DX LISTENING DIGEST 10-22, June 3, 2010 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 2010 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1515, June 3-9, 2010 Thu 1900 WBCQ 7415 Thu 2100 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WRMI 9955 Fri 0330 WWRB 3185 Fri 1430 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 0800 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9515 [second, fourth, fifth Saturdays, maybe] Sat 1330 WRMI 9955 Sat 1630 WWCR2 12160 Sat 1800 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 Sat 1900 WRMI 9955 Sun 0230 WWCR3 4840 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 9955 Sun 1900 WRMI 9955 Sun 2330 WWCR4 9980 Mon 0330 WWCR4 5890 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Tue 1900 WBCQ 7415 Tue 2230 WRMI 9955 Wed 0030 WRMI 9955 Wed 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1900 WBCQ 7415 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 or http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://193.42.152.193/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN: http://www.wrn.org/wrn-listeners/world-of-radio/ http://www.wrn.org/listeners/world-of-radio/rss/08:00:00UTC/English/541 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD, which seems to be coming out less frequently? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. US-FUNDED RADIO FOR AFPAK BORDER AREA NOW BROADCASTING FOUR HOURS A DAY | Text of report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty website on 28 May Islamabad, Pakistan: In the midst of the controversy regarding the decision to ban YouTube and Facebook, RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin visited Pakistan for five days to discuss media freedom. Gedmin's trip focused on Radio Mashaal ("torch" in Pashto) - RFE/RL's new Pashto-language station in the tribal areas along the Afghan- Pakistani border. Gedmin visited the station's Islamabad bureau and discussed Mashaal's mission with religious leaders, members of parliament, military officials, and civil society activists. "Since the launch of Radio Mashaal in January, the station has gotten off to a superb start," said Gedmin. "We've received a lot of positive feedback from listeners and have already increased our live programming from two to four hours per day." In Islamabad, Gedmin also met with US government officials. US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke has called Radio Mashaal's commitment to professional journalism in the local language, "an important contribution toward peace, reconciliation, and democracy in the region". Radio Mashaal's correspondents cover domestic and international news with in-depth reports on terrorism, politics, women's issues and health care, with an emphasis on preventive medicine. The station features regular call-in programmes, roundtable discussions and interviews with experts and leaders. More About Radio Mashaal Radio Mashaal was launched in January 2010 to counter a growing number of Islamic extremist radio stations in Pakistan's tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan. The station currently broadcasts via AM, FM and shortwave for four hours each day and shares a frequency with Voice of America's (VOA) Radio Deewa. Online, Radio Mashaal's website http://mashaalradio.com provides a live stream of its broadcasts. Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty website, Washington, D.C, in English 28 May 10 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ALASKA. KNLS, 11870, 27 May at 1115. Very weak signal with music and speakers occasionally rising to the just-barely-discernible level. Too poor to identify much of anything. Better but poor on 7355 at 1200 with music and speakers; still hard to identify language even. Copied "now it's time for" at 1215, but the end of that sentence fell into the hash (Terry Wilson, MI, Ten-Tec RX-320D, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. USSR built some transmitter sites: see RUSSIA ** ANTARCTICA. 15476.0, LRA36 (presumed), 1447-1508*, May 27. Pop songs (rock & roll); only the music was above threshold level; transmitter off at 1508. I only have a very short window in which the reception improves (1450-1500), after that it gets weaker again (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, Antarctica, RN San Gabriel. May 31 1406-1417 male in Spanish “código postal… Base Esperanza… muy buenos días para todos, programa La Esperanza al Mundo”, female announcements, talks about history of Argentina in Antarctica; 33433. June, 01 1436-1446 Pop Spanish selections; 43533. June, 02 1416-1430 female in Spanish, weather report, Pop Spanish selections, male ID in music break “transmite LRA36… para todo el mundo”. 35543 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello DXers, Every day I'm tuned and listening to 15476 for Antarctica if and when they broadcast between 1200 to 1500 UT. So far nothing that I can hear except open air and a lot of times a motorboating sound. Will keep trying; I need to hear a broadcast from them that`s readable enough to send a reception report to them, hoping for a reply and I really want a QSL card, that's if they QSL. Has anyone heard the station lately? (Rich Brock, Near Pittsburgh, PA, June 3, HCDX via DXLD) Not I. Still not even a carrier here as of June 3, tho I have usually upgiven before 1500 when Ron was getting it in CA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASIA [non]. USA [non] A-10 RFA Daily Broadcast Frequencies. All times in UT. Burmese (4 hours daily) 0030-0130 13820IRA, 13865TIN, 17835SAI 1230-1330 7390IRA, 9335TIN, 13675TIN 1330-1430 7390TIN, 9335TIN, 12140TIN(-1400) 1630-1730 9945TIN Cantonese (2 hours daily) 1400-1500 5835TIN, 7280TIN[1430-] 2200-2300 9355SAI, 11715TIN, 11785TIN Khmer (2 hours daily) 1230-1330 12140TIN, 15160IRA 2230-2330 7480IRA, 13740TIN Korean (5 hours daily) 1500-1700 1350 , 5810TIN, 7210IRK, 7455TIN 1700-1800 1350 , 5810TIN, 9370IRA 1800-1900 1350 , 5810TIN, 7465TIN 2100-2200 1350 , 7460 , 9385TIN, 12075SAI Lao (2 hours daily) 0000-0100 15545TIN, 15690IRA 1100-1200 9355SAI, 15145IRA Mandarin (12 hours daily) 0300-0600 13760SAI, 15120TIN, 15615TIN, 15635 , 17615TIN, 17880SAI, 21550TIN, 21690TIN 0600-0700 13760SAI, 15120TIN, 15615TIN, 15635 , 17615TIN, 17880SAI, 21550TIN 1500-1600 9455SAI, 9905PAL, 11540TIN, 12005TIN, 12025SAI, 13675TIN, 15495TIN 1600-1700 5820TIN, 9455SAI, 9905PAL, 11540TIN, 11795TIN, 12025SAI, 13675TIN 1700-1800 5820TIN, 7280TIN, 9355SAI, 9455SAI, 9540TIN, 9905PAL, 11540TIN, 11795TIN, 13625TIN 1800-1900 7280TIN, 7355TWN, 9355SAI, 9455SAI, 9540TIN, 9865TIN, 11540SAI, 11700TIN, 13625TIN 1900-2000 1098TWN, 7260TIN, 7355TWN, 9355SAI, 9455SAI, 9865TIN, 9875TIN, 9905PAL, 11700TIN, 11785TIN, 13625TIN 2000-2100 1098TWN, 6140TIN, 7260TIN, 7355TWN, 9355SAI, 9455SAI, 9905PAL, 11740TIN, 11785TIN, 13625TIN 2100-2200 1098TWN, 6140TIN, 7355TWN, 9385TIN, 9455SAI, 9905PAL, 11740TIN, 13625TIN 2300-0000 7540 , 11760TIN, 11785TIN, 15430TIN, 15485SAI, 15585TIN Tibetan (10 hours daily) 0100-0300 9365KWT, 9885WER, 11695UAE, 15225TIN, 17730 0600-0700 17510 , 17780KWT, 21500TIN, 21690UAE 1000-1100 15460BIB, 17750KWT, 21530KWT 1100-1200 7470 , 13830 , 15670UAE, 17750KWT 1200-1400 7470 , 11590KWT, 11605TIN, 13830 , 15670UAE 1500-1600 9370 , 11585TIN, 11595KWT, 11795UAE 2200-2300 5865KWT, 7470 , 7505TIN, 9880LAM 2300-0000 7470 , 7505KWT, 9805UAE, 9875TIN Uyghur (2 hours daily) 0100-0200 9350 , 9490LTU, 11895UAE, 11945UAE, 17640TIN 1600-1700 9350IRA, 9370 , 9555UAE, 11750IRA Vietnamese (2 hours daily) 1400-1500 5835TIN, 7520IRA, 9715TIN, 9805SAI, 11605TWN, 11680TIN, 12140IRA 1400-1430 1503TWN 2300-2330 1359TWN 2330-2400 1359TWN, 7520IRA, 11605TWN, 13740SAI, 15560TIN 0000-0030 7445IRA, 11605TWN, 13740SAI, 15560TIN (Radio Free Asia, via William Hague-UK, NWDXC June 1, via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Many if not all the secret sites are MONGOLIA or TAJIKISTAN, which must maintain deniability for some unfathomable reason (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Tropical Band scan from the high Northern Sierra Nevada Range for June 2, 2010: Tuned down into the 120 meter band to find one of the "Australian Sisters" (Australian Domestic Service) still hanging in there, Katherine on 2485 coming in at S6. Alice Springs on 2310 and Tennant Creek on 2325 kHz could barely be heard. Noise floor was a bit high (S5) but still good audio coming through on Katherine. News and music. Two days ago they had on a soccer (football) game. Yesterday and today was news and music. The Australian sisters were logged at 1030Z. R-71A using a 61 meter Marconi T antenna. Unreadable on the long wire antenna. The EWE antenna had occasional audio heard and carrier at or below noise level. Signal must have been coming in from the horizon since this is the angle the Marconi T antenna favors (Art Hernandez, Lemmon Valley, Nevada; Lemmon Valley is North of Reno - about 8-10 miles off of highway 395. Another 8-10 miles and you hit the California/Nevada border line. I'm really close to the Stead airport which I can see from my window; DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. 17750, RA at 0510 May 28 starting what was admitted by Roger Broadbent to be a repeat of ``The World Today``. Where have I heard that title before?? O yeah, on the BBCWS, which as it happens was also running its own TWT at the very same time, as IDed at 0514 on 9410 with good signal. Maybe RA should come up with a less duplicative title? RA program guide claims TWT airs only at 0210 UT Mon-Fri: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/programguide/158.htm At 0510 is supposed to be Pacific Beat – Afternoon Edition. Of note was the fact that there was some co-channel QRM underneath, not noticed previously. Aoki promptly reveals it`s VOA Kurdish via Madagascar, 250 kW at 359 degrees, 05-06 only; while RA is on 17750 at 2330-0700, 100 kW, 329 degrees from Shepparton, which means there should also be a collision in Kurdistan. Another frequency management failure (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7140, RA, 1408, May 28. It has been a long since I last heard this; weak, but clearly // 7240 (good) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ??? a spur or what? (gh, DXLD) Radio Australia, 31 May 2010 at 1100 UT on 9580 kHz. News at 1100. Excellent coverage of the BP oil spill disaster, including a detailed interview with Michelle Grady of the Global Environmental Agency on the implications, responsibilities, exploitation process and its implications for Australia. Program feature “Radio Australia Today” followed, with Tony Sweeney discussing the life of Dennis Hopper (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CUBA ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO AUSTRALIA INTERVIEWS NEW CEO MIKE MCCLUSKEY Mike McCluskey took up his new role as CEO of Radio Australia today. He’s been with the ABC for 25 years and is not only passionate about radio, but has a keen interest and knowledge of the Asia Pacific Region. Rob Sharp spoke to Mike McCluskey to find out about his vision for Radio Australia. Listen to the interview/read a transcript http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201005/s2914240.htm (May 31st, 2010 - 10:32 UTC, by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. GOING FROM HIGH IN THE ANDES TO DOWN UNDER Source: HCJB Global (written by Ralph Kurtenbach) [illustrated] Work begins with handshakes all around for the volunteer crew at HCJB Global-Australia’s international broadcast facility in Kununurra. It was not always so, according to engineer Steve Sutherland who will move to the remote town in Western Australia after recently wrapping up nearly two decades as an engineer and manager at Radio Station HCJB’s former shortwave site at Pifo, Ecuador. Except for his university years and career start in the U.S., Sutherland’s home since childhood has always been South America. While greetings there vary, most often they involve a personal touch—a kiss on the cheek, an embrace perhaps, and at minimum a handshake. So it was that Sutherland’s six months of tower work at Kununurra in 2008 carried with it a social ritual many Westerners may consider genteel, effusive or even time-wasting. The blond, blue-eyed engineer’s spoken English reveals just a hint of a Southern lilt, but he brings to Australia as well a bit of Latin America in the form of a handshake. “I told the guys, ‘I’m sorry [but] this is my culture. I have to shake your hands,’” Sutherland recounted with a smile. “Within a couple of months, they were shaking each others’ hands without me instigating it. And we just had a real good time getting the work done.” Broadcasting from Australia began on a 200-acre farm in 2003. Now on adjacent property, the Kununurra crew has begun developing a full-time transmission site, allowing for high-gain antennas. “We were able to raise six towers (in 2008), and this year we’re hoping to put up another four and the antennas strung up between them,” Sutherland continued. “We are hoping—if God allows—to be on the air [from the new site] in Kununurra.” Sutherland’s wife, Kathy, and children, Jonathan, 9, and Carolyn, 7, will accompany him to Australia while their daughter Elizabeth will stay in Ecuador to study at HCJB Global’s Christian Center of Communications in Quito. Their oldest daughter, Christina, is a recent graduate of Asbury University in Kentucky and will be teaching. Programs go out in 21 languages, airing a total of 105 hours per week. Languages include English, Mandarin, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Chhattisgarhi, Indonesian (Bahasa), Kuruk, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Marathi, Marwari, Telegu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Malay (Bahasa), Rawang, Min Nan Chinese (Fujian), Eastern Panjabi and Hmar. The antenna arrays on the new site will increase the reach of these broadcasts. While Ecuador’s high-altitude transmitter site carried its own unique challenges (electrical arcing on antennas, for example), the steppe climate in Kununurra presents different ones. The rains come each December and January, softening the ground of the antenna fields. “Actually, during a real wet year, you cannot get to the transmitter site itself,” he said. “We’re going to have to find a way to get out there to keep the equipment running.” Winds come with the dry season in the Andes, but not like Sutherland will see at Kununurra. He said when designing equipment, engineers must “think about 200 km/h (120 mph) winds.” Sutherland hosted a steady stream of working volunteers at Pifo, with Ecuadorian staff as his stable work force. The Australia project will differ in that “we have (volunteers helping) for anything from a couple of days to three months,” he related. “Most of the people who are volunteers are either retired or approaching retirement age,” Sutherland explained. “They bring a lot of good experience … different experiences.” He said of the ad hoc tower crew that “they have a heart to do all they can to get God’s Word out.” (HCJB Global News Update, week of May 24-28 [so nothing happens on weekends?], via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. VMW Wiluna, 8113 USB, 27 May at 1106. Weak signal of weather, with ID (Terry Wilson, MI, Ten-Tec RX-320D, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 8176 (USB), VMC (Australia Weather East), 1349-1352* May 28. Marine weather forecasts and warnings; gave wind conditions (knots) and pressure (hectopascals); *1355-1356* frequencies given for VMC: 2201, 4426, 6507, 8176, 12365 and 16546 and also for VMW (Australia Weather West): 2056, 4149, 6230, 8113, 12362 and 16528; fair. http://www.bom.gov.au/marine/marine_weather_radio.shtml (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZORES. Big FM opening to Northern Ireland: [SkywavesDX] Azores opening May 27th Hi all, astounding opening to [from --- gh] the Azores from here last night from about 1900 - 2050 local time [1800-1950 UT]. Big signals right to the top of the band. One of the highlights was hearing AFN from Lajes Field on 96.1. When the Azores faded out Madeira was around and then mainland Iberia took over. Here`s what was heard. 87.7, 1930 Antena 3 Açores Ponta Delgada / Ribeira Grande smg power? 2300 km *new transmitter* PI - 8204 ps: ANTENA_3 88.5, 1900 RCA-Rádio Atlântida Ponta Delgada smg 0.5 2300 PI:84CB PS:ATLANTDA 84CB 89.2, 1940 RDP Antena 2 Serra do Cume tce 1 2276 8202 89.5, 1900 RDP Antena 1 Açores Pico das Águas smg 10 2293 8201 89.9, 1905 RDP Antena 2 Pico Bartolomeu smg 1 2273 8202 90.5, 1930 RDP Antena 1 Açores Serra de Santa Bárbara tce 100 2285 8201 91.8, 1910 RDP Antena 2 Nordestinho smg 1 2270 PI:8202 PS:ANTENA_2 8202 92.2, 1911 RDP Antena 1 Açores Cascalho Negro smg 1 2295 8201 92.7, 1911 RDP Antena 1 Açores Pico Bartolomeu smg 1 2273 8201 93.0, 1916 RCA-Rádio Atlântida Mosteiros smg 0.5 2294 94.1, 2049 MDR RDP Antena 3 Madeira Pico do Areeiro md 44 2507 832D 94.7, 1951 Rádio Clube de Angra Angra do Hero?smo tce 0.05 2286 96.1, 1958 AFN Island FM Lajes Field/Air Base tce 0.15 2270 96.7, 1911 RDP Antena 1 Açores Pico Alto stm 1 2346 8201 97.9, 1920 RDP Antena 1 Açores Pico da Barrosa (RDP) smg 50 2289 8201 99.4, 1920 RCA-Rádio Comercial dos Açores Ponta Delgada smg 3 2296 RCACORES 8061 99.7, 2014 RDP Antena 1 Açores Serra do Cume tce 1 2276 8201 101.1, 2016 Rádio Clube de Angra Angra do Heroísmo tce 0.4 2286 101.7, 1930 RDP Antena 2 Pico da Barrosa (RDP) smg 50 2289 PI:8202 PS:ANTENA_2 8202 103.7, 1935 RDP Antena 1 Açores Nordestinho smg 0.5 2270 8201 103.9, 2006 Antena 3 Açores Praia da Vitória 0 2272 *new transmitter* 8204 ANTENA_3 8204 104.6, 2044 RDP Antena 1 Açores Vila do Nordeste smg 0.1 2267 8201 106.0, 1920 Unid non stop pop music Pico Bartolomeu smg 1 2273 107.2, 2023 Rádio Horizonte Lagoa smg 1 2294 107.9, 2008 Rádio Graciosa Santa Cruz da Graciosa gci 0.5 2286 PI: PS: 80E0 105.8, 2010 Antena 2 Açores Unid transmitter site Wonder was Hugh`s Canadian TV opening [to Portugal] around the same time and "across" some of the same E clouds. This is the biggest opening to the Azores I have ever seen. The new Antena 3 transmitter on 87.7 should be a good target for those who have not heard this island group yet. Lots of recordings and video to post but what with the never ending E's it might take a bit! Exceptional start to the season! Regards and good DX to all Paul Logan, Lisnaskea, N. Ireland Listening Homepage: http://band2dx.webs.com/ Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiofotos/ Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/yogi540 (skywaves via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) Distance is in the 1500-mile range, not as far as I thought; could still be double-hop Es, nice catches (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BAHAMAS. 50% BUDGET CUT FOR BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF THE BAHAMAS The Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, which is commonly referred to as ZNS, will suffer a 50 percent budget cut in the 2010/2011 fiscal year. “We propose to move ZNS to public service broadcasting, which will reduce not only the operations, but we believe that there will be some attrition as a result of that,” said Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, who has responsibilities for the corporation. “There are a number of persons who are nearing retirement age, but the details are being considered by the government now. Once they’re considered, I will then have discussions with the two unions at ZNS along with the executive management and the staff as a general body on the way forward, but the $4 million is all that the government is able to provide.” In the 2009/2010 fiscal year, the government allocated $8.5 million to ZNS. In the coming fiscal year, $4.25 million is being allocated. Mr Turnquest said that until the government works out the details of its public service broadcasting plan, he is not able to talk specifics as regards staff reductions. “The board of [the corporation] has put forward its views,” he said. “The government is considering them. Once it has been considered by the government I would then be able to talk to the staff and obviously the press and the public.” The minister explained why the government wants to move toward public broadcasting in the coming fiscal year. “We believe that in terms of public broadcasting, in terms of the educational value, the informational value, that it streamlines the operations at the Broadcasting Corporation so that it becomes a national broadcaster in the sense of public service broadcasting as opposed to commercial broadcasting, which, given the proliferation of radio stations and now even television stations, we think this is now an appropriate time to do so.” (Source: Nassau Guardian) (June 2nd, 2010 - 9:05 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** BAHRAIN. 6010, Without Belarus at 0010 but Bahrain was only here with slow songs (Whitney Houston?) and ID at 0015 " This is the ..... show of Radio Bahrain", 27/5 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF 2001, Marconi antenna), June Australian DX News via DXLD) ** BHUTAN. "BBS RADIO" NEW LIVE TELEPHONE PROGRAMME This message came to me via Facebook, referring Bhutan Broadcasting Service. Please Note BBS, transmits on 6035 kHz SW and the times below are in BST which is UT + 6 Hours. 73s, Thanks & Regards, (Partha Sarathi Goswami, Siliguri – 734001, Dist. Darjeeling, West Bengal, INDIA, June 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: facebook Sherpem Sherpa sent a message to the members of BBS Radio. Sherpem Sherpa June 3, 2010 at 12:11pm Subject: Chatting with my Best Friend... Hi all, This is a new programming I've started on BBS Radio since last Saturday (29th May 2010). It's all about talking to your best friend. And for the show --- I'm your best friend ;o) You can Speak Your Mind; talk about anything that's there on your mind; discuss on an issue; talk about some memorable event of the week or of the day or something that's been there on your mind for sometime... It's a LIVE call-in program. Numbers to dial - 335280/335281/336309 It goes on air every Saturday - Morning (11-12) [05-06 UT] Afternoon (2-3) [08-09 UT] and Evening (9-10) [15-16 UT] on the English Service of the BBS. And Radio on the Net - http://www.bbs.com.bt - click on the link "Listen to Radio" (via Goswami, ibid.) Hi Partha Sarathi! Thank you very much for sharing this important piece of information. Do they say whether they will be taking any calls from outside of Bhutan in that Program? Regards (Paul, West Bengal, ibid.) Hi, No specific information they gave about calls they will take, but personally I think they will love to attend calls from outside Bhutan too. BTW the ISD Code for Bhutan is +975 and the code for Thimpu city is 2, hence the dialing numbers will be +975 2 335280/+975 2 335281/+975 2 336309. You can also contact Sherpem Sherpa - the host on facebook or via e-mail at sherpems @ hotmail.com 73s, (Partha Sarathi, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. On the Air now, 0045 to 0120, 31 May 2010: 3390.056, Radio Emisoras Camargo, Camargo, om yl en español per Dave Valko tip. Ute on top. 4716.668, Radio Yura, Yura, very strong with rustic CP vocals, yl 73s (Bob Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4409.81, R. Eco, Seemed like news hosted by M at 0017. Long ad block at 0020-0028 with second by W in heavy echo. 0026 M returned with TC and talk. Nice canned ID with "4,410 khz" frequency (including meterband) by M over piano music at 0039 during break in talk by live M. Unfortunately it was ruined by buzzsaw-like ute QRM. Into nonstop music at 0042 going past ToH. Dropped off after 0100. Sounded like the same ID at 0145, again ruined by the ute. Then off at 0146*. Best heard in a long time. (30 May) 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, RX: NRD-535D, ANT: 60m T2FD and 31m Windom, HCDX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4865.069, 2354 UT May 30, R. Logos, Santa Cruz, SS Religious program. Perseus SDR + super Kaz (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 5765a, UNID at 1010, FMing, on May 31, 2010 with Andean music, then news or announcements in Spanish unreadable but found better readability around 5759 to 5762, only on signal peaks. QRK3. Undoubtedly Bolivian, mentioning "Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos", "Buenos Dias Bolivia" and "estado boliviano", among other cues. Spur of 6035 Panamericana? An mp3 recording with selection of most usable audio has been uploaded to http://www.goear.com/listen/fa13132/Bolivia-UNID-5765a--Horacio-Nigro-Uruguay (Horacio A. Nigro, Kenwood R600 + randomwire, Montevideo, Uruguay, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ? There is no Panamericana on 6035; used to be on 6105 (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Logs 49 mb 30/5: Em Pio XII, Siglo Veinte, 5952.455 kHz, 2220 UT. Typical Bolivian music, nice signal and clear audio. Radio Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, 6134.801, 2256 UT, ID in SS by male. Perseus SDR + Marconi antenna (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) 6134.80, Radio Santa Cruz, 0930-0945 May 31, Noted a male in steady Spanish comments sounded very much like news. At 0935 music. Signal was fair this morning (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston FL, WinRadio e305G/pd, 26.37N 081.05W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. On the Air now, 0045 to 0120, 31 May 2010: 3375.316, Brasil, R Municipal São Gabriel da Cachoeira 4894.962, Brasil, Radio Novo Tempo, Campo Grande PR 4985, Brasil, Radio Brasil Central, Goiânia, strong signal 73s (Bob Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Canção Nova retorna nos 60 metros --- A Radio Canção Nova de Cachoeira Paulista (SP) voltou a transmitir em 4825 Khz nas Ondas Tropicais de 60 metros. Escutei ela as 14:30 hrs de Brasilia [1730 UT] com SINPO 15531 (Edison Bocorny Jr., Novo Hamburgo- RS, Receptor Degen DE 1103, May 30, radioescutas yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Logs 49 mb 30/5: Rádio Voz Missionária, Camburiú, 5939.997 kHz, 2229 UT, Portuguese songs and local news, good signal and clear. Rádio Gaúcha, P. Alegre, (tentative) 6019.940 kHz, 2233 UT, weak Portuguese talks. Rádio Aparecida, Aparecida, 6135.040, 2251 UT, Portuguese talks by male and female, fair. Rádio Nacional Amazônia, 6185 kHz, 2259 UT, Many IDs in Portuguese, very strong and clear. Perseus SDR + Marconi antenna (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [and non]. Logs from Sunday 30/5: 9505, 2140, R. Record, São Paulo, Many IDs in Pr. by male, fair 9564.940, 2201, R. Aparecida, Aparecida, Pr. Local talks 9645.347, 2223, R. Bandeirantes, São Paulo. Phone talks by male in Pr 9665.088, 2231, R. Voz Missionária, Florianópolis Very weak Pr. talks 9675, 2239, R. Canção Nova, Cachoeira Paulista. Pr. Voz do Cristão, many IDs, good 10000, 2250, Observatório Nac. Rio de Janeiro, Pr. Pips, ID Observatório Naval [sic], fair 11780, 2259, R. Nac. da Amazônia, Brasília, Many IDs in Pr., good 11815, 2256, R. Brasil Central, Goiânia, Football sport 11854.960, 2302, R. Aparecida, Aparecida, Pr. talks by female 5970, 2317, R. Itatiaia, Belo Horizonte, Pr. talks about Brazil, noisy 6009.796, 2324, R. Inconfidência, Belo Horizonte, Pr. info about Brazil, by male, noisy [and for comparison:] 6009.960, 2334, LV de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda, Colombia, Weak SS talks by male and female. 4974.767, 2346, R. Mundial, Osasco, Pr. ID. Perseus + Marconi and super Kaz (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 5990, Rádio Senado, Brasília DF, *0852-0935+, May 28, sign on with local Brazilian music. Portuguese ID announcements at 0900. Mostly continuous local music. Fair to good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) Venerdì 28 maggio 2010, 2123 - 5990 kHz, R. SENADO - Brasilia, PP, "o comercio eletronico". Segnale buono (Luca Botto Fiora, SITO RICEVENTE G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) I thought this was mornings only? Well, Aoki shows: 5990 R. Senado 0850-2100 (gh, DXLD) 5990, Radio Senado, Brasilia, 2053-2110, 31-05, locutor, portugués, comentarios, "Senado Federal". 44444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That reminds me, in WOR 1514 we had a report that the 6090 station was putting out spurs on 6185 and 5990 QRMing both Brasília frequencies. Trouble is, one is +95 kHz and the other is - 100 kHz, so the spurs to match would really have to be somewhere in between (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Super Radio Deus é Amor, Curitiba. Female talks in Portuguese, 9564.576 kHz. More than 800 Hz lower than usual (Maurits Van Driessche, Perseus SDR +Marconi antenna, Belgium, 2025 UT May 27, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. ``Skip was long``, May 27 at 0602, making WYFR very weak on 9680, instead of its often overpowering signal; and 9675 clearly bore Brazilian Catholic recitations by a small group of voices with piano background: Lord`s Prayer, Ave Maria, Apostles` Creed. F-G signal here from R. Cançao Nova, Cachoeira Paulista, which per WRTH 2009 was not even supposed to be on the air between 2100 and 1000. (WRTH 2010 gave up on specifying any hours for Brazilian stations.) But Aoki today shows it 24 hours. WYFR weakage also eliminated the 9715/9680 leapfrog on 9645 which normally causes a het to off-frequency R. Bandeirantes on 9645.3, now F-G with no het in discussion. Also had music on 9819v, no doubt R. Nove de Julho. Aoki also shows it 24 hours on ``9820``. It`s nice to see the evangelical Protestants still have some competition from the Catholix on Brazilian SW, altho one, just one Rational outlet would be even nicer (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. PROMESSAS NÃO CUMPRIDAS DA NACIONAL, CULTURA E INCONFIDÊNCIA Algum membro da lista teria notícias sobre os novos transmissores de 250 kW da Nacional da Amazônia para 25 metros e 49 metros? E os 600 kW da Nacional de Brasília 980 kHz à noite? Como anda a Cultura do Brasil que mudou de local para implantar seu parque de transmissores em 9615 e novo TX com 10 kW em 17815? E a Inconfidência? Como ficou a situação do TX de 19 metros em 15190 que sofreu avaria no final de março? A Timbira havia dito que retornaria em 15215 e nas Ondas Tropicais em 2008 (Edison Bocorny Jr., Novo Hamburgo RS, June 1, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Re 10-21: "Reminding us of one of SW`s great mysteries -- - why R. Bulgaria only can use frequencies ending in zero-zero --- when looking for a new frequency that really limits their choices" Because some boss rigorously requires them to stick with this lame PR gag, no matter how much trouble it causes? In all likelihood any engineering background can be ruled out from the start, since Radio Bulgaria used in the past frequencies everywhere in the bands (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 29, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Frequency change of Radio Bulgaria in Russian from May 30: 2300-2400 NF 7300 PLD 170 kW / 045 deg to CeAs, ex 7400 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 24 May, not distributed until 3 June due to e-mail problems, via DXLD) [and non]. En el semanal espacio Correo del oyente hacemos el habitual repaso de las cartas que hemos recibido de los oyentes de las emisiones en español de Radio Bulgaria. "El servicio Técnico de Radio Bulgaria solicita a los oyentes de España, se sirvan comunicar sobre la emision de las 0600 horas UTC en la frecuencia de 15800 kHz: hay interferencia de parte de Radio El Cairo, Egipto" (???!!!) (Correo del Oyente, 01 junio 2010 Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) Due to DST shift one hour earlier (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Channel 3 analog, French from north, most likely CBWFT Winnipeg, May 30 at 1735 UT with cooking show? 1737 demonstrating how to force-feed geese; gotta get that foie gras. Analog channel 2, May 31 at 0157 UT had peak for a few minutes during movie/drama, speaking Spanish at the moment, requiring English subtitles, seems set in Colombia. But bug in lower right says GLOBAL, so it`s the Canadian network. I had aimed the antenna northward after seeing gobs of 6m sporadic-E activity on DX Sherlock, mostly east-west along the US/Canadian border, so I was just getting a leftover. Faded by 0200 if there was any ID, but W9WI shows the full-power Globals on 2 within range are: CICT Calgary AB, CKND-2 Minnedosa MB, CIII-2 Bancroft ON. Checking program listings for Global, must have been the two-hour movie, ``The Summit`` which aired at 9-11 pm EDT, 8-10 pm CDT, and 9- 11 pm MDT. That rules out Calgary, but I was getting the middle of it from MB or ON. CKND-2 MB is most likely (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [non]. QSL: FRANCE, 9730, Bible Voice Broadcasting, Amharic to East Africa via Issoudun. Full data (with site) ‘reaching Nations’ multi-collared QSL card with schedule. This for a report sent to Toronto address with return postage, reply in 47 days (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [non]. QSL: Vatican (non), 7230, RCI English via Santa Maria di Galeria Relay. Full data (with site) Maple Leaf Mailbag multi- colored QSL Card with schedule. Reply in 19 days. V/s: Bill Westenhaver (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Hi Glenn, Hank Zeck here at the HCJB Global Technology Center here in Elkhart, Indiana. Curt Bender and Dan Anderson and myself went to Central African Republic in April of 2010 to set up two new shortwave stations. One is in Boali for ICDI where they were currently broadcasting on 6030. The new transmitter will broadcast on 3390 kHz during the evening hours. I understand they were in the process of getting official permission for this new frequency but we were able to do some test broadcasts with Lazy H antenna at 1 kW. The other station was for the government site at Bimbo near Bangui where they currently have a Chinese built shortwave transmitter operating. We used another 1 kW transmitter with Lazy H antenna from a small room at this facility. The frequency there was 5035. The government was able to do one test broadcast before we left at the end of April but they still needed to put the airco in the room (Hank Zeck, Osceola, Indiana 46561, June 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hank, tnx for the first hand info, clearing up some contradictory info from HCJB publicity. Please keep us informed about such details on any further projects involving SW. According to TDP http://www.tdp.info/caf.html the original SW transmitter was a 100 kW Thomson from 1970, and then a 20 kW from 1980, with no `year out` shown, tho it`s been off the air for several years. 1 kW will hardly serve as a replacement with nationwide coverage, but will at least get them back on the air (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Firedrake May 27: 8400, JBA at 1235; poor at 1423 10420, very good at 1242; fair at 1423 12960, fair at 1246; gone at 1426 13320, fair at 1248 // 12960 and 10420; gone at 1426 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, FD was noted on 14700 at 1250 // 8400 (Robin Harwood VK7RH, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, Radio Monitor, SWLR-KS001, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Firedrake May 28; propagation quite poor, so only: 14700, at 1255 very poor with flutter; unheard at 1322. No other FD frequencies audible 8-19 MHz in two scans before and after 1300. Firedrake May 29: not found anywhere 8-18 MHz in bandscan around 1315- 1320 UT, with especial attention to the frequencies where it has appeared before. Propagation from E Asia very poor today, unlike S Asia (see INDIA). In fact, not much beyond single-hop audible on any band. Geophysical Alert Message # Solar-terrestrial indices for 28 May follow. Solar flux 73 and mid-latitude A-index 8. The mid-latitude K-index at 1500 UTC on 29 May was 5 (72 nT). **** Space weather for the past 24 hours has been minor. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is expected to be moderate. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level are expected (SWPC) DX Sherlock says hams were working auroral DX as far down as 44 degrees north latitude. Firedrake May 31: nothing found during extremely poor conditions from East Asia, during these bandscans: 1258-1300, 8-11 MHz 1305-1307, 11-15 MHz 1307-1309, 15-18 MHz Geophysical Alert Message # Solar-terrestrial indices for 30 May follow. Solar flux 73 and mid-latitude A-index 12. The mid-latitude K-index at 1200 UTC on 31 May was 3 (23 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SWPC) Firedrake June 1: conditions improved somewhat over last few days, and a few audible again: 8400, poor at 1329; lots of atmosferix = T-storm noise, from as close as south-central Kansas, making lower frequencies useless. 10420, fair at 1335; at 1356 not // 12800 12800, fair at 1342 – the odd one out, not // others 13300, fair at 1345, not // 12800 None others found up to 18 MHz. Only the strongest/nearest signals were making it above 11 MHz, hardly anything on 15 MHz. Firedrake June 2: this time I bandscanned downward instead of upward, since I was already hearing CRI EAST TURKISTAN [q.v.] on 16m. But did not find any until 1246 on 11500. 8400, poor at 1251, off the air at 1300, but audible again poorly at 1316 during drumming segment 11500, poor at 1246, none higher. This one often shows signs of something beneath FD, so maybe Sound of Hope is running more than 100 watts as in Aoki? No, more likely the collateral victim is Voice of Russia, scheduled 12-15 via Tajikistan to S Asia. I was monitoring 11500 again at 1259, and just before it cut off the air at 1300 there were a few syllables of Chinese spoken, I wonder what? Totally off the air now, not running open carrier as often happens at TOH for 5 minutes. Still off at 1305. 14700, JBA at 1311, not before 1300 Firedrake June 3; generally poor reception. When are we ever going to attain solar flux consistently above 80? 8400, JBA at 1313 11500, fair at 1324 with CCI 13300, very poor at 1328 14700, at 1334, possibly there under local TVI/noise blob (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. I wonder what happened with Qinghai PBS? It has been almost a month now (since May 1) that 4220 has been off the air during checks made from about 1230 to 1330. Not very promising! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, USA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 4460, 6030 and 6175 kHz of CNR-1 Beijing 572 site reactivated from 1955 UT on May 31. de Hiroshi (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, June 1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4460, CNR, Beijing. May, 31 2106-2113 female in Chinese talks. Degrading, 25433 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 4940, Voice of Strait, June 1. Was not on the air at tune in at 1242. Found them with fair reception by checking at 1326. So is this now *1300? Needs more monitoring. 4940, Voice of Strait, *1300, June 3. Can confirm their new sign-on time (ex: *1200); starts their program slightly past 1300, hence no pips given, but right into Chinese. This is unfortunate as in the past they always had an ID in English (“This is the Voice of Taiwan Strait News Radio”) just after the pips at 1300. 5050, Guangxi Beibu Bay Radio (BBR), 1156, June 1. This is again very pleasant listening, as China Huayi BC has now moved off this frequency (now on 6185), leaving BBR in the clear. Pop music; ToH pips, multi- language IDs, “B-B-R news” in Vietnamese; language lesson (Chinese and Vietnamese). 6030, CNR-1, 1320, June 1. As Hiroshi (reported by Sei-ichi Hasegawa) has already noted, this has resumed broadcasting again here, along with 6175 and 4460. Minghui Radio is truly jammed now with the strong echo of CNR-1 programming. 6175.0, CNR-1, 1318, June 1. With the resumption of this strong signal here, is harder to hear Voice of Malaysia on 6174.4v. Was great while they were off! 6185, China Huayi BC, ex: 5050, 1213, June 1. Nice to find they have returned again to their former frequency, which is now clear. Usual format of talk till BoH; then non-stop pop songs till 1300 pips and off (no sign-off announcement) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Sei-ichi Hasegawa has confirmed CHBC is on 6185 kHz. Was heard in Japan at 1100 on June 2, but covered at 1125 by NHK in Russian. Thanks to Sei-ichi for his affirmation (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, June 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 5910, Marfil Estereo, Lomalinda, 0452-0720, 01-06, canciones latinoamericanas, llaneras, identificación: "La hora en Marfil Estereo, son las 2 de la mañana con 3 minutos". 23322. (Méndez) 6010, La Voz de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda, 0720-0735, 01-06, locutora leyendo la Biblia en inglés y locutor traduciendo al español. Muy débil y por detrás, más débil aún se escucha RadioMil. 13221 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 6009.960, 2334 30/5, LV de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda. Weak Spanish talks by male and female. [for comparison:] 6009.796, 2324 30/5, R. Inconfidência, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Portuguese info about Brazil by male, noisy. Perseus + Marconi and super Kaz (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. LOS AÑOS MARAVILLOSOS DE LA RADIO El 17 de mayo de 1941, los fundadores de la Radiodifusora Nacional de Colombia posaron para una histórica foto. De izquierda a derecha, tras la baranda: Rafael Guizado, su director; Oswaldo Díaz Díaz; Otto de Greiff, Gerardo Valencia, Hernando Vega Escobar y León de Greiff. En primer plano de izquierda a derecha, Bernardo Romero Lozano, Elías Perdomo, José Santos Quijano, Gerhard Rothstein, Guillermo Espinosa y Hernán Mejía Vélez [caption] MEDIOS --- La Radio Nacional de Colombia cumple 70 años de existencia. El 17 de junio se lanzará una colección con los mejores programas y transmisiones de la Radiodifusora. Lunes 31 Mayo 2010 Cuando Eduardo Santos pronunció el discurso de inauguración de la Radiodifusora Nacional de Colombia, pocos se imaginaron que con este empezaba una era dorada de la radio pública en el país: [mucho más] Fuente: Semana.com http://www.semana.com/noticias-cultura/anos-maravillosos-radio/139565.aspx (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia) ** CONGO. 6115, Brazzaville, Congo. Vernacular 15/5 2045 some French announcements at 2030 fair level, took a while to figure this station out (Johno Wright, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) Aoki says off at 2030, WRTH 2300. I can’t get past Family Radio in Arabic (via Nauen), at this location, unfortunately (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW (Icom R75, Drake R8A, Folded Dipole, Dream® DRM Software), June Australian DX News via DXLD) 6115 YFR via DTK: 20-22, 250 kW, 210 degrees (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CONGO DR [non]. Venerdì 28 maggio 2010, 2136 - 15630-9420=6210 kHz, V of GREECE - Avlis, Musica locale. Segnale sufficiente-insufficiente. R. Kahuzi è solo per pochi eletti (Luca Botto Fiora, SITO RICEVENTE G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. 5055, Faro del Caribe, San José. Spanish ‘boot- scootin’’ sounding song, then Spanish announcemens at 0623. More songs until swamped by Vanuatu at 0630 (Dennis Allen, Milperra NSW, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) It fits propagationally, but haven’t seen any reports for some time. Certainly their website no longer lists SW & WRTH says inactive. Needs further checking (Craig Seager, ADXN ed., ibid.) More likely a leapfrog mixing product of Rebelde 5025 over RHC 5040 another 15 kHz higher, as I have been noting as an obstacle to Vanuatu. See if the audio is // either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5055, unID from around 0455 to 0600 14/5, very poor level. Playing MOR songs sounded like a Brazilian! But at this time? Radio Vanuatu then came up over this weak station and dominated from 0610 ID in local lang Bislama 14/5 (Johno Wright, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) Mark Mohrmann’s page also records an unID LA here at 1120 in April. Could be Brazil, but as you say, the listed station not typically heard here at this time (Craig Seager, ADXN ed., ibid.) ** COSTA RICA. 5954.17, ELCOR xmtr, 0346 LA Pops at t/in. Nonstop mx to 0405, deadair, then signal off at 0406:06. Good signal w/adjacent slop QRM. Apparently still testing. (24 May) 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, RX: NRD-535D, ANT: 60m T2FD and 31m Windom, HCDX via DXLD) I am just back from almost a week of hiking and exploring in the NC/TN mountains once again. Upon returning and reconnecting the radios, I had ELCOR from *2257 May 27, 5954.23 (and as always, slowly drifting down as the transmitter warms up). Of note is that they are now (finally) running a new music loop. Essentially similar, but at least a change. This night it opened with a tenor version of "Ave Maria" but the start song varies or is on shuffle, at least in the past (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5954.15, ELCOR, 0330-0358*, May 31, continuous Spanish pop ballads. Sign off with Ave Maria. I have noticed they seem to usually sign off with Ave Maria. Fair signal but some adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** COSTA RICA. Glenn, Noted your comments in the latest Digest. I am hearing REE on 9765 (clear, fair), 11815 (local) and 17850, (local) in Spanish with presumed live soccer coverage, 1944+ May 29. Assuming these are from Costa Rica, then three transmitters are working, or are now back in service if there was a problem (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REE Cariari relay: May 27 at 1231 on 5930 making a SAH with rumbling/motorboating Petropavlovsk, while // 5970 weak but clear. The other transmitter, on 15170 remains totally out of whack, May 27 at 1254 terribly distorted breaking up and unlistenable on the fundamental and splattering spikes out as far as 15020-15320. Except for strong signals from Cuba on 15120 and WYFR on 15130, which suffered heavy QRM, it was impossible to tell what other signals were trying to be heard in this entire range! No improvement by 1430 check, splatrange roughly 15030-15310. Combined with the RHC spurs from 15360 on 15323, etc., most of the 19m band is polluted by these two engineering nightmares. At 1303, even the big signal from CRI Sackville on 15260 had QRM de CRI [Cariari]. Are they not aware in Cariari of what they are doing? They should bring up a remote receiver if necessary. Suspect this problem has something to do with the new unit being DRM-capable. 15170, REE relay, May 28 at 1255 still crackling on fundamental and exporting modulation spikes some 100 kHz above and below, but not as bad as yesterday. At least 15170 itself was not a total loss. Next check at 1327 had improved more, splattering only plus/minus 30 kHz. Severity no doubt depends on the received strength of the fundamental at any moment, as well as transmitter output. REE Cariari relay, 15170, still with crackle May 31 at 1307 as was opening ``Españoles en la Mar``; rather lite by comparison with previous occasions and only spreading plus/minus 50 kHz. Still. 15170, REE Cariari still malfunxioning, with continuous crackle mixed with program modulation, June 1 at 1352, and the crackle audible out to plus and minus 40 kHz. 15170, REE Cariari relay finally got the new DRM-capable transmitter tweaked June 2, no longer crackling and driving spikes up and down the band, causing untold interference for the past week. At 1227 VG and clear signal; 1242 in M-F Catalan news segment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. [continued from GERMANY] If stations want to stay relevant, they need to change with technology or be left behind. A good example of a station being left behind in the dust is Radio Havana Cuba. I'm still in touch with many people there and they have told me that the bulk of listeners these days are only DXers. They joke within RHC that if it was not for them and a few others, DXers would not have anything to listen to. Even when I was there and would host Mailbag from time to time, almost all the letters were from DXers, and now even more so. The Cuban Interest Section in Washington estimates their weekly audience is less than 10,000. This was confirmed to me once at a reception at the Cuban Embassy in Beijing (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Happy Station, June 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 5040, Radio Havana. 26/5, French from 0003 and from 0133, EE till 0000 (25/5), Esperanto at 0110 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF 2001, Marconi antenna), June Australian DX News via DXLD) You mean 0010 for Esperanto? It`s supposed to be at 0000 UT Mondays instead of French (gh, DXLD) Tropical Band scan from the high Northern Sierra Nevada Range for June 2, 2010: 60 meters going on pretty good. Have been listening to R. Havana Cuba this evening on 5040 with an outstanding signal of S9+40 from 0530 to 0730Z. News and music in English from 0530 to 0600Z then switched to Spanish at 0600Z after interval and station ID. From 0600Z onwards they had problems staying on the air, losing both carrier and modulation, sometimes up to several minutes. Announcer audio sounded muffled but music was excellent. Close by is Radio Rebelde on 5025 with S9+40++ signal in Spanish with no issues. This is Castro's flagship station from his early days. Great Cuban traditional music and some local talk, very little international affairs talked about. Very laid back broadcasting. R-71A and Ten-Tec 1253 regenerative receiver using 21 meter long wire, suspended at 3 meters with WinRadio LWA-0130 Balun (Art Hernandez, Lemmon Valley, Nevada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. As I was listening to DW in French on 15410 via RWANDA, May 27 at 1253, it was rudely interrupted by RHC in Spanish, as the spur from 15360 mostly residing around 15397 jumped close to 15410 for a few sex. At 1259 DW went from rapping to sounder to 1300 Hausa. BTW, RHC is also on 15380 in the mornings, but these 19m spurs are not leapfrogs over it, a separate site an echo apart. At 1303 RHC was hitting S9+10 on 15397 as Tony was talking about, what else? The cinco antiterroristas unjustly held in US jails since 1998. PLEASE, TURN THEM LOOSE, so we don`t have to keep hearing about this every five minutes from RHC!!! (Or, I guess we could just not listen to RHC). Whatever their own secret political views, I don`t see how Tony and the other RHC announcers can take having to spout this constant monomaniacal rant. BORING. RHC spurs from 15360, May 28: not so bad, but probably due to poor propagation, weaker fundamental than usual. At 1326, RHC audio also audible around 15323 and 15397 (plus and minus 37 kHz). Did not attempt to split kHz measurements. [and non]. Surprised to find DentroCuban Jamming Command pulsing on 9880, May 29 at 1438, rather than on 9885, which is the VOA Spanish frequency jammed earlier in the mornings, and evenings. And there is something underneath it, sounds SE Asian. Per Aoki the collateral victim is CRI`s Cambodian service via Nanning; altho also on 9880 during this hour is DW`s Amharic service via Rwanda. The Ethiopians surely jam that, but the noise I hear is typically Cuban, and much more likely here propagationally. 11600, have not noticed the Cuban jamming against nothing here for some weeks; used to start a minute before 1600 and last 5 hours or so, believed to have been against a R. República low-power transmission from Central America which was never confirmed. Yes, May 29 at 1550 nothing on 11600, and at 1605 still nothing, tho DCJC was audible under Radio Martí on 11845, 11930, and RHC audible on 11690, 11730, etc. RHC Esperanto, Sunday May 30 at 0709 not only on 6010 but // weaker 5970, not on the schedules; while Spanish was on 6060, 6120, 6150 with widely varying signals, modulation levels and quality. At 0715, 5040 also found in Spanish. By 0735, both 6010 and 5970 were still on and back in English with ``Ed Newman`` saying it was Saturday evening, item about Toronto using high-decibel noisemakers to disperse demonstrators. At 0823 check, 6010 was off, opening channel for XEOI; see MEXICO. The big 95th Esperanto Congress is acoming in Habana 17-24 July, likely overshadowed by The Five Heroes like everything else. Looked for Vanuatu, q.v., on 5055, but as previously noted, a mix of Cuba 5025 and 5040 lands here, not sure if receiver- or transmitter- produced in this case (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jun04 14:45 Have a friend who works for Radio Australia. Says he's given up complaining to Cuba about rotten S.W. sigs. It does no good (NN2E, TV-FM Skip Log via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. For several weeks, José Bueno, who distributes advance publicity reminders each week about Spanish-language DX programs to various non-English DX lists, has said this about En Contacto on RHC, besides the Sunday 1335 and UT Monday 0135 airings (also ignoring repeats after 0500 we have often run across, not on published schedules). ``DOMINGO 21:42 UTC: Ignoramos si se eliminó esta emisión 11.770 kHz para Europa 13.770 kHz para Buenos Aires 11.800 kHz para América Central 13.790 kHz para Río de Janeiro`` So I check it out Sunday May 30: tune-in 15370 at 2126 just as RHC announces it is starting an 18-minute show, ``El Mundo de la Filatelia``. Sure enough, rechecked at 2144 and there was ``En Contacto`` starting with birthday greetings, later homage spoken by a Costa Rican to some defunct Cuban radio announcer, Marcel Villar? But the frequencies José lists are all out of date! And so are they for the other airings. At 2144, 13770 has been replaced by 15380; 11800 by 12030; 13790 by 5040(?), and 11770 replaced by 15370. Plus spurs! At the moment the first-order big ones are on 15333.5 vs RCI on 15330, and on 15406.5, i.e. plus and minus 36.5 kHz from 15370. Could also hear much weaker second-order ones, at least the whine, on 15297 and 15443. However, axual monitoring during the 2144 repeat of ``En Contacto``, found 15380 absent, 5040 inaudible, but both presumably on the air normally. It was audible and confirmed // on 12030, 11730 and 9660, all an echo apart from 15370 via the other transmitter site. It lasted only 14 minutes, ending at 2158 in time for a musical show, probably ``Cuba Campesina``, which is one of RHC`s best programs, definitely airing earlier Sundays at 1233 on all the morning frequencies. The trouble with RHC`s online program schedule at http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/c_programacion/programacion.htm is that the daily 21-23 block is simply ``Revista Iberoamericana``, even tho we know that it contains numerous specific programs which elsewhen in the day merit their own title entries! 6110 was no doubt also on during the DX program, but not confirmed until after it was over at 2159, just barely audible with the music show and unlike the others, synchronized with 15370, so from its same site. The DentroCuban Jamming Command is SNAFU as usual: UT Monday May 31 at 0042 it`s grinding away on 11970 and 9885, despite the fact that VOA Spanish on weekends ends at 2400. 9570, CRI relay via CUBA, May 31 around 1315, unmodulated, so refund check no doubt on the way to the ChiCom. This did not prevent it from making the usual hash on R. Australia 9560 and 9580, so who needs CRI? 11520 with lite DCJC pulses against nothing, May 31 at 1801. Nothing known on this frequency which could be a deliberate target of Cuban jamming, unless it`s the never-confirmed Central American relay of R. República, ex-11600. Or spurious? Has same pulse rate as on 11930 against R. Martí, axually audible in sideband around 11920 rather than the wall of noise on 11930 itself. Seems synchronized too, but not positive it`s exactly so. Also some much slower-rate residual pulse jamming on 11845, despite R. Martí being finished with that frequency by this hour. Another day, another anomaly at RHC: June 1 at 0603 I find 6010 in Spanish instead of English, also Spanish on 6120, 6150. Other music on 5970 // 5040 // 6060: at 0605 re-opening ``second hour`` of English. 11775, Dead Gene Scott, Anguilla, June 2 at 1245 with DentroCuban pulse jamming underneath. Only reason it`s here is that R. Martí uses 11775 at a totally different daypart, 0000-0300. What total incompetents the jam operators are! Meanwhile, countless Cubans go hungry as multipesos are wasted on electricity jamming nothing or jamming non-targets. As if any jamming were justified! 9780, lite pulse jamming against nothing, June 2 at 1248. Only reason it`s here is because of R. República which uses 9780 at a totally different daypart, only 10 hours a week at 02-04 UT Tue-Sat, probably UK site rather than Sackville as Aoki supposes. RHC English enjoyed four frequencies, June 3 at 0609, as feeds randomly change on some of them: 5040, 5970, 6010 and 6060; while Spanish was on 6120 and 6150. 13580, RHC lower leapfrog from huge 13780 signals over 13680, June 3 at 1329 mixing with something, and much weaker than its higher match on 13880. Now the victim is VOA Somali northward from Madagascar, Prague having abandoned 13580 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. CULTURE RADIO IN DENMARK TO CLOSE --- I'm not aware of any such development in Europe so far, at least when disregarding the FSU: P2, the culture program of Danmarks Radio, will be closed down at yearend. Their special page on this topic with listeners comments, like one from an 18 year-old-boy who says that in many years people will still ask how this terrible mistake could have been allowed to happen: http://www.dr.dk/P2/Aktuelt/20100510165733.htm It can happen because P2 as such exists only since 2000 or thereabouts, when Danmarks Radio opened a fourth network. Until then classical music and other culture content had been included in what is now P4, back then a program that was kind of a mixture of today's P2 and P4. The frequencies for this fourth network had been allocated to Danmarks Radio not definitely but only for eight years. Back in last year lobbyists of commercial broadcasters already suggested to close P2. As an example the CEO of ABC Radio [that's the station that in the mid-nineties run some shortwave transmissions via Bolshakovo] said that using the frequencies for P2 is a "waste of ressources" because the majority of the P2 listeners is older than 50 years and P2 achieves a market share of only 0.4 percent amongst listeners between 12 and 50 years. http://www.radionyt.com/artikel/default.asp?id=15755 As of 2011 the frequencies will be used for a new commercial station, for which Norway's Radio Hele Norge is the model. It is supposed to be "kind of a mixture of P3 and P4", with news magazines and "music from Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Rihanna". Danmarks conservative minister of culture says that he wants an "up-to-date radio" while a representative of the Liberal party comments that P2 will be replaced because they no longer want this network to be an "elitist, narrow radio". http://radionyt.com/artikel/default.asp?id=17322 The government wants to subsidize the new station with 13 million Euro. SBS Radio attacks this as a step that will distort the competition because at the same time SBS has to pay an annual licence fee of 3 million Euro for the fifth network and is furthermore obliged to air 1,000 hours of news programming per year. They say that the worst case scenario would be a bankruptcy of other commercial stations. http://radionyt.com/artikel/default.asp?id=17329 SBS Radio, since 2007 a subsidiary of ProSiebenSat1, is since 2008 the majority owner of TV2 Radio which they relaunched as Nova FM: http://www.sbsradio.com/en/index.php?mod=news&area=1&id=6&archive=true TV2 Radio started in early 2007 and soon went into financial trouble. Even earlier Danmark's fifth FM network was in use by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, but they stepped out in late 2005, stating that the high licence fees made an economical operation of the station impossible (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DR BOARD SPLIT ON WHICH NETWORK TO CLOSE Uncertainty has arisen about which radio station Danish public broadcaster Danmarks Radio (DR) will eliminate after its vice-chair said yesterday that pop-rock station P3 was likely to be sacrificed in order to save P2, the broadcaster’s classical music station. Last week’s parliamentary media agreement ordered DR to shut down one of its stations to make room for a commercial channel – but DR’s board of directors is at odds over the issue, reports Politiken newspaper. Read the story from the Copenhagen Post http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/49124-dr-board-at-odds-over-which-station-to-close.html (June 2nd, 2010 - 10:54 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH. A new MP3 CD entitled "The Broadcasts of Axis Sally" has been released and is available at http://mediaoutlet.com According to the website, it includes, among other broadcasts, excerpts from Jerry's Front Radio and the notorious radio play "Vision of Invasion". The compilers of the CD, however, do not seem to realise that there were two Axis Sallies. The "Sally" on Jerry's Front Radio is the Italian-American Rita Zucca, whose station was in Italy, while the "Sally" on the other excerpts is Mildred Gillars, the Berlin-based broadcaster who was tried and jailed in the US after the war (Roger Tidy, UK, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DJIBOUTI [and non]. I've just finished compiling my 2009-2010 LW-MW winter logs. Most are Trans-Atlantic: http://www.quebecdx.com/winter_logs_2009_10.txt For my taste, the highlights were the reception of the 50 kW, Radiodiffusion Vision Djibouti, at 1539 kHz signing in with Anthem [and Qur`an]: http://www.quebecdx.com/djibouti_1539.mp3 ...and pre sign-in tones coming from Russia's RTV Podmoskovye, Elektrostal (near Moscow) at 846 KHz: http://www.quebecdx.com/russia_846.mp3 (Sylvain Naud, Portneuf, Quebec, CANADA http://www.quebecdx com Perseus SDR & StationList tool for logs http://dx.3sdesign.de/station_list.htm Icom ICR75 with LF mods 228 meters (750 feet) remotely switchable termination beverage pointing towards Africa when terminated (268-88 degrees). 289 meters (950 feet, winter seasonal) terminated beverage towards Europe (55 degrees). 425 meters (1400 feet winter seasonal) remotely switchable termination beverage pointing towards Eastern Europe - India when terminated (215- 35 degrees). Homebrew K9AY with vactrol T2FD cut for 90m band Two 30 meters (100 feet) long wire Homebrew remote wire antenna switcher DX Engineering RPA-1 HF preamplifier MFJ-1026 phaser with LF mods, mwdx yg via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 6025.07, Radio Amanecer Internacional, 1020- 1040, May 29, Spanish inspirational music and talk. Poor to fair but in deep fades (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX Listening Digest) I am listening to this station, Radio Amanecer International via 6025 kHz 49 meter band with a 45444 at the SINPO Code. Signal has been steady since about maybe an hour or so. They are placing religious messages and a talk show on religious matters. There has been many years since I heard to a SWL station from Dominican Republic. Does anyone has more info on this station? I think I read something at Monitoring Times. Best 73s (Luigi Pérez, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1921 UT June 2, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. [SkywavesDX] Poss. Latin American station Caught a station on 88.7 at 1248 UT with music at first going into a YL speaking in Spanish which I suspect may possibly be Dominican Republic or that general area. I got someone to have a listen and they said...'another clue sounds like a 60/120 Hz buzz in the gaps between her words listen closely between 0:30 and 0:40 to the gaps' I have also been told that it sounds like S. American Spanish. Recording is here... http://www.ukdx.org.uk/fm/FMLogs/Recordings/88_7_31May10.mp3 I'd appreciate it if any Spanish speakers would have a listen for me please (Mike Fallon, Saltdean, East Sussex, UK, N50?48' W0?1', IO90XT, May 31, skywaves via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) Viz.: Mike Fallon was asking could any Spanish speakers listen to this please. Between 0:30 and 0:40 in the gaps between her voice a definite 60 Hz buzz is audible indicating non European and Eu Spanish is much "harder" sounding than central/SA Spanish to my ears and faster !! (Hugh Hoover, Portugal, ibid.) IT'S OFFICIAL!! Just had this (scroll to bottom) in from La Voz de la Luz, a religious station on 88.7 from Salval?on de Higüey, Dominican Republic. Distance from my QTH is 4302 miles/6925 km. Mike Fallon, Saltdean, East Sussex, UK, N50?48' W0?1', IO90XT Kenwood KT-6040 with 80/110/150 kHz Murata filters * Sony ST-SB920 with 80/150 kHz Murata filters * Sony XDR-F1HD Modified Triax FM8 (horizontal) * RDSS v4.0 software HS D100 * HS 5 ele B1 yagi * Thomson T2502PI TV * Icom R7000 * Icom PCR1000 * Spectrum Lab software T2FD antenna for Low VHF monitoring Propagation Maps and TX sites logged for the Month maps at http://www.ukdx.org.uk/fm/FMLogs/Prop%20Maps/Propagation%20Maps.htm Propagation maps produced by FMList All-time FM log (from 2003) and current month's log at http://www.ukdx.org.uk/fm/FMLogs/FMLogs_index.htm All-time Meteor Scatter Log map at http://www.ukdx.org.uk/fm/MSMap.htm North Africa & Middle East FM Database: http://www.ukdx.org.uk/fm/fm_index.htm -------- Original Message -------- Subject: La Voz de la Luz recibió en Inglaterra??? MUY IMPORTANTE Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2010 06:04:22 +0000 From: Mike Fallon To: LAVOZDELALUZ @ hotmail.com Hola! Puede usted por favor ayúdame. He adjuntado a este correo electrónico una grabación que hice hoy a las 07:48 hora de República Dominicana de una emisora recibida aquí en la costa sur de Inglaterra, el 88,7 MHz. Puede usted por favor dígame si esta es su estación? Si la grabación es su estación de entonces mi recepción se llevará a un nuevo récord mundial de distancia para la recepción de una emisora de FM para que entienda que es muy importante para mí para obtener confirmación. Muchas gracias, Mike Fallon, Near Brighton on the south coast of England Muchas Bendiciones. Es Afirmativo, es parte de nuestra programación... (via Sadowski, ibid.; WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) See also PUERTO RICO ** EAST TURKISTAN. 17490, CRI English, June 2, 1237 fair and fluttery, talk about an author --- nice to hear something scripted instead of vapid chat occupying so much of their airtime now. It`s 308 degrees via Kashgar; matched by equivalent signal with same parameters in Chinese on 17650, dialog with music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 3810-LSB, HD2IOA, May 30 at 0807 with Spanish timechex every 10 seconds for 3:07+, ``al oir el tono, serán las tres horas, siete minutos, 10 segundos``, beep, etc. No QRhaM at the moment, but HD2IOA only IDs at 59:40 past the hours (or maybe also at 29:40?) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HD2IOA is more or less routinely audible here in California around this time, and would be even moreso were it not for the regular ham QRM (Bruce Jensen, CA, ptsw yg via DXLD) ** EGYPT. 9915, R. Cairo at 0047 May 31, incredibly distorted, but from intonation I can tell it is Spanish as scheduled to start at 0045 to South America. Compared to this, Arabic on 9305 to North America is crystal clear. On its own merits, 9305 is also unusable. I checked the 9915 carrier with BFO and it was stable, so the problem is strictly with the modulation applied to it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BULGARIA ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, *0507-0515, May 31, sign on with National Anthem. Spanish talk at 0510. Euro-pop music. Weak. Poor in high noise level (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA ECUATORIAL. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 2030- 2110, 31-05, canciones españolas, canciones africanas. A las 2100 noticias en español, locutor. 24322. (Méndez) 6250, Radio Nacional, Malabo, 0507-0520, 01-06, locutor, locutora, comentarios y noticias, español. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Are you sure 6250 wasn`t R. Japan via Bonaire mixing product 6080 over 6165 until 0527, as I have warned before? (gh, DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Good morning, Am listening to: EQUITORIAL GUINEA, Radio Africa, 29 May 2010, 1425-1435, Man talking about religion, gave address for donations, station ID or "Radio Africa dot com", all in English. New station, new logging! 73 and enjoy the weekend (Joe Miller, Troy, MI, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) WTFK? must be: (gh) 15190, R. Africa, Bata, 1720-1732, May 28, English. Usual US based religious fare; no ID at BoH, right into "Dr. Barry" & Psalm 34; fair at best (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, NH USA, NRD-545, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. QSL: 15190, Radio Africa, Malabo. Date, Time & Frequency QSL Card showing Station Engineer, standing in front of the Studio Transmitter Room, of Radio Africa. Also sent from Pan American Broadcasting was a cover letter, complete program schedule for the organization, which use these transmitter facilities. Reply came from Pan American, California address, for both a posted e-mail initial report, subsequently a follow-up, with reply in 8 months total time. V/s: Jeff Bernald, Pan American Broadcasting. For reports direct to the station the address is: Radio Africa network, P. O. Box 851, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. Voice of Tigray Revolution now can be heard on 5950 // 5940 kHz (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, 1656 UT May 27, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Let`s see, is this a clandestine, from which to which? NO, it`s one of the Ethiopian government stations in Addis, as WRTH lists (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) 5940 NF, Voice of Tigray Rev, *0257-0325, May 30, May 31, New frequency. ex-5980. Sign on with IS. Vernacular talk at 0300. Horn of Africa music at 0301. Very weak. Stronger on // 5950 - but mixing with Okeechobee (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX Listening Digest) ** ETHIOPIA. 6030, R. Oromiya, Adama, via Geja Jawe, 1844-1900*, 29 May'10, Oromo (listed), local songs, talks; 44333, weakish audio during speech, not music, adj. QRM. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6030, Radio Oromiya, 0322-0340, May 31, tune-in to xylophone-type IS. Talk in listed Oromo at 0330. Horn of Africa music. Fair signal strength at sign on but dropped down to a weak signal after 0330. Some noise on frequency but otherwise in the clear with Radio Martí and jammer off the air on UT Mondays (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) Radio Oromiya QSL --- ETHIOPIA -- Nice email -- though in broken English -- from Gemeda Geleto, a news reporter for the Oromia Radio and Television organization, in reply to a 2009 report with MP3 recording. He indicated listening to my MP3 and acknowledges it was their signal. Says, in part, "our radio wave Adama middle wave (mw) 1035 khz. finifine (Addiss Ababa) short wave 6030 khz, you listen 2009 october and i can hear on your MP3." Indicates the ORTO studios are in Adama "in east of ADDISS ABABA," as is the MW xmtr but the SW xmtr is at Finifine, which -- I am a bit confused -- is eiher another name for Addis Ababa or is a suburb district of Addis Ababa. Geleto works mostly on the TV side of OROMIA RTV Organization, and says soon it will be "dissminat in Canod and America," I presume that would be via the Internet (Don Jensen, Kenosha WI, May 31, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. via Pridnestrovye, 15540, Radio Xoriyo Ogadenia, *1450-1500*, May 28, presumed. Tune-in to local music. Talk in listed Somali. Poor to fair Mon/Fri only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) Venerdì 28 maggio 2010, *1430 - 15540 kHz, R. XORIYO OGADENIA - Maiac (MDA). Somali, nxs YL e Corano. Segnale insufficiente-sufficiente. Solo lunedì e venerdì. Il solito jamming di rumore bianco intermittente è iniziato alle 1433. Interferenze sullo stesso canale: 1. Emittente non identificata in lingua forse del Corno d'Africa ma già attiva prima delle 1430. 2. Firedrake molto basso probabile per Voice of Tibet che è programmata qui alle 1330-1400 ma con orario variabile. Chissà perché R. Xoriyo si è messa su un canale già occupato. Venerdì 28 maggio 2010, *1730 - 13830 kHz, R. OROMIYAA LIBERATION - Nauen (D), Oromo, nxs OM. Segnale sufficiente-buono. Solo venerdì. Anche qui dopo alcuni minuti è iniziato il jamming di rumore bianco intermittente (Luca Botto Fiora, SITO RICEVENTE G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Laser Hot Hits is now using 3940, good signals 2140 May 23 (shortwavedx.blogspot.com via June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Laser Hot Hits has moved frequency again after only a short time on 4015 kHz (where they moved from their long time frequency of 4025 kHz). [due to LIBERIA? q.v.] Now audible on 3940 kHz having moved there this week - this from their website http://www.laserhot hits.co.uk/ : "23 May 2010 Update - Well, 4015 kHz wasn't much better so we have moved again to 3940 kHz." (Alan Pennington, Caversham, UK, AOR 7030+ / longwire, May 29, BDXC-UK yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) ** EUROPE. Pirates: 3910, Reflections Europe, IRL, 1900-..., 30 May'10, English, rlgs. propag. prgrs; 15341; \\ 6295 (bad audio), 12255. Fair-good at around 2200. 3940, Laser Hot Hits, G?, IRL?, 2150-..., 29 May'10, English, pops; 25421. Silent on 4015 (ex-4025) or on 4025; Better signal on 30 May'10 at 2225. WORLD OF RADIO 1515, 6220, Mystery R, I, 2117-..., 28 May'10, English (used for IDs only), non-stop music; 55444. 6295, Reflections Europe, IRL, 1731-..., 30 May'10, cf. \\ 3910; 33442, bad audio, adj. uty. QRM. 7600.1, FRS Holland, HOL, 1614-..., 30 May'10, English, talks, seemingly some Dx prgr; 23441, adj. jammer like signal. 12255, Reflections Europe, IRL, 1733-..., 30 May'10, English, rlgs. propag. prgrs, IDs, fq. announcement; \\ 3910, 6295; 35433. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Domenica 30 maggio 2010, 0927 - 7610 kHz, RADIO AMICA, II, tk OM e mx italiana. Segnale insufficiente-sufficiente (Luca Botto Fiora, SITO RICEVENTE G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Mike Radio frequency change --- This week we changed the antenna system from Mike Radio (NL). We finally succeeded to change the 31 mb antenna into the 41 mb. The frequency is changed from 9290 into the range 7580 till 7630. This means Mike radio can be also heard again in western Europe! The antenna works super. The impedance of the antenna is for the working freq. near perfect. Also in 40 mb (ham) the antenna/reception works fine. All QSO (opposite) stations can be heard easy. This morning from the east-USA (nice) receptions of ham stations even when conditions were not that good. The antenna is the inverted V, top on 14 meters, one leg is to the west, the other leg is now more or less in the South East direction (mid/south Germany), the V has ca 120/130 degrees angle. So good news for the next winter-season. This summer we make a homebuild vertical for the 19 mb, the band where conditions next years will improve (via Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, May 30, shortwave yg via DXLD) PIRATE (EUROPE). 9280, Mike R. Set the NRD and MD recorder and recorded in AM mode. Signal seemed to come on at 0232:27, then rock mx began about 20 seconds later. Canned ID at 0237. Live voice-over anmnt at 0244 with mention of USA. After song was playing for about a minute, heard another jingle. Another live anmnt at 0248-0250 over what sounded like "Radar Love". Ment of broadcast and e-mail. Getting slightly better. Canned ID at 0256, then Rock song I couldn't recognize. 0300 short live ID ".listening to Mike R." and e-mail address, music briefly, and continuous talk. More of the same. Not very strong, but there with a lot of static noise. Towards 0330, I thought the signal faded, but it turned out Mike changed frequency to 9260 to avoid splatter from 9305 [Cairo] which I also was getting. (24 May) 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, RX: NRD-535D, ANT: 60m T2FD and 31m Windom, HCDX via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Time signal MIKES Finland 25000 kHz on air!!!! Hi all, 25000 kHz 1950 UT on air, Centre for Metrology MIKES, ESPOO FINLAND, bip...bip... bip. Ciao e good DX!!! (Mauro - Giroletti, Italy, May 26, -Swl 1510-, -IK2GFT-, -JRC525Nrd - Lowe HF150-, Filter PAR Electronics - BCST-LPF + BCST-HPF, -Eavesdropper SWL Sloper 11mt to 120mt Band- Loop LFL1010, -Lat. 45 25'0"N Long. 9 7'0"E -Locator grid. Jn 45 Nk-, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Re: Jülich demolition has started --- See http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,783048,790590#msg-790590 http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,783048,790774#msg-790774 More photos from Wednesday: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,783048,802020#msg-802020 A video, if you have luck and can access it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9h9q-CNPfw Luck because it uses music, and this is a very good method to get videos geoblocked. I like especially the shot of the control panel, with only a single transmitter on air, as the missing levels on the other meters reveal. (One channel of the stereo program level meter indicates the transmitter input while the output of the modulation monitor is plugged into the other one. It's the same at Nauen, too.) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Video is pre-demolition, views inside and out, as of 15 April (gh) ** GERMANY [and non]. Updated A10 schedule of DTK as of May 27 is located here: http://www.media-broadcast.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/A10_operational_270510__MBR-DTK_.pdf 73 (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, May 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. WRN TO BE TAKEN OFF FM IN BERLIN Another example of international broadcasting disappearing more and more in Europe: It seems that the overnight relay of WRN Deutsch on 97.2 MHz in Berlin is about to end. This press release (a reproduction of what it presumably supposed to be read at blu-fm.de if the Flash stuff properly delivers it) says that Blu FM will as of June (date not further specified; usually such wording implies that it's effective as of the first day of the month) be on FM daily from 7 PM (not further specified either): http://www.radiowoche.de/index.php?p=news&area=1&newsid=9000&name=blu-fm-startet-taeglichen-sendebetrieb-auf-der-ukw-frequenz-97-2-mhz-in-berlin This earlier item reported "suggestions" that Blu FM and Radio Russkij Berlin should equally share 97.2 in future: http://www.radiowoche.de/index.php?p=cheats&action=showcheat&area=1&plattform=1&id=43 So it seems that as of Tuesday 97.2 will carry Radio Russkij Berlin from 7 AM to 7 PM and Blu FM from 7 PM to 7 AM, with WRN Deutsch being removed without any fanfare, 4.5 months before their licence would expire anyway, cf. http://www.mabb.de/radio-tv/radio/wrn-deutsch.html (note also the target audience: above 35 years) I see no chance to find out about this over the weekend and will have other things to do on Monday. On Tuesday it will become apparent anyway if these articles are correct (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Saturday May 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. [continued from NETHERLANDS non] Just recently DW published their plan for SW to China. Now in China their SW audience is something like less than 10%, or around that. But considering the population is 1.3 billion, it was still viable to use SW, because that is still a few million people. But even with China they have seen a rising trend for internet streaming and downloads. I would suspect that in 2 or 3 years they would look at it again. If they, let`s say, had 10% of listeners tuning in on SW in North America, that's nothing. [continued under CUBA] (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Happy Station, June 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. 4854.7v, May 17 2210, UnID station with mostly music. Did not succeed to identify the language. Heard on May 4, 14, 17 and 19. My unID on 4854.7 is a Greek pirate, said Henrik Klemetz, who forwarded my audio clip to Zacharias Liangas in Athens and to Dario Monferini in Italy. Dario sent it to Francesco Cecconi, in Taranto, who came back with the ID, Radio Nikolas Dynamitis, from the town of Tyrnavos in the Larissa Prefecture. This is the third harmonic of their X-band operation which used to be on 1625v, and is now on 1618.2 (Arne Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin May 30 via DXLD) Henrik Klemetz also gives a reference to DXLD 9-012 from Feb 7, 2009 where you can read the following regarding this station: 1625 kHz - Radio Nikolas Dynamitis, Tyrnavos (10 km NW of Larissa), Greece giving SMS-number (6972734489). I phoned to this number shortly and sent sms - and I have message back!! They are the oldest station in the town!! (Tnx Costas for help) - 18.50- (O=1-3) mp3 (name clearly mentioned in the end of mp3) 73's (Dario Monferini, Italy, Feb 5, playdx yg via DXLD via SWB via DXLD) See also CONGO DR [non] ** GUINEA. 7125, R. Conakry, Conakry-Sofon. June, 01 0740-0750 male in Vernacular talks on tribal music; 35533. June, 03 0733-0740 female in French talks alternating short slow music, outside child voice. 33533, 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3289.87, Voice of Guyana, Georgetown, Presumed. Very weak 0648 14/5 audio very scrambled sounded like Hindu/Tamil lang. Went off looking for more DX, came back 0715 heard for about 5 minutes what I thought was English, too poor to get an ID. Bugger! (Johno Wright, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) 3290, Sunday May 30 at 0810, S9+15 with gospel music, contralto belting ``He`s Got the Whole World In His Hands``. I suspect this is a Christian segment of GBC`s multi-religionist programming. 0812 applause and another hymn by same songstress; 0816 announcement by M and I think he mentioned ``GBC Radio`` but maybe imagined what I was expecting to hear. Anyhow, no doubt that`s it, as at 0818 onward to Indian music, perhaps Hindu. Constant het from ute on 3297 which occasionally added RTTY bursts. No sign of also active R. Central, PNG, unless it was source of what seemed like a co-channel open carrier on 3290 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re question about transmitters, at LIBERIA: I recall that the first reports about resumed service from Guyana indicated Energy Onix equipment. And that the site was to be changed from the original Sparendaam location owing to its proximity to an airport runway (Jerry Lenamon, Waco TX, May 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I get the impression that the 3290 signal must be highly directional. I get a carrier as strong as you suggest, well over S9, but practically no modulation at all - and at the very same time you suggest in your post, just after 0800. Using USB for this station, or the passband, generally eliminates that pesky 3287.4 het, but it sounds almost like an open carrier (Bruce Jensen, CA, ptswyg via DXLD) ** HAWAII. VOLMET KVM 70, 6679 USB, 27 May at 1100. Fair signal of aviation weather. ID as Honolulu Radio (Terry Wilson, MI, Ten-Tec RX- 320D, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. All India Radio Jaipur has launched a new website. Here's the link : http://www.airjaipur.com (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, June 2, dx_india yg via DXLD) If it`s new, why does it show the afternoon SW frequency as 7120 instead of 7325? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9690 broadcast of AIR GOS at 1330-1500 has not been audible lately, but it`s back May 29 at 1332 amid news by YL, 1335 mid-news ID; music later. Recheck at 1430 still audible but less readable as OM was talking. Always with some hum. We gained India but lost China, q.v., tsk2, propagationally this morning. K index 5 at 1500. But AIR VBS still not audible on 9870. From Bengaluru like 9690, and used to provide superior signals, unheard in weeks. Is it still on as usual? Aoki shows the hours, 500 kW at 174 degrees as 0025-0435, 0900- 1200, 1245-1740. And why would this be aimed into the ocean away from India if it is for domestic coverage? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AIR VBS VIA BENGALURU, 9870, 1705 UT, 59+40 db, Playing Hindi Movie Songs (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, a very strong signal here even on a small portable with just the whip aerial. Great music as usual punctuated by a spoken ID at 1702. Regards (Harry Brooks, North East England, UK, May 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Re 10-21: To follow-up on my report of 26 May, All India radio G.O.S. was not heard on 9940 during checks either last night or tonight (27 & 28 May) - so I guess it was just a one-off error or perhaps a test? (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I do not think AIR keeps all such records, to the minutest detailing. So, to get a verie QSL, it is better to copy all this discussion, and send a report to AIR for 9940 kHz, for a QSL. Hope the gentlemen at AIR, understand how difficult it is to log AIR, that too on a wrong frequency, and issue a QSL. Long long ago, I had reported on a second harmonic transmission of AP2 land, and had got their QSL for that. Hi. I think Glenn Hauser, may show hundreds of such QSLs. 73 and all good luck de (Manohar Arasu VU-0016, VU2PE1D, Vu-1004/RB, VU2UR, dx_india yg via DXLD) Me? Not really. I discourage trying to QSL harmonix, as that increases the chances they will be eliminated. Fortunately (?) most stations do not read the DX press (gh, DXLD) Hi. Just to clarify, I'm not planning to try to QSL the frequency of 9940. I guess that my use of the term "To follow up on my report ... " was misleading - perhaps it would have been clearer to say "To follow up on my observations... ". By the way AIR GOS comes can be heard with fair or better reception most evenings here in the UK for their 1745 and 2045 UT English transmissions. The best frequencies are 6280 and 7550 - currently both providing a very good signal. very 73 - (Alan Roe, England, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. All India Radio is received in Sofia from 1745 and from 2045 hours on 7410 kHz and at 2245 hours on 7305 kHz. At the end of each emission are announced the times and frequencies as follows: from 1745 to 1945 hours on 7400, 7410, 7550, 9415, 9445 and 11935 kHz; from 2015 to 2230 hours on 6280, 7410, 9445, 11620 and 11715 kHz and from 2245 to 0045 hours on 6055, 7305, 11645 and 13605 kHz. Source: (BNR Radio Bulgaria: DXprogram May 28, 2010 http://bit.ly/aJMZAZ via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) ** INDIA. As I was getting EAST TURKISTAN [q.v.] on 17490 and 17650, also had S Asian music on weaker 17705, June 2 at 1239 soprano song; more of same but even weaker at 1313. This is AIR`s Chinese service at 1145-1315, 500 kW, 58 degrees from Bengaluru, per Aoki. Since I was hearing such music it must axually have been AIR rather than ChiCom jamming which also infests the frequency but not audible at the moment. Other mornings we have heard Saudi Arabia on 17705, program 1 at 1155-1455, per Aoki, 310 degrees USward, but not today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Unlike yesterday, VOI 9526- held up with quite a good signal during the English hour May 27, such as 1315 This Day in History starting about the Golden Gate Bridge. Some hum but not too much (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.89, Voice of Indonesia, *0944-1015+, May 28, abrupt sign on in listed Korean. Local music. Into English at 1000 with news at 1001. Too weak with high noise level to discern much program content (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) Jakarta, 9525.874, 1604 UT, Arabe songs. Perseus +Marconi (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, May 28, HCDX via DXLD) Voice of Indonesia, Jakarta on 11784.930, 1649 UT. With koran songs, noisy but fair, Perseus + LW100meter long (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, May 29, HCDX via DXLD) And not on 9526v this day? (gh) 9525.9. Voice of Indonesia, Cimanggis, 1549-1612, 30 May'10, songs, prayer at 1600, presumably for Arabic prgr; 33432, stronger adj. QRM at 1600. English prgr heard at 1900. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9526-, VOI in English, May 31 at 1315, very poor like most E Asian signals today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.88v, Voice of Indonesia, 1303, June 1. In English; usual Tuesday joint VOI Jakarta and RRI Banjarmasin program; news (elections in South Kalimantan tomorrow for governor and deputy governor, etc.); frequency given for RRI Banjarmasin as 95.2 Mhz.; almost fair, but still with the ever present hum (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Indonesia, Jakarta on 9525.897, at 1511 1 June. With indonesian talks by female. Best with my super Kaz to 90 degrees (noise free). Perseus SDR + Super Kaz and premp. +12 db gain (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) 9526-, VOI with good signal June 2 at 1250, but just barely modulated with music during Japanese hour, hum. At 1315 English also JBM; what a waste. Could be due to a single individual somewhere along the feed chain from studio to transmitter not watching the levels, who should be fired forthwith. If nowhere else, they should know something is wrong at Cimanggis and raise hell about it back up the line. Or is it their own fault? 9526-, VOI English, somebody turned up the modulation today unlike yesterday so it`s at good level atop hum, June 3 at 1319 talk about ASEAN, the YL pronouncing it like ``Afghan``, which was the ``Focus`` segment, 1320 on to ``News in Brief``; music later until 1357 hit by het from CRI Russian 9525.0 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. EL MUNDIAL DE SUDAFRICA 2010 Y LAS RADIOS DE ONDA CORTA --- El Mundial de Sudafrica 2010 esta cerca, y las emisoras internacionales, le han dado un espacio en sus paginas. Radio Francia Internacional http://www.espanol.rfi.fr/deportes/20100430-el-mundo-se-da-cita-en-sudafrica-2010 BBC Mundo Comienza la fiebre del fútbol con mas notas relacionadas http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/cultura_sociedad/2010/04/100409_mi_primer_mundial_mr.shtml La Voz de America http://www1.voanews.com/spanish/news/world-cup/ Radio Nederland, la emisora Internacional Holandesa con un articulo sobre el mundial, y otros articulos relacionados http://www.rnw.nl/espanol/article/sud%C3%A1frica-se-prepara-para-selecci%C3%B3n-holandesa Radio Canada Internacional con REPORTERO DE UN DÍA - APASIONADOS DEL FÚTBOL http://www.rcinet.ca/espagnol/cronica/cartelera/reportero-de-un-dia---apasionados-del-futbol/ Radio Habana Cuba Mundial de Futbol en Radio Habana Cuba http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/b_deporte/especiales/mundial2010/portada.htm La Deutsche Welle ¡Pon a prueba tus conocimientos futbolísticos! http://deutsche-welle.wmtipprunde.de/?kt_language=es SwissInfo MUNDIAL DE FÚTBOL, SUDÁFRICA Y SUIZA http://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/especiales/mundial_2010/index.html?cid=8619384 Espero no se ma haya escapado alguna, si no....Goooooooolllll Comentarios Bienvenidos en el enlace: http://bit.ly/9C6HMU Recomendable usar, Chrome 4, Firefox 3.6, Opera 10, ya que IE 7 y 8 hay problemas por compatibilidad con esos navegadores....al menos con mi blog (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, Conexión Digital May 29 via DXLD) See also SOUTH AFRICA; UK ** IRAN [non]. PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT CONSIDERING SHORTWAVE BROADCASTS TO IRAN Dr Arash Irandoost is a pro-democracy activist and founder of the Pro- Democracy Movement of Iran. In his blog at hakemiat-e- mardom.blogspot.com he writes “In reaction to Islamic Republic’s media crackdown, I have been discussing the merits of establishing shortwave radio broadcasting with media experts and those interested in overthrowing the Islamic Dictatorship of Iran. The idea has received wide acceptance as a viable option. I have decided to share it with the people of the world and ask them for their input and support, as they have been most generous and supportive allies of this pro- democracy movement.” (June 2nd, 2010 - 13:06 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) 2 Comments on “Pro-democracy movement considering shortwave broadcasts to Iran” 1. #1 andi on Jun 2nd, 2010 at 15:18 I believe there are many shortwave news radios broadcasting to Iran from America, France, etc such as Radio Farda, RFI Persian, and DW Persian. There are also many foreign news channels broadcasting in Iran (BBC Persian and VOA PNN). Subsequently all type of foreign media are jammed by the Iranian government. I don’t see how this station would make a big impact, it’ll probably just be jammed like the others. 2. #2 Andy Sennitt on Jun 2nd, 2010 at 15:24 I agree with you. It isn’t clear whether Dr Irandoost is aware of the current situation, although given his background I would expect him to be. I think he’s interested in more aggressive programming than these other stations, as his blog mentions ‘regime change’. But like you, I doubt that his plan is really feasible in 2010, and I wonder what “media experts” have suggested it is (MN blog comments via DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]. QSL: South Africa, 6225, Radio Telefis Eireann-RTE via Meyerton Transmitter. Full data (with site, and specifics) letter with verification statement. As others have noted, very precious [?] details for confirmation. Reply in 68 days. V/S: Sikander Hoosen, HF Coverage Planning, Operations & Maintenance (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. 15785.0, Galei Tzahal, 2135-2205+, May 28, back on this frequency after several months silence. Hebrew talk. Local pop music. Fair to good. Weak on // 6973 (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX Listening Digest) That's good news; I don't recall if I posted, but they had transmitter issues and were waiting to receive parts (Doni Rosenzweig, May 29, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Excellent conditions prevail again this pm. Copying Radio Maria on 26000 kHz at 1640 with a S2-3 signal; qsb takes the signal down but it resumes and can be copied easily (Steve Calver, Letchworth Garden City. Herts., England, RX. Perseus. ANT: Longwire and balun in loft, May 26, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. 11945, poor signal May 31 at 1825 with YL singing slow Asian song, at first seemed Vietnamese, during fades losing out to DCJC jamming bleedover from 11930; but 1828 brief announcement in Japanese, another song, 1831 another announcement by YL definitely in Japanese. Was not expecting to hear NHK due to poor propagation from Asia. Also poor propagation from Europe, but this is the Issoudun, FRANCE relay of NHKWNRJ, at 17-19, 500 kW at 155 degrees, i.e. directly off the back = 335 degrees toward western N America (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [non]. NHK Radio Japan Hindi Frequency change wef 14th June 2010: 1345-1430 UT on 11825 kHz (ex 5975) Daily --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, May 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via Tashkent. But, but, R. Australia is already on 11825 at that time, 329 degrees from Shepparton in Chinese (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Yes, AOKI shows that but channel was observed empty (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, ibid.) Shepparton 11825 kHz is NOT propagating to Europe today. Channel is empty. 11830 kHz had strong usage of RRI Bucharest in Arabic S=9+20 dB, 11820 kHz is - always - poor on back lobe from BBC Cyprus in Arabic, only S=7-8 (Wolfgang Büschel, May 31, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 3 via DXLD) Frequency changes of Radio Japan NHK World from May 23 1300-1345 NF 11965#TAC 100 kW / 131 deg to SoAs in Bengali, ex 6155 1345-1430 NF 11825 TAC 100 kW / 163 deg to SoAs in Hindi, ex 5975 # strong co-ch TRT Voice of Turkey in Russian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 24 May, not distributed until 3 June due to e-mail problems, via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. Tropical Band scan from the high Northern Sierra Nevada Range for June 2, 2010: Still signs of life on the 90 meter band, the typical the big gun North Korean station, Pyongyang BC (S8-9) on 3320 at 1100Z. 75 meters at 1145Z had Radio Nikkei (Japan) on 3925 with a great S9+10 signal playing classical piano music. Again classical piano music similar to that of 3925 but on 3960 kHz. Fired up other receiver and flipped the receiver switch to compare. Started to think 3960 was a mirror of Radio Nikkei but at 1157Z Japanese ID came in then followed one minute later by Korean time pips and ID on 3925. R-71A and JRC-545 with 61 meter Marconi T (S7) and 300 degree EWE antenna (S9+10). Considering the late season, the tropical bands seem to be holding on. Still good DX available on all the tropical bands for those who dare. (Art Hernandez, Lemmon Valley, Nevada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aoki says: 3960 KCBS Pyongyang 2000-1800 1234567 Korean 5 kW ND Kanggye (gh, DXLD) 6399, North Korea. Korean - two different home services, one on 6399 // 6251 and another on 9666 // 11681 both till 1800* and one more in Korean (1748*), on 15245 noted 24/5 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF 2001, Marconi antenna), June Australian DX News via DXLD) 11710, Voice of Korea, 1500 s/on from French to English, ping-pong with male/female announcer, giving some sort of 12-step plan for what the motherland is going to do with the "puppets in the South". Creepy. No hash/splash from KJES next door, even with their (currently) powerhouse signal here. The problem with KJES atm is them being way way undermodulated, but reducing any collision with DPRK here. (5/26) (Rick Barton, Phoenix AZ, Hammarlund HQ-140X, SP-600, Drake R-8, indoor rw, outdoor rw, May 26, ABDX via DXLD) 11680.1, KCBS Kanggye, 1032-1047, May 28, Korean. Ballad at tune/in; announcer with talk thru tune/out; poor (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, NH USA, NRD-545, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11680v see UNIDENTIFIED [non] ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 6135, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, *1400, May 28. Has returned to their normal Friday in English after two with Korean; light QRM from Madagascar on 6134.92v, which still is doing fairly well when in the clear before the start of Shiokaze (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. V of THE PEOPLE (TO N. KOREA), 6518//6600 kHz forse inattiva, anche il 28/5, sicuramente per la delicata situazione politica. Assenti anche i jammers. Una portante, invece, notata su 6003 kHz (Luca Botto Fiora, SITO RICEVENTE G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. U.K.(non) Frequency change of Radio Free Chosun in Korean: 2000-2100 NF 7505 TAC 200 kW / 065 deg to KRE, ex 7515 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 1 June, not distributed until 3 June due to e- mail problems, via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. S KOREA DELAYS RESUMPTION OF PROPAGANDA BROADCASTS [Cf 10-22] South Korea has delayed plans to begin anti-North Korea propaganda. Experts speculated that two factors - the safety of South Koreans working at the joint Gaeseong Industrial Complex in the North and rising tensions on the peninsula - probably prompted the government to weigh the timing of the execution of the psychological operations (PSYOPs). The Ministry of National Defence on Sunday put off plans to drop anti- North Korea leaflets that were originally scheduled to be distributed across the border late last week. Earlier, military authorities announced they would resume PSYOPs aimed at “sowing the seed of doubt” among North Korean residents, with the spread of propaganda leaflets and radio broadcasts via loudspeakers near the Military Demarcation Line. South Korea halted PSYOPs in 2004 when the late former President Roh Moo-hyun was in office, following the repeated requests from the North during military talks. Today, the defence ministry also hinted at delaying the plan to broadcast the “Voice of Freedom” programme over loudspeakers. The project was scheduled to be implemented in early June. “We will consider several factors before going ahead with the resumption of the anti-North Korean propaganda project. The military will decide later when to commence those measures,” a military source said on condition of anonymity. The announcement came after concerns about the safety of South Korean workers at the Gaeseong complex were raised. Last week, North Korea issued multiple statements, threatening to close the Gaeseong project if South Korea resumes the PSYOP and to fire at the loudspeakers that were to be set up near the border. The North’s military also warned they would not guarantee the safety of South Koreans crossing the border, which was ensured under the military accords signed between the two sides in the past. (Source: Korea Times) (May 31st, 2010 - 11:54 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. KBS World Radio, 31 May 2010 at 1202 UT tune in with news on 9650 kHz. Mention of the installation of loudspeakers along the border with the North to “air propaganda.” Commentary followed regarding the Tri-Summit between Japan, China and South Korea. Program at 1213, “Seoul Calling,” with an interesting report on climate change along the southern Korean coast, which is slowly becoming more sub-tropical. The inflow of warmer, salty water is bringing with it subtropical fish. Good program with equally good reception, thanks to a relay via Canada. 73’s, (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. QSL: Canada, 9650, KBS World English to NA via Sackville. Full data (with site) 2010-2012 Visit Korea Year QSL Card with schedule & plastic ‘beyond Radio’ bookmarker. Reply in 10 days after posting a follow-up on KBS Website, indicating an oversight in not getting a QSL card, for their reply package (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 11530, Denge Mesopotamia, Mykolaiv [UKRAINE]. ID in Kurdish repeated over and over again 0402-0405. Fairly strong but some fading on 15/5 (Dennis Allen, Milperra NSW, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) Speech and intoning in Kurdish at good strength but degraded by noise, 1742, 11/5 (Charles Jones, Castle Hill NSW (Sony 2001D with 7m. vertical antenna, June Australian DX News via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. The QSL mother lode? Radio Kuwait, for broadcast *in Arabic* on 13650 kHz, 2 May 2010, 1840z onward. Gorgeous BIG full color, full data QSL Certificate stating, "This is certify that Bruce Jensen is an official monitor of Radio Kuwait's transmissions"; signed by the Asst. Under Secretary for Engineering Affairs, illegible. Also a ton of other stuff - CD-Rom with Kuwait facts and figures, station stickers in Arabic, two colorful postal cards, nice personalized letter and a full-color glossy pamphlet with sked, program guide and Facts & Figures. For reception report *in English plus Arabic translation*, in 22 days. Wow! (Bruce Jensen, California, USA, May 26, ptsw yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) Still, it might be more convenient to report on the English broadcast 18-21 on 15540 (gh) ** LAOS. Laos seems to have vacated 7145 (Robin Harwood VK7RH, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, Radio Monitor, SWLR-KS001, May 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Robin, Laos is indeed a concern, as they were noted off the air May 26 and 27 during checks made from about 1230 to 1400, for their segments in Cambodian, French and English. Unusual for them to be off for more than a day. Will continue monitoring. 7145, Lao National R., Vientiane. 1330, May 28. I did not need to be concerned, as they are back after being off for a few days; start of their English segment with canned ID and into local news (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS [non]. 11785, Hmong World Christian Radio via WHRI, May 29 at 1323 with traditional Hmong song; 1325 to announcement mentioning kHz thrice; 1326 to a more modern Hmong song. 1329 cut to WHR promo for ``The Harvest Show`` but gave no times! 1330 continued in English with ``Call to Worship`` from ``Zion Chapel in Holland`` (Michigan, that is), opening with ``Gott sei die Ehre`` hymn tune. No CCI from the China radio war as FE propagation was very degraded this Saturday, K=5 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is Sat only, 1300-1330 ** LIBERIA. Re 10-21: Star Radio: "This is the first time it has axually broadcast on SW from Liberia. For a couple years it was transmitted back from Ascension or UK, paired with Cotton Tree News for Sierra Leone, but has been absent for a year or so, tho continuing domestically on FM (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1514, DX LISTENING DIGEST)" Actually they were on 3400 and 5880 kHz from Liberia from 1997 until 2000 when Charles Taylor ordered them to stop broadcasting. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ah yes, now I remember (gh) I think they already operated an own shortwave transmitter in the past, in the pre-2000 years if memory serves right. Then Charles Taylor banned them, and they returned in 2005 with FM plus the Ascension relay. By the way, do they now use an Energy-Onix transmitter or are all the reports about installing modest-power shortwave transmitters somewhere in the world unrelated? Cf. http://www.energy-onix.com/HTML/Solid%20State%20AM.html Btw2, the circumstance that this is a modular solid-state transmitter means that it is not frequency-agile. For this reason tube technology is still state of the art for high power SWBC transmitters; this niche product only four companies still made at all if I'm correct (Thomson, RIZ, Continental, BBEF Beijing). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see GUYANA 4025, 29/May 2053, Star Radio, *tentative*, English. OM talk and short music. Good carrier but low modulation, almost inaudible. At 2057 UT what appears to be a short national anthem or local music. At 2100 UT OM talks. Not ended the 2100 UT, until 2103 UT I heard male talks. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Degen 1103, Dipole antenna, 19 meters - east/west - Balun 4:1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4025, Star Radio (presumed), Monrovia. May, 28 2037-2058 male and female talks, African music. At tune in only a carrier and something more but enhanced around 2051-2055, deteriorating after this time to an imagination level. At peak 25522 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4025.0, Star Radio, presumed, very weak signal but totally clear frequency, no QRM, June 1 at 0613, talking seems undermodulated with meter peaking at S9+10, as I try to read it between staticrashes. 0615 to music slightly better modulated; 0618 some yelling but not loud enough to hear here or determine language. By 0640 I thought it was gone, but BFO revealed carrier still there, tho no mod audible. As weak as it was, much stronger than KWMO 4050, with only a trace of a carrier now; and infinitely stronger than the still-absent Radio Verdad, Guatemala, 4052.5. I am not aware of any other reports of Star Radio yet from North America or Europe, tho there have been from Brasil in the evening by Jorge Freitas and Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, who also found it undermodulated. The question is, what hours is 4025 on the air? This was close to morning fade-out time, so the earlier they sign on, the better. People should sit on 4025 waiting for it from 0500 or earlier. Today`s sunrise at Monrovia was 0627 UT, and at only 6+ degrees north, it varies little, only 11 minutes later on December 1: http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/monrovia.html The answer from their own website http://www.starradio.org.lr/ --- ``STAR radio is broadcasting on 104 FM & 4.025 MHz (mega-hertz) Short Wave in the 75-meter Band. For now test transmission on the Short Wave runs from 5 to 9 in the morning and 6-9 in the evening. Call us on 077577142, 077018797 or 06857000. FM frequency 104 in Monrovia and affiliated community radio stations throughout Liberia.`` Liberia = UT, so that`s 0500-0900 and 1800-2100 on 4025. Jamie Labadia told us his transmitter is 2.5 kW, but adjustable anywhere below that level; ``the antenna is a "Bow-Tie" dipole, fed with Open-Wire Line, and a Link-Coupled Antenna Tuning Unit. Antenna height is approximately 50 feet. It was to be oriented broadside East / West.`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4025, Star Radio. June, 01, 0715-0736 male talks in English on African music, many mentions of “Liberia”; degrading, 25322. June, 03 0713- 0729 male talks in English on Afropop music, many mentions of “Liberia”. At June, 01 signal was slightly stronger 25332 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) After hearing 4025 around 0630 the night before, I was all set to catch Star Radio signing-on at scheduled 0500 June 2 --- no go: far too much T-storm static, and could not even tell if a carrier was there. Theoretically should be best at 0500 when there is a full darkness path. Must keep trying (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4024.985, June 2, cd 2108 UT, tent. logging of Star Radio, Monrovia. This evening at 2108 an English speaking station signed off after newscast and announcement. Too disturbed by utility stations to get a proper ID. QSA 2. According to website transmission times between 0500-0900 and 1800-2100 UT on this frequency. Good hunting (Thomas Nilsson-SWE, DXplorer June 1 via BC-DX June 3 via DXLD) 4025, Star Radio. On June 2 had a definite signal on the Perseus and intermittent traces of audio at 0630 UT tune with the Wellbrook loop pointed at Liberia --- nothing seen at 0530 UT so tonight will record from 0530 to 0715 UT (flying to NYC today). I suspect I would have done better at 0600 UT. Even the visual signal indication faded quickly after 0700 UT (Bruce W. Churchill-CA-USA, DXplorer June 2 via BCDX via DXLD) Another attempt to hear Star Radio on 4025: June 3 at 0533 there is definitely a carrier, and it is very slightly on the lo side, compared to Cuba on 5025, unless the latter be slightly on the hi side, i.e., with BFO slightly offtuned, and tuning 1.0 MHz apart on the FRG-7, slightly different pitches are heard. Still too much T-storm noise, at the moment from the next county to the east. Without that, and with adequate modulation, I might have been able to log some details (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. 15 Hz low per Nilsson above (gh) ** MADAGASCAR. 3288, Malagasy, presumed. WRTVH says 1500 – 1900 s/off but was looking for Radio Central, Port Moresby. Heard in some sub continent language, i.e. Hindi Malagasy mentioned. 2110 f/out 2125 15/5 (Johno Wright, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) Haven’t seen any other reports of it lately, but can pop up occasionally. // 5010 or instead of? See Dennis Allen’s log from Cataract 5010 for 16/5 – or was that 15/5 by UT (The Sunday morning)? (Craig Seager, NSW, ADXN ed., ibid.) 5010, carrier+USB R. Madagasikara, Ambohidrano, 1842-1904, 29 May'10, Malagasy+French, live music show; 35332. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5010, Radio Madagasikara, 0248-0310, May 31, tune-in to local pop music. IS at 0258. Choral National Anthem at 0300. Talk in presumed Malagasy at 0302 followed by some local music. Weak but readable. Reduced carrier USB (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** MALAYSIA. 6049.6v, Asyik FM via RTM, 1236-1239, May 27. Call to prayer (Isha – Night prayer); somewhat out of sync with // 5964.92v (Klasik Nasional FM). Asyik FM went into program of pop music and frequent “Asyik FM” IDs; as usual had almost fair reception here. 15295, Voice of Malaysia, 1142-1215*, May 28. In Chinese till ToH, change over to Bahasa Indonesia. Seems they no longer are on 11884.44v for this time period. After 1200 was // to the good signal on 6174.4v. 5964.92v, Klasik Nasional FM via RTM, 1322-1347, May 29. In vernacular with variety of songs (even a few in English – Stevie Wonder with “My Cherie Amour”, etc.); poor to fair. 6049.6v, Asyik FM via RTM, 1257-1318, May 29. In vernacular; pop songs; no break at ToH; numerous “Radio Malaysia Asyik FM” IDs. Enjoyable listening with almost fair reception. /SARAWAK. 7270, Wai FM via RTM, 1353, May 29. In vernacular; frequent “Radio Malaysia Wai FM” IDs; pop songs; 1400-1406: pips and Wai FM news which started and ended with reference to “Limbang”; unusual in that PBS Nei Menggu did not dominate here. Not sure if they were even on today? (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7295, Malaysia, Traxx FM via RTM, Kajang. May, 30 0950-1003 two female in English discussion, Cuban style music in English, back females, 0958 romantic music in English, 1000 time pips, male announcements, seems news program, female announcements. At peak, 35533 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5965, 01/Jun 1918, RTM Kuala Lumpur, *presumed*, in Malay. Local pop music. At 1919 UT male talks and new music. At 1924 UT male talks referring to Kuala Lumpur, musical background on the piano, the sequence repeats. Weak signal and degrading. Recorded in my blog (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Degen 1103, Dipole antenna, 19 meters - east/west - Balun 4:1, Skype: jorge.freitas.fsa, Escutas (listening, my blog): http://www.ipernity.com/doc/75006 dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wow, that`s pretty early, well before your sunset, and circa sunrise in KL; Aoki says 5965 is on 24 hours (gh, DXLD) ** MALI. 5995, RTV Malienne, Bamako, 2341-0003*, May 25, French. M announcer between Afropops & French rap music; NA at 0001; pulled the plug at 0003; p-f in ECSS-LSB (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, NH USA, NRD-545, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA [and non]. After hearing Liberia on 4025, checked 4845 at 0616 to see how other W Africans were doing; ORTM about as well as could be expected, chanting marred by WWCR 4840. Also, French on 4960, i.e. VOA São Tomé, 100 kW at 30 degrees, which is not unusual and don`t bother to log (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 4800, XERTA, Radio Trans Continental. Spanish pop tune then call letter ID! (nearly fell off the chair)! Fading out and gone by 0625 14/5. A surprise! (Johno Wright, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) So what time was the ID? ** MEXICO. 6010, R. Mil, blocked by RHC, see CUBA, May 30 after 0700 in Esperanto, 0730+ English, but at next check 0823 RHC was off audiblizing Spanish lovesong by YL, 0826 quick ``Radio Mil`` ID, atop slight het, presumably Colombia or Brasil (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Les envío la respuesta que me dió amablemente el Ing. Moreno de "Radio Universidad" de San Luis Potosí, México, en relación a la falla que causo la ausencia de XEXQ onda corta en los 6045 kHz. durante mas de ocho días. Saludos, (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: El 28 de mayo de 2010 14:51, Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla escribió: Estimado Ing.: hemos notado que XEXQ onda corta está fuera del aire en los 6045 kHz desde hace casi una semana. Traté toda la semana de comunicarme telefónicamente con Vd. sin tener suerte. Si no tiene inconveniente mucho le agradeceré la información que nos pueda dar al respecto. De antemano gracias por su tiempo y atenciones, Julián Santiago D. de B. Date: Fri, 28 May 2010 20:36:21 -0500 Subject: Re: XEXQ onda corta From: fjmcuellar @ gmail.com Estimado Dr. Julián, Agradezco sinceramente su escucha permanente, asimismo le informo que efectivamente el viernes 21 de Mayo sufrimos de una falla en el suministro de energía eléctrica por parte de CFE, ocasionando un bajo voltaje en 2 líneas de las 3 que alimentan nuestros equipos. Ningún otro equipo sufrió falla, pero el transmisor de OC se dañó en su fuente de alimentación. Espero estar ya al aire nuevamente la próxima semana. Saludos cordiales. Atentamente, Francisco Javier Moreno Cuéllar. UASLP (via Julián, ibid.) Voltage drop damaged power supply for the SW transmitter; hoped to be back on next week (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Still not heard as of June 3 ** MEXICO [and non]. 6104.8, XEQM Mérida, 0714 UT May 30 phone interview in Spanish with laughter, atop lite het from 6105.0. That must be what`s left of the TWR English signal via Nauen, Germany, now far into the dayside, but which is such an obstacle winterly. XEQM with its typical deep fading. R. Martí`s expanded schedule included 6105 starting at 0700 (except UT Mondays 0900), but the low-resolution frequency grid at http://www.martinoticias.com/frecuencia.aspx now dated 3.5.10, meaning 3 May? No longer shows it on that or any of the other additional times and frequencies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6104.77, Candela FM, Nice signal at 1044 w/LA Pops. Dropped off quickly in the next 5 minutes. Rapid-tlking live W host at 1050, same as hrd in the past. TC and ment of Mexicana at one point. Canned anmnt at 1100, but impossible due to weakening signal and slop QRM from adjacent channel. (30 May) 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, RX: NRD- 535D, ANT: 60m T2FD and 31m Windom, HCDX via DXLD) 6104.9, XEQM, RASA, Mérida, 0515-0600, 01-06, locutor, canciones latinoamericanas, oyentes saludando por teléfono a familiares y amigos, anuncios, menciona "Mérida". A las 0600 eclipsada por BBC con programa en francés. 13221. (Méndez) 6185, Radio Educación, México D.F., 0504-0700, 01-06, a las 0504 y hasta las 0532 programa en español de Radio Francia Internacional con noticias y comentarios, luego identificación por locutor: "Las 12 con 33 minutos", "Radio Educación, 85 años". Música clásica. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Buena señal de XEQM hoy 2 de junio de 2010 a las 1110 UT con noticieros y ocasional interferencia de RHC. Envío enlace a archivo de audio: http://rapidshare.com/files/394426360/SW6105KHZ-02JUN2010-1110UT.WAV.html Atte: (Ing. Civ. Israel González Ahumada, M.I., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. As of UT May 30, 2010, I finally have a brand new TV antenna up with rotor and amplifier. Altho it is not as high as I would like, now I am set for double-hop sporadic-E analog TV DX from Caribbean, Central and South America, which happened so much last summer; and single hop from Canada and Mexico where analog TV still exists. (And some LPTV USA stations still analog; o yeah, also possible DTV Es DX from US stations, as frustrating as it may be.) There are NO locals of course on any TV channel now except 32-analog, 31-low power digital. However, non-broadcast intermittent QRM bothers some channels including 3. Hope the `white space` is not already filling up here. First catch was some analog on channel 3 briefly with a graphic at 0247 UT, peaking WSW, which I checked as soon as I saw a 6m opening on DX Sherlock between N5XR east of me and S California. Figured it was XHBC Mexicali, a regular here in the past at ideal skip distance, but now there is another Mexican channel 3 too close in Tijuana, XHTJB, which is on the Once educational TV network. Need more log details to be sure. More Es from Mexico May 30 in 1500-1700+ period UT, mostly channels 2 and 4 from the south, occasionally 6; on 2 and 4 several stations/networks mixing with variety of programming including cartoons, sports, speech with PA reverb, but no definite IDs. At 1504 on 4, ad for Tel Cel, which is Mexico`s leading mobile phone company, then guys in stadium, fútbol. At 1630 on 2 an ad for Banorte, which is based in Monterrey but has offices all over Mexico and some abroad. Huge sporadic-E TV DX opening UT June 2. It`s frustrating due to multiple stations vying for dominance on each channel up to 6 --- all or nothing. Sorting out the network relays, on channels other than the original is also difficult without any local programming or hard-to- see tiny-type supered IDs at odd times. First noted opening in progress at 0038 UT and still going past 0400. One station for sure was XHBC, channel 3, Mexicali, at 0100 hourtop ID had nice rotating logo, 3 XHBC in upper left, then full-screen call- letter ID. Then Notivisa, local newscast (tho I suppose the nationwide Televisa net uses that name on all local stations). Single female anchor. Televisa placard on mike interviewing people. At times snow- free with color, strong and steady enough to videotape. Newscast has constant bug in lower right, of a big white N on a blue square background, also illegible small type below the N. And a digital clock to the right of it in PDT, e.g. 18:36. Some of the items referred specifically to Mexicali. There was an ad for Axtel in Mexicali, and a local political ad for Francisco somebody. Lots of elexions are imminent in Mexico. Had a hard time finding a website for XHBC, but its sister station in Tijuana has one, both in English and Spanish, tho you can`t toggle languages (and I assume all the programming is in Spanish), including these pages about the newscast: http://www.xewt12.com/eng/notivisa_eng.html http://www.xewt12.com/esp/notivisa_esp.html Some of the QRM on channel 3 included music videos with a large bug in lower right, looks like Grup3ro with 3 larger than the letters. At 0212 there was an ad on 3 mentioning Sinaloa, i.e. XHQ in Culiacán. Never saw any sign of Once-net on 3 from Tijuana. Also Azteca 13 (with Aztec numeral bug UR) with Novela on 4, also briefly on 5; signs of something on 6; too much CCI on 2. 0141 UT June 2 MUF dropping to mostly 2. When I turned on TV next morning at 1417 UT, channels 2-6 full of Mexicans past 1635. I am getting TV DX from all over the country, yet DX Sherlock shows no contacts on 6m beyond the NE corner of the country! The FM band is no doubt open too, but I don`t have time to dig out the DX IDs on TV or FM. At 1646 UT and earlier I see TAMPICO in an infomercial graphic on channel 6, i.e. XHTAO (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) June 2 was another huge sporadic-E TV DX day from here. Unfortunately a lot of this cannot be traced to a specific station. Times always in UT. Referenced are the listings at http://www.w9wi.com/tv-channel-index.html 1417, when I turn on TV, already open up to channel 6. As the day goes on with 2-6 full, I frequently check channel 8 in case there be some hiband skip (and some was reported elsewhere), but nothing yet. Unfortunately my channel 7 is blocked by KOCO-DT OKC (as are 9 and 13 tho 9 is supposed to give up for 39 permanently instead). 1420 on 5, talk show with 2M and 2W, mentioning Veracruz, Veracruz. Must be XHAJ Las Lajas, 100 kW, which is listed on the XHGC-5 net but apparently local programming at the moment. 1425 on 5, CCI from Smurfs cartoons; also seen earlier on lower channel. 1434 on 5, italic 5 bug in UR, with the cartoons, so XHGC-5 net if not XHGC DF itself. 1437 on 3, tv3 bug in UR, talkshow. This is XHP Puebla. See very useful logo reference at http://www.tvdxtips.com/mexlogos.html 1624 on 6, Azteca 13 bug in UR, talkshow. This bug is the Aztec numeral 13, two vertical lines and three dots to the right (5+5+3). Eight full-power stations and two low-power fit this description, including Puebla. Opening continues, but I am too busy to log stuff until --- 1915 on 6, A-13 bug in UR again, may or may not be same as at 1624. 1936 on 5, cartoons from net-5, Pixies, dubbed (XHGC-5 net seems to run cartoons most of the day) 1940 on 5, toons, El Chavo 1945 on 4, gameshow, kids (or small adults), on trikes negotiating obstacle course and running into things, ha ha; some are wearing red jumpsuits, others blue. A bug in LL says DICO, program name? TV Guide listing for XHTV-4 net has ``Se Vale`` at 17-20 UT, including games. 1958 on 6, Azteca-7 net, cartoon. 4 full power and 1 low power listed; CCI from soccer 2000 on 5, net-5, cartoon credits, El Chavo 2000 on 4, newscast, bug in UR says tv and maybe something else more identifiable I can`t make out. Maybe XHGV Veracruz, with rtv logo as in Oglethorpe`s logo reference. Can`t find listing for channel at TV Guide for Veracruz, which deals only with cable channels. Only thing close in TV Guide is XEQ-9 Galavisión net with ``NX`` which is about entertainment rather than hard news. The only two stations with net-9 on 4 are XHBO Oaxaca and XHBK Tapachula. 2008 on 5, ads recorded for later analysis 2017-2027, took a break for FM DX: see USA [and non] 2037 on 5, net-5 with Spongebob, at times // audio on channel 4 2050, opening weakens to channel 4 and below 2201 on 5, ``El Poder de la Fe`` program starts, with large phone numbers and addresses supered across bottom, alternating Xalapa, Orizaba and Poza Rica, all Veracruz. No doubt XHAJ Las Lajas again. CCI from Spongebob and again at 2220 2257 on 3, net-5 with Penguins toon. Opening continuing until about 0200, but no further logs. June 3: on HF again at 1330+ signs of Es, tho F2 worldwide reception is pits. 1410, TV on to find Mexicans channels 2-5 including toons on 3. Opening not so strong as yesterday, meaning less QRM on lower channels. 1533 on 2, Azteca-7 net bug in upper right and clock for 10:33 during novela (?). There are 5 full-power and 1-lower power listed. But two of them are west of the CDT zone, so that leaves only 4 to pick from. By 1700 UT opening has weakened, but still plenty of CCI on 2 southward. What I am really hoping for is an opening from Caribbean/Central/South America at least double hop, excluding Mexico, so should leave antenna SE a lot of the time and keep an eye on DX Sherlock which however has been accused of virality (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Hello Glenn! With some E-skip moving through here in the evening today (6/2) and sliding from Florida/South Carolina towards Texas, I tuned to a Spanish station on 101.7, Mexican music, clear as a bell. They IDed something like "La Kotora" but soon the signal was strong enough for the RDS.."LA COTORRA CIUDAD VICTORIA". XHVIR, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, at about 1300 miles. On the car radio in Catlin Illinois. Gotta love that skip. Take care! (Eric Loy, Catlin, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR. 7200.0, Myanma Radio, 1303-1330*, May 27. In vernacular with EZL pop songs; almost fair even with ham QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ron, a very weak station was there last night after the North Koreans went off. No hams heard here and propagation was lousy. Pyongyang are really on their high horse at present (Robin Harwood VK7RH, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, Radio Monitor, SWLR-KS001, May 28, ibid.) 7200.0, Myanma Radio, 1330*, May 28. In vernacular and off right on schedule. 7200.0, Myanma Radio, 1235-1255, June 3. In vernacular with music program; mixing with Korea till they went off at 1249, just after the National Anthem, then Myanmar was almost fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. ALL-DAY CLASSICAL MUSIC STATION LAUNCHED BY RNW From today, Radio Netherlands Worldwide is offering listeners around the world a new service: classical music radio via the Internet. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, http://www.rnwclassical.com/ RNW Classical will broadcast classical music by Dutch composers and performers to an international public, and combine it with information about RNW's other activities. In the event of global or national disasters, it will also become an important source of news. Read more on our main website http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/all-day-classical-music-station-launched-rnw (Media Network newsletter June 3 via DXLD) Great; ¿any relation to the Georgian one operating out of Netherlands, http://www.radiomuza.ge/player.aspx?lang=1 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. [Replying to Roger Chambers under UK - BBC] Radio Netherlands Worldwide has NOT 'quit shortwave broadcasts'. We stopped broadcasting in English on shortwave to North America because there was no evidence that more than a handful (i.e. a few hundred people) were listening to these transmissions, despite our best efforts to solicit feedback from regular listeners. On my advice, we only did this by making announcements during the actual transmissions, not by emailing DX clubs whose members would have written to us claiming to be regular listeners when they weren't. Some countries continue to fund their international broadcasts regardless of whether anyone is listening. The Dutch pay rather more attention to the way public money is spent. The shortwave listeners deserted us, not the other way round. It is fashionable to blame Radio Netherlands Worldwide for all the ills affecting shortwave broadcasting. We are used to it. But to accuse us, a relatively small broadcaster, of putting "the real nail in the coffin" is, IMHO, a tad over the top :-) (Andy Sennitt, RNW, May 26, ODXA yg via DXLD) As I remember the process, RNW solicited listener input several different ways at several different times. I responded to a request for input that was posted on the RNW website. The survey asked about ways of listening to Radio Netherlands -- if I as a listener used multiple delivery platforms. How many others remember participating in the process? I know I mention this often, but we above a certain age have a certain way of "listening" that folks younger than us don't have. A friend (who is a school teacher) is researching how children find out information in the Internet era, specifically how children read. She (and others) have found that we have become "skimmers" -- we read three lines of an article / paragraph / story and then look down the left side of the piece to see if we want to read the whole thing. Those younger than us are now in the majority; so it follows that RNW continues to adapt to how folks use it. Am I happy about that? No, because I enjoy shortwave -- it offers unique pleasures that other platforms do not. But I understand why RNW feels it's necessary (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) Andy: No insult was intended, and I apologize for the implication of "total" reduction of SW broadcast by RN as being unfair. I was referring to the English broadcasts to North America, which were a mainstay to my listening for nearly 40 years. Maybe my implications and choice of words was a bit rough, but when RN quit broadcasting in English to North America, my personal listening to SW bands overall took a nose dive which has not recovered. It was almost like losing a close friend, perhaps similar (but stronger) to the feeling that people have when their favorite series program on TV is cancelled after 5 or more years, or the loss of a local sports team (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, ODXA yg via DXLD) Hi Roger, That's OK - but some people take comments out of context and I just wanted to make sure everyone understood the scenario we faced. Actually, although I thought at the time there wouldn't be a domino effect when the BBC stopped its SW service to N America, I have been proved wrong. Someone mentioned to me a while back that when the BBC had a strong signal on 6175 and we had one on 6165, RNW probably picked up a lot of listeners who were actually looking for the BBC. [now it`s Vietnam on 6175] Yes, nobody likes change, and we ended our SW service in English to N America with great sadness. A number of colleagues in Programme Distribution are licensed radio amateurs and they, like me, have been great supporters of shortwave. But there comes a point when you can no longer justify the reasons for using it to reach a few hundred people. I say again, we didn't curtail shortwave because we'd fallen out of love with it, but apparently most of our erstwhile listeners had :-( (Andy Sennitt, RNW, ibid.) It should be pointed out that, while no longer as convenient in terms of timing and reception as it once was, it is still quite possible to listen to RNW (and the BBC, for that matter) on shortwave. RNW's broadcasts for Africa during our (meaning North America east coast) afternoons (1800-2100) provide aurally tolerable reception most days on 15535, 11970 and/or 11610 kHz. Even the BBC, which has played hard to get more effectively than most coeds, is heard on shortwave on the east coast of NA from 2100 to 2300 UT on 9915 and 12095 kHz on an almost daily basis, as well as from 0400 UT on 7310, albeit a little less reliably. DW's 0400, 0500 and 2100 broadcasts and RFI's 0400 and 0500 transmissions (M-F only UT) also reach NA on a regular basis, if not daily. Yes, we may need a little better receiver or a bit more antenna than we used to, but the broadcasts are still there for the taking if you want them badly enough. Maybe this time, we'll take the time to regularly write or e-mail and tell the broadcasters about them and how much and why we appreciate them (beyond the pedestrian QSL reception report). Might not be a bad idea to do so for the broadcasters still targeting NA directly (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) Scratch 15535 for RN, now that Kuwait with a much stronger signal in English is on 15540 at 18-21 (gh, OK, DXLD) SPECIAL MONITORING REQUEST TO SHORTWAVE LISTENERS IN NORTH AMERICA Rocus de Joode of RNW's Programme Distribution Department writes: Because of a problem with the Thomson 2 transmitter on Bonaire this week we have moved two Dutch transmissions to Sackville in Canada and Montsinery in French Guyana. The transmissions are 0059-0127 UT on 6190 kHz to the East Coast and 0459-0527 on 6165 to the West Coast. They will be moved back to Bonaire on Friday evening. So we are interested to receive reception reports from these two transmissions this evening compared to Bonaire tomorrow evening (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RN asked for North American reports on 6165 at 0459-0527 in Dutch May 28, when French Guiana was substituting for Bonaire one night only. At 0522, still a very good signal, but with some hum, and the audio a bit degraded as if it were an internet feed at inadequate bit rate. Also bothered by distortion caused by selective fading. But I am not sure if this is any worse than we normally get from Bonaire, with which we are supposed to compare this 24 hours later. There are millions of times more English speakers than Dutch speakers in North America, so we normally don`t pay much attention to the Dutch, except wait for it to go off so we can hear Chad. Another substitution was at 0059-0127 May 28 on 6190, but I missed checking that. Andy Sennitt`s message said Sackville and Montsinery were the alternate sites, altho he did not explicitly say which was which; assuming they were mentioned in respective order (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hmmm. Two things come to mind with RNW asking for reception reports for alternate sites: (1) Perhaps increased demand for third-party time leases on the Bonaire facility, which would bump RNW's own broadcasts to another site, or (2) Could they be testing the waters for an eventual shutdown of Bonaire, and want to find out how Sackville and Montsinery would do as limited replacements? Maybe I'm getting paranoid about these things with all the reductions happening in SW output these days, and it would seem silly to close Bonaire just three years after installing two new (mystery brand) transmitters. But still questions worth considering. Thoughts? (Steve Luce, Houston, TX, June 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Re: millions of times more English speakers than Dutch ---] Yes, the obvious fact of which seems to have escaped RNW, due to their decision a few years ago to cancel the English to NA. Of course, try and politely point that out to RNW, and it is 30-years-plus loyal listeners like this one (well, an ex-listener, now) who are talked to as if they are in the wrong. And, now they want us to help? (J. D. Stephens, AL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here's some unfinished business from a cupola weeks ago. Re: 9860, ``UNID. 2130 interesting program with music (music sounded like Greek music) and sudden shutoff without warning at 2156 when I was hoping to get an ID. I really hate the "X" button signoffs. Give some props to the more considerate SW-broadcasters that at least announce when they are going off-air (Barton-AZ) Rick, This is R. Netherlands Arabic service via Rwanda from 2100. They play a lot of music fill on weekends, but you heard this on Monday? There should have been some Arabic talk during the semihour. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ABDX via DXLD)`` Glenn is correct, the log came from my Sunday list, not Monday (Rick Barton, Phoenix AZ, Hammarlund HQ-140X, SP-600, Drake R-8, indoor rw, outdoor rw, May 26, ABDX via DXLD) 12085, Dutch poorly at 1309 June 2. Therefore, it has to be Radio Netherlands, and it has to be from anywhere but The Netherlands. This is via IBB Tinang, PHILIPPINES, 283 degrees at 1300-1327. Need to check whether this frequency too like 9650 under CRI Sackville carries 3 minutes of English at 1327-1330 before automatic cutoff (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. RNW updated their posted schedule with these changes: [1234567 u.o.s.] ADD THESE: 0200 0230 MDC 9510 50 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 250 RSW Swe sAS 0400 0500 MDC 9875 265 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 50 RVP Mul Zimbabwe 1500 1700 RMP 5910 140 06/01/2010 06/04/2010 500 NCRV Dut 3456 French Alps 1659 1757 MDC 7395 240 05/28/2010 10/31/2010 50 YFR Zulu sAF DELETE ALL THESE: 0100 0230 MDC 9510 50 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 250 RSW Swe sAS 0259 0357 SMG 5915 130 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 125 PNW Mul eAf 0400 0500 MDC 9895 265 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 50 RVP Mul Zimbabwe 0527 0557 HB 13730 165 03/28/2010 05/01/2010 500 PNW Mul Darfur 0527 0557 MDC 13600 330 03/28/2010 05/01/2010 250 PNW Mul 1 7 Darfur 1659 1757 MDC 7395 265 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 50 RNW Eng Zimbabwe 1900 2100 MDC 6020 255 03/28/2010 10/31/2010 50 YFR Eng sAF (via Dan Ferguson, May 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) French Alps? O, yeah -- SPECIAL DUTCH BROADCASTS ON 5910 KHZ THIS WEEK On Tues-Fri this week there will be a special relay of a popular Dutch domestic network Radio 2 programme from NCRV on 5910 kHz at 1500-1700 UTC towards the French Alps. The programme is called Knooppunt Kranenbarg. This week it includes reports from Alpe d’HuZes in France where famous Dutch people are climbing the best-known mountain in the Tour de France to raise money for the fight against cancer. Technical arrangements have been made by RNW as follows: * Station: Rampisham * Dates: Tuesday 1 June - Friday 4 June (four days) * Time: 1500-1700 UTC * Frequency: 5910 kHz * Power: 500 kW * Azimuth: 140 degrees (Source: RNW Programme Distribution) (May 31st, 2010 - 13:17 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. I wonder what`s been on Happy Station lately? Since Keith dumped shortwave, even tho I know I can find it on his website, I`m out of the habit of listening every Thursday morning on WRMI, even if that was usually via its own webcast. Now there is no time conflict with another of my favorites, Spotlight on the Arts from KCSC. Keith has quit publicizing in advance, HS topix, or even teasing us about them. Is he still doing a new show every week? And whatever became of his plan to do one more SW-only show, to judge response? If it happened, I never heard about it, so could not possibly listen or respond. I guess he is still planning to start a Spanish version via DentroCuba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Still 2 shows being done. 1 general for AM/FM stations 1 for Kenya Broadcasting Corp (45 mins) 3 new stations are being added soon. Media Corp - Singapore (formerly Singapore Broadcasting Corp) - FM (June 12th) Radio Progresso - Havana, Cuba (Spanish) (July 18th) Radio Osaka - Japan (June 25th or 26th) date to be confirmed later next week. Also: SABC - Cape Town and Pretoria. Colin from DXER.ca and I are still working on the topics for the special show we will air on SW. Date and time TBA. It's all on the website. Everything is there. As I said before. I would keep SW if the SW audience was large enough. But the response from the show was too low on SW. For let's say every 1 email or letter I got from someone who listened on shortwave, I would get 9 times more for those who listened off the net. As a content provider as Andy Sennitt has said before, you need to use your resources that can bring you the biggest audience. If I would have kept it on SW, the audience would not have grown. It's not like SW brings in new listeners. Now before you read anything into my comments about SW. I need to state that I do believe in SW as a viable medium. But unlike 15 or 20 years ago it has become regional. SW is still very important for Africa, parts of Latin America/Asia. [continued under GERMANY] (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Happy Station, June 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 6170, RNZI, 1403, May 28. Friday continues to find them signing on one hour later than normal (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I seldom monitor after 0700 UT, but glad I did May 30 as Pacific conditions were good this early, K=4. At 0710, RNZI VG on 6170 in discussion on human rights and their DRM 7435-7440-7445 also grinding away (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. World FM frequency change Hi Glenn, Just a quick note to let you know that as of June 1st World FM has changed frequency in Tawa from 88.5 MHz back to our original 88.2 MHz. The Radio Spectrum Management division of the NZ government Ministry of Economic Development is currently carrying out a review of LPFM licencing in the country. Under the proposed new regime 88.5 MHz will no longer be available for LPFM broadcasting, but extra frequencies at the top & bottom of the FM band will be. The original implementation date for the new regime was June 1st, but has been delayed, but I have decided to move World FM back to 88.2 MHz which is allocated for LPFM both under the existing and proposed new regimes. Once the new regime is officially in place we may need to change frequency again depending on what other local LPFM broadcasters do. Also, in the next few weeks our part-time relay station at Marahau, Tasman Bay, will go on air full-time, hopefully also on 88.2 MHz Cheers, (Chris Mackerell, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) World FM is one of our valued WORLD OF RADIO affiliates, and also check out their full schedule of other worthwhile programming. Plus webcasts, where 0.3 MHz QSY is not a problem (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. More MW heard: Sokoto State Broadcasting on 540 kHz heard at 2255 on 1 June for the first time - male speaker in Hausa (I think) with animated talk followed by another more soft-spoken announcer with close-down information. Orchestral anthem sign off at 2301, short and sweet. This is the most north-westerly of the Nigerian states, bordering Niger. Also, Jigawa State BC on 1026 kHz heard with anthem sign-off at 2319 on 26 May. I've got that anthem pretty much off pat now! 73s (Graham Bell, Cape Town, South Africa, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. [Pirates]. 6900 AM, WBNY, 2330-2350, May 28, ID. Pirates Week program with talk about pirate radio. Played clips of various US and European pirates. Weak. Poor in noisy conditions. 6950.59 AM, Radio Ronin Shortwave, 2357-0005, May 28-29, ID. Pop music by Rare Earth, The Animals, and others. Fair in thunderstorm static. 6925 USB, WPON, 1930-1940, May 30, rock music. Beatles Tax Man song. Political talk. ID as “WPON, the weapon”. Poor to fair. 6925 USB, Northwoods Radio, 0157-0159*, May 31, just caught end of broadcast with ID announcement and morse code at sign off. Fair to good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) see UNID 15066.75 ** OKLAHOMA. It doesn`t take much to knock off Enid`s own TV station, KXOK, especially on a weekend, more especially on a holiday weekend, when obviously no one is around to take care of it. Shortly after a brief T-storm moved thru, KXOK analog 32 was just black screen and silent audio, but still on the air around 0200 UT May 31. Remained the same at several subsequent chex including 1445 UT the next morning, when its DTV 31 was also on but black. By next check 1730, they were finally back with programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Glenn, I've checked 1120 every morning and evening drive- time this past week and 1120 KEOR absent every day. This morning I checked 1340 on the drive to work between 8:30 - 9:00am CDT and found an oriental language program of some sort, likely Vietnamese but can't be sure of that. On the way home this afternoon around 1:00pm CDT, 1340 was usual UC mx/talk with local Tulsa ads. They frequently ID'd as "Hot 11-20 KEOR and 13-40 KJMU" but NOTHING on 1120. There is a fairly good size Vietnamese community here in Tulsa so wonder if there is a format change in the future for 1340/1120 with one frequency doing UC and the other Vietnamese(?) programming? (Bruce Winkelman, Tulsa, OK, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So much for my theory that 1580, KOKB Blackwell would lose modulation mainly on weekends. Also on Tuesday, June 1 at 1724 in open carrier. Next check at 1654 June 2, back on and overmodulated. 1120, KEOR Sperry-Catoosa-Tulsa still off the air. However, a few days earlier, Bruce Winkelman in Tulsa for whom these signals are local, heard KJMU 1340 still jointly IDing with 1120, and also had a program in Asian language, Vietnamese? Perhaps more of that will wind up on 1120 if reactivated. And still off at 1654 June 2 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. DELAY IN COMPLETE INSTALLATION OF NEW SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTERS AT LANDHI, KARACHI, PAKISTAN Hi Glenn, Radio Pakistan is in the process of installation of two new shortwave transmitters at Landhi Karachi. The transmitters are of 100 kW. Owing to fund constraints, further delay is expected in completion of the project and bringing the transmitters in operation. An amount of Rs 64.812 million has been provided for financial year 2010-11 and further amount of Rs 13.929 million will be provided in FY 2011-12. Total cost of the project is Rs 433.469 million. An amount of Rs 354.728 million has been spent on the project so far. So we will have to wait for two more years to hear any clear signals from Radio Pakistan. Regards (Aslam Javaid, Pakistan, May 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Aslam and Glenn, This is sad news - let us hope that the four remaining transmitters at Rewat will continue to operate, and that the two new units will still be in a useable condition by the time they are required to operate. What sort of "planning" was this when the necessary antennas were available at Rewat, but at Landhi the old ones were not? 73 from (Noel Green, England, ibid.) REVAMPING OF RADIO PAKISTAN WEBSITE: ONLINE ENGLISH FM CHANNEL Hi Glenn, Radio Pakistan has recently revamped its website http://www.radio.gov.pk --- Live streaming of five channels of Radio Pakistan is now available on the webite which include Islamabad station, FM 101, FM 94 Planet, FM 103 and Quran Channel. The new English Channel of Radio Pakistan Islamabad FM 94 Planet can be heard live and the audio quality is good. The live channels also include National Broadcasting Service which broadcasts programmes in English for two hours daily. Whereas the foreign language broadcasts services are yet to be made available on the website which is essential in view of poor state of shortwave transmitters. Regards (Aslam Javaid, Lahore Pakistan, June 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Tropical Band scan from the high Northern Sierra Nevada Range for June 2, 2010: Tried NBC Rabaul on 3385 and Radio Bouganville (PNG) 3325 at 1120Z. Both were S7 and audible just above the noise floor. R-71A and 61 meter Marconi T antenna (Art Hernandez, Lemmon Valley, Nevada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3290, NBC Central, 1239, May 28. In Tok Pisin and English; dramatization; island songs; local TCs (“10 to 11”); bird calls; “News Roundup” in English. Today did not hear any “Radio Gadona 95.5 FM” IDs, so assume was not the usual relay; 1311 tuned out; almost fair. 3905, NBC New Ireland, 1311-1322, May 28. In Tok Pisin; DJ with dedications for pop songs; local TCs (“19 after 11”); poor-fair with ham QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3905, R. New Ireland, Kavieng, May 30 at 0755, poor with island music, S9+10, 0757 announcement in Tok Pisin(?), then slow choral music with guitar past 0800 until next announcement at 0804; 0805 music with yelling and then speech with PA reverb. Initially the only broadcast signal on 75m, till 3915 and 3945 started to show a few minutes later, no sign of Japan on 3925; and no SSB ham QRM at this wee hour. 3365, after getting 3905, checked 90m for PNG and found one weak signal here at 0809 May 30 with talk, presumably R. Milne Bay, Alotau; tho both it and Brasil`s R. Cultura, Araraquara supposedly start at 0700, per Aoki (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also GUYANA 3905, R. New Ireland, Kavieng. May, 30 0929-0941 romantic, Pop, seems local Pop music selections, male in Pidgin in every music break. At peak 35533 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Cataract Dam [dxpedition in NSW Started 14th May 2010 at near Appin] --- Did we get a first? We may have. Try 5960 kHz with the 2GB relay on the Friday 14/5. Its suddenly hit me why was this on this freq? See ute section. [Nothing in ute sexion about this --- so why were they relaying 2GB?? gh]. Did we hear Radio Fly from New Guinea. A first in the world? (Johno Wright, presumably, June Australian DX News front page via DXLD) 5960, Pops, occasional announcements, very variable from day to day, 1030, 23/5. Again on 29/5, DJ format 1006, OK signal. I would estimate output at no more than 1 or 2 kW, perhaps even less. 3915, R. Fly, PNG. New station! Pops 0951, better level than // 5960, occasional announcements, but not great readability, 27/5 (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW (Icom R75, Drake R8A, Folded Dipole, Dream® DRM Software), June Australian DX News via DXLD) 5960, Radio Fly PNG. 0700 ID at 0705 plays pops. 30/5 (Johno Wright, Peakhurst NSW (Icom R8500, 100 metres of longwire at 80 degrees), June Australian DX News via DXLD) Re 10-21: I had some luck with Radio Fly, 5960, on Friday, 28 May, between 0930 till past 1030. Heard a lot of different tunes played, but was only able to positively ID one, a song by B.J. Thomas (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, May 30, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) With 6170, 5020, 3905 incoming from Pacific, it`s time to look for the new Radio Fly, May 30 at 0752: only a very weak carrier detectable on 5960 and heavy splash from REE/CR 5965 which lasts until 0800; at 0822 still something there with no 5965 ACI, but now RHC 5970 is too strong with music splash, as is WYFR from 5950. 3915, the other Radio Fly frequency: at 0821 some music is audible, much weaker than Kavieng 3905; by 0828, 3915 is S5-S9, and at 0833 man talking, but just too weak, and I have to sleep sometime. Aoki says both are 10 kW non-direxional, but is that confirmed? 10 kW is the nominal power of all the other PNG stations. If one could make 3915 // 5960, that would be confirmatory even if too weak to copy details. (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) My experience exactly with Radio Fly at this time, although not bothered so much by 5965; as is usually the case for Papua-New Guinea / SE Asia, I would hope for better reception closer to my local sunrise here, about 1200z. If at first you don't succeed... (Bruce Jensen, CA, ptswyg via DXLD) 5960, Radio Fly (tentative), 1304-1410, June 3. Variety of non-stop music (island songs, some pop songs in English [one sounded like Aretha Franklin], EZL jazz, EZL instrumentals, etc.); no break at BoH; only announcement heard was at ToH, but unable to make out the language; 1401 back to music. Tentatively this did seem to be // 3915, which was very weak and best in USB to get away from the jamming of Korea on 3912. Around 1350 the 5960 signal improved slightly. Needs more work to dig out an ID, but looks promising! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO FLY ON SHORTWAVE, TABUBIL, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Listeners in countries such as Japan and New Zealand have been reporting reception of new shortwave broadcaster Radio Fly in recent days. Radio Fly is a community radio station operated by the Ok Tedi Mine management in the isolated Western Province of Papua New Guinea, about 800 km west of the capital Port Moresby. According to Jobby Paiva, who hosts the evening show on Radio Fly, the station operates from two FM transmitters [95.3 at the port town of Kiunga and 103.8 in the main company town of Tabubil about 90 km inland] and recently started shortwave relays on 3915 and 5960 kHz. English news is scheduled 7-7.30 am Tue-Sat and again at 7.30-7.45pm Mon-Fri [local times] and the 6 am-10 pm [2000-1200 UT] broadcast day is divided into the Breakfast Shift 6-10 am, Mid Morning/Mid Afternoon Shift 10 am-2 pm, Afternoon Drive 2-6 pm and the Night Shift 6-10 pm closedown. He tells us that the transmitter power details for the SW outlets will be available shortly and they're delighted to be getting emails in from a growing number of listeners around the world. Station details will be included in the 2011 WRTH: Radio Fly studios are on Dakon Street, Tabubil. Mailing address: PO Box 1, Tabubil, Western Province, Papua New Guinea. Team Leader: Michael Miise. Telephone: +675 649 3924. Fax: +675 6493023. Email: jobby.paiva @ oktedi.com Jobby has previously been a broadcaster with Nau FM and other commercial stations in Papua New Guinea and maintains a regular blog where updates about Radio Fly can be found: http://www.jobbyswalk-about.blogspot.com Tabubil is the site of one of the world's largest copper mines [previously gold mining] about 20 km from the border with Indonesia and just over 300 km from Jayapura. Annual rainfall is around 315 inches [8 meters] and the township is located in extremely dense jungle. A road links Tabubil with a port at Kiunga where the copper slurry is taken by pipeline, and the port mainly exists to service Tabubil. Both Kiunga and Tabubil are in the highly mountainous North Fly District of Western Province. Radio Fly serves a combined Tabubil/Kiunga urban population of about 25,000 [estimated] and began broadcasting on FM in 2004. For more information about Radio Fly and the Ok Tedi mining operations see: http://www.oktedi.com ______________________________________________________ Radio Heritage Foundation is a non-profit organization connecting popular culture, nostalgia and radio heritage across the Pacific. Free community access is provided to the online PAL Radio Guides and other valuable resources at the global website www.radioheritage.net. Annual supporter benefits start at just US$15 and online advertising rates are now available. We also maintain the Pacific area broadcasting content [20+ countries] for the World Radio TV Handbook http://www.wrth.com and welcome news and updates about MW, FM and shortwave stations across the region to info @ radioheritage.net (David Ricquish, RHF, May 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325, R. Wantok Light, Port Moresby. Weak and noisy reception of an English inspirational song before ID at 0646, 15/5 (Dennis Allen, Milperra NSW, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) Do they really ID as R. Wantok Light?? I have never heard it so have no first hand info. Website http://www.wantokradio.org/ consistently calls itself Wantok Radio Light, the original name of this outlet from the outset. So why do people keep referring to it as R. Wantok Light? Maybe because the WRTH 2010 parenthetically calls it that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4940, R San Antonio, Villa Atalaya. June, 01 2210-2233 folk music selections alternating female time announcements (-5 UT), male canned ID “R. Santo [sic] Antonio”. 24322. 4950, R. Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado. May, 31 2154-2207 virtuoso solo acoustic guitar in latin themes, male “grande valor artístico deste compositor y guitarrista”. 33433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6019.292, 2347 30/5, R. Victoria, Lima. About the liberation in Spanish, fair. Perseus + Marconi and super Kaz. 4789.960, 0000 31/5, R. Vision, LV Salvación, SS Religious program ID "La Voz" 4746.951, 0007 31/5, R. Huanta 2000, Huanta, Local SS music, fair 3329.553, 0013 31/5, Ondas del Huallaga, Huànuco, SS talks by female, ID "Ondas". Perseus SDR + super Kaz (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) ** PERU. On the Air now, 0045 to 0120, 31 May 2010: 3329.594, Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco 73s (Bob Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4790.1, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, 0456-0510, 01-06, español, religioso, comentarios, locutor. 24322. (Méndez) 6019.3, Radio Victoria, Lima, 0600-0620, 01-06, identificación: "La Voz de la Liberación", "Aquí en el Sanatorio [? Sic --- santuario??] de la Oración", "Una de la mañana a nivel nacional", "Desde Lima, Peru, transmite Radio Victoria con sus potentes emisores en onda larga y onda corta, Radio Victoria, Lima, Peru". "Desde la ciudad de Lima para todo el mundo, La Voz de la Liberación". 24322. (Méndez) 9720, Radio Victoria, Lima, 0620-0627, 01-06, programa religioso en español, en paralelo con 6019.3. 23322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I thought the name of this gospel huxter program --- not a station ID or slogan! --- was La Voz de Liberación, without the other La. Anyhow, it`s all a Big Lie, as if believing that nonsense would ``liberate`` one --- from Rationality (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. 6173.903 at 0031 3/6, Radio Tawantinsuyo, Cusco. Weak Spanish talks by male. Perseus and Marconi antenna +preamp. 12 db gain (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, HCDX via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. AUDIOCLIP: RADIO PILIPINAS, 15190 kHz, 1800 UT with good signal. Audioclip with ID and presidential elections spot available here: http://blog.libero.it/radioascolto/8874002.html 73's (Francesco Cecconi, Central Italy, RX: ICOM R71, ANT: 100 mt lw, May 29, playdx yg via DXLD) ID includes long list of D-call affiliates, hum from it? (gh, DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. Received QSL of Radio Poland, in 70 days, for their transmitter on 21.675 MHz from the end of January, 2010. Verification was by BOTH letter and QSL card, signed by Slawek Szefs, listing Warsaw as the transmitter site. A printed station schedule for A10 was also provided. Thanks to Polskie Radio for their kindness. during the winter. I hadn't been tuning above 13-14 MHz that early in the morning so thanks also to DXer Frank Mezek of Sun City, AZ for his telephoned tip that they were up there at 7:00A local time, or I may have not heard them ! (Rick Barton, Phoenix AZ, Hammarlund HQ-140X, SP-600, Drake R-8, indoor rw, outdoor rw, May 26, ABDX via DXLD) Rick, Trouble is, there was no such transmission on 21675 at 1400 UT in the B-09 season. [or A-10, or anywhen, I think] I suppose you meant 11675, where English was at 13-14 UT via Austria (now same but one hour earlier). But Swavek should have known better, and should also know that there have not been ANY SW transmissions direct from Poland for years! So much for the validity of QSLs from PRES. 73, (Glenn Hauser, NASWA yg via DXLD) 11675, PRES via AUSTRIA in English 12-13 is usually inaudible / unreadable here in summer, but there it was poor-fair May 28 at 1240, W&W interview, about race cars? Hard to tell apart the two voices. 1245 to rock music; 1257 retune but already in musical postlude and shortly off. 24 hours earlier on Thursday we might have heard the DX/Mailbag show Multi-Touch if it still exist (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CHINA, 11980, CRI English to South Asia 1232-1310 & 1320-1400* May 26th & 27th. Marginal signal had me thinking that possibility the appearance of Polish Radio (PRES) in English finally being able to make its appearance. But further monitoring showed that this is China Radio International in English, making this frequency blocked for (PRES) Polish Radio. 11675 is a no show, just a marginal carrier (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. RDPi c/ DRM nas ondas curtas: + pormenores. RARET. João Gonçalves Costa escreveu ``Encontram-se já disponível, no sitio da Internet da RDP/I - Rádio Difusão Portuguesa Internacional, mais uma edição do programa CAIXA POSTAL/DXISMO de 2010, com Isabel Flora e que conta com a colaboração`` Caro João Costa: É provável que, sempre que insere este aviso acerca do prgr Cx. Postal/DXismo tenha já o texto pré-feito, mas - tal como já fiz notar em mensagem recente -, conviria alterar uma designação. Assim, a RDP Internacional [que costumo abreviar como RDPi] - Rádio Portugal é a única designação da emissora. O nome "Radiodifusão Portuguesa Internacional" , ainda que faça algum sentido, deixou de o ser quando referido por extenso. Como expliquei, "RDP" só existe como sigla, só c/ as iniciais, e aplica-se às RDPi, RDP ÁFrica, RDP Açores e RDP Madeira, tal como poderá ver em http://www.rtp.pt/homepage/ , secção "rádio." 73. (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Aí está uma opinião mais que abalizada para esclarecer sobre o DRM da RDP. Que se apaguem todas as outras opiniões dadas aqui, e que prevaleça a do colega Carlos Gonçalves de Portugal. Nem potência de 80 kW e nem Deutsche Welle que para nós brasileiros é chamada de A Voz da Alemanha. É o que há. 73 (Luiz Chaine Neto, Limeira sp, 20-5-2010, ibid.) Caro Luiz: Na m/ mensagem acerca da n/ RDPi em modo digital, DRM, referi as operadoras da estação de Sines por uma simples razão: embora pertencente à DW, Voz da Alemanha, responsável até pelo pagtº dos salários dos funcionários em Sines, ela é gerida por outra entidade: no passado, a RTE, tal como eu disse, e há já uns bons anos pela Pro- Funk GmbH. A localiz. da Pro-Funk é a SE de Sines, num lugar que dá pelo nome de Monte Mudo, algo p/ o interior de uma central eléctrica térmica, em São Torpes. Ambas visíveis no GoogleEarth. Aliás, a mesma RTE, mais tarde, Pro-Funk, operava ainda outra estação, mas receptora, em Santana, Sesimbra, na península de Setúbal, a uns bons quilómetros a norte de Sines. Os programas eram recolhidos em Santana e enviados por micro-ondas p/ o Monte Mudo. A RTE tinha ainda escritório em Lisboa, v.g. na Rua Braamcamp, de onde saíam prgrs. gravados, recebidos da Alemanha, por feixe de micro-ondas p/ Santana e daí p/ Sines. Com os satélites, este centro foi desactivado e entregue ao Estado Português, sendo os equipamentos (entre eles, vários rxs R&S) total ou parcialmente doados, segundo apurei junto de um funcionario da DAW, a países africanos de língua portuguesa. Actualmente, a DW sines conta c/ 3 emissores Thomson de 300 kW, que vieram substituir os 3 Marconi de igual potência (mas menor rendimento), 3 antenas de cortina ou STERBA rotativas e uma 4ª. antena, fixa, p/ os 75 m/4 MHz. Finalmente, um pormenor mais sobre a questão da retransmissão da n/ RDPi: ela é feita, não por real necessidade, mas advém do tal acordo, de início dos anos 70, entre o nosso País e a Alemanha. __________ Mesmo a outra retransmissora que operou cá, em Glória do Ribatejo e, mais tarde, também ma Maxoqueira (junto a Benavente) [antiga estação receptora como a de DW Santana, mais tarde transformada em centro emissor] fê-lo sob uma designação desconhecida p/ muitos: RARET - Rádio Retransmissão, Ldª, c/ sede e estação de micro-ondas junto ao Areeiro, aqui em Lisboa. Os prgrs da "RFE/RL", sediada em Munique, eram recebidos tb. em HF BLIndependente e emitidos da Maxoqueira p/ Glória do Ribatejo. Os que chegavam em fita eram emitidos por feixe de micro-ondas da sede p/ Maxoqueira e daí p/ Glória. Recordo perfeitamente as muitas captações que fiz dessas ligações HF em banda lateral independente (BLI c/ um prgr, BLS c/ outro), destinadas tanto à RARET como à outra retransmissora da "RFE/"RL" na Península Ibérica, v.g. em Platja Pals, Barcelona. Já advinhou certamente que falo das R.Europa Livre / R. Liberdade. 73. (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, 27 May, radioescuttas yg via DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. Puerto Rico FM into Northern Ireland Have just had Spanish on 89.7 mentions of Puerto Rico!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Listening Homepage: http://band2dx.webs.com/ Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiofotos/ Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/yogi540 [Later:] 89.7 suspected Puerto Rico recording - positive ID later via webstream - this was recorded around 1423 local time. http://www.box.net/shared/rc3sxkhova Mentions of Puerto Rico at 17 and 37 seconds. Will contact the station shortly. Any Spanish speakers want to have a go at a translation of this? Hi all, some insane conditions today here in Europe - wonder do any of you speak Spanish - check this out - recording of suspected Puerto Rico on 89.7 (later id'd in parallel with webstream) http://www.box.net/shared/rc3sxkhova Heard at 0920 ish PR time. Any help gratefully received - have emailed WRTU - awaiting a response. Regards, Paul Logan, Lisnaskea, N. Ireland Later: [Tvfmdx] WRTU 89.7 San Juan, Puerto Rico confirm via email !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just received this: "Hello, Paul, and thanks for tuning in. What you heard is indeed WRTU. The program was "Latinorama", a Latin Jazz show which I happen to produce and host. It will be repeated next Saturday at 1000 local time. We can also be heard on the internet through our web page, http://www.radiouniversidad.pr Good luck with your radio reception. I hope you can catch us again. Carlos R. Camu?as, Program Director" I am absolutely thrilled!!! Regards Listening Homepage: http://band2dx.webs.com/ (Paul Logan, Lisnaskea, N. Ireland, May 31, skywavesDX yg via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) That one's worth a dozen or more exclamation points, for sure! Congratulations, Paul; absolutely spectacular! S (Scott Fybusy, NY, ibid.) See also DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ** RUSSIA. Re 10-21: Friends and colleagues! We suffered bereavement. On the night of Sunday, 23 May, in his apartment in Moscow of a heart attack died drafter of the weekly Digest "Mediacom Pavel Mikhaiylov. He was 63 years. Pavel Grigoryevich was a teacher, mentor and friend to many of us. At its broadcasts "DX Club" with "the voice of Russia" has not one generation DX-popular brand. His transfer to many opened the fascinating world of radio, the world long distance radio reception on shortwave, trained its rules and his apprentice. The "Voice of Russia" Pavel Mikhaiylov's musical "thaw". Many he is also known as permanent columnist in the magazine "radio", "Total newspaper ... Pavel Mikhaiylov was very active and open-hearted man, he had many friends. But, despite its merits and celebrity, Paul was a humble person and even took offense when friends he was called by otc(estvu. Since June 2004, Paul Michael has released electronic weekly on media titled "MediaCom Digest, which is published on our website. In memory of Pavel Mihajlove. Kingdom of him Heaven! Bright him memory! (Igor Yaremenko, Novosibirsk, May 25, 2010. /“MEDIA_DX” via RusDX 30 May via DXLD) obit machine translated ** RUSSIA. Radio Krasnoyarsk in Siberia was received in Sofia at 2345 hours on 6085 kHz. The station has announced that it emits local programs Sunday through Thursday from 2315 to 24 hours, Monday through Friday from 0510 to 0610 and from 0910 to 1010, Saturday and Sunday from 01 to 0210 hours. Between 21 and 17 hours it relays the program of Radio Russia Moscow. Source: (BNR Radio Bulgaria: DXprogram May 28, 2010 http://bit.ly/aJMZAZ via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. VOICE OF RUSSIA NEW FREQUENCY FOR NORTH AMERICA Tuesday 1 June 2010 at 0038 I tuned by 7440 and heard Voice of Russia. ID at 0039 between programmes. Very good signal and good audio compared to 9890 which was not as good a signal and poor low audio. It was still on with news at 0104 when I checked again before going to sleep. The Voice of Russia website, http://english.ruvr.ru/radio_broadcast/schedule shows 7440 to North America from 0000 to 0200. Presumably this is a change from 1 June as I've not heard VOR on 7440 at this time recently. Regards (Harry Brooks, North East England, UK, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And 7440 is Radio Ukraine International`s frequency for North America, including English at 0000, inactive for a couple months but they are expected to resume! Was this done with the blessing of RUI for the time being, or are we in for a big collision? (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That's an interesting observation, Glenn; I wonder where the transmitter for 7440 is located. Could that be Ukraine? In the past VoR-Russian actively leased powerful MW transmitters in Ukraine. That helped save them. Then, Ukraine took over the facilities again. Well, now those powerful transmitters are mostly off (Sergei S., Russia?, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could be Lvov transmitter in Ukraine again from June 1st? Because the election winner in Ukraine is much more Russia connection friendly now. Could be high power transmission to North America 7440 LV 600 kW 303 degrees. And RUI Kiev can pay for their own main power debts then. Russia is 'hard up' for functioning antennas towards North America from Europe. Old friends on the southwards Balcan in Bulgaria and Albania are now independent. And to lease powerful TCI antenna at Sitkunai-Lithuania, may avoided by injured Russian ego (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, ibid.) VOR has a surprise new frequency for English to North America at 00- 02: 7440, first noted by Harry Brooks in England on UT June 1. So I was standing by for it before 0000 UT June 2: carrier on between 2357 and 2358; open carrier until 2359 VOR IS, 0000 opening WS of VOR, no frequencies ever announced, of course; 7440 is only a fair signal, little better than 9890 which is still on, but 7440 has no ACI unlike 9890 from the Cuban/American radio war on 9885. 9735 also came on at 0000 in VOR Spanish via Guiana French. The question is, what is the site for 7440 VOR? Until a couple months ago this was the super-power frequency of Radio Ukraine International, including English to North America at 0000-0100, nominally 600 of the rated 1000 kW via Lviv site. SW from RUI was suspended but they keep claiming that is temporary and they will resume [see UKRAINE]. But with Russia on their frequency??? Are we in for a big collision when RUI come back? Or has VOR axually reached a deal with the new pro-Russian Uke government to use the Lviv transmitter, just like the good old Soviet days? As Wolfgang Büschel also speculates, this could be a temporary measure to keep the transmitter site in business if RUI itself can not afford to use it (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VoR used to run an AM/MW relay in Vilnius for its Russian service. But that was stopped a few months ago due to financial difficulties. More notably, an AM relay in Belarus was also discontinued. (Many DX publications still list Belarusian tx on 1170 as being used by VoR). Albania is indeed a _very_ old Soviet friend as the Soviet-Albanian relations were severed during Khrushchev. The Russian service of R. Tirana was jammed heavily through most of its existence. The relations between two countries are rather cold to these days (Sergei S., ibid.) Was it really financial difficulties that brought an end to the VOR relays via Vilnius and Sosnovy? Or was it just a strategic decision, a result of considerations if and where money should still be used for AM transmitters? And shortwave to the western hemisphere is apparently just no priority anymore. VOR would have no need to search for new facilities; the German partners (if not friends) can not only provide another option for transatlantic shots but also arrange relays via Montsinéry over there. Now this 7440 relay: I suspect it must have been offered to VOR proactively. But by whom? Was it the transmitter operator RRT? Or is it NRKU itself who now leases this slot to VOR, probably this way avoiding a permanent loss of its access to the RRT shortwave facilities, especially for the current conditions? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) I just found out that VoR is back on Sosnovy transmitter starting from June 1! According to DXing.ru, it's in Russian 1300-1500 and 1700-1900 UT on 1170 for "Europe and Belarus." Another SW change (in addition to VoR English using 7440 0000-0200 for its NA coverage) is that VoR German can be heard from 0900 to 1000 on 11655 (Sergei S., ibid.) UKRAINE [tentative] 7440, Good morning, noted Voice of Russia on 7440 kHz in "our deep night" this June 1st/2nd, most uncomfortable monitoring time here in southwestern Germany. 2348-2350 UT, TX was already on air for opening check, when logged at 2348, much fluttery signal of S=9+15dB. Next check at 2352-2357 UT, TX was OFF air. TX came on air after all at 2357:20 UT. 2359:00 UT start of Kremlin chimes interval signal. June 2nd at 0000 UT ID "This is Moscow, you are tuned to the World Service of Voice of Russia". Female newsreader, Israel's air strike against Gaza strip in Palestine, 19 people killed on Israel marine action on international water. 600 human rights activists brought food and good aid to Palestinians at Gaza in Palestine. But were forced by Israeli marines on international water area... etc. > Another SW change is that VoR German can be heard from 0900 to 1000 on 11655. Yes, powerful S=9+40dB signal noted today at 0910 UT. > Albania is indeed a _very_ old Soviet friend as the Soviet-Albanian > relations were severed during Khrushchev. They were friends at least in 1945-approx. Dec 1961 era. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albania_-_Soviet_Union_relations Even in Sept 1967, when I visited Albania for the first time, I could see many typical USSR goods like soviet "Pobjeda" driving cars on the street, which car factory was once reparation remove from OPEL Olympia General Motors Brandenburg Germany installations after WW II. ALBANIA, R Tirana Kashar site 1359 kHz 50 kW erected March 1952 by USSR. http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&geocode=&q=+41%C2%B021%2753.88%22N++19%C2%B042%2746.60%22E&sll=51.151786,10.415039&sspn=19.808511,57.084961&ie=UTF8&ll=41.364973,19.712949&spn=0.002887,0.006968&t=h&z=18 And also the Shijak transmitter center was erected by Soviet aid in 1961, 2 x 50 kW SW and domestic 150 kW MW transmitter. http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&geocode=&q=41%C2%B019%2742.73%22N+19%C2%B033%2717.61%22E&sll=51.151786,10.415039&sspn=19.808511,57.084961&ie=UTF8&ll=41.328486,19.554977&spn=0.005777,0.013937&t=h&z=17 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Doesn't sound to me like 7440 is a coincidence, and now I'll be pleasantly surprised if we hear RUI on SW again. Hope I'm wrong and very 73 de (Anne Fanelli in Elma NY, ibid.) ** RUSSIA. 6660, The beloved frequency of Russian pirates, heard on 26/5 with Beatles songs, f.e. Roll Over Beethoven at 1908 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF 2001, Marconi antenna), June Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI CULTURE MINISTER SIGNS MEDIA CONTRACT WITH GULF COMPANY | Text of report in English by Saudi state-owned official news agency SPA website [SPA Headline: " Dr Khoja Signs Contract for Monitoring Radio and Television Stations"] Jedda, June 01, 2010 - The Minister of Culture and Information, Dr Abdulaziz bin Muhaydin Khoja, signed here today a contract worth SR 38.87 million with the First Gulf Company for implementation of the Project of Monitor and Control System of Radio and TV Broadcasting Stations. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Assistant Undersecretary of Ministry of Culture and Information for Engineering Affairs, Dr Riadh bin Kamal Najm pointed out that the project will enable the Ministry to remote control and monitor functions of broadcasting stations throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the conditions of the stations; their equipment data; and maintenance works. Source: SPA news agency website, Riyadh, in English 0000 gmt 1 Jun 10 (via BBCM via DXLD) They`ll fix the buzz for sure! (gh) ** SERBIA [non]. 9675, BOSNIA, Int'l Radio of Serbia, Bijeljina, 0034- 0045, May 26, English. News re unfavorable poll results on corruption in Serb politics; brief reports on Serbian tourist spot & diaspora acclimating in NYC; local pop music at 0043; booming signal (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, NH USA, NRD-545, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. 9630, RWANDA, FEBA Kigali, 1738-1747, May 28, listed Tigrinya. Two M announcers in discussion; some nice, upbeat music at 1740 (picture Buckwheat Zydeco doing Afropop in Tigrinya); presumed radio drama at 1745; good (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, NH USA, NRD-545, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Radio Slovakia International's German programme was heard on Sunday May 30 at 1820 with a DX programme consisting of the presenter reading out a list of stations from various continents and their frequencies. The item lasted about five minutes. It is not known whether this is a regular feature (Roger Tidy, UK, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, surprised to find a signal here May 30 as early as 0715, YL talk in English, but badly bothered by Cuba-5025 which was constantly splashing its music. Roughly 40 Hz low compared to whatever was on MW 1020. By 0750, 5020 is better with its own music; must be SIBC. I haven`t heard it this well around 1200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That makes two mornings in a row, at least, for the SIBC, which was also on May 29 at this early time (I wrote a reception report, but as you experienced, Cuba on 5025 beats up on it pretty badly, so my program details are sketchy). It was much better after 0830 on May 30; I may try again if I can keep my eyelids open that long. Thanks for the great post :-) (Bruce Jensen, California, USA, ptsw yg via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA [and non]. AM and FM in South Africa Hi Glenn, Re your comments in DXLD 10-21: The apartheid regime put a lot of effort into getting the black population to listen only on FM. Good-coverage FM networks were built for the SABC and each major African language got its own dedicated FM service. Cheap FM-only radios were mass produced in South Africa. You could still buy AM (mediumwave and shortwave) receivers of course, but they were much more expensive. The idea was to get most of the population into a position where they couldn't listen to AM broadcasts from abroad (whether the BBC or stations from other African countries). A similar thing happened in Zimbabwe. They built some good FM networks in the 1980s and shut down the ZBC's mediumwave and shortwave transmitters. I still have an FM-only "People's Radio" (made in South Africa) that I bought in Harare in the early 1990s (Chris Greenway, England, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA [and non]. WORLD CUP 2010: THE BROADCASTERS' COSTLY DILEMMA How many broadcasters does it take to cover a football match? No, that's not the start of a joke, but a serious question that has arisen from the widely varying reports of how the world's public broadcasters are planning to cover football's World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Why does the BBC need 300 people in South Africa when Ireland's RTÉ manages with eleven? http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/world-cup-2010-broadcasters-costly-dilemma (Media Network newsletter June 3 via DXLD) Zero: stupid ballgames are a total waste of resources and effort. World Cup on BBCWS: see U K; see also INTERNATIONAL ** SOUTH AFRICA. QSL: 11905, Voice of America via Meyerton Transmitter. Full data (with site, and specifics) letter with verification statement. Reply in 68 days. V/S: Sikander Hoosen, HF Coverage Planning, Operations & Maintenance (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also IRELAND [non] ** SPAIN [non]. Percebido sinal DRM da Rádio Exterior de Espanha emitido da Costa Rica para América do Norte em 9630 kHz às 2133 Z dia 01 junho 2010. Infelizmente quase nenhuma informação digital decodificada. Por volta das 0300 Z retornou ao modo analógico com SINPO 21122. Outros amigos pelos EUA reportaram boa recepção. Algumas imagens: http://www.archangelo.net/misc/hf/drm/view.htm (Flávio PY2ZX, June 2, Brasil, radioescutas yg via DXLD) v COSTA RICA! ** SRI LANKA [non]. IBC Tamil: see U K ** SUDAN. 7200, SRTC, *0222-0430*, May 31, sign on with Qur`an followed by Arabic talk. Local tribal chants. Chirping birds. Local pop music. Abrupt sign off. Poor to fair with some co-channel QRM from a weak Iran until their 0330 sign off (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** SUDAN [non]. 9465, Vatican R. via Santa Maria di Galeria. “Hello Darfur” program with speakers in Arabic-like language. Good strength signal degraded by noise and rapid fades 1827, 11/5 (Charles Jones, Castle Hill NSW (Sony 2001D with 7m. vertical antenna, June Australian DX News via DXLD) This Darfur program is not from Vatican Radio itself; SMG merely serves as one of the transmitter sites. Still we must wonder if the Papacy has some particular stake in it (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. R. Dabanga transmissions for Darfur canceled: 0527 0557 HB 13730 165 03/28/2010 05/01/2010 500 PNW Mul 1234567 0527 0557 MDC 13600 330 03/28/2010 05/01/2010 250 PNW Mul 1 7 (RNW changes via Dan Ferguson, May 31, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SWAN ISLAND. Radio Swan: 1960-2010 El 17 de mayo de 1960 comenzaron las transmisiones radiales de Radio Swan dirigidas a Cuba. Donde la Coca Cola y la Pan American Airways se anunciaban gratis para “asegurar la fachada de emisora comercial”. Primera emisora empleada por el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos de América contra la Revolución Cubana en forma organizada y regular Arnaldo Coro Antich [long story of R. Swan, from the DentroCuban point of view] http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/a_especiales/2010/may/swan.htm (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia) Alguien tiene una version diferente???? (Gaviria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also RADIO PHILATELY ** SWAZILAND [non]. 11640, June 3 at 0614, still at 0632, open carrier registering S9+10. TWR via SOUTH AFRICA scheduled in English, and normally heard here. Now all they need is modulation while burning up 500 kW, 320 degrees USward like in the good old Radio RSA days via Meyerton. [modulation resumed 24 hours later; see next issue] Same site also on 11605 in French at 0614, notably weaker, since that`s Meyerton relaying RFI at 05-07, only 100 kW at 345 degrees, including modulation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [non]. QSL: Russia, 6185, IBRA Radio via Krasnodar Relay. Full data (with site and program name/Language (Pashto) E-mail .pdf QSL Letter along with a cover letter from IBRA Media. This for an e- mail report to info @ ibra.se Reply in 29 days. V/S: Maria Levander IBRA Media (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND. ONLINE PETITION LAUNCHED TO SAVE SWISSINFO.CH swissinfo.ch May 29, 2010 "swissinfo.ch must not fall victim to government cost-cutting, say many high-profile Swiss around the world in a petition to save the multimedia internet portal. Among the 1,500 people to have backed the petition so far are Walter Kälin, the United Nations representative for internally displaced persons, and Alfred Defago, Switzerland's former ambassador to the United States. The petition calls on the government and the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) to continue to contribute 50 per cent each to swissinfo.ch's funding. It argues that in 2009 Switzerland repeatedly came under international scrutiny and swissinfo.ch plays a vital role in helping an international audience understand complex decisions made by the electorate, the complicated political context and conflicts of interest. It does this in nine languages. In February the government confirmed funding for swissinfo.ch would be cut as part of budget proposals for 2011-2013. The plans will have to be confirmed by the cabinet in June and would need to go before parliament. It is the second time in less than ten years that swissinfo.ch is facing potential financial cuts. Its budget was reduced to SFr26 million from SFr44 million and included job losses and the abolition of shortwave radio broadcasts." http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Online_petition_launched_to_save_swissinfo.ch.html?cid=8972762 (Some years ago swissinfo.ch replaced Swiss Radio International. The German, French, English and Portuguese sites went online in 1999 and more languages followed). (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD; also via Yimber Gaviría, WORLD OF RADIO 1515,) ** TAIWAN. New program of the Taoism was started on May 1 at 1100-1157 UT on 7460 kHz via RTI for North China and Manchuria, and 1200-1300 UT on 1098 kHz for Central China and South China. I cannot hear the station name. The reception condition of 7460 kHz was good. Opening announcement by female, Programs are all lectures in Chinese by male. http://ani.atz.jp/DX/mp3/20100529_2000_7460kHz.mp3 at 1100 on May 29 (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, May 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) TAOISM SHORTWAVE BROADCASTING FROM TAIWAN The first Taoism shortwave broadcasting called "Takai Shinlingde Suochi (key to open the spirit)" was started on May 1 from Taiwan via CBS transmitter site. 1100-1200 7460 kHz Huwei 100 kW to North East China 1200-1300 1098 kHz Koufu 300 kW to Central and South China The program is produced by the newly-risen Taoism Organization "Ikuantao"(IKT), and consists of 1 hour Taoism lecture in Chinese every day. The corresponding address of IKT is: No.766 Tongping Road, Taiping City, Taichung County, Taiwan URL: http://www.ikttv.org/ http://ikt.webu.com.tw/ (in Chinese only) Telephone: +886 4 2278 2091 Taoism is the ancient religion in China, influenced Korea and Japan, but was persecuted and deadly destroyed in Chinese mainland during "Great Cultural Revolution" in 1960-1970's. They have been recently revived in China and Taiwan. Good reception in Japan on 7460 kHz, no jamming from China at the beginning of June (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, June 3, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. QSL: Radio Taiwan International. Just a card enclosed, no information. It’s a picture of a Machlett vacuum with a transmitting power of 150 kW. (Does anyone know what this was used for? I read it was a variable capacitor but what do I know. So please if anyone else has any ideas could they let Jack’s wife, Sue, know what was that used for in the scheme of radio waves ?) (Jack Wachtershauser, Kelmscott, WA (Grundig Yacht Boy 400. Antenna: 5metres high cable to TV antenna), June Australian DX News via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. QSL: USA, 9800, Radio Taiwan Int’l Spanish to Latin America via Okeechobee Transmitter. Full data (with site and language) Edison Cylinder Phonograph QSL Card with postcard of the relief effort from Typhoon Morakot, plus a report form & schedule. Reply in 48 days. I asked for clarification if this was via Montsinery site but alas they indicate the Okeechobee Site, possibly during the change from B09 to A10 change (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 9575, R. Thailand, 1415-1429*, May 27. In English; “Focus on Thailand”; “Take on Thailand”; “Health Focus”, a weekly Thursday show; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. TRT Voice of Turkey in Arabic noted today June 2. 1400-1455 UT on 11825 CAK 250 kW / 152 deg to NE/ME, instead of 9540 // 17770 EMR 500 kW / 252 deg to NoAF (R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 2 via DXLD) I guess, the Turkish engineers forget to move to 9540 kHz. TRT Turkmen at 1200-1230 uses 11825 kHz. (wb, ibid.) ** UGANDA. Giovedì 27 maggio 2010, 2106 - 4976 kHz, UBC - Kampala, "Notti magiche" Bennato/Nannini (mi pare fosse l'inno di Italia 90). Segnale molto buono-buono. Irregolare dopo le 2100 ma attiva anche il 28/5 con ottima mx R&B (Luca Botto Fiora, SITO RICEVENTE G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. R. Ukraine International. Have just received (today - 27 May) an e-mail reply from RUI. Unfortunately, no new news - but at least it shows that there is still the intention to return to shortwave.: "Dear Mr. Roe, Thank you very much for your interest to Radio Ukraine International. We have been off shortwave for a while now but we hope to return soon. We are sorry for the listening inconvenience you have experienced. We invite you to listen to our programs on-line at http://www.nrcu.gov.ua Kind regards, Dana Smolyak Chief Political Correspondent English Section Radio Ukraine International 26, Khreschatyk Str., Kyiv, 01001, Ukraine http://www.nrcu.gov.ua " (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See RUSSIA ** U A E [and non]. Reception of Dubai ch E2 this morning in Portugal. Hi, Received from about 0630-0745 GMT with blurry video and some sound. Around 3,700 miles away probably triple hop sporadic E, Dubai sports channel with a phone in show. Youtube video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKZ3VxgukUQ Their dark V type logo can be seen at the bottom right of the screen at times. Audio goes between 2:00 and 3:00 approx as Rai 1 Italy appears on the same frequency (Hugh Hoover, May 29, WTFDA via DXLD) Really smeary, but looks to be quite strong, for triple hop Es? E2 is at lower frequencies than A2, thus even more subject to skip (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Mr. Hoover - a well-named fellow, since he seems to operate his equipment like a hoover; the suction on that antenna is incredible, even three hops away is not safe from his pull! (Jim Renfrew, NY, WTFDA via DXLD) Dubai on E2 has been quite strong this morning again (Hugh Hoover, Portugal, May 30, ibid.) ** U K [non?]. BBC English to Africa is being heard (on the 27 and 28th) via unlisted 15105 at tune in 0625 to off at 0700. I can hear weak parallels via ASC on 6005 and 7310 and MEY on 12015, but I cannot trace ASC on listed 9410, where I had heard it operating previously. I thought initially that 15105 may be a replacement for 9410, and it may be just that, but I think it's out of the UK, and probably Rampisham. Remarkably today the signal for a time was a steady 40dB over 9, and a quick check of the Hausa service via listed RMP on 15515 showed an identical signal, and way over Kuwait. Incidentally France 15300 was also very strong too, indicating possible short skip conditions. The current HFCC registrations show ASC at 0600-0700 on 9410, with a service via RMP to E Europe preceding it at 0400-0600. 9410 0400 0600 29 RMP 500 62 English G BBC VTC ENEUR 9410 0600 0700 46SE,47,52N ASC 250 65 English G BBC VTC ENAFW (Noel R. Green (NW England), May 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15105 Unidentified last week at 0600-0700 UT, is BBC WS to WeAF via Rampisham, 500 kW at 168 degrees (BCDX via DXLD) Viz.: ** U K [and non]. Frequency changes of BBC: English WS 0600-0700 NF 15105 RMP 500 kW / 168 deg to NEAf, ex 9410 ASC 0900-1100 NF 15285 SNG 100 kW / 025 deg to SEAs, addit. freq. 1800-1900 NF 5875 CYP 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs, ex 9485 CYP Hausa 1930-2000 NF 11985 ASC 250 kW / 055 deg to WeAf, ex 11955 ASC Indonesian Sun-Thu UTC (Mon-Fri Local) 2200-2300 NF 9860 SNG 100 kW / 090 deg to SEAs, ex 7275 DHA (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 1 June, not distributed until 3 June due to e- mail problems, via DXLD) ** U K. Re: More on BBCWS budget issues -- shortwave As a long time SWL, I would have to say that when the BBC started cutbacks on SW, this greatly reduced the SWL audience. With the Beeb taking the lead, the moaning of the decline in listeners became a self fulfilling prophecy. For many years, I enjoyed SW several hours most days, maybe 20 hours a week or more. As more and more stations went off the air, this declined, greatly when the BBC stopped putting reliable signals into North America. For me personally, the real nail in the coffin was when Radio Netherlands quit SW broadcasts. Now, with so many stations off the air altogether, I only spend four or five hours a week at most, usually Radio Australia, Radio Prague, Radio Havana, and REE Spain, and do next to no scanning as little else is audible on a regular basis. Despite many stations being available on Internet, I consider myself much less informed on diverse issues than I was prior to this decline in broadcasters putting in reliable daily services. The times, they are changing, and not necessarily for the better (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, May 27, ODXA yg via DXLD) See NETHERLANDS for reply from Andy Sennitt Re: [Internetradio] [ODXA] More on BBCWS budget issues – The BBC was a big draw to shortwave listeners, and many stopped listening because the BBC was gone, and switched to bringing up BBC.CO.UK in a web browser instead. Same thing then started to happen among the industrialized nations, as they saw web traffic go up and shortwave listeners go down. No one can argue against the simple truth that the availability of information on the internet killed shortwave broadcasting to developed countries. However --- Once shortwave transmitting was already reduced and money cut from budgets, it became apparent that the internet could be much more easily blocked. One only has to look to China to see this happening right now. I was party to a BBC internal memo that came out about 2 years ago, sent to me by a friend of Auntie (what the people who work at BBC call the broadcaster) which clearly stated that for certain demographics, shortwave was both still the cheapest, and still the choice method of broadcasting because of internet blocking or lack of internet capabilities. The BBC has actually ramped up shortwave service to some countries, while continuing to drop their remaining broadcasts to the Western World. The majority of the equipment has been mothballed rather than sold off, or moved to other transmitting sites. The majority of BBC frequencies are also still registered. If there were a major incident or attack on the infrastructure of the internet (the majority of transatlantic data still travels through hardline vs satellite due to the lack of bandwidth, etc.), have no doubt that the BBC and other broadcasters would resume broadcasting almost overnight via shortwave. Shortwave broadcasting by the BBC to certain parts of the world maybe gone, but it is not forgotten, even by the BBC. There will also be opportunities to he hear the BBC and other broadcasters we don't normally hear now as a result of increased sunspot activity now that we're in a new solar cycle. We will have the ability to receive broadcasts from, say, the BBC, RNW, DW, RSI, etc., that weren't originally intended for the US audience. Personally, I find these more interesting than the content that used to be transmitted towards North America (Darryl Jones, May 27, ODXA yg via DXLD) I've been reading the comments re the demise of shortwave and I too was shocked & saddened by the BBC's dropping transmissions into NA and all the rest of the bad news. But I have to say that technology marches on and you either get with the program or get left behind. I bought an internet radio about 6 months ago and SURPRISE everybody I used to listen to, and more, I can listen to again. Better! With more stations & better, more reliable reception. The same thing has happened in other areas. Like photography. Or my line of work (printing). It's life whether we like it or not. Ducking and running for cover (Gary Hubert, Ont., ODXA yg via DXLD) Shameless list cross-promotion: I have set up a list regarding Internet radio -- primarily from a shortwave enthusiast's perspective; check out http://www.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/internetradio This ODXA list has also held some interesting conversations as well regarding Internet radios (Richard Cuff, ibid.) The BBC's Peter Horrocks speaks again, this time to The Independent; gotta love The Independent's headline That headline: "GLOBAL DOMINATION IS THE TARGET FOR WORLD SERVICE" The URL: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/global-domination-is-the-target-for-world-service-1988995.html The short URL: http://snipurl.com/x0kay One new item in the story that hadn't been highlighted before -- offering daily English language lessons via mobile phone. Apparently there's an inexpensive way to do that (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, June 2, swprograms via DXLD) I know there are free language apps for the Blackberry. Extrapolating from that, it seems reasonable that the BBC could offer English language lessons to a wide variety of mobile phones (-Rob de Santos, ibid.) ** U K [and non]. BBC WORLD SERVICE TENDER FOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES ComputerWeekly.com, 28 May 2010: "The BBC World Service is looking for a partner to work on the transmission of programmes in a contract worth up to £300m. The contract includes providing a content delivery system and will replace the current 10-year contract, which comes to an end in 2012. ... The services - which the BBC says it will discuss with potential bidders - could include the transmission and distribution of services, production facilities, a content delivery system, satellite distribution services, and FM relay stations." -- Apparently this will include what will remain of BBCWS shortwave transmission. See this BBC web page for the contract notice. http://www.bbc.co.uk/supplying/tenders/world_service_distribution_services.shtml Posted: 30 May 2010 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) What about VT, or whatever it`s called this week? ** U K. BBC World Service secures live commentary in English and Swahili for all games involving African teams at the FIFA World Cup™ Commentary for FM partner relays across Africa, including commentary of semi-finals and the final London, Wednesday 2 June 2010. BBC World Service has secured English and Swahili commentary rights from FIFA for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa, it was announced today. Following on from its coverage of the 27th Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in 2010, BBC World Service will be broadcasting live commentary – in both English and Swahili, on FM relays across Africa – of all the qualified African teams' games during the tournament as well as the climax of the competition including the semi-finals and the final. The African teams competing in the tournament are: Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa. As a result of this agreement with FIFA and the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB), BBC World Service's English language team of Richard Connelly, Farayi Mungazi, Richard Flemingand Piers Edwards, will be joined in the commentary box for the duration of the tournament by three sports journalists from across the continent - Arjun Vidyarthi, a Sports Editor with Radio Africa in Kenya; Malik Jones, a journalist at Gambia Radio and TV Service; and Stanley Katsande, a commentator and analyst on both radio and television for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. These three journalists will act as additional commentators and pundits during the tournament. Jerry Timmins, Head of Region for Africa and the Middle East, BBC World Service says: “The BBC will be reporting and celebrating every twist and turn of the World Cup with our audiences across sub-Saharan Africa. Our commentaries in English for Africa and Swahili will be supplied to over 400 FM stations across Africa and it's great to see journalists from other African stations joining the BBC commentary teams. This is a real partnership helping to bring Africa's World Cup to African audiences.” Source: BBC World Service secures live commentary in English and Swahili for all games involving African teams at the FIFA World Cup™ | World Cup 2010 | Modern Ghana.com Sports http://bit.ly/boeUt0 (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) FIFA World Cup matches on shortwave in English after all; details pending. Thanks to a link in Radio Netherlands' "Media Network" newsletter and blog, it appears the BBC World Service *will* be airing World Cup matches involving African countries. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/06_june/03/commentary.shtml While the PR itself mentions FM partner stations, I do have confirmation from a BBC source this will include shortwave. Frequencies and details haven't yet been worked out. As I hear more I'll pass it on (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Swprograms mailing list, June 3, via DXLD) See also SOUTH AFRICA! ** U K. IBC Tamil --- United Kingdom / Sri Lanka: According to the Ofcom Radio Broadcast Update May 2010 published on 1 June 2010, IBC Tamil Ltd which used to operate on short wave too ceased to exist. On the other hand, there is a new "Sathy Media Ltd" licensed to provide news, information and music for the Tamil community under the former brand name. A google search for "Sathy Media Ltd" showed no hit except for the Ofcom item. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/rbupdates/update0510/ of 1 June 2010 Commercial Radio Licences issued in this period Licence Type Licensee Service Name/description Local DSP Sathy Media Ltd IBC Tamil / A service comprising news, information and music for the Tamil community. RLCS** Sathy Media Ltd IBC Tamil / A service comprising news, information and music for the Tamil community. *Digital Sound Programme service **Radio Licensable Content Service Services which have ceased to be licensed (handed back or revoked) in this period Service Name Licensee Location Type of service IBC Tamil Tamil Media Ltd*** satellite RLCS* * Radio Licensable Content Service *** This licence ceased to exist upon dissolution of licensee. DAB station Format Changes The following multiplex Format changes were agreed in this period: Change Multiplex Addition of IBC Tamil - A service comprising news, information and music for the Tamil community. London III (Dr Hansjoerg Biener, 2 June 2010, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. "DON'T SILENCE VOICE OF AMERICA," AND, IN GENERAL, RADIO IN USIB, SHE WRITES Heritage Foundation, 26 May 2010, Helle Dale: "With the proliferation and fragmentation of traditional news sources, what do most people identify as the medium they trust most for information? According to a new poll by Ofcom, the independent regulating authority of the British communications industries, the answer is radio. ... Over the past decade, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), whose nine members are appointed by the President and which oversees U.S. international broadcasting, has made the decision to close down nine transmitter sites around the world, leaving just 13 active. In previous decades another 14 sites were closed down, including in 1997 the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty site in Gloria, Portugal, the largest shortwave transmitting facility in the West. ... In order to make full and appropriate use of the considerable investment made by the U.S. over the years to build up its international broadcasting capability, Congress should: ... Hold hearings on the appropriate role of radio in U.S. international broadcasting strategy, considering the possibility of recalibrating the relative weight given to television and radio. The Obama Administration should: Revisit its major public diplomacy strategy documents, promulgated this spring by the National Security Council and the State Department, neither of which has assigned a major role to U.S. international broadcasting. America has important, but not unlimited, assets whose potential should be maximized. Although diplomats and pundits have crowned Web 2.0 as the new communications king, radio remains the globe’s most trusted source for information." (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) International broadcasting has a news function distinct from that of public diplomacy. Good thing, then, that the "public diplomacy strategy documents" did not assign "a major role" to USIB. The role of USIB should be discussed in other "documents." Ms. Dale begins her essay by citing the high levels of trust for radio in the UK, then extends that finding to the entire world. Globally, radio is not doing very well. For news and for entertainment, television dominates in East Asia, urban South Asia, the Middle East, Russia and the former Soviet Union, and the Americas. In Africa, radio is still important, but direct-to-home satellite television is growing quickly on that continent. Yes, there should be hearings on the appropriate role of radio in USIB. Shortwave arguably remains the medium most resistant to interdiction, but do enough people still have shortwave radios? If they do, are they willing to use them? Someone from BBC World Service should be invited to the hearing to explain why they plan to eliminate most shortwave within five years. (See previous post.) Posted: 27 May 2010 (Kim Andrew Elliot, ibid.) ** U S A. ONE OF THE "COORDINATING THEMES" WILL INVOLVE THE IRANIANS TUNING TO OTHER STATIONS Commentary, April 2010, Michael Rubin: "Fluent Persian speakers serving in the U.S. government should address the Iranian people and the regime daily to provide a counter-narrative to that advanced by Iran’s state-controlled media. Here, it is ironic that John Limbert, a fluent Persian speaker whom Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appointed as her lead Iran man, served as an adviser to a group that threatened to sue Voice of America and Radio Free Europe for airing regime opponents on their Persian services. Too often, Voice of America producers seek to prove their independence by broadcasting voices hostile to the United States (hence the reputation of the service under both Clinton and Bush as 'Radio Khatami'). It is essential that U.S.-supported Persian-language radio broadcast the truth, but it must also remain on message. If Congress provided significant financing for Persian-language media and if the Broadcasting Board of Governors came to understand that coordinating themes revolving around regime change is a vital national interest, such media could play a key role in enabling protest. If Iranian security services shut down cell-phone networks and Internet- service providers, over-the-air news reports, which cannot be jammed so easily, would become integral methods of helping to coordinate protests." (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Brilliant. Let's kerjiggle USIB newscasts to "enable protest." That will give Iranian opposition a real made-in-America feel to it. "Truth" that is also "on message" is public diplomacy. Public diplomacy is a necessary and honorable profession, but it's not news. News is what Iranians are seeking when they make the effort to get information from abroad. It will be exactly the role of the new members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, whose nominations have just moved forward under mysterious circumstances (see previous post), to protect the independence and integrity of that news. That means the BBG must have the courage resist any schemes that involve "coordinating themes." News that is "coordinated" will have an audience only on Capitol Hill and among the assorted think tanks of Washington. Meanwhile, can VOA and RFE/RL really be sued for "airing regime opponents on their Persian services"? I want to be in that courtroom. Clarence Darrow could be useful here if he were not, unfortunately, deceased. Posted: 27 May 2010 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) ** U S A. SENATOR COBURN'S QUESTIONS FOR BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS NOMINEES Huffpost Hill, 25 May 2010: "Tom Coburn, not a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, is claiming his chance to quiz eight nominees to the Broadcast[ing] Board of Governors that have cleared the panel before releasing a hold on them. They're people you've heard of: Dana Perino, Susan McCue, Michael Meehan (the guy who shoved a blogger on behalf of Martha Coakley), Walter Isaacson, Victor Ashe, Michael Lynton, Dennis Mulhaupt and Enders Wimbush. Coburn even has a questionnaire he's having them fill out, a pretty unprecedented hoop for such nominees to jump through. But hey, in this job market, is that so much to ask? The questionnaire [pdf], http://www.kimandrewelliott.com/QuestionsforBBGNoms.pdf which Coburn's office provided to HuffPost Hill. Though he told The Cable recently that the BBG is 'the most worthless organization in the federal government,' his spokesman said some clarification might be in order. '[H]e doesn't necessarily believe BBG is the worst entity -- that might be Congress,' said John Hart." (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Word was that all eight nominees would be confirmed this week. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 28 May 2010 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS NOMINEES NOT YET CONFIRMED The Atlantic, 29 May 2010, James Fallows: "On Thursday afternoon, just before its Memorial Day recess, the Senate had planned to consider about 80 ... nominations as a group. They all had been through financial and security vetting; they had been through committee consideration; they were headed for jobs that in many cases now stood vacant; they were ready to go. Sen. Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa, moved for approval by unanimous consent, apparently believing that a deal to clear out the huge backlog had been struck. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, begged to differ. He was still sore about the recess appointment of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. Therefore he wouldn't agree to the en-bloc vote." – The BBG nominees were, apparently, among the 80. The Senate Executive Calendar [pdf] still shows a "notice of intent to object to proceeding" by Senator Coburn for the first six nominees cleared by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The two remaining nominees, Michael Meehan and Dana Perino, the most recent to be moved out of committee, are not on that list. The Senate returns from recess on 7 June. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 31 May 2010 (www.kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. VOA uses 12080 from various sites between 0400 and 2130, but per Aoki with a break from 07 to 14. Nevertheless, I am now hearing VOA English news at 1245 May 27. Latest info has nothing at this time, until São Tomé starts at 1400, so whence is this good signal? VOA is still filling the 1400-1430 English transmission to Africa via Greenville on 17585 with Music Mix, Friday May 28 at 1409 IDing next song as ``Nothing on You``, rap from atop the UK music chart. What is the point of this??? Like gospel huxters such as CVC, does VOA think it is roping in youngsters who would not otherwise listen, and thus get them to hear news on the hour rather than tuning away? Not // VOA Philippines on 9760 which had news, but that`s for Asia, and Africans must not be allowed to hear it. As noted last weekend, 17585 does go back to news instead of Music Mix on Saturday and Sunday (I think; it`s not always audible.) VOA was previously notified by Dragan Lekic about this `wrong` feed airing on Greenville and other sites, but it now appears to be intentional. At 1414 found same Music Mix on 12080 but out of synch with 17585, presumably São Tomé; and 12080 was earlier again heard in the unscheduled 1200 hour with news from unknown site (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Glenn, apparently my message to VOA was filtered as spam (?). By the way, I've listened to IBB monitoring sound samples, and here is current situation for the VOA English 1400-1430z segment, updated May 28: 17740 BOT 010 VOA English [CORRECT FEED FROM MAY 24!!!] 17585 GB 094 VOA MUSIC MIX MO-FR, VOA English Sat&Sun 15580 SAO 138 VOA MUSIC MIX MO-FR, VOA English Sat&Sun 15530 BIB 085 VOA English 12080 SAO 100 VOA MUSIC MIX MO-FR, VOA English Sat&Sun 9760 PHT 021 VOA English 9760 PHT 270 VOA English 7575 UDO 268 VOA English 7540 PHT 270 VOA English 6080 SAO 138 VOA MUSIC MIX MO-FR, VOA English Sat&Sun 4930 BOT 020 VOA MUSIC MIX MO-FR, VOA English Sat&Sun 73 (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, May 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12015 is currently the daytime VOA Greenville frequency in English, which we should enjoy while we can. VG S9+18 signal May 31 at 1744 during international news block, so strong that the RTTY with which it clashes on 12015 was hardly audible! But why doesn`t the poor RTTY station complain or at least move? Why would IBB pick a frequency already occupied this way? 1757 USG editorial about ``Feed the Future``, 1800 on to ``Africa News Tonight`` with no break or reduxion in signal. GB is currently scheduled daily 17-19, 250 kW, 91 degrees plus a huge lobe off the back OKward. Based on a still outdated Aoki listing, someone had assumed that after 1800, 12015 was still coming from São Tomé. After 1830 music was mixed in with talk items (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. INSIDE THE AIR FORCE’S SECRET PsyOps PLANE By Nathan Hodge May 27, 2010 | 11:31 am | Categories: Air Force OFF THE EASTERN SEABOARD — Name a recent U.S. military operation, and you can pretty much guarantee that a specially modified Air Force plane was somewhere in the vicinity, trying to influencing the minds of the people below. It’s called the Commando Solo. Ordinarily, civilians are not allowed on board. The 193rd Special Operations Wing operates a fleet of three of these EC-130J aircraft, cargo haulers that have been converted into flying radio and television stations. These “psychological operations” aircraft can broadcast their own signal over AM and FM radio, UHF and VHF television bands — or override broadcast stations on the ground, something they apparently did during operations in Bosnia and Iraq. I recently accompanied a Commando Solo crew on a training mission. It was an unusual opportunity to see the crew at work testing their radio and television equipment at full power. The crew calls it “200-mile work”: In order to avoid interference with domestic frequencies — the aircraft can crank up to 1,000 watts of effective radiated power — the aircraft flies more than 200 miles off the East Coast. . . http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/inside-the-air-forces-secret-psyops-plane/all/14 (via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A. Some WORLD OF RADIO 1514 monitoring chex: 3185 via WWRB confirmed during the 0330 UT Friday semihour May 28 on webcast. 15825 via WWCR Friday 2030 just barely audible, but I always hope it is much better beyond the skip zone east- and westward. 9955 via WRMI Saturday May 29 at 1333, fair mostly exceeding the Cuban jamming pulses. Next airings on WWCR are Sat 1630 on 12160 [which was inbooming in previous semihour along with 13 and 15 MHz, must be sporadic E], UT Sun 0230 on 4840, 0630 on 3215, 2330 on 9980, UT Mon 0330 on 5890. 5890, WWCR open carrier at several chex May 30, including at 0727, 0754. Other frequencies 3215, 4840 and 5935 were OK. At 0754 could barely hear PMS // 5935, not sure if bleedthru, cross-mod, or just barely modulated. 3215 not exactly OK; at 0808 with preaching about lepers, and quite a squeal as so often the case with the #1 transmitter. I suppose this also affected WORLD OF RADIO at 0630-0700 Sunday, unchecked. Checking WORLD OF RADIO on WWCR: Sunday May 30 at 2330, VG on 9980, but the repeat UT Monday at 0330 on 5890 was gone; instead at 0356 check it was Scriptures for America Worldwide, which had been scheduled to end at 0300. Possibly an emergency addition, since WTWW 5755 was off the air (not on daytime`s 9479 or alternate 5080 either). I had noticed 5755 on as usual at 0007 May 31, having just changed from 9479. WTWW was still missing at 1255 when no 9479, but SFAW was on WWCR 9980. Then at 1301 I found WTWW still on night frequency 5755 // 9980 with IRN-USA slanted Radio News amid SFAW, and still 5755 at 1420. By next check 1738, 9479 had resumed. As to whether no WOR UT Sunday 0330 on WWCR-4 5890 is a permanent change, perhaps that will be revealed when WWCR updates its schedule soon for June, at http://www.wwcr.com/program-guides/WWCR_Program_Guide.pdf (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And 5890, 0330 UT Monday is still on there along with all the others (gh) 13845, WWCR inbooming at 1333 June 3, but no signal on 15825. Since sporadic E was also in play up to 85 MHz, I must conclude that WWCR-1 was off the air (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9955, WRMI with WORLD OF RADIO 1514 in progress at 1533 May 30, poor signal here but no jamming audible for the Sunday 1515 broadcast (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DGIEST) ** U S A. 3185, WWRB missing May 30 at 0808 and other chex before and after (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No longer BS all-night? ** U S A. 13660, May 30 at 2132, S9+22 with country music, a VG signal I haven`t noticed before, probably in use Sundays only per WHRI`s hopscotch scheduling; then intro as ``Apostolic Witness Life Radio Broadcast`` from Memphis TN, by the Associations of the Lord Jesus Christ, so tune-out; recheck 2159 it`s already off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 11715, NM, KJES, 1540 with S-40 + over S-9 signal, but with almost no modulation. Child solo singing and 1545, ID by little boy in Spanish and closing at 1559. This would seem to back up reports by Glenn H. (OK), et al., commenting on hum and low modulation. Had to turn up volume to hear what was going on, even tho the signal was nearly pinning the S-meter. I may write to them about this and see what happens. (5/25) 73 and Good Listening wishes for everyone! (Rick Barton, Phoenix AZ, Hammarlund HQ-140X, SP-600, Drake R-8, indoor rw, outdoor rw, May 26, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. QSL: 15550 USB, WJHR Milton, Florida. Paper QSL Card showing call sign, frequency, and hours of broadcasting times, with slogan ‘broadcasting fundamental Bible Doctrine’. Also sent a photo of Studio Transmitter, a letter outlining information and the future plans on the antenna construction. Reply in 21 days, for postal follow-up (no reply from my e-mail report) for a December 2009 and a SASE (used). (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Summer A-10 of WYFR Family Radio via RNW: 1600-1700 on 9590 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to EaAf in Swahili 1700-1800 on 7395 MDC 050 kW / 310 deg to EaAf in English 1800-2000 on 7395 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to EaAf in English 1900-2100 on 6020 MDC 050 kW / 255 deg to SoAf in English Summer A-10 of WYFR Family Radio via TRW: 1800-1900 on 7320 ARM 300 kW / 290 deg to WeEu in German 1800-1900 on 9615 SAM 250 kW / 284 deg to WeEu in Polish 1900-2000 on 6010 KCH 300 kW / 270 deg to WeEu in Italian 1900-2000 on 7320 SAM 250 kW / 284 deg to WeEu in German 2000-2200 on 7430 KCH 250 kW / 309 deg to WeEu in English 2000-2100 on 7540 A-A 300 kW / 300 deg to WeEu in French 1200-1300 on 11855 DB 100 kW / 024 deg to CeAs in Russian 1300-1400 on 12155 DB 200 kW / 125 deg to SoAs in English 1400-1500 on 7215 IRK 250 kW / 224 deg to SoAs in Nepali 1400-1500 on 9405 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Punjabi 1400-1500 on 15450 ARM 200 kW / 147 deg to SoAs in Assamese 1400-1600 on 12065 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Urdu 1500-1600 on 11505 ERV 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Punjabi 1500-1600 on 11655 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Marathi 1500-1600 on 12130 KCH 500 kW / 105 deg to SoAs in Sindhi 1600-1700 on 9735 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Punjabi 1600-1700 on 11505 ERV 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Urdu 1000-1100 on 7245 K/A 100 kW / 178 deg to EaAs in Japanese 1000-1100 on 9450 IRK 250 kW / 110 deg to EaAs in English 1100-1200 on 9450 IRK 250 kW / 110 deg to EaAs in Korean 1100-1200 on 9460 P.K 250 kw / 247 deg to EaAs in Cantonese 1100-1500 on 9865 P.K 250 kW / 263 deg to EaAs in Chinese 1100-1500 on 11725 P.K 250 kW / 244 deg to EaAs in Chinese 1200-1300 on 5970 K/A 250 kW / 313 deg to EaAs in Korean 1100-1200 on 9900 VLD 250 kW / 220 deg to SEAs in Illocano 1100-1200 on 13850 VLD 200 kW / 220 deg to SEAs in Indonesian 1100-1200 on 15560 A-A 300 kW / 094 deg to SEAs in English 1200-1300 on 9465 IRK 250 kW / 152 deg to SEAs in Cebuano 1200-1300 on 15490 NVS 250 kW / 155 deg to SEAs in Thai 1200-1300 on 13820 A-A 500 kW / 121 deg to SEAs in Tagalog 1200-1300 on 13850 VLD 200 kW / 220 deg to SEAs in Tagalog 1200-1400 on 9615 IRK 500 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Indonesian 1200-1400 on 11895 IRK 250 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 1300-1400 on 7565 A-A 200 kW / 132 deg to SEAs in Burmese 1300-1400 on 13810 A-A 500 kW / 121 deg to SEAs in Tagalog 1300-1400 on 13820 A-A 500 kW / 121 deg to SEAs in English 1400-1500 on 9365 TAC 200 kW / 131 deg to SEAs in English 1400-1500 on 9615 IRK 500 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in English 1400-1500 on 13810 A-A 500 kW / 121 deg to SEAs in English Summer A-10 of WYFR Family Radio via TAIWAN: 1500-1700 on 9955 TAI 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs in Russian 1300-1500 on 11560 HUW 100 kW / 285 deg to SoAs in English 1500-1600 on 6280 TSH 300 kW / 285 deg to SoAs in English 1500-1600 on 11560 HUW 100 kW / 285 deg to SoAs in Hindi 1600-1700 on 6280 TSH 300 kW / 285 deg to SoAs in Hindi 0800-0900 on 11895 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg to EaAs in Korean 0900-1000 on 11565 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese 0900-1100 on 9545 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese 0900-1100 on 9945 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese 1000-1100 on 9920 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg to EaAs in Chinese 1100-1600 on 6240 BAO 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese 1100-1600 on 9280 YUN 100 kW / 335 deg to EaAs in Chinese 1200-1300 on 11535 YUN 100 kW / 342 deg to EaAs in Chinese 2100-2400 on 9280 YUN 100 kW / 335 deg to EaAs in Chinese 2200-2400 on 6230 BAO 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese 2300-2400 on 9540 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese 0000-0100 on 11630 PAO 100 kW / 245 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 0900-1100 on 9465 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in English 1000-1100 on 9455 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 1100-1200 on 6220 HUW 100 kW / 265 deg to SEAs in Burmese 1100-1200 on 11520 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Tagalog 1100-1200 on 11550 TAI 300 kW / 205 deg to SEAs in Indonesian 1200-1300 on 7460 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 1200-1300 on 11520 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Indonesian 1200-1300 on 11570 HUW 100 kW / 265 deg to SEAs in Burmese 1300-1400 on 7260 TAI 100 kW / 250 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 1300-1400 on 9960 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 1300-1400 on 11520 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in English 1400-1500 on 9585 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese 1400-1500 on 11520 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Indonesian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 24 May, not distributed until 3 June due to e- mail problems, via DXLD) Summer A-10 of WYFR Family Radio via MBR: 1800-1900 on 9635 WER 250 kW / 225 deg to SoEu in Spanish 1800-1900 on 3975 WER 250 kW / non-dir to SEEu in Hungarian 1800-1900 on 9895 WER 100 kW / 105 deg to SEEu in Romanian 1900-2000 on 3975 WER 250 kW / non-dir to SEEu in Serbian 1700-1900 on 9565 NAU 250 kW / 065 deg to EaEu in Russian 1800-1900 on 11955 WER 250 kW / 150 deg to NoAf in Arabic 1900-2000 on 9590 WER 250 kW / 150 deg to NoAf in Arabic 1900-2000 on 11840 WER 500 kW / 210 deg to WeAf in French 2000-2200 on 6115 WER 250 kW / 210 deg to WeAf in Arabic 2200-2300 on 7420 WER 250 kW / 210 deg to WeAf in Arabic 1800-1900 on 13750 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf in English 1800-1900 on 13790 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf in Hausa 1900-2100 on 9610 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf in English 2100-2200 on 7425 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf in English 2000-2100 on 9595 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf in French 2100-2200 on 7290 NAU 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf in French 1700-1800 on 13840 NAU 100 kW / 180 deg to NEAf in Arabic 1600-1700 on 15160 NAU 500 kW / 140 deg to EaAf in Oromo 1600-1700 on 15750 WER 500 kW / 150 deg to EaAf in Amharic 1700-1800 on 15750 WER 500 kW / 150 deg to EaAf in Swahili 1600-1700 on 13645 WER 250 kW / 120 deg to N/ME in Arabic 1700-1800 on 11885 WER 250 kW / 120 deg to N/ME in Arabic 1600-1700 on 11670 NAU 500 kW / 105 deg to WeAs in Persian 1700-1800 on 11760 WER 500 kW / 105 deg to WeAs in English 1700-1800 on 11850 WER 500 kW / 105 deg to WeAs in Persian 1400-1500 on 13730 WER 250 kW / 075 deg to CeAs in Uzbek 1300-1500 on 17580 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Bengali 1400-1500 on 13635 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Oriya 1400-1500 on 15690 WER 500 kW / 105 deg to SoAs in Malayalam 1400-1500 on 17800 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Sindhi 1400-1600 on 15670 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Hindi 1500-1600 on 13830 WER 500 kW / 075 deg to SoAs in Gujarati 1500-1600 on 13790 NAU 500 kW / 095 deg to SoAs in Tamil 1500-1600 on 17800 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Kannada 1600-1700 on 11680 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Hindi 2200-2400 on 7360 GUF 500 kW / 170 deg to SoAm in Portuguese 2200-2400 on 9935 GUF 500 kW / 215 deg to SoAm in Spanish 0000-0100 on 5930 GUF 500 kW / 215 deg to SoAm in Spanish 0000-0100 on 7360 GUF 500 kW / 170 deg to SoAm in English 0200-0300 on 6100 GUF 500 kW / 215 deg to SoAm in English Summer A-10 of WYFR Family Radio via VTC: 1800-1900 on 9505 RMP 500 kW / 095 deg to CeEu in Czech 2000-2100 on 11690 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg to WeAf in English 1900-2000 on 9685 DHA 250 kW / 260 deg to WCAf in Hausa 1900-2000 on 11855 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WCAf in Yoruba 1600-1800 on 17545 ASC 250 kW / 085 deg to CeAf in English 1800-1900 on 11875 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to CeAf in Igbo 1830-1930 on 17585 ASC 250 kW / 085 deg to CeAf in French 1900-2000 on 7270 MEY 250 kW / 342 deg to CeAf in English 2000-2200 on 12055 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to CeAf in English 1800-1900 on 13720 SKN 300 kW / 140 deg to NEAf in Arabic 1700-1800 on 9790 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg to EaAf in Amharic 1700-1800 on 15255 RMP 500 kW / 120 deg to EaAf in Somali 1900-2000 on 5930 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg to EaAf in Swahili 1600-1700 on 6225 MEY 250 kW / 076 deg to SoAf in Malagasy 1700-1800 on 6225 MEY 100 kW / 076 deg to SoAf in French 1700-1800 on 17785 ASC 250 kW / 102 deg to SoAf in Shona 1800-1900 on 5840 MEY 100 kW / 345 deg to SoAf in Kituba 1800-1900 on 6180 MEY 100 kW / 015 deg to SoAf in English 1800-1900 on 9495 MEY 100 kW / 005 deg to SoAf in Kirundi 1800-1900 on 9770 DHA 250 kW / 230 deg to SoAf in English 1900-2000 on 3230 MEY 100 kW / 005 deg to SoAf in English 1900-2000 on 3955 MEY 100 kW / 076 deg to SoAf in Portuguese 1900-2000 on 6100 MEY 100 kW / 330 deg to SoAf in Portuguese 1900-2000 on 9490 DHA 250 kW / 230 deg to SoAf in Lingala 1900-2000 on 9775 DHA 250 kW / 210 deg to SoAf in English 1700-1800 on 13700 SKN 300 kW / 110 deg to N/ME in Arabic 1700-1900 on 15760 WOF 250 kW / 102 deg to N/ME in Turkish 1300-1400 on 17715 DHA 250 kW / 100 deg to SoAs in Telugu 1300-1400 on 17735 DHA 250 kW / 100 deg to SoAs in Kannada 1400-1500 on 9595 DHA 250 kW / 105 deg to SoAs in Marathi 1400-1500 on 15520 DHA 250 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in Hindi 1400-1500 on 17715 DHA 250 kW / 100 deg to SoAs in Tamil 1500-1600 on 11605 DHA 250 kW / 105 deg to SoAs in English 1500-1600 on 15520 DHA 250 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in English 1600-1700 on 11850 DHA 250 kW / 090 deg to SoAs in English 1200-1300 on 17515 DHA 250 kW / 090 deg to SEAs in Khmer (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 1 June, not distributed until 3 June due to e- mail problems, via DXLD) Does that about cover it for YFR overseas relays? Of course, all these and Okeechobee will self-destruct in 352 days and counting. To keep track, enter the current date and 5/21/11 at: http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html There ought to be a countdown clock on the Family Radio website, but I haven`t looked (Glenn Hauser, June 3, DXLD) ** U S A [non?]. QSL: 7360, Family Radio English to South America via Okeechobee Transmitter. Full data (with site) ’50 years of Family Radio’ card with schedule for a Postal report to Oakland address. On this one, as well, I asked for clarification if this was via Montsinery site, but alas, they indicate the Okeechobee site instead despite my indications as the later [sic]. On this one, there could have been confusion during the B09 to A10 change. Reply in 40 days (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. QSL: Germany, 11900, Seedtime Ministries via Wertachtal Relay. Full data (with site) .pdf E-mail QSL from Michael Puetz. This for my report from Pan American forwarded to Media Broadcast for verification. Reply in 14 days. 13830, Seed-Time Ministries via Ulich (? – I think they mean Julich, but which is no longer available) Germany. Full data (with site) QSL Card with mention that this broadcast is directed to Middle East. This report was forwarded by Pan American to Seed-time Ministries. Their address for reports is: 5080 North 4th Street, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 83815 USA. E-mail for reports: admin @ seed-time.org (Edward Kusalik, Daysland, Alberta, CANADA, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Checking out sporadic E on HF before I turned on the VHF, June 3 at 1335, WWV VG on 20000, normally inaudible this close. Zero ham activity on 21 or 28 MHz, but the CBers were all over 27 MHz working skip, and I noticed an isolated freeband frequency 26105 with lots of signals, hets as they fail to accurately tune their AM carriers. Others below the CB on 26735, 26815 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. When channels 2-6 are full of TV DX [see MEXICO], it`s likely that the FM band is also open. I have not been trying to DX there yet as it requires undivided attention unlike keeping one eye on the TV screens. But at 2017 UT June 2 I do deliberately take a break to FM, using the DX-398 with AC on the south-facing porch, and the whip antenna immediately manipulable to compensate for QRM, polarizations. There are few open frequencies here any more with lots of locals, semi-locals and blocking adjacent frequencies too. Spanish will stand out, compensating for several OK SS stations. I don`t find anything except: At 2017 on 87.75, ID in Spanish as ``87.7``, plugging a pastor, then another slogan but no legal ID, ``87.7, en tu casa, la primera en el dial``, and ad for Restaurán El Salvador in Víctorville, California (which is between San Bernardino and Barstow), then ``música cristiana que te bendice``, mariachi. The stereo pilot goes on at fadeups! Shortly heard St. George, Utah mentioned, a music dedication, so a network program also heard there rather than by another DXer? At 2021 87.75 has CCI (mono it seems) from other Spanish talk, 2022 an ad for Banorte, so this is probably a real Mexican TV station. At 2023, the stereo station puts phone caller on air, YLs talking, birthday dedication. 2027 timecheck for 1:26 = PDT. This is of course one of those low-power TV stations funxioning as a radio station. Old analog stereo TV on channel 6 was a different system and would not come thru as stereo on an FM receiver, so they are axually running ordinary FM stereo on a TV audio channel! Yes, I made sure it was really on 87.75, not 87.70. This appears to be another loophole in FCC regs. I have previously identified the prime suspect in southern California, KSFV-CA, Los Ángeles, licensed for 3 kW to Almavisión. Presumably they are also running analog video on 83.25 MHz, which need be nothing more than a static slide or graphic to qualify as a ``TV station``, but I am in no position to try to see it; and would likely not be visible with low power and audio sensitivity on FM much greater than TV. But W9WI shows a number of other stations on channel 6 thruout the state, but disregarding the ones relaying real TV stations or networks, and dealing only with the ones in the W9WI list which are LICensed rather than just APPlications or Construction Permits, and disregarding all DTV ones: the only ones with unaccounted for programming are in the Bay Area or the north: KEFM-LP Chico, KBKF-LP Glen Arbor, KFMD-LP Redding. The only close one in the south is K06MB, Indio (between Thousand Palms and Mecca), also 3 kW, but supposed to be running real TV, ION/RTV. There is also a KCIO-LP in Victorville on 6, relaying TBN, on analog with app for DTV, so if that is really on it`s hard to see how another station on 87.75 could have any listeners to benefit from the restaurant ad there. Unless the same station/network has another outlet in Victorville. Unfortunately the new FM Atlas does not deal with any of these faux-TV stations on 87.75 which are really radio, of which there are a growing number around the country. On 92.1 at 2025 I was getting Spanish CCI to my local Spanish KAMG-LP. Back to the cool inside and computer, TVs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard a religious station mentioning "West Texas" on 88.1, and TV audio more on 87.8 (not really 87.75) with Spanish (Bruce Elving, FM Atlas Publisher, Esko MN, 0121 UT 3 June, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. "CLASSIC 99" TO LEAVE AIRWAVES JULY 6TH Posted: Wednesday, 02 June 2010 9:00AM ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -- Director of operations Dennis Stortz made the somber on-air announcement at 8:20 am Wednesday -- after 62 years of operation, "Classic 99" will sign off for good on Tuesday, July 6. "KFUO-FM was the first FM station in St. Louis," Stortz pointed out, his voice nearly breaking at times. "It has touched and affected many people for 62 years. We need to take the next month and several days to honor the folks that came before us, to honor our listeners...to say 'thank you'." The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has owned and operated the station since 1948. Last year, the station's board of directors made the controversial decision to sell the station to Gateway Creative Broadcasting, which will move its "Christian contemporary pop" to the 99.1 FM radio band on July 7th at 7 a.m. Until that time, KFUO-FM will continue to play classics from Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, etc. "Generations of listeners have let us know how important this radio station has been to their lives," Stortz said. Copyright KMOX Radio (via Pete Dernbach, St. Louis, MO, June 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) ** U S A. SOUND AND SPIRIT ceasing production This month, we will say good-bye to one of our most popular programs. Ellen Kushner has, reluctantly, decided to move on to new challenges. Therefore, Sound & Spirit will cease production and distribution as of July 1. Ellen has long been one of the most creative people in our business. And she is one of us. She began as a staff announcer at WGBH in Boston and went on to host her nationally distributed program. A few weeks ago, Ellen wrote a lovely letter to her station affiliates. I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing parts of it with you. Letter to Stations from Sound & Spirit Host Ellen Kushner ``When Sound & Spirit made its national debut back in Spring of 1996, I had no idea how much of a change it would make in my life. Or, rather, I didn’t realize just what sort of change it would be. Doing a show about the music, traditions, and beliefs of people around the world and through the ages meant I had to open myself up to everything, without judging (except, maybe, aesthetically) a huge variety of human experience. I just plain learned a lot about our world, and got to hear some really good music. ``But my greatest learning came from you and your listeners. As you can imagine, the personal letters we got about each show were a revelation: moving, heartbreaking, hilarious, erudite, engaged—they reminded me of the range of humanity whose lives can be touched by public radio at any time. And they made me feel very humble, as what was sometimes just another sprint to a tight deadline on the part of my gifted, overworked staff and me could be a transformative experience for a listener. It wasn’t really my voice or my words or my ideas that touched them, it was the material about the world we all live in that I was able to convey through the broadcast medium, thanks to you. ``Traveling to stations for local events made all that even clearer. It was such joy getting to parts of America I’d never seen before, to be welcomed into each new community as a friend because of Sound & Spirit. I got to experience the spirit of each place, and I hope I brought a little of each back to the show. I know it changed the way I see our country, giving me an education I didn’t know I’d lacked. Hanging out with colleagues at conferences all over the country was part of that experience. ``What else? Well, I have to confess that doing a weekly one-hour show with an average of 100 sound cues in 59 minutes (yes, we counted once!) also taught me more about meeting a deadline and showing up on time than anything before or since—and these are lessons that have stood me in very good stead as I continue my many-branched career in writing, publishing, teaching, public speaking, and performing here in New York City, where I’ve lived for the past four years. ``I am very, very grateful to you for hosting Sound & Spirit on your air all this time. I’m deeply grateful to WGBH and PRI for supporting our quixotic venture from the beginning, and for keeping most of our archive of shows online for people to listen to on-demand. I hope you can let your listeners know that the show is still available that way: http://www.wgbh.org/pri/spirit ``I’ll miss you. So let’s stay in touch, OK? I’m online at http://www.EllenKushner.com Recent and upcoming projects include a new novel, a children’s Chanukah book (and stage show in NYC), an anthology for teens . . . and, yes, a RADIO play: a “Jewish holiday magic realist klezmer musical historical drama” I’m writing with musicians Yale Strom and Elizabeth Schwartz. Because I love radio. And there’s still so much to talk about. Warmest good wishes, Ellen Kushner`` On a personal note, I made Ellen’s acquaintance when she first came to Knoxville to do her show at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church some years back. She was kind enough to come to the station and record a promotional announcement for us. Ellen asked how long we wanted it to be. I told her that 30 seconds would be ideal. We started the tape. She counted down, then spoke flawlessly for exactly 30 seconds. No clock. No second take. I was impressed. I then drove her to the home where she was staying. It was a beastly hot day in Knoxville, and the air conditioning in my car chose that moment to break down. She was a very good sport about it. My old car recently “gave up the ghost.” Should Ellen come back to Knoxville soon, I can now squire her around town in air-conditioned comfort. Ellen Kushner is a lovely person. She is just as she sounds on the radio. I wish her the best (Daniel T. Berry, Program Director, WUOT, June WUOT E-notes via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) An excellent ecumenical program. Here`s the PRF listing of airings, and I am surprised there are only 25 of them nationwide: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgibin/program.pl?programid=47 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MUSLIM RADIO SHOW TALKS UP THE TABOO By Raja Abdulrahim, Saturday, May 29, 2010; B02 LOS ANGELES As jazz music played, setting a relaxed mood, radio hosts Amir Mertaban and Mohamad Ahmad chatted casually with guest Isaac Yerushalmi. The show could have dissolved into a heated argument between two Muslims and a Jew, but during the inaugural run of "Boiling Point" on what's billed as the nation's first Muslim talk-radio station, Mertaban was absorbed with more mundane matters. Still wearing his burgundy Fairplex shirt from his day job as a manager for the Los Angeles County Fair, Mertaban looked over the show's introduction. He glanced at Yerushalmi's biography and a few reminders he had jotted down. "Okay, I can't use the word 'freakin,' " he said to no one in particular. In the control room, Nour Mattar, one of the founders of One Legacy Radio, clicked off some of the banned words. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/28/AR2010052804454_pf.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Silent status of WPDQ-LP Mt. Carmel, IL FIN 126788 [this is consequently also about WVMC, see DXLD 10-21] The first "story" about this was published by Scott Fybush who claims to know Withers. He seems unknowing of what is going on at Mount Carmel despite having the information. Here, You take a look (Martin Hensley, IL, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -----Original Message----- To: dale.bickel@fcc.gov Sent: Wed, Jun 2, 2010 3:48 pm Subject: Silent status of WPDQ-LP Mt. Carmel, IL FIN 126788 Mr. Bickel, The "Licensee" has not reported this station silent. The Licensee does not exist. Mount Carmel Public Broadcasting was not a legal entity, not incorporated, and operated by Kevin Williams who owned two other Mount Carmel stations. The attached information documents the fact the enitity does not exist and the facility has been silent at least Jan 24, 2009 when it's tower was taken down. Because there is no true legal entity it may not be reported silent until they want to sell it. Martin Hensley -----Original Message----- To: denise.williams@fcc.gov; peter.doyle@fcc.gov Sent: Tue, Jun 1, 2010 9:20 am Subject: DWVMC Courtesy Copy. Copies are being sent to the listed attorney despite the issue of the Corporation Wabash Communications being dissolved. Martin Hensley, Greenfield, Indiana 46140 June 1, 2010 Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 Secretary, F.C.C. Facility ID 56562 BL 20100224ACW STA BLSTA 20100514AGJ Opposition To Petition For Reconsideration WVMC was foreclosed on in 2009 (in point of fact, the public notice of the principal lien holder’s foreclosure court filing was published in the Mount Carmel newspaper in December, 2008), and First Robinson Savings Bank acquired the WVMC tower, WVMC transmitter, WVMC transmitter land, WVMC studio and equipment. On the surface, this foreclosure could be construed and should have been reported to the Commission as an involuntary transfer. WVMC has been silent over a year prior to W. Russell Withers, Jr. (Withers) control of WVMC. Prior to this the License transfer of WVMC to Wabash Broadcasting, who also owned the transmitter, tower, studio location, and transmitter location, by the looks of it, was an unwitting, if not unwise unauthorized transfer of control. Kevin Williams and W. Russell Withers have seemingly misrepresented the silent periods for stations WVMC, WCJT-LP, and WPDQ-LP and W256AZ, and W229AU. In a November, 2009 filing, explicably, an incorrect date when WVMC went silent was given to Staff. Such a representation by a Licensee could have a detrimental effect on the Congressional mandate calendar that stations silent over a year should lose their license. WVMC began extended silent periods long before the station lost the ability to control its transmitter in July 2008. The tower and studio were dismantled on January 24th in 2009. Background . . . [MUCH more including 8 pdf exhibit attachments 1) WVMC Emails; 2) IRS Letter Wabash Broadcasting; 3) Bank Fraud Case; 4) Super Pages WVMC Address; 5) Wabash broadcasting Dissolved; 6) Wabash communications dissolved; 7) Wabash County Ledger Sheet Showing Ownership; 8) Governor Ryan Fraud Trial] If anyone would like to see all this, gh will forward it individually ** U S A. Disclaimer: No portion of this may be referenced or reproduced by the National Radio Club without expressed, written permission (which will be automatically denied). Frequencies in kHz unless otherwise stated. The following logs were made between May 22-27, 2010 during my drive to-and-from hiking in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Essentially, no changes from my observations nine months ago while along much of the same driving path, so I'll keep the entries brief. Truly new entries or changes are prefixed with ***. Entries are in order of reception date/time to save me the hassle of resorting by- frequency. 1620, FLORIDA, (unlicensed) "WBUL" University of South Florida, Tampa. Good on I-75 northbound between the Flowler and Fletcher exits. 1640, FLORIDA, (TIS) Florida Turnpike, Wildwood MP 304. Male/female loop, time stamp. 95.9 MHz, FLORIDA, WJRN-LP, Summerfield. Texican Spanish music format, good signal coverage. 104.7 MHz, FLORIDA, WITG-LP, Ocala. Canned legal ID at 1000 local May 22nd, still with "Real Oldies" format. 1610, FLORIDA, (TIS) WQGS506 Payne's Prairie State Park, Micanopy. Same loop as past couple of years. 87.9 MHz, FLORIDA, (unlicensed) New Raman Reti Temple ISKON of Alachua, Alachua. Strongest signal ever, audible for a few miles on I- 75, with repetitious presumed Hindi chants and hand bells. 530, FLORIDA, (MIS) WNMY250 Columbia County Tourism Development, Lake City. Same loop as last August, promoting local river tubing, hotels, O'Leno State Park, War-Between-the -States circa Olustee Battlefield, etc. 101.5 MHz, GEORGIA, WFNG-LP, Sycamore. Satellite-fed gospel, parallel 102.7 WJTR-LP. 102.7 MHz, GEORGIA, WJTR-LP, Ashburn. Satellite-fed gospel, parallel 101.5 WFNG-LP, a few miles south. 1610, GEORGIA, (MIS) WPKW668, Perry Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Perry. Same long male/female loop on area events throughout the year, some dates no longer valid since this is an old loop, and time stamps. 1610, GEORGIA, (MIS) WPTK859, City of Forsythe. Continuous NOAA Weather Radio relay from the Macon area. 830, GEORGIA, (TIS) WQGW543, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The usual loop. 87.9 MHz, GEORGIA (MIS) "CDC Radio", Center for Disease Control HQ, downtown Atlanta. Still active with H1N1, anti-smoking etc. loops. Briefly audible just north of immediate downtown on I-75. 87.9 MHz, GEORGIA, (pirate) unidentified. Like last year, briefly QRMing "CDC Radio" with gangsta rap. 1040, GEORGIA, WPBS, Conyers. Still running the Korean satellite or Internet-fed programming. 1610, GEORGIA (MIS) US Army Corps of Engineers, Buford Dam at Lake Sidney Lanier. Still active and audible on I-985 between exits 8 and 12. ***1340, GEORGIA, WALH, Mountain City. No longer silent. On the way up, early afternoon, they were feeding the Braves Radio Network with pre-game talk. On the return, a weekday mid-morning, format was seemingly local jock (though maybe a canned format with local voice- tracked drops), mostly 60's/70's MOR Top 40 (early Beatles, Glen Campbell, Andy Williams, etc.), lots of local spots. Simulcast with sister station 1400 WGHC . The broken WALH "WOLF-AM" signage is still up on the dirt road entrance off of US-23/441, and driving up to the prefab structure it was obvious that the facility remains unstaffed. Nice harmonic on 2860 kHz, naturally, next to the non-directional stick just north of the building. The presumed WGHC single stick (red/white) was noticed this time, roughly across US- 23/441 from the Walmart and Home Depot in Clayton. WALH's signal is puny: ragged by the time you're just south of Clayton. WGCH holds up a little better driving south. 1610, (TIS), NORTH CAROLINA, KIE718, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Same generic loop as noted last year after reactivation. 1610, (MIS), NORTH CAROLINA, unidentified, unknown location. This one is still active with a pretty big footprint, this time noted well in and just northwest of Maggie Valley, NC (signal last year was very strong just southeast of Waynesboro, NC), but quickly lost amongst the mountains leading into Cataloochee, inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Also audible at fair level at Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 1610, (TIS), NORTH CAROLINA, KIE723, Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Same generic loop, still, and the same as used at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Big signals, useless content. 930, TENNESSEE, WSEV, "Pigeon Forge Radio" Sevierville. Still running the glorified TIS format promoting local tourist-oriented businesses in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. ***1590, NORTH CAROLINA, WCSL, Cherryville. Mixing with another at 1802 local May 24 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. "WCSL 15-90 A-M, your Christian Connection" into Bluegrass gospel. ***1550, NORTH CAROLINA, unidentified(s). Someone airing a WITN (TV) "News 5" weather blip at 1805 local, May 24 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, then male "Keep listening to Southern Gospel, still blessing your heart, I guarantee it" canned. Mixing with Spanish gospel, (WCLY, Raleigh listed as an ESPN Deportes affiliate but this was airing Spanish gospel, so maybe someone else). Confusing geography. ***105.1 MHz, GEORGIA, W286BO, New Elm. One of them there FM transaltors allowed to simulcast an AM signal -- in this case 1300 WMTM, Moultrie -- with News/Talk format, both channels audible in the vicinity while heading south on I-75. ***1680 FLORIDA, (TIS), Florida Dept. of Transportation, Jennings [NOT]. The big blue with white lettering signage is still there, just across the Georgia state line southbound on I-75, but absolutely nothing is active. (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W Florida Low Power Radio Stations: http://sites.google.com/site/floridadxn/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VANUATU. 5055, Radio Vanuatu, Vila. Good 2000, 14/5 (Tony Magon from Sydney, Cataract Dam, Appin NSW, DXpedition, equipment unknown, June Australian DX News via DXLD) News 2012, only fair 14/5 (David Brown from Granville, ibid.) See also COSTA RICA [[non]] [and non]. With Solomons and PNG in, looked for this on 5055, May 30 at 0750 but blocked by Cuba mix; By 0828 there was a weak carrier on 3945, presumably this, altho per Aoki R. Nikkei is also on the air at this hour on Sundays; however, the stronger Nikkei on 3925 was inaudible. On 5000 at 0725 May 30, WWVH way atop WWV, but even WWVH was fluttery. Geophysical Alert Message Solar-terrestrial indices for 29 May follow. Solar flux 74 and mid-latitude A-index 26. The mid-latitude K-index at 0900 UTC on 30 May was 4 (67 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been minor. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level occurred. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SWPC) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3945, R. Vanuatu, Port Vila. June, 01 English (listed) 0947-1000 instrumental music alternating male and female talks. 25322, 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. MARX SE ESCUCHA POR RADIO -- CURSO DE MARXISMO POR RADIO "Temas sobre el tapete” que se transmite por el Canal Clásico de RNV cuenta con una programación dedicada a explicar las principales ideas de la obra “El Capital” de Carlos Marx, presentada por los filósofos Vladimir y Carlos Lazo García --- 31 Mayo 2010, 10:53 AM Teniendo como referencia fundamental “El Capital”, obra trascendental del fundador del comunismo científico y creador de la economía política proletaria, Carlos Marx, a través del dial 91.1FM (Caracas), del Canal Clásico de Radio Nacional de Venezuela, en el espacio “Temas sobre el tapete” que se transmite a las 7:00am (1130 horas UTC) todos los viernes y conducido por los hermanos Vladimir y Carlos Lazo, se debaten las tesis centrales de la publicación. . . Fuente: Radio Nacional de Venezuela -> Marx se escucha por radio http://bit.ly/aVx9dq (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia) ** VENEZUELA [non]. CUBA, Radio Nacional Venezuela Relay-RNV, 13750, 1750, Spanish, 333, May 25, Two YLs in a happy conversation (Stewart MacKenzie, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only time this frequency would be on the air is once in a while on Sunday for ``Aló, Presidente``. But May 25 was a Tuesday. I have been intending to check during this hour on some other weekday but haven`t got to it yet. BTW, I never got around to a perfunctory check for A,P on Sunday May 30. I did hear it cited later on a RHC news item, so El Hugazo apparently did a show this week, but whether it wound up on SW is still unknown (Glenn Hauser, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also UNID 11680 ** ZIMBABWE. [Cf SOUTH AFRICA] A similar thing happened in Zimbabwe. They built some good FM networks in the 1980s and shut down the ZBC's mediumwave and shortwave transmitters. I still have an FM-only "People's Radio" (made in South Africa) that I bought in Harare in the early 1990s (Chris Greenway, England, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. RADIOS CONFISCATED --- Written by Tony Saxon Wednesday, 02 June 2010 14:10 http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31520:radios-confiscated&catid=31:weekday-top-stories&Itemid=30 BUHERA SOUTH - Zanu (PF) supporters and self-styled war veterans here are reportedly moving door-to-door here in an effort to prevent people listening to foreign radio broadcasts by confiscating their radios. The people from Buhera said the move was to force people not to listen to the radio reports on constitution making process that is expected to begin next week. An MDC T councillor Tapiwa Ngorima said: “All those listening to radio stations broadcasting from outside the country are being told they will be identified, because they are accused of influencing others to support the MDC in the area.” He said there were some incidents reported to police in Buhera but there have been no any arrests made so far. “We have cases where our supporters lost their radios after the Zanu (PF) and war veterans accused them of listening to Studio 7. Their radios were forcibly confiscated. We have made reports to the police in Buhera but nothing was done to bring the perpetrators to book,” said the councillor. Studio 7 is broadcast through the Short Wave from Voice of America (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXKD) ** ZIMBABWE. 4828, Voice of Zimbabwe, Guinea-fowl, 2134-2147, 28 May'10, English + vernacular, int'l. pops, few talks; 35422. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6105, 03/Jun 0857-0925. Would be XEQM - Candela FM XEMH? Surely it was not the Rádio Canção Nova from Brazil. The talks and the music was clearly identifiable as Spanish, Latin. Male voice with locution FM type and pop music. Very weak signal and degrading. Recorded on my blog (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Degen 1103, Dipole antenna, 19 meters - east/west - Balun 4:1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sounds like XEQM format. It`s always slightly low in frequency, like 6104.8 if you can tell that on the 1103; if you can catch a UT -5 timecheck that should clinch it even without an ID (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 9740, BBCWS Singapore in English, May 31 at 1256 blocked by noise, jamming? Not the Cuban type, and not the sound of sporadic spurs we once had from Taiwan 9735 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard it again June 4; maybe of local origin? (gh, Enid) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Radio Nacional de Venezuela via Habana, Cuba. With Spanish news, weak signal, 11680, 1524 UT. Strange below this frequency also another station on 11679.662 with classical music at the same time. Who knows? Perseus and LW100meter (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, May 28, HCDX via DXLD) KCBS North Korea is perpetually off-frequency here, 22 hours per day per Aoki which does not mark frequency variations. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Thanks Glenn for helping; yes, I think it was Korea, but I have no more info 73 (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, ibid.) Maurits, this one (via EiBi list) is known to operate off frequency. Could it be your classical music station? 11680 KCBS Pyongyang 2000-1800 1234567 Korean 50 ND Kanggye KRE 12636E 4058N KCBS a10 (Noel R Green (NW England), ibid.) See also KOREA NORTH UNIDENTIFIED. SW DX update from northern Delaware: 31-May-2010 // 2047 UTC // 15066.75 kHz. // Channel Z Radio // Pirate // End of Sweet's 'Fox on the Run' then male with "That was the Sweet with 'Fox on the Run' and you're listening to a DX test transmission from Channel Z Radio..." Into Susie Quatro's '48 Crash'. // New. Strong signal. MP3 clip available here: http://www.21centimeter.com/21centimeter/Recordings/15067-khz_2047-UTC_31-May-2010_Channel-Z-Radio.mp3 Rgds, (-Pete Jernakoff-, K3KMS, Wilmington, Delaware, NASWA yg via DXLD) Not sure if this be European or North American. Europeans mostly use this band, but accent on clip is NAm (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. UNKNOWN, Station Unknown, 15760, 1737, French, 333, May 25, OM with comments (Stewart MacKenzie, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Only thing listed is YFR in Turkish via Woofferton UK (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. UNKNOWN, Station Unknown, 17610, 1733, Spanish, 333, May 25, Two OMs with comments (Stewart MacKenzie, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Only thing listed is DW in French via RWANDA, 295 degrees (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. The few analog signals still on UHF really stand out, such as ch 48, May 30 at 0440 UT. Peaks from the NNE, and by 0600 is strong enough to tell it`s Cristina, i.e. Univisión network, // 36 from OKC and cable here but not synchronized with the latter. W9WI shows there is also a 48 LP in OKC with same net, but judging from direxion I must have been getting KUKC-LP, Kansas City MO, which is 12.7 kW. Wichita DTV signals were greatly enhanced at same time (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. 674-680 MHz = ch 48 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hope you are doing great, I know I appreciate your fine digest / reports. I guess I consider you a friend even tho I don't write you much. I always value your opinion and insight as if from a very close friend. Keep healthy and I will try to write more often. Your friend, (Art Hernandez, Lemmon Valley NV) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ THE NEW NASB SHORTWAVE LISTENER SURVEY is now online. The purpose of the survey is to gather demographic and other information about shortwave listeners in North America and around the world. Questions deal with listener preferences regarding shortwave stations, programming, receivers, DRM and much more. The NASB is requesting and encouraging all shortwave publications and websites to place a link to the survey, which will be online until May of 2011. The survey results will be announced to the public at the 2011 NASB annual meeting. The URL for links to the survey is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6LRVLJ7 (May NASB Newsletter via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) Sounds like a good idea. Would suggest asking which age bracket they are in such as 20 or under; 21-30; 31-40; 41-50; 51-60; above 60. Also their occupation. It would be good to be able to get an idea of the overall type of people answering the survey. That way you will have an idea of the general make up of those who respond. And of course it’s limited to whose who have computers and will not include the many folks in developing nations who are dependent on shortwave and where most of the world’s shortwave listeners are (Ted Haney, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DX NEWS 01 – NEW BRAZILIAN BULLETIN (IN PORTUGUESE, MOSTLY) Aos colegas de língua portuguesa e que prestigiam essa lista. Colegas. Tendo como único objetivo a informação do que é DX e notícias e artigos relacionados, temos a satisfação em publicar em meu blog um boletim sem formatação profissional, pois o objetivo é a informação. Serão artigos que esclarecerá o que é dexismo, trazer artigos com dicas para as escutas DX, artigos técnicos e um especial artigo sobre a análise de log. Esse último artigo tem como objetivo darmos importância a nossos logs e vermos a grande importância de informação que ele contém e que caracteriza o dexismo como um dos passatempos mais culturais que se tem notícia. Esse artigo também é excelente a nos mostrar como podemos retirar notáveis informações dos logs para o planejamento de nossas escutas. Vamos fazer uso das informações e praticarmos e divulgar mais o dexismo. O boletim tem inicialmente como colaboradores eu e o amigo Adalberto, mas os colegas podem sentir-se a vontade para enviar artigos e notícias que tenham haver com o objetivo do boletim. Esse primeiro número é um piloto e com o passar do tempo incluiremos melhor qualidade visual e tentaremos ser os mais objetivos possíveis. Enviem seus comentários para meu e-mail ou o do amigo Adalberto em adalbero.azevedo @ gmail.com Baixem o boletim através do seguinte link de meu blog: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/75006/8200388 Ou leiam diretamente do blog em http://www.ipernity.com/blog/75006/254277 Um grande abraço, (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) EiBi Schedule File Updated The EiBi schedule file was updated yesterday at http://eibispace.de/ Last previous update was April 12. The Aoki schedule file continues to be updated almost daily, at http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/bia10.txt Media Broadcast / DTK updated their posted file a couple of days ago at http://www.media-broadcast.com/en/radio/kurzwelle.html I have posted an updated version of my Combined skeds Excel spreadsheet at http://www.hfskeds.com/skeds/ It requires Excel or some Excel compatible spreadsheet or spreadsheet reader. That site now also includes pages that show the differences between the last two EiBi files and recent changes in the Aoki files. (Dan Ferguson North American Shortwave Association: http://www.naswa.net Combined SWBC skeds - updated May 29 at 1600 GMT: http://www.hfskeds.com/skeds/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shortwave-radio May 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ Re 10-21, KOREA SOUTH [non], don`t forget the state --- Just to add to the confusion noted from South Korea re The mailbag show giving correct addresses. There is a Rochester, Indiana also (John Carver, Mid-North Indiana, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also COSTA RICA; NEW ZEALAND; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PORTUGAL; SPAIN; PUBLICATIONS: NASB DRM LOGS FROM CRAIG SEAGER, NSW: ROMANIA. 7295 DRM, RRI, Galbeni. Massive signal by analogue standards, but still failing to trigger audio via the PC. And herein lies one of the fundamental issues with DRM (and digital TV, DAB+ etc). Listed as French, 2020, SNR to 13.0dB, 20.96 kbps stream. On- screen ID as “Galbeni EM2”, 29/5 (Seager) ROMANIA. 9765 DRM, RRI Galbeni. Another RRI DRM outlet that fails to trigger audio at this location, due primarily to high bitrate. Peak SNR is 10.5 dB at 2047, supposedly English. On-screen ID as “Galbeni ID 300-1”. Erroneously shown as “9675” in the drm.org schedule, which downloads directly into the Dream software. 2048. 29/5 (Seager) INDIA. 9950 DRM, AIR, Khampur. Steady signal, Hindi 1\2015, ID, SNR to 17.5 dB, 13.96 kbps stream. Dreadful hum in the audio, which begs the question why go DRM in order to strive for audio quality if the upstream process is flawed. A digital signal doesn’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear! 29/5 (Seager) NEW ZEALAND. 11675 DRM, RNZI, Rangitaiki. Program about the NZ police force, 0535, SNR to 17.0 dB, but big fades, 29/5 (Seager). Coming up well with sports 2030, SNR to 14.0 dB, 17.08 kbps stream. Interestingly the drm.org site has them still on 9890 at this time, however the RNZI website is correct, 29/5 (Seager) GERMANY [non]. 17525 DRM, DW, Trincomalee. English current affairs, SNR peaks at 17.5 dB, patchy though, 0538 29/5 (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW (Icom R75, Drake R8A, Folded Dipole, Dream® DRM Software), June Australian DX News via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ HD RADIO EDITORIAL --- WATCHING THE FM HD RADIO INTERFERENCE POT BOIL o The KATY and KMLA interference complaints come at an inconvenient time for iBiquity and the NAB since these organizations have just asked the FCC to dismiss opposition to the FM HD Radio power hike: http://radioworld.com/article/101238 o It is interesting that anonymous "engineers" have suddenly appeared in trade publications with outlandish arguments in an attempt to divert attention from the real question: Did the addition of HD Radio on KRTH create new interference inside KATY's normally protected 60 dBu contour or not? http://www.insideradio.com//Article.asp?id=1815245&spid=32061 ______ Here are facts concerning KRTH's HD operation as determined by CGC engineers (neither KATY nor KRTH are CGC clients): o FCC-required spacing between the KATY and KRTH transmitters: 113 km. o Actual spacing between the KATY and KRTH transmitters: 134 km. o Thus, KATY and KRTH are separated by 21 km more than the FCC- required distance. Docket 80-90 considerations are moot. KATY meets the minimum distance test and that's what counts. o Analog effective radiated power currently assigned to KRTH as a grandfathered super powered Class B station on Mt. Wilson: 51,000 watts. o Analog effective radiated power KRTH could run at its elevation on Wilson if it were not a grandfathered station: 760 watts. o Thus, KRTH runs 67 times or 18.3 dB more power than a conventional Class B station. If it weren't grandfathered, KRTH's power would be drastically reduced because Mt. Wilson is so highly elevated. The 67 fold grandfathered power applies to KRTH's analog operation as well as its HD operation meaning that the HD is "red hot" (even at -20dBc injection). ______ o The number of comments in the KATY case continues to grow in the RBR story cited earlier by the CGC Communicator. The comments are located here, right after RBR's story: http://www.rbr.com/radio/24360.html o Leslie Stimson and Radio World have performed an outstanding service by Web-posting recordings of the alleged KRTH-HD-to-KATY- analog interference. The audio is at this URL but allow time for the 6MB file to download: http://tinyurl.com/KATYaudioRecordings KATY's claim of HD interference from KRTH is reasonable considering not only the large amount of power run by KRTH (67 times the Class B limit when KRTH's elevation is considered), but the fact that KRTH's upper HD sideband sprays noise power directly into KATY's first adjacent analog channel. That's because of a major design flaw in FM HD, and a similar flaw exists in AM HD. This is why some call IBOC operations "In Band Off Channel" instead of "On Channel." The HD data is sprayed into adjacent channels. The interference to KATY appears to be a magnified version of the interference about to befall first adjacent channel analog stations across the U.S. as HD power levels are cranked up by 6 to 10 dB. And you won't need to be next door to a super powered giant to feel the heat. Have your multipath fades become worse? Maybe it's first adjacent channel HD interference. CGC welcomes comments from both KATY and KRTH and will consider publishing special newsletters with their comments (CGC Communicator May 31 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ SAMSUNG YEPP MP3 PLAYER TUNER IS SIMPLY AMAZING!! I decided to take out my Korean-made Samsung Yepp MP3 player tonight to fool around and see what it'll receive with my 2nd floor window open. I knew it was pulling in 100+ mile stations without any problem in Korea, but I figured it was just because they were atop mountains. But no... This little thing is the most amazing little radio tuner I've ever encountered. Frequencies that were overwhelmed by locals on my car radio (and every other radio I've EVER had in my life) are no issue with this radio. 92.5 is 10 miles away, which on my car radio means 92.7 is a goner, 92.3... well, some serious interference. On my MP3 player, 92.3 and 92.7, absolutely no bleed-over - stations are in clear. Strong 104.5 IBOC from 15 miles away has made 104.3 and 104.7 absolutely useless except during monster tropo. On the MP3 player, 104.3 is in solid without interference and I have a station on 104.7 I've never even heard before. All this using an earphone wire as an antenna. 150-250 mile reception effortlessly, IBOC FREE! Practically like someone shut off my locals! I can manipulate my earphone cord as an antenna and it's like twisting my rooftop antenna in my hand to get any little thing I want. I can move it up and down, which is something I can't with other antennas. I am even able to take out my 320 kW superpowered local and hear a station never before heard. I can take out my other closeby locals too, with a little moving all around and freezing my body and hand in funny positions to hear it. Downside to this radio: 90.1 is often (yet not always) heavy static like some sort of electronic interference (interfering with itself almost) and now and then other frequencies too, when you least expect it either go totally silent or have intermittent interference. Tuning the radio cuts the battery life down quickly as the screen is always on and it's an internal computer-charged battery, which means once it`s gone, you need to go back to your computer and plug it in. I can't wait to take this sucker to the beach. I can use my radio without being in the car (noting I've never been able to DX radio indoors ... ever!) No RDS, but imagine the things I can get with this radio, and no IBOC interference whatsoever. So far, absolutely amazing, and conditions aren't that super today. I guess DXing isn't dead this summer after all!! [loggings followed] (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich. http://www.beaglebass.com/dx 27 May, WTFDA via DXLD) Chris: What is the model number? (David Hascall, IN, ibid.) ETON E1 XM RADIO DISCONTINUED [cf 10-21] [WORLD OF RADIO 1515] Hi Glenn, Last evening, I checked the Universal Radio home page http://www.universal-radio.com and noted the Eton e1 XM radio has been marked “Discontinued.” So I proceeded to the Eton site http://www.etoncorp.com and there was no listing for the e1, as if it had magically disappeared. Further investigation revealed that http://www.amazon.com also listed the e1 as “currently unavailable.” I have since sent an e-mail directly to Eton, inquiring as to the disappearance of the e1 XM. In my humble opinion, the e1 was an excellent "porta-top" receiver with many features for the serious minded SWL'er/DX'er. There was nothing else in its class at this price, so that is a tremendous loss for the listening community at large. The circuitry was engineered by RL Drake Company and manufacturing was done at a military contractor facility in India . What has bothered me about Eton was an encounter I had early on in the release of the e1: the floppy antenna and the self-collapsing quick stand. Both did not perform as intended and what concerned me was that both were mechanical fixes, which didn't need rocket scientists to make the necessary modifications. Walter Hess, an engineer with them, told me that no plans were in the works to fix these two issues. So what you see is what you get! Does that sound like a company interested in being in the forefront with a product as good as the e1? At one point, I seriously thought Eton had an opportunity to rise to the forefront of portable shortwave radios, with a window of opportunity opening to replace the void left by SONY Corporation. Then they recently came out with the Grundig Satellit 750, which is nothing at all like the e1 and couldn’t hold a candle to its performance and features. Anyone still interested in purchasing an e1 will have to search the used market, unless someone out there knows where they are still available new. 73’s, (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, May 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I received the following reply from Customer_Support @ etoncorp.com in response to my query as to where I can locate a supplier for their Eton e1 XM: ``The E1 is no longer available, and has been discontinued for quite some time now. Your best bet is to look online, but please be advised, they are no longer under warranty.`` That is a rather ambiguous statement from two aspects. First, the mention that the e1 “has been discontinued for quite some time now.” If that is the case, why didn’t more people know about this? Was it mentioned on the Eton website? The only “defense” as such is the fact that the e1 is manufactured in India. There is some logic to the statement that manufacturing may have stopped “for quite some time now,” with inventory still being available at distributors worldwide. That is plausible. Second, the statement “but please be advised they are no longer under warranty.” What the hell is that all about? A product costing $500 that comes without a warranty? And this e-mail came from Customer Support? So if I call them, their response would be this statement: “Please be advised they are no longer under warranty.” As we learn more and the dust settles over the demise of the e1, I would like to know: 1- why they pulled the plug on their best product and 2- what they have forthcoming to replace their best product. 73’s, (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Ed, The notice at Universal Radio was there several weeks ago. Would have thought Etón could have announced in advance that they were about to discontinue the E1. That would have given me a chance to buy one or two new ones for future use. It certainly has proved itself to be the most enjoyable radio I have ever used! Mine takes a lot of abuse, what with daily trips to and from the beach. Have never had any problems and am continually pleased with the good DX it picks up (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, California, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, This is an additional follow-up regarding the e1, following my e-mail and their subsequent response; with spelling errors left as is. 73 (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, June 1, DX LISTENIING DIGEST) Viz.: From: Customer Support [mailto:Customer_Support@etoncorp.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 3:54 PM To: Insinger, Edward Subject: RE: Eton e1 Sir, The E1 has been discontiued for well over 5 years now, anything that is purchased after that time frame would have been overstock that companies are selling. Since we haven't sold any E1s in the last 5 years to our vendors, the warranty on them would not be valid since the warranty is only good for 1 year after date of purchase. However, this does not neccessarily mean we can't somehow honor the purchase. That being said, if you check out our website at www.etoncorp.com, you will see that the E1 is in our past colleciton, meaning it is no longer made. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1.800.872.2228 M-F 8-4:30 p.m. PST. Regards, Customer Support (via Insinger, ibid.) As I understand it --- The E1 was designed in Germany by Grundig in the mid Nineties as the Satellit 900, but Grundig went bankrupt after only a few prototypes were made. Since Lextronix were the North American distributor of Grundig radios at the time, they were able to continue using the Grundig name, which carried on as rebadged TecSun and Degen radios. In the mid Noughts, Lextronix (who changed their name to Eton) had Drake (who localized Chinese radios for Eton) re-engineer the Satellit 900 and add XM functionality to it. Eton renamed it as the Eton E1XM. Its components were manufactured in China by TecSun and assembled in India. The production run was 10,000 units sold at a pricetag of $500. Something like 30% of the units suffered electronic and/or mechanical breakdowns which left the radio nonfunctional. Eton would only honor the warranty if the product had been purchased through an authorized seller, which did not include outlets such as the Amazon Marketplace resellers or eBay. A range of early serial numbers were recalled due to a missing circuit trace which would make the batteries explode. These factors combined led to a very hostile online consumer reaction by those who had purchased an expensive and nonfunctional radio and/or one which wasn't covered by a warranty. Drake did the servicing for warranty and out-of-warranty repairs. A second production run was made of E1 models which lacked the XM band, though I never heard how many units were in that run. E1XM's and E1's continued to be sold as new overstock for years thereafter, but with those supplies finally depleted, there are no units available with a warranty. The failure of the E1XM/E1 was due to 1) the small market for shortwave radios, 2) the $500 price tag, 3) the high failure rate of units, 4) Eton's stinginess about extending the warranty and 5) Eton's refusal to continue production runs (contrast this with Sangean's ATS- 909, Sony's SW7600GR and Ten-Tec's RX-320 which have been in production for over a decade.) Eton has announced no plans for a replacement model and seems more interested in rebadging Chinese ultralights and crank-handle analog radios (Terry Wilson, MI, ibid.) How the radio was made is very interesting and is a common practice. The parts were all from the PRC packaged in a box. Each of these units were shipped to India where assembly was done. Sangean does this with the ATS909 of which they have 2 models. One assembled in Taiwan with Taiwan parts, another that was also assembled at the same factory as Tescun in Guangdong with parts from Taiwan. You would be very surprised at how many SONY radios labeled with Made In Japan all came from the ROC and the PRC. Sangean use to make radios for SONY. The parts, I mean; all the parts were made by Sangean in Taiwan, then shipped to Japan where it was assembled and the Made In Japan label was put on it. This does not only happen with electronics, but also with items from the fashion industry. An example would be Louis Vuitton. You can go to any of their flagship stores and the bags and other items will be labeled Made In France, but in reality it's Made In China and only assembled in France. Most of the radio makers in China like Tecsun, Red Sun, and Degen are in reality the same company. Each of the three have their own management teams, but above the three is a government appointee. So in fact all three compete with each other. And like other SOE's in China they have vast amounts of stock, which will last years (Keith Perron, Taiwan, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) INTERNET `RADIO` DEVICES [see also U K] I've spent some time checking out various internet radio devices and (shameless self-promotion warning) even have written a book about it and the programming you can find there. After trying several samples from several manufacturers, I decided I wanted an internet radio able to function for a reasonable amount of time "off the electrical grid". As with shortwave, a good desktop model was fine, but I at least wanted one of my internet radios to have this level of portability so it could -- at a minimum -- follow me around the house. I now have three wifi internet radios that I use as much or more than I use(d) my shortwave radios. 1. My favorite is the Pure Evoke Flow. After reading reviews and websites, I took a chance on this one because at the time I bought it, it was only marketed in the UK and a handful of European countries. Pure is the leading seller of DAB digital radios in the UK. It uses a Frontier Silicon chipset and operates its own website interface for its line of internet radios. On its internally rechargeable battery pack (sold separately), it runs around 12 hours before a recharge is needed, which far surpasses anything out there as far as I can tell. It has FM-RDS and is also a very attractive "piece of kit" as the Brits say. The company provides excellent and attentive support. It is about to launch three of its products in the North American market (July 1) and you can find out more at http://www.pure.com/us 2. My second favorite has become the iPod Touch. There are several excellent apps that will access internet radio, the unit is (of course) very portable and it fits in your pocket. Not quite as long a playing time on it battery as the Pure (maybe 5-6 hours), but this is the one I take with me everywhere because I can even use it in hotels that offer wifi connectivity. (The Pure and other more traditionally configured internet radios lack an ability to enter that connectivity through the paper "walls" (or identification protocols) that usually initially block access. Just to clarify, all of these devices can be configured for use with your security protocols on home wireless internet systems.) Enuf said. 3. I also have a Tivoli NetWorks Global radio. This one is a fine performer as well, with easily the best amp and speaker of the lot. But it is very expensive ($600 to start) and its coordinate web site is somewhat less expansive than "The Lounge" (Pure's site) or Reciva. Of the others I've tried, I especially liked the units offered by Sangean, Tangent and Revo. Hope this helps! (John Figliozzi, NY, May 28, ODXA yg via DXLD) And another option is always to take an old laptop computer that has an old Windows OS on it, install a version of Linux on it (for Internet security purposes) or netbook computer and use that. Bob Chandler is a big advocate of that practice. Advantages: You can get by all the challenge / ID screens that hotel Internet systems add; you can also use the computer for lots of other things while you're listening to radio; all have external headphone jacks so you can plug in beefy speakers if you want; all of these handle Flash audio without complaint (not sure the iTouch does...); most flavors of Linux handle web audio well (though you might have a little configuration to do first). Disadvantages: Most of these have puny speakers, so this isn't a self contained solution; you won't get 12 hours of battery life out of old laptops, but the newer netbooks do better. There are plenty of knowledgeable Internet radio enthusiasts within the ODXA group so we can address any questions anyone has. John's book is handy because it's written from the perspective of a shortwave enthusiast (versus someone focusing just on music). (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) INTERNET STREAMS OFFER THRILLS FOR THIS RADIO NERD May 30, 2010 By Ced Kurtz Pittsburgh Post-Gazette TechMan always has been a devotee of radio. One of my fondest childhood memories is listening to a radio I had just received as a gift while playing a Monopoly marathon with friends. As a teenager, my buddies and I would listen at night when we could hear WLS and WCFL in Chicago, WABC in New York and WFIL in Philly, now a Christian station. They had the best on-air personalities and played the newest music. In college, we listened to WZUM in Pittsburgh, especially when it changed formats at noon - from polka to underground rock. You haven't lived until you hear a Frankie Yankovic song segue into Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze." I always was interested in shortwave radio and remember receiving a new shortwave for Christmas in the early 1990s and being able to listen to the dissolution of the Soviet Union live on Radio Moscow. Desiring to get more stations, I rigged a wire antenna in the back yard. Was I a radio nerd? Oh, yeah. But then came Internet radio and swept it all away. . . [more] http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10150/1061571-96.stm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Except for when the home wireless network goes offline, or you want to travel anywhere out of range of your home network, or you realize you can still access those stations online without a wifi radio, or your internet connection goes down, or you lose power. All 50,000 of your favorite stations, but not all the time. Personally, my needs are met with two local FM stations, one local and one DX MW station, and whatever I can fish out of the daily HF propagation conditions (Terry Wilson, MI, ibid.) CONSUMER REPORTS LOOKS AT SHORTWAVE RADIO --- 50 YEARS AGO Alas, Consumer Reports isn't stepping into the breach created by the apparent shutdown of Passport to World Band Radio. However, in the July 2010 issue, in the "Looking Back" column, the item for 50 years ago (July 1960) mentions a review that appeared that month on portable shortwave radios. A couple choice quotes in the look back: "...Decades before the Internet, the promoters of those radios offered broadcasts of news, music and plays from all parts of the world....The Philco T9 cost $229.95 ($1,690.68 in 2010 dollars) and required six D batteries." And a quote from the July 1960 column itself: "However, the listening habit that such receivers serve has not been important to most Americans since the dawn-period of radio broadcasts, in the early twenties." Perhaps one or more of us who are Consumer Reports subscribers might send them a quick note to remind them that, despite that observation of the 1960s, portable shortwave receivers still exist today...and, who knows, perhaps they'd be interested in stopping by the Winter SWL Fest next March! (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, May 30, 2010, NASWA yg via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ DX INFO FROM THE 30'S & 50'S In the 30's my dad, as a teenager was a MW DX hound. In the 50's, after the family was finished, he went back to the radio. As a tribute to my father, I scanned his log list, starting 1929 and going through 1953. He did all of this from Syracuse, NY. I also scanned about 150 verification letters and put them up on my website. In addition, there are lots of QSL card scans. I will be expanding that section after I finish a couple more projects. http://www.makearadio.com/qsl/index.php It is all one brand new page. I hope this is of interest. 73, (Dave N2DS, ODXA yg via DXLD) Very interesting old QSLs, many of them on the `wrong` frequencies, like KOB when it was on 1180 (gh, DXLD) VOA MICROPHONE COMES HOME AFTER 34 YEARS Vintage 1950s model was used by legendary Willis Conover Washington, D.C., May 28, 2010 - A vintage microphone used by the Voice of America during Cold War era broadcasts is back at the agency's D.C. headquarters, thanks to a sharp eyed curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, which borrowed the artifact three decades earlier. After an extended time on display, the VOA microphone sat for years in a storage cabinet at the museum together with other microphones, including one used by Amelia Earhart during a press conference and another of the type used by Orson Welles during his legendary War of the Worlds broadcast. Adorned with the iconic Voice of America nameplate, the Altec 639, first manufactured in the 1940s, was widely used by VOA broadcasters, including Willis Conover, legendary host of Music USA Jazz Hour. Nicknamed the "birdcage" because of the enclosure surrounding the head, the microphone is 14 inches tall and weighs in at a brick-like 3 lbs, a giant compared to its modern cousins. The microphone was loaned to the Smithsonian in 1976 for its bicentennial exhibition "A Nation of Nations," and was placed in secure storage when the exhibition closed. Museum Associate Curator Hal Wallace recently took charge of the museum's electricity collection and came across the microphone as part of a routine inventory. Voice of America Director Danforth W. Austin said, "We are indebted to the Smithsonian for giving us back a piece of our history." Wallace, who hand-carried the artifact to VOA, said it had been kept in storage because curators 30 years ago, "probably hoped to use it again for other exhibitions." Soon the microphone will be part of a public display at the VOA headquarters, a reminder of the broadcasting service's founding era, a time before television and the internet, when radio was the sole source of news, music, and information for millions of people around the world (VOA press release May 29 via DXLD; also via Mike Terry) RADIO PHILATELY +++++++++++++++ FORUM DI FILATELIA http://www.cifr.it/forum69.html Long page from Italy with lots of QSLs and covers, from US island possessions, and discussion of their validity; including SWAN ISLAND, q.v. whence this was referenced (gh) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ POWER LINE COMMUNICATIONS ON AGENDA AT ITU ITU Working Parties 1A and 1B will meet in Geneva between June 21 and 28. A major item of discussion will be protection of radio services from interference from Power Line Communications (PLC) also known as PLT or BPL. IARU has already contributed to the ITU-R report SM2158 " Impact of power line telecommunication systems on radiocommunication systems operating in the LF, MF, HF and VHF bands below 80 MHz" where the acceptable criteria for degradation of the HF radio noise floor caused by PLT is defined as being 0.5dB. Work in WP1A will concentrate on the protection of radio services from the effects of PLT in range from 80 to 200 MHz. The IARU delegate to SG1 and its working parties is Peter Chadwick G3RZP: three input contributions have been prepared for this meeting. One of these is a report on the effects of intermodulation in power supplies causing the amateur band frequency notches in the PLT spectrum to be degraded: this report has been prepared from the work by Richard Marshall, G3SBA published in the RSGB RadCom magazine, and also points out the difficulty such effects could have on the PLT system itself. A further input establishes the protection criteria for amateur stations operating in the 2 metre band: Ian White, GM3SEK contributed to this input, and it is considered that the amateur and amateur satellite services require protection such that PLT interference does not exceed -45dB m V/m in the main lobe of the antenna, with a separation between antenna and the PLT installation being at least 10 metres. The third input is of a more general character showing that there are a number of non-amateur services that could suffer interference from PLT or its harmonics, such applications including social alarms for the elderly, pagers, medical implant telemetry, as well as broadcast, and when aggregation of radiation is concerned, aircraft navigation and communications. When the differences in range between PLT and mains leads and the social alarms and medical implant 'base' stations etc., are taken into account, the acceptable levels of radiation to protect the amateur services are of the same order as those needed to protect these other services (Southgate http://www.southgatearc.org/news/may2010/iaru_activities_at_itu.htm via Mike Terry, UK, May 29, dxldyg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ RE 10-21: SPORADIC SPACE SHUTTLE SKIP For future reference - doesn't it also stand to reason (?) that if the skip area is over the SubTropics, then skip from an equal distance the other side - say northern S. America - would also be enhanced? Maybe as far south as Central Brazil? (Bruce Jensen, CA, ptsw yg via DXLD) All I can say is that in April my distances were from slightly under 500 to slightly over 700 miles, so Central Brazil would have been too far from the May path, much of which was over ocean and areas of little MW DX activity even at night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn: Now that the Space Shuttle has landed, was their a recurrence of your spectacular AM BCB DX opening? I can't say I saw much difference here in southern New York. Please let us know what you experienced and if you think there is any credence to your theory. I'll be fascinated to know. Thanks, Karl Zuk N2KZ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Karl, The possible recurrence was based on a landing path across the USA like happened in April. At that time I had no info on how it would come in this time. Once I found out, I posted a follow-up that in fact it came in over Central America, Cuba and the Everglades. So if anything happened, it would be far out of range from here in OK. The range I was getting in April was from somewhat less than 500 miles (not closer) to somewhat over 700 miles. If anyone in S Florida or beyond checked this out, they haven`t told me. I did check MW anyway a bit during the following hours and nothing was unusual. Of course, the summer storm noise level was a lot worse too. With only a few more STS trans-ionospheric glide-downs remaining, we should keep looking, especially if another one comes in over the USA. I also informed Tad Cook, the ARRL propagation guy about this in advance, but did not even get a reply. If it affects MW (such as D- layer absorption removed) it should also affect 160 and 80m (Glenn to Karl, via DXLD) BOB BROWN, NM7M, A TRUE RADIO PROPAGATION GURU PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK at age 87. See the announcement at http://www.arrl.org/news/robert-brown-phd-nm7m-sk In addition to teaching physics at University of California at Berkeley, he wrote "The Little Pistol's Guide to HF Propagation" . (QST de W1AW, Propagation Forecast Bulletin 21 ARLP021, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA May 28, 2010, To all radio amateurs, via Dave Raycoft, ODXA yg via DXLD) Viz.: Robert Brown PhD, NM7M (SK) 05/26/2010 Bob Brown, NM7M, of Anacortes, Washington, passed away Sunday, May 23, from cardiac arrest. He was 87. Brown, the husband of former ARRL Northwestern Division Director Mary Lou Brown, NM7N (SK), was known worldwide for his contributions to the propagation studies on 160 meters. Brown wrote 12 articles for the ARRL from 1998-2001 that appeared in QST, QEX and NCJ, most of them -- such as this December 1999 QST article -- dealing with propagation and contesting on the low bands. He also authored an HF propagation tutorial that is available online. http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-hf-tutorial-nm7m.htm Brown was retired from the University of California where he was a physics professor at the Space Sciences Lab (SSL) in Berkeley; he also served as interim dean of UC’s graduate school. A memorial service is planned in Anacortes for Wednesday, May 26. A private burial service is planned for a later date (ARRL via DXLD) FM BEYOND NEWFOUNDLAND We have already (this season) seen (short) 404 m[ile] Es on FM between Massachusetts and the NE of Canada. There are never-heard-before FM signals past NFLD and they will stand out like a sore thumb because of the language. Using Boston as a base-point, start with Greenland: Godthab is 1326 miles (90.5/500W) and Sydproven is 1319 miles (95.0/50w & 95.5/50w). Diskoffjord-Diskubugten is 1569 miles (93.0/100w, 95.5/50w & 99.0/100w). From here it stretches to Upernavik (1739 miles; 96.0/100w), then Uummannaq (1898 miles; 94.0/50w, 95.0/50w and 98.2/75w). There are many more - a couple of dozen - spread through the country with 20 or 10 watts; the language is Danish of course (think "soft German"). [also Greenlandic, surely, more like Inuktituk --- gh] Moving on into EE [double hop sporadic-E] area, Reykjavik in Iceland is loaded with services - 87.7 (note below NA band), 88.5, 89.5, 90.1, 90.9, 93.5, 94.3, 95.7, 96.7, 97.7, 98.9, possibly 99.4, 101.5, 102.2, 102.9, 103.7, 104.5 and 105.5. Icelandic (the language) will be unforgettable when you first hear it (many of these stations are on the web "live") - it sounds like little else on our planet. The Icelandic stations typically run 1 kw and up to 10 kw. Greenland should appear BEFORE Nfld, or after - almost twice the distance and logically they would appear all alone when the Es does not shorten up to include Nfld. Both should be "there" when the TA reception is being reported from Ireland, at least in the NE of the US of A. So who will be "first"? (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, May 28, WTFDA via DXLD) Bob, Tnx for keeping prodding us dentro-North Americans to go for the real DX! Unfortunately your distances are off in this item (assuming by m you mean statute miles). 1300+ miles from Greenland to Boston struck me as just too close so I got out my trusty National Geographic Globe with Geometer, which gives excellent approximations. The closest point on the SW coast of Greenland is about 1600 miles from Boston. (Reykjavik is about 2400 miles.) Also surely there is some Greenlandic language from Greenland. It`s more like Inuktituk. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Enid, ibid.) Glenn Hauser caught me! Totally careless. It began by miscopying Boston coordinates (48.2N rather than 42.2). It got worse: Normally I always use http://williams.best.vwh.net/gccalc.htm simply because it allows complete manipulation of coordinates and distances - a factor when computing antipode points. "This is so simple" thought I, "will use a far simpler program" (dozen on web). So the corrections: Boston is indeed 1,701m(iles) from Godthab (aka Nuuk). And Reykajavik is in fact 2,439 (not 2,123). However, Bangor, ME is 1,514m to Godthab, Presque Isle 1,381 (not that we have any DXers in either spot). And yes Glenn, 88% of people speak 'Greenlandic' (Kalaallisut) but Danish remains the language of commercial and government. Finally, Miquelon (St. Pierre) is but 1,203m from Washington (DC) while Chicago is 1,584. Sorry for the original mislocating of Boston! (Bob Cooper in NZ, ibid.) Reykjavik to my location is 2500 miles. It would probably be a once in a lifetime reception for me. If you lived in St. John, NL you'd have a much better chance with a distance of about 1620 miles. But it's channel E4 which means that just a handful(or less) of people here even have equipment to tune it in (Mike Bugaj, Enfield CT, ibid.) Older turret tuned click stop sets will normally reach E4 on the fine tuner. I have various North American sets here (the youngest being from 1970 !) and they all tune E4. To know if it goes there tune in a vcr moulator to your ch 3 and fine tune up so you're getting patterning, etc., on the colour and that's about it, only 1 MHz up from A3. If you hit black and white you're tuning downwards (Hugh Hoover, Portugal, ibid.) Yes, with my small American/NTSC TV set in Thailand 1969-1970y, I was able to tune ch E4 from India, etc. (Glenn Hauser, ex-Korat, DXLD) IMPRESSIVE MIRAGE TODAY (DUCT BOUNDARIES) Today I had a nice chance to do what I like to do while DXing: study the reception patterns while being able to see the boundaries of the actual duct that I am working with. We had a full scale mirage today over Lake Michigan stretching, from my perspective in Muskegon, from the north straight down to the south that started up around 5.30 pm and lasted until after sunset (9.30 pm). So how is that DX? Well, that's weather, but the importance of mirages over the lake is that the mirage stays completely within the inversion layer of cold air, which means I can now see the top of that boundary, which is my duct. By climbing the sand dunes (thankfully many stairs included), I can see the different views of the mirage. At times on the beach, the mirage wasn't visible. By using my trusty portable radio (MP3 player), I can now compare radio stations at different elevations and distances from the water, which I could not in my car so easily. Many stations were totally absent on the beach itself, while everything comes in 15 feet above the water and continues to do so straight up to the top of the dune. Another measurement of the duct was the air temperature. A mile inland, it was 85 degrees. On the beach itself, it was about 63. Climbing the dunes (about 150 feet) had air still in the 60s, but two separate times the top of the duct was penetrated by the air above and a rush of hot air came spilling down on me for a few minutes. Suddenly it was in the 70s and 80s right there, while walking down the dune some feet, it was still in the very chilly 60s. This indicated the top of the duct wasn't all that far above me. At the time that the air spilled down in, radio reception was scrambled and in the case of most stations, totally cut off. But it was so cold at times and I was more interested in the mirage and stopped logging stations. It was generally about 2-3 stations on each frequency though up to 215 miles. I've waited for another mirage since July 23, 2008 when I last reported on this from Grand Haven, with the radio reception that went with it -- that one was about three times as big, far more stable, and a massive event due to it being in mid-July when the air/water temps are far more equal. For a while, the entire Chicago skyline could be seen 120 miles away. And at sunset, Wegener's blank strip mirage too, and although the red light reflected as the sun went behind it, there was no green flash I could see. Radio after that pretty much died out aside from the powerful ones. Pictures sometime soon... but I am leaving for Mérida, Yucatán in the morning for 8 days (so they could be delayed some days) and yes, I will certainly be doing some radio work there (maybe a little TV too). (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich http://www.beaglebass.com/dx May 29, WTFDA via DXLD) NEW ONLINE HF PROPAGATION APPLICATION ARRL By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU Contributing Editor May 28, 2010 Jari Perkiömäki, OH6BG, wrote that VOACAP Online http://www.voacap.com/prediction.html a Web-based propagation prediction application, is now up and running and making HF propagation predictions between any two points on the globe. (VOACAP is arguably one of the best HF prediction engines available today.) Just enter the coordinates of the transmitter and receiver sites and VOACAP Online uses the Voice of America Coverage Analysis Program (VOACAP) to calculate the maximum usable frequency (MUF) of the HF path between the sites. The results of the calculated prediction display a "circuit reliability" graph that indicates the probability of achieving a CW-grade transmission between the transmitter and the receiver. If you're not sure of a transmitter's or receiver's coordinates, you can use the Google Maps-based QTH locator http://www.voacap.com/qth.html to obtain that information [includes many deleted sites --- gh]. The VOACAP Quick Guide http://www.voacap.com/ has loads of information about VOACAP including links for downloading the application. In addition to Jari Perkiömäki, OH6BG, James Watson, HZ1JW, and Juho Juopperi, OH8GLV, are the wizards behind the curtain at VOACAP Online. By the way, being an old shortwave listener, I really appreciated the World Radio Broadcasting Stations on Google Map Web pages http://www.voacap.com/northamerica.html which are accessible from the VOACAP Quick Guide. http://www.arrl.org/news/surfin-online-hf-propagation-application (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) The geomagnetic field began the week at quiet levels and continued quiet until early on 28 May when a shock was observed at the ACE spacecraft at 0203 UTC. The shock was followed by a sudden impulse at 0259 UTC and mostly unsettled geomagnetic activity with some active to minor storm periods at high latitudes. The disturbance most likely originated from the 23 May halo CME described in last week’s report. A second transient was observed to pass ACE on 29 May and was characterized by strengthening of the interplanetary magnetic field Bt to about 15 nT with a predominantly southward component, Bz, to values around -14 nT. The sustained negative Bz interval lasted about 21 hours and resulted in active to minor storm level activity with some major storm periods at high latitudes. The second transient was likely the result of the halo CME observed on 24 May. A density increase at ACE was followed by a steady increase in solar wind velocity on 30 May which was likely the result of a recurrent co-rotating interaction region followed by a coronal hole high speed stream. The resultant geomagnetic activity consisted of mostly unsettled to active levels with occasional storm periods at the high latitudes. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 02 - 28 JUNE 2010 Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels at the beginning of the period from 02-06 June. Normal background levels are expected for 07-09 June followed by another increase to high levels for 10-12 June in response to a recurrent high speed stream. Normal background levels should predominate thereafter until 26 June when another increase to high levels is expected due to recurrence. The geomagnetic field is expected to be unsettled for 02-03 June due to persistent effects from a high speed stream. Quiet levels are expected for 04-06 June, followed by an increase to mostly unsettled levels on 07-08 June in response to a high speed stream from a coronal hole. Quiet conditions should return for 09-15 June, followed by another interval of unsettled levels on 16-17 June due to another recurrent high speed stream. Quiet levels should prevail for 18-24 June, followed by yet another increase to unsettled to active levels for 25-28 June in response to a recurrent coronal hole. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2010 Jun 01 1851 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2010 Jun 01 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2010 Jun 02 72 10 3 2010 Jun 03 72 8 3 2010 Jun 04 72 5 2 2010 Jun 05 72 5 2 2010 Jun 06 72 5 2 2010 Jun 07 72 8 3 2010 Jun 08 72 8 3 2010 Jun 09 70 5 2 2010 Jun 10 70 5 2 2010 Jun 11 70 5 2 2010 Jun 12 70 5 2 2010 Jun 13 70 5 2 2010 Jun 14 70 5 2 2010 Jun 15 70 5 2 2010 Jun 16 70 8 3 2010 Jun 17 70 8 3 2010 Jun 18 72 5 2 2010 Jun 19 75 5 2 2010 Jun 20 75 5 2 2010 Jun 21 75 5 2 2010 Jun 22 75 5 2 2010 Jun 23 75 5 2 2010 Jun 24 75 5 2 2010 Jun 25 75 12 3 2010 Jun 26 75 15 3 2010 Jun 27 72 15 3 2010 Jun 28 72 8 3 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1515, DXLD) ###