from a low of near 320 km/s late on 25 July to a high of 700 km/s early on 28 July. The period began with the wind speed low around 340 km/s with the IMF Bz fluctuating between +/- 5 nT. The geomagnetic field was mostly quiet with some unsettled and active periods on 24 and 25 July at high latitudes. Midday on 27 July, wind speed began a slow increase from about 300 km/s, while the IMF Bz fluctuated between +/- 7 nT for about 3 hours and then +10 to -15 nT through early on 28 July. By early on the 28th, wind speed reached the period’s maximum of 700 km/s. The increase in levels was in response to the onset of a recurrent coronal hole high speed wind stream. As a result, active to major storm levels were observed from late on 27 July through midday on 28 July at all latitudes. From midday on the 28th through the end of the summary period, wind speed slowly decayed and ended the period at 400 km/s, while the IMF Bz did not vary much beyond +/- 3 nT. The geomagnetic field responded with quiet to unsettled conditions. SPACE WEATHER OUTLOOK 02 AUGUST – 28 AUGUST 2006 Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 02 – 05 August. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled for the majority of the forecast period. Recurrent coronal hole high speed wind streams are expected to rotate into geoeffective positions on 08 August, 24 August, and 28 August. Unsettled to active periods are possible on 08 August, while active to minor storm periods are possible on 24 August and 28 August. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Aug 02 2124 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2006 Aug 01 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Aug 02 70 10 3 2006 Aug 03 70 8 3 2006 Aug 04 70 5 2 2006 Aug 05 70 5 2 2006 Aug 06 70 8 3 2006 Aug 07 70 8 3 2006 Aug 08 70 12 3 2006 Aug 09 70 8 3 2006 Aug 10 70 12 3 2006 Aug 11 70 8 3 2006 Aug 12 70 5 2 2006 Aug 13 70 5 2 2006 Aug 14 70 8 3 2006 Aug 15 70 5 2 2006 Aug 16 70 5 2 2006 Aug 17 75 5 2 2006 Aug 18 75 5 2 2006 Aug 19 75 5 2 2006 Aug 20 75 5 2 2006 Aug 21 75 5 2 2006 Aug 22 75 5 2 2006 Aug 23 75 8 3 2006 Aug 24 75 20 4 2006 Aug 25 75 5 2 2006 Aug 26 75 8 3 2006 Aug 27 75 10 3 2006 Aug 28 75 15 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio August 2 via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ POLITICAL BUMPER STICKERS Saying it better and shorter than I could! These bumper stickers were compiled by Jerry Paul, a former Methodist minister in Lakeside, Ohio, who writes: The following actual bumper stickers are now on cars. I didn't write any of them. I'm only the messenger. If they make you laugh, good. If they make you cry, good. If they make you angry, that's good too. If you don't want to read them, hit the delete button. BLIND FAITH IN BAD LEADERSHIP IS NOT PATRIOTISM IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION IF YOU SUPPORTED BUSH, A YELLOW RIBBON WON'T MAKE UP FOR IT POVERTY, HEALTH CARE, & HOMELESSNESS ARE MORAL ISSUES OF COURSE IT HURTS. YOU'RE GETTING SCREWED BY AN ELEPHANT BUSH LIED, AND YOU KNOW IT RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: A THREAT ABROAD, A THREAT AT HOME GOD BLESS EVERYONE (No exceptions) BUSH SPENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY ON HIS WAR PRO AMERICA, ANTI BUSH WHO WOULD JESUS BOMB? IF YOU SUPPORT BUSH'S WAR, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? SHUT UP AND SHIP OUT FEEL SAFER NOW? I'D RATHER HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SCREWED HIS INTERN THAN ONE WHO SCREWED HIS COUNTRY JESUS WAS A SOCIAL ACTIVIST -- THAT IS A LIBERAL MY VALUES? FREE SPEECH. EQUALITY. LIBERTY. EDUCATION. TOLERANCE IS IT 2008 YET? DISSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM -- Thomas Jefferson DON'T BLAME ME. I VOTED AGAINST BUSH -- TWICE! ANNOY A CONSERVATIVE: THINK FOR YOURSELF VISUALIZE IMPEACHMENT HEY BUSH! WHERE'S BIN LADEN? CORPORATE MEDIA = MASS MIND CONTROL STOP MAD COWBOY DISEASE GEORGE W. BUSH: MAKING TERRORISTS FASTER THAN HE CAN KILL THEM KEEP YOUR THEOCRACY OFF MY DEMOCRACY DEMOCRATS ARE SEXY. WHOEVER HEARD OF A GOOD PIECE OF ELEPHANT? ASPIRING CANADIAN CORPORATE MEDIA: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION DON'T CONFUSE DYING FOR OIL WITH FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM STEM CELL RESEARCH IS PRO LIFE HATE, GREED, IGNORANCE: WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION HONOR OUR TROOPS: DEMAND THE TRUTH REBUILD IRAQ? WHY NOT SPEND 87 BILLION ON AMERICA? FACT: BUSH OIL 1999 - $19 BARREL 2006 - $70 BARREL THE LAST TIME RELIGION CONTROLLED POLITICS, PEOPLE GOT BURNED AT THE STAKE I'LL GIVE UP MY CHOICE WHEN JOHN ROBERTS GETS PREGNANT HOW ON EARTH CAN 59,411,287 PEOPLE BE SO DUMB? (via Jean Adamson via Howard Box, TN, DXLD) ###