DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-008, January 18, 2007 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 2007 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html For restrixions and searchable 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid6.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO Extra 74 Fri 2130 WWCR1 7465 Sat 1330 WRMI 7385 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sat 2230 WRMI 9955 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 1330 WRMI 7385 Latest edition of this schedule version, including 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 MUNDO RADIAL ENERO-FEBRERO: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0701.ram (descargar) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0701.rm (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0701.html ** ARGENTINA. 11710.85, 17/1 0045, RAE, Buenos Aires, Portuguese talks & tangos & old songs, very good. Rx: CiaoRadio H101 & AOR 5000+; Ant: T2FD by RF Systems. Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, http://lasw.blogspot.com/ playdx yg via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA, 15820 LSB, Concepto AM, 1132-1150, 17-01, locutor, noticias y comentarios, identificación: "Informó Concepto AM, una amplia cobertura de la actualidad en tres ediciones diarias, de 6 a 7, de ... a ... y de 20 a 21, El Noticiero Federal". "Somos Concepto AM, un nuevo concepto en radio". "Escuchan La Mañana de Concepto, 7 de la mañana con 36 minutos, 18 grados la temperatura en la capital". Locutor y locutora. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 7º 48' 05'' W, 43º 02' 05'' N, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A new one on me as relay source; WTFK original? ** AUSTRALIA. VL8A, Alice Springs, which had been off the air for a few days, back with open carrier on 2310 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, 1455 UT Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Unlike 24 hours before, RA was missing from 9580 at the early hour of 0658 UT Jan 17: just Africa Numéro Un, Gabon, and ditto 24 hours after that Jan 18 when ANU was quite good. Strangely, had no QRM from it when I was hearing RA Jan 16. Jan 18 at 1435, heard RA 9590 going from tennis (live and late?) to Nightlife chat show joined in progress, apparently both from the ABC Local Radio network, where that show is normally scheduled 10 pm - 2 am, AET, which would be 11-15 UT. How come RA is relaying Local Radio instead of Radio National? Summer vacation I suppose has something to do with it, but I suspect RN still exists even then. Furthermore, it seems to me that totally contradicting its name, Local Radio is another NATIONAL network of ABC, right? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 5050, ARDS heard 1/15 from 0915 tune with vocal/ instrumental piece, man announcer(English?), indigenous music (chanting, drums, etc.), man at 0928 (English, then Vern), guitar & vocal 0931 followed by another vocal and M (Vern), vocal/guitar at 0947 and more indigenous music to 0952, then M (Vern) to 1000 tune out - signal was at a very loggable level - SINPO 25332 with improving signal to nearly S3 by 0945 - best level heard here to date. After 0945 ARDS dominated even when Guangxi on same frequency started programming, which is highly unusual. Got a nice recording of this (Bruce Churchill, CA, DXplorer via BCDX via DXLD) Presumably not using a DXTuner in this case (gh) ** BANGLADESH. Re 7-007, Andy Sennitt comments: This report contradicts a story we carried in July 2006, which said that a new 100 kW transmitter had been inaugurated by the Information Minister. Despite the Minister saying that the listeners of Bangladesh Betar living abroad would now be able to listen its programmes clearly, it appears that either this transmitter was never put into service, or it has not lived up to expectations (Media Network blog via DXLD) Comment: I'd say the frequency [7185] could also be better: there is co-channel Taiwan and China jamming it.) (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ABDX via DXLD) ** BELARUS [non]. POLAND BROADCASTS "TRUTH" TO BELARUS By Chris Johnson BIALYSTOK, Poland, Jan 15 (Reuters) - From simple back offices in a provincial Polish town, a radio station is broadcasting around the clock to Belarus, giving the ex-Soviet republic one of its few sources of independent news. Run by opponents of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Radio Racja (Truth) is helping wage an information war against a regime branded by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as "Europe's last dictatorship". Supported by the the Polish Foreign Ministry and Budapest-based Open Society Institute founded by U.S. billionaire investor George Soros, Radio Racja is one of only two independent stations broadcasting freely into Belarus. The station uses Web technology to mix popular music and social commentary with uncensored news in both Belarussian and Russian, aiming to provide a platform for both opposition parties and Belarussian bands, some of which are banned at home. "I dream of a free and independent Belarus," says editor-in-chief Wiktor Stachwiuk, a 58-year-old exile. "I want to give Belarussians a taste of a free society. Official media do not let them hear what is really going on." Lukashenko, in power since 1994, keeps a tight rein on the eastern European country and its 10 million inhabitants, sandwiched between Poland and Russia. He rejects all criticism of his rule and has called for vigilance to keep Belarus safe from Western "lies and violence". Opposition politicians and journalists have disappeared and all media outlets face serious restrictions. Western countries accuse Lukashenko of systematic crackdowns on the opposition and dismiss all Belarus elections over the last decade as unfair. They say the president blatantly rigged elections last year to engineer a landslide win for himself. "I could not simply stand by and watch what was happening in my country without doing anything," Stachwiuk said. He first set up Radio Racja in 1999 and it broadcast from the Polish capital of Warsaw until 2002. INTIMIDATION His Warsaw station eventually ran into financial problems and it took Stachwiuk and his associates three more years to raise enough money to launch the station in Bialystok, closer to Belarus and able to broadcast deeper into the country. It now has a budget of $1 million a year, half of which is spent on transmitters: two in Poland and two in Lithuania. Almost a year after its relaunch, Stachwiuk estimates Radio Racja, with a staff of just 32, has an audience of up to 400,000 mostly in western Belarus, plus tens of thousands of exiles, and says it is building up rapidly on short and medium wave and on a newly launched FM band: "The station can be heard well on medium wave all the way to (Belarus capital) Minsk and can even be picked up in Finland." The station has a small network of reporters, mostly working under pseudonyms, across Belarus who record programmes using MP3 technology and send them via the Internet to Bialystok or to one of two covert editing stations in Belarus. Radio Racja editors say their correspondents face daily harassment from the Belarus authorities -- mostly just petty intimidation but occasionally arrest and jail. "Several of our people have been put in prison for a few days, one for 10 days, but nothing more serious so far," said Michal Andrysiuk, 47, head of FM broadcasting. "One of our correspondents broadcast live from a police car after being arrested on a charge of cursing in the street. Hooliganism is the most frequent official excuse to arrest people who are obviously known to the police," he said. "NO TRUTH IN THE NEWS" Belarus opposition politicians and journalists welcome Radio Racja's efforts to break the state media monopoly but say its impact so far has been limited, partly because most Belarussians rely on television for news. Zhanna Litvina, head of the Belarussian Association of Journalists, said by telephone it was a "comforting thought that such radio stations exist and that Belarussians are working for them". "Unfortunately, you cannot say that such projects are very effective in current Belarussian conditions. To make them effective you would need transmitters in Belarus and under current conditions that is impossible." But the radio station's backers in Poland are convinced that there is an audience and that it is growing: "I was in Belarus some time ago and met people listening to the radio and glad of it," said Michal Dworczyk, a key advisor on eastern European issues to Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski. "The media role in the fight for democracy is indisputable. For Belarus and its people, it is essential." And Radio Racja's staff say they are not discouraged and will keep broadcasting, even if the audience is tiny. "We really want to show what is going on. We try to be objective, asking for comment from the government, but they won't talk to us," said programme director Jana Kamienskaja, 37. "'There is no news in the truth, and there is no truth in the news' -- unfortunately this old Soviet proverb is still valid in Belarus." Belarus officials declined to comment on Radio Racja. (Additional reporting by Andrei Makhovsky in Minskand Gabriela Baczynska in Warsaw) REUTERS (RTna 01/15 1304 FEATURE via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Saludos cordiales, la emisora de Bolivia que opera en 5965 kHz, Radio Nacional de Huanuni dispone de una web en el siguiente link: http://es.geocities.com/primeradelpais/ E-mail: fstmb @ hotmail.com 73 (José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 3385, Rádio Guarujá Paulista, 0714 14 January. By far the best 90 metre signal at this time. Time check after nearly every song, and frequent IDs. Very nearly as good as parallel 5045. An excellent Brazilian night with strong signals also noted from 4825 Radio Canção Nova and presumed Radio Tupi on 6060 among others (Nigel Pimblett, Alberta, Canada, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL - Após enfrentar problemas técnicos em seu retorno à freqüência de 11805 kHz, a Rádio Globo, do Rio de Janeiro (RJ), podia ser captada, facilmente, com excelente desempenho, a partir de 14 de janeiro. Foi o que constatou o colunista, em Porto Alegre (RS), às 1920, deste dia. Na ocasião, o veterano narrador Edson Mauro acompanhava um amistoso disputado entre Vasco da Gama e o Vila Rio, em Resende (RJ). BRASIL - A Rádio Marumby, de Camburiú (SC), vai mudar de nome. Em breve, vai passar a se identificar como Voz Missionária, nas freqüências de 9665 e 11750 kHz. O nome Marumby será utilizado apenas pela emissora de ondas médias, em 730 kHz, de Curitiba (PR), que continua nas mãos do cantor sacro Matheus Iensen. Recentemente, as freqüências citadas foram adquiridas pelo grupo Gideões Missionários. As informações são do jornalista Carlos Netto, de Americana (SP). BRASIL - A Rádio Record, de São Paulo (SP), continua inativa pela freqüência de 9505 kHz, em 31 metros. Já a freqüência de 6150 kHz, no entanto, vai muito bem, obrigado. A emissora foi captada, neste canal, em Barbacena (MG), pelo Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, em 12 de janeiro, às 1736, quando emitia uma opinião de Cacá Diegues sobre a meia entrada no teatro. BRASIL - A Rádio Canção Nova, de Cachoeira Paulista (SP), enfrenta problemas técnicos pela freqüência de 9675 kHz, na faixa de 31 metros. A estação tem emitido espúrios que chegam até na freqüência de 9840 kHz. A constatação é do Cristiano Almeida, de Jequié (BA). BRASIL - A Rádio Globo, de São Paulo (SP), encerra as transmissões, em ondas curtas, em 6120 e 9585 kHz, sempre às 1855. A constatação é do Édison Bocorny Jr., de Novo Hamburgo (RS). BRASIL - O relay da Rádio Cultura FM, de São Paulo (SP), prossegue ativo pela freqüência de 6170 kHz, em 49 metros. Em Barbacena (MG), o Adalberto Marques de Azevedo captou a emissora em 12 de janeiro, às 1737, emitindo um recital de Mozart, executado pela Orquestra Sinfônica Paulista. Programação de 1ª! BRASIL - Mais uma estação brasileira reativou suas transmissões em ondas curtas, em 4905 kHz. Trata-se da Rádio Relógio, do Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Em Barbacena (MG), Adalberto Marques de Azevedo captou a emissora, em 10 de janeiro, às 2332, quando era irradiado um noticiário com o som do relógio, ao fundo. No dia seguinte, às 0054, Márcio Pontes captou a emissora carioca, em Registro (SP), com programa religioso. BRASIL - A emissora brasileira que emite, agora, em 4975 kHz, é a Rádio Nossa Voz, de São Paulo (SP). A estação é repetidora da programação da igreja pentecostal Deus é Amor, do missionário David Miranda, gerada pela Rádio Tupi, de Curitiba (PR). Foi captada, em Barbacena (MG), pelo Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, em 10 de janeiro, às 2340, com a pregação do próprio missionário (Notícias das Ondas Curtas, Célio Romais, via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. 7230 kHz, R. Burkina, Ouagadougou, 1416-1518, 13 Jan, French+Vernacular/s, phone-ins, program "Magazine de l'Emploi", songs; 34433, adjacent QRM only. I don't even report on their 5030 kHz outlet as reception is typically "armchair" like (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Dead Dog in the City seems to be gone for good. Not heard the first three Wednesdays in January at 8:29 pm local, tho continues to appear on the online CBCR1 sked! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) They're actually doing a better job keeping the Sirius schedule up to date, at http://www.cbc.ca/sirius/ That page lists 5 new/returning shows this month. Some are on the regular Radio 1 as well, while others may be on Sirius only. Also there's a grid schedule pdf that's had small revisions twice already this year, effective 1/1 and 1/15. In some places one can infer corresponding changes to ordinary R1 (though Wednesday :30-:45 of the Nighttime Review hour remains unclear). Wish they kept as current a schedule grid for their main service as they do for the satellite offering (Kevin Kelly, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA, PublicRadioFan.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) What`s the point of having CBC on Sirius not match CBC on Terra? (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. DUMBING DOWN CBC RADIO TWO From http://www.insidethecbc.com/ "CBC introduced on Wednesday a slate of arts and culture programming changes to its two main radio services, largely driven by the decision to expand CBC Radio Two as a Canadian music service and broaden the musical genres featured on air. The announcement comes about three years after the public broadcaster began an in-depth study that examined CBC Radio's arts programming, and polled the public and the country's cultural stakeholders about what they wanted to see. Music programming will largely migrate off CBC Radio One, the news and current affairs-focused main service. However, comedy, drama and other arts and entertainment programming will continue to be featured on Radio One, available to 98 per cent of Canadians. The first wave of programming targets the evening schedule. It is the CBC's plan to implement these changes March 19." Complete article with new schedules at: http://www.insidethecbc.com/platforms/radio1/cbc-radio-announcement-new-shows-new-music/ (via Wade Smith, New Brunswick, dxldyg via DXLD) CBC changes format of Radio Two --- ANDREA BAILLIE, Canadian Press TORONTO — CBC's classical music station, Radio Two, is revamping its evening and late-night programming in a bid to attract younger listeners, the public broadcaster announced Wednesday. “Half of our audience on Radio Two now is over 65 . . . and we're not attracting new listeners into the service,” said Jane Chalmers, vice-president of CBC Radio. “We want to bring in the 40-plus kind of group. In some ways, it's our listeners' kids that we want.” The changes, set to take place March 19, will also affect programming on Radio One, including the cancellation of the afternoon pop-culture chat show “Freestyle.” Latest Comments * They're scrapping Brave New Waves and Global Village to *get... * Would someone please tell the CBC that the fastest growing and... * I don't understand? How do you make boring radio for younger... * Let's hear before being critical: more live music means more... * 6 reader comments | Join the conversation The Globe and Mail Other CBC shows to be scrapped because of the revamp include “Global Village” and “Brave New Waves.” Under the new format, Radio Two will feature a daily jazz program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to be hosted in Montreal on weekdays by Katie Malloch. It will air from Calgary on weekends. It will be followed from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. by a show focusing on live music performed by acts across the country. The weekday host for that show will be Toronto broadcaster Matt Galloway, who will also continue his duties as a drive-time host on Radio One. Former “New Music” host Laurie Brown, meanwhile, will host a nightly contemporary music show from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Radio Two. The changes also mean that Radio One listeners can expect to hear more talk and drama and less music. “Dispatches,” hosted by Rick MacInnes-Rae, will be expanded to include elements of the world music show “Global Village.” Ms. Chalmers said the changes are designed, in part, to better reflect the makeup of the country. “The growth in Canada now is happening through immigration. We're seeing people move to different parts of the country, they want to hear more music coming from the communities that they live in,” she said, referring to the new program of live concerts across Canada. “We have to constantly look at how we are serving Canadians from the perspective of where they are and the perspective of their interests.” Ms. Chalmers said the changes mean that 63 employees at CBC will be reassigned, possibly resulting in one or two layoffs. The watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting has been a frequent critic of CBC-TV, but had praise for Wednesday’s radio announcement. “You have to update and improve,” said spokesman Ian Morrison, calling the changes “responsible management.” “We have to support the idea of trying to adjust to younger demographics ... and as long as they’re sensitive to their existing audience, I commend them.” (via Ricky Leong, Dale Rothert, DXLD) The Globe and Mail leaked it yesterday. Lite jazz, no classical piece over 3 minutes on Radio 2. More chat shows on Radio 1 like Freestyle. They are copying the Radio-Canada formula which destroyed the serious audience for Chaine culturelle, or now Espace Musique. On newsgroup (google groups) alt.radio.networks.cbc Subject: CBC 2 to be popularized Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:32:39 GMT Light is the word and the future is dumber Sounds just like the decrepitiation of Espace Musique, the SRC second channel, two years ago. The listeners were very annoyed and tuned out to their music collections and downloads. ---------------- Changes looming for CBC Radio by GUY DIXON From Tuesday's Globe and Mail 16 January 2007 CBC Radio Two will be playing more jazz and contemporary music, while Radio One is beefing up its arts programming. . . (via Dan Say, swprograms via DXLD) Biggest Radio One changes: Departing: Freestyle, Between the Covers Arriving: Arts Magazine (first release now 2 PM local time, evening repeat extended to an hour) There are some other tweaks, but those were the big ones. I am personally sorry to see classical music deëmphasized, since that is a personal favorite, but there are plenty of other web sources for excellent classical "radio" (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) I just listened to the interview on the CBC Radio changes. The big loser is classical music which probably isn't too surprising although it wouldn't be the direction I would choose. The CBC Insite site also has PDF files of the new Radio 1 and 2 schedules (Mr Sandy Finlayson, Philadelphia PA, ibid.) Complete schedules for CBC Radio One and Two are available from http://www.insidethecbc.com http://www.insidethecbc.com/uploads/newradio1.pdf http://www.insidethecbc.com/uploads/newradio2.pdf A side effect of the revamp is an extra hour of CBC Radio Overnight. In the new sked, World Radio Network programming is set to begin at midnight instead of 1 a.m. daily except Friday. In fact, it wouldn't too bold to say the new Radio One schedule contains network service cuts in disguise. WEEKDAYS: The slot from 11:30 a.m. to noon has contained re-run programs since the end of last season -- since the disappearance of Gian Ghomeshi's Canadian music program. The 3:30-to-4 p.m. slot has reverted to re-runs, in places were local afternoon shows aren't on the air. (One of the re-runs is "Madly Off in All Directions," a program that's been out of production since last year!) "The Arts Tonight," "Between the Covers" and "Northern Lights" are cancelled; re-runs are scheduled for 10 and 11 p.m. every weekday. WRN starts at midnight instead of 1 a.m. (except Friday, when Vinyl Tap is repeated). SATURDAY: With "DNTO" trimmed to two hours and "Fuse: moving to 3 p.m., there is no CBC programming to replace the missing hour. WRN starts at midnight instead of 1 a.m. SUNDAY: "Sunday Showcase" disappears from the schedule, and again there is no CBC programming to replace it. WRN starts at midnight instead of 1 a.m. I also have reason to believe there are typos on both schedules. The Radio One sked suggests local weekday morning shows only begin at 6 a.m. when they actually start at 5:30 or 5 a.m., depending on the station -- unless CBC actually intends to cut these periods of local programming! The Radio Two sked suggests "World Report" and "The World This Hour" are still being aired there when they clearly are not (Ricky Leong, Calgary, Alta., Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) I resent the assumption that classical music is only for the aged. And what becomes of ``Radio 3`` which was on R 2 late night? Not that I really care. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Quoting from a story from CBC News Online: "With Radio Two poised as an adult-oriented music service, the public broadcaster's more youth-oriented music offerings — like CBC Radio Three and Brave New Waves — will be available on CBC's Sirius satellite channels and via podcasting." And also this: "Between the Covers, which features novels and short stories read in 15-minute instalments, will migrate online." Significantly, there is this: "The first phase of the changes will be launched in mid-March, with the final slate scheduled to roll out in about a year." So expect more schedule changes later on! (Ricky Leong, Calgary, Alta., ibid.) Glenn, I'm with you. I am trying (with some success) to pass along my classical music appreciation to my daughters --- while I may be, uh, above the traditional Madison Avenue adult demographic, and I indeed may qualify for AARP membership, I hardly consider myself aged (Rich Cuff, ibid.) OK, make that `aging`` as my spellchecker makes it (gh) allaccess.com summarized the same changes (via Brock Whaley,, DXLD) ** CHINA. Re DXLD 7-004, unid 6165 --- I have to correct my earlier message: it is of course CNR6 ID, not CNR1. But the first part, which fooled me is exactly as CNR1, the whole thing goes like this: "Zhongyang Renmin Guangbo Diantai, Zhongkuo zhi Sheng, Shenzhou zhi Sheng". Chuck, maybe you can put a clip of my recording from today at 1001 on your website? And of course there is the live stream mentioned by Mr. Aoki. It is a frequency change from 11905 to 6165 kHz varying between 0900-0930 and there is a parallel fq: 15580 kHz. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Also received neat mini-disc from Colombia para Cristo, ``Se hace en equipo``, info about La Voz de tu Conciencia and associated stations, several religious music tracks. Accompanying note in Spanish from Rafael Rodríguez says it will be sent along with QSL for all reports for 5910 and 6010 kHz and ``whose quality of information helps us to improve each day``. More details, address, and discussion already in 7-005 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. While running through the 49 meter broadcast band on Sunday evening 1/14/07 local (1/15/07 UT), I came across someone sending very good Morse Code on 5930 kc at 0528 UT. As I don't read Morse so I can't tell you what was being sent. It was however not a repetitive message as after listening for a while I could not detect a repetitive pattern. It ended at 0541 UT. The next evening, Monday local, I checked again at the same time 0531 UT (1/16/07 UT) and found the same Morse being sent. It ended at 0544 UT. The message was being sent in straight AM mode on both occasions as when I tried to listen in SSB it only made the signal was worse. Signal strength was 333 to 323. You have probably heard about this Morse message before and even ID'd the signal in DXLD on some other occasion. I have unfortunately missed the posting. If anyone else has heard this signal and ID'd it I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks (Steve Cross, Del City, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Steve, Yes, we have had several reports of this and I have heard it myself. It seems to be on a regular schedule late at night. Surely from Cuba, according to the ENIGMA numbers group. There are only 10 letters being sent, each substituting for a number. So it`s just another variety of spy number station. I`ll bet there was a pattern to what you heard, besides only 10 letters of the 26 --- all in groups of five. This morning I also heard one on 5882, at 1445, but this was A1, real CW with carrier on and off. 73, (Glenn, Enid to Steve, via DXLD) Viz.: Spy letters, presumably from Cuba, Jan 17 at 1445 on 5882.0: these were on A1, real CW with carrier on and off, unlike the MCW or A3 ones on 5800, 5930, etc., in the 05-08 UT period. 5-letter groups, but occasionally switching to punxuation; fair (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Re 7-007, UK: Checking UT Jan 19 at 0003, nothing on 6215, and RR plus heavy jamming on usual 6185. If on 6215 until 0300* as reported, must make the switch at a later hour. [Later:] No, at recheck 0225 UT Jan 19, still nothing on 6215, but RR & jamming on 6185. Maybe 6215 he heard was a one-off test; who knows? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. Kalundborg 243 due to be silenced on Feb 14 On February 14th 2006 at 2330 UT the 300 kW transmitter in Kalundborg operating on 243 kHz will be switched off for the last time. And starting February 15th there will be a strong reduction of airtime on the 250 kW transmitter in Kalundborg operating on 1062 kHz. This is the new schedule (All times in UT): 0445-0507 0730-0807 1045-1130 1645-1716 2145-2205 I believe that the transmitter will be switched on some 5 minutes prior to these s/on times and may also stay on the air a couple of minutes after official s/off times. The programmes to be carried are: 0445-0451: Weather forecast 0451-0500: // DR P4 0500-0507: News (// DR P4) 0730-0740: Gymnastics 0740-0745: Interval signal 0745-0800: Weather forecast 0800-0807: News (// DR P4) 1045-1100: Weather forecast 1100-1130: News (// DR P1 and DR P4) 1645-1700: Weather forecast 1700-1716: Navigational warnings 2145-2200: Weather forecast 2200-2305: News (// DR P4) The news in Danish from KNR, Greenland, currently heard Mo-Fr 1755- 1800 UT will be discontinued on 1062 and will only be available on DR P1 (on FM and the internet). The reason for the closure of 243 kHz and the reduced schedule on 1062 kHz is the fact that hardly anyone in Denmark listen to LW and MW - and due to the high cost of running the transmitters. Additional information (in Danish) here: http://www.radionyt.com/artikel/default.asp?id=13404 Best 73s (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, Jan 18, MWC via DXLD) Isn`t that hard on a transmitter, turning it off and on 5 times a day? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. Re 7-007 (Diego Garcia QSL) --- Hi Glenn, Last year the following contacts worked well: Nice AFRTS QSL card (full data + site) received after an e-mailed report to: QSL @ dodmedia.osd.mil Card mailed from: Department of Defense, NMC DET AFRTS-DMC, 23755 Z St., Bldg. 2730, Riverside CA 92518-2017, with a v/s of Robert Winkler. Also there was Marshall C. Bennett, IC2(SW) bennettm @ dg.navy.mil who sent out a friendly e-mail confirming the frequency, along with a DG e-post card. This was followed up with a mailed copy of the QSL letter and post card directly from Diego Garcia (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [and non]. Radio Quito --- I wonder if anyone has heard this station shortly (Luigi Pérez-Díaz, NP4FW, PR, Jan 17, HCDX via DXLD) Not logged anywhere since November 2006 (Roberto Scaglione http://www.bclnews.it ibid.) La irregular Radio Quito, La Voz de La Capital está de regreso este 17 de Enero, 2255z, en 4919 con audio altamente distorsionado, según chequeo que acostumbro hacer últimamente para verificar la presencia de la brasileña Radio CBN Anhanguera, la cual hoy está literalmente borrada de frecuencia 4915 por la fuerte presencia ecuatoriana. Es curioso, estas emisoras sólo podrían caer en el rango de interés de los DXistas, porque con tal audio distorsionado cuesta creer que alguien haya de soportarlo por largo rato. Un tanto de lo mismo nos recetó no hace mucho la local TIFC Faro del Caribe, con su hilo de señal distorsionada que bien que mal, ha abandonado para dejar libre 5055. 73s (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have a weak signal on 4918.9 right now (Jan 17, 2356 UT). I assume it's them. 73 (Mark Veldhuis, Netherlands, HCDX via DXLD) I've heard this station 3 or 4 times over the past month at around 1130, including this morning (David Goren, NY, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. EGITO - Prosseguem os problemas técnicos envolvendo as emissões em português da Rádio Cairo. A emissora foi captada, em Pelotas (RS), pelo Fernando Bainy, em 10 de janeiro, às 2217, em 9360 kHz. De acordo com ele, era praticamente impossível ouvir o que estava sendo irradiado (Notícias das Ondas Curtas, Célio Romais, via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. Ethiopia. Have been hearing external service of Radio Ethiopia since a very long time with strong signals on 9560 and 7165 at 16 UT. Off late, the 9560 freq is blocked by unknown probably Arabic station which is very strong. But 7165 has a fair signal (Manikant Lodaya, VU2JRO, India, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Can`t find anything like that listed on 9560 either; however, Turkey in Turkish is scheduled there from 1630. Could they be coming on early? Is there any change at 1630? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** GABON. Afropop music distraxion was on 17655, Jan 18 at 1500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also AUSTRALIA ** GERMANY. Probably the storm has damaged the NVIS antenna at Burg, since 1575 is off. Iranian bubble jamming against Radio Farda can be clearly made out in the jumble on this frequency now. And an unrelated (?) observation: 1044 is now four seconds behind 783, probably due to taking audio from DVB-S? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1757 UT Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] Now it turns out that large areas of Sachsen-Anhalt, including parts of Magdeburg, have lost main power, caused by the failure of a 220 kV line near Oschersleben. Obviously Burg is affected as well. At present the commercial Radio SAW at Magdeburg and probably MDR 1 Radio Sachsen-Anhalt as well power their studios with own generating sets. Elsewhere short power breaks cause some trouble with transmitters, like cutting off and not returning immediately. This also concerned parts of the DVB-T network at Berlin, suffering a loss of modulation. Some FM freaks are currently discussing if the transmission facilities on the Brocken mountain will withstand the windforce (200 kph, probably even beyond that). Nothing could be done if any failure will occur now, because it's impossible to reach the Brocken summit at present. Shortly before 8 PM we had here at Elsterwerda (50 km north of Dresden) a heavy thunderstorm with hail. At present it's almost quite out there, but presumably only for the moment (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) According to ADX mailing list (Germany) 1575 Burg is off the air. Also 513 Germany is off, Max van Arnhem, Netherlands, Jan 18, MWC via DXLD) I guess you mean 531 kHz, Truck Radio (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Hello guys, DI2BO (still on 440 kHz) is off, we have a major storm over here in Northern Germany that has torn down the antenna. I just read on the RSGB-LF reflector that also Walter's (DJ2LF) beacon DI2AG on 505,1 kHz is down due to the same reason. Best 73 Geri, DK8KW / DI2BO (W1KW) *********** The Primary 600MRG E-mail List Website is: ********** ******************* http://www.500kc.com/ *********************** ******* Secondary is: http://www.mines.uidaho.edu/~SHMRG/ ******* *** Send subscribe and unsubscribe requests to this address: **** ************* majordomo @ piobaire.mines.uidaho.edu ************* (via Steve Whitt, Jan 18, MWC via DXLD) also: NETHERLANDS; UK ** ICELAND. 13865 Noted with superb S=9+20 dB signal today Jan 18 at 1230 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 13/18 via DXLD) "ÍSLAND" 189 kHz, RÚV, Gufuskálar, again, but never at this quality: 0026-0110, 13 Jan, pops, news+weather report; 55(!)454 ! Worse at 0100 though. Then during daytime, not bad either: 1515-1555, 14 Jan, talks, Romanian folk music; 24454, adjacent QRM de Germany 183 (Carlos Gonçalves, SW coast of Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Auf krummen 9525.90 ... 95 kHz ist seit 1800 UT das deutsche Programm der Stimme Indonesiens mit Nachrichten zu hoeren. S7-9, O=3, Fading. Im Sommer, auf 15150 kHz, geht es bestimmt wieder besser! (Felix Lechte-D, A-DX Jan 15 via BCDX via DXLD) The 9525v big hummy open carrier has been there most mornings past week in the 14-15+ UT period, tho I have not bothered to log it specifically (Glenn Hauser, OK, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. [Re 7-007:] Looks like the problem with RNW involved my reception, not a transmission fault. I "re-scanned" the transponder with my MPEG receiver and the audio disruption is no longer heard. MPEG satellite reception is a little more complicated than analog, and I'm finding that when a minor change is made in the signals being transmitted, you can think you're appropriately tuned in to a signal, when you're not. I don't know what change was made on this transponder that would have affected RNW audio only, but this seems to be part of the idiosyncratic nature of MPEG satellite reception. Another example is on the same satellite, where RFI and Radio Monte Carlo (in Arabic) are broadcast. If I scan the transponder when RFI is on (in Spanish or with RFI Musique) that's what I get -- but I don't hear the RMC programs. However, if I scan the transponder again when RMC is on, I get all the RMC programming, but none of the RFI feeds. There must be a difference in the Audio Program IDs, but this illustrates how it's almost a hide-and-seek game with these satellite feeds. Tuning in on shortwave is, of course, much easier (Mike Cooper, GA, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. Re 7-007: VT Comms relays from DX Mix News, annotated ``KBS World Radio [0600-0629 6045 SAC to WEu in Spanish is still heard, but not VTC? gh]`` Instead an exchange of airtime between KBS and RCI. Such an arrangement is in force also between KBS and the BBC, concerning KBS transmissions via UK sites and in return BBC slots at Kimjae (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non?]. Something like "Shaabi Radio Kurdistan" ID and only in Kurdish was heard in range 3925 to 3940 kHz, 1625-1725 UT on Jan 13th (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 13 via DXLD) R. V. OF KURDISTAN 3930 LOG AND WEBSITE 17 Jan at 1345 noted R Voice of Kurdistan (Voice of Democratic Party of Kurdistan) on 3930.1 in Kurdish and at 1400 in Farsi. Sign-off was at 1432. The jammer was late and arrived at 1428. We'll see if this is additional broadcast or change of schedule. They announce website http://www.radiokurdistan.net which gives their schedule 2000-2130 and 0700-0830 Tehran time; that's 1630-1800 and 0330-0500 UT. E-mail address seems to be info @ radiokurdistan.net which uses "active spam filter" so you have to validate your message before it gets through. At least today (17th) they were also on the air at 1630. Shifting frequency with 10 kHz steps to avoid jammers (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. An interesting detail: visitors to the website of the long-running station "Voice of Iranian Kurdistan" (Denge Kurdistana Irana) run by the "Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan" (PDKI) http://www.rdki.com are now forwarded to the website of the new Radio Voice of Kurdistan (Radyo Denge Kurdistana) http://www.radiokurdistan.net The question: is the "original" Radio Voice of Iranian Kurdistan" still active? One can add that the phone numbers given on the website are numbers in Iraq. The website is hosted in Germany and registered to Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, Storgården 50, SE-58644 Linköping, Sweden (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 13 Jan around 1330 (tune-in) noted a station with R Rossii program on 4050. Forgot to check it again later. Next day (14 Jan) the station was on again with R Rossii. The signal was somewhat better than Kyrgyz R on 4010. Checking the sign-off time - 4010 and 4050 audio went off at the same time at 1800. Transmitters were switched off as follows: 4010 at 1801, 4795 at 1802 and 4050 at 1803. So 4050 could be Bishkek transmitter active again (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As I reported here 15 Jan, SW seems to go off at 1800 UT (Jari Savolainen, Jan 17, ibid.) 4050.04 kHz is s-off at 1800 UT (Russian) as heard on Jan 16 (Vlad Titarev, Ukraine, DXplorer Jan 17 via BCDX via DXLD) Since 15 January, the national Russian program "Radio Rossii" is again relayed in Kyrgyzstan, on 4050 kHz [Bishkek] and nationwide OIRT FM network. The schedule is 0600-0200 local time which corresponds to 0000-2000 UT [it is unclear if this schedule applies to both FM & SW]. Kyrgyz Press via Viktor Rutkovskiy in open_dx (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. The Latvian commercial radio station Radio SWH http://www.radioswh.lv signed a 1-year contract for the transmission of its English language broadcast "Latvia Today" via Ulbroka 9290 kHz (100 kW). "Latvia Today" will be broadcast Saturdays 0800-0900 and Sundays 1300-1400 UT. A new 1 kW shortwave transmitter which was installed at Ulbroka last autumn is currently undergoing the certification procedure (which can take several months). It will be offered to customers for low-budget relays on 9290 kHz as soon as the authorisation has been received (Raimonds Kreicbergs via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS. MINIVAN JOURNALIST TO BE EXPELLED AGAIN By Minivan News January 17, 2007 http://www.minivannews.com/news/news.php?id=2828 Phillip Wellman, a journalist for this website, has been asked to leave the country only two days after returning. He was expelled from the country once already on November 3, 2006 along with a freelance photographer. They will be welcome in the Maldives in two weeks time, said Chief Government Spokesman, Mohamed Hussein Sharif in November. But now it seems that is not so. Wellman returned on January 15, but after only a day in the country he was summoned to see immigration officials this morning and was given 48 hours to leave the country. It is unclear at this stage whether he will be able to return. The immigration authority says Wellman does not have permission to be in the country. Minivan News contacted the government before his arrival to inform them of his intention to return and received no objection to the proposal. He is currently here on a tourist visa valid for thirty days. The harassment of Minivan and MinivanNews.com journalists must stop, said Reporters Without Borders in response to Wellmans expulsion in November. The government should be trying to defuse tension on the eve of a major opposition demonstration but instead the police are intimidating, expelling or arresting journalists perceived as being sympathetic to the protest, the press freedom organisation said. We once again point out that an opposition media has as much right to work freely as a pro-government media, Reporters Without Borders added. Wellman`s second expulsion comes only days after the publication of a damning 2006 annual report by the South Asian Press Commission (SAPC), which said the Maldives continues to be a journalists prison. The continued detention and house arrest of a number of journalists is an issue of serious concern, as are the charges against five journalists and editors working for Minivan, which would appear to constitute a concerted effort by the authorities to target this publication, said the report. The SAPCs study referred specifically to an incident in which Minivan News offices in Colombo were raided by Interpol on a false tip-off from Police Chief, Adam Zahir, that the office was being used to store weapons. The Mission deplored the abuse of Interpol against exiled journalists and overseas Maldivian media, the blocking of Dhivehi Observer and Maldives Culture websites, and the jamming of the shortwave frequency of Minivan Radio. The report added. Minivan News has recently been working hard to assert greater independence and produce more objective and balanced news. The website has received much praise for its efforts and is seen by people within both the government and the opposition as the premier English language publication on the Maldives, read by many influential members of the international community. The Maldives currently ranks 144th in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, slightly lower than Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but higher than Russia and Iraq. Related Articles: Maldives Continues To Be A Journalists Prison RSF Concerned Over Expulsion Of Foreign Journalists Welcome To The Dark Side Of Life: Press Freedom In Maldives (c)2006 MinivanNews | All rights reserved (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Glenn I am hearing Minivan radio right now on 11800. Loud and clear in south India (Manikant Lodaya, vu2jro, 1639 UT Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Hola Glenn: en estos momentos escucho a R. UNAM (9600 kHz) un poco mejor que ayer; espero pronto hagan los arreglos necesarios para que salga en buenas condiciones la señal, Saludos (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, 1609 UT Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XEYU, 9599.4, unlike 24 hours earlier, was not to be heard Jan 17 around 0656 (nor was XEXQ 6045), but XEYU was on at 1448 with oompah band (called Ichán or something like that), then full ID as R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and talk about Latin America`s largest supercomputer being at UNAM. Usual het until 1500 from something on 9600.0, presumably CRI in Khmere as in EiBi. Julián Santiago says the nominal testing hours of XEYU are now 12-24 UT. Also heard Jan 18 at 1440 with monolog on Oaxaca, but not earlier at 0630 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. 18 Jan at 1545 noted RNW (R Netherlands) in Dutch on 1314. Checked Andy's Media Network weblog and this seems to be a special broadcast due to severe storm in the area. It's 600 kW via Norway and on until 2300 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Jari and others, I was just going to report to you about the special broadcast - and found your report, Jari! So, at 17 hrs UTC the station identified and told listeners that it was a broadcast, called "Storm over Europe" or similar. For Swedes it is quite easy to understand good spoken Dutch, especially if you already understand English and German, so I could follow the programme content quite good. So, good listening... but I hope the storm is not too often. It's good when Kvitsoy is off! 73 from (Björn Fransson, listening on the island of Gotland, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Andy Sennitt reports in the Radio Netherlands Media Network Weblog that they are currently using the 1314 kHz Norwegian transmitter running 600 kW due to a severe storm in the Netherlands. The transmission is expected to continue until 2300 UT January 18, 2007 (Wade Smith, New Brunswick, NRC-AM via DXLD) Yes, it's on right now, noted with correspondent reports (people warned to be very careful, to not go outside etc.), about three seconds behind // 5955 and 6010 which are apparently both Flevo. 1314 is quite poor here, in fact 747 is a much better signal but does not carry coverage of the current events (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1757 UT Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Andy, How are people in Holland made aware of this special broadcast? (Steve Whitt, MWC via DXLD) I was in my car from work to home and of course listened to Radio 1 (FM) with storm news and also Omroep Gelderland FM, our regional broadcaster. I did not hear about 1314 kHz. Also TV did not tell anything about the 1314 kHz. There is a website: http://www.crisis.nl But this website is not mentioning 1314 either. I had to read about 1314 on the DX mailing lists. It is a terrible storm; I just was outside for a few minutes and could just escape from a big falling branch of a tree. On the road is a big tree, so we are isolated and cannot leave (it is not our intention, but anyway). It is now 10.30pm and it is still very strong. In the northern part of the country now it seems to get stronger again. This morning happily I let down some wires of two KAZ antennas which are right in the middle of the trees. Another KAZ with a fiber glass pole, I noticed, is still OK. Tomorrow we can see what will be the damage (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, MWC via DXLD) SPECIAL RNW TRANSMISSION ON 1314 KHZ AND SHORTWAVE DUE TO STORM Due to the severe storm now affecting the Netherlands and other parts of Northern Europe, the mediumwave transmitter in Norway on 1314 kHz is now on the air carrying our Dutch service which is providing continuously updated information on the travel situation. The transmitter is on the air until 2300 UTC this evening with a power of 600 kW. The storm is expected to last until the middle of the evening. Shortwave: The following shortwave frequencies will also carry portions of the special programme: 5955 kHz: until 1800 UTC to West and Central Europe 6010 kHz: 1700-1800 UTC to SW Europe 6035 kHz: 1600-1700 UTC to SW Europe 6040 kHz: 2100-2300 UTC to W and C Europe 6120 kHz: until 1600 UTC to France 6120 kHz: 1800-2100 UTC to SW Europe 9895 kHz: until 1800 UTC to South Europe 9 Responses to “Special RNW transmission on 1314 kHz and shortwave due to storm” Hans Says: January 18th, 2007 at 16:35 Good idea, quick thinking. Signal strong but suffering co-channel in Utrecht, Netherlands (16:34 UTC) Sergei Says: January 18th, 2007 at 17:30 Co-channel in Utrecht? I guess it’s a good idea from DXers’s view point to power up 1314. But what’s the practical value in such a special broadcast? Maybe, next time it’s windy and raining in the Netherlands you should try using 963 out of Finland. Hans Says: January 18th, 2007 at 17:40 Sergei: reception isn’t nearly as good as with the last one (Dutch general election). Deep fades and co-channel by another station --- of course the broadcast is not aimed at DX-ers. I was just wondering if this could be caused by using half power (probably not). 963 came in without problems, as I recall from twenty years ago when Caroline was blown off this frequency Peter Vrakking Says: January 18th, 2007 at 18:24 I thought that 1200 kW was used during the election broadcast on 1314 kHz. Now they use 600 kW as stated in the weblog. The 963 kHz is not interesting for the Netherlands even with 600 kW. Andy Says: January 18th, 2007 at 18:34 Yes, unfortunately one of the 600 kW units has a water-cooling problem so couldn’t be used today. We would have preferred 1200 kW, but not at the risk of blowing up a transmitter Peter Vrakking Says: January 18th, 2007 at 19:05 Yes, during daylight the signal was good, but now is is deep in the fading and noise of other stations. Nevertheless, this is mediumwave and I enjoy listening to it. Is there a change that RNW will use the 1314 more frequently? In the past the morning edition on 1512 kHz was always a pleasure to hear in the car. Driving through Hilversum, listening to people from Hilversum, but via Wolvertem. I also miss the English program in the evening on 1512 kHz. Sergei Says: January 18th, 2007 at 20:42 Great discussion, guys. But I still don’t get it: where’s the intended audience for Kvitsøy AM-broadcasts? The Dutch-speaking Norwegians? Or maybe it’s people of Denmark/Sweden? Who else (besides the DXers, of course!) is supposed to listen to those broadcasts and what is their geographic location? Andy Says: January 18th, 2007 at 21:10 Sergei, the Norwegian transmitter serves a very wide area of Northern Europe. The signal tonight isn’t up to the usual standard as it’s running on half power, but it can be heard here in the Netherlands on groundwave in the daytime. Many Dutch people are driving around in surrounding countries and need to know which roads are blocked by falling trees. Others need to know that the trains are not running, and only very limited flights from Schiphol airport. This is nothing to do with DXing, this is fulfilling our mission as a public broadcaster. Sergei Says: January 18th, 2007 at 21:31 Thanks, Andy. Sounds good. I hope that the Dutch listeners throughout the Northern Europe are aware of this special broadcast and its frequency. Sadly, many motorists in Russia don’t even know how to switch their car radios to AM band these days (Media Network blog via DXLD) More storm-related news: see GERMANY ** NETHERLANDS. See INTERNATIONAL VACUUM ** NIGERIA. 4770 kHz, R. Nigeria, Kaduna, at... 1048-fade-out 1130 (!), 14 Jan, English, quiz & phone-ins; 25443; then "resurfaced" at 1230 as if preparing for the usual strong evening signal (Carlos Gonçalves, SW coast of Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Re 7-007: I noticed an item in today`s [January 17] Oklahoman that Buckelew and George Tomek are now part of the Oklahoma News Report on OETA, she on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, so I imagine that this may be part time for both of them (John Norfolk, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, she was back on Thu = UT Fri Jan 19. She has changed her appearance with a different hairstyle, and seen wearing spectacles for the first time! Hardly recognized her, but same voice. Who would have guessed, this icon of video even needed glasses?! Guess it`s not such a negative for a non-commercial network. She mentioned that tfn, KOET- 3 in Eufaula would be operating only at 5-10 pm [23-04 UT] due to the power shortages in E OK (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. U S A. Radio Amateurs Support Emergency Services, Forecasters in Ice Storm`s Wake (January 17, 2007) --- Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other ham radio volunteers in Oklahoma continue to assist after an ice storm blanketed the state January 12 before moving into the Eastern US. Section leadership is asking radio amateurs to continue monitoring local VHF and UHF repeaters and the ARES Oklahoma HF Net (7260 kHz days; 3900 kHz evenings) for up-to-date information. ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator Kevin Atnip, KD5WUP, has urged caution for any ARES volunteers asked to assist. Full Story at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/01/17/100/?nc=1 (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) No frequencies mentioned in story other than the two above (jn) ** PAKISTAN. 5080.3, 17/1 0220, R. Pakistan, Islamabad, talks, poor to fair, fading. Radio H101 + T2fd. Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, http://lasw.blogspot.com/ playdx yg via DXLD) 7530, R. Pakistan at 1857 UT Dec 31. Talk in presumed Urdu followed by Qur'an, announcements by man and woman, national anthem played by band; off at 1904 UT. Poor to almost fair here and on \\ 9380. As expected, no sign of Hargeisa; are they still on the air? (Bob Hill, MA, DXplorer Dec 31 via BCDX via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Not hearing many signals from here, but one audible was 3385 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, 1455 UT Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Re R. Visión, 4790, 7-007: We did listen two nights to a reasonably strong signal but with many ID's under the music programming, I only once "thought" or is that "imagined" the word Atlantida. As you may appreciate, during these listening sessions a lot goes on, lots of radios and lots of tape. [Later:] Hi Glenn, Here are two clips, the first is what we heard several times assuming it was Atlántida, now listening closely indeed not. The second is one of several full ID's I found on the tape. I accept all blame about this mis-logging to the DX community, indeed in the hurry to get the information out during our mini-DXpedition without cross-checks. 73 (Mick Delmage, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I heard a clear Visión ID on one of the clips. I still would like to know if anyone also hears Atlántida, perhaps at other dayparts, and other frequency split (gh, DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. Re 6-190: 940, WIPR, San Juan. According to a QSL, the station's slogan is "940 AM". The station has been off the air since March 2006 for refurbishing of their studios. They plan to be back on the air at the end of January. New web addresses: to the company: http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr and to the station http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr/radio940am/index.htm (Gert Nilsson, ARC 18.12.2006 via Tore Larsson, ed., DXLD) ** SEALAND [and non]. SWEDISH FILE-SHARING WEBSITE PLANS TO BUY SEALAND --- Swedish file-sharing website The Pirate Bay is planning to buy its own nation in an attempt to circumvent international copyright laws. The group has set up a campaign to raise money to buy Sealand, a former British naval platform in the North Sea that has been designated a ‘micronation’, and claims to be outside the jurisdiction of the UK or any other country. . . http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=7055 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Be sure to read the comment from ``MPLX``, which must be John England in Fort Worth, exposing how Sealand is one big scam (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** SOMALIA. SOMALIA SHUTS DOWN BROADCASTERS Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6263343.stm Published: 2007/01/15 12:58:40 GMT (via Terry Krueger, DXLD) SOMALI GOVERNMENT TAKES A GAMBLE WITH MEDIA CLAMPDOWN | Analysis by Rashid Abdi and Chris Greenway of BBC Monitoring on 15 January Somalia's weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG) government, struggling to stamp its authority over a largely sceptical and recalcitrant Mogadishu, on Monday (15 January) issued a draconian edict, ordering three leading local FM radio stations and a foreign satellite TV station to cease operations immediately. Checks by BBC Monitoring shortly after the announcement of the ban confirmed that the three local stations had complied with the order. A letter from the National Security Bureau, signed by Col Ahmad Hasan Ali and sent to the four news outlets - Radio Shabeelle (Shabelle), Radio HornAfrik, Holy Koran Radio and the pan-Arab TV station Al- Jazeera - gave no reasons for the ban. It merely called on the managers of the stations to report to the NSB the following morning, 16 January. A government spokesman later said the move had been taken because the stations had been "instigating violence" with "unacceptable" news reports. The ban comes two days after parliament overwhelmingly approved a three-month state of emergency, including granting to TFG President Abdullahi Yusuf the authority to declare martial law. In a statement after the parliamentary vote, the government said it now had sweeping powers to take "all necessary actions to enforce security in the country". Clan rivalries The TFG has had an uneasy relationship with the Somali media, especially the radio stations and websites operating from Mogadishu, since it was set up in Kenya in 2004. At the root of the tension is what the TFG sees as clan bias and, lately, an overzealous reporting of insecurity and armed attacks against the TFG and the Ethiopian troops that support it. The TFG has on numerous occasions been accused of intimidating journalists working for radio stations in Mogadishu and elsewhere. Radio Warsan, an independent commercial station in the town of Baidoa (Baydhabo), the former seat of the TFG, has been closed by the TFG on three occasions since last September. International media watchdogs such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) recently criticized both the transitional government and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) for harassing local journalists and media outlets. Some TFG officials see the Mogadishu media, largely dominated by the powerful local Hawiye clan, as hostile to the government and biased in favour of the Islamists, driven from the capital at the end of December. President Abdullahi Yusuf is from the Darod clan, traditional rivals of the Hawiye. He is not on home territory in Mogadishu, hailing as he does from Gaalkacyo (Galcaio), a town far to the north in the autonomous state of Puntland. Despite these accusations of clan bias, BBC Monitoring notes that two of the affected stations - HornAfrik and Shabeelle - are widely regarded as the most professionally-run media outlets in the country. They are felt to have steered clear of the crude clan-based politics of the media in the 1990s. Indeed, the launch of HornAfrik in 1999 (and of Radio Banaadir in 2000 and Radio Shabeelle in 2002) marked a decisive fresh departure for the Somali broadcast media: the appearance of a new breed of independent FM radios that brought to an end the domination of the country's airwaves by warlord-controlled shortwave stations. Phone-ins BBC monitors say that, while HornAfrik and Shabeelle to some extent gave positive coverage to the Islamists, it is difficult to accept the contention that the two stations were openly hostile to the government. BBC Monitoring's observations do confirm, however, that HornAfrik and Shabeelle have been giving plenty of coverage to recent armed attacks on TFG and Ethiopian troops and to acts of insecurity in Mogadishu. For example, two of the four stories posted on the HornAfrik website on 15 January were on separate overnight attacks on Ethiopian-Somali troops, while the third reported a man killed by militiamen in the Yaaqshid district of the capital. The government may also have been infuriated by morning radio phone-in programmes in which Somalis have been venting their anger at what they see as a foreign invasion of their country. The TFG, which is sensitive to the charge that it is beholden to Ethiopian interests, and which certainly faces a challenge to win public credibility in Mogadishu, may well have viewed such programmes as designed to undermine its image. Holy Kor`an Radio Long-term observers of the Somali media describe themselves as baffled by the inclusion in the government ban of Holy Kor`an Radio, better known by its Somali acronym IQK. This station, which is run by the mainstream Islamic body, the Ahlu Sunnah Waljama, has operated in the city since the mid-1990s - longer than both HornAfrik and Shabeelle. It is an Islamic missionary radio, most of whose programming is religious. Its main daily news bulletin (at 9.30 p.m. local time - 1830 gmt) is described by experienced BBC monitors as uncontroversial. Although some members of the Ahlu Sunnah Waljama may have been supporters of the UIC, the radio has steered clear of the propaganda battles between the UIC and the TFG. It is possible that the station's name alone is enough to raise suspicion of support for the Islamists. RSF reported in early January that a reporter for IQK radio in Baidoa had been arrested by TFG forces. International reaction Whatever the justification for the media clampdown, the TFG could be in danger of overplaying its hand. Although it opened a radio station in Baidoa last month, its own media reach and influence remains weak. One reason it has struggled to win the confidence and trust of most Somalis is because it lacks effective media tools to put its message directly across to the public. To antagonize the independent media at this critical stage, when the TFG needs them more than ever, is therefore a risky move. Away from Somali domestic politics, the TFG's move against the private media seems guaranteed to raise a critical international response, including from its Western backers (principally the USA) which now face the prospect of supporting a government that is curtailing basic freedoms enshrined in its own constitution. The earlier declaration of a state of emergency had already drawn criticism from Brussels, with EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel saying on 15 January, after meeting the Speaker of the Somali parliament: "I am not opposed to the principle of martial law and I entirely understand the legitimate concerns of the government to ensure security, but the even partial suspension of constitutional order bears big risks." Michel said national reconciliation should take priority over security concerns. Source: BBC Monitoring research 15 Jan 07 (via DXLD) SOMALI GOVERNMENT ENDS BAN ON RADIO STATIONS By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN Published: January 16, 2007 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/world/africa/16cnd-somalia.html MOGADISHU, Somalia, Jan. 16 — Mogadishu’s radio stations were back on the air today after Somali authorities lifted a short-lived media ban. Gen. Mohammed Warsame Farah, head of national security for Somalia’s transitional government, said that as long as broadcasters did not air false reports, they would be allowed to operate. “They were releasing things that were not right,” Mr. Farah said after a meeting with several broadcasters. “Everything is settled now. We will work together.” The transitional government, which took control of Mogadishu, the capital, late last month, seems intent on cracking down on dissent and extinguishing the nascent insurgency in the country. Government soldiers have been attacked in the past week, and on Saturday, the transitional parliament declared a state of emergency, giving the president sweeping powers to restore order. On Monday, the government shut down three of the nation’s largest radio stations and the Mogadishu office of Al Jazeera, saying that they were instigating violence. Radio station owners said today that they were relieved to be broadcasting again, but annoyed that they had to go through the ordeal in the first place. “Maybe the government just wanted to show us its power,” said Ali Iman Sharmarke, co-owner of Horn Afrik radio station. Mr. Sharmarke denied that his station had aired any inflammatory reports. But he conceded that some of the station’s recent broadcasts could have come across as one-sided, because opponents of the government spoke freely with the station’s reporters while government officials avoided them. For example, he said, after a recent weapons raid by government soldiers in a Mogadishu neighborhood, several residents complained to the radio station that they had been harassed. “But when we tried to get a comment from the government,” Mr. Sharmarke said, “they told us that it was a military operation and they couldn’t talk about it.” The situation in Somalia remains very unstable. The transitional government is trying to bring order to a country notorious for warfare among clans and murderous anarchy. Last month, the transitional government enlisted the help of Ethiopian forces to defeat an Islamist administration based in the capital. The Islamists vowed to go underground and keep fighting. Mogadishu’s biggest radio stations are owned by members of the same clan group that led the Islamists. Government officials have accused the radio stations of using their influence to undermine the government and bring the Islamists back into power (via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) Similar story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6266311.stm Published: 2007/01/16 13:41:17 GMT © BBC MMVII (via Terry L Krueger, DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. Technical feeder problems on RTI relays in Skelton 3955 and Issoudun 3965. http://german.rti.org.tw/German/RTI-German-Banner/RTI-German-Signalflow.htm (Christian Pees-D, in A-DX Jan 16) Thanks to Christian Pees on A-DX ng, interesting RTI signal flow: TAIWAN/FRANCE/U.K. Technical feeder problems on RTI relays in Skelton 3955 and Issoudun 3965 this week again. Still sea cable repair problems off Taiwan coast, after the earthquake off Taiwan measuring 6.7-7.1 on the Richter scale, on Dec 26/27. Sea cable settled down up to 4000 meters depth. http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?autono=269474&leftnm=8&sub\Left=0&chkFlg= http://www.dailywireless.org/2006/12/27/taiwan-earthquake-knocks-out-cables/ http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/01/01/quake.telecoms.ap/index.html It is the strongest earthquake to hit Hengchun in one hundred years. The earthquake not only caused casualties and building damages, but also damaged several undersea cables, disrupting telecommunication services in various parts of Asia. The FLAG cable links India, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Korea and Japan. SEA-ME-WE 3 includes 39 landing points in 33 countries across four continents --- from Western Europe to the Far East and Australia. Other cables damaged in the quake included those of Asia-Pacific Cable Network, Asia Pacific Cable Network 2, Cable 2 Cable, China US Cable Network, and East Asia Cable (all via Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) The first link has an interesting diagram of the signal flow; unfortunately, does not name the cable upon which RTI relies: only one, which goes to WYFR Oakland, through which Okeechobee and Skelton are reached by other means. The feed to Issoudun is by internet, which might or might not involve a cable, but not specified as such. Also, Taibei is at the north end of Taiwan, and the cable damage was off the south end (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN [and non]. Looking thru the USA section of WRTH 2007 on page 499 I noticed (inserted between WWRB and WBCQ, not in order either), something called DT Holdings which it says brokers programming time on Tajikistan transmitters, run by one Daniel Robinson, with an address in NYC, http://www.dtholdings.com (This is not the Dan Robinson who is also a VOA correspondent and DXer.) The website has minimal info, such as ``DTH has been providing premier radio and satellite based communications equipment and services in Central Asia since 1996. If you have any immediate questions or concerns about our products or services, please select New York, Tajikistan or Uzbekistan, or contact us online.`` Evidently DT stands for Dushanbe-Tashkent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. QSL CARD AND LETTER FROM BANGOK VOLMET 6676 USB. BANGOK VOLMET. QSL card and letter, 48 days. Report sent with 1 US$ to: Meteorological Department, 4353 Sukmvit, Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand. V/S Ms. Jantima Niyomechok. You can see the pictures on http://swli05639fr.blogspot.com 73's (Francesco Cecconi, bclnews.it via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Live from Turkey, Thu Jan 18 around 1400 on 12035 and 11735, had Christer Brunström from Sweden, I think, discussing global warming. Poor-fair reception on both (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Estimados, respecto al nuevo servicio en español de la Voz de Turquía 0200 UT en 9865 kHz, he podido escucharlo algunas veces aunque la recepción no es demasiado buena. Lo que me llama la atención es que algunos días (dos para ser más preciso) la transmisión no fue escuchada en absoluto, ni bien ni mal. Concretamente los días 13 y 17 de enero (hora UTC) no logré captarla. No sé si se habrá debido a algún problema técnico o simplemente no salen todos los días. ¿Alguien puede comentar sobre este punto? Estoy muy contento de que esta emisora tenga este nuevo servicio, todo un logro en momentos que muchos desaparecen, pero al mismo tiempo un poquitín decepcionado, ya que aparte de ser poco confiable, los locutores hablan muy rápido, lo que sumado a su ostensible acento dificulta la comprensión de los contenidos. 73, (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Jan 17, condig list via DXLD) ** U K. Storm damage BBC transmitters --- Violent winds in Wales and England are causing severe disruption to transmission due to mains power failure and we do not know when services will be restored. Below are transmitters we know to be affected: BRISTOL SISTON BBC1,2 Failure From 14:30 CAMBS MADINGLEY R. Cambs Failure From 15:49 CHESHIRE LANGLEY BBC1,2 Failure From 14:00 CORNWALL LOSTWITHIEL BBC1,2 Failure From 11:30 DERBYSHIRE CALVER PEAK BBC1,2 Failure From 14:24 DERBYSHIRE TIDESWELL MOOR BBC1 Failure 14:16-16:30 DEVON DAWLISH ALL TV Failure From 10:53 DEVON HARTLAND ALL TV Failure From 13:30 DEVON GOGWELL ALL FM Failure From 16:59 DOWN KILLOWEN MOUNTAIN BBC1,2 Failure From 11:56 E SUSSEX BEXHILL R.5 mw Failure 08:11-15:06 E SUSSEX OVINGDEAN ALL TV Failure From 14:05 E YORKS HIGH HUNSLEY (Digital) BBC Radio Failure From 13:31 GLOS DURSLEY ALL TV Failure From 14:30 GLOS NAILSWORTH R1.2 Failure From 13:17 HERTS ST. ALBANS ALL TV Failure From 14:50 MID WALES LONG MOUNTAIN ALL TV,FM Failure From 07:40 MID WALES MOEL-Y-SANT BBC1,2 Failure From 08:30 MID WALES CLYRO ALL TV,FM Failure From 14:28 MID WALES SENNYBRIDGE ALL TV Failure From 11:40 NW WALES FFESTINIOG ALL FM Failure From 12:39 NE WALES LLANARMON-YN-IAL BBC1,2 Failure From 10:38 NW WALES LLANDECWYN ALL TV,FM Failure 12:37-14:45 NE WALES LLANGOLLEN ALL FM Weak signal From 09:46 NE WALES HOLYWELL BBC1 Failure From 10:48 SE WALES CWMAFAN ALL TV,FM Failure From 15:45 SW WALES GREENHILL BBC1,2 Failure From 11:09 (via Steve Whitt, 2043 UT Jan 18, MWC via DXLD) WTFKs?? Good of BBC to provide such info to would-be listeners, anyway. What`s the URL? (gh) ** U S A. VOA Talk To America hosted by Erin Brummett, who is in her 20th year at VOA. More details at TTA Staff Page at http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/TTA-New-Staff-Page.cfm (Mike Cooper, Jan 17, DXLD) Erin used maiden name Brummet on the air, but she's officially Erin Klein, her married name, i.e. married to VOA journalist Kent Klein. 73 (Kim Elliott, VOA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now, is it Brummet or Brummett? A rather uncommon name, and I just happen to see it again in the Winter 2007 issue of Transmissions, paper newsletter from AWR in the listing of memorial gift-givers: ``In memory of Dr. Wendell Malin, given by Ed and Esther Brummett`` Is there a VOA-AWR connexion? AWR HQ after all is in nearby Silver Spring MD (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FORMER VOA DIRECTOR IS A SCOOTER BOOSTER. Prominent friend of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, indicted former top aide of [acting] Vice President Dick Cheney, "is Dick Carlson, a former ambassador and Republican stalwart who has headed the Voice of America and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (Carlson’s son is Tucker Carlson, the conservative TV pundit.) Like many of Libby’s well-heeled friends, Carlson wasted no time in coming to his aid. On the day the indictment was announced in October 2005, Carlson said: 'I sent a check by courier to Scooter’s house in McLean with the assumption that he’d need it.' That check was the impetus for what quickly morphed into The Scooter Libby Legal Defense Trust." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/14/politics/main2359140.shtml (CBS News, 15 January 2007. Posted: 16 Jan 2007, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A. NEW CHIEFS ON TAP FOR THE MEDIA & INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin has announced his intention to appoint Monica Desai as the Media Bureau Chief, and Helen Domenici as the International Bureau Chief. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-269373A1.doc (CGC Communicator Jan 17 via ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Discussion of WYFR website http://www.familyradio.com Resolves to: http://worldwide.familyradio.org/zusa/index.htm (Ken Kopp, KS, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ohhh my GOD. Terrible website DESIGN, only 10% of the site is used for very small window "observation slits". Aged looking. Bulky. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Hi Wolfgang, The WYFR site is a very bad one as you've found out. I was searching it last year to try to update all of their external relay transmissions - but I gave up! Mauno has had a terrible problem in trying to find out the details via the station itself because of the lack of information on the website. He's done very well to obtain what's printed in the WRTVH, but even so, more broadcasts and are being found from time to time, as well as different frequencies (Noel Green, UK, ibid.) ** U S A. CRIMINAL PROBE INTO WATER-POISONING [KDND-FM] --- FAMILY OF CONTESTANT WHO DIED PLAN TO FILE WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT, LAWYERS SAY The Associated Press Updated: 9:31 a.m. ET Jan 18, 2007 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16687211/ (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. Re 7-007, MEXICO, lo-fi OTA streaming audio: I know of another station streaming off the air; it is WDKD, Newberry, SC, at 1240 kHz. The audio is from a Radio Shack knock-off of the GE Superradio series, and it is not tuned to 1240 due to the extremely high RF in the building, but rather an image frequency at 1570 kHz. It seems to work. Check it out at http://www.wkdk.com I worked out this formula for determining image frequencies for radios with 455 kHz i.f.'s. I don't know why it works, but it seems to work almost every time. Can anyone explain it? 1240 X 2 = 2480 455 X 2 = 910 2480 - 910 = 1570 (Bob Smoak, Bamberg, SC, ABDX via DXLD) In this case image from the actual second harmonic, which they could also hear on 2480 if they tried (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) This tops them all: KXMS, ``Fine Arts Radio International``, Joplin MO, uses off-air pickup from 88.7 and the signal is often lost completely. In fact right now, 1710 UT Jan 18, I am hearing assorted noises other than KXMS itself via the play link at http://www.kxms.org/ie3.asp [and still at 0218 UT Jan 19] Even when it`s working, it`s lamentably lo-fi for a classical music station. Check their daily advance playlist of original and creative programming. Also happens occasionally that when the KXMS pickup is lost (like a brief transmitter failure) the receiver scans upward and lands on the next strong signal higher, whatever that may be, such as KRPS 89.9, public radio in Pittsburg KS, which does not stream itself. This goes on and on until KXMS gets around to manually retuning the receiver, which I believe is at some remote location (the server, not at the studio). The current outage may have something to do with the ice storm and associated power failures. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Enid, ibid.) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. unID 6484.15 Right now (1950-2010) --- I'm receiving a signal on 6484.15 in Arabic. Any suggestions? (Alexander Koutamanis, The Netherlands, Jan 17, HCDX via DXLD) In answer to my own question, it seems that the National Radio of the Arab-Saharan Democratic Republic is on the move again (Koutamanis, Jan 18, ibid.) Maybe also the 6480 unID in 7-007? RNRASD had stuck to 6458 for a couple weeks (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ARGELIA, 6485, Radio Nacional Saharaui, 1934-1940, escuchada el 18 de enero en árabe a locutora con comentarios en programa de música folklórica local, SINPO 44444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RASD now Jan 18th at 1940 UT on 6485.89 kHz. Speech to crowd in mixed Saharian? Arabic? and some Spanish words. About GREAT leader President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** ZIMBABWE. Glenn: a very nice but short-lived reception of Zimbabwe 3396 from 0415 to loss of signal at 0445; first 15 minutes of reception was exceptionally strong; then quickly down hill after 0435; talk in Shona (Presumed) and bits of English; lots of lively African vocals and a frantic DJ; ID under music at 0430. First time in my log book! (Jim Ronda, Tulsa, OK, UT Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. Voice of the People; 11695 [via Madagascar]; not possible to hear in South India at 17 UT because of Urdu service of Deutsche Welle on the same frequency. And at 1730 starts the Tamil service of AWR. But was fortunate on Sunday to hear Voice of the People with English conversations. Is it that AWR have no Tamil service on Sundays? (Manikant Lodaya, VU2JRO, India, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Manikant, Tnx for your observations. All the AWR schedules I can find show that Tamil is 7 days from KSDA 11695 at 1730. Maybe they have changed. BTW, I had to hunt and hunt in WRTH 2007 to find the AWR entry in the International pages. GUAM has the KSDA schedules only, but USA has the entire AWR schedule including KSDA. The US entries at first seem to be in alphabetical order by name of station, but AWR follows all the BBG items. Government vs private. But not all those are in a-order, either, as on page 499 between WWRB and WBCQ, one finds DT Holdings and Commando Solo! See also TAJIKISTAN. Why is AWR under USA and TWR under Austria? World HQ of TWR is in Cary NC, and neither one owns transmitters in the continental USA, or in Austria. Maybe it`s time for WRTH to put all these under a single separate heading, MULTI-NATIONAL GOSPEL HUXTERS or possibly something more neutral (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ [Re 7-007:] Ah, so this is out in an open forum. I really could care two hoots what you feel about the content of the broadcasters that you monitor. What I am interested in, is who/what (station) where (frequency) why (a hint of programme content) when (time referenced to your or the monitor's location). That standard applies to anyone else, including myself, providing DX material. Labelling of content is unnecessary, certainly because it's subjective. As you challenge me "if I had been paying attention", I remind you I was paying attention as to your questionable use of "silly" to describe the programming of a major broadcaster. Wouldn't it be more advantageous to the hobby to report fact alone? TD (Theo Donnelly, Burnaby BC, ODXA via DXLD) I`ll vote for fact AND opinion. I can use the facts and the opinions make for interesting reading, whether I agree with the opinion or not. Glenn`s opinion about sports is well-known, longstanding and something most of us accept and don`t need to challenge. That said, let`s move on to new threads of facts and opinions (Harold Sellers, ibid.) Its good to be out in the open. I for one have been hoping Glenn would see the light and come to appreciate sports broadcasts; then I listen to the Blue Jays and Maple Leafs in recent years and think, yeah he has a point. Having said that, I don't know where else you will find all the information you mentioned, in a timely fashion than at Glenn's World of Radio website. Or in many cases the yahoo groups. Glenn has many quirky terms for things; it`s part of his charm --- sesquihours, silly ball games, it took me a while to figure out UKOGBANI --- but when I did it made perfect sense. In my ODXA column years ago I started calling Yugoslavia, "Yugoserbia" which is what it was in fact after a while; you can consider that little affectation a tip of the cap to Mr Hauser from another columnist (Fred Waterer, who loves ballgames, silly or otherwise, but Glenn is OK too :-), ibid.) Dear Fred, since the strikes with the jays and the leafs I now follow neither. I feel what Glenn feels in part, I just don't care to watch inane sports activities anymore. Maybe I am getting old (Paul Nonlinear, ibid.) I'm afraid I have to disagree with you here, Theo. There are a lot of places to find the sort of factual information you mention here, but if that's all there is, it gets kind of boring to read after a while. It's the fact that Glenn Hauser has opinions and personal preferences and that he expresses them in his reports that makes those reports entertaining, and which keeps us reading them all the way through. (Greg Shoom, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ibid.) I'll second Greg's comments here, but I can understand that some hobbyists care more about the mechanics of logging than about what's being said. That's their prerogative. My own personal preference is to report and critique content, because that's what the *broadcaster* cares about. Yes, indeed, critiquing content is subjective. Warning - shameless cross-promotion: BTW, I mis-manage a group called 'swprograms' that is set up specifically to discuss content and strategy of international broadcasting - for those who want a more detailed (though sporadic) discussion of such matters. Check out http://www.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) Hi Glenn, A personal note from an avid DXLD reader. There's no point in discussing different DXLDanschaungs among your fans or adversaries, but I thought such kinds of major miscomprehension to be exclusive of those, like myself, read English as a second or even a third language. I suspect TD *knows* there's more than one country in the World. Unfortunately, he must think the count is two (Andrea Lawendel, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ INTERNET CENSORSHIP OF DXING.INFO SITE: GOOGLE OR GOGGLES? Quoting a message from my friend Mika Mäkeläinen: DXing.info has been deleted from the Google database. I have no idea why. As many of you know, DXing.info has been number two in results when you google "DXing" - but now it doesn't appear in the search results at all. DXing.info has also been deleted from the Google Directory. DXing.info's pagerank, a good indication of the value and quality of a website, has been six, the highest of all DXing-related sites. Now DXing.info doesn't even exist, as far as Google is concerned. Try any other search engine, and DXing.info still scores high. Is the disappearance of DXing.info collateral damage in Google's fight against spam? Or is this website being censored deliberately? I discovered this issue in November 2006. I have emailed to Google (they don't take calls), but I haven't received any response. So now it is time to take this public. You can read more of the story at http://www.lunchoverip.com/2007/01/google_killed_t.html in the January 16 posting titled "Google killed the radio star." Feel free to comment. And I count on your support. This feels like being David against Goliath - or should I say Googliath... Mika Mäkeläinen (via Henrik Klemetz, Luleå, Sweden, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thank goodness worldofradio.com couldn`t care less whether Google notices us (it certainly does), as we are not dependent on advertising or racking up page views (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) En relación a la información sobre DX info, acabo de ponerla en Google y me aparece como la primera opción y puedo leer las informaciones de la pagina, pero con esta dirección: http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=7207 atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, playdx yg via DXLD) Dxzone also frames our angelfire WOR page, and many others, under its own URLs. Should I be concerned about this? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Luckily the Google still gives several links pointing forward at DXing.info. I sincerely hope that there has been some kind of accident when cleaning unwanted sites from the database. Can it help to do *some* (unnecessary) searches for DXing.info in order to recover the correct site status? If nothing happens, there might be deliberate reasons why the site is "banned". - 73 de (Matti Ponkamo, Naantali, Finland, Jan 17, dxing.info via DXLD) Matti, thanks for your support, but searches won't help. I also hope that this is just a mistake, and will be corrected soon. It may just as well be my mistake in the sense that I don't know exactly how Google's demands have changed - the code for DXing.info has remained largely unchanged from the start, but maybe Google has changed something late last year. I have got some helpful hints in terms of coding the site for it to better please search engines like Google, and did some minor tweaking, though I doubt it would make much difference either way. One of the problems with Google is that it is very difficult to get in touch with - and, so it seems, even more difficult to get a reply from. Sort of like QSLing... It would be so much easier, if Google would let me know, if there is something I would need to change. As long as DXing.info can't be found using Google search, the virtual monopoly in the world of search, it would however be helpful if you can add links to DXing.info, in case you have a website, or in case you post messages in various discussion groups. This would help newcomers to find the site in the first place (Mika Mäkeläinen, Site Admin, Location: McLean, VA, USA, ibid.) Interesting; entering "dxing" in ask.com comes out with dxing.info as its first two hits.... Perhaps dxing.info needs to block inquiries from China to get its status back? (not very hi) (Nick Hall-Patch, Victoria, B.C., IRCA via DXLD) I gave up on google.com a long time ago. I use http://alltheweb.com It has everything that google has plus more (Bill Harms, MD, ibid.) NEW DXPEDITION REPORT FROM FINLAND If driving hundreds of miles just to listen to the radio isn't crazy enough, picture this: I flew thousands of miles from Washington D.C. to Finland to try to pick up stations from around Washington D.C. Well, going to Finland was really a Christmas vacation trip, but a DXpedition to Lemmenjoki was a vital ingredient of it. Fortunately we had some leeway in the timing so that both I and fellow DXer Jari Ruohomäki were able to head north right after Christmas to enjoy improving conditions until the expected rise in solar activity would hit in early January... Read the full story with pictures at http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/lem239rep.dx Regards, (Mika Makelainen, Discover http://www.DXing.info/ Join http://www.DXing.info/community/ BDXC-UK via DXLD) MORE ON MY RADIO & TV MEMORABILIA SLIDESHOW - Más diapositivas para ver de mi colección de memorabilia de radio y TV Hi, Much more photos have been added to the slideshow of part of my memorabilia radio and TV collection. You are invited to look at the imageshack.us link below: Hola, He agregado más fotografias a la exposición en línea de diapositivas de mi colección de memorabilia sobre radio y TV. Te invito a visitarla en... http://img213.imageshack.us/slideshow/player.php?id=img213/6392/116818150529p.smil 73 de (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, So. America, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) THE SILENT STATION LIST This list is derived from the NRC’s AM Radio Logbook database. Sometimes a station may be reported as silent to the AM Switch editor, Bill Hale, but we don’t get the word that the station has returned back to the air. This is your opportunity to contribute to the accuracy of the AM Radio log by letting us know if a station that is listed on the Silent Station List is back on the air, what format they are using and the hours of the stations operation if you know them. You can also notify us when a station that is Silent is not listed on the list, and we’ll add it to the list and to the AM Radio Log database. To send us the information, please included your name, address and e- mail address and send it to: amradiolog @ nrcdxas.org List Updated: 1-17-07 http://www.nrcdxas.org/SilentStations/index.html (Wayen Heinen, NRC-AM via DXLD) A nice list and service, but WPBC 1310 Decatur, GA is ON the air. They have been on with a Korean language format for at least the past three years. A few notes. 1. They rarely run a legal ID in English. I cannot remember hearing one in recent years. 2. They often rebroadcast HLKA from Seoul complete with HLKA or KBS IDs. 3. On weekends and holidays they often "forget" to switch from their 2,500 watt day power to their 31 watt night authorization. 4. On weekends and holidays they often run just an open carrier with no modulation, or worse, a skipping or stuck compact disc. Both of these can go on for hours, even days. No one is home. 73's, (Brock Whaley, WH6SZ\4, Lilburn, GA, ibid.) CARIBBEAN RADIO DATABASE Hello, Here the new version (2.0) of the Caribbean Radio Database: http://geocities.com/py2zx/caribe_2.0.xls It produced after several years of TEP monitoring in Brazil and some research on the web and magazines. For North Americans the database can be applied for Tropo/Es to Carib (Flávio Archangelo, PY2ZX, Jundiai - SP - Brazil, Jan 17, HCDX via DXLD) [Later:] Hello, For the friends who had problems to access Geocities, here the alternative link: http://www.qsl.net/vhf-dx/caribe_2.0.xls (Flávio Archangelo PY2ZX, HCDX via DXLD) FM only? CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ HFCC A07 CONFERENCE, ABU DHABI, FEB 5-9, 2007 The next A07 HFCC/ASBU shortwave frequency planning conference will be held from February 5 to 9, 2007 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi has been chosen for the Conference venue. Preparations are ongoing. The sponsor/organizer is EMI Emirates Media, which also organized a previous HFCC Conference in nearby Dubai in February of 2004. The official NASB representative at this HFCC Conference is KTWR-Guam. George Ross from KTWR will be in Abu Dhabi, along with Mike Sabin, the station's chief engineer. Jeff Lecureux, who has been a part of the Guam team at many past HFCC's, has recently left KTWR and is now working as a civilian engineer with the U.S. Navy in Guam. NASB member stations who do not have their own representatives at the HFCC Conference are welcome to contact the KTWR representatives regarding any issues that might need to be resolved at the meeting in Abu Dhabi, such as collisions and interference problems. You may contact George Ross prior to or during the HFCC Conference at his e- mail address, gross @ guam.twr.org NASB Board member Glen Tapley of WEWN in Alabama and Dr. Jerry Plummer of WWCR in Tennessee also plan to attend the HFCC in Dubai. More information about the HFCC and the upcoming conference in Abu Dhabi can be found at http://www.hfcc.org (NASB Newsletter, Jan via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ HD RADIO PERCEPTUAL STUDY - AWARENESS & INTEREST Q3. How Interested are you in owning an HD Radio? Not Interested Jan-07 12+ 92 12-24 72 25-54 86 55+ 97 Full story at: http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_1.17.07.HDPercep.htm (via Brock Whaley, Lilburn, GA, DXLD) WOR TOWER DEMOLITION NOTHING TO DO WITH DIGITAL Not to put words into Tom's mouth but for the record, the WOR tower site move has nothing to do with IBOC (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com NRC-AM via DXLD) Thanks, Doug. I was just about to make that point. We had mentioned that the new site was built with digital radio in mind, and that the entire audio chain is digital. Well, the kids who are TV reporters these days picked up on that word and ran with it. The reason for the move, which really is the news story, is the redevelopment of the Jersey Meadowlands and the capping of the dump that extends for thousands of acres. The WOR site was built on only a small portion of this dump. The area is being redeveloped into a high class (and high dollar) golf resort (Thomas R. Ray, III, CPBE, KC2NTU, Vice President, Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Broadcasting/WOR-710HD Radio; Chairman, Society of Broadcast Engineers, Chapter 15, New York City, 212-642-4462 phax: 212-764-1573 NRC-AM via DXLD) WORLD RADIO NETWORK PROPOSES EVALUATION OF DRM+ 55-68 MHZ [UK] In the same document as their proposals for liberalising RSL licencing Ofcom have also published their proposals following a consultation on 55-68 MHz usage. World Radio Network replied to the consultation proposing an evaluation of the band for DRM+. Interestingly they said: Following some initial work within the DRM Consortium on protection ratios for DRM+, there is some evidence that band-sharing of OFDM and FM services may not be quite as straightforward as anticipated. Whilst further work is required to fully quantify the mechanisms involved, it would currently appear that starting DRM+ services in a band free from broadcast FM transmissions would be a lower risk strategy. This would not compromise future wholesale migration to DRM+ in Band II at some future date, if and when FM services are phased out. Full document 60.7 KB pdf: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/rrs_5568/responses/wrn.pdf Ofcom's response: Ofcom will consider all other requests for alternative uses of this spectrum, for example DRM testing, directly and will assess whether an appropriate WTA licence for the purpose defined in the request exists. However, it may well consult JFMG (they licence audio distribution systems in the 60.75-62.75 MHz range) with regard to the frequency availability and interference issues pertaining to such requests. Full Ofcom response to 55-68 MHz (pages 26-27) 103 KB pdf: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/rrs_5568/statement/statement.pdf (Mike Barraclough, BDXC-UK via DXLD) No other mentions of DRM in 7-008 GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY FOR DTV CONVERTER BOXES The new Democratic Congress might "double or triple" the $1.5 billion already earmarked to assist consumers who want to purchase converter boxes to keep analog-TV sets percolating after the February 17, 2009 DTV transition date. http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6405492.html (CGC Communicator Jan 17 via ABDX via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ NEW RECEIVER FROM AOR Hi Glenn, I wonder if this is the long-delayed "JT-2000" receiver, first shown as a prototype at Dayton in 2000? http://deimert.se/ar-alpha/index.htm (Guy Atkins, Puyallup, WA USA, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AOR AR Alpha multimode communications receiver is on its way to the market. Look at this link for more info. http://deimert.se/ Probably very expensive too... 73 (Bernt-Ivan Holmberg, Möklinta, Sweden, HCDX via DXLD) THE BROADCASTER'S INSIDE SCOOP ON CES/LAS VEGAS This invited long-form letter recaps the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV. The author is a highly experienced broadcast engineer, Hal Kneller, who is also a Senior Manager at Harris Corporation, one of the largest and most respected manufacturers of broadcast equipment in the world. This letter looks at the future of radio and television broadcasting and reveals some important and surprising trends. http://earthsignals.com/add_CGC/Letters/CES_Jan_2007.htm (CGC Communicator Jan 17 via ABDX via DXLD) ###