DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-170, November 15, 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 1336 Fri 2130 WWCR1 15825 Sat 1530 WRMI 7385 Sat 1700 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Latest edition of this schedule version, including standard timeshifts, and AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: 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 I fixed the Itunes problem, not sure where the error was but started a brand new XML file and it solved the problem. Only 1336 is supported; may add 1335 later today (Andy O`Brien, Nov 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO SUMMARIES, new one added normally by 0600 UT Fridays: http://www.worldofradio.com/wor2006.html ** AFRICA. The BDXC 'Africa on Shortwave' list has been updated: http://www.bdxc.org.uk/ Click on 'Articles Index Page' (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, Nov 15, dxldyg via DXLD) Quite comprehensive, 36 pages of pdf, including inactive countries, but does not mention the Gabon harmonic on 19160! (gh, DXLD) ** ALBANIA. Looked for R. Tirana, English to NAm on 6115 and 7465, Nov 14 at 0331, but nothing audible on either. Propagation from E Eu was not so good tho Russia was making it on 6240, as was Ukraine on 5820. Should have tried later as they don`t always come up on time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Radio Baluarte fue reportada con excelente señal desde el DX Camp realizado en Chascomús el pasado fin de semana por Enrique Wembagher y este servidor, con programación religiosa íntegramente en portugués, en la frecuencia de 6214.4 kHz. 73 (Arnaldo Slaen, Nov 13, condiglist via WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non?]. The Radio Australia program reported at 0625 on 15290 might actually have been on 15295 where the Voice of Malaysia (sometimes identifying as the Voice of Islam) sometimes plays Radio Australia feature programs. The program schedule on their web site shows "hits all the way" from Sun to Fri 0612-0645 but that is not what is on today. The time for English shown is also wrong! I have heard one or two Radio Australia items on the Voice of Thailand as well. I am listening at 0510 on 15295 now and although the signal is extremely strong it is very distorted, probably over modulation of the transmitter (Morrison Hoyle, Melbourne, Nov 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting theory; it was getting late, but am rather sure I confirmed the frequency as 15290 on the YB-400 beside my FRG-7; on the Frog with parallax-variable dial it would have been easy to make such a mistake. VOM is rarely audible here on 15295. Again Nov 14 the band was dead around that hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Nov 15 at 1459 on 5995 heard VOR IS mixing with RA, but VOR off at 1500. Per HFCC B-06 this is Pet-Kam, sked 12- 15, and in the public version no sign of RA on 5995, since our friend Bernd Friedewald who manages their frequencies requires HFCC to delete all such entries, even tho he no longer publishes the info either in ILG! But RA is on 5995 from 08 to 18, switching from 10 kW Brandon to 100 kW Shepparton at 14 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RA, 9590, with All in the Mind, topic again the Blackfeet of Montana banning smoking in public places, and the impact of tobacco in general on native peoples also in Australia and NZ; Blackfeet retain tobacco only for ceremonial purposes. To my surprise, program ended at 1434 Wed Nov 15 instead of 1430 and then immediately into The Philosopher`s Zone (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. 2.5 weeks of broadcasting the wrong program, TV from Israel rather than Voice of Vietnam on 5955: see UNIDENTIFIED [non] ** CANADA. RCI news at 1502 Nov 14 on 17820: the YL newscaster now seems to be putting more effort into expression (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 11/07/06 - RJ 1200 CJRJ AM Vancouver continues to test its new 25 kW transmitter in anticipation of a late November launch. In regard to chosing an AM frequency, station president Shushma Datt said, "There was simply nothing left on the FM dial that provided an unimpaired signal, while the AM dial had some very viable options for a strong, clear signal and the 1200 spot was the best of those available.” The station's format will be predominantly Bollywood, Bhangra, Hip Hop and Indi-pop, targeted towards young South Asians aged 18-44, with a Sunday line-up featuring international languages including Filipino, Italian and Farsi. (Northwest [sic] Broadcasters via DXLD) 1200, CJRJ, BC, Vancouver - New station is on the air with Punjabi programming. Facilities are U4 25000/25000 from two towers at N49-09- 55, W123-02-28. Day and night patterns are almost identical, both kidney-shaped toward the northwest (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC E-DX News Nov 13 via DXLD) ** CHAD. Rdf TV Tchadienne, 6165 from 2205 to 2230 13 Nov in French. Sign-off at 2230 with national anthem. Moderate. Sometimes under unID station playing music. Croatia? Don't know if that's still on direct. Nice catch (Liz Cameron, Detroit, MI, NRD 525, 10m longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. Couldn`t hear Canada on 31m, Nov 13 at 0300, but R. Internacional de China was inbooming via Brasil, opening 9665. There were some small audio dropouts; I`ll bet most listeners in Latin America have no idea this is transmitted from Brasília. No ``This is the China International Radio transmitter in Brasília, Brasil, signing on`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. New program of Sound of Hope via Taiwan. On 11750 kHz at 0900-1000 UT in Korean with CNR-1 Jammer (S. Aoki, (NDXC-HQ controler: S. Hasegawa), Nov 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is it really in Korean instead of Chinese? Also, I am still hearing jamming on 9930 in the 1400 hour, presumably still SOH via KWHR causing it (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Korean program is additional transmission on B06 sked (S. Aoki, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. It speaks volumes for the sad situation in China that whenever one hears a strong signal from CNR-1, one assumes it is jamming something. This was the case Nov 14 at 1520 on 11665 with commercials, VG signal but some deep fades. Could not hear any other signal mixing, but R. Taiwan International is scheduled there in Chinese until 1600. Also heard Firedrake on 7270, Nov 14 at 1526. There are several stations scheduled here, but the more likely one as a jamming victim may be BBC Tajik via Cyprus. Can anyone confirm this service is jammed? Don`t know of anything in Chinese. 7270 was // much weaker 10400 against Sound of Hope (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re Glenn's question about jamming of BBC Tajik 7270 between 1500 and 1530. The dominant signal at my location on the frequency was VoR in Turkish on Nov.15. No Firedrake or CNR audible. But there was at least one other co-channel. I checked the parallel BBC Tajik frequency of 11930 (via RMP according to sched). This was playing music that I couldn't positively hear on 7270. There was no audible Chinese jamming either - Firedrake or CNR. After 1530 VoR continued on 7270 with another unidentified underneath. 73 (Noel R. Green (NW England), Nov 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Dear Glenn, Have you checked 13580 kHz for firedrake recently? Since the start of 13580, 13970 firedrake was off- air since. It must be ex-13970 then (Yogesh, Hong Kong, Nov 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No sign of Firedrake/SOH on 13580 here in our mornings, such as Nov 15 at 1445 when occupied as usual by poor signal from Prague in Czech to NAm. CODAR QRM as usual, and my neighbor`s video swish. At 1506, still some talk audible but weaker as Prague had changed beams from 305 to 245 degrees, and nothing left at 1542. Will check at other dayparts, perhaps around sunset (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [non]. Voice of Croatia, 7285 via Germany, Germany and Germany, Nov 14 at 0310 in English discussing new translation of Shakespeare. Signal had a `hollow` reverb sound, because transmitters were not precisely synchronized, but pretty close, could be, and has been worse. I guess English starts at 0300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [and non]. Dear Wolfgang & Glenn, Since many DXers wanted to know exact times of the VOICE OF CROATIA (Glas Hrvatske), Zagreb I myself created this schedule. Best regards & many 73s! VOICE OF CROATIA (Glas Hrvatske) B06 SCHEDULE [Times, of course UT] --------------------------------------------- 0000-0400 1125 1134 1143, 7285 0400-0500 783 1125 1134 1143, 7285 0500-0600 783 1125 1134 1143, 7285 9470 0600-0630 774 783 1125 1134 1143, 9470 11690 0630-0800 774 783 1125 1143, 9470 11690 0800-1000 774 783 1125 1143, 11690 1000-1400 774 783 1125 1143 1400-1830 774 783 1125 1143 1400-1830 774 783 1125 1134 1143 1830-2300 783 1125 1134 1143 2300-2400 783 1125 1134 1143, 7285 0300-0315 ENGLISH 0330-0345 SPANISH 0700-0703 ENGLISH 1100-1103 ENGLISH Mon-Fri 1300-1303 SPANISH Mon-Fri 1500-1530 ITALIAN Mon-Fri 1700-1715 ENGLISH Mon-Sat 1700-1705 ENGLISH Sun 1730-1800 HUNGARIAN Mon-Sat 1905-1915 ENGLISH Mon-Fri 1905-1910 ENGLISH Sat 2315-2330 ENGLISH 2330-2345 SPANISH (Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia, Nov 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MW frequencies are in Croatia; SW ones here are all via GERMANY; there should also be SW broadcasts from Croatia itself on 13830, 6165, at least (gh, DXLD) Yes there are, but this is not Voice of Croatia but the first programme of the national radio Hrvatski Radio (Prvi program Hrvatskoga radija). According to HFCC-B06: 6165 0500-2400 9830 0500- 1800 So apparently they have dropped 22m. It is still mentioned on their general website http://www.hrt.hr/oiv/deanovec/danas.html (which is in Croatian...). This one if about the future ("buducnost") of AM transmissions in general: http://www.hrt.hr/oiv/deanovec/buducnost.html The first sentence means approx. "In the near future, no severe changes are to take place at Deanovec." 73, (Eike Bierwirth, 55128 Mainz, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Further evidence of Cuba`s absolute disregard for other SW broadcasters: clicking jammer spurs found on all these frequencies Nov 14 at 1510: 15180, 15230, 15280, 15380, 15430, 15480, 15530, 15580, 15630. These obviously originate from transmitters on 15330 against R. Martí, which BTW was well atop the jamming on 15330 itself. Strength of the spurs did not correlate with distance from the fundamental; 15430 was the strongest, bothering Saudi Arabia on both sides. No doubt would have been audible on 15130 too if it were not for very strong WYFR; and on 15680 CVC. Before 1500, the spur on 15230 would have been jamming RHC itself, but who would notice with CRI via Canada also on there? A similar situation infects the jamming on 11930 against Martí. At 1514 Nov 14, the clix were audible on 12030, 11980 and 11880, and in this case even detectable under very strong WYFR in Chinese on 11830! Plus the usual separate jammer against nothing on 11845 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Almost as if the DentroCuban Jamming Command had read my recent reports, their act appeared to have been cleaned up Nov 15: no longer any jamming against nothing on R. Martí`s summer frequency 11845 when checked at 1507 and later (A-06 scheduled 13-17; but Chinese Firedrake on 11840), and furthermore no spurious jammer clix audible every 50 kHz above and below 11930 and 15330, only the usual heavy jamming right on those frequencies. But this could have been a fluke, so I am not yet concluding the others are gone for good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. 2036-2102 11/15/06, 9565, Radio Martí. Interference makes it a little hard to hear. It appears to be a news program; they keep mentioning "Telemundo TV." I Have heard it six times since I started listening. The Cuban bubble jammer was not heard. By 2101 heavy interference made it too hard to hear (Paul Armani, CO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just quoting the TV network, or do they have some closer relationship with it? (gh) ** CUBA [non]. Tho I often hear nothing but jamming on 9955 when WRMI is on, Nov 15 at 1617 there was nothing but WRMI, playing ``Guantanamera`` during exile program (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Altho Arnie announced it last week, RHC still hasn`t left 9820 for 6180. English on 9820 at 0301 UT Nov 14, while 6180 was occupied by DW in Swahili via Rwanda with ID at 0330. RHC English also on 6000, but could not hear it on 6060, squeezed between REE and WYFR (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It's my pleasure to inform you that starting November the 14th and later on November the 15th UTC day we will be using our new frequency 6180 kiloHertz to replace 9820 kiloHertz from 01 to 07 UT with our English language program to North America and the Caribbean. Please notice that 6180 kHz will be on the air two more hours than 9820 due to the fact that the propagation conditions on 6 megaHertz are much better than on 9 megahertz during that time frame. More details about how we will be using this frequency and why we moved down from 31 meters later in today's Dxers Unlimited. Now here the information about our 6180 kiloHertz frequency that we will be starting to use it November 14 and 15th UT days. Again for those of you interested in sending reports, the antenna is a new curtain array, beaming to 340 degrees azimuth from Havana, effectively covering Central North America. We will be running 100 kiloWatts and the estimated antenna gain is around 17 decibels above a half wave dipole, so the effective radiated power on the main lobe is quite something, amigos!!! So I expect very good reception reports from places like Chicago, Milwaukee, Toronto, Ottawa, and also from Atlanta, Nashville and Louisville in Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. The new antenna's take off angle of the main lobe is around 15 degrees above the horizon, and there is a minor lobe high up around 65 degrees that may produce a nice NVIS signal in South Florida too (Arnie Coro, RHC DXers Unlimited Nov 14 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** CUBA. I found my October 1959 pattern book. Back when Cuba ran directional antennas. Just before the revolution. Some highlights: 910- CMCF Havana 10 KW DA. Loose null to Valdosta. Lobe to eastern Cuba. 250 watt CMCF-Sync in Mantanzas Syncs on other Cuban frequencies as well. Even the WBT sync in Shelby, NC is shown in the book. 950- CMBF Havana nulled Houston. Did not protect 950 (WLOF) Orlando. 670- CMKP 1 KW Holguin nulled Chicago and 670-1 KW day/ 500 watt night CMHG Santa Clara was non-DA 570- CMHI 10 KW Non DA-Day but nulled Waycross, GA at night. Loose pattern. 630-CMQ Havana 50 KW nulled San Antonio day and night. 640-CMHQ Santa Clara Nulled Akron and KFI day and night. (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Hola amigos de la lista, El viernes pasado - 10 de noviembre del 2006, entre las 9 y 10 de la noche hora del centro [0300-0400 UT Nov 11] - mientras viajaba hacia la ciudad de Querétaro en autobús, sintonicé una emisora; lo estuve sintonizando entre Polotitlán y San Juan de Río, el locutor tenía un claro acento cubano, y pude escuchar a varias personas enviando felicitaciones a familiares, amigos y a escuchas de la emisora. No logré identificarla "Radio ... (ruido eléctrico) Habana...", sí porque además estaba lloviendo durante el recorrido y había mucha tormenta eléctrica. El sábado, en Querétaro como a las 0400 UT, pude sintonizar un rato a esta emisora cubana, hablando de una cantante cubano, quien nació por 1912 y tocaron varias canciones, como el manicero entre otras... En ratos entraba con mayor fuerza la emisora "Visión Cristiana Internacional" con muchas referencias a la ciudad de Nueva York. [Turks & Caicos] El caso que no pude identificar esta emisora cubana. ¿Alguien lo ha sintonizado y escuchado? Según el WRTH 2006 se trataría de Radio Rebelde desde la Ciudad de La Habana. De todos modos, estaré tratando el próximo fin de semana tratando de identificar esta emisora. Siempre usando un Radio Shack DX-390 Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, DF, condig list via DXLD) Héctor, el transmisor en 530 funciona sólo para bloquear a Radio Martí, que transmite algunas horas por semana desde el avión. No obstante, parece estar en el aire 24/7. Varios diexistas en EE UU identificaron a 530 como Radio Cadena Habana, igual a 1100 kHz. Los dentrocubanos pueden cambiar de fuentes a menudo. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Gracias Glenn por compartir este dato. Voy a tratar de sintonizarlo nuevamente este viernes. Saludos (Héctor García B., condig list via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. El antiguo Hércules C-130, Comando Solo, aeronave utilizada por el gobierno de Estados Unidos como plataforma para intentar llegar a Cuba con las señales de Radio y TV Martí, ha sido reemplazada por un moderno bimotor Gulfstream G-1. La Oficina para las Transmisiones a Cuba (OCB, por sus siglas en inglés) declaró que el nuevo avión, con matrícula N820CB, es rentado a la empresa privada Phoenix Air, luego que el gobierno aumentó en 10 millones de dólares el presupuesto destinado a difundir informaciones a la Isla y promover la subversión interna. La aeronave está equipada con una tecnología de punta capaz de hacer transmisiones en vivo y volará dentro del espacio aéreo estadounidense, donde captará señales de satélite emitidas por TV Martí y las convertirá a UHF, al contrario del C-130, que solo trasmitía desde agua internacionales y podía emitir programas grabados (13/11/2006) http://www.deradios.com (via Nicolás Eramo, condig list via DXLD) Hadn`t seen its callsign before. That should be useful for plane spotters (where is it hangared?) or even to intercept 2-way communications (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Alleged new R. República relay via Sackville, supposed to start UT Nov 14 at 0200-0500 on 9630 --- did not check until 0300, but nothing audible on 9630. However, nothing audible on CBC NQ 9625 either. Sackville-to-Enid MUF may have plummeted, so I wonder if either was audible closer to Cuba. Spain direct on 9620 was JBA. Meanwhile, other RR transmissions checked at 0315 [not 0415 as typoed in original post]: 5970 via Germany dominated by jamming, and ex-5910 also with jamming; 7110 via UK, also nothing but jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 4919, Radio Quito, La Voz de la Capital, 0522-0548, 15-11. Canciones románticas latinoamericanas, identificación por locutor a las 0530 "Radio Quito". Durante el tiempo de escucha, hubo varios cortes en la transmisión, y por momentos se incrementaba la potencia, parece como si tuvieran problemas con el transmisor o lo estuviesen probando. 24222 variando a 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escucha realizada en casco urbano de Lugo, 7º 33' 09'' W, 43º 00' 37" N Grundig YB 400, antena telescópica, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard R Quito this morning from 0546. "Radio Quito" IDs at 0547 and 0553. Non-stop songs and instrumental music through top of the hour. Only occasional IDs and short announcements by OM. Pan pipe music [¿quena?] at 0615. Mainly SIO 222. Fading in and out of increasing QRN by 0645 (Charles Hendry, Amersham, UK, Sony SW7600GR + long wire, Nov 14, BDXC-UK via DXLD) No fq, but ** ECUADOR [and non]. Don`t you believe that HCJB no longer broadcasts in English. Quite by chance I ran across Spotlight, the special- English-teaching quarter-hour, twice in a row on two different frequencies: UT Tue Nov 14 at 0320 on 9745, presumably started at 0315, with story of how a surfer named Ángel in Puerto Rico took on the Army Corps of Engineers for dumping waste underwater damaging coral reefs. Finally got them to stop but will take a long time for the reefs to recover. Closing before 0330 gave program title, episode title Saving the Coral, website http://www.radio.english.net and back into Spanish. Quite by chance again, a few minutes later patrolling the 49m band I came on the very same episode on another HCJB frequency, 6050, at 0333, presumably started at 0330. Not sure if this is nightly or weekly, but Spotlight has also shown up at various other times on HCJB`s hard-to-obtain Spanish program schedule. Excellent on 9745, good on 6050 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HCJB Stamp: see RADIO PHILATELY below Above website has affiliate list, including HCJB showing 2230 local weekdays on 690, but no mention of 6050! Separate listing of La Voz de los Andes has long-outdated frequency 15140, and 11840 --- can`t remember HCJB ever using that, so must not rely on times either, which are all presumably local, but nothing at 2215. Also has some other SW entries, probably outdated, for TWR, IBRA, Codka Nolosha Cusub/Voice of New Life, FEBA, and something for China - Global Village, Daily 20:30 11580 kHz, 22:00 9430 kHz. What could that be, really? From listings, looks like 11580 would be KFBS Saipan, and 9430 FEBC Manila, in use if you subtract 8 hours from those times for UT (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. From today the new RFI schedules are available as PDF files at http://www.rfi.fr/radiofr/statiques/grille_programmes.asp Transmitter sites are not included this time. However, they can be found in the HFCC list at http://www.hfcc.org 73, (Eike Bierwirth, 55128 Mainz, Germany, Nov 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It looks comprehensive, and mostly matches our previous research, BUT: does NOT show any English to Asia, even tho this has been confirmed at 1400 on 5920, presumably via Chita, Russia! Program titles for 1430 are shown, but under Africa, with no frequencies. Thruout below, frequencies in parentheses replace the one immediately preceding starting 25 Feb. In this version, the old one correctly expires on 24 Feb, rather than 25 Feb. The Americas schedule is very sparse, showing the only French broadcast left is Météo-Marine, 1130-1200 on 13640, 17610 (both GUF?) And the only others are Spanish: 12-13 15515, 16-1630 & 18-1830 & 21-2130 17630; 01-0130 5995(9800) [BTW, I misspoke at the beginning of WOR 1336 saying these were French instead of Spanish!] Program titles are given for all the French broadcasts; we should pull out the music shows at least, later. As for English, the half-hour transmissions, or longer ones are just news during the first half hour; features: 0730-0800 Mon Club 9516 Tue Crossroads Wed Voices Thu Rendez-vous Fri World Tracks Sat Où on est là? Sun Religions du monde (color-coding for languages is inconsistent, but I assume this means the M-F shows are in English, Sat/Sun in French on this transmission, even tho the Thu show has a French name) 1430-1500 and 1630-1700: Mon French lesson Tue Crossroads Wed Voices Thu Rendez-vous Fri World Tracks Sat Network Europe Sun Club 9516 As for frequency usage, fortunately pdf files can be rotated 90 degrees, as the grilles are sidewise. These are all for four different sectors of Africa, not much point in trying to keep them separate here. 0400-0430 7315 9805 0500-0530 9805(13680) 11995 0600-0630 7315(9765) 9865 11995(15160) 13680 0700-0730 11725(15605) 0700-0730 (15605) 0700-0830 11725(----) [sic; seems unlikely English axually runs a sesquihour until Feb 25 on one frequency, then shrinx to a semihour on the new frequency] 1200-1230 15275 21620 1400-1500 [NO FREQUENCY listings, even tho this transmission is shown under Africa for program titles at 1430 above] 1600-1700 9730 11615(15605) 15160 1700-1730 11615(15605) (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: That means that, other than "meteo marine," RFI has dropped the two half-hours in the morning and one half-hour in the evening that were broadcast in French to the Americas (Mike Cooper, GA, Nov 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. 9580 at 2100+ Nov 13 had very obnoxious buzz, as mentioned by Raúl and Jerry earlier. It was over regular programming at about S7 here; Gabon at this time is rarely more than S3 or S4. Forgot to check 19160 but that probably won't propagate at that time, or at least not well. 73/Liz (Liz Cameron, Detroit, MI, NRD 525, 10m longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn. You know what I got just last night, at 0500? Is not ANO altho is Radio Gabon related on 4777. Exactly the same kind of buzz heard lately from 9580 and harmonic 19160 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica Nov 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Warm greetings to all of you! Right now, I'm hearing an awful jamming [sic] right on 9580 kHz, although it is harming quite severely the 9575 and the 9585 kHz channels too, although to a somewhat lesser degree. It has an industrial sound to it, like an airplane and it is VERY bothering. The content of the Gabon's international voice, Africa Numéro Un (the mid and late afternoon's 9580 kHz usual occupant) is not only more or less inaudible, but ALMOST indetectable, unless I pay an incredible amount of attention. A lesser, but still VERY annoying amount of QRM can be feeled on 9575 kHz against Morocco's Medi Un (Radio Méditerranée Internationale) and against an unID signal on 9585 kHz. Very strange! (Bogdan Chiochiu, QC, Nov 14, condig list via DXLD) Desde Valencia en España la señal que tu mencionas se escucha con mucha fuerza; lo curioso es que también es audible en la frecuencia de 19160, segundo armónico de la emisión de África Nº 1 y que regularmente se puede captar. Te adjunto una dirección para que se pueda escuchar con mayor claridad la señal que tu mencionas. http://valenciadx.multiply.com/music/item/224 Atentamente (José Miguel Romero, ibid.) Nov 15 chex of buzz from Africa Number One: at 1419, definite buzz on 19160, no audio, but at 1504 check a little French // 17630 could be heard along with the bigger buzz. At 1546, a little buzz was audible on fundamental 9580; long path? The African music jammer against nothing on 17660 was coming in nicely Nov 15 at 1525 so I stayed with it to see when it would go off. Lasted until 1531, with carrier on another 40 seconds (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Radio Deutsche Welle was heard today (Nov. 14) on 6185 at 0815 tune in past 0830 (when I had to leave). There's no trace of anything at re-tune 1130. The programme was in German and parallel 7175, and transmission was mixing badly with CVC Brasilian co-channel, so I couldn't decide whether in sync with 7175 or not. I don't see this frequency listed in any of their schedules so I've been adding/subtracting/dividing numbers but have'nt arrived at 6185 yet - but my maths isn't very good though! (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was it weak enough to have been a leapfrog mix? Here`s what I come up with. DW Wertachtal is on 6075 at that time in German, and in DRM on 6130, which would make a leapfrog onto 6185; but could a DRM signal make such a mix with an analog? Another possibility would be 5965 leaping over 6075 to land on 6185, but don`t see anything from Wertachtal on 5965 then (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. EMR 19th November 2006 [Sunday] AT 1300 UT - ON 5965 KHZ 1300 TOM TAYLOR 1315 PAT EDISON (DJ's Radio History) 1330 MIKE TAYLOR (Mail Box) 1400 CLOSE DOWN Good Listening 73s (Tom Taylor, Nov 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. AWR to take German off shortwave AWR will cancel its German shortwave transmission on May 25, see the enclosed posting from Rudolf Sonntag. At present it's 1600-1630 via Moosbrunn on 6015, and in fact this is a fragment of a round-the-clock satellite program now, just like TWR German on shortwave which to my knowledge is merely a relay of Evangeliums-Rundfunk as heard on satellite, also available via our local cable net here because some interested people put continuous pressure on the mom & pop company running the system. Not that any of these gentlemen would be interested in shortwave or 1539 reception, I guess they not even know that such things exist at all. Noteworthy also this statement in a FAQ on the AWR German website, tho they would certainly no longer put it up there anymore, since they have apparently done with shortwave now: "Is it worth to purchase a shortwave radio? --- Yes, if reception via satellite, Internet or cable will be not possible for you in the short or medium term. Beyond that it is impossible at present to say anything about further developments and changes in the field of classical shortwave transmissions." http://www.hopechannel.de/hope-channel/faq/empfang-mit-radiogeraet/#c47 All the quoted information is from special German presentations, so other AWR services may be affected as well (although I don't see much beyond Italian and perhaps Bulgarian that would be left for cancellation here). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: -----Original Message----- Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:35:00 +0100 Subject: [A-DX] AWR stellt deutsche KW-Sendung am 25.03.07 ein From: "Rudolf Sonntag" To: "a-dx" Hallo, mittlerweile steht im Sendeplan: "Ab 25.03.2007 Einstellung der deutschsprachigen Kurzwellenübertragung." Siehe http://www.hopechannel.de/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/Akt_Sendezeiten___Frequenzen.pdf ganz unten Übrigens gar nicht so leicht auf der deutschen AWR-Homepage irgendwie zur Kurzwelle zu finden (Rudolf Sonntag, Gilching, Germany, http://www.RudolfSonntag.de A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** GOA. Nov 14 at 1514 came upon the unmistakable AIR IS on 15175, into unID language, distorted audio and slightly variable het. PWBR ``2007`` claims this is Bangalore, while Jose Jacob`s B-06 AIR sked shows it as Panaji; I`ll go with the latter, with such transmission characteristics. It`s the Gujarati service to EAf, also troubled by Cuban jamming spur on 15180 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE [and non]. Altho VOG continues to be weak here on 17525, have noticed that the chirping ute QRM has gone. Apparently to 17531 where I was hearing it until 1500* Nov 14. There it does not collide with a broadcast station, and needed BFO to recognize (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. DX’ING IN HAWAII WITHOUT LOCALS: THE QUAKE OF ’06 SILENCES MOST OF OAHU AND MAUI - By Richard E. Wood An earthquake centered near Puako on the northwest coast of the Big Island of Hawaii and measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck at 0707 HST (1307 ELT) on Sunday, October 15, 2006. All AM stations on the Big Island (620, 670, 850, 1060 and the Part 15 station on 1640) stayed on the air, but power was lost on most of Oahu and Maui. All Oahu stations went off the air with the exception of KSSK 590, KRTR 650, KKNE 940 and an apparent open carrier from KORL 1180. The situation on Maui was mixed. KMVI 550 and KAOI 1110 stayed on the air, but KNUI 900 went off. The result was that numerous channels which are normally blocked, or where locals have to be carefully phased or looped out, were perfectly clear for reception from North America throughout the prime evening listening hours, and several new stations were logged. Many stations that had previously been weak, irregular and QRM prone were now local- like, and many reception reports were sent. Conditions to all parts of North America were good (Alaska through Mexico), although only one East Coast station, WPHT 1210 PA, was logged. On a morning check at 0445 HST (1045 EDT), the great majority of Oahu stations had returned to the air at normal strength, except for KHRA 1460 and KHNR 870, which were still silent, and presumed KORL 1180 (not 100% certain) and KUMU 1500, both of which had open carriers. KNUI 900 on Maui was still off the air, leaving CKMO BC still in the clear. Here is what was heard this night . . . (Richard E. Wood, Keaau, BIHI, NRC E-DX News Nov 20 via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. R. Budapest, 5980, must be the source of something in Hungarian, Nov 14 at 0318, but there was some singing underneath, unsure whence. After 0330, English on 6035 was fair but squeezed between Spain 6040 and Cuban jamming 6030 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. V. of Indonesia doesn`t do it every day, but Nov 15 from tune-in at 1532 on 9525, the 6:24 loop of gamelan orchestra music and English IDs was running for the next half-hour, until 1603 into Qur`an and 1610 Arabic programming toward EAs and NAm (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. VOIRI, 9575, 1430 Nov 14 opening in Russian with anthem(?), ID, 1432 Qur`an in Arabic of course but for only a few seconds, back to Russian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Re R. Farda, 6-169: Radio Farda is one of the few U.S. international broadcasting efforts that can succeed with a mass strategy, because it provides a type of music that is desired by young Iranian listeners but not available from Iran's domestic radio stations. In this way, Radio Farda is like the old Radio Luxembourg during its peak of popularity in the U.K. Radio Farda is an example of market based international broadcasting. Mr. Timmerman prefers centrally planned international broadcasting, providing content that policymakers think Iranians should listen to whether they want to listen to it or not. And, in any case, for Iranians wanting a greater concentration of news, there is the VOA Persian Service. Posted: 14 Nov 2006 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. NHK Warido, 9660, just caught signing off by 0300 Nov 14. That would be Portuguese at 0230 via Guiana French (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. Nov 15 at 1621 tried listening for R. Jordan on 11690. Requires the ICF SW07 with USB sync detexion. Signal too weak to stay locked and would periodically jump to lock on the RTTY below instead. Pop vocal music of some kind, 1626 announcement in English mentioned FM, which is typical of R. Jordan, tho I did not hear an ID as such. In late A-06 11690 was also ruined by CRI during this hour, but I heard no sign of that now. There are no longer any China listings on 11690 in HFCC B-06, but Jordan is missing too, being an ASBU station (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. 9290 kHz relays from Latvia --- The relay service on 9290 kHz from Latvia will be returning to the air in mid December 2006. If there are any stations that would like to be relayed via this service please send an email to the following address: kreicbergs @ parks.lv Only this email address will be valid. More information will follow in December 2006, 73s (Tom Taylor, Nov 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) With both 100 kW and 1 kW available, as per previous item? I bet there won`t be a 100:1 difference in rates, but what will be the ratio? (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. V. of Africa, 17725 via France, Nov 15 at 1505 in English broadcast playing hilife music, much less hum than usual, but still audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Confirmed frequencies for RNW election coverage in Dutch on 22 November On Wednesday 22 November, the Dutch go to the polls in a general election. For worldwide coverage in Dutch of the results, some additional frequencies will be in use. The following frequencies have been confirmed. Several others are under negotiation and will be published when confirmation is received. Frequencies will be on the air after the polls close as follows (all times UTC): 2000-2400 on 1314 kHz to Northwest Europe 2100-2200 on 7120 kHz to Central Africa 2100-2200 on 11655 kHz to West Africa 2100-2200 on 15315 kHz to Surinam & NE Brazil 2100-2200 on 17810 kHz to West Africa 2100-2200 on 17895 kHz to South America (south) 2100-2300 on 6040 kHz to West and Southwest Europe 2100-2300 on 9895 kHz to Central and Northwest Africa 2200-2300 on 15315 kHz to South America (south) 2200-2300 on 11730 kHz to Canary Islands / North Africa 2300-2400 on 6165 kHz to North America (east) 2300-2400 on 9525 kHz to Caribbean / South America (north) We draw the attention of listeners in Europe to the transmission on mediumwave 1314 kHz from the 1200 kW transmitter in Norway which has been withdrawn from regular service. Full details of transmitter sites will be published when the list is complete (November 15th, 2006, 15:18 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Is Rangitaiki down again? Nov 14 at 1527 could not hear any DRM on 7145 --- no change in S-meter noise level as I tuned across the frequency; RA was audible on 7240. I believe I also noticed an hour or more earlier that 7145 was clean. Once again on Nov 15 at 1415 and later, no trace of RNZI DRM on scheduled 7145. Must be down, or have they QSYed without telling us? Analog fairly audible on 5950 at 1417 with National Radio ID, into reading of a serial (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORWAY. 1314 kHz reactivated for 4 hours Nov 22: see NETHERLANDS ** PAKISTAN [non]. B06 SW schedule for Deewa Radio, in Pashto: 1300-1400 11510 15645; 1500-1600 11510 11765 (Dave Kenny, Nov BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Next will they infill the betweenhour? (gh) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. K21million for NBC rehab --- By FREDDY GIGMAI http://www.thenational.com.pg/111506/nation25.htm THE Government’s official broadcaster, the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), has been allocated K21 million out of the K1.1 billion windfall gains for rehabilitation works. Treasurer Sir Rabbie Namaliu said the Government was fully aware that the primary source of information in the country was radio, thus has allocated the money under its rehabilitation of essential public infrastructure programme. Out of that K21 million appropriation, K19 million was specifically set aside for rehabilitation of all provincial radio stations in Papua New Guinea, although they are currently the responsibility of provincial governments, according to Sir Rabbie and his department secretary Simon Tosali (The National, Nov 15 via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. DW Sines, 3995 with DRM noise, Nov 14 at 0325. Fair signal but enough to discourage NAm hams from using 3990-4000; I wonder if it would decode here. At 0355 this is scheduled to go off, with Wertachtal DRM taking over from 0400 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** QATAR. AL-JAZEERA ENGLISH SUFFERS LAST-MINUTE HITCH WITH US DISTRIBUTION Media Guardian reports that Al-Jazeera English (AJE) has suffered a last-minute hitch with its planned distribution in the US. The last- minute name change from the expected Al-Jazeera International took even the staff by surprise, and the exact reason isn’t yet clear. ComCast reportedly withdrew from talks yesterday, leaving al-Jazeera without access to its 24.1 million subscribers. ComCast is also the biggest provider in Detroit, which has the largest Arab-American population in the US. Sources at Al-Jazeera suspect that ComCast was nervous about carrying the channel, given the political sensitivity of its Iraq coverage, but ComCast denies that and inists the decision is down to a lack of capacity, rather than politics. However, the idea that ComCast would suddenly discover a lack of capacity just 48 hours ahead of launch seems implausible. Viewers in Europe who want to watch AJE are in better luck. The station will launch tomorrow at 1200 UTC, and amongst other things it will be on the Sky platform in the UK and Ireland at 514 on the Electronic Programme Guide. There has been some bad publicity for the British staff of AJE ahead of tomorrow’s launch. London’s Evening Standard reports that staff hired earlier this year and based in Doha have been spending their time waiting for the delayed launch by drinking excessively. The Emir of Qatar, says the newspaper, personally ordered them to go on a ``cultural awareness`` training course, to learn how to behave in a Muslim country. The behaviour of the Brits is said to have caused tension between them and their Arab colleagues (November 14th, 2006, 16:22 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) AL JAZEERA ENGLISH LAUNCHES ON SATELLITE, BUT DELAYED LAUNCH THE WEB Al Jazeera’s English-language channel launched as planned at 1200 UT. The launch programme started off very smoothly, though we did note some lip-syncing problems, which goes with the territory when using so many simultaneous satellite feeds. However, the new English website http://english.aljazeera.net/News was more than an hour late coming online. Initially, we got a number of error messages, and when the Home Page did finally appear, it had no content. When re-checked at 1315, the site was working normally. There is a free 56 kbps feed of the service, and the option of receiving a higher quality feed on subscription. These are in Real format, and provided by Jump TV. However, the website notes that ``Due [to] copyright and distribution restrictions, not all viewers will be able to access all our video services. If the free player is not available please try our subsection partners. We are constantly working to add new territories and agreements to the service so if the video [you] want is not available, please check back regularly to see when your country can access Al Jazeera video online.`` The picture format is 14:9, a compromise between 4:3 and the full widescreen format of 16:9. We assume this is to make it easier to include 4:3 pictures by trimming the top and bottom. The Arabic version of Al Jazeera is in 4:3 format (November 15th, 2006, 13:00 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. V. of Russia blasts away any marines wanting to use their band, 6240 with 500 kW at 313 degrees from Armavir doing the trick for English to NAm, Nov 14 at 0311 with items on US politics, Iran (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SCOTLAND [non]. Saint Andrew's Night on radio six international Attached is our first press release on the subject. We're still negotiating the shortwave transmission - but there WILL be a high power shortwave transmission simultaneous with the live transmission from Lismore. Details to follow asap. TONY CURRIE radio six international press release letters @ radiosix.com +44 141 427 0531 PO Box 600, Glasgow G41 5SH Scotland http://www.radiosix.com LISMORE CEILIDH GOES ``LIVE`` ON ST ANDREW`S NIGHT For its annual St.Andrew`s Night broadcast, Radio Six International is hosting a live charity Ceilidh in the Lismore Community Hall on Thursday 30th November from 9.00pm. The broadcast will be beamed around the world on the internet, and via shortwave, medium wave, FM and satellite transmitters across the globe. Special guest compere for the event is legendary singer-broadcaster Jimmie Macgregor. He`ll be playing a new song he`s written about St. Andrew - specially for the occasion! Also performing are the Glasgow- based country dance band The Rusty Nails, the choir from Lismore Primary School and local soloists. Jimmie will also be talking to some of the island`s personalities. The show can be heard live throughout Lochaber on Nevis FM and Cuillins FM as well as online from the radio six international website http://www.radiosix.com with a recorded repeat on Sky Channel 0195 at midnight. Admission to the Ceilidh is £5 payable at the door, with all the proceeds being donated to the British Lung Foundation Special Nurses Fund and to the Lismore Community Hall funds. Note for Editors: Radio Six International is a not-for-profit station broadcasting from Glasgow, specialising in music from unsigned bands and performers. With listeners in 137 countries, parts of the station`s 24 hour internet schedule are broadcast every day via the Astra and Hotbird satellites, on FM in Slovakia and Wellington, New Zealand, and weekly on shortwave to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. For further details contact TONY CURRIE (Programme Director) --- tony @ radiosix.com Tel/fax: +44 141 427 0531 (via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Our Alternative Airwaves editor Axel Röse tuned in to the ``first SW broadcast from R. Slovakia again after four months of silence. In an interview with the German-language section reporter, the Minister of Culture, Mr Marek Madaric assured listeners that `sufficient funds would also be provided to keep Radio Slovakia going during 2007`; hope this will also involve foreign language transmissions. . .`` (Nov BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Same program also previously quoted as saying the current SW activity would last only until yearend (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Channel Africa, 7390, Nov 14 at 0304 with news in English about UN, AIDS in Africa, brief QRM de data burst, 0308 economic news. F-G signal tho aimed at 20 degrees from Meyerton for EAf. But this is primetime in NAm, just about when Radio RSA used to aim our way (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Hi guys, I am in Madrid this week and am observing the transmitter experts from Continental and Transradio as they upgrade a 250 kW transmitter for DRM for Radio Nacional de España (RNE). The conversion is almost done and might be ready to go on air tomorrow. I mention this now to give you warning that there might be test broadcasts to North Am. this week - but with very short notice. So keep an eye on this list and I will post it as soon as I know anything. If they do transmissions to NA this week it will be a big help to have replies from this group (Mike Adams, Engineering Support, Far East Broadcasting Co., Frome, Somerset, UK, Nov 12, DRMNA yg via DXLD) Here it is from the DRM schedules site: 0600-0800 11/15-11/18 11920 - Europe 90 RNE E Spanish Noblejas Spain Not exactly ideal for NAm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. Some tentative schedules showed R. Thailand via Delano 5890 with English at 0300, same time as last B-05, while it shifted to 0200 during A-06 unlike A-05. But now Nov 14 at 0300+ I find it in Thai, so English must still be at 0200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. BBCWS ESCAPES POLONIA ON 9660 --- Glenn, Some partial info related to the BBC on 9660 in regards to DXLD 6-162. Todd Demone heard this announcement Nov 14. He didn't catch the new frequency. Will have to try to catch the announcement tomorrow (Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, Nov 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Subject: new BBC Caribbean frequency for 2200 UT Hi Daniel, FYI, I was listening to BBC on 9660 at around 2155 UT and they said that as of November 20th (next Monday) the 2200 broadcast would be moving from 9660 to somewhere in the 94xx kHz range (sorry I cannot remember the exact frequency). I think it's due to some interference (I thought I heard interference from Radio Polonia over top of the BBC signal?) If I hear the announcement again I will be sure to listen for the new frequency and pass it on to you. Regards, (Todd Demone, Oakville, ON, via Daniel Sampson, DXLD) A new frequency for the Caribbean was announced on the broadcast of Nov 14 at 2259z. Due to QRM on 9660, the BBC will move to new 9480 from 2100 to 2300 UT beginning Nov. 20. This will include DX PROGRAM LIST Sunday 2241-2300 BBC: OVER TO YOU. Caribbean 5975 (add 9480) You- all keep up your great efforts (Wells Perkins in NJ, to John Norfolk and gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) but will keep beating itself over the head for 5 more days ** U K [and non]. Nov 14 at 0309 on 7325 a Cuban accent caught my ear in discussion of US politix; could it be another clandestine broadcast? No, just an interviewee on BBCWS`s only remaining Spanish hour, via Skelton/Rampisham, and also heard // 6110 Furman/Cypress Creek, not exactly synchronized, and no jamming on either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Dr. Kim Andrew Elliott and USC Center on Public Diplomacy Makes one want to bang their head against a wall somewhere --- thoughtful reading (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) Viz.: THE COMPLEMENTARY ROLES OF U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING AND U.S. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY --- NOV 13, 2006 - 4:36AM PDT Posted by Kim Andrew Elliott All posts by this author See http://uscpublicdiplomacy.com/index.php/newsroom/pdblog_detail/061113_put_the_news_here_and_the_propaganda_there/ or http://snipurl.com/123x0 (via DXLD) ** U S A. VOA was not broadcasting in English to anywhere when the Saddam Hussein verdict came out. They don't go on the air till much later. Shame when you have to get your news in English from the BBC, That is an embarrassment (Lou Josephs, Nov 7, medianetwork blog via DXLD) ** U S A. BUSH REAPPOINTS OVERSEAS BROADCAST CHIEF November 14, 2006 WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Tuesday renominated the chairman of the agency that directs U.S. overseas broadcasts even though the nomination has been stalled in the Senate amid allegations of misconduct. Kenneth Y. Tomlinson was nominated again as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and for a term on the board expiring Aug. 13, 2007 . . . http://tinyurl.com/yhefl4 (Boston Globe Nov 14 via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE A FISH TALE FROM THE TURTLE TANK DATELINE: Washington, 11/13/06. After several weeks of moving swiftly negotiations have bogged down over the issue of using details and reassignments for conduct and performance matters. The Agency wants to be able to detail or reassign employees for a variety of reasons including conduct and performance but is in no mood to follow procedures that are already in the Contract. The Union's position is that if the Agency wants to discipline employees or address matters of poor performance by using a detail or a reassignment, it should follow procedures in Article 19 and Article 20. The Agency's chief negotiator has said that reassignments and details cannot be used for discipline but if they are the Agency is not about to negotiate procedures or appropriate arrangements. In explaining her position, the Agency's chief negotiator accused the Union of trying "to make a fish into a turtle since they both are cold blooded." "We're just not buying that argument because we just can't figure out what it has to do with any of our proposals," said Tim Shamble, President of AFGE Local 1812. RIF Update Many employees have asked us for an update on the proposed RIF. There is nothing much to tell. The Senate and House members are away in their home districts concentrating on the upcoming election so the situation remains the same; the House has passed a budget rescinding the proposed cuts while the Senate bill would allow the cuts by retaining the recommended BBG funding. These two conflicting bills in the House and the Senate will have to be worked out in conference. In the meantime the Agency is under a continuing resolution which allows it to operate at FY 2006 budget levels. This prevents the BBG from executing its RIF of employees in the Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Georgian, Greek, Hindi, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, Thai, Turkish, and English Services. But do not think for a minute that the Board is not champing at the bit to do so. There has been widespread speculation that the BBG will reverse its decision or that Congress will miraculously find the money to keep these services alive. Remember this: the BBG has asked President Bush to eliminate these services and that is the assumption under which we must act. The Congress will be back in session shortly after the election so we all need to gear up now to write many more letters. After a grueling election season the members of Congress will have to be reminded of our issue and it is up to all of us to do just that . AFGE Local 1812 will strive to find out who will be on the conference committee and get that information to you as soon as possible. In the meantime begin now preparing your letters. You can fill in the blanks when the information becomes available. If it should happen that your Senator or Representative winds up on the conference committee do not hesitate to call the Staff and ask for a meeting. Remember not to do any of this on government time. Trick or Treat? During the announcement of his resignation, VOA Director David Jackson did not wait for others to list his accomplishments. He did it himself. He claimed to have increased the IBB TV audience from 10 million to 42 million, to have enlivened and updated VOA`s Internet service, and to have expanded VOA`s worldwide radio audience to 115 million. The last was a curious credit for someone who robbed radio to pay television at every turn. Mr. Jackson also fished for kudos for, believe it or not, changing the logo of the Voice of America from red, white, and blue -- the colors of our flag -- to trendier blue, white, and green. This important work, plus fussing over the design and audio-tour tape for the new Visitor Center and making sure the photographs of dignitaries in the first-floor hallway were suitably aligned, were indeed highlights of his administration. His appearances in the halls, with his Mahogany Row entourage in tow, were among the few opportunities that the rank and file got to see the man who liked to think of himself as the "managing editor" of U.S. international broadcasting. He and his coterie did find time just once to drop in to all the branches and language services targeted by the BBG`s proposed budget slashes. There, he assured everyone that he was only a messenger, had nothing at all to do with the draconian cuts, and could offer little comfort to those whose jobs were proposed for elimination. Nor do we remember many -- in truth any -- impassioned speeches by David Jackson on behalf of the Voice, the Charter, VOA`s mission, or its people, either in town meetings (now a figment of long-ago lore) or on Capitol Hill. Knowing the man (though that`s a stretch, since David, we hardly knew ye), it`s hard to imagine him fighting for VOA before the Board in its secret, star-chamber deliberations. It`s true, of course, that since the VOA director is now appointed by the politically charged Board and serves at their pleasure, he or she hasn`t the authority to do much these days. It seems that even the hiring of secretaries is out of the director`s control. Unless he or she is a strong personality, willing to risk the job to stand up for what`s right, the director is a figurehead, a show pony. In listing the milestones of his tenure, Director Jackson neglected to mention the all-time low morale among employees -- managers as well as staff -- substantiated by OPM`s Human Capital Survey. If he did anything to address the situation, it was impossible to detect. Although Mr. Jackson knew about the formation of a Union/Management "communication" committee to confront morale issues, he did not even stick his head into any of its weekly meetings. David Jackson "pressed the flesh" with very few folks whose morale plummeted under his watch, and unlike two of his recent predecessors did nothing demonstrable to encourage feedback by e-mail. He made only token appearances, if any, at branch staff meetings. Nor did he, as did other directors in the face of simmering personnel issues, form any sort of employee-manager task forces to get to the bottom of things. Mr. Jackson has said little about his role, if any, in directing programming resources toward world "hot spots" identified by the Administration, while starving or allowing the elimination of services to other parts of the world that could be the "hot spots" of tomorrow. Early in his tenure, he did stand before employees and, in so many words, affirm that English -- the nation`s tongue -- was "just another language service" ripe for extensive cutbacks -- even though the director took evident pride in the state-of-the-art news center completed under his watch. Soon after taking office, he turned the important, house-wide 9:30 coverage meeting into a managers-only "go around the room" saluting session, so we don`t know exactly what he said to defend the replacing of American workers with foreign nationals in VOA`s Hong Kong Bureau. In fact, we don`t know what he said about very much at all. After his years on the job this nearly invisible man left little impression on anyone, save for the poor line editors who got blistering notes demanding balance (e.g. the Administration point of view) in one story, or better punctuation in another. Halloween is an apt time of year to be saying good-bye to the apparition who occupied the director`s office, and hello to new director Danforth W. Austin. On paper, Mr. Austin has far-reaching credentials in newsprint and finance. But then, so did David Jackson, a man of many tricks and few treats for civil servants to the Blue, White and Green. Contract Negotiations AFGE Local 1812 and the BBG resumed negotiations on a contract that will replace the comprehensive agreement of 1993. Representing AFGE are President Tim Shamble, Vice-President/VOA Radio Paul Westpheling, television technical-director Mike Phinney, Vice President/Relay Stations Erich Schwabe, Secretary Barbara Markov, and General Vice President Verla Wiley. Mary Poggioli, Chief IBB Office of Labor Relations, Harinder Jaiswal, Tom Gilfether, Bob Morris, and Monica Smith are representing management. So far the negotiations, which began September 18th, have produced agreements on several issues that were left unresolved when negotiations were paused in 2005. These include the guidelines to be followed if eligible employees wish to telework. Your support for AFGE Local 1812`s continuing mission is vital to the Union`s success since our only source of financial support is from Union members. Sign-up forms are available in the Union office (Room 1169, next to the Health Unit on the first floor) or from any Union officer. Please visit http://www.afge1812.org for updates. REMEMBER: Worker`s rights are human rights! There Is No Free Lunch "America attained greatness on the shoulders of the middle-class worker. When workers demanded to be treated fairly, our economy rewrote the history books." "The Greatest Generation bought houses, cars, and millions of other products that had factories humming. This was all the result of treating workers fairly." Byron L. Dorgan Workers were treated fairly only after they joined labor unions and fought to have labor laws enacted that helped create what was maybe this country`s greatest achievement -- the American middle class. Senator Dorgan touches on the importance of labor unions and the labor movement to this country in his recent book Take This Job and Ship It. Most of the book concentrates on how the multinational corporations and their flunkies in the U.S. government have sold out middle class Americans by passing laws that seem to be nothing less than treasonous. While corporations work to increase their profits for the good of their executives and stockholders, they are shipping U.S. jobs overseas and Congress is giving them tax break incentives to do so. Dorgan shows with facts, figures and anecdotes how free trade "deals" like NAFTA and GATT have been disasters for not only ordinary Americans but for the foreign workers who are used up and then discarded just like the disposable items they produce. Reading Dorgan`s book left me thinking that trickle down economics and global free trade policies without labor standards have been a disaster for this country`s middle class. These theories may have looked good on paper but in reality they don`t work. Just like Marxism, they should be relegated to the scrap heap of history. Boo It`s Halloween so it`s time for a spook story. Believe it or not, one took place recently in Studio 16 at the headquarters of U.S. international broadcasting in Washington, D.C. A mysterious apparition was seen in Studio 16 at the Cohen Building. Here are the facts: During an airshow, a producer saw a man walk unannounced into the control room. She didn`t know him but did notice he was holding papers in his hand and wore glasses. The producer looked up and asked him what he was doing there. The unknown guest said nothing, just looked at her with twinkling eyes and then walked towards the studio. It was near the end of the airshow and after the show was over the producer questioned the departing host and announcer where the man she had seen walk towards the studio was. But they had not seen anyone at all. When we heard the story through the grapevine, we talked with the producer and the radio technician who had seen the mystery man. VOA veterans know that for many years the unparalleled voice of jazz was the sole occupant of Studio 16 where he spent untold hours of his professional life. By chance, could it have been Willis Conover? We showed the producer two pictures of Conover. She answered in the affirmative when shown a photo of a younger Willis agreeing that the picture looked like the man she saw in the studio. Now, was it a mirage, an illusion or was it real? Could Willis Conover who passed away 11 years ago have come back to haunt his Studio 16 home? Intriguing thought. Research says that ghosts come back to warn, settle a grievance, complete a task or set right an injustice. Could there be a chance that in the spirit world Willis got an inkling of the final demolition plans for the Voice of America? After all, he did make the VOA a global icon. Thoughts to mull over on a murky All Hallows` Eve. Vote Please remember to vote next Tuesday, November 7th. AFGE Local 1812 will not try to influence your vote; you will not receive anything from us suggesting who you should vote for. The choice is yours but please do not forget to exercise the most important right you have in a democracy. Ken Kemper (1932-2006) Longtime VOA Africa Division broadcaster/producer and union official Ken Kemper passed away on Sunday, October 29 after a bout with cancer. Ken was the ultimate radio professional whose talents unfortunately went unrecognized and unappreciated by an intransigent government bureaucracy. He was a fighter for human rights and involved himself for many years in union work. Ken loved animals. So much so that he refused to eat them being a vegetarian for many years. Ken adopted a number of dogs and cats from friends and the Animal Rescue League. After retirement, he most loved tooting around Vienna VA in his Model A Ford. Ken`s career and life can be summed up in the quote from Henry David Thoreau`s Walden: "If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away." AFGE-1812 will alert you to the time and place of the Celebration of Life in Ken's memory (AFGE News & Views, Fall 2006, via DXLD) OBIT ** U S A. The following is the Final 29 October 2006 to 25 March 2007 High Frequency Schedule for Family Stations, Inc., WYFR. [another version to those in 6-169] Freq (kHz) Time (UTC) Az(Degrees) Zone(s) Power 5745 0500-0800 44 27 100 5745 0800-1000 160 14 100 5745 2000-2300 44 27 100 5950 0300-1200 285 10 100 5950 2100-0300 355 4,5,9 100 5985 0445-0700 315 2 100 5985 2000-0445 181 11 50 6000 0500-1000 181 11 50 6000 1000-1200 160 14 100 6065 0100-0445 355 4,5,9 100 6085 2245-0100 355 4,5,9 100 6085 0945-2000 181 11 100 6105 0800-1100 142 15 100 6855 0300-0900 355 4,5,9 100 6855 0900-1300 355 4,5,9 100 6855 1945-2245 44 27 100 6890 0900-1300 355 4,5,9 100 7455 0700-1100 315 2 100 7520 0100-0400 142 13 100 7520 0400-0800 44 27 100 7570 0045-0400 160 15 100 7780 0300-0745 44 27 100 7780 1045-1345 315 2 100 9355 0400-0800 44 27 100 9355 1845-2300 44 27 100 9495 0500-1000 222 11 100 9505 0000-0445 315 2 100 9525 0100-0400 285 10 50 9555 0800-1400 160 16 100 9575 0900-1200 160 15 100 9605 0800-1100 142 13 100 9605 1100-1300 222 12 100 9680 0145-0800 315 2 100 9680 0800-1100 140 13 100 9690 2145-0045 142 13 100 9705 1100-1245 285 10 50 9715 2345-0100 285 10 50 9715 0400-1100 285 10 50 9985 0100-0500 151 15 100 9985 0500-0900 87 46 100 11530 0500-0800 44 27 100 11530 1200-1400 160 13 100 11565 1345-1700 315 2 100 11565 2000-2145 44 27 100 11580 0400-0900 87 46 100 11665 1945-2300 44 27 100 11720 2245-0145 142 13 100 11725 1100-1600 222 11 100 11740 2145-2345 315 2 100 11740 0145-0500 222 11 100 11740 0800-1600 151 15 100 11825 0045-0300 160 14 100 11830 1100-1300 140 13 100 11830 1300-1700 315 2 100 11855 1300-1700 355 4,5,9 100 11855 2000-0500 222 11 100 11885 2300-0145 140 13 100 11970 1145-1345 285 10 100 13615 1200-1600 160 15 100 13695 1300-1945 355 4,5,9 100 15115 1700-2100 87 46 100 15130 1245-2345 285 10 50 15170 2245-0045 160 15 100 15210 1400-1600 160 14 100 15215 2300-0400 160 16 100 15355 1245-1400 222 12 100 15355 1400-1600 142 13 100 15400 2300-0100 151 15 100 15440 1945-2100 355 4,5,9 100 15440 2145-0300 285 10 100 15565 1800-1945 44 27 100 15565 2100-2245 87 46 100 15665 1600-1700 44 27 100 17535 1700-2200 315 2 100 17555 1400-1600 160 13 100 17555 1700-2145 285 10 100 17575 1700-2245 140 13 100 17690 1600-1945 87 46 100 17760 1345-1700 285 10 100 17760 1700-2000 44 28 100 17845 2300-0045 160 14 100 18930 1600-1845 44 27 100 18980 1600-1945 44 28 100 21455 1600-2000 44 28 100 21525 1945-2245 87 46 100 21745 1600-1745 44 27 100 (Evelyn Marcy, WYFR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Nov 15 at 1615 I noticed hets of the same pitch, about 1 kHz on RCI 9515 and WWRB 9385. Hmmm, what`s halfway in between? WEWN, which opens 9450 at 1600, and had not noticed the het before 1600 on 9515. The one on 9515, however, came and went, while the one on Brother Scare stayed on 9384. Tried to match audio with 9450, but as usual there was so much cross talk transmitted along with BS that I could not pick it out if there was any. But I do suspect WEWN of putting out spurs at plus and minus 66 kHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MONTANA "BIG SKY DX TESTS" SPECIAL EVENT The state of Montana is one of the rarest of all for DX’ers, especially those east of the Mississippi River. Through the joint efforts of a lot of dedicated folks, we are now proud to announce a special multi-station DX test from Montana offering listeners a rare opportunity to log this state. Special thanks go out to the ABDX E-Mail List, Engineer Ron Huckeby, Michael Richard of KEVA, and the staff of these stations for putting this test together. DXers everywhere owe them all a debt of gratitude. KANA 580 khz Anaconda, MT (1 KW Daytime Pattern) KKGR 680 khz East Helena, MT (.5 KW Non-Directional) [no; see below] KERR 750 khz Polson, MT (50 KW Non-Directional) * KLCY 930 khz East Missoula, MT (5 KW Daytime Pattern) KGVO 1290 khz Missoula, MT (5 KW Daytime Pattern) KEIN 1310 khz Great Falls, MT (5 KW Daytime Pattern) Date(s): Late Saturday Night November 18th, 2006 [sic] continuing until early Sunday morning, November 19th. Time: Midnight until 2 AM Mountain Time [0700-0900 UT]. 2 Hour Long Test [except KERR, below] Modes of Operation: Transmitter Testing. Daytime Power & Patten for all stations. Programming: Morse Code ID's, Sweep Tones, Voice ID. KEIN 1310 will run a mixture of nostalgia music programming and Morse Code ID’s, sweep tones, etc. KERR will run country music and normal ID’s, no code or sweep tones. *KERR 750 Polson, MT will be doing transmitter maintenance 0005-0058 Mountain Time. 50 kw Non-Directional. Notes: Transmitter audio chain testing. Stations will broadcast voice IDs, Morse Code IDs, special Sweep Tone signals, etc. Reception reports are desired via e-mail (first choice) and postal mail. Due to the high volume of QSL requests, we will only accept Postal reports as a last resort. No DXer with e-mail capability will be allowed to submit a Postal QSL request. Station would prefer to receive recordings of the test (MP3, CD, or cassette). Submit reports to: les @ highnoonfilm.com and please put "Montana DX Test" in the subject line. All standard mail reports should go to: Les Rayburn High Noon Film 100 Centerview Drive Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35216 Please include a SASE for reply. Our thanks to the Kevin Redding & The ABDX E-Mail List, Ron Huckey, Michael Richard, Steve Dow, Todd Clark, and the staff members of these great stations for helping to arrange this once in a lifetime DXing event! (from http://www.dxtests.info via WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DXLD) KKGR 680 kHz added to next weekends Big Sky DX Test lineup. This announcement just in from Les Rayburn regarding next weekend`s Montana DX Test extravaganza! Late word today from engineer Ron Huckeby that KKGR 680 will join the "Big Sky DX Test" this coming weekend! They'll be running 500 watts into a short tower (290 feet). I doubt they'll be as well heard as some of the others, but for Western DX'ers this is a chance to add an additional station to the log book. -Les (ibid.) IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT KKGR 680 KHZ IN EAST HELENA, MT Received from engineer Ron Huckeby [That's 5,000 watts, not 500 for KKGR. I think I may be able to get the TX on for the 29th, but I don't know about the tones. The format is oldies, and the computer just keeps stroking with imaging, etc, so it should be distinctive. I was hoping some voice ID's would be in with tones on the CD's you sent. I will edit in my own, if I have time. Regards, Ron] So I take that to mean the following: A. KKGR 680 will test at full 5 KW ND during the joint "Big Sky DX Test". B. Ron is being great to us, and will try to get another full power test during the KNBR silent period on the 29th. Though it may not have tones or Morse Code. Look for "imaging" stuff, like promos for the station, and oldies music. C. I need to start putting in voice ID's to go along with the other test material. That's good news all the way around. If KNBR goes silent, and Ron can get another full power ND test, we may all have a shot at putting KNBR in our logs on the morning of the 29th. Sorry for any confusion. All reports for the Montana DX Tests go directly to me. No reports should be sent to the stations. I would prefer to receive recordings rather than written reports for several reasons: 1. Easier and faster to verify. 2. Usually stations love to "hear" what they sound like at great distances. This makes it easy to share them with the staff. E-mail is always easier and faster for me. Postal reports and replies are expensive, labor intensive, and time consuming. If you must submit a Postal report, especially for the Montana DX tests, then the following rules will apply: A. SASE must be included. Not stamps, dollar bills, etc. Self Addressed stamped envelopes. Period. [even from abroad? --- gh] B. Recordings will be answered first. Best method is a CD, second choice is a cassette that is "cued" to the point of best reception. I don't have time to listen to 120 minutes of your DX. C. Written reports only will be answered last. They take forever to check against logs and accurately verify. Usually I have to "create" a log from a variety of sources. Time consuming. D. Do not report via both e-mail and Postal mail. Don't have time to waste answering both. If you have e-mail then use it. Hope this clears things up. 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. KNBR 680 kHz Potential Maintenance Period DX'er Mike Hawkins of ABDX/IRCA spoke with engineers at KNBR and found out some juicy information. KTCT 1050, San Francisco, CA will be off the air on Tuesday night at 11 PM West Coast Time for about 1.5 hours, on November 29th. [PST = 0700-0830 UT, but Nov 29 is a Wednesday, so why is Tuesday referred to as 29th? --- gh] KNBR 680, San Francisco, CA will be off the air on Tuesday night/ Wednesday night around 1 AM West Coast for about 1.5 hours on November 29th. [PST = 0900-1030 UT; does this mean two consecutive nights, or did you mean /Wednesday morning, which is the 29th? At least we have two weeks to sort this out. -- gh] as below It should be noted that this off air period is tentative, and may be rescheduled without notice, but KNBR is almost never off the air, opening up some real DX opportunities for those in the West/Southwest. I'm also sending an e-mail to Ron Huckeby to see if KKGR 680 in East Helena, MT might be willing to do a second DX test during this period. Cross your fingers! Big thank you to Mike Hawkins for this info! 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter will be off the air for maintenance. (205) 253-4867, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I apologize for some errors that were made in our reporting yesterday. Here are the latest updates & corrections: KNBR 680 KHZ SILENT PERIOD CORRECTIONS Direct from Mike Hawkins [Since I was the one who talked with KNBR today and have been busy all day with interviews, I will now give you straight from the horse's... uh... mouth. I was trying to beg the guy to have a short silent period to coincide with the DX test where it may be possible for many to hear Helena MT if only KNBR was off. He said he couldn't do it (which I fully expected), but he said that on Tuesday (11/28), he will be taking KTCT/1050 down for 1-1.5 hours at 2300 PT, returning to the air on Wednesday (11/29) at 0000-0030. After one of the 50 KWers was back up, he would then take down the other one (KNBR/680) for the same amount of time, though he said this would probably be around 0100 PT. He stressed that the information was tentative, that it was not confidential, and that I could tell people in the hobby, as long as I made sure that I also let people know that it was tentative and exact details were subject to change. I told him that I had only heard KNBR off the air once (back in 1980), and during their silence, I logged Omak WA, Charleston WV and Raleigh NC. He was impressed (or at least sounded like it). He was very friendly as well, which I really didn't expect of a engineer responsible for two 50 KW stations in the Bay Area. Let's hope that they keep the schedule he mentioned, and that Lee can finagle (or however you spell that) the Helena station to do a second test to see how far away they can be heard in the absence of KNBR. Mike] (Les Rayburn, Nov 14, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. We can now set a date for the long-awaited format swap in eastern MASSACHUSETTS: WCRB (102.5 Waltham) is now promoting December 1 as the date when its classical music moves down the dial - and 25 miles north - to what's now WKLB-FM (99.5 Lowell). WCRB will keep its present Waltham studio and its airstaff when it changes dial positions and owners, passing from Charles River Broadcasting to Nassau. Meanwhile, WKLB is promoting a "big change" on the air, but it's not yet directing its listeners to its new, full-market spot at 102.5; those promos will presumably appear a little closer to the day of the swap (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Nov 13 via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. See UNIDENTIFIED [non] 5955 UNIDENTIFIED. Re 6-169: 4870, 24.10 1845, with strong fading. Language probably Hindi. S 0-2. In the background another station in French, most likely Benin. OB (Olle Bjurström, Sweden, SW Bulletin Nov 12, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Some time in August I had about the same phenomenom here, but I believe that it was a mixing product, maybe from Russia or so (was some Russian there, but also French). Wish it was Benin, but don't think so. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, http://www.africalist.de.ms Nov 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is (or was) a mixing product of Voice of Russia 12065 minus 7195 with two audios, French strongest. Heard here almost daily at the end of A06 season. Haven't checked it during B06 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Re 6-169: UNID station on 5955 kHz - 1800-2000 UT This was brought to my attention on Nov 8, but I forgot to post about this. VoV and IBA Channel 33 are on different subcarriers of the RRSAT frequency on HotBird 8. They must be tuning in the wrong subcarrier. http://www.lyngsat.com/hb8.html (Doni Rosenzweig, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I got some forwarded info about this and I guess this clarifies the situation. To put it short, D Rosenzweig has identified the TV channel in question from the audio recording. It's the audio of IBA channel 3/33 (sat/cable). They are on Hotbird and their subcarrier is used for Voice of Vietnam program. So, as many have guessed, it must be an error at Moosbrunn. If this has been going on for more than two weeks now, I wonder if VOV is paying money for nothing. Will they ever know :-) Thanks for all involved in identifying this audio (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) In detail this concerns transponder 75 on 12.207 GHz horizontal. The TV audio of IBA Channel 33 is audio 1058, Voice of Vietnam 1059, and so it happens. Mistake at Moosbrunn or in the operational order from London they are executing? By the way, you will find on this transponder also some other broadcasters known from shortwave (Kai Ludwig, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales, para complicar un poco mas las cosas, en PRIME TIME SHORTWAVE - http://www.primetimeshortwave.com hay un servicio en esa frecuencia y a ese horario de la BBC. 05955 1800-2000 United Kingdom BBC ME om En un listado de la BBC para el periodo B-06 y publicado en BCLNEWS.IT se puede observar que también está esta frecuencia en éste horario correspondiente a la BBC en su servicio en inglés. http://www.bclnews.it/b06schedules/bbc.htm 1800-2000 cAS 5955om 73 (José Miguel Romero, ibid.) I already pointed this out, but BBCWS via Oman has nothing to do with this, just happens to be on same frequency at same time (gh) Vietnam back via Moosbrunn --- VoV in French at 1830 on 5955 Nov 15. Good reception. Regards (Jean-Michel AUBIER, France, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, back in business when checking at 1845. My French is poor, but was there some Monsieur J-M Aubier mentioned around 1851 in the program? (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Yes indeed! Your French is not so bad, Jari! (Jean-Michel Aubier, ibid.) So what were they saying about or to you? Was it about the feed mixup itself? (Glenn, ibid.) Nothing interesting. They only mentioned my e-mail, and said "the reception is very difficult on 5955 and we hope it will improve shortly" (!!!) (Aubier, ibid.) All three ORS.at Moosbrunn outlets at 1800 UT [5945, 5955, and 6155] were 'silent' at my place in SoGermany. There is a small distance of 555 km between Moosbrunn and Stuttgart, and signal from ORS site are in the DEAD propagation zone. But at 1930 UT I heard a tiny signal on 5955 kHz, mentioning Vietnam twice in FRENCH language. So I guess, my intervention yesterday night via FAX and e-mail to Moosbrunn station manager Ing. Ernst Spitzbart, Leiter Kurzwellen-Sendezentrum Moosbrunn, A-2440 Moosbrunn, Austria Tel.: +43 / 02234 / 78133 Fax: +43 / 02234 / 78133 - 21920 about the wrong satellite subcarrier feed channel has been successful. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ AOKI`S CURRENT B06 SKED Text file: http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/bib06.txt Excel zip file: http://www.m2.mediacat.ne.jp/~binews/b06fre.zip (NDXC-HQ controler: S. Hasegawa, Nov 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) EMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL B-06, ACTUALIZADO 15 NOV. Saludos cordiales, una nueva actualización de emisiones en español para el período B-06 está disponible en Valencia DX. http://es.geocities com/jmromero782004/ El formato sólo está en pdf ESQUEMA DE EMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL POR ONDA CORTA B-06 BBC, CVC, EWTN, HCJB, KBS World Radio, Kol Israel, RAI, Radio Austria Int., Radio Canadá, Radio Bulgaria, Radio Cairo, Radio Damasco, Radio Eslovaquia, REE, RFI, Radio Habana Cuba, Radio Japón, Radio Int de China, R.N. Saharaui, Radio Nederland, Radio del Pacífico [Perú], Radio Praga, Radio República, Radio Rumanía, Radio Serbia, Radio Taiwán, Radio Vaticano, Voz de Croacia, Voz de Rusia, VOA, VOIRI, Voz de Corea, Voz de Indonesia, Voz de Turquía, WEWN, WRMI, WWCR, WYFR. A falta de: RAE, Radio Martí, RN Venezuela, Voz de Vietnam. Compilado por (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Nov 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) In time order; does not show transmitter sites (gh) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM: see GERMANY; NEW ZEALAND; PORTUGAL; SPAIN RADIO PHILATELY +++++++++++++++ ECUADORIAN STAMP HONOURS HCJB WORLD RADIO'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY A postage stamp commemorating 75 years of broadcasting on Radio Station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador, was unveiled in a presentation at the station on Thursday, Oct. 26. About 80 people attended, including Carmen Elena Salazar, executive president of the Postal Services of Ecuador, and HCJB World Radio President David Johnson. "I cannot forget the occasions when Radio HCJB was my companion," said Salazar who presented examples of the first-day cover -- an official envelope bearing the anniversary stamp canceled with a special commemorative seal from the post office. Salazar told of enjoying the station's classical music as well as hearing the early-morning personal greetings from people living in Ecuador's Amazon region. "It was their only way to communicate, " Salazar said, explaining a longstanding programming service to Ecuadorians. "They sent messages via the radio to their relatives living in the rest of the country." Counting it a privilege to be a part of Ecuador's entry into the technological age, Johnson thanked God for Ecuador's varied landscapes of beaches, mountains and rain forests. He also said the nation's people have welcomed HCJB World Radio. Born in Ecuador of missionary parents, Johnson said Ecuadorians have warmly embraced the broadcasting ministry through the years "not just out of courtesy but with a deep desire, a deep affection that was much more than was deserved." Pictured on the stamp are five members of the ministry's founding families who participated in Radio Station HCJB's first broadcast in English and Spanish on Christmas Day, 1931. Superimposed on the photo's lower portion is emblazoned "75 años" (75 years) while a close-up photo of an HCJB microphone lies diagonally across the stamp's lower left-hand corner. Ecuador previously issued commemorative stamps on the 70th and 50th anniversaries of Radio Station HCJB, the flagship station of HCJB World Radio. Speaking of Ecuador's golden era of postage stamps, Eduardo Espinosa, manager of philately (stamp collecting) and postal history, said the country's stamps were once considered among the world's best. That era began in 1950. He sees philately reviving again as the Postal Services of Ecuador promotes it through seminars in schools and elsewhere. His department's slogan is, "Philately Is Art, Science and Culture." As part of the HCJB commemorative stamp, the cancellation seal (28 mm by 38 mm) includes the mission's 75th anniversary logo. The stamp is valued at US$1, and first-day covers are available from Correos del Ecuador for $3.50. (HCJB World Radio) Click on this link for photo of the stamp & FDC : http://www.hcjb.org/index.php?optionfiltered=com_content&task=view&id=2783&Itemid= (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, radiostamps via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ MORE LONG-HAUL TRANS-EQUATORIAL FM DX, CARIBBEAN TO SOUTHERN BRAZIL [in UT, with SINPO readings like SW] Segue o log de escutas realizadas no centro-sul de Ilha Comprida entre 01 e 05 de novembro de 2006. TEP: 01 nov 2006: 0020 ~ 0340 (3h20min) 95.3, 0020 01/nov/06 Hott FM, Barbados, mx, 32232 92.9, 0035 01/nov/06 Voice of Barbados, mx country style, 55445 94.7, 0043 01/nov/06 CBC, Barbados, YL, British accent, live mx, "good evening Barbados" 55445 98.1, 0052 01/nov/06 The One (tent), Barbados, mx, 22232 100.7, 0057 01/nov/06 QFM (tent), Barbados, rap mx, 23333 90.7, 0135 01/nov/06 BBS, Barbados, pop mx, 32322 92.9, 95.3 0309 01/nov/06 Brazilian stations rising 0340 end of TEP TEP: 02 nov 2006: 0129 ~ 0220 (51 min) 92.9, 0130 02/nov/06 VoB 33333 95.3, 0140 02/nov/06 Hott 32232 94.7, 0145 02/nov/06 CBC 43434 100.7, 0148 02/nov/06 QFM (tent) 43333 0220 end TEP TEP: 03 nov 2006: 2330 ~ 0153: 04 nov 2006 (2 h 23 min) 95.3, 2330 03/nov/06 Hott, 43354. Interf Nativa 92.9, 2331 03/nov/06 VoB 44344 100.7, 2333 03/nov/06 QFM 44444 94.7, 2335 03/nov/06 CBC 42354 98.1, 2337 The One (Tent)33343 104.1, 2340 03/nov/06 Love FM (Prob) Barbados, YL, caribbean mx, 32233 interf Tupi 94.7, 0118 04/nov/06 CBC, ad Global ACTV, CBC power of advertising special package, 53445 92.9, 0134 04/nov/06 Voice of Barbados, mx, BBC nx, 33233 94.7, 0153 04/nov/06 CBC in the noise, end TEP TEP: 05 nov 2006 0010 ~ 0121 (1 h 11 min) 92.9, 0010 05/nov/06 VoB, mx Haendel, classical mx, 43343 interf Eldorado 90.7, 0015 05/nov/06 BBS, 21231 interf Brazil 94.7, 0020 05/nov/06 CBC, mx trad, 42334 95.3, 0030 05/nov/06 Hott 43333 peaks, interf Nativa 98.1, 0032 05/nov/06 Terra FM (no Carib) 100.7, 0035 05/nov/06 QFM (tent), rlg mx, 44444 100.7, 0121 05/nov/06 QFM (tent), end TEP Flávio Archangelo PY2ZX Equip: Degen 1105, RGP-3, unifilar 60 metros, direcional FM 5 elementos. http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/radioescutas/ (via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) SANTA LÚCIA 97.3, 2357 06/11 R. Saint Lucia, Castries, OM, mx caribenha, EE 43343 97.3, 2328 07/11 R. Saint Lucia, Castries, mx caribenha, EE 44344 97.3, 0059 07/11 R. Saint Lucia, Castries, OM, mx caribenha, EE 43343 ANTIGUA 91.9, 2358 06/11 Hitz FM, Saint John’s, mx caribenha, EE 43333 GUADALOUPE 97.0, 0000 06/11 RFO, Basse-Terre, OM, nxs, FF 23332 97.0, 2319 07/11 RFO, Basse-Terre, OM/OM, talks, FF 45344 97.0, 0058 07/11 RFO, Basse-Terre, OM/OM, talks, FF 45344 MARTINICA 94.0, 0004 06/11 RFO, Trinité, OM/OM, talks, FF 34233 94.3, 0009 06/11 RFO, Morne-Rouge, OM/OM, talks, FF // 94.0 MHz 25232 97.9, 2333 07/11 NRJ Antilles, QTH??, mx caribenha, FF 25232 SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES 107.5, 2325 07/11 NBC, Kingstown, OM/OM, talks, EE 45333 99.9, 0108 07/11 WE FM, Kingstown, YL/OM, talks, EE 33333 (ESCUTAS DE RUBENS FERRAZ PEDROSO, BANDEIRANTES-PR, BRASIL atividade nov 12 via DXLD) The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to major storm conditions at middle latitudes while quiet to severe storm periods were observed at high latitudes. The period began with a solar wind speed around 380 km/s while the IMF Bz did not vary much beyond +/- 3 nT. As a result, the geomagnetic field was quiet at all latitudes. By midday on 09 November, density, wind speed, and the IMF Bt increased as a recurrent coronal hole moved into geoeffective position. The IMF Bz began fluctuating between +13 and -15 nT. The geomagnetic field reached unsettled to active levels at middle latitudes while only unsettled levels were observed at high latitudes late on 09 November. By midday on 10 November, solar wind speed reached 630 km/s while the IMF Bz relaxed, not varying much beyond +/- 5 nT. Minor to major storm conditions were observed at middle latitudes with minor to severe storm periods at high latitudes. By midday on 11 November, solar wind speed reached a maximum around 650 km/s, with the IMF Bz not varying much beyond +/- 3 nT. Unsettled to active periods were observed at middle latitudes with active to major storm periods at high latitudes. By late on 11 November, wind speed was in decline and ended the period around 460 km/s. Mostly quiet to unsettled conditions were observed at all latitudes on 12 November. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 15 NOVEMBER - 11 DECEMBER Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 15 – 23 November and 26 – 30 November, and again on 08 – 11 December. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled for the majority of the forecast period. Recurrent coronal hole high speed wind streams are expected to rotate into geoeffective positions on 17 November, 24 – 25 November, and again on 07 – 08 December. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 17 November, while unsettled to minor storm periods are expected on 24 – 25 November. On 07 – 08 December, unsettled to major storm periods are expected. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Nov 14 2154 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2006 Nov 14 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Nov 15 90 5 2 2006 Nov 16 90 10 3 2006 Nov 17 90 15 3 2006 Nov 18 90 10 3 2006 Nov 19 90 5 2 2006 Nov 20 90 5 2 2006 Nov 21 80 5 2 2006 Nov 22 75 5 2 2006 Nov 23 75 8 3 2006 Nov 24 80 12 3 2006 Nov 25 80 20 4 2006 Nov 26 75 8 3 2006 Nov 27 75 5 2 2006 Nov 28 75 5 2 2006 Nov 29 75 5 2 2006 Nov 30 75 8 3 2006 Dec 01 75 8 3 2006 Dec 02 75 5 2 2006 Dec 03 75 5 2 2006 Dec 04 75 5 2 2006 Dec 05 80 5 2 2006 Dec 06 80 10 3 2006 Dec 07 80 35 6 2006 Dec 08 80 20 4 2006 Dec 09 80 8 3 2006 Dec 10 80 8 3 2006 Dec 11 80 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1336, DXLD) HF propagation conditions are excellent at this moment, with solar flux around 90 units and the A index at a nice and low 02 at the time I was taping the show at 20 hours UT Tuesday, that is three o 'clock local time in Havana. Expect very nice AM and Tropical Band DX during the next three evenings your local time. And check the frequency range from 10 to 18 megaHertz just before sunset, again your local time (Arnie Coro, RHC DXers Unlimited Nov 14 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A LIBERAL'S PLEDGE TO DISHEARTENED CONSERVATIVES November 14th, 2006 To My Conservative Brothers and Sisters, I know you are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. You're worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place you don't want it to go. Your 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. You are in a funk, and I understand. Well, cheer up, my friends! Do not despair. I have good news for you. I, and the millions of others who are now in charge with our Democratic Congress, have a pledge we would like to make to you, a list of promises that we offer you because we value you as our fellow Americans. You deserve to know what we plan to do with our newfound power -- and, to be specific, what we will do to you and for you. Thus, here is our Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives: Dear Conservatives and Republicans, I, and my fellow signatories, hereby make these promises to you: 1. We will always respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us. 2. We will let you marry whomever you want, even when some of us consider your behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Who you marry is none of our business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift. 3. We will not spend your grandchildren's money on our personal whims or to enrich our friends. It's your checkbook, too, and we will balance it for you. 4. When we soon bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq, we will bring your sons and daughters home, too. They deserve to live. We promise never to send your kids off to war based on either a mistake or a lie. 5. When we make America the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, and all Americans are able to get help when they fall ill, we promise that you, too, will be able to see a doctor, regardless of your ability to pay. And when stem cell research delivers treatments and cures for diseases that affect you and your loved ones, we'll make sure those advances are available to you and your family, too. 6. Even though you have opposed environmental regulation, when we clean up our air and water, we, the Democratic majority, will let you, too, breathe the cleaner air and drink the purer water. 7. Should a mass murderer ever kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will devote every single resource to tracking him down and bringing him to justice. Immediately. We will protect you. 8. We will never stick our nose in your bedroom or your womb. What you do there as consenting adults is your business. We will continue to count your age from the moment you were born, not the moment you were conceived. 9. We will not take away your hunting guns. If you need an automatic weapon or a handgun to kill a bird or a deer, then you really aren't much of a hunter and you should, perhaps, pick up another sport. We will make our streets and schools as free as we can from these weapons and we will protect your children just as we would protect ours. 10. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you -- and your employees -- that new wage, too. When women are finally paid what men make, we will pay conservative women that wage, too. 11. We will respect your religious beliefs, even when you don't put those beliefs into practice. In fact, we will actively seek to promote your most radical religious beliefs ("Blessed are the poor," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Love your enemies," "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."). We will let people in other countries know that God doesn't just bless America, he blesses everyone. We will discourage religious intolerance and fanaticism -- starting with the fanaticism here at home, thus setting a good example for the rest of the world. 12. We will not tolerate politicians who are corrupt and who are bought and paid for by the rich. We will go after any elected leader who puts him or herself ahead of the people. And we promise you we will go after the corrupt politicians on our side FIRST. If we fail to do this, we need you to call us on it. Simply because we are in power does not give us the right to turn our heads the other way when our party goes astray. Please perform this important duty as the loyal opposition. I promise all of the above to you because this is your country, too. You are every bit as American as we are. We are all in this together. We sink or swim as one. Thank you for your years of service to this country and for giving us the opportunity to see if we can make things a bit better for our 300 million fellow Americans -- and for the rest of the world. Signed, Michael Moore (Click here to sign the pledge) http://www.michaelmoore.com (via Tom Bryant, WTFDA soundoff via DXLD) ###