DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-126, August 19, 2006 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO EXTRA 70: Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 Wed 0930 WWCR1 9985 Complete schedule including non-SW stations and audio links: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml ** AFGHANISTAN. NATO SOLICITING BIDS FOR PSYOPS NETWORK IN AFGHANISTAN The NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) has announced that it intends to advertise for International Competitive Bidding on works and services within the framework of the NATO Security Investment Program. Eligible firms will be invited to provide bids on a Request for Quotation in relation to the provision of Stages 3 & 4 of the Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) Radio Network for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The goal of the PSYOPS network is to create a supporting atmosphere among the Afghan leadership and population in support of the objectives of the ISAF expanded mission. NC3A is serving as the Host Nation for this project, which was authorized by the NATO Infrastructure Committee. Within the ISAF Area of Operations, a radio network is required to receive the central programme from Kabul and re-broadcast it locally to reach specified Provincial Reconstruction Team regions. In addition, at the Regional Command level, a network must support alternative broadcast of regionally produced programmes to their subordinated PRTs. PSYOPS transmitters located at PRTs will be linked with a radio studio through VSAT. This project will extend the PSYOPS Radio Network to the 17 PRT locations, in the Southern and Eastern region of Afghanistan. The radio network will require the following components: - 5 KW commercial FM Band radio transmitters with 20m masts and antennas - CIS shelters with heating and air-conditioning to accommodate the FM transmitters - Generators and Uninterruptible Power Supply units - Audio processing and VSAT capability adaptation equipment - 1 KW FM transmitters (for repeater locations) with 20m masts, antennas, VSAT receivers, and demodulators. Capability must be operational within the commercial FM band from 87.5 to 107.0 MHz. More info: http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2006/08-August/11-Aug-2006/FBO-01109937.htm (August 14th, 2006, 14:34 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** ALGERIA. RADIO STATIONS OF ALGERIA: FREQUENCY LIST AND TRANSMITTER GALLERY Ceci est une liste officieuse de la radio algérienne. Je n'ai aucune relation avec la "Radio Algérienne" (ENRS) ou la TDA. J'établis et entretiens cette liste comme passe temps pour aider ceux qui veulent avoir des informations sur la radio algérienne en particulier la communauté DX. Last update: 20th July 2006 To view more information about the transmitters, including photographs, you can click on the transmitter names in the tables below. . . http://www.elahcene.co.uk/algeria/ (via BCDX Aug 19 via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Collega`s, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel tamelijk goed te horen op 15476 kHz met talks about Mexico and Cuba, nice Z.A. mx. Beste tijd was rond 1920 UT. Groeten (Maurits Van Driessche, Aug 17, HCDX via DXLD) So it`s back! Try M-F 19-21 UT (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 25 JULIO, 0850 UT, 1610 kHz, Radio Guaviyú, Gregorio de Laferrere. Castellano. "Mágica, milagros, hechizos... El Cacique Plumaroja." "Hay que probar las gotitas rayitas de sentimiento. Le cambiarán la vida." Calidad Variable. A veces, Superlativa. 6 AGO, 0836 UT, 1710 kHz, AM 1710, Capital Federal. Castellano. Música Popular. Identificación a las 0902: "Transmitiendo la mejor música..." Calidad Variable (Adán Mur, Ñemby, Paraguay, Conexión Digital Aug 13 via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA [non]. LA ROSA DE TOKIO EN WRMI 9955: Me ha informado Jeff White que LRDT no sale más los sábados a las 07; sólo los domingos a esa hora. El horario de WRMI se ha cambiado mucho para facilitar más programs fueracubanos. ¿Es cierto que sea el programa actual y no de la semana anterior? 73, (Glenn Hauser, condig list via DXLD) Estimado W. G. Hauser: A raiz de la gran demanda de programas dirigidos hacia Cuba, LA ROSA DE TOKIO sale por WRMI sólo los domingos a las 07 UT, con la primicia de emitir varias horas antes el mismo programa que el domingo a las 16 UT emite LS11 Radio Provincia. Un gran saludo (Omar Josè Somma, La Rosa de Tokio, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. Glenn: Re my Tennant Creek log and "traditional RA ID". That was a poor choice of words, plus I dont hear too well any more. So the ID I heard was actually ABC (not RA), plus at 930 I heard the traditional musical ID or transition(I don`t know what to call the latter, but it seems to be played on ABC for both regular and regional transmissions). In addition, others heard 783 in front of ABC ID. So perhaps I should have said I heard the traditional ABC musical ID. Anyway, I only reported it because it is not normally on that late and you gave us the reason why. Thanks (Steve Bass, OH, Aug 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think RA uses the same news theme as ABC domestically (gh, DXLD) 2325, VL8T, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. Tuned in from 0945 to 1115 on 8/19 to the AFL match between Fremantle and St. Kilda, plus news from ABC newsroom at halftime. Back on regular frequency (2325) for this post 0830 time slot after failed to switch over to 2325 from 4910 on 8/17 (Steve Bass, Columbus, Ohio. Icom 746PRO and Wellbrook 330S Loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4910, VL8T, Tennant Creek, Found on the air here at 0918 17 Aug with ABC news by M and actualities, // 6080. ABC ID ending one report. Still going past 1000. Good signal. 2310, VL8A Alice Springs on at the same time. [See also PAPUA NEW GUINEA [and non]] 5049.93, ARDS, 1032-1101 19 Aug, M in heavily-accented English being interviewed by M host to 1041. (checked their Web site to see if they had any streaming audio. They didn't). 1041-1044 religious-like choral song. After W at 1045, several Aboriginal vocal songs accompanied only by a drum instrument. 1047 sounded like a presumed English ID by M mentioning "...radio station... Northern...". 1051-1101+ long talk feature by M in what sounded like an Aboriginal language. Was getting horrible 5070 noise slop [WWCR] QRMing this after 1051. Already sent e-mails out and hope to get an e-QSL and station info!!) I really wish I could've been up at one of the remote listening sites this morning. I'm sure ARDS would've been much easier (dare I say easy??!!). In any event, I hope this is a preview of the upcoming DX season!! 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Aug 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Best Birthday wishes from Radio Australia --- Hello George, I'll be looking at the 17 MHz from Shepparton to Pacific to see if they need to come down to 15 MHz at some point soon. I'll let you know what my choices of alternative frequency might be. I've taken the liberty of copying my reply to some colleagues within RA as your contributions over the years have materially aided and improved our coverage and reliability to the Pacific region, from the days of PMG then Telecom and now direct ABC management of the RA transmitters at Shepparton and Brandon (Nigel Holmes, RA, to and via George J. Poppin, CA, who is now 88, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Do you recall when Radio Australia used to have a morning (GMT) broadcast to UKOGBANI using 11 & 9 MHz from Shepparton that used long path propagation - if I remember correctly via 128 degrees - and it was consistently well received. I have in front of me the April 1962 RA Programme Guide no. 25 and it lists this service at 0555-0730 GMT on 11.71 and 9.57 Mc/s. However, guide No. 26 for Nov. 1962 to March 1963 shows the service at 0814-0915 GMT via the same frequencies. This suggests that the service was retimed to take account of summer/winter time propagation differences via the long route (Noel R. Green, (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 128 degrees? But yes, when stretching a thread over the globe from southern Australia at this bearing I indeed ended up in Europe, after solving the problem that one actually needs three hands to do the experiment. When did Radio Australia actually abandon Europe as target area? I still remember rather good reception from Darwin and Carnarvon (7260 comes to mind here) in the first half of the nineties, but I understand that all these transmissions were meant for Asia, with Europe situated behind the actual target by chance, thus being within the beam (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also GERMANY This was long before they had Carnarvon or Darwin, like in the 50/60s when the only transmitter site was Shepparton (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. 6025, Radio Patria Nueva (ex Illimani?), La Paz, 1055- 1105, August 18, Aymara/Spanish, talk by female in aymara, announcement and ID at 1100 UT as: "Radio Patria Nueva... en todos los departamentos del país... en treinta segundos comienza su red nacional"; other ID and announcement as: "La Radio Patria Nueva presenta... su canal de noticias... Bolivia, primera edición... completa y pluralista... integrando al país"; TC: "7 de la mañana, 2 minutos", national news in Spanish by male, 22432 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, HCDX via DXLD) I had the impression from previous press reports that altho R. Illimani would carry RPN programming as the government station, it would retain its identity, and the only SW frequency RPN would appear on would be this 6025. Mostly it`s on newly established FM or AM transmitters around the country (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just listened to their streaming audio (excellent sound quality and beautiful music) and heard the speaker say "Red Patria Nueva emite por.../frequencies/", also "Radio Illimani por la Red Patria Nueva" and "Red Patria Nueva, La Voz de Bolivia". To listen, open http://abi.bo/index.php?i=patria-nueva and click on the last line on the page unless you have Winamp installed on your PC (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, HCDX via DXLD) Arnaldo, No último dia 17, por volta de 2340 UT, acompanhei a emissora, em 6025 kHz. Em certo momento, mencionaram a "Rede Satelital Illimani". 73s, (Célio Romais, radioescutas via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6155.03, R. Fides, 0109-0200* 17 Aug, Booming live romantic music, another romantic song, W briefly, then another song. 0123 canned muffled echo announcement by W, possible long programm promo by M and W over music mentioning "?? Bolivia y el mundo". 6 time ticks at BoH exactly. M between songs at 0127 and W between songs at 0134. 0137 nice canned echo ID promo by M "Transmite en R. Fides... R. Fides, con ?? magnífico...", promo. ID at 0157, and long closing ID with frequencies by M at 0159, then 'rumbling' OC continued till the signal went off at 0205:55. Fairly clear although audio has a lot to be desired. All announcements were muffled. This is probably the best time/frequency to log Fides (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Aug 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** BULGARIA [and non]. GIGI NADALI SEGNALA RADIO ''NOVA EVROPA'', IL TRAMONTO DI UN'EPOCA? - 16.08.2006, Da Sofia, scrive Francesco Martino Una radio simbolo della guerra fredda: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, finanziata dal Congresso americano, si riceveva in tutti i Paesi dell'est. Ora in Bulgaria, venuto meno il sostegno USA, il management vuole aumentare ascolti e pubblicità. E diminuire gli spazi dedicati all'informazione Da alcuni mesi una battaglia a denti stretti sta decidendo il futuro di Radio Nova Evropa, erede in Bulgaria di Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, emittente finanziata dal Congresso americano che ha segnato con le sue trasmissioni un ruolo importante negli ultimi cinquant'anni di storia non solo in Bulgaria, ma nell'intera Europa orientale. . . http://www.osservatoriobalcani.org/article/articleview/6034/1/51/ (via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. 1270, CBRU, BC, Squamish, still here and dominant at S9+10 DB // CBU 690 with CBC News at 0504 EDT [0904 UT] 8/19. Those who still need this, should give it a try before they more to FM. 200 W at night. Drake R8, WNW/SW EWE phased. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, IRCA via DXLD) ** CANADA. Two items from SE Michigan today [see also U S A]. First concerns CKDO-AM 1580 Oshawa, ONT. After a couple of nights of hearing traces of Oldies in here at 1580 (Including what I thought may have been a mention of Oshawa, CKDO between records,) Thursday evening after midnight (Early Friday morning, 18 August) proved to be the good night for me. During the period between 0230 and 0300 EDT (0630-0700Z), CKDO-AM 1580 came in fairly, with a little bit of the AM flutter with it at various points. They even played my favorite Keith Hampshire record (Big-Time Operator) while I listened! If they're on the DA setup they plan to use for this, I have a feeling this may get out pretty well -- especially at nighttime. (When they were on 1350, CKDO was a semi-regular visitor into Detroit during the morning hours.) (Eric Berger, SE Michigan, Aug 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CKDO 1580 is pounding into PEI tonight - with beautiful audio on the 16 KC bandwidth on my Collins R-390A. Sung jingles, nice oldies with lots of Can-Con, and what sounds like a live announcer. A few nights ago I had noticed rolling music on 1580 - but this is the real deal. Imagine - an AM radio station actually signing on in Canada, rather than going dark (Phil Rafuse, VY2PR, Aug 17, ABDX via DXLD) ** CANADA. IBOC in ... Canada --- CBC 99.1 heard yesterday evening testing IBOC. I simply knew the strong hash on 99.3 and 98.9 that I heard as I was leaving Toronto for Burnt River was suspicious --- and I've since found out the CBC has indicated it would be doing tests on 99.1. I also thought I had similar hash on the adjacents to CJBC 90.3 and the Aboriginal Voices station on 106.5, but not 100 percent sure, certainly not as strong as that bleeding off 99.1 (Saul Chernos, Toronto ON, Aug 18, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) The IBOC tests in Canada are interesting. I was under the impression that they have settled on the European l band system eureka147. I know that they have been running eureka muxes in the major Canadian markets for a few years. Reports I've come across have indicated that the system hasn't garnered lots of listeners, sort of like iboc here in the states (Dave Marthouse, IRCA via DXLD) There is a good summary of digital in this part of Canada & US here: http://members.shaw.ca/nwbroadcasters/digitalradio.htm ef (Eric Flodén, Vancouver, listening on analog, ibid.) Yep, there are tests taking place on 99.1 and 90.3. There shouldn't be any IBOC on 106.5, but you may hear some on the 98.7 CBC transmitter in Peterborough. No AM IBOC tests coming in the near future, though (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, IRCA via DXLD) ** CANADA. RADIO: TUNING IN TO SASKATOON --- COMPANIES WITH ABORIGINAL AND CHRISTIAN FORMATS AMONG THOSE SEEKING LICENCES Murray Lyons, The StarPhoenix Published: Friday, August 18, 2006 Forget the buzz about satellite radio. There's still life in old- fashioned commercial radio stations that broadcast over the air waves. Eight companies, including three of the biggest national radio broadcast corporations, made the deadline this summer to file applications with the federal broadcast regulator for new broadcast licences in Saskatoon. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission CRTC) has yet to set a date for public hearings. Among the eight companies are two that have long histories in Saskatchewan -- Radio CJVR Ltd. and Harvard Broadcasting Inc. The third local pitch comes from an unknown local entity, Saskatoon Radio Broadcasting Ltd., whose mailing address is the MLT law offices in Saskatoon. . . http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/story.html?id=2def7c92-1de9-4e2e-a06f-6c05bc719199 (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC RADIO TWO TO AIR WAGNER'S RING CYCLE LIVE Classical CBC RADIO TWO will air the entire Ring Cycle as performed live by the CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY on SEPTEMBER 12, 13, 15, and 17. The performances pf RICHARD WAGNER's four operas at the FOUR SEASONS CENTRE in TORONTO is nearly sold out and the CBC's broadcast will be the first Canadian broadcast of all four operas in consecutive order as intended by the composer (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** CHINA. ENFORCEMENT [sic]: THE FIREDRAGON STILL LIVES ARNewsline August 18: (Chinese jammer, their version) The so-called Firedragon Jammer from Hainan Island, China, is still shaking and rattling on exclusive Amateur Radio frequency 14.260 MHz. And according to the South African Radio League it is also been heard on 18.160 MHz. It is not clear what Radio China`s objective is. Sone suspect that China is jamming some other radio station on those frequencies. A station which it deems illegal for its population to hear. [Does anyone with Newsline read DX Listening Digest? I guess not --- Norfolk] The IARU Monitoring Service in various nations has already lodged complaints to their authorities. The South African Radio League says that it is in the process of adding its voice as well (SARL, WIA, ARNewsline(tm) August 18 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) OK, which is it? Firedrake or Firedragon? (John Norfolk, ibid.) Re 6-125: Firedrake still operating at 2050 Aug 18 on 14050. Off at 2100 and then back on again at 2104. I wonder if they have to rewind the tape? (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Firedrake is still operating at 2243 UT (0643 local time) on 14050 here too. SIO 555 here in Hong Kong. The signal is so strong (especially at this time of the day) that I suspect the transmitter site must be somewhere not so close to HK (Yogesh, Hong Kong, UT Aug 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 14050, Firedrake music heard at 0041 UT Aug 19. I have been sitting on this frequency since the new day (0001 UT), and just notice that there's music fading in now. It is definitely Firedrake as it fades in with more clarity (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yesterday, Aug. 18, The Chinese music came on again at 16.30 UT, now SIO 454. Wonder if my two other emails about this came through, as I myself never received them. 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, 1240 UT Aug 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 14050 Not audible here checked around 1250 Aug 19, nor elsewhere on 14 MHz. I wish he ham pubs (and everyone else) would use kHz instead of MHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [non]. Re 9925 echo: Just a quick note that Wolfy Büschel brought this to the attention of T-Systems, and they wrote back that they will look after this matter. I understand that no heterodyne was present, so the carriers were indeed in synch and just the audio at one site slightly delayed? By the way, note the azimuth [270] for 13820: This is a deliberate long path transmission, beamed across the Americas into Australia, and I heard that this method is working quite good. 9470 uses this path as well of course, but the western path [240 degrees] from Germany into New Zealand is not that much longer than the eastern, "short" path (Kai Ludwig, Aug 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Altho I haven`t monitored for it myself lately, I`m sure it was the audio, not the carriers which were offset. Another thing that was discussed several months ago in DXLD but nothing was done then. Let`s check it before 0300 UT now. [later:] I checked around 0200 UT August 19. Huge signal on 9925 to North America as they were going from music to English news; 3 pip widely spaced timesignal, last pip longer. Could not detect any echo, so either it`s already been fixed or there is not enough signal by comparison from the transmitter aimed at Latin America to be audible underneath. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn, I just have checked Spanish service at 0230 and as you pointed out no echo. So it seems synchronicity is 100% (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) More DTK problems: see GERMANY ** CUBA [and non]. Air Martí is up --- snapped on at exactly 2300:00 GMT Friday, 18 August, 530 k/c's. Seriously QRM'ed by the Radio Cadena Habana plug-in blocker that appeared yesterday. Cadena Habana was loud at 2104 first check. Martí is on top, about 65-70% dominant for the moment (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Has Marti 530 been operating daily now, or just weekends? Fri-Sat-Sun? (Glenn to Terry, via DXLD) Air Martí appeared two consecutive Fridays thus far. They still claim 1 X per week via the EC-130J, and despite the occasional Friday vs. listed Saturday, that 1 X per week (regardless of actual day) seems to stick. I will hopefully be home tomorrow at 2300Z to see if they should go 2 X finally. I can only guess flipping randomly to Fridays is to try to trick the jammers. But, like a few months ago, it looks like Fidel/Arnie (now Raúl/Arnie) are leaving 530 on 24/7, just like the new 1620 jammer that should only block four or so hours once a week but is also seemingly 24/7 (Terry Krueger, ibid.) Still going strong 0000, but dropping off by 0015 with Radio Cadena Habana about 40% control now. RadCadHab 1080 is currently the best channel to parallel 530 to. If RVC is in the mix, it's not apparent, yet. Clearly, Air Martí and RadCadHab are in a pissing contest with wattage. Isn't it funny that best reception of Air Martí is likely not Cuba, but probably only between coastal Ft. Myers and Clearwater, Florida? Seems Air Martí took a sudden dump at 0028, unheard as I type 0032+. Didn't I lose them at 0030 last week? Could they only be transmitting for 90 minutes, or switching channels, or making some big pattern change somehow? (Terry Krueger, FL, UT Aug 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Martí's attempting to re-indoctrinate all those damn Commies in Sarasota! (Greg Hardison, CA, ibid.) No report on UT Sun as of 0035 ** GERMANY. Another odd path in use by T-Systems: Almost across the North Pole. It's an Evangelische Missions-Gemeinden programme for the Bilibino/Anadyr/Uelen region, Saturdays only 1100-1130 on 11840, and it is at 20 degrees, almost due north, with the path going all the way up to about 85 degrees latitude. They run this transmission from Nauen (with 250 kW) where they can point an ALLISS system at this bearing, although I seem to recall that one curtain at Jülich covers this azimuth as well. Good night! (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cf. AUSTRALIA ** GERMANY. Jülich had some bad problems, for that is the source --- 15430 1400-1500 RUS Russian Int. Radio R ME /D-j --- listed by EiBi when I heard Russian at 1402 UT August 19, with the audio breaking up and audible only at peak modulation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Katerina: At 1400-1500 UT Saturday, your show "Greeks Everywhere" is barely audible direct from Greece on 15630 (nothing on 9420). However, I am listening to it on the Internet at: http://tvradio.ert.gr/radio/liveradio/voiceofGreece.asp (John Babbis, MD, Aug 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Radio Verdad sendet aktuell mit 700 Watt auf v4052 kHz. Am 6. August hatte der Sender einen Defekt. Nach einer notduerftigen Reparatur fiel er einen Tag spaeter wieder aus. Da sich niemand in der Naehe mit Kurzwellensendern auskennt, machte sich Manager und Direktor Edgar Amilcar Madrid erneut selber auf die Fehlersuche. Am 9. August war er gefunden. Ein Test ergab zwar, dass man mit 1100 Watt senden koennte, aber zur Schonung wird nur mit 700 Watt gesendet (Edgar Amilcar Madrid, Guatemala, Aug 9 via Andreas Schmid-D, ntt, Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D Aug 15, BCDX Aug 19 via DXLD) More xmtr problems ** GUATEMALA. 4799.77, R. Buenas Nuevas, 0955-1001 19 Aug, ranchera music. 0957 full canned ID by M over music as "Desde San Sebastián, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, Centro América, transmite TGME, R. Buenas Nuevas en 4800 kilociclos, banda de 60 metros, y 102.1 frecuencia modulada", then live M with TC, and back to music. Early sign-on for them and almost never hear them at this time (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Aug 19, HCDX via DXLD) I guess Guat is still on DST of UT -5 which would explain being on one hour earlier than otherwise (gh, DXLD) 4799.79. Radio Buenas Nuevas, San Sebastián, Huehuetenango. noted 1015 to 1021, /en espanol/, with strong signal after a month off the air. Good to have this one back (Bob Wilkner, FL, Aug 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** GUINEA. 7125, Radio Guinea, Conakry, 2109-2113, 18-08, locutor, francés, noticias y comentarios. 23222. También escuchada 0627-0648, 19-08, canciones africanas, locutor, francés, comentarios, identificación: "Radio Guineé". Excelente señal. 44444 (Manuel Méndez, Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3291.1, Voice of Guyana, 0543-0603, 19-08, locutor, inglés, canciones y comentarios. A las 0600 noticias de la BBC World Service. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 5010, AIR, Thiruvananthapuam, 1710-1716, 18-08, música hindú. Debido a que nos aproximamos al fin del verano y se pone el sol cada vez más temprano en el hemisferio norte, comienzan ya escucharse a esta hora las emisoras de la India en la banda de 60 metros, que cierran a las 1730 y 1745 horas. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 32nd week of Vanoli Ulagam (Radio World) program will broadcast on 20 August 2006 --- Dear Dxers, All India Radio Chennai`s 32nd week of Vanoli Ulagam (Radio World) program will broadcast on 20 August 2006 (Sunday). The Content of the program is like this: In the First, segment some details about the SSB Part I. In the second part, ‘Radio History’ contains History of radio in Denmark with their Signature Tunes. In the third part ‘Radio Today’ contains, radio Vatican new director, WRTH updates, Hamfest India 2006 details, Radio diffusion TV Guineenne details, BBC Tamil transmitter sites details. Fourth part with the DX Logging in English. The Fifth segment for DX Book review: In this week edition, we review the ‘A. Atwater Kent The Man, The Manufacture and His Radios’ by John Wolkono and Ralph Williams. In the six part of that day program, we give the detail review of the http://www.qsl.at/english Those who are want to get the special limited edition World Smallest QSL card (6 x 3.5CM), and 25th week commemorative sticker send your Reception Report with 1 New IRC to the following address. Indian listener must send Rs.10/- mint stamps for return QSL. N. C. Gnanaprakasam, Program Executive, Vanoli Ulagam Thiraikadal Adaivaram Thamiizh Naatham All India Radio Kamarajar Salai Chennai 600004 Tamilnadu, India The schedule of the Tamil DX Program ‘Vaanoli Ulagam’ (Radio World) is as follows: Sundays between 1115-1215 UT (for about 10 minutes) To Sri Lanka : 1053 Tuticorin (200 kw) 15050 Khampur, Delhi (250 kw) 17860 New Delhi (100 kw) 7270 Chennai (Avadi) (100 Kw) To SE Asia: 13695 Bangalore (500 kw) 15770 Aligarh (250 kw) 17810 Panaji (250 kw) 73’s, (Jaisakthivel, Producer and Presenter, Chennai, 19-08-2006, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. See PAPUA NEW GUINEA [and non] ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. SIRIUS SAYS ITS SATELLITES WON’T LAST AS LONG AS FIRST THOUGHT Lou Josephs reports: US satellite radio firm Sirius says its satellites won’t last as long as first thought. The birds were supposed to work for 15 years — but Sirius says they’ll likely make it to only 13 years. That’s partly because of the way they plan to change their in-orbit configuration. Sirius says “our satellites have experienced circuit failures on their solar arrays” but so far they’re all still operational. Loral put these 3 birds in highly elliptical orbits, not geostationary - which is why they have 3 satellites instead of two. You can thank the sunspot cycle for the failures on the solar arrays (August 19th, 2006, 10:03 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. SATELLITE RADIO MINI-TRANSMITTER PROBLEMS CONTINUE On Friday, XM Satellite said the FCC requested additional information from the company related to signal emissions from several of its receivers and has asked manufacturers to suspend production and shipments of those units. XM's stock price has suffered (second URL). One financial analyst realizes that when the output powers of the mini-FM transmitters associated with those receivers are reduced, a "quite poor" consumer experience is likely to result "with the net result being higher churn going forward." Had XM and Sirius not allowed the FCC's Part 15 Rules to be violated in the first place, they would not be facing this problem now. http://tinyurl.com/mcyo8 http://tinyurl.com/kye2u (CGC Communicator Aug 17, via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. You are reminded that International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend - during which hams activate hundreds of lighthouses and ships across the world - is taking place over 19 and 20 August. According to the weekend's promoters, the event is not a contest, so participants are encouraged to chat with stations rather than simply exchanging reports. The event is not only a great opportunity to increase DXCC contacts and other lighthouse awards but also on Sunday provides people with a chance to visit lighthouses in person. This is because many lighthouses are open to the public on Sunday as part of International Association of Lighthouse Keepers' Lighthouse Open Day. For more information about the event, including full guidelines, an online entry form and a list of entrants, visit the International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend website - http://www.illw.net (RSGB http://www.rsgb.org/news/gb2rs.htm via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRELAND [and non]. Ierse / Schotse Kerkradio op 11 mtr Goedemorgen Allen. Op dit moment redelijk veel KERKRADIO stations te horen uit Ierland/Schotland. Frequentie gebied 27600-27995 in FM +AM, sommige zijn zeer sterk. Deze band is pas vrij gegeven voor dit soort doeleinden (Ron Ang, Netherlands, 1015 UT Sunday Aug 13, BDX via DXLD) En met een knoerhard signaal! S7 hier in Reeuwijk. Ik hoor ze op 27557, 27578, 27590, 27720, 27740, 27752, 27778, 27838 kHz FM. Ron, ze zitten daar al zeker en jaar of 6. In ieder geval de Ieren (Ary Boender, ibid.) Deze toepassing kerkradio op 11 meter stamt uit de zeventiger jaren..! Men gooide alles wat de overheid niet kon plaatsen op 11 meter,en daar mochten de cb,ers ook bij. De modulatie is een afwijkende soort. tussen fm wide en narrow in. zo kan het voorkomen dat je soms met Am detectie het signaal beter ontvangt. 73,niko PD5NKH, ibid. Ron, Hier een stukje uit mijn WUN column van november 2003. Misschien heb je er wat aan. Gr, Ary ::: IRISH CHURCHES Cumbre DX kindly permitted us to publish an Special from January 2002. I have added a list of church stations at the end of the article. Cumbre DX Special 382.4 January 23, 2002 http://www.cumbredx.org Contributors Mike Barraclough UNITED KINGDOM, Roger Caird IRELAND, Ken Fletcher UNITED KINGDOM, David Hodgson TN, Hans Johnson FL, Alan Pennington UNITED KINGDOM IRELAND Irish church services have been heard in the 27 MHz range on Sundays during the 1200 and 1300 UT. The practice of broadcasting Irish Church services on CB frequencies has been going on for several years now. Both the standard US Citizen Band channels and the UK CB channels are used. Housebound parishioners (the sick or the elderly) are issued with pre-tuned CB capable receivers and can listen in to the Mass from home. In Dublin there are at least 27 channels in use catering for about 45 churches, and churches in Cork, Limerick and Galway are also jumping on the band-wagon. "The details below only refer to Churches in the Dublin area. It is quite possible that what you have been hearing are from other cities in Ireland, or even the UK. It can be quite difficult to identify which churches are using these frequencies. The only hints available are during the "church notices" read out during the Mass, where a comment might give an idea of the area the church is in. Unfortunately, they never identify themselves! Most activity is during the weekends: Saturday evening, [Irish local time = UT][/BST]] Sunday morning 1000- 1300 and evening 1800-2000 and weekday evenings 1800-2000. Funerals usually 1700 and then 1000 the following day & weddings can be at any time!" On Sunday, January 13, I heard activity on four different frequencies. Roger Caird had this to say about these different channels: 27730, 1235, Church organ and chior. Prayer by Priest. "Frequency is actually 27.73125 NFM (UK CB channel 14). There are three churches in the Dublin area on this frequency. The one I have logged most often at this time on a Sunday is actually quite close to my home. Drumcondra Corpus Christi, Griffith Avenue Dublin, 9 Ireland." 27780, 1240, Church service, with CB QRM. "This frequency (27.78125 NFM, UK CB Channel 19) is also shared by 3 churches. This is probably a Roman Catholic church on the Navan Road, on the north side of Dublin. 27790, 1255, Chior then Priest. "27.79125 NFM (UK CB Channel 20). I'm not too sure about this one. The frequency is shared by two churches outside Dublin. The most likely, going by the time is: Roman Catholic Church, Kill-o-the Grange, Dun Laoghaire, Co.Dublin." 27680, 1312, Prayer, Communion given by Priest. "27.68125 NFM (UK Channel 09) This church is in the same general area as the one on 27.79125. The time of the Tx is a bit odd. I'm assuming you are using UTC? Most Masses start at 1000, 1100, or 1200 or at 15 minute intervals in the hours and 1312 would have been a very long Mass! I've noted that this transmitter is a bit over modulated. There are several churches in this suburb, but I think the most likely one is St. Michaels Church, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire." "I suppose they must be using something other than standard CB rigs, I don't think an over-the-counter CB base station would stand up to several hours of continuous TX several times a week. Some churches leave the TX live between masses! They do appear to use normal 27 MHz 1/2 wave whips in most cases. I'd suspect they use something around 25W. Some frequencies are almost unusable on occasions with up to three churches transmitting simultaneously. It probably doesn't affect the listeners who will be within a mile or so of their church. My 1/2 wave GP picks them up from about 20 miles away. If you do try for a QSL, (I doubt that they are equipped with QSL cards!) that might be able to tell you what company set up the equipment for them. These people might be able to give you more accurate details of what church are on what frequencies. For your information, the UK CB frequencies are from 27.62125 to 27.99125 at 1 kHz spacing, i.e. 27.62125, 27.63125, 27.64125 etc. all NFM. Some of the Tx on the US CB frequencies use AM." (Caird [Ireland] Jan 20/3 via Hodgson) 27225 is the frequency I heard on Jan 20 at 1225 [Johnson]. There is a church in the Dublin area who transmits on this frequency but I haven't identified it yet. Some transmissions can be very difficult to identify. Sometimes you get a hint of the area of the city the church is located in, by the comments of the priest. (Caird Jan 23 via Johnson). Many Churches nationwide broadcast on the CB radio band (27-28 MHz) during mass times. There are 80 channels used for CB. All churches transmit using narrow FM NFM. All the churches use one of the 80 channels many nearby churches use different channels. I have personally heard them in Dublin, Wicklow and Waterford. Some known frequencies are given below: 27891.25 Holy Name Church Beechwood Avenue 27781.25 Corpus Christie Drumcondra 27731.25 Mobhi Road Church 27405 Three Patrons Rathgar 27375 Westland Row Church The full set of 80 channels are available from CB radio Web Sites such as http://www.radio.gov.uk/publication/press/1999/12feb99.htm They are the CEPT FM (Band D) and UK FM (27/81) frequencies. The local priests recommend cheap radios which cover these frequencies to the old and infirm who can't attend the masses. Normal radios cannot tune in to these. [Incidentally, this problem also arose here in the UK as the Radio Authority back in 1999 issued a press release confirming these relays of church services were illegal in the UK: DTI Press Release - 12 February 1999. The Radiocommunications Agency confirmed today that it is illegal to use Citizen's Band Radio for broadcasting church services. The announcement follows the discovery last year that a number of churches were using CB Radio to broadcast church services to parishioners unable to attend the service. Whilst the Radiocommunications Agency recognise the value of broadcasting services to the elderly and housebound, Citizen's Band radio is not an appropriate band for broadcasting. It is designed for short term social or business conversation and lengthy services can jam the channels.] (Anon Aug 31 Irish Radiowaves message board via Pennington BDXC Jan 21) These are totally illegal as CB radio is only intended for personal speech (no music allowed) two way communication. In addition many of these Church broadcasters run far more than the permitted 4 watts. Here in Carrickfergus I can hear at least three church broadcasters on 27 MHz although I have yet to ascertain the location of these. (Mike ibid.) Cheap radios that include the CB band are used to tune in. (David ibid.) I originally come from Ireland, so know just a little about the situation there. I think, as you suggest, these Mass Broadcasts probably are 'illegal' ones, I suspect, however that unless there are serious complaints from CBers on 27 MHz that the Authorities will turn a "blind eye", as they apparently do to long term "illegal" Evangelical Broadcasts on 3.910Mhz etc, on Sunday Afternoons/Evenings. So far as I am aware these have been left untouched in the recent crack-down on Pirate Radio Activity in the Irish Republic. (Fletcher BDXC Jan 22) There certainly is a lot of such activity here. Only up the road there is a church doing it every Sunday. (Murphy [County Cork, Ireland] WDXC via Barraclough via Hauser DXLD) CB is widely used in remote parts of Ireland as well as FM relays (Cashin ibid.) Finally, a tuning tip. Tune in sideband as it is easier to hear them in SSB, albeit a bit distorted at times. If the signal improves, try AM. If it continues to improve then try FM mode. (Johnson Jan 23) (Source: Cumbre DX Special 382.4 January 23, 2002) With the help of Roger, I have made a compilation of the transmissions from Irish churches that have been heard during the past 2 years. Here we go: [this info probably also 4+ years old? but valuable --- gh] 26805 NFM unid 26950 NFM Church of Donore, Dublin. Church Service. 26965 NFM unid 26965 NFM unid 26975 NFM Church on Donore Ave, South Circular Rd. Dublin 8 26975 NFM Donore Ave, South Circular Rd. 27015 NFM Church Broadcast, Limerick 27015 NFM Parish Radio, Dublin 27030 NFM unid 27065 NFM Brookwood, Artane? 27065 NFM Possibly Collins Avenue-Donnycarney, Artane or North Strand 27065 NFM YDG, Maryfield, Ardcollum Ave. 27065.9 NFM Coolock Health Centre, Cromcastle Rd. 27065.9 NFM Maryfield Ladies Group, Artane? 27065.9 NFM St Davids Park 27075 NFM unid 27105 NFM unid 27135 NFM Our Ladies of Victories, Glasnevin 27135 AM unid 27185 NFM unid 27215 NFM unid 27225 NFM Poss Dollymount?? Poss Clontarf 27285 NFM Our Ladies of Dolours, Glasnevin 27285 NFM Piercestown, County Wexford 27295 NFM Church Broadcast, Brookwood, Artane, Dublin 27295 NFM Church Broadcast, Kilcock, Co. Kildare 27295 NFM Church Broadcast, Newtown??? 27295 NFM Kilcock, Co. Kildare 27295 NFM Mass (1st Communion) kids of St. Josephs 27295 NFM MIP id as Artane (VdP Artane/Beaumont) 27295 NFM MIP, Scoil Dara 27295 NFM Newtown Church 5 primary schools in parish 27295 NFM St Brendans School, Scoil Neasain pupils 27295 NFM St Marys Sch Killester 27305 AM unid 27315 NFM unid 27325 NFM Church Broadcast, Dublin 27335 NFM Church Broadcast, Ballymote, Co. Sligo 27335 NFM Church Broadcast, Dublin 27345 NFM Church Broadcast, Dunboyne, Co. Meath 27345 NFM Church Broadcast, Limerick 27345 NFM Dunboyne 27355 AM Church Broadcast, Dublin. Probably Swords Road 27355 NFM Church of the Holy Child, Larkhill 27355 NFM mip Lorcan Est. Holy Child Junior Sch 27375 NFM Church Broadcast, Dublin 27375 NFM Macken Villas, Pearse St 27375 NFM Westland Row Church 27395 NFM (3 different services heard at the same time) 27405 NFM "St. Patricks Hall" "Christ church Presbyterian Rathgar" 27405 NFM Church Broadcast, Rathgar (confirmed) 2 churches?? 27405 NFM Three Patrons Rathgar 27621.25 NFM Church service Berkley Road ? Phibsboro Dublin 27621.25 NFM Church service, Dublin 27621.25 NFM Royse Rd, Synott Pl. Phibsboro Rd. 27661.25 NFM unid 27681.25 NFM Church service, Dun Laoghaire 27731.25 NFM Church service, Corpus Christi, Drumcondra 27731.25 NFM Church service, Dalkey (confirmed) 27731.25 NFM Church service, Griffith Ave. 27731.25 NFM Girls (Confirmation?) Mass Sallynoggin-Glasthule 27731.25 NFM Glendalough??? 27731.25 NFM Mobhi Road Church 27731.25 NFM Wedding in Corpus Christi, Drumcondra 27781.25 NFM Belgrove Rd School, Clontarf 27781.25 NFM BTSB at School Hall beside Church [Navan Rd] 27781.25 NFM Church Service, Belgrove Rd. Clontarf. 27781.25 NFM Church service, Navan Road 27781.25 NFM Church service, Rathfarnham? 27781.25 NFM Community Ctr rear of Church. St. Oliver Plunket 27781.25 NFM Corpus Christie Drumcondra 27781.25 NFM St Anthonys St Brigids Cemetery? 27791.25 NFM Church Service, poss Balbriggan? or Kill o the Grange? 27791.25 NFM Mass. Open Day at Loretto College 27791.25 NFM Poss. Dun Laoghaire 27811.25 NFM Anne Devlin Pk, Ballyrownan????? 27891.25 NFM "Abbeyfield" Killester? 27891.25 NFM "the Beachcomer" [sic] "St. Brigids Hall" 27891.25 NFM Church Service, Howth Road, Killester (confirmed) 27891.25 NFM Church service, St Peters, Phibsboro? 27891.25 NFM Holy Name Church Beechwood Avenue 27891.25 NFM Sandyford ?? 27891.25 NFM St Josephs 27891.25 NFM St Marys College 27891.25 NFM St Brigids 27951.25 NFM unid 27961.25 NFM Dollymount area, St Fintans Grove 27961.25 NFM St Fintans Pk & Road 27961.25 NFM Sutton 27981.25 NFM unid (via BDX via DXLD) 27285, NFM, Piercestown, County Wexford, (zie lijst Ary Boender via WUN) bovenstaande kerk 4 km bij mij vandaan. Inderdaad deze kerk heeft een 27 MHz antenne op het gebouw. Ik heb onze pastoor om een frequentie lijst gevraagd en volgens hem bestaat er geen lijst van "radio" actieve kerken. Het gerucht gaat dat de kerk in Wexford stad illegaal op de FM band zend (ik heb ze zelf nog niet ontvangen). Groet'n oet (MURRINTOWN, Ierland, Harm Deenen, Aug 14, BDXC-HRD4692 geloof ik via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. 5470, Radio Veritas, 2050-2135, 18-08, locutor, inglés, comentarios, musica africana. 24222 (Manuel Méndez, Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6185, Radio Educación, México DF, 0700-0730, 19-08. Como siempre, la emisora mexicana que mejor se escucha por aquí, con excelentes programas musicales y culturales. Música instrumental y canciones latinoamericanas. A las 0723 identificación: "Radio Educación, 1080 AM". 34333 variando a 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [non]. BBC Radio 4 - Border Blaster Interesting program available online Tuesday and for 7 days... Tuesday 22 August, Border Blaster, 11.00-11.30 am Medical charlatan Dr JR Brinkley’s bizarre medical technique to cure impotence led to the creation of the first pirate radio station on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande in the 1920s. Nick Barraclough investigates. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/pip/ozy67/ (Fred Waterer, Programming Matters, ODXA via DXLD) ** MEXICO. [Club Diexista México ] Radio Cacerola OAXACA "UNIDOS VENCEREMOS" Informacion del conflicto social en Oaxaca De: "Miguel" Les envio el link donde podrán encontrar una entrevista con las mujeres que tomaron las instalaciones de la Corporacion Oaxaqueña de Radio y Televisión que es http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_5263000/5263294.stm HISTORIA DE RADIO CACEROLA [yes, that means casserole, stew-pot] Elva Narcia, Enviada especial de BBC Mundo, Oaxaca La estación de radio 96.9 de FM y el Canal 9 de la televisión de Oaxaca, - medios de comunicación del gobierno del estado -, fueron tomados hace un par de semanas por el movimiento magisterial y popular que demanda la renuncia del gobernador, Ulises Ruíz. Al parecer, la toma de la radio y la televisión no estaba planeada. Un grupo de amas de casa, que apoya el movimiento, salió a las calles un día del mes de agosto para participar en lo que llamaron "la marcha de las cacerolas". … La enviada especial de BBC Mundo a Oaxaca conversó con las mujeres que participaron en la toma de esos medios de comunicación: Escuche la conversación (Duración: 9:02 minutos) OTRA INFORMACION DE LO QUE PASò EN OAXACA: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/08/08/043n1soc.php (via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. KIWI LPFM RADIO STATION GUIDE LIVE Anyone in New Zealand can start up a Low Power FM station. No license application needed. This is the first guide to list nearly every one of the 500 or so stations that have come and gone over the last 10 years, and to offer three easy ways to search the list - by station name, by frequency, and by market location. It's online now, and free to access at http://www.radioheritage.net The guide serves two key roles. First, as station status is activated, it's a simple to search list of current LPFM stations on the air in every market. This helps new stations find suitable spare frequencies to start broadcasting. Secondly, it's a historic record of how LPFM radio has developed since the mid-1990's and supports our virtual archives and station profile projects. Auckland records nearly 140 stations, Christchurch about 100, Wellington nearly 90 and Napier- Hastings over 50 (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation, Aug 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGER. 9705, La Voix du Sahel, 1933-2001, 18-08, locutor, francés, comentarios, canciones y música africana. Eclipsada a las 2000 por Family Radio en la misma frecuencia, con programa en árabe. 23222 (Manuel Méndez, Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nach 30 Tagen erhielt ich eine detailiierte QSL-Karte ueber 9705 kHz von der Radio Station La Voix du Sahel (Dieter-ibid. [sic; no referent]) Auch bei mir ist die sehr schoene Karte heute als Antwort auf meinen franzoesischsprachigen Empfangsbericht eingetroffen! Vielleicht als Nachtrag noch die Daten der beiliegenden Visitenkarte: Office de Radio Diffusion Television du Niger Mahaman CHAMSOU MAIGARI Journaliste, Diplome du CED/IUED Geneve Directeur de la Radio Nationale "la Voix du Sahel" B. P. 361, Niamey, Niger Tel. 00 227 72 22 08 Fax 00 227 20 72 39 66 (die 20 wurde handschriftlich ergaenzt) Cel. 00 227 96 97 92 41 Email: maigaric @ yahoo.fr (Ralf Bessler, Germany, A-DX Aug 19 via BCDX via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. LICENSE CANCELLATIONS/CALL LETTERS DELETED: (All, most likely, due to license renewal snafus) 1240 KBEL OK Idabel [renewal application accepted] 1430 KALV OK Alva [renewal application accepted] 1560 KKUZ OK Sallisaw 1600 KUSH OK Cushing [what about the other two? KUSH is still on the air, anyway --- gh] ACTIONS: 1570 KMUR OK Catoosa - CP granted to move here (ex: Pryor, Oklahoma) with D3 1000/0 from a new 2-tower transmitter site at N36-15-52 W95- 42-34 (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Aug 14 via DXLD) Well, whaddya know --- that puts it closer to Tulsa! (gh, Enid, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA [and non]. Excellent PNG reception this morning!! These on: 3385, 3365, 3355, 3345, 3325, 3315, and 3275, but no others, not even 3905. Aussies 2310 and 2325 on but not 2485 yet. Also, these Indos were noted on 75 meters: 3995.04, 3987.06, 3976.07; and probably N. Korea on 3959.74. Fading started around 1050. Solar Flux was 89, A Index was 11, and K Index was 2. X-Ray flux was low and sunspot group 909 was on the waning side of the Sun. No storms although isolated major storm conditions were possible. If the theory that conditions improve just prior to a major disturbance, then we can expect something big in a day or so. We'll see. [Later at 1522: CONDITIONS: Just checked the current solar conditions after sending the previous loggings and found the K Index had gone up to 5 with a spike in the X-Ray flux at around 1200 UT. Also, the aurora donut got much denser and larger just as expected. G1 level storms are predicted.] PAPUA NEW GUINEA, 3355, R. Simbu, 1001 19 Aug, talk by M in Pidgin but horrible local noise ruining reception. Went on a reconnaissance mission to locate the source of the noise, and when I came back at 1019 found lively island music. Lively dance music at 1052 and 1058 checks. 1102 pop song "How Will I Know" followed by M with song announcements at 1103. 1104 into another dance/pop song. Suddenly went off in mid-song at 1111:22. Good signal and best PNG behind NBC and RENB. 3365, R. Milne Bay, 1024 19 Aug, Soft Island music, deep-voiced M mentioning "tomorrow night", message to/from someone. More island music. Modulation a bit low (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Aug 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** PERU. CPN 1470 --- I've a good quality recording of about four minutes of Spanish language church announcements recorded on 1470 at 0435 on 10th August. I've been trying without success to work out what it says for the last week. With many references to the church name and addresses and telephone numbers, I thought it might be one to try for some help from Henrik Klemetz. I asked him some specific questions relating to bits I didn't understand. He confirmed it is Peruvian, but doubted that it might be CPN (presumably because of the content). To quote Henrik: "The 1470 clip is from a Peruvian; I don´t think this is CPN, but rather the station in Arequipa to which you seem to have a private pipeline. The Iglesia Pare de Sufrir [stop suffering --- gh] is a Brazilian esoteric church /hence the portuñol - mix of Portuguese and Spanish - heard at the end/, in the sede nacional /national site/, a limpia espiritual /spiritual cleansing/ will take place. Visitors are invited to bring clothes, even from other people than themselves, to be moistened by water brought directly from the River Jordan, in Israel. So he says. The word at sec. 46, "after punto", is "vicios", vices, and "deseos", desires. So you can get rid of them, too. During the 3rd minute addresses are given to two churches in the interior, one in Huancayo and the other one in Huánuco." Now being aware of the church name and the locations, I looked them up on the internet. http://www.paredesufrir.com.pe/ On their home page they show a CPN logo, so it is likely that I was hearing CPN. Other pages of the paredesufrir website show that the addresses in Huancayo as Jr. Guido No. 698 (a media cuadra de la Avenida Giraldes), and in Huánuco as Jr. 2 de Mayo No. 1247, Auditorio ex-cine Central. So that fills in a bit more data. There is no church shown in Arequipa, so I think we can probably conclude that it was CPN. In another part of the recording I heard reference to Panamericana, at least that's what I now understand it to be. It sounded like 'Panamanica' - but Panamericana TV is mentioned on the church website. I thought readers might be interested to note that CPN is airing at least some religious programming, or at least lengthy religious announcements. Thanks Henrik, (Andrew Brade, UK, Aug 17, MWC via DXLD) ** SURINAME. 4990, R. Apintie, 0859 14 Aug, classical music at tune- in, then canned ID in Dutch by M, ad in English, 1 or 2 more ads, then back to lively instrumental music at 0901. More ads at 0912 check. Strength a little better today but modulation still very very low as usual (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Aug 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** TONGA. I see the TBC now has a website, strangely enough a .com despite, maybe because Tonga is one of those countries that rents out its domain for big bucks, isn`t it? http://www.tonga-broadcasting.com No streaming, yet? But there are a couple of videos OD featuring the King, I think, in Tongan as is a good portion of the text on the site (Glenn Hauser, OK, Aug 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Did you hear the programme on jamming on Radio 4 last night, excellent, it`s on Listen Again here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/itsmystory/pip/d2lky/ Cheers (Mike Terry, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, vg ** U K. Programme Alert: BBC7 next Monday 18.00 BST [1700 UT Aug 21] Friend in the Corner --- In the last of six programmes looking at six revolutionary years in radio's history, we look at 1967: the year that, in order to stem the ebb tide to offshore pirate radio stations, Radios 1, 2, 3, and 4 were born and the old Home, Light and Third services closed down. This series was produced Lucy Bartley and researched by Neville Teller. Monday at 6 pm This year has been rather done to death of late on TV, but it might be interesting to hear how radio itself treats it --- maybe some archive recordings of the beginning and end of the old BBC Networks and pirates (Middlesex Mark, BDXC-UK via DXLD) see also MEXICO [non] ** U S A. Death of a colleague (update). Robert Wone, 32, recently appointed attorney for Radio Free Asia, stabbed in a townhouse near Washington's Dupont Circle. Search warrant affidavit says the crime scene "had been tampered with before police arrived." http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1155303325399 (Law.com, 14 August 2006 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Update: "A lot of evidence we should have seen at the house, we didn't see." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/15/AR2006081501212.html (Washington Post, 16 August 2006. Posted: 16 Aug 2006, ibid.) ** U S A. Another performer whose inspiration was jazz on VOA (updated). "Ms. Puthli heard jazz on Voice of America radio broadcasts, and started to sing it in Mumbai nightclubs." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/12/arts/music/12puht.html?_r=2&ref=arts&oref=slogin&oref=slogin (New York Times, 12 August 2006 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) If a listener in India wants to listen to jazz from VOA now, the voanews.com program schedule for South Asia http://www.voanews.com/english/schedule_WorldNewsNow.cfm is, of course, in the VOA English to Africa section. There, "Jazz America," successor to Willis Conover's jazz program, is listed at 1300 UT weekends. Then the listener must go back to the voanews.com home page to find the link to the frequencies http://www.voanews.com/english/about/frequenciesAtoZ_e.cfm click on E, then find the frequencies at 1300 to be 9645 and 9760 kHz. A listener in India could also listen to "Jazz America" via the VOA Music Mix internet audio stream. But there is no link to VOA Music Mix from voanews.com, at least none that I can find. The listener in India might guess that the URL is http://www.voamusicmix.com which does yield a page about music. But where is the information about VOA Music Mix programs? Well, the secret (and it *is* a secret) is to click on the VOA Music Mix logo in the upper right hand corner. Voilà! A link to programs. The programs listed, however, do not mention "Jazz America." Frustrated but tenacious, the Indian listener might go back to the VOA home page and find, at the bottom, under "Radio," and link to "Programs." http://www.voanews.com/english/about/ProgramsAtoZ_a.cfm There, the A-to-Z list will eventually yield "Jazz America: The best of jazz past and present, including interviews with renowned masters of jazz as well as up-and-coming jazz musicians." But what is the schedule? Go back to the beginning of this paragraph (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Would you like to apply for the position of VOA Webmaster? (gh, DXLD) Update: Serbian-American musician was also "hooked" by VOA jazz [URL corrected by gh] http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2006/08/16/features/arts_and_entertainment/iq_3550893.txt (Napa Valley Register, 16 August 2006, ibid.) See previous post http://www.kimandrewelliott.com/?id=94 about another VOA jazz alumnus (kimandrewelliott.com Posted: 16 Aug 2006 via DXLD) ** U S A. Last night at 0600-0700 UT (0200-0300 EDT) I tuned into 1600 WWRL [NYC] to see what`s going on, and if there are any programming changes now that Air Am is moving here. What I heard was Fox Sports 1600 without a call sign. Is this part of the restructuring?, or have I found a different station? Conditions 44323 using barefoot Radio Shack 12-603. There was quite some fade and I missed TOH due to it. Several calls of Fox Sports 1600 or Fox Sports Radio. Note that I do not expect 24/7 Air AM just drive-time. This may be a ratings move, and contacted Scott Fybush. He replies possible, but nothing heard about night-time programming (Paul S., Aug 18, location unknown, tri-state area?, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Second item is for the Detroit metro area --- it's just a note that I was doing a scan in the car at about 1300 EDT (1700Z) and noted that WQEQ301 is on the air at AM-1690 from Dearborn Heights, MI. Seeing how weak the signal was during the day, I don't think they'll pose too much of a problem for my QTH. WQEQ301 is currently looping a test message. Take care, (Eric Berger, SE Michigan, Aug 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Eric, So you don`t hear WRLL/WVON Chicago 1690 in the daytime at all? 73, (Glenn to Eric, via DXLD) First item: CANADA Glenn, Usually not. I usually can't even hear WQSN-1660 Kalamazoo in here -- day or night. About the only x-bander I can get in here by day (Besides the emergency TIS stations from the surrounding communities) is WDSS-1680 from Ada -- and that one's usually barely audible to poor at best. (As evening approaches, though, WDSS intensifies in strength.) Take care, (Eric Berger, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1580, WVKO, OH Columbus - Licensed for U4 1000/250, WVKO was granted a CP for U4 2500/290, but they later amended it to U4 3200/290 from a new site. Last Issue we reported they had submitted an application U4 50000/700, when the FCC transposed three numbers of another station’s ID number in a report. Bottom line . . . they still have a CP for U4 2500/290 and an amendment for U4 3200/290. Our apologies. I`ll bet that boo-boo caused some hot talk in Buckeye-land! AMENDMENTS TO CONSTRUCTION PERMITS: 870 KFJZ TX Fort Worth - Licensed for D1 500/0, KFJZ was issued a CP for D1 1300/0 from a new transmitter site, but that was challenged by WWL. So KFJZ filed for D1 1300/0 CH 1300, which was once again challenged by WWL. Now, KFJZ has filed for D4 1000/0 CH 1000, erecting a second tower at their proposed site in order to use a directional pattern to protect WWL. APPLICATIONS: 870 WWL LA New Orleans - Applies for auxiliary backup facilities of U1 10000/5000 using the north WSMB-1350 tower (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Aug 14 via DXLD) ** U S A. Q. 23) What use of subcarriers has there been on AM? WIOD-AM in Miami for years relayed the U.S. Navy's "Fox Schedule via +/- 10 Hertz FSK of its carrier, presumably for the benefit of the U.S. Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Broadcast History section of The Broadcast Archive Maintained by: Barry Mishkind - The Eclectic Engineer from http://www.oldradio.com/current/bc_am.htm (via Conexión Digital Aug 13 via DXLD) I wonder how long ago that was, and if anything odd is still going on with WIOD`s carrier (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Supposedly KFI did also (Powell E. Way III, SC, IRCA via DXLD) So did WWVA-1170. We visited their transmitter site back in the 60s and they had a beverage aimed at Washington DC to pick up FSKed broadcasts from (now WXTR) WTOP-1500. I think the circuit extended to NORAD HQ. I don't remember which was the intervening station between WWVA and NORAD. Also, WSM-650 was phase locked to WWV to serve as a frequency reference. That was discontinued in about 1978-9 to allow AM stereo. I used WSM as a standard, and had designed a 1,000/650-kHz generator to calibrate my Griefkit counter, and was non-plussed when, upon setting up my "stuff" in Bermuda, found that was no longer the case. I note that WSM-650 is as close to zero-frequency offset as I can measure. Does anyone amongst us know whether they are locked to WWV or to GPS? 73 de (Charles A Taylor, WD9INP/4, Greenville, NC, ibid.) ** U S A. COUNTRY MUSIC RADIO DIES IN LOS ANGELES This was the week that country music died in Los Angeles. After more than 20 years on the air, the city's only country music station, KZLA- FM, abruptly left the air yesterday. It was seamlessly replaced with the rhythmic pop of Movin' 93.9, which plays artists such as Beyonce, Janet Jackson and Jennifer Lopez. KZLA's sudden and unannounced demise leaves America's two most populous cities, Los Angeles and New York, without country music stations. The transition was swift and shocking for listeners, who heard George Strait and Keith Urban in the morning and Pink and the Black Eyed Peas by lunchtime. Even the station's veteran morning crew, including Peter Tilden, were unaware of the format change until just minutes before it happened. The host of the midmorning show, Shawn Parr, said he was told just after he started his shift that the station would be changing styles. He queued up Keith Urban's Tonight I Wanna Cry at 10:18 , which segued into the Black Eyed Peas' Let's Get It Started six minutes later. Then he left the air. "It's a bitter pill to swallow. The thing I have a hard time with is the listeners. They deserve more than that," said Parr, who has long been the voice of television's Academy of Country Music Awards. "I went to my e-mail 3 1/2 hours later and I had 2,100 e-mails. My phone has not stopped ringing for 24 hours." (Waveguide http://www.waveguide.co.uk/news060818.htm#Country via Mike Terry, DXLD yg via DXLD) KZLA/L.A. Gets Movin' (Updated) Aug. 17, 2006 By Keith Berman We teased that something big might be happening with consultant Alan Burns' rhythmic AC format known as "Movin,'" and this morning (Aug. 17) Emmis detonated country on KZLA/Los Angeles and installed "Movin' 93.9" in its place. Market veteran Rick Dees signs on to do mornings on the new station, which is calling itself "The Mix That Makes You Move." This "move" marks Dees' triumphant return to the Los Angeles airwaves, following his March 2004 exit from mornings at crosstown Clear Channel CHR/top 40 KIIS, where he ruled for more than 20 years. KZLA's country format, which has been on since the early '80s, moves over to its HD2 channel and will stream on the station's Web site. . . http://www.radioandrecords.com/radiomonitor/news/format/rhythmic/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003019017 (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) I have to say I'm shocked that Emmis would drop the only country format in this market. I'm not a big Country fan, but I do like variety, and when I have tried to listen to KZLA, it just never did anything for me. I have to believe that in a market of this size, they would be able to tweak the format to make it work, but I guess it's easier to just jump on the pop bandwagon. Smart move to get Rick Dees though. He's a legend in L.A. broadcasting, and I think he'll do well. I wonder who's going to be the one to flip to Country now... (Brian Leyton, ABDX via DXLD) Yes, they did - it's now "Movin' 93.9," with Rick Dees in the morning, and Chicago is now the largest US market with a full-market country signal. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) My immediate question is if you're doing an urban leaning anything, WTF is Rick Dees doing on AM Drive? Unless they're going for a brown format that only wants white listeners --- which is part of the reason "jammin oldies" (70's disco and dance-based gold) has bombed everywhere. Unless you're the only urbanish signal in a market, it's mighty tough to drive down the middle of that road! 73, BC (Bruce Collier, WKBO 1230, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC FORFEITURE WATCH - SELECTED ITEMS The FCC has denied a Petition for Reconsideration and affirmed a monetary forfeiture in the amount of $2,400 against Arcom Communications for failure to register its antenna structure. Nothing new was offered in Arcom's Petition for Reconsideration, so it was dismissed. [so where was that??] Radio station WYLF(AM) [850 Penn Yan NY, 1000/45 watts] has been fined $11,000 for operating with a power in excess of that authorized during daytime, post sunset, and nighttime hours and failure to enclose the station's tower in an effective locked enclosure. The station's request for a monetary reduction based on its alleged inability to pay was dismissed. Matthew H. Britcher has been issued a fine in the amount of $17,000 for operating an unlicensed FM station in Iowa (103.3 MHz) and refusing to allow inspection of that station. Finally, a Bronx, NY pirate on 87.9 MHz has tentatively been fined $17,000 for operating an unlicensed transmitter and failing to permit a station inspection. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1536A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1604A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1605A1.doc http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-266879A1.html A LOCAL FCC ACTION OF MORE THAN ROUTINE INTEREST The first few paragraphs of the Citation tell the story: "This is an Official Citation issued.... to Vision Communications Co. for violation of Section 90.427(b) of the Commission's Rules. "Investigation by the Enforcement Bureau's Los Angeles Office revealed that on April 18, 2006, Vision Communications Co. programmed transmitters with frequencies for which the licensee, Yusen Terminals Inc., was not authorized by its licenses. "Section 90.427(b) states "[e]xcept for frequencies used in accordance with S 90.417, no person shall program into a transmitter frequencies for which the licensee using the transmitter is not authorized." Vision Communications Co.'s radio service company work on radios for Yusen Terminals was reviewed and found to be in violation of this section. "Violations of the Act or the Commission's Rules may subject the violator to substantial monetary forfeitures, seizure of equipment through in rem forfeiture action, and criminal sanctions, including imprisonment." http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-266883A1.html (CGC Communicator Aug 17, via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. CBS SCHEDULES RATHER TRIBUTE FOR SEPT. 1 NEW YORK --- CBS News has scheduled a prime-time salute to Dan Rather, with the newsman talking about what it was like to leave as "CBS Evening News" anchor after a quarter-century and his plans for the future. The special, "Dan Rather: A Reporter Remembers," didn't exactly get a plum time slot: CBS will air it at 9 p.m. on the Friday before Labor Day weekend. CBS said it wanted to get the special on the air before Katie Couric's debut as evening-news anchor on Sept. 5. CBS promised the special as a good-faith gesture to Rather when it announced in June that he would be leaving. It incorporates material from a prime-time Rather special that ran shortly after he stepped down as anchor in March 2005, but with a fresh interview. Rather is joining HDNet, a small network for owners of high-definition sets, to do a news show this fall. "The CBS News audience, they stuck by me through sunshine and storms, and through the good times and bad times," he says in the show. Rather was "incredibly gracious" during the process of making the show, said Susan Zirinsky, executive producer. "He is grateful," she said. "He is grateful for stepping back and looking at what is an incredible contribution to CBS and to journalism. He's very proud of that." (The AP Aug 16 via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. IN A NETWORK FIRST, CBS TO SIMULCAST NEWS ONLINE August 18, 2006 BY DAVID BAUDER http://www.suntimes.com/output/television/cst-ftr-cbs18.html NEW YORK -- CBS said Thursday it will become the first network to simulcast its evening news broadcast online, starting on the night of Katie Couric's debut as anchor Sept. 5. All of the broadcast networks have aggressively pushed onto the Web over the past two years to interest more people in what they do, particularly at a time the audience for their evening newscasts is shrinking and aging. ABC streams a ''World News'' unique to the Internet audience in the mid-afternoon. NBC's Brian Williams contributes to both a video and written Web log during the day. But NBC doesn't make a replay of ''Nightly News'' available until 9:30 p.m., after it appears on television throughout the country. The barrier to TV networks doing Web simulcasting has been concern among affiliates that simulcasts would slice into their TV audiences - - making their advertising time less valuable. But CBS News President Sean McManus said the network was able to reach a deal with its affiliates by arguing that the programs will reach a different audience online. Television ratings for the first few days of the NCAA basketball tournament went up this year even though CBS showed the games on the Web at the same time, he said. ''It makes sense -- if you have access to a television, why would you want to watch it on computer?'' he said. People will have to specifically register online to see the Web simulcast, however, in order to prevent people in later time zones from watching the news before it airs in their area, CBS said. McManus envisions the online simulcast appealing to people stuck late in the office or commuting with a laptop who might want to be filled in on the day's news. ''I think it could help us potentially grow our audience,'' he said. Advertising for the online simulcast will be sold separately, he said. ABC's afternoon ''World News'' averages about 2 million downloads per week, the network said. The Webcast, anchored like the TV version by Charles Gibson, is tailored to the Internet audience, said Jon Banner, ''World News'' executive producer. For example, in addition to the day's top story, it offers a heavier concentration of technology and pop culture stories, he said. ''We take the approach -- and we believe it's the right approach -- that the Internet audience is different from the one watching the broadcast and is looking for different content,'' Banner said. AP (via Chicago Sun Times via DXLD) I can`t wait to see whether Katie`s sinewy calves are visible on the CBS Evening News Set. We certainly can`t see even Bob Schieffer`s pants-covered, I assume, knees. Or will they have her stand, like the NBC people? Will she open up some cleavage? You should see the anchorettes on TeleMundo (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** URUGUAY. SODRE ha comenzado a retransmitir por internet toda su programación. El sitio web http://www.sodre.gub.uy al igual que desde hace meses sigue mostrando el cartel "sitio en construcción" sin signos visibles de avance, excepto que ahora han aparecido 4 botones que permiten acceder a los 4 programas de la radio: CX6 (musical clásico), CX26 (periodístico), CX38 (musical variado) y "FM SODRE" (musical clásico y contemporáneo). No he podido determinar si alguno de ellos transmite en estéreo (al menos el último debería serlo) ni el formato de streaming ya que el control Flash que abre automáticamente el Explorer no provee información --- aunque sí publicidad comercial :-( Hasta donde sé, el inicio de estas retransmisiones no ha sido anunciado oficialmente aunque es de suponer que esté en periodo de prueba y que será anunciado dentro del tan mentado relanzamiento de las emisoras con su nueva programación. Respecto a la FM, los anuncios al aire sólo mencionan 3 o 4 repetidoras, aunque ellos tienen autorizadas más de 20. No tengo claro si las demás no están aún operando, si han sido descontinuadas o si es simplemente una omisión del anuncio. Dado que no suelo viajar mucho fuera de Montevideo de momento no tengo cómo determinar cuál es la razón de la diferencia (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Aug 19, condig list via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. 6060, Aug 19, 1105-1157, Radio Nacional de Venezuela. Tuned in at 1105 Saturday August 19; Radio Nacional de Venezuela was heard on new frequency of 6060 at 1105 with ID at 1110 as Canal Internacional and post office address. Then "RNV presenta" and talk about Bolivia. At 1125 another ID and also at 1147; sign off at 1157; August 14 to August 17 RNV was heard on 6180 one hour earlier at 1000-1057 (Joe VA3EOJ Karthaus, Toronto, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6060 is of course a long-standing RHC frequency at other times (gh, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. Report: ZIMBABWE'S JAMMING OF VOA'S "STUDIO 7" CONTINUES AND SPREADS TO SHORTWAVE (updated). "Of the week's Studio 7 Short Wave bulletins that MMPZ tried to monitor, only three (1/8, 2/8 & 4/8) were mostly audible, but even then under constant interference. The other two (31/7 & 3/8) were completely muffled by a continuous grinding sound that specifically coincided with the start and end of the bulletin." http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=842&cat=2 STUDIO 7 BROADCASTS SUFFER FROM CONTINUED JAMMING By a Correspondent HARARE – THE Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ) has reported the Zimbabwe government seems to be jamming frequencies for the Voice of America`s Studio 7 programme to the southern African country. In its weekly media update, the MMPZ says it has been unable to receive a consistently clear signal from the VOA`s Zimbabwe flagship programme, Studio 7 broadcasting service. ``The steady droning interference appears to corroborate earlier reports that the Central Intelligence Organisation and engineers from the Ministry of Information were ``now working flat out`` to find ways of ``completely`` jamming the radio station`s broadcasts into Zimbabwe,`` said the MMPZ yesterday. ``The jamming indicates a single-minded determination to ensure that the station`s broadcasts into Zimbabwe cannot be heard.`` When the jamming started in June, VOA spokesperson, Joe O`Connell was quoted by the Committee to Protect Journalists as saying only the Medium Wave broadcasts were affected. But in the week under review the station`s Short Wave signal also appears to have been interfered with. ``For example, of the week`s Studio 7 Short Wave bulletins that MMPZ tried to monitor, only three (1/8, 2/8 & 4/8) were mostly audible, but even then under constant interference. The other two (31/7 & 3/8) were completely muffled by a continuous grinding sound that specifically coincided with the start and end of the bulletin.`` ``If government`s threats to stifle what it considers to be illegal broadcasting have anything to do with this development, MMPZ is again obliged to condemn it as a cynical interference with the public`s constitutional right to freedom of expression and their right to access information without hindrance,`` said the media monitoring organisation. Studio 7 and SW Radio Africa emerged precisely because of ZBH`s illegal de facto monopoly of the airwaves and serve as vital alternative sources of credible news for information-starved Zimbabweans who have to endure the blatant propagandist output of the government-controlled national public broadcaster, it said. The MMPZ said the government should speed up the process of licensing local independent broadcasters instead of wasting resources investing in equipment to shut down alternative sources of information. THIS week MMPZ was unable to receive a consistently clear signal from Voice of America`s Studio 7 broadcasting service. The steady droning interference appears to corroborate earlier reports (ZimOnline, 26/6) that the Central Intelligence Organisation and engineers from the Ministry of Information were ``now working flat out`` to find ways of ``completely`` jamming the radio station`s broadcasts into Zimbabwe. The jamming indicates a single-minded determination to ensure that the station`s broadcasts into Zimbabwe cannot be heard. When the jamming started in June, VOA spokesperson, Joe O`Connell was quoted by the Committee to Protect Journalists (4/7) as saying only the Medium Wave broadcasts were affected. But in the week under review the station`s Short Wave signal also appears to have been interfered with. For example, of the week`s Studio 7 Short Wave bulletins that MMPZ tried to monitor, only three (1/8, 2/8 & 4/8) were mostly audible, but even then under constant interference. The other two (31/7 & 3/8) were completely muffled by a continuous grinding sound that specifically coincided with the start and end of the bulletin. If government`s threats to stifle what it considers to be illegal broadcasting have anything to do with this development, MMPZ is again obliged to condemn it as a cynical interference with the public`s constitutional right to freedom of expression and their right to access information without hindrance. Studio 7 and SW Radio Africa emerged precisely because of ZBH`s illegal de facto monopoly of the airwaves and serve as vital alternative sources of credible news for information-starved Zimbabweans who have to endure the blatant propagandist output of the government-controlled national public broadcaster. Government should be speeding up the process of licensing local independent broadcasters instead of wasting resources investing in equipment to shut down alternative sources of information. Meanwhile, MMPZ says the need to reform the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to ensure that it compels public officials to release information that is in the public interest was demonstrated recently when The Standard newspaper failed to confirm a story it was working on with the police. The paper, according to its reporter, was categorically told by Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena the police ``does not speak`` to The Standard. ``Journalists depend, for balance, fairness and accuracy, on access to official news sources. Besides being a biased and arbitrary decision to deprive a news institution of information of public interest and importance, the refusal by the police to disclose such information allows public officials to escape scrutiny and undermines democratic standards of disclosure and transparency.`` (zimbabwejournalists.com, 14 August 2006 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Also: listen to this mp3 file of Zimbabwe jamming Studio 7 on 14 August at 1713 UT on 909 kHz medium wave. The jammer sounds like car horns. http://www.kimandrewelliott.com/zim_jamming_voa.mp3 (kimandrewelliott.com Aug 17 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn, I thought that DXLD 6-125 was an exceptionally good issue. I especially liked the loggings from Volodya Salmaniw. He did a good job with them. Thanks to you. Glenn and those who contributed (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ AKRON NATIONAL RADIO CLUB CONVENTION, September 1–3, 2006 We`ve had some great National Conventions in the past, and this year we aim to top them all! If you have never attended one, THIS is the year to join in the fun. Here`s why: Friday, September 1: You arrive at the Best Western Executive Inn. After checking in, find the meeting room to be greeted by our Receptionist and to pick up your ID badge. Our receptionist has been handling these duties for the club for a decade so she can introduce you around and get you started. Friday evening: The ``History of the Radio Networks`` with pictures and sound. There`s no telling how the evening will end – because if the weather is good, you`ll find places outside the lovely hotel to sit (by the pool?) for DXing your heart out. There is a huge, open parking lot, well away from wires and noise. Saturday, September 2: How does this sound: For those who wish to tour around the city, there is the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the National Football Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Some may prefer to visit the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, or the Kent State University Museum, known for fashions, decorative arts, etc. We`ll help, but members will organize those trips on their own. At the hotel, we have scheduled a number of 15-30 minute events for the meeting room during the day. • You will learn what it`s like to work in a radio station and receive requests for DX verifications! • You`ll learn from a weather man how all those smaller stations can afford to have him when he only works a minute an hour (or so) • We`ll hear all about how a TV station is converting to digital transmission, and • The famous WNRC will be on premises. • A repeat performance of last year`s ``AM Radio in Tampa Bay`` is planned for those who couldn`t be with us in Kulpsville, and there will be all day to compare stories with other DXers outside by the pool. • In fact, we are still scheduling more short stories about radio broadcasting you`ll hear nowhere else. • Annual banquet on Saturday evening right in the hotel for ease of arrangements. • After dinner, we will hold our annual meeting --- and then the auction! Sunday, September 3: • Wake-Up Candy Quiz. If you know ANYthing about radio stations, you`ll come away a winner. • Later in the morning will come the annual ``NRC Examination`` – an impossible series of questions, mostly about recent matters affecting the nighttime AM radio dial. The winner receives a free one-year membership in the National Radio Club. Here`s what you should do now (Deadline for registering is August 7, 2006) [but this was [re]published in the Aug 14 DX News --- gh] 1. Call the hotel to make sure you will get into the block of rooms we have reserved for the low room rate of $59 plus tax rate. Call: 1-330- 794-1050 and tell them you are with the National Radio Club. 2. Send your Convention Reservation money as soon as you can. If you send a check, it will not be cashed it until August 11th so if something comes up you`ll be able to cancel. Here are the costs: i. Convention Registration: $45.00 - Includes meeting room, beverages and snacks, banquet. ii. Spouses` Registration: $25.00 - Includes everything above (They always eat less J) [? sic] iii. Send your Convention Reservation to: John Bowker - PO Box 5192 - Sun City Center, FL 33571. You can send any questions to John there too. 3. Send auction items to: Mr. George Greene, 1527 Sunset Ave, Akron, OH 44301. 4. If you will be flying into the Akron-Canton airport, let John know. He plans to reserve a van to make that 25-minute run to the airport from the hotel to pick up attendees on Friday noon, and on Sunday early afternoon to take folks back. He will need to know how many people to expect so he can rent the right vehicle. It will probably be a lot cheaper than taking a cab or limousine (NRC DX News Aug 14 via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ The BCB Update is on hiatus until September or October. We moved the Publishing Compound exactly 4 miles to the West, and the disruption is legion. 73z (GREG HARDISON, CA, Aug 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ DAYLIGHT SHIFTING TIME IN USA EXPANDS IN 2007, IMPACTING SW SKEDS I has been thinking the new start date would be the first Sunday in March instead of the first Sunday in April but http://www.timeanddate.com/time/aboutdst.html (which insists on calling it ``SAVING``) confirms it will be the SECOND Sunday in March. So this will mean in 2007 that North American (assuming Canada goes along with it; if not, that will confuse matters even more) stations will go on their `summer` schedules March 11, two weeks ahead of the rest of the world, rather than one week behind. The FORTNIGHT OF CONFUSION will then be from March 11 to 25, 2007, something the HFCC planners are no doubt already coping with for the tail end of the B-06 season, or will they consider it the early beginning of the A-07 season?? Note that in 2008y and not infrequently thereafter, when March has 5 Sundays, there will be a SESQUIFORTNIGHT OF CONFUSION, in 2008 lasting from March 9 to 30 --- all assuming that the new DST dates and HFCC season dates stick. Furthermore, there will be a WEEK OF CONFUSION, in the other direxion, from fall 2007 as USA goes off DST one week later than Europe, on the first Sunday in November (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Isn't this tedious? Does a reinvented FCC now serve as low-rent outhouse for IT ginks and their BigCorpseorate string pullers? Prior to the sea change 90s, even slight concern voiced by but one of the listed - and soon to be jammed - petroleum, aeronautical or amateur services would be sufficient to stop this jamming madness. Is FCC so thoroughly coöpted and corrupted by 90s spirochetes, carnival barkers and BigCorpseorate greaszeballs that it now quacks out lies at their beck and call? This diktat claims BPL will prevent an undesired IP duopoly. Heart warming. I'm weepy. Yet this low-rent Thunderjug swoons for iBLOC. In so doing, didn't the Feckless Chamberpot of Cronies ensure not merely a duopoly but a monopoly will be all that remains of the broadcast industry? Michael Savage states, 'this country is run by MBA schmucks who have no idea what they're doing.' Disagree on one small point. They know exactly what they're doing. They're firing good people, closing vital facilities and stuffing their pockets. Is time that short? Typical of the corrupt and/or incompetent, FCC stupidly claims the bulk of future communications will occur via BPL. What can one say to that? FCC is neither corrupt nor incompetent but merely psychotic? =Z.= (Paul Vincent Zecchino, Manasota Key, Florida, BT, IRCA via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING IBOC: see CANADA DRM: see nowhere in this issue ++++++++++++++++++++ DTV: see ST CLARE in REF below RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ New ICOM IC-R9500 Hi Glenn, You probably received word of this via the dx_india mailing but thought I'd pass on the response I received from Universal Radio as well. http://ndl-dx.se/icom_r9500/icom_r9500.pdf and at: http://ndl-dx.se/icom_r9500/ (via Bernt-Ivan Holmberg, Möklinta, Sweden, via Alokseh Gupta, dx_india via Lare, DXLD) Email from Universal after I inquired as to the price: "Thanks for the email. We are aware of this new receiver but at this time Icom has not released any information. We will post it on our website as soon as we receive it. Sure looks like a nice one." (Steve Lare, Holland MI, Aug 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SPECTRUM DEMAND ACCELERATES - EDITORIAL It seems that everyone wants access to the radio spectrum. The FCC is being pressured from every imaginable quarter - the wireless digital folks in particular - to free up more Megahertz. The gold rush is not being driven by attorneys or engineers, but by politicians and the investment community. The electromagnetic spectrum is destined to become a SHARED resource in most instances, broadcast bands included, FAA bands probably excluded for now. APCO WILL BACK BID FOR NATIONWIDE PUBLIC/PRIVATE BROADBAND NET APCO International will join with other public safety organizations to lobby for allocation of an additional 30 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band to be used as a nationwide broadband network. APCO and others envision a public/private partnership created as a government entity similar to a framework first advanced by Cyren Call Communications. But, instead of letting commercial interests control the spectrum with ancillary use by the government sector, governmental entities would control the spectrum with ancillary use by commercial interests. http://tinyurl.com/fatuf RAIL NETWORK WANTS OKAY TO VIOLATE PART 15 LIMITS, 88-108 MHZ The Rail Network Inc. has filed a request for a waiver of Part 15 of the Commission's rules to permit an increase in the emission level permitted under Section 15.209 for unlicensed operation in the 88-108 MHz FM broadcast band. Their system would provide information to passengers in mass transit rail cars. The audio would be distributed using up to seven channels in the FM broadcast band. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1649A1.doc FCC SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR ENGINEER-IN-TRAINING PROGRAM The FCC has announced that it is seeking applications from engineering school graduates with superior academic credentials and an interest in communications engineering and IP networks for its Engineer-in- Training (EIT) Program to be held during 2006/2007. Through the EIT Program, the FCC will recruit recent engineering school graduates to the FCC and provide comprehensive training in the field of communications. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-266804A1.doc (CGC Communicator Aug 17, via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) SAINT CLARE IMAGE ON TEES, MUGS, MOUSE PADS AND MORE To commemorate the retirement of Sherman George from UCSD-TV (K35DG), La Jolla, innovative artwork was created depicting Saint Clare of Assisi, Patron Saint of Television. Now that artwork is available on T-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads, caps, tote bags, buttons and other items. Sherm writes: "We have been inundated with requests for copies of the Saint Clare image so Adriene Hughes has created a modest Web site (see URL below) for people to buy various incarnations of the picture. The coffee mugs should be a hit with engineers. She created the image and makes about 5% on each sale." http://www.cafepress.com/softservegirl (From the CGC Communicator via Greg Hardison, DXLD) Glenn: -- This is too good to let go. Perhaps we should file objections based on separation of Church & State?? (As noted within, Congress has picked St. Clare's Day as the target date for elimination of Analog TV.)( 73z--GREG HARDISON, CA, Aug 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [DIGITAL BROADCASTING / TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING] Viz.: On August 15, 1255, Pope Alexander IV canonized Clare as St. Clare of Assisi. In 1263, Pope Urban IV officially changed the name of the Order of Poor Ladies to the "Order of Saint Clare." On February 17, 1958, Pope Pius XII designated her as the patron saint of television, on the basis that, when she was too ill to attend a Mass, she had been miraculously able to see and hear it on the wall of her room. (from website above) Don`t get your hopes up: she is surrounded by stained glass, not a TV screen, tho some might consider that to be ``stained glass`` in another sense. Is this the same one venerated by the Poor Clares order, such as M. Angelica? BTW, if you click on the image expecting an enlargement --- you get something --- else. The softservegirl website is interesting to explore with lots of photos-a-day (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) WHAT A HAM --- FRENCHTOWN MAN TAKES HIS RADIO CONTACT SERIOUSLY, WITH A SPECIALTY IN BOUNCING MESSAGES OFF THE MOON By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian Lance Collister stands recently near one of his ham radio antennas at his home near Frenchtown. Collister has been a ham operator for 40 years, and his niche is contacting people by bouncing signals off the moon. Photo by TOM BAUER/Missoulian [caption] FRENCHTOWN [Montana] - Any avid fly fisherman will tell you that if you just want to eat fish, go to a grocery store. But just as some folks would rather snag a trout by standing waist-deep in freezing water, Lance Collister prefers to talk with friends by bouncing the conversation off the surface of the moon. . . http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/08/19/news/top/news01.txt (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ 2007 METEOR SHOWER PREDICTION (watch word wrap) http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060817/sc_space/spacecomexclusivespectacularmeteorshowerpossiblefor2007 (via Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH Blue Bell, PA, WTFDA via DXLD) SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP034 ARLP034 Propagation de K7RA ZCZC AP34 QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 34 ARLP034 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA August 18, 2006 To all radio amateurs The extra propagation bulletin earlier this week (see http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/2006-arlp033.html if you missed it) concerning a proposed DARPA project which could disrupt HF radio communications generated a huge boatload of e-mail. After sifting through it all, some of it from retired military or defense engineers familiar with the VLF transmitters mentioned by Dr. Rodger, it may be that Ward Silver, N0AX had the right idea when he wondered how it could be done, when ''the sheer energy required from the start would tend to rule it out''. When Dr. Rodger said that ''two of the US Navy transmitters radiate 1 megawatt'', he probably didn't realize that this is the input power (before inefficiencies are factored in) to the transmitter, and doesn't reflect the efficiency of the antenna. David Olsen, W6PSS pointed out that a 2-megawatt Navy VLF transmitter in Michigan only radiates 1 watt, and the efficiency is around .00005%. He wrote, ''As I understand it, the limitation in achieving efficiency is the coupling factor. As the operating frequency is lowered, there's an exponential increase in reactances such that it becomes nearly impossible to couple energy to an antenna.'' Ed Bruette, N7NVP mentioned an article about a more efficient VLF antenna at http://coldwar-c4i.net/VLF/design.html, but Ed is also skeptical of the article about Dr. Rodger. Don Rice, AC7ZB wrote, ''. . . the radiation belts have to be heavily loaded due to an extremely large solar storm or a nuclear detonation. In either case, communications are going to be disrupted whether or not somebody tries to 'remediate' the radiation belts. So the question is whether fooling with the radiation belts will make a bad situation worse, not whether Dr. Strangelove is going to push a button and turn off the ionosphere on a whim''. ''Scientists have been poking the ionosphere for many decades trying to get it to do something, and short of setting off an ionospheric nuclear explosion forty some years ago they haven't had much success''. ''From the amateur radio standpoint, I think the greatest threat is that hams will get cranked up and make statements that will get us branded as a bunch of alarmist loonies. That could be very damaging to our efforts to curb BPL and other spectrum pollution''. John Kelley, K4WY wrote (from his wireless pager), ''. . . space is a big place, to shield the LEO birds with this technique would require incredible energy levels over a global spectra of satellites at varying orbits and ephemeris. I think of the Northern lights as an example of energy and ionized particles that at its peak can only cover upper/mid latitudes. Our current and near term future technologies are still wrestling with IP in space environments, autonomous control, investigating things like how to maintain a human presence on the moon, so when taken in that perspective I think we need a reality check. That said, every so often somebody comes up with the ideas like beaming nuclear power back to earth and other sci-fi ideas''. If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers, email the author at k7ra @ arrl.net (ARRL via DXLD) ###