DX LISTENING DIGEST 13-28, July 10, 2013 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 2013 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html [also linx to previous years] 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1677: *DX and station news about: Afghanistan non, Alaska, Antarctica, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Koreas, Myanmar, Newfoundland, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay non, Sudan and non, Taiwan, USA, Zambia, Zanzibar SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1677, July 11-17, 2013 Thu 0330 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Thu 2100 WTWW 9479 [confirmed] Fri 0326v WWRB 5050 [confirmed] Sat 0200 WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 [ex-0135v] Sat 0630 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1430 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1500 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WRMI 9955 from WRN Sat 2330v WTWW 9930 Sun 0400 WTWW 5830 Sun 0730 HLR 15785-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio test Sun 1030 HLR 15785-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio test Sun 1430 HLR 15785-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio test Sun 1830 HLR 15785-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio test Sun 2330v WTWW 9930 Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Wed 0630 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Wed 1430 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Wed 1630 HLR 15785-CUSB [maybe test now too] Thu 0330 WRMI 9955 [or maybe 1678 if ready in time] Recent editions have also been airing in rotation at variable times on WTWW 9930 between 17 and 24 UT, maybe 5085 between 00 and 01 UT. 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://www.wrn.org/listeners/#world-of-radio WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/customize-panel/addToPlaylist/98/10:00:00UTC/English OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org DAY-BY-DAY ARCHIVE OF GLENN HAUSER`S LOG REPORTS: Unedited, uncondensed, unchanged from original version, many of them too complex, minutely researched, multi-frequency, opinionated, inconsequential, off-topic, or lengthy for some log editors to manage; and also ahead of their availability in these weekly issues: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=Hauser DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? 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, and say something about why you want to join. 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 [non]. 11545, July 4 at 0352, presumed Salam Watandar, with calm talk in presumed Pashto, SINPO 25222, as now scheduled 0230- 0400 via Kostinbrod, BULGARIA (according to Ivo Ivanov, instead of Tiganeshti, Romania as he first thought since he can also hear groundwave harmonics on 23090 and 31230). Several tries here for the other broadcast at 1330-1500 on 15615 have been fruitless, including July 4 at 1400, not even a carrier between WEWN 15610 and WEWN spur 15619, neither of which were strong. This is not a clandestine (except perhaps to the Taliban), but a target broadcast by an FM network from Afghanistan, adding SW relays back to fill in coverage gaps. ``Hello Countrymen`` was set up by USAID in 2003y, was also on SW for a while in 2004, and since 2012 is now `independent``. Read all about it at the top of these issues: http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1325.txt http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1326.txt (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. July 23 marks the 30th anniversary since the first transmission of radio KNLS. Radio broadcasting in Russian began the same day. On the anniversary of the radio station issued QSL-card, which you can see here: http://knls.net/rus/schedule.htm (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", RusDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) APRIL 1, 2013 - OCTOBER 27, 2013 (operates one transmitter) TIME (UTC) / Length / Frequency (kHz) / LANGUAGE BROADCASTING 0800 / 31m / 9655 / Russian 1600 / 31m / 9655 / Russian 1700 / 31m / 9655 / Russian 73! (via Anatoly Klepov, RusDX July 7 via DXLD) Our `best` chance to hear their English hour 12-13 on 7355 has been inaudible here for weeks. Other English at 10-11 on 9655, 15-16 on 9920 per the Russian site sked. Now I see that KNLS finally have their acts together --- the separate full A-13 transmission schedules presented in English on the Chinese, Russian and English sites all match! And no more separate ``two-transmitter`` schedule; have they given up on getting the other one back into service? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) INTERNATIONAL SHORTWAVE BROADCAST STATION KNLS “Anchor Point, Alaska, 340 kilometers or 211 miles south of Anchorage, is an unlikely place from which to beam messages that change lives around the world. But it’s been happening since July 23, 1983. On that date, KNLS, the first shortwave station built by World Christian Broadcasting, began transmitting in Russian and Chinese. In the rugged Alaskan landscape of the Kenai Peninsula, 28 hectares of land near Anchor Point were chosen as a perfect site for shortwave transmission. Construction began in 1980. Wells were dug, housing installed, the antenna erected, and the transmitter building constructed. Each giant dipole curtain antenna measures about 120 meters square, about the size of two American football fields. The wire mesh curtain actually consists of sixteen separate dipole antennae strung together. A second wire screen, hanging just behind the antenna, pushes the radio frequency signal toward the west. Using huge switches at the curtain’s base, operators can slew — or aim — the antenna toward different parts of Asia and the Pacific Basin. A special counterweight system allows the antenna to survive Alaska’s bitter winds, ice, and snow. “If high wind or heavy icing were to load all of the wires between the towers,” said the architect and chief engineer for the project, Francis Perry, “…concrete counter weights would come off ground allowing the antenna to sag temporarily. That is the protective measure which prevents the tower from being loaded too much.” Although the giant concrete cylinders weigh as much as a small car, Perry says he has seen them pulled fifteen centimeters off the ground by high winds or ice. . . (KNLS website via Arctic & Antarctic DX, July CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** ALGERIA [non]. 7295, RTVA Algiers via Issoudun opens strongly 0403 with Arabic ident and martial anthem, followed by Qur`an 24/6 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. LRA36 quite strong today --- Checking Twente repeatedly from 1800 on, noted LRA 36 was on at 1858. Checking from my QTH, I don't have any trace of a signal on 15476. Twente, however shows a pretty strong signal with no QRM from BBC Arabic. This is probably the best reception yet. I really wish I could get them from here, though. DH KCMO (Dave Hughes, Missouri, 1908 UT July 10, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also listened to it on Twente from 1945 July 10, mostly music, and still could not copy the announcements, fading after 2000 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The signal in Bulgaria after 1900 UT (2200 local time, an hour after sunset), was very weak but audible on the 150m beverage, directed to Africa at 185 degrees from here. SINPO: 25522! Very glad to receive it. It's my personal first catch of the Antarctica station (Georgi Bancov, July 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. CALLING THE MALVINAS: ARGENTINE NEWS BROADCAST IN ENGLISH FROM RIO GRANDE --- Friday, July 5th 2013 - 05:03 UTC http://en.mercopress.com/2013/07/05/calling-the-malvinas-argentine-news-broadcast-in-english-from-rio-grande?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=main&utm_campaign=facebook Since Wednesday midnight Radio Nacional from Radio Grande is broadcasting news in English targeted to the Falkland Islands. The news bulletin has been prepared by Radio Nacional Buenos Aires through Radio Argentina al Exterior and will be broadcasted at the break of every day, reports Tierra del Fuego media. Rio Grande the city from where the news cooked [sic] in Buenos Aires is broadcast. [caption] The brief bulletin, so far only with Argentine news, is broadcasted from Rio Grande since they have the necessary emission power to reach the Falkland Islands, according to local reports. “It was really exciting, thrilling to broadcast the first news bulletin for the English speaking residents of Malvinas; this is very important because of the links we expect to establish”, said Leda Soto, the broadcaster from the night shift who inaugurated the “calling the Malvinas” service. Ms Soto [said] that for some time now “we had been thinking of implementing the project and finally last night it became true. The news report is made up in Buenos Aires; then they send it to us in Rio Grande, we edit it and put it on the air to the audience in Malvinas” (via Marty Delfín, Spain, July 5, DXLD) WTFK? Presumably LRA24 on 640, 25/5 kW, 24 hours per WRTH. Now can we have the exact time? Too bad they don`t put it on SW too. I posted this item to condiglista but got no reaxion, altho ``Volveremos a Malvinas`` sentiment headlines the group (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. The RAE DX programme which used to be carried in the English service on Wednesday and Fridays has not been heard recently, so may have been discontinued (Observations by Rumen Pankov & Dave Kenny 29 May-26 June, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Hi Arnaldito, Can you confirm whether your DX program is no longer on the air in English? And what about Spanish and the other languages? (Glenn TO Arnaldo Slaen, July 2, via DXLD) Hi Glenn!! The English programme "Actualidad DX" is transmitting irregularity from RAE. Discontinuated! 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, July 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15345, 28/6 2130, R.A.E. - Buenos Aires, Tedesco [German] DX Programme by Arnaldo Slaen, buono (Roberto Pavanello, playdx yg via DXLD) 15344.8, RAE. 8 de Julio a las 1501 UT. Transmisión de cadena de Cristina Fernández como inauguración de aulas virtuales en la Escuela “Martín Fierro”, hasta las 1503 y que genera hasta las 1510 un espacio de propaganda gubernamental, hasta el comienzo de “El mediodía en noticias” con conexión a 870 AM. Señal con mucho QRN y con modulación baja, no obstante, se escucha en algunos picos con SINPO: 43333 y que mejora a SINPO: 44344 desde las 1515 y luego pasa a SINPO: 43433 a las 1523. A las 1528 UT, comienza espacio publicitario bancario y comienza “Gente de a Pie” que se escucha hasta las 1531:37 UT en que sale del aire. 15344.8, RAE. 9 de julio a las 1731 UT. Transmisión de cadena de Cristina Fernández, en conmemoración del Congreso de Tucumán del año 1816, conectado con Nacional 870 AM, con baja modulación y no con el servicio en idioma alemán con SINPO: 43444. Aunque a las 1800, se interrumpe esta señal para comenzar el servicio en inglés correspondiente, con mejora en la modulación y SINPO: 54444. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. The Greeks return to SW downunder. Radio Symban is back on air on 2368.5 kHz as of today sometime with usual Greek programming. First noted at 0940 UT on July 10th, 2013. Returned to air sometime after 2300 UT (Ian Baxter, NSW, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So no more Samoan anytime? ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. 5955, 2300, R Australia via Dhabbaya. Music and English announcements apologising for break in transmission (instead of scheduled Burmese 30 minutes), off 2329. 444 24/06 (Alan Pennington, England, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 9580, July 4 at 1220, RA with town hall/panel forum about Indonesia, apparently from Indonesia, discussing Papua separatism, where the foreign press has been banned; suspicions that Australia is promoting this, not to mention US marines installed in Darwin. Yet neighbors Australia and Indonesia need to work together for mutual benefit. Ended abruptly at 1240 as satellite time was about to expire: host identified the panelists but not the name of the program or the provenance. Right on to `Album of the Week` starting at odd time. What I heard does not match at all RA`s online program schedule for Pacific stream: Thursday ``1200`` Asia Pacific, 1230 World Football Weekly! (and same for Asia at this hour). Re my July 4 log of RA on 9580 with a forum from Indonesia at 1220- 1240, Robin Harwood, Tasmania replies: ``The Resurrection PM, Kevin Rudd happened to be in Indonesia and wondering if this was the forum he was going to address.`` Jerry Lenamon, Waco, explains: ``This was a feed from a TV program called "Q & A", often heard at 1135z, but not every day (I think it's usually on Mondays). The feed usually ends just before the news at 1200. The RA online schedule doesn't show it, but I hear it regularly during the ABC News Radio "Live Talk" news broadcast with Tracee Hutchison that RA feeds from 0900 to 1200. In addition to airing on RA it also airs in about 80 markets in Australia (with 3 more pending). The paragraph below is a show description copied from the ABC website. `ABC NewsRadio Evenings, in conjunction with Radio Australia. Continuous news, finance, sport & features, with headlines every 15 minutes - with: Tracee Hutchison` JL`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9580, July 7 at 1415, RA with classical music, but it`s just a Mahler clip amid quiz as this is his birthday. Rest of questions are about religion, so must be ``The Inquisition`` segment of the great ABC show `Sunday Nights`. We used to hear the quiz an hour or two earlier. Now the RA online schedule shows SN at 12-14 and also at 14-16, so is the second bihour a repeat of the first, and if so, why? Isn`t there more original programming available? As for 9580, it used to cut off rudely at 1358, but now is scheduled until 1500, per Aoki, and also resuming same 70 degree beam at 1700 when it`s not useful in mid-day North America (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It seems Radio Australia will be gone from shortwave by the end of next year. Many key positions within Radio Australia have been handed to ABC staff in Sydney. There were two reports that were done internally for the government on the size of Radio Australia's audience. The ABC decided to give the government the survey done by an IT firm in Australia (Keith Perron posted in PCJ Media and PCJ Radio July 5, 2013, https://www.facebook.com/groups/48638249355/ via Mike Terry, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) I could see RA dumping the Asia beams, but I would think the Pacific area service would still have a decent audience, due to the geography of the region and the often very limited local broadcast options. From a North American SW perspective, RA still has a nice amount of times and frequencies to choose from; one of the easiest SW broadcasters to hear in a declining medium. If they pull the plug, it is virtually the end of any casual SW worth listening to here. Any similar rumblings out of RNZI? (Steve Luce, Houston, Texas, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I agree with Steve. If RA & RNZI pull the plug there will be very little English programming left. Dejection & despair. JL (Jerry Lenamon, Waco TX, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) IMHO, the proverbial handwriting is on the wall. RA is no longer its own master with the international radio section and administrative responsibilities for it folded into Australia Network and, for all intents and purposes, transferred out of Melbourne, its historic base, to Sydney where it seemingly has no constituency. RA's new "leadership" has no specialization or background in radio, let alone international radio. While still on its own, RA's Director General had plans to transform RA into two distinct networks: one for Asia and one for the Pacific. That plan is now dead, embarrassingly frozen at its first stage with no movement toward rationalization. With recent staff retirements (voluntary and forced), RA has all but lost its institutional memory. There is little or no commitment for further development and all the signs point to another ignominious and ungrateful end for a formerly great public institution. We've all seen this movie too many times already. We know how it ends. (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Steve, Yes RA has DRM transmitter at Brandon and one at Shepparton (this Continental at Shep. not broadcasting in DRM). Whatever happens with RA on SW, certainly the Pacific Service would be the last to disappear (I would imagine). Any premature end to SW in the Pacific I'm sure would be subject to political objections (Ian Baxter, ibid.) However, the population of all the Pacific islands combined is minuscule compared to just about any one Asian country, so even if every Pacifican listened to RA on SW, this might not impress the bean- counters. A vast vacant ocean is also being `served`, while FM relays on each island would reach almost all the population. Devilishly, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Excellent point about the population difference. This may come down to a TV versus radio decision. English speakers in E and SE Asia are probably more likely to have Internet access as well as satellite / cable television, so the ABC might find SW expendable. The future of RA on SW might also hinge on how important India is as a target area. My thinking had been that RA might be reduced to a Pacific only broadcast model, similar to RNZI, using a couple of analog transmitters as well as DRM. Don't they have several DRM capable transmitters on the way (or already delivered) from Continental Electronics? (Steve Luce, Houston, Texas, ibid.) The problem with RA using DRM is they are not allowed to. Nigel Holmes told me on many occasions when we would talk that the ABC was pressured by the group promoting DAB+, to not use the DRM standard. What they never seem to have got is that DRM would be used for external broadcasting. When Nigel was at RA he tried many times to even do a test of DRM and he was prevented by the ABC. RA had planned to use DRM the same way Radio New Zealand Int. does. RNZI has shown this is an excellent way to use DRM as a way to distribute it's content to partner stations. But then it come to the problem that the DRM Group have never really promoted this (Keith Perron, ibid.) This DRM problem at RA was already discussed in DXLD months ago (gh) It would also help if R. Australia broadcast in at least Javanese, considering their antenna aim. But no, ram English down Indonesia's throat with an occasional Pidgin hour. Part of this is "the native target area", not just diaspora. Bully for ABC (Paul S. in CT FN31nl, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) They do still have some Indonesian: will that do? Serves the whole country, not just Java. Such as 0500 on 17750. Tok Pisin is of course not for Indonesia at all but PNG and neighboring Pacific islands. (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Recalling how he use to tune into Radio Australia for cricket commentary on weekends, Balasubramanian pointed out that it never happens today as the station had stopped its short wave broadcast. “Australian government had to spend $30 million for its SW service and with people's hue and cry over the use of public money, the government withdrew the service,” he added. Professor T. Jaisak­thivel, president of Ardic DX club, listing out radio stations, which had closed their shortwave service, said that some popular radio stations had moved to digital radio platform to offer their services (part of a story written by N. Arun Kumar, Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com via Jaisakthivel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Let`s not get ahead of ourselves! R. Australia has NOT (yet?) closed its SW service, surely still including cricket on Saturday evenings. Grandstand is scheduled all the way from 0200 to 1300 UT on Saturdays. Why did you not correct this blunder? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I'm not sure where the information on Radio Australia came from but they are very much still on shortwave to Asia and the Pacific, their latest schedule is here: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacific/radio/waystolisten/abc-radio-shortwave-frequency-guide.pdf As regards cricket, they do have Grandstand starting at 0200 UTC Saturdays and Sundays, there won't be any local cricket as it's the rugby season http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacific/radio/programschedule?tz=0&stream=pacific#saturday and http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacific/radio/programschedule?tz=0&stream=pacific#sunday (Paul, Christchurch, New Zealand, July 10, HCDX via XLD) ** AZERBAIJAN. Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1623 - 9677.5, Portante muta. After V of Talyshistan? SF (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** AZERBAIJAN. An unidentified station probably in Azeri with awful audio and modulation (but not Voice of Talyshistan), was observed on Tuesday, July 9: 0900-1300 on 9677.6 SPK 010 kW / non-dir to CeAs, QRM ROU German 1200- 1256 (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Video recording from yesterday July 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N93MaadUeA -- 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 15505, July 8 at 1358, BB IS is JBA, enough to clock the timesignal as ending at 1359:39.5. Will they ever set their timesignal accurately? If not, why bother. Because it sounds precise even if it`s anything but. Fool the people. Who`s comparing to WWVH in Bangladesh? 15505, July 9 at 1358, BB IS is playing, fading down for unimpeded but always inaccurate 5+1 timesignal ending at 1359:32.5, i.e. 27.5 seconds faster than anyplace else in the UT+6 zone. Signal level a little better than lately, but still only poor (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS [and non]. ‘VIVA BELARUS!’ SHOWS STALINISM IS ALIVE AND WELL --- Belarusian musician Dzmitry (Vincent) Papko plays the leading role of army conscript Miron Zakharka in "Viva Belarus!" Posted At: 11 March 12:31 “Viva Belarus!", a groundbreaking feature film from Polish director Krzysztof Lukaszewicz portraying the harsh life of nonconformist youth living under the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, premieres at Prague’s Febiofest on March 19. The film is loosely based on the experiences of Franak Viac(orka, now a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), during his time as an army conscript and blogger using social media to push for democracy in Belarus. Viac(orka, who co-wrote the screenplay, sat down with RFE/RL to discuss the film and the impact he hopes it will have. . . http://www.rferl.org/content/franak-viacorka-viva-belarus/24925295.html (via DXLD) Also bookmark this RFE/RL Off-Mic site, as kimandrewelliott.com has: http://www.rferl.org/archive/Off_Mic/latest/653/2348.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BENIN. Trans Atlantic (even in mid summer! Wow!) 1566, Trans World Radio - Parakou - 0320 UT 7/3/2013. Steady audio heard between the splatter of 1560 and 1570 with occasional bursts of talk heard in English including a mention of "TWR360.com/global". "AM fifteen sixty-six" given by YL at 0329 with flute music in the background, then into local music with steel drum accompaniment. No other trans-Atlantic stations heard. Signal was best between 0315-0345 UT (Tim Tromp, Muskegon MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 3310, Radio Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba, 0910 YL comments, then into instrumental music until 0917 followed first by YL, then OM, brief music over OM chat, 0924 back to YL, 0940 OM and YL in discussion. 5 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4451.1, Radio Santa Ana, Santa Ana de Yacuma, 2350 to 2359, best in usb weak signal normally. 3 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4717, Radio Yatun Ayllu Yura (Yura), 0049 UT, música en español intercalada con cumbias bolivianas; luego locutor dice la hora en Bolivia y habla sobre programa. Luego continúa música. Luego locutor da teléfono de contacto, 67437131 y transmisión queda en silencio varios minutos y luego locutor de programa menciona que seguirán con programa de buena música hasta aprox 0210 ó 0215 UT. Después continúa música pero la modulación no es muy buena y casi inescuchable pero con buena señal, SINPO: 35343 (Marcos Cox de Vicuña, Chile, July 7, Condiglist yg via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4795.8, Radio Lípez, Uyuni, silent for last four days (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, July 6, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. R. Trópico reactivated: 4959, R. Trópico, Trinidad, 2203 UT, "Las 6 de la tarde con 3 minutos en todo el paìs ... R. Trópico ....Bolivia", 24222. 73's (Miguel Castellino, Argentina, July 6, condiglista yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Por momentos aparece un emisión en 4959 kHz y por momentos desaparece; se escuchan algunas palabras en español y luego se escucha la portadora. UT 2325 (Ernesto Paulero, Argentina, July 6, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 4957.98, Jul 7 0005. I also checked for this station this morning between 4957 and 4960. There is a carrier with sidebands but without any audio. Also checked recordings from July 5 & 6. The same carrier on exactly the same frequency can be noticed from first recording at 2153 until final recording at 0304. But unfortunately no sign of any audio from R Trópico here (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) Further checks from this morning, July 8, the carrier with low hum and the same sidebands (+100/-100 Hz) audible from first check at 2153 when very weak until last check at 0304, then quite strong. But no audio at all. As the signal improved gradually might indicate a signal from LA (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4957.9, July 7 at 0109, weak carrier, no modulation audible. Could this be R. Trópico, which Miguel Castellino in Argentina reported to condiglist as 4959, reactivated a few hours earlier at 2203 UT July 6? At 2325, Ernesto Paulero also in Argentina said it was coming and going with a few words, then only a carrier. I was checking 4959 first at 0049 but found nothing there except pulse jamming, stray from Cuba? q. v., at least between 4959 and 4965, while there was a stronger station on 4955, presumably Amauta, Perú. Jamming was like that heard on 5890, 5955, etc., where it is just as uncalled- for. LA SW Logs, still available, but not updated since Feb 2012, http://www.mcdxt.it/LASWLOGS.html shows it on 4958v, closer to my reading, which I did not know until looked up later; so it may have been gone for six years: 4958v BOL RDif Trópico, Trinidad [1755/2224] Jul07 A ex4552 see6037.6 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4958, Radio Trópico (Trinidad), 0146 UT. Señal escuchable con modulación aceptable pero audio inescuchable; a momentos leve audio se escucha, probablemente Radio Trópico reportada hace días en Condiglist, SINPO: 35323 (Marcos Cox de Vicuña, Chile, July 7, Condiglist yg via DXLD) 4958.0, July 8 at 0058, JBA carrier, still suspecting R. Trópico, Trinidad, as reported reactivated yesterday. Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin was also checking for this July 7 at 0005 and found a carrier with sidebands but no audio on 4957.98, also exactly same frequency July 5 and 6 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.45, Jul 4, 2153, Emisora Pio Doce, quite good this early. Signed off sometime between 2208 and 2256 this evening. Also noted with strong signal on July 5 from 2256 (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) 5952+, July 5 at 0058, no signal from Radio Pío Doce, Siglo Veinte, after finding other Bols, 6135- R. Santa Cruz in at usual good level, and 6155-, R. Fides music audible with CCI from India`s LAH. Come to think of it, XII may have been absent for a few days now. It had been the #2 CP signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5952.4+, July 6 at 0056, Radio Pio Doce is certainly back after missing 24 hours earlier: music vs Cuban jamming against nothing on the hi side centred on 5955; 0056 Spanish announcement sounds like a commercial rather than anything pious. At 0102 unseems Spanish so Aymara or Quechua? 0105, back to Spanish discussion mentioning gobierno and municipios. Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, was monitoring this a few minutes earlier: ``footprint 5952.440 kHz in MUMBLED Spanish, much weaker speaker than Cuban or Mexican Spanish locutors pronunciation, in peaks S=8-9 at 0035 UT July 6`` Art Delibert, Vineyard Haven, Mass. reported at 0007 UT July 6: ``Glenn -- FYI, I'm listening to Pio Doce now on 5952.44, with talk and music. So they are on the air. Signal level is good, but much of their audio seems a bit garbled.`` They agree on the exact frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5952.42. R. PIO XII. 6 de julio a las 0150 UT. Huaynos en idioma aimara y quechua, y a las 0155, avisos en quechua y español de instituciones estatales o de la Iglesia Católica para la formación de líderes sociales. A las 0159, ID: “Red Radio Pio XII, desde Potosí” y avisos del decimoséptimo aniversario de la creación de la municipalidad de Siglo XX, en la plaza 10 de Noviembre. A las 0205 UT se vuelve al programa con algo de saturación. SINPO: 54454. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Tecsun PL-660, 5 metros de alambre de cobre, QTH: Barraza Bajo, Comuna de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) 5952, Pio XII, Siglo Veinte, 1100 to 1105 noted during band scan, weaker than normal signal 6 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5952, UT Sunday July 7 at 0058, Radio Pio Doce is gone again, maybe just earlier variable sign off like other Bolivians. 5952.44, July 8 at 0044, Pio Doce is off; 6155-, Fides is inaudible vs noise level, maybe off; while 6135-, Santa Cruz is on but weaker than usual. 5952.44, July 9 at 0056, R. Pio Doce is quite audible in dialog, probably Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5952+, July 10 at 0057, R. Pio Doce is fairly audible; 6135-, R. Santa Cruz has good signal; 6155-, R. Fides poor with music, all presumed but obvious from their off-frequency signatures and many previous logs around this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA [and non]. 6025, R. PATRIA NUEVA. 6 de julio a las 0248 UT. ID de la emisora, cuando transmiten un partido de fútbol. La señal tiene muchas interferencias desde CRI en 6020 vía Cerrik y de R. Martí en 6030. SINPO: 42444. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Tecsun PL-660, 5 metros de alambre de cobre, QTH: Barraza Bajo, Comuna de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. At 0102 July 6 I also checked the other CPs on 49m: 6135- R. Santa Cruz best signal but worst overmodulation/distortion yet I`ve heard from them, during 0114 song (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6134.83, R. SANTA CRUZ, 6 de julio a las 0140 UT. ID de “Radio Santa Cruz” y promoción de un festival folclórico desde las 2 de la tarde, junto a otras emisoras amazónicas. A las 0145, vuelve a la música, especialmente a agrupaciones de salsa. Señal con mucho QRN, propio de la banda de 49 metros y con una modulación saturada a ratos con SINPO: 54354. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Tecsun PL-660, 5 metros de alambre de cobre, QTH: Barraza Bajo, Comuna de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) 6135-, July 7 at 0058, R. Santa Cruz, good signal with music stingers and swooshes amid news items, mentioning the word ``aparecida`` which could be confusing since there is a Brasilian by that name also listed on 6135, but this was certainly in Spanish. 0101, usual good signal and full ID for ``960 kHz onda media, 6,135 kHz onda corta, y 92.3 MHz frecuencia modulada, transmitiendo desde Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia``. A few notes at 0102, jingle/IS? Then into sign-off message with same and even more detail. Sure wish I could have been recording. ``Emisora del Instituto Radiofónico Fé y Alegría``; partial street address for ``oficinas en Mario Flores, esquina ---``. Then a quena / guitar song, but not allowed to complete, cut off in mid-word at 0105:43 and carrier off a few seconds later*. Modulation really strong, but not distorting much this time, altho there were a few IADs (intermittent audio dropouts). Closing time varies a lot; maybe this is normal for Saturday night (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6134.83, R. SANTA CRUZ. 9 de julio a las 2315 UT. Noticias desde una emisora de Pilcomayo y otras del interior boliviano como parte de la “Red Guaraní de Comunicación” como ID, en idioma español y guaraní con buena modulación hasta las 2320 con SINPO: 43444 aunque con un poco QRM de CNR11 que se encuentra en 6130, pero no de manera profunda. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) 6134.820, Radio Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz, Spanish, SIO 444, 0108 UT 73 & GUD DX, (Thomas F. Giella W4HM, Lakeland, FL, USA, July 10, ABDX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6154.95, Radio Fides with time check and Good Morning messages in Spanish 0953, fair in clear but best on USB to avoid RA’s PNG Service on 6150. Ident & folk song, then blocked by RTI Chinese 6175 [sic; 6155?] opening at 1000, 24/6 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6154.92, Jul 1, 2357, R Fides noted as always with strong signal. ID at 0000 (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) 6155-, July 4 at 0101, presumed R. Fides, with YL talking including possible mentions of Bolivia. JBA LAH from presumed India not so off- frequency. At 0102 July 6 I also checked the other CPs on 49m: 6155- R. Fides audible poorly, hard-to-copy Spanish. 6155-, July 7 at 0059, music weakly audible from presumed Radio Fides, but can`t copy anything definite and too much temptation to tune other frequencies; maybe one of these nights I will hear an ID (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6154.950, R. Fides. La Paz, Spanish, SIO 433, 0036 UT 73 & GUD DX, (Thomas F. Giella W4HM, Lakeland, FL, USA, July 10, ABDX via DXLD) 6154.9, July 9 at 0100, YL talk seems Spanish, from Radio Fides, much weaker than 6134.8, R. Santa Cruz. I see reports of both as on 6155.000 and 6135.000, trailing or defaulting zeroes being allowed to misimply that they are really on exact frequencies, never the case. Study the concept of ``significant digits`` and override your logging program or imprecise frequency display (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) July 10 at 0057, 6155-, R. Fides poor with music, obvious from off- frequency signatures and many previous logs around this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 3375.1, Brasil, Rádio Municipal São Gabriel da Cachoeira, 0900 poor signal; 0935 om in Portuguese ments de kilohertz? 0936 yl talking over music, 0940 om vocal. 5 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4824.95, Rádio Canção Nova with Portuguese evangelist, vgd 0540 but over-modulated audio 21/6. Still good at 0956 recheck, ident 1001 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4865.027, Jun 27, 0005, R Verdes Florestas back again from June 25 after being absent a few days. Also mostly religious programs all nights (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4876.77, Brasil, Rdif Roraima, Boa Vista RR, silent for last week (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4914.95, Jul 4, 0001, Rádio Difusora Macapá with a nice ID. Alone on the frequency at this time and still there at 0200. Also heard on July 5 at the same time but does not seem to be there on a regular basis (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD). ** BRAZIL. 4915, Jul 3, 2305, R Daqui usually very strong and pressing down Macapá. Daqui signs off earlier than before, sometime between 2315 and 2359. On July 3 still on at 0026 when I checked again and on July 5, good signal at 2312 but had signed off when checked at 2356 (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4915, July 4 at 0052, JBA carrier here, could be the other ZY if R. Daqui is again absent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, this morning (July 4 at 0400) I heard Radio Difusora de Macapá on 4915kHz with frequent time checks like "...en Macapá". Exact frequency: 4914.95 kHz (Karel Honzik, CZECHIA, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) 4915, July 5 at 0051, pop music in Portuguese, fair signal once again strongest of all ZYs on the 60mb, 4885 being second, but with CODAR QRM. 0102 ID ``1,230, a Rádio Daqui``. (I thought they said 1,260, but listed on 1230). 4915, July 6 at 0105, R. Daqui is gone again, no signal here, but lots of weak carriers on other 60m ZY frequencies. Wolfgang Büschel, Germany agrees the 4915 channel was empty at 0020 & 0115. 4915, July 7 at 0046, R. Daqui is off again, altho others were hearing it earlier in the hour, as well as // 11835.698. That must be off too, as all I can detect against strong 11840 RHC is a JBA carrier on 11835.0. R. Daqui is listed on 11830, but Jorge Freitas also heard them several days ago around 11835. Next time 4915 is in well, it would be nice to copy a full ID with all the frequencies announced. As usual, numerous ZY-frequency carriers were audible at this time on 60m above and below 4915, most of them slightly off. 4915, July 8 at 0040, Portuguese, poor signal but better than others on 60m, vs CODAR here, presumed R. Daqui not signed off yet. Nothing audible on // 11835v. 4915 played music across hourtop past 0101 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, I heard Radio Daqui this morning (July 8 after 0300) on 4915, exactly 4915.02 playing their usual música sertaneja with many IDs. The strongest Brazilian station in the 60mb also here in the middle of Europe. (Is not it possible to listen to this station in Oklahoma at around 0300-0400? The whole America is in darkness at that time). (Karel Honzik, CZECHIA, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Yes, possible, but I am usually busy with other things then (gh, DXLD) 4915, July 9 at 0055, R. Daqui is gone early again, and still nothing on alleged // 11835v either. 4915, July 10 at 0054, JBA carrier, somewhat less than 4885, 4925, etc., so suspect R. Daqui is off again, uncovering a bit of Macapá (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 6010.13, Rádio Inconfidência with ”Amigos da Madrugada” program jingle 0318 on 19/6, poor to fair. No trace on 19 metres at this time (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 6104.77, Tentative reception of Rádio Filidélfia 19/6 at 0959. Briefly clear in Portuguese till Taiwan 6105 opened strongly at 1000. Able to follow Brazilian till 1012, but not there on subsequent days` monitoring (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6104.96, Jun 22, -2200* R Cultura Filadélfia can’t decide if the frequency should be above or below 6105. Weak signal this day. // webstream (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. AM em FM --- Trancristo da Revista RADIO WORLD BRASÍLIA, Brasil — A presidente Dilma Rousseff aprovou a migração das emissoras de rádio AM para a faixa de FM, nos canais 5 e 6 de televisão. O ministro das Comunicações, Paulo Bernardo, comunicou a decisão da presidente Dilma Rousseff aos radiodifusores durante um encontro realizado no último dia 11 de junho, na sede do Ministério das Comunicações, em Brasília, Distrito Federal. Por Carlos Eduardo Behrensdorf Participaram do encontro o presidente da Associação Brasileira de Emissoras de Rádio e Televisão (ABERT), Daniel Slaviero, diretores, presidentes de associações, e empresários do setor. O Ministério das Comunicações (MiniCom) estabeleceu um prazo de até 60 dias para que os critérios para a migração das emissoras de rádio AM para a faixa de FM, nos canais 5 e 6 de televisão, sejam definidos. A migração é uma reivindicação das emissoras AM que encontram dificuldades técnicas para propagar seus sinais. O ministro informou que “algumas das 1.800 emissoras, com décadas de funcionamento, somente continuarão a funcionar após a migração”. O setor será beneficiado por três novas portarias: a primeira portaria regulará a migração; a segunda portaria coordenará um mutirão para regularizar as retransmissoras que operam irregularmente; e a terceira portaria regulamentará os serviços auxiliares da operação das TVs (como as unidades móveis geradoras de sons e imagens nas coberturas externas). A primeira portaria, que regula a migração, foi assinada pelo Ministro Paulo Bernardo e entrou em vigor na quarta-feira, 12 de junho, com sua publicação no Diário Oficial da União (D.O.U.). As outras duas portarias serão estruturadas pela Secretaria de Comunicação Eletrônica. Ainda não há data prevista para a conclusão e publicação das mesmas. A primeira portaria garante que todas as emissoras de rádio e televisão que possuem outorgas, mas que dependem da aprovação do seu projeto técnico, passem funcionar provisoriamente. Geradoras, retransmissoras e rádios AM e FM estão autorizadas a operar em caráter provisório até que se faça a completa análise dos processos. Slaviero, o presidente da ABERT, e o diretor-executivo da Associação Brasileira de Radiodifusão (ABRA), Flávio Lara Resende, reconheceram a importância da medida. “A migração é uma questão de sobrevivência para muitas emissoras”. A segunda portaria beneficiará mais de 5.000 retransmissoras que funcionam sem registro. O ministério realizará um mutirão para regularizá-las, começando pelos estados de Minas Gerais, em julho, na Bahia, em agosto, e no Paraná, em setembro. Os mutirões serão realizados nas primeiras e últimas semanas de cada mês e, segundo o ministro Paulo Bernardo, devem atender a todos os estados até o fim do ano. Os critérios usados para definir a ordem dos estados atendidos são: quantidade de demandas por outorgas, disponibilidade no espectro e população atingida. “Normalmente, são estações implantadas pelas prefeituras locais, com o intuito de atender as suas populações, portanto, sem caráter comercial”, explicou o ministro Paulo Bernardo. A idéia é regularizar essas retransmissoras para evitar que sejam lacradas pela Anatel. A última medida transfere para a Anatel a competência de analisar e autorizar pedidos de colocação de link por um radiodifusor que passa a ser considerado serviço de telecomunicaçõ es de interesse restrito. A colocação de link se enquadra na outorga de um Serviço Auxiliar de Radiodifusão e Correlatos (SARC). A portaria deverá fixar em R$ 400 o valor de outorga de SARC. A Comissão Técnica do Conselho Consultivo de Rádio Digital do Ministério das Comunicações (MiniCom) homologou todos os parâmetros e definições na reunião do Conselho do Rádio Digital no dia 25 de junho, no auditório do MiniCom, em Brasília. Serviço de radiodifusão e freqüência atribuída Onda Média 525 kHz a 1 705 kHz Onda Tropical (120 metros) 2300 kHz a 2495 kHz Onda Tropical faixa alta 3200 kHz a 5060 kHz Onda Curta 5950 kHz a 26100 kHz Freqüência Modulada, 87.7 MHz a 108.0 MHz incluindo RadCom, Com dados do Ministério das Comunicações e da Associação Brasileira de Emissoras de Rádio e Televisão (ABERT). Em reunião anterior o Conselho definiu os parâmetros para os novos testes propostos pelo governo nos dois sistemas de rádio digital que se apresentaram para serem adotados no Brasil, o DRM e HD Radio. Os testes abrangerão as faixas de Ondas Curtas (OC), Ondas Médias (AM), FM de baixa potência (comunitárias) e de alta potência. Os testes em Ondas Curtas serão conduzidos pela Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), a partir de Brasília, somente em DRM, pois o HD Radio trabalha nesta banda. Os testes em Ondas Médias, ao que tudo indica, também serão somente em DRM, pois o sistema estadunidense não apresentou na reunião os seus dados para que o MiniCom realize o planejamento dos parâmetros a serem testados. Os testes em FM de alta potência serão realizados na cidade de São Paulo. Já os testes em FM de baixa potência (comunitárias) ocorrerão em Santa Catarina. As emissoras que realizarão os respectivos testes ainda não foram escolhidas. O engenheiro Flávio Lima, do MiniCom, ressaltou a importância de concluir todos os testes em 2013 visando tomar uma decisão. Segundo Lima, “este atraso prejudica todo o meio radiofônico”. Lima sugere fazer um teste que chama de “laboratório”, em Brasília, em FM de baixa potência com condições ideais de propagação, para que a variação da potência e de outros parâmetros possam ser claramente medidas. Outros parâmetros dos testes também estão sendo definidos: os dois sistemas serão testados em seu modo mais robusto (maior alcance e menos serviços) e seu modo mais completo (maior quantidade de serviços — três canais de áudio e um de dados com capacidade de fluxo de bits para transmissão até de vídeos, no caso do DRM). Segundo informação liberada pelo Ministério das Comunicações, os dados já consolidados de emissoras de rádio em março de 2012 mostram expressivos crescimentos de rádios FM comerciais e das rádios comunitárias (chamadas RadCom). Em abril de 2013, o número das emissoras de rádios FM alcançou a cifra de 2,695, enquanto as RadCom chegaram a 4,504. Há cinco anos esses números eram 1,848 e 2,213, respectivamente. O setor de rádio no Brasil, em abril de 2013, apresentava 4,619 emissoras de rádio comercial, 466 rádios FM educativas e 4,504 rádios comunitárias, totalizando 9.589 emissoras de rádio. Além disso, o setor possui 1784 emissoras de Ondas Médias (AM); 74 emissoras de Ondas Tropicais (OT) e 66 emissoras de Ondas Curtas (OC). — Carlos Eduardo Behrensdorf escreve sobre a indústria do rádio de Brasília, Brasil (via José Maria de Morais, July 8, radioescutas yg via DXLD) BOA NOITE! Na minha humilde opinião acho LAMENTÁVEL esta mudança. Entendo que querem é tapar o sol com a peneira! Vão mudar por Causa: "Atualmente, as emissoras que operam em ondas médias sofrem com níveis crescentes de interferências e ruídos que prejudicam a prestação do serviço." As interferências nada mais são do que redes de energia elétrica mal construídas, lâmpadas eletrônicas de péssima qualidade, bem como eletro-domésticos que interferem em tudo, mais parecem britadeiras. Mesmo em FM se estiver escutando o rádio e ligar um eletro-doméstico também vai escutar a britadeira. Alguém é que está com interesse em vender transmissores novos para as emissoras???????? Aconteceu aquele caso dos estojos de primeiros socorros obrigatório nos automóveis, ha pouco a mudança das conexões elétricas para um modelo ridículo, porque não adotar a universal que jé existe no Japão, EUA, etc, porque tem que ser diferente de tudo mais? Mas não adianta reclamar, a vida segue temos que nos virar! Desculpem o desabafo! (Ruy Rossetto, Fpolis SC, PY5BMR, ibid.) Caros, Vai acabar sim. Agora ou mais alguns anos à frente, vai acabar. E num futuro beeem mais longínquo, as FMs acabam também. Tecnologia é assim mesmo. Além disso, alguém conhece jovens (da geração Y, quero dizer, com menos de 20 anos) que se interessam por nosso hobby? É aproveitar o que temos hoje, quando migrar no Brasil, restarão as sulamericanas, até o fim. Não acredito em milagres (Arthur Antonio Raimundo, Manaus AM, Brasil, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. Referente à História do Rádio no Brasil: Vários sites têm divulgado que a primeira transmissão do rádio foi no Rio de Janeiro. Mas dados oficiais afirmam que foi no Recife em 06/04/1919. Quando ainda não existiam transmissões radiofônicas na América do Sul, um grupo de amadores, sob a liderança de Augusto Joaquim Pereira, fundou a Rádio Clube de Pernambuco, no dia 6 de abril de 1919. Vinte dias depois, seus estatutos foram aprovados e publicados pela Imprensa Nacional. Um edital de inauguração foi publicado dias antes no DIARIO DE PERNAMBUCO. "São convidados os amadores de telegrafia Sem Fio (TSF - como era conhecido o rádio) a comparecerem à sede da Escola Superior de Eletricidade (Ponte d´Uchoa) no próximo domingo, 6 do corrente, às 13h, para a fundação da Rádio Clube." (Veja link abaixo) http://www.onordeste.com/onordeste/enciclopediaNordeste/index.php?titulo=R%C3%A1dio+Clube+de+Pernambuco (I didn't know they HAD a website! Good detective work, Marc!) "As of today, June 18, 2013, CFRX went off the air due to a problem with the PA Mixer, this according to the chief engineer, Ian Sharp. I'll keep you posted when the repairs are done and it's planned return" Marc adds: "Two weeks off the air over a mixer?? That's not credible to this old transmitterhead but you can draw your own conclusions." I would add that ANY station that is off the air for over two weeks for a technical issue clearly doesn't care about being on the air. I'm thinking of WWVA's tower collapse in 2010 which was 'fixed' within 24 hours. All 3 of their antenna towers collapsed due to 'straight line winds" causing them to be off the air completely, but they were back (using LOW POWER and a temporary antenna to be sure, but back none the less) in about 18 hours, but really -- if they could get back on the air this quickly with such severe damage, what does it say about their desire to keep the CFRX SW signal on the air when it takes the better part of a month to get a mixer fixed? .... As of this writing (5/Jul) they are still off the air. –kvz (Kenneth Vito Zichi, ed., MARE Tipsheet July 5 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Ch 2, CKBQ, Melfort, SASKATCHEWAN, July/04/13, 1058 EDT, English, GOOD. CTV morning live show over at 1058 EDT. Spot for local car dealer "GM Goodwrench in Tisdale, SASK". Gave a 306 Area Code Phone #. CTV Promos. Spot for "Moose on the Loose" --- keep an eye out for Moose when Driving!!!! Into "Kelly and Michael Live" at 1100 EDT. (Rob ROSS, London ONT, MARE Tipsheet July 5 via DXLD) CKBQ is 15.5 kW per W9WI.com Never knowingly saw it here (gh, OK, DXLD) ** CANADA. 6-meter Es maps show activity to the northeast of here the morning of July 5, so I aim that way and monitor channel A2. At 1600 UT, in fades a signal with large grafix, NEWS NOON FROM GLOBAL TORONTO, and out in less than a minute. May we assume this would not also be carried in Manitoba at 11 am local? In that case it has to be CIII-TV-2, 100 kW in Bancroft, Ont., per Bill Hepburn`s ch 2 map and W9WI.com {Distance: 1204 miles = 1937 km, city to city}. I wonder what has become of the two CTV 100 kW in Ontario, Wiarton and SS Marie --- are they still on and in analog? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. the entire CBC analogue network went off the air July 31st, 2012. The only analogue CBC stations left (on lowband) are privately owned in BC: CBCY-2, CFTK-3, CBCY1-4, CBCY2-5 & CJDC-5 & CFTK1-6 (Bill Hepburn, Ont., July 4, WTFDA via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Some of the fellows on the TV/FM DX List were asking about CBC station lists (the CBC website is horrible). So I put one online. Nothing fancy - just province - network - freq - stations. I will do a few refinements over the next while with some LPFM research. http://dxinfocentre.com/cbc.htm wrh (Bill Hepburn, July 8, WTFDA via DXLD) Radio only, by province west to east, then by network, then by frequency (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. Finally some E-Skip --- Hi Glenn, This has been a dud of an FM E-Skip season so far, and I thought I had missed out on 7-5 when the map showed some earlier action while I was at work. When I got back home in the late afternoon, the band started to jump. First to NJ with 96.9 WFPG Atlantic City, #36 on my favorite fishing hole frequency at 4:50 PM CT. Then to SK with 97.1 CKFI and 94.1 CIMG- FM from Swift Current. A couple more from PA and NJ, then the MUF shrunk down to about 89 MHz. 88.1 had a very loud signal at 5:30 PM CT, with some music and an announcer mention of MBC Network Radio, with a caller from Big River winning a contest. This was CJLR-FM-3 from Prince Albert, SK at about 1240 miles away. I tuned back down the band for a bit... To return at 5:43 PM to a loud 88.1 playing college alternative-rock music, and several younger announcers talking. A quick disclaimer was played IDing this one as WKNC, Raleigh, NC! 13 minutes and the frequency had flipped E-skip stations over 1700 miles apart. Great fun. Thank you as always, (Eric Loy, Catlin IL, July 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. After first getting XHTAU and XEFB on channel A2, July 8 at 1444 UT I hear some English while the antenna is still aimed southward: 1444, with 1-800 number, .ca website; so rotate to find video peak from north, YL gospel huxter is quoting Chuck Colson 1455, studio talkshow continues, in and out. Seems to be a bug in UR I cannot make out 1457, fade-in to show along with the hosts, ``866-273-4444 toll-free prayerline``. Also a large 100 in the LL along with some small lettering I can`t make out 1458, outro show from `Crossroads`, Brampton Ont, and Niagara Falls NY addresses 1459, Global Evening News at Six promo 1500, SHAW bug in LR, other bugs in UL and LL. Now show is `The Doctors`, medical advice Weak signal continues in & out following hour. 1600, now a cooking show, good at 1605 The Ontario network stations would all be in noon news now. At first I thought I had CIII-TV-2, Bancroft Ont., a Global station, but its EDT programming is one hour of real time ahead of what I am getting which matches TV Guide CDT listings for Winnipeg, i.e. CKND-TV-2 Minnedosa, Manitoba: 9:30 am [1430 UT] 100 Huntley Street 10:00 am [1500 UT] The Doctors 11:00 am [1600 UT] Chef at Home Crossroads Christian Communications produces 100 Huntley Street 1616, brief surge mentions ``a Manitoba website`` Now the 6m map shows Es all over the USA, but not a bit into Canada, and only one little line into Chihuahua; rotating, no Mexican TV now, so back to north 1624, ad for a Manitoba golf club, atop CCI from ? But Global keeps dominating, 1625, chef show about Louisiana cuisine 1630, into real estate show, `The Unsellables`, so still CKND-TV-2. 1643, another good peak, Manitoba Stampede ad; 1645 recycle cans at Winnipeg Blue Bombers games During this opening, the MUF has never gone above channel 2, ALL THE ABOVE, until: 1644 on 4, some video starts to show, bits of English; 1648 on 4, ad for chilltowin.com; 1649 promo for `So You Think You Can Dance`; back to `e-talk` show as scheduled for CTV Winnipeg; 1652 snow-free. This must be CKYB-TV, 100 kW in Brandon MB. 1700 on 4, CTV news about Manitoba, somepol steps down from cabinet 1700 on 2, not news but `Design, Inc.` show as sked on Global Winnipeg MUF pokes into FM band: see separate log 1733 on 2, still in, interview singer, `Entertainment Tonight` [sic] 1745 on 2, still in but about to disappear (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Sporadic E TV-DX opening from Manitoba on 2 and 4 barely reaches the FM band as I am waiting for it on 88.1, the ATS-909 with whip antenna only but signal maybe bouncing off the TV antenna, July 8, UT: 1655, fade in rock music and back out. W9WI.com shows not a single 88.1 in MB, not even low-powers. 1702, Canadian news about the pol quitting cabinet; train explosion in Quebec; 1702, ``That`s MBC news,`` Prince Albert, Sask. ad; 1703 for White Bear Lake golf course; 1705 lengthy weather for all over Sask., including first-nation areas, Uranium City; 1707, ``95 dot 5, MBC`` ID; fade out; 1710 fade-in with music; 1714 after song, ``MBC Network Radio``, phone 425-4101 or toll free 877-425-4101; DJ is Dale Rothman(?), shtick about ``be a kid again day``, such as by making silly faces. 1722 another fade in with music; 1724, Mike on the phone making a request from Prince Albert. This is CJLR-FM-3, 49 kW in Prince Albert SK, but originates with CJLR-FM-6, 95.5 in North Battleford. MBC is the Missinipi Broadcasting Corp. Distance to P.A. is 1220 miles. I logged 88.1 before on July 27, 2011 and had some nice correspondence with people at the station. All that is in DXLDs: http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1130.txt http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1131.txt http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1132.txt 7+ minutes of clips from that occasion are at http://www.w4uvh.net/CJLR3.rm mostly in native language. I also have combined clips of three fade-ins this time at: http://www.w4uvh.net/cjlr3_20130708.rm roughly 1705-1707, 1714-1717, 1722-1726 UT. Sorry, it starts out a bit loud till I turned it down; 9+ minutes; so: Condensed version to 3+ minutes taking out most music and fades: http://www.w4uvh.net/cjlr3_20130708c.rm At peaks of 88.1, I also tuned the DX-398 to 99.1, the next-up full- power station in Prince Albert, but did not hear it. I certainly did hear the other radio`s local oscillator on 98.8 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. July 10 from 0000 UT, 6m maps indicate most likely lowband sporadic E TV DX would develop from west, so aim that way for Mexicali, but nothing ever shows. 0115 UT start rotating other direxions, and find English is in from the NE on channel A2 NTSC; at 0120 it`s obviously `So You Think You Can Dance`, with a Fox bug in the LR, good at peaks --- but surely not a US lowpower station. It`s // KOKH-24 OKC but not synched via cable. There I can make out next to the Fox bug is tiny SYTYCD. 0126 on 2, different ads than on the US network, including at 0128 a large SAULT on the screen and ``Sainte-Marie`` on the speaker in a hospital ad; 0130 CTV promo, 0135 fading, another brief inbit around 0143, then gone. So answering my question of a few days ago, yes, 100 kW CHBX-TV in SSM is still on the air in analog. I`ve been getting this one since the `60s when it was CJIC-TV, probably a CBC affiliate then. But network ID would not be enough, as there`s another Ontario 2 CTV uncomfortably close in Wiarton, 198 miles away across Lake Huron, CKCO-TV-2, presumably on the air too --- it was and probably still is the one with off-frequency video making strange CCI as previously noted, but not this time. The pair must produce quite a mess overwater between them or around Georgian Bay (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Tom Williamson, a longtime member of the Ontario DX Association, and a shortwave DX fan since his childhood, has passed away. According to his son, Tom died on June 24th in Hamilton (Ontario) General Hospital, following a short illness with cancer. Born in England in 1923, Tom was in his 89th year. His ashes will be buried on the Isle of Sheppey later this year. In 1998 Tom documented his radio memories and experiences in a self- published book, “Across Time and Space: Listening for Sixty Years from Four Continents”. Thanks for the memories, Tom! R.I.P. (Harold Sellers, BC, July 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) obit ** CHAD. 6164.96, Jul 5 -2257*, R Tchad with sign off at 2257. Stronger on July 6 at 1854 with excited religious?? talk (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Firedrake [non], July 4 at 0450, CNR1 jamming poor on 14800. This will have to substitute for my usual bandscans in the 12-14 period today. Firedrake, July 5 before 1300: 13795 fair at 1225 Otherwise only CNR1 to be heard on ex-FD frequencies: 15900, fair at 1220 and still at 1258 13970, very poor with het at 1258 13830, poor at 1258; none audible in the 12s, 14s, 16s, 17s (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 21480, CHINESE FIREDRAKE JAMMER. 6 de julio a las 0402 UT. Música china tradicional en contra de nada, ya que VOA transmite para Tibet desde las 05 UT, según lista Eibi. La señal tiene un SINPO: 55444, con poco QRN, aunque desde las 0434 UT, se producen algunos cortes de segundos. No existe mucha información sobre esta frecuencia; no obstante, según el sitio short-wave.info, la transmisión es regular de 04 a 05 UT. Así como en 15605 de 03 a 04 UT: http://www.short-wave.info/?station=Firedrake 73! (Claudio Galaz, Tecsun PL-660, 5 metros de alambre de cobre, QTH: Barraza Bajo, Comuna de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) Sabato 6 luglio 2013: 0938 - 17485 CNR 1 JAMMER. SF/BN 1049 - 17250 CNR 1 JAMMER, no Firedrake. SF/IN 1050 - 16160 CNR 1 JAMMER, no Firedrake. SF/IN 1056 - 13740 FIREDRAKE+CNR 1 JAMMER! SF/BN (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) [and non]. Firedrake July 6: 13795, good at 1243 well atop talk CCI from IBB Tibetan via Kuwait 7365, good at 1336 with flutter atop CCI, IBB Chinese via Thailand Search for CNR1 jammers 12-18 MHz unproductive circa 1245 and 1340 July 6. Propagation is much degraded with normally VG 15775 VOA Korean JBA, 15575 KBS inaudible, little else on 19m and nothing on 16m (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re Firedrake: After very long absence, I heard two FIREDRAKE signals last night, when checked remote SDR unit in downunder Pacific. CHINA {mainland jamming} 17560, The first FIREDRAKE music jammer - since months - heard here today July 7 at 0015 UT. Noted against VoA Mandarin service from Tinang-PHL. Jammer at S=9+20dB level in downunder remote SDR unit. Similar strength level like regular CRI Beijing 500 kW unit on 17495 kHz at 00-01 UT. 15385, VOA Chinese from Tinang, Philippines was disturbed by multi echo talk jamming of CNR1 type at 0032 UT July, S=8-9 signal in Australia; and UNDERNEATH additionally heard a weaker FIREDRAKE music jammer. 15565, VOA Mandarin via UdornThani, Thailand, covered by CNR1 multi echo 'spoken word' jamming only, at 0038 UT S=8 in Brisbane (Wolfgang Büschel, July 7, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6135, July 7 at 1222, music from CNR1 is one of the best signals left on 49m, // weaker 6105, and 6180. Aoki shows 6135 as a CNR1 jammer at 10-15, but no known target, so could it really be a new non-jammer? You`ve got a PR problem when such questions arise about your station. 6105 and 6180 are jamming Taiwan. Similar music on 6165, but that is apparently CNR6 if not VOV4, surely not Myanmar as Ron Howard has pointed out (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Originally CNR1 was on 6135 to jam RTI. DX RE MIX NEWS #788 (July 1): Frequency change of Radio Taiwan International: 1000-1500 NF 6180 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 6135 Guess they stayed on 6135 just to be sure RTI did not return again, even though they did start up on the new 6180 RTI frequency? (Ron Howard, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Non-Firedrake CNR1 jammer survey July 7 on higher bands before 1430: 16160, fair at 1425; none in the 17s, 14s, 12s 16100, good at 1425 15565, poor at 1420 [vs Voice of Tibet, Tajikistan 15568, inaudible] 15525, very poor at 1424 [vs Voice of Tibet, Madagascar, inaudible] 13970, poor-fair at 1422 // 15565 [this and the 16s surely vs Sound of Hope, Taiwan, all inaudible] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13795, RFA-4. 8 de Julio a las 1325 UT. Vía Kuwait. Hombre habla en tibetano con SINPO: 44444 con el Chinese Firedrake Jammer en el mismo canal de audio con SINPO: 33333 // 15195 Vía Dushanbe-Yangiyul con RFA con fading y SINPO: 22222 frente a CNR-1 jammer presente y dominante con SINPO: 33333; 13830 Vía Dushanbe-Yangiyul con señal sin jammer con SINPO: 32232; 11605 Vía Tinian con SINPO: 32222 frente a CNR-1 jammer con fading y SINPO: 32222; 7470 con banda cerrada. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) Firedrake, July 8 before 1330: 13795, very poor with CCI at 1325 All the rest are CNR1 jammers: 12500, poor at 1324 15545, JBA at 1327, het on lo side 15570, very poor at 1327, same het on lo side; none in 14s, 16s, 17s CNR1 echo jamming much stronger on 15115 and 15195, which were not formerly Firedrake. Firedrake [non], before 1330 July 9, CNR1 jamming instead: 13970, fair at 1329; none in 14s, 12s, and only 15115, 15195 in 15s 16100, good at 1326 17510, good at 1326 – target here is BBC Uzbek via Oman during this semihour only, as China interferes in the affairs of its neighbor Firedrake July 10: 7365, fair at 1304 way over CCI No FD or CNR1 jammers higher with propagation degraded, except: 13130, poor at 1232 with music at first suspecting FD but soon talking, so CNR1. None in the 12s, 14s, 15s, 16s, 17s. 19m dead except for HCJB Australia on 15490 and 15340; after 1300 nothing but RHC 15340. Recheck 13130 just before 1300: timesignal, few Chinese syllables and off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENIG DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Thanks to the kindness of Jonathan Short (aka - Qiao Xiaoli) received two very nice blue QSLs cards via postal service; one for a 2008 reception on 4830 (card no. 2013 - 01) and one for 2013 reception on current 6185 (card no. 2013 - 02). Received in an envelope with beautiful stamps (copy at Jonathan’s blog http://img1.ph.126.net/vKqW8AzlewFR6R9NhQepdw==/6599334760609226992.jpg BTW - Ralph Perry received CHBC card no. 2013 – 03 (well done Ralph!). Jonathan is currently QSL manager for the following stations: China Huayi Broadcast Company: SW 6185 kHz, 783 kHz, 107.1 MHz - Schedule: 6185 kHz: 2230-1600 UT. Online Audio: http://www.fifm.cn/r/radio5616.htm Voice of Jingling: SW 5860 kHz, AM 1206 kHz, FM 99.7 - Schedule: 5860 kHz: 1445-1705 UT. Online Audio: http://www.vojs.cn/bfd/jlzs/ Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station (Taiwan): AM 558/594/846/909/1089, FM 107.8, SW 9410/9774/15375 [believe that 15375 has been inactive for some time now –Ron] Schedule: 23-01, 04-06, 08-10, 11-13 UT. Please also note Jonathan’s excellent blog online at http://jshort.blog.163.com/blog/static/209715289201272210056197/ and http://jshort.blog.163.com/blog/#m=0 He is an active SWL/DXer and can be emailed at dxswl <2883752 @ 163.com> (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, July 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Superb reception tonight of CRI to East Africa. 7245, Xian- Xianyang. Jul 9, 2013 Tuesday. 1650-1656. Swahili, YL's in conversation. Off-air at 1656* after brief Chinese music. Excellent reception, armchair listening. To East Africa (EiBi). Jo'burg sunset 1531 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9640, 9 de julio a las 2114 UT. Programa “Punto de contacto”, con música de la banda de heavy metal “Tang Dynasty” y revisión de la música que les gusta a los jóvenes de China como el MANDOPOP (pop en mandarín y cantonés con temáticas románticas), desde los años 80’s hasta actualmente, como parte del cambio cultural con SINPO: 54444 // 7335 se encuentran en CNR2 con SINPO: 43333 por sobre CRI con SINPO: 42233. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) 15170, July 5 at 0530 I am hearing fluttery Chinese instead of Arabic from Saudi Arabia as earlier. Aoki shows BSKSA at 03-06 collides with CRI in Chinese at 04-06, first hour via Kashi-Saibagh 2022 site in Mandarin, this hour in Cantonese via Jinhua Youbu 831. 17575, July 4 at 1256-1300* nice erhu music, no announcements until cutoff; must have been fill after the CRI Russian hour as scheduled, 500 kW due northwest from SZG site but sufficient here to the northeast, as good as neighbor Cuba 17580. BTW, occupancy of the 16m band is very strange, but somewhat understandable. Besides being almost vacant in our afternoons, in our mornings hardly anything is heard above 17730 Cuba. Most of the stations stick to the lower part of the band down to 17500, to have a very slight MUF advantage (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGSET) ** CHINA. Chinese FM Tropo from Korea (Website) --- After more than two years of work, my Chinese radio project is finally online. The project outlines Chinese tropo as heard from across the Yellow Sea in Korea. http://www.beaglebass.com/dx/dx_china.htm Included: * main page outlining everything heard from my site in Korea to-date * my color-coded detailed 2011-13 radio log * details on 69 common stations (250-700 miles) and additional UNIDs, totaling 97 stations * tower satellite images, locations, and coordinates * station power, direction from site, and color-coded distances * links to station websites, most of which include streaming audio * station logo compilations for 20 stations and networks * Bill's tropo forecast maps from each opening * a map of station reception (sample seen below) * more than three hours of audio clips of TOH IDs and compilations * a page detailing my MP3 player radio tuner and earphones cord antenna I put a massive amount of effort into this project, so I hope some people who are interested in foreign radio can appreciate it. As always, feel free to share with other clubs who may be more interested in foreign reception, as I'm generally not a member of those other DX groups (Chris Kadlec, Seoul, Korea. Fremont, Mich., July 7, WTFDA via DXLD) What a fantastic DX adventure, Chris! I don't expect I'll ever get to hear any of these signals in person, and I wouldn't understand a word if I did, but I certainly appreciate all the detail work that went into this wonderful project. Thanks! s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) Amazing piece of work, Chris! It is good to see a DXer take advantage of his location. I'm not sure how well I would have handled Chinese DX, Spanish is tough enough! (Mike Glass, N9BNN, Indianapolis, Indiana, ibid.) ** COLOMBIA. 5910, Alcaraván R, +0900+, om with commentary about XE, nice Spanish music, fair, but began to deteriorate after 0900, not there on 1000 check 24 June 9 [sic]. 5910, Alcaravan R, 0945-1002, on a morning with bad reception conditions, this was so loud I first thought it must be Cuba, om in long talk with frequent mention of Colombia and revolution, elaborate, full ID just past the hour, tried for the other two Colombians, but nothing. 28 June (XM, Cedar Key - South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. HJBH-4 Santa Marta. Double Hop May 29, 2013 - 2120 miles Something has got to brighten up a dismal Es season. This could be it. I've had this video just sitting there and today decided to post it to the Forums to get some help. Ed Phelps suggested Caracol and I went to the Caracol website and got a match. See the photos at the Forums and check out the video. For me, the video quality stinks. The video I have, before I uploaded it to YouTube, is much much better. I used VLC Media Player to find a decent frame and capture it; not as good as Bill's method but it works. Bill Hepburn has this logged and now I got it. Another new country. http://forums.wtfda.org/showthread.php?8282-HJBH-4-Santa-Marta-Colombia-May-29-2013-Video-and-Picture-2120-miles&p=27827#post27827http://tinyurl.com/ldfcg8r (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT USA, July 7, WTFDA via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) viz.: Here's HJBH ch4 from May 29, 2013. The antenna was aimed south. DX Maps showed a few traces to South America and the Dominican Republic, but nothing to Mexico. It's a news program. Here's the best still I could make from the video: Click image for larger version. Name: ch4-052913.png Views: 17 Size: 79.2 KB ID: 14403 Click image for larger version. Name: caracol-R.jpg Views: 11 Size: 16.5 KB ID: 14404 Here is the best match I can get from the Caracol website. This is HJBH-4 in Santa Marta, Colombia at 2120 miles. And I may be crazy, but isn't that the same guy in both photos? Thanks Ed for helping me to start on this. And here's the video on YouTube http://youtu.be/mGAlaIw9bug Last edited by Mike-CT; 07-07-2013 at 01:08 PM. (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, -72 30' W/41 59' N, FN31RX Mike's TV and FM DX Page http://fmdx.usclargo.com/ Online since 1999 and still going! WTFDA forum via DXLD) The logo, in the lower right, puts me in mind of the Colombian "Caracol" logo. http://www.tvdxtips.com/logoletters.html 73, (Ed NN2E, Owner / Operator - Murphy's Law Test Site & Thunderstorm Proving Grounds, ibid.) ** CONGO. 6115, Jul 1, -1820*, R Congo with sign off a little earlier than normal (1828-1830) Strong signal (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** CONGO DR [non]. 11690, July 5 at 0456, zero signal here despite HFCC registration showing R. Okapi planned to reactivate July 1 via BaBcoCk via South Africa: ``11690 0400 0500 52E MEY 250 340 0 416 1234567 010713 271013 D 11875 French AFS BAB BAB 19051`` Website http://radiookapi.net/ mentions only FM frequencies in ten cities. Nothing significant from internal site search on 11690 and 11.690; and ``ondes courtes`` was last mentioned (in passing) in a story from Feb 24, 2012 about its tenth anniversary. Altho 10 probably low-powered FM transmitters are hardly enough to cover that large country, it appears that R. Okapi has given up on SW which would have filled in all the gaps, instead promoting FM and online listening. Okapi`s sole SW hour was still listed in WRTH 2013 in the Target section; in the national section page 169, R. Okapi is shown with 22 FM transmitters powered 1 to 5 kW. But to be certain, we need to check 11690 earlier in the 0400 hour; or not: June 19 at 0452 it was absent, I reported. When did it quit? The last logs we can find of 11690 were 10 March 2013. HFCC also anticipated it resuming 1 May, but this never happened. Perhaps BaBcoCk keeps re-registering it, hoping against hope. ``Inactive at time of publication`` of the WRTH A-13 update 22 May. BTW, a 2-page update to that has just been issued July 5, nothing new about Okapi: http://www.wrth.com/files/WRTH2013IntRadioSuppl3_A13SchedulesUpdate.pdf There is also a July 5 National Radio update: http://www.wrth.com/updates_national.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Radio Trinchera Antimperialista, nombre de la planta radial, fue fundada el 27 de junio de 1937 por Cándido Savón, ubica sus propuestas informativas en un portal en Internet y transmite las 24 horas del día por los 1070 Kiloherz en amplitud modulada y por los 91.5 Megaherz de la Frecuencia Modulada (tomada de Solvision, Conexión Digital July 6 via DXLD) O, come on. Surely ``anti-imperialistic`` rhetoric did not erupt until the ``triumph`` of the Revolution in 1959. Maybe there was such an ancestor station from 1937y, under a different name. Trinchera = trench, presumably referring to a battleground (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 1320, Radio Artemisa, Artemisa, Artemisa. 1050 July 6, 2013. Poor but parallel very good 1020 with male and female news items for Artemisa and Ciudad Habana provinces, fill music, ID’s, kiddie program. Co-channel equally weak Radio Veintiséis (parallel 1060, as was on July 3). So, both remain active on 1320. 1350, Radio Ciudad del Mar, Aguada, Cienfuegos. 1045 July 8, 2013. Male light news items mostly Cienfuegos, ID at 1050. Good but crunched by local 1340 WTAN (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 11920, July 4 at 0352, RHC Spanish with very weak signal on a new spot, // but an echo apart from 9810. Obviously this is a leapfrog mixing product between the two strong signals on 11760 and 11840, another 80 kHz higher. Similar audible in the other direxion on 11680 (which is a fundamental until 0400). 11840 modulation is somewhat suppressed and distorted compared to loud & clear 11760. 5010 approx., July 4 at 0451, stray pulse jammer comes and goes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 6125, RHC. 6 de julio a las 0518 UT. Noticias en inglés acerca del El Salvador y Angola, con un poco de QRM no determinado y SINPO: 53444 // 6165 cercano a fading con SINPO: 44424; en 6060 con SINPO: 42444 con QRM de S.R.DEUS E AMOR en la misma frecuencia; 6010 con SINPO: 42243 con muchísimo QRM no determinado al existir muchas emisoras en la misma frecuencia; y en 5040 con SINPO: 44444 y con QRM desde R. Aparecida. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Tecsun PL-660, 5 metros de alambre de cobre, QTH: Barraza Bajo, Comuna de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) Fidel`s filthy pulse jammers continue to mess up our SW bands, with Arnie`s approval; it`s bad enough when they target real stations trying to get the truth thru the sugarcane curtain --- even worse when they are allowed to run against long abandoned frequencies and bleed out away from those. July 7 between 0055 and 0110 as I am trying to tune legitimate DX stations, irregular pulse jamming of variable strengths interferes on 4959-4965, 5890 (heavy against ex-VOA Spanish which even when it existed was not on at this hour), 5955 against no Radio República --- but even even worse on the 9 MHz band bleeding out from heavy multiple pulse jamming vs R. República via France on 9490: at 0114 I could hear the pulses all the way out to 9430 and 9525 at least, the latter QRMing Romania with classical music. Axually more pulses on the low side of 9565, another jammed frequency. As for República on 9490 at 00-02, it`s hard to tell they are even there any more and sometimes I doubt that they are; in springtime that could hold its own or even overcome the jamming here. See also UNIDENTIFIED 9445 6060, July 7 at 0527, Cuban jazz as I tune across, cut off the air by 0528, then found other RHC English frequencies also gone: 6010 and 6165, while 6125 is still on but JBM. Power failure? At 0530, all come back on, but with 6125 still JBM. 11860 et al., Sunday July 7 at 1230 expecting `Cuba Campesina` criolla music from RHC, but keeps talking in `Así es mi Tierra` interview about Haití, running late. 1238 CC finally starts. Are there other times for it? Consulting http://www.radiohc.cu/de-interes/programacion.html we see that the nominal time is 1233, with no other entries! However, it may well be included in the 21-23 UT `Revista Iberoamericana` for which no content details are ever published. 13780, 11860 and 11760, July 7 at 1412 are all in open carrier/dead air while RHC Spanish continues on 15340 and all the weaker frequencies, 15230, 11750, 11690, 9540. Next check at 1421 they have all resumed modulation. What about 16m? No propagation except for a very weak 17630 signal in English, i.e. CRI via Urumqi. 17720, July 7 at 2020, open carrier/dead air from RHC, stronger than Spain 17715 (with 16m mostly vacant, why are any signals adjacent??). RHC is supposed to be in Portuguese during this semihour, and on 17720 from 1930 to 2300 (not -0300 as in Aoki). I was not checking RHC after that, but maybe lots more dead air today? Dave Marthouse says 6000 was unmodulated at 0000, and both 6000 and 6165 were still unmodulated at 0300. I started listening at 0315, still dead air on both, but 6000 came up with music in English service at 0332, and 6165 then too. 6060, July 9 at 0003, still at 0058, 0107, RHC Spanish audio is continuously breaking up severely, altho stronger than // 6100 which is OK, as are all the others I check: 9810, 11680, 11760, 11840, 15230. Wiggle that patchcord! As usual ragged start to English: at 0103, 6000 is going late, but 6165 is still off; its carrier on by 0105, and modulating before 0106. 15340, July 9 at 1324, RHC Spanish with some modulation breakup, but it could be, and has been, far worse. But why any at all? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17720, RHC, 9 de julio a las 2030 UT. Comienzo del programa en árabe para Europa, con ID de la emisora y comentarios por parte de un hombre con música instrumental de fondo, con una modulación bajísima. SINPO: 33333. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) 6000, July 10 at 0101, RHC English is still silent carrier, while 6165 is already modulating. By 0103, 6000 is too. At least both transmitters are on the air, better than 24 hours earlier, but why not start modulating both on time? Is that too much to ask? 5025, July 10 at 0520, R. Rebelde`s enjoyable music is degraded by flutter as the K=5 propagation disturbance is penetrating below the Tropic of Cancer (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. 9658-9683, July 8 at 0050 and still at 0106, strong OTH radar pulses in the middle of the 31m SWBC band! Mainly tearing up VOR English 9665 (and its Brazilian het), while Serbia 9685 is strong enough and aside enough to escape it. Cyprus is just a guess for these typical 25-kHz wide messes. Then there is more noise, DRM from COSTA RICA 9630 extending out to 9605-9655 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. {tentatively} British army OTHR from Limassol splattered wide range sound multi signals on 15117 to 15141 kHz range, S=9+20dB at 0526 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, July 7, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EAST TURKISTAN. 9595, July 10 at 0059, classical music which I figure will be R. Nikkei, but no: 0100 CRI theme, Chinese ID and opening Spanish, so it`s the bihour broadcast, 500 kW, 269 degrees via Kashgar. The music must have been fill after some previous service not on this frequency. This also contradicts assumption in my previous 2013 log: ``JAPAN. 9595, April 5 at 0129 poor signal with Japanese music, must be R. Nikkei, unusual time to be getting it here`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 6050, HCJB QUITO. 8 de julio a las 2348 UT. Música andina en quechua, español e instrumental con aceptable modulación de la música, pero la señal con mucho QRN y SINPO: 33333. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [non]. 11920, HCJB BRASIL. 11920. 8 de julio a las 2331 UT. Vía Nauen, Alemania. Programa “Caminando con Jesús”, programa número 11 como parte de la “Escola Bíblica do Ar” con estudio de las cartas del apóstol Pablo con SINPO: 54444. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL- 660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Radio Hami (The Finnish Amateur Radio League annual summer camp event radio station) will be active from 11-14 July. Programming will be around the clock though mainly from 0500 to 2100 UT. Email hallitus @ radiohami.fi Address for QSLs: Radio Hami, SRAL, PL 44, 00441 Helsinki, Finland. http://radiohami.fi/ And as note to our international listeners, this year we will be using 49 m band (5980/6170) and MW (1602 kHz). And this year they should be working, since we partnered with SWR. (Radio Hami on Facebook 30-Jun via Simon-Peter Liehr, July BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Radio Hami homepage says frequencies are 91.7 MHz, 1602 and 6170 kHz (not 5980) 11-14 July (Alan Pennington, ed., ibid.) ** GABON. 9580, 02/07 2044, R. África N 1, Moyabi, OM/YL, talks, French, 45333. 73! (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso (PY5-007 SWL), Bandeirantes - PR, Receptores: Degen DE1103 e Sony ICF SW 7600G. Antena: RGP3SW + Amplificador Indutivo de RF DXCB-Vq1 e RC3-FM, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ?? This has been inactive for some time, but could come back? We must always be suspicious of such logs lacking definite ID, vis-à-vis 9579.1 Médi Un, MOROCCO, q.v. which is also partly in French. If one pays attention to the exact frequency, it should be clear when one is really hearing Morocco (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. 3995 Re: QSLing Life FM via Weenermoor? Is there any information available on QSLing 'Life FM' via the station at Weenermoor, Germany? (Ron Howard-CA-USA, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 30 via DXLD) Hello Ron, - Stephan Schaa (Mr. Weenermoor) mentioned in A-DX ng that he is not sure if 'Life FM' knows what a QSL is. Austrian DXer Patric Robic tells us in A-DX ng the Station Manager is: There is also since some days a very interesting German language transmission from Radio ZP-30 via Weenermoor. Daily at 20-21 UT on 3995 kHz: RADIO ZP-30 LA VOZ DEL CHACO PARAGUAYO 29 Filadelfia 9300 Fernheim PARAGUAY E-mail: (Christoph Ratzer-AUT OE2CRM, A-DX ng July 1 via BC-DX July 4 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** GERMANY. MV Baltic Radio & Hamburger Lokalradio with a Test on 15785: On the air tomorrow [Sunday July 7] is MV Baltic Radio with a repeat broadcast on 9480 and 7265. Also tomorrow Hamburger Lokalradio will be making some more test broadcasts via the transmitter of MVBR in the 19m-band. The test broadcasts will run tomorrow at the following times and frequencies. 0700 to 0900 UT on 15785 KHz - Hamburger Lokalradio (Test broadcast) 0900 to 1000 UT on 9480 KHz - MV Baltic Radio (Repeat broadcast) 1000 to 1200 UT on 15785 KHz - Hamburger Lokalradio (Test broadcast) 1200 to 1300 UT on 7265 KHz – MV Baltic Radio (Repeat broadcast) 1400 to 1600 UT on 15785 KHz - Hamburger Lokalradio (Test broadcast) 1800 to 2000 UT on 15785 KHz - Hamburger Lokalradio (Test broadcast) All reports to: HLR redaktion @ hamburger-lokalradio.de Thank you! All reports to: MVBR: info @ mvbalticradio.de Thank you! More Test Transmissions will following in the weeks to come! Good Listening! 73s (Tom Taylor, July 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Test broadcast of Hamburger Lokalradio on Sun, July 7 via Goehren 0700-0900 15785 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg CeEu USB+C Sunday English/German 1000-1200 15785 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg CeEu USB+C Sunday English/German 1400-1600 15785 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg CeEu USB+C Sunday English/German 1800-2000 15785 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg CeEu USB+C Sunday English/German NEW: Hamburger Lokalradio will be testing again on Wednesday, July 10: 1600-2000 on 15785 GOH 001 kW / 230 deg to CeEu USB+C Wed in English/German. More tests will follow in the weeks to come! Most probably on July 14, 2013 (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) 15785, Hamburger Lokalradio tests scheduled Sunday July 7 with 1 kW from Göhren: hardly expected to pick it up in deep North America, especially with pitiful propagation conditions, but try anyway since it`s including WORLD OF RADIO. Hope it`s better heard closer to Europe. Yes, absolutely nothing audible at 1409, 1428 or 1458. Even full-power stations from Europe on 19m are inaudible, such as Greece 15630/15650; only signals are weak ones from Asia and Cuba. Next chance is 1800-2000 on 15785-CUSB, including WOR at 1830. In the British DX Club, Alan Pennington confirms the test was running and audible at 0745 amid WOR 1675 (instead of latest 1676): ``Fair clear reception of Hamburger Lokalradio on 15785 kHz this morning on just my Sony 7600GR portable with telescopic here in Lancashire. Tune-in at 0745 UT with Glenn Hauser's World of Radio No. 1675. English ID of test requesting reports at 0759 with addresses, then programme in German about North Korea(?). Slow fading with good strong peaks, so SINPO 35433. Alan Pennington, Longton, Preston``. The first test block had been planned for 06-08 UT last week, when tech problems intervened, but now moved one hour later to 07-09, in order to avoid CRI, Xi`an on 15785 until 0657; thus WOR also an hour later than anticipated, at 0730 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hamburger Local Radio --- Ciao a tutti. Buono il segnale della stazione in oggetto e ricezione gradevole in Sicilia sulla frequenza sperimentale di 15785 kHz alle 0750. Allegato la clip audio. Buoni ascolti (Giovanni Lorenzi - IT9TZZ, QTH: Messina - Italy 38.11 N 15.32 E, July 7, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Weak but clear ID, but WORLD OF RADIO was reported above running at 0745, and ID at 0759, so was this really recorded at 0759? (gh, DXLD) 15785, Hamburger Lokalradio, via Göhren (1 kW / 230 degrees), Sunday Jul 07, heard on little travel radio DE1129A-RDS with its built-in telescopic antenna in the mountains of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, at 1140, till 1500 in English, from 1500 in German (magazine on literature; music from Costa Rica) and from 1800 with a books program [New Letters on the Air, from Kansas City], then World of Radio with Glenn Hauser, 2-34432-3 (Harald Kuhl, DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) Also heard in New York State at 1850-1942 with World of Radio, from 1900 in German, mentioning Hamburger, fading up from barely audible. (John Herkimer, ibid.) 15785, Sunday July 7 at 1808, one more check for the 1 kW Hamburger Lokalradio test, but no signal at all audible. The 100 kW Greek on 15650 is very poor (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Having forgotten the exact times of the test transmissions from Hamburger Lokalradio (!) I tuned to 15785 at about 2110 UT and found a signal there in English. Signal strength was poor to fair with deep fades, and the programme seemed to be a transcription talk, but difficult to follow. The signal was in USB (or CUSB) so what else could it have been but this station on later than planned? I don't find any other listed in the HFCC, Aoki or EiBi files (Noel R. Green, (NW England), dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Listeners, Hamburger Lokalradio will be testing again on 15785 between 1600 and 2000 UT on the 10th of July. Good Listening! 73s (Tom Taylor, July 10 via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Updated official Media Broadcast schedule 9 July http://www.media-broadcast.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/A13_operational_090713_MBR.pdf (via Akbar Indra Gunawan, July 10, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. 15275, July 5 at 0533, DW English only via RWANDA, and reliably good here far beyond W African target, with more excellent documentary reportage, first about bauxite mining in Guinea, a major source for vital aluminum, yet without benefiting the people there; next about fracking for natural gas in Poland; 0543 conserving the golden lion tamarind monkeys in Brasil (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. Some MBR changes: Bible Voice Broadcasting 0700-0745 7345 NAU 100 kW / 270 deg WeEu English Sat/Sun, new ex 5945 0330-0345 9440 NAU 125 kW / 105 deg WeAs Persian Dardasha 7 deleted 1600-1615 15320 ISS 250 kW / 105 deg WeAs Persian Dardasha 7, deleted 1630-1830 12150 SOF 100 kW / 126 deg WeAs Farsi, ex 11535, re-ex 15750 Shortwave Rock from July 7: 0900-1000 on 6045 NAU 100 kW / 275 deg to CeEu English/Music 1st Sun (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) ** GHANA [non]. AUSTRIA, 11955, AWR. 8 de Julio a las 2100 UT. ID por parte de una mujer que habla en inglés presentando el servicio como: “The Voice of Hope”. A las 2101, hay un Id de la emisora como AWR- Ghana, para pasar a una tanda de música coral hasta las 2105, en dónde se pasa a una reflexión sobre la importancia de la Biblia en el dogma cristiano, con SINPO: 54344, aunque con cierto pitido de fondo. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** GREECE. Here is a good long roundup of the ERT situation, at least as of June 17 with three undated updates and [only] seven comments: CHRONICLING THE GREEK GOVERNMENT'S SHUTDOWN OF ERT Mon Jun 17, 2013 at 01:22 AM PDT By Michael Nevradakis Reporting from Athens The sudden announcement by the Greek government last Tuesday that it was shutting down national public broadcaster ERT set off a new wave of protests and stirred a new political crisis in Greece. This detailed article chronicles the shutdown of ERT, the protests which have followed, the unprecedented discussion of social and political issues that the shutdown of ERT has spurred, and the actions of an increasingly authoritarian political regime in Greece. . . http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/17/1216716/-Chronicling-the-Greek-Government-s-Shutdown-of-ERT (via DXLD) Great article on the subject by Michel Nevradakis, whom I have known for a long time, when I used to contribute to his web site http://www.media.net.gr/ BTW in recent days the Greek press has been circulating stories that the government has put forward the proposal for the new public broadcasting entity NERIT as follows: 2 national television networks: News and Information channel (replacing NET) Entertainment channel (replacing ET3) additionally there will be a satellite channel available outside of Greece (replacing ERT World) 4 national radio networks: News and information station Sports station (replacing ERA Sport) Radio station for Greeks abroad (possibly replacing ERA 5, The Voice of Greece) Cultural radio station (replacing ERA Trito programma) additionally regional radio networks will be created for Macedonia, Thrace and Aigaio respectively (Christos Rigas, Wood Dale, Illinois, July 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) News yesterday from Greece of physical attempts by the government to shut down the actual ERT transmitters, and citizens' action in some communities against them. This is from the website "ERT Open" by the ERT occupiers (and the English is a little wobbly. I don't think it relates to the SW service, but no doubt that will come, too. http://www.ertopen.com/news-in-4-languges/english/item/1362-citizens-protected-the-transmitters-in-patras-and-chania (Philip Hiscock, Nfld, July 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: A massive mobilisation by the people managed to stop a generalised attack by the Government and the Police against transmitters throughout Greece. The start was around 8 on Sunday evening on Ainos mountain, in Cephalonia, where a misdemeanor judge, again escorted by the Police, and of course, the ever present in all such situations and of “unknown” further identity – except for the information that presents them as transferred from other areas, maybe so that they will not be recognised – private technicians, two this time, of unknown specialty and experience, approached the transmission centre and turned off the transmitter, but in a way that was unsafe for the very expensive equipment’s integrity. In Cephalonia, they may have managed to cut off the analogical broadcast and throw into “black” and silence a large part of Western Greece, but it was their only success for tonight. The information about similar actions in yet other transmission centres mobilised the local organisations and mainly the citizens in Patras and Chania, resulting in a crowd of people precipitating to form a protection chain at both areas’ transmitters. With this coordinated action of theirs, of solidarity but also of protecting their own property, like the ERA (public radio stations) of Patras and Chania, the people of these cities show there is also another way: that of resistance, which in many cases judges the final winner (via DXLD) 15630, July 5 at 0452, ERA fair signal but undermodulated as usually the case now; this rump ERA continues to broadcast in defiance of the government abolishing it last month (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Additional four hours broadcasts of ERT from Sat, June 15; 0800-1200 has been cancelled from Saturday, July 6. New schedule is: 0000-0350 on 7475 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to NoAm Greek 0000-0350 on 15650 AVL 100 kW / 226 deg to CeAm Greek 0000-0400 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to NoAm Greek 0400-0805*on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek 0400-0805*on 11645 AVL 100 kW / 182 deg to NoAf Greek 0400-0805*on 15630 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 1200-1350 on 15630 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 1200-1650 on 9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 1200-1800 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek 1400-1850 on 15650 AVL 100 kW / 105 deg to SoAs Greek 1700-2250 on 7450 AVL 100 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek 1800-2300 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to WeEu Greek 1900-2250 on 15630 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to WeEu Greek 2300-2400 on 7475 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg to NoAm Greek 2300-2400 on 9420 AVL 170 kW / 323 deg to NoAm Greek 2300-2400 on 15650 AVL 100 kW / 226 deg to CeAm Greek *end of broadcasts with news bulletin 0800-0805/0807 (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) July 10: ERT at 1450 UTC only on 9420 and no signal on 9935 and 15650 -- 73! (Ivo Ivaov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) In the meantime, starting this morning the new and official public radio/TV entity started television broadcasts. NERIT has started broadcasting the following ID card over the HD transmitters in Athens and Thessaloniki: http://www.zappit.gr/files/Image/02_SEASON_2012-13/01_TV_EVERYDAY/10_JYLY/10/cache/edt-614x378.jpg The name of this television service according to the image being broadcasted is EDT (Elliniki Dimosia Tileorasi - Hellenic Public Television). Pantelis Kapsis, the undersecretary of public broadcasting in an interview explained that the broadcasts originate from a studio of an unamed private broadcaster since the ERT studios at Aghia Paraskevi are being occupied by ex-ERT workers (Christos Rigas - Wood Dale, Illinois, July 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) a.k.a. Epsilon Delta Tau. Hope there`s no ``Greek`` siblernity already named that (gh, DXLD) ** GUAM. 13362-USB, July 7 at 0120, very poor signal but can tell it`s a YL in Amerenglish, i.e. AFN, and nothing from LTA on LSB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA [and non]. 4055, July 5 at 0103.5, ``exactamente las 7 de la noche, 2 minutos, en Radio Verdad``, then `Lectura Biblica y Comentario`. Poor signal will improve after sunset, but still on the air. I would discourage announcers everywhere from asserting the term ``exactly`` in timechecks unless they are plugged into WWV. While it may seem impressive, it only makes them sound foolish. RHC`s ``exact`` timechex ``in the whole national territory`` are often a minute off, unlike Radio Reloj. One can easily be almost a minute wrong, by only consulting a digiclock which flips once per minute, with no display of seconds even if set accurately (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII [and non?]. 15000, July 6 at 1159, WWVH with full ID, badly marred by continuous big noise resembling OTH radar, but bandwidth is no wider than WWVH itself, and does not seem to fade independently, so QRM, or self-generated? No signal from WWV here, and no such noise on 10000 or 5000. Recheck 15000 at 1245, WWVH is now in clear for propagation minute (R1 blackouts likely), but as often happens, there are spurious tones at the tail of the prop announcement! Is NIST, of all agencies, falling apart? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR Chinsurah test noted on 594 kHz --- Sudipta Ghose informs from Kolkata that All India Radio Chinsurah was testing its new transmitter on 594 kHz AM at around 1300 UT onwards on 4th July 2013. Here's a video : http://youtu.be/a5v9QPYZ_zA --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, July 4, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. 5040, AIR Jeypore on extended schedule 1953 on 30/6 with sports broadcast, seemed to be cricket match with South Africa, poor (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1554 - 13605, AIR Swahili, *afropop* (be careful!). BN/SF (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) Good/sufficient, not railroad 13695, July 5 at 1228, enjoyable lively S Asian songs, maybe film music, occasional brief announcements; fair with flutter but best signal from India now. It`s the AIR Telugu service via Bengaluru at 1215-1245. 1238 two ``All India Radio`` IDs pronounced as in English among the Telugu talk; 1243 mentions kHz a couple times, ``namaskar`` in sign-off but more music until 1245 open carrier until turned off at 1246:45* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15040, AIR. 8 de Julio a las 1243 UT. Música y presentaciones en idioma birmano con tendencia un poco a la sobremodulación, aunque la señal es estable con un SINPO: 55455 // 11710 con SINPO: 33222 y cercano al fading, además de tener a VOK como dominante en el canal. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR to mark advent of Radio in India with discussion on digitization NEW DELHI: To mark 86 years of the advent of radio in the country, All India Radio(AIR) has drawn up plans to organize a symposium and cultural evening to discuss ‘Radio in Digital Age’.The event will be held on 23 July, 86 years to the day in 1927 when the private Indian Broadcasting Company LTD (IBC) was authorized to operate two radio stations in Mumbai and Kolkata. http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/air-mark-advent-radio-india-with-discussion-digitization#story --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dx_india yg via DXLD) I.e., DRM ** INDONESIA. 3325, Jul 1, 2215, RRI Palangkaraya one of very few Indonesian stations left on the bands and quite often heard. Weak signal (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) 3325, RRI Palangkaraya. July 4 off the air early; gone by 1306; was heard earlier with the Jakarta news relay and mixing with NBC Bougainville [WORLD OF RADIO 1677] 3344.86, RRI Ternate. Will this become more regular now? Heard for three days this month. July 4 tuned in at 1210 to hear Jakarta news relay in progress via Makassar, Palangkaraya and Ternate; ending with patriotic song “Bagimu Negeri”; 1226 no longer //; played RRI song I have never heard before followed with ID: “Radio Republik Indonesia Ternate”; still on at tune out at 1313; poor-fair. 4749.96, RRI Makassar. Status of English programming – Sorry to say it looks as if they have dropped English programming on Tuesday; from August 2012 to April 2013 had been enjoying Kang Guru Indonesia (KGI) programs in English from about 1230 to 1300. Then in April, KGI was dropped in favor of a shorter, locally produced English show (“information program”), but now after about 3 weeks even that seems to have been cancelled. Is always possible they have changed the schedule, but if so I have not been able to find them. Too bad as they were very entertaining. Not often I write to a station, but will do so requesting they re-instate KGI or their “information program” (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, July 4, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yesterday's reactivation of NBC Northern (PNG) was rather brief. Not heard July 8. Just the normal RRI Ternate with no het; at 1210 with the Jakarta news relay; // RRI Makassar and RRI Palangkaraya; still solo at 1235. RRI Ternate is routine now for Ramadan! BTW - NBC Bougainville (PNG) was back July 8 on 3325, after being off on Sunday; conforming to their Monday to Saturday schedule (Ron Howard, July 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 7289.95, RRI Nabire at 0742 with Indopops, some children`s features, Indonesian announcements till abrupt closing 0758:30 on 4/7. Initially poor but fair-good reception at closedown (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9525.9, July 5 at 1252, very poor signal from VOI, but bits of talk modulation, presumably Japanese this hour, upon giveaway off-frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1628 - 9525.82, V of INDONESIA, Arabo, talk YL. SF/BN (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non]. 9680, 07/Jul 1104, A mixture of signals: Firedrake, RTI in Mandarin, and than before was the RRI Jakarta, unfortunately. The signal of the RRI Jakarta can not be heard from Australia, California (As SDR remote), and even here at my QTH. I consider a lack of respect of [by?] the RTI, and with long schedule. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, 12 14´S 38 58´W - Brasil 9680, July 7 at 1417, RRI fair with music, Indonesian announcements, and NO CCI from the China radio war for a change! Nice to hear RRI by itself. Taiwan and Chicom jamming continue until 1700/1705 per Aoki but must be propped out today due to higher latitude path? Or is that one of the frequency/sites Taiwan is tearing down? Aoki shows ``Tamsui District``, which no doubt has two or three other identities depending on the source. Both VOI and China have enough signals on 9526/9525 only to produce a very weak het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Hi Glenn, Just letting you know that World of Radio won't air on July 11 and 12 due to the ACB convention coverage. Normal programming will resume the following week (Larry Turnbull, ACB Radio Managing Director, July 4, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. ACB Radio Mainstream webcast, UT Fridays 01, 05, 09, 13, 17, 21 (gh, ibid.) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. MYSTERIOUS RADIO WAVES FROM 11 BILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY — DISCOVERY RAISES INTERESTING QUESTIONS Strange short-duration bursts of radio waves — some seemingly originating from regions that are over 11 billion light years away — have been detected by researchers over the past couple of years, but their origins have remained somewhat unclear. But now, new research has begun to shed some light on these strange radio waves — terrestrial sources have been definitively ruled out, and there is good evidence that they are originating from extreme astrophysical events involving relativistic objects such as neutron stars, black holes, or magnetars. Lead researcher, Dan Thornton, a PhD student at England’s University of Manchester and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, said: “A single burst of radio emission of unknown origin was detected outside our Galaxy about six years ago but no one was certain what it was or even if it was real, so we have spent the last four years searching for more of these explosive, short-duration radio bursts. This paper describes four more bursts, removing any doubt that they are real. The radio bursts last for just a few milliseconds and the furthest one that we detected was 11 billion light years away.” Read more at http://planetsave.com/2013/07/08/mysterious-radio-waves-from-11-billion-light-years-away-discovery-raises-interesting-questions/#uIDMiCozVc6k6tuz.99 (via Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Tirunelveli, India, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. GOOGLE PROJECT LOON INTERFERENCE CONCERNS --- Southgate July 5, 2013 Concerns have been raised about interference from the 2400 MHz and 5800 MHz transmitters on the Google Project Loon High Altitude Balloons. Google has launched 30 balloons from New Zealand which transmit wideband 2400 MHz and 5800 MHz signals and concerns have been raised about the interference they could cause to radio astronomy. The Register reports that when Google engineer Dr Brad Tucker was contacted about the problem, Google said they had identified locations where Loon balloons might interfere with radio astronomy, and shut the transmitters down until they're out of range. Google plans to sending up 300 balloons around the world at the southern fortieth parallel that would provide coverage to New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and Argentina. The company hopes to eventually have thousands of balloons flying in the stratosphere at an altitude of 20 km. The Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services also use the frequencies that Project Loon is transmitting on. Read the Register story at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/02/project%20loon_wont_blind_radio_telescopes/ Google Project Loon http://www.southgatearc.org/news/june2013/google_project_loon.htm http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2013/google_project_loon_interference_concerns.htm#.UdpqJqBwYv0 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRAN. IRIB's Albanian service centered on 17595 kHz with a S=9+30dB signal into Europe, produces also two spurious signals either side this morning 0630-0727 UT. Disturbed like FM modulation signals on 17449 to 17464 - centered 17454 kHz, 17522 to 17534 - centered 17526 kHz, 17654 to 17666 - centered 17664 kHz, 17741 to 17752 - centered 17747 kHz. (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7405 / 9730, Two very special Ramadan broadcasts of IRIB Tehran in Turkish and Azeri, sce last til August 8, 2013. 7405, 2330-0327 UT towards Azerbaijan and neighbours, in Azeri language via Sirjan site with 500 kW. Observed here in western Europe with powerhouse S=9+35dB. 9730, 0030-0127 UT towards Turkey and neighbours, in Turkish language via Sirjan site with 500 kW. Very powerful of S=9+40dB level (Wolfgang Büschel, July 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Special broadcasts of VOIRI/IRIB from July 9 till August 8, updated: 1930-2327 on 5945 AHW 500 kW / non-dir to WeAs Azeri 2230-0027 on 5990 KAM 500 kW / 073 deg to CeAs Tajik 2230-0027 on 9500 SIR 500 kW / 282 deg to N/ME Arabic, new [WOR 1677] 2300-0027 on 7325 SIR 500 kW / 320 deg to N/ME Kurdish 2330-0327 on 7405 SIR 500 kW / 336 deg to WeAs Azeri 0030-0127 on 9730 SIR 500 kW / 310 deg to N/ME Turkish IRIB is planning to start airing all shortwave broadcasts of Voice of Iran 10 minutes earlier, according to registrations in HFCC database on July 8, e.g: new times will be xx20-xx17/xx50-xx47, instead of xx30-xx27/xx00-xx57 [later] But the latest idea, at 1115 UT is: IRIB is planning to start airing all shortwave broadcasts of Voice of Iran 30 minutes earlier, according to registrations in HFCC database on July 10 -- 73! (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) Has this something to do with the UNEVEN operation of the SW transmitters and their spurious signals? They getting on in years. Heard often now 10 minutes 1000 Hertz test tone operation 'on air', at start of the transmission. Western / Israeli embargo policy shows to be effective? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15150, Nice clean signal of IRIB's Arabic service from Zahedan appeared early around 0527 UT July 7, scheduled 0530-1427 UT. After a tip in DXLD about annoying distorted signals broadband some 80 kHz wide, I complained directly at the IRIB technical dept. at Tehran via e-mail some months ago. They promised immediately to send engineers from Tehran to Zahedan and therefore to repair the TX unit legally accordingly (Wolfgang Büschel, July 7, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. AUSTRALIA/IRAN, 12080, Very bad mixture of RA Brandon 2000- 1100 UT outlet with co-channel IRIB's Arabic service from Zahedan of 500 kW scheduled 1630-0527 UT, both S=9+5dB on equal level in Brisbane remote post. At same time 11860 to 11950 kHz was totally free frequency range (Wolfgang Büschel, July 7, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. VOA's "OnTen" Wins CINE Award [illustrated with linx:] http://www.insidevoa.com/content/voas-onten-wins-cine-award/1697636.html WASHINGTON, D.C. - Voice of America's OnTen, a satirical weekly television program that covers and often pokes fun at Iranian officialdom, has been honored with a 2013 CINE Golden Eagle Award. The Golden Eagle Awards are selected twice a year by juries of leading professionals in the film and television industry. OnTen was awarded "Special Recognition for a Televised Series" and is now eligible for a CINE Special Jury Award, which goes to the best in each category from the spring and fall competitions. "It's pretty nice for Farsi-speaking media to get international attention," says Executive Producer Saman Arbabi, who appears in the show and leads the New York-based production team. "It motivates and inspires us to work even harder and keep reinventing the show," Arbabi says. The show title, a play on words, means "antenna" in Farsi. OnTen is also a slang term for "spy" in Farsi, which is how the Iranian government labels most foreign media. The show is hosted by Arash Sobhani and includes a mixture of political satire, original reporting and cutting-edge production techniques, offering Iranian viewers a perspective they can't get anywhere else. On the day of the June 14th presidential election in Iran, the show aired a special message from Bono, lead singer of the rock band U2 and co-founder of the advocacy group ONE. The videotaped message, recorded exclusively for OnTen, expressed solidarity with young people in Iran and included a performance of the protest song Sunday Bloody Sunday. OnTen follows in the steps of the earlier hit VOA show Parazit. Despite Iranian efforts to jam VOA programs on satellite, OnTen has attracted a growing audience. OnTen is optimized for easy download in more than 35 file sizes and is available on the VOA Persian website as well as YouTube and Facebook (VOA PR via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. From July 1 no shortwave transmissions of Kol Israel: 1400-1500 on 13850vISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Persian Fri/Sat 1400-1500 on 15760 ISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Persian Fri/Sat 1400-1530 on 13850vISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Persian Sun-Thu 1400-1530 on 15760 ISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Persian Sun-Thu (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Via WRTH on Facebook, July 10: Seems, that Kol Israel Persian transmissions on shortwave have been suspended: http://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fradis.org%2F Israel shortwave radio programs to listeners who hear, please consider: Unfortunately, because of lack of funding, while allowing for short-wave radio broadcasts by Radio Israel has been taken away from us. We are your best and beyond to allow rapid resumption done, and we hope that soon we will have to re. Unfortunately, it is possible that efforts be fruitful and resume broadcasts on shortwave is not possible (via Mike Barraclough, July 10, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** JAPAN. 3945, Radio Nikkei clear 0941 4/7 with Vanuatu absent. Fair reception, different to that audible at same time on 3925, 6055 and 9595 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [and non]. Summer A-13 schedule of Radio Japan NHK World: 0100-0130 on 11590 TAC 100 kW / 163 deg to SoAs Hindi 0200-0400 on 5910 ISS 500 kW / 290 deg to CeAm Japanese 0200-0400 on 11680 NAU 250 kW / 140 deg to WeAs Japanese 0200-0400 on 15195 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 0200-0400 on 15325 YAM 300 kW / 270 deg to SoAs Japanese 0200-0400 on 17810 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 0400-0500 on 15195 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 0400-0500 on 15325 YAM 300 kW / 270 deg to SoAs Japanese 0400-0500 on 17810 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 0315-0400 on 7395 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to CeAf Swahili 0400-0430 on 5910 ISS 500 kW / 290 deg to CeAm Spanish 0400-0430 on 11730 TAC 100 kW / 236 deg to WeAs Farsi 0400-0430 on 12015 ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to SoAm Spanish 0430-0500 on 6165 SIT 100 kW / 079 deg to EaEu Russian 0500-0530 on 5975 WOF 250 kW / 140 deg to WeEu English 0500-0530 on 11970 ISS 500 kw / 155 deg to SoAf English 0530-0600 on 11730 ISS 500 kw / 190 deg to WCAf French 0530-0600 on 11710 YAM 300 kW / 330 deg to FERu Russian 0530-0600 on 13840 MDC 250 kW / 295 deg to CeAf French 0600-0630 on 11975 ISS 500 kW / 160 deg to NoAf Arabic 0700-0800 on 11710 YAM 300 kW / 330 deg to FERu Japanese 0800-0830 on 11710 YAM 300 kW / 330 deg to FERu Russian 0800-0900 on 9750 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 0800-0900 on 12015 ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to SoAm Japanese 0800-0900 on 15290 ISS 500 kw / 190 deg to WCAf Japanese 0800-0900 on 17585 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 0900-0930 on 6090 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Chinese 0900-0930 on 6195 HRI 250 kW / 152 deg to SoAm Portuguese 0900-1000 on 9750 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 0900-1000 on 11815 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 0900-1000 on 12015 ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to SoAm Japanese 0900-1000 on 15290 ISS 500 kw / 190 deg to WCAf Japanese 0915-0945 on 5950 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Korean 0930-1000 on 6195 HRI 250 kW / 152 deg to SoAm Spanish 1000-1030 on 9625 YAM 300 kW / 175 deg to Pac English 1000-1030 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 000 deg to SEAs English 1000-1500 on 11815 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 1000-1500 on 9750 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 1030-1100 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 330 deg to SEAs Burmese 1100-1130 on 6090 YAM 300 kW / 330 deg to FERu Russian 1100-1130 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 000 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 1100-1130 on 9760 WOF 100 kW / 105 deg to WeEu English Fri DRM 1115-1200 on 9625 HBN 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1130-1200 on 6090 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Korean 1130-1200 on 9760 WOF 100 kW / 105 deg to WeEu Russian Fri DRM 1130-1200 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 000 deg to SEAs Thai 1200-1230 on 6090 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Chinese 1200-1230 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 000 deg to SEAs English 1230-1300 on 6190 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Korean 1230-1300 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 000 deg to SEAs Thai 1300-1330 on 6190 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Chinese 1300-1330 on 11740 SNG 100 kW / 000 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 1300-1345 on 11685 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to SoAs Bengali 1315-1400 on 11705 HBN 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1330-1400 on 6190 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Korean 1400-1430 on 6190 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1430 on 11705 HBN 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English 1400-1430 on 15735 TAC 100 kW / 163 deg to SoAs English 1430-1500 on 6190 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Korean 1430-1500 on 11740 SNG 250 kW / 330 deg to SEAs Burmese 1430-1500 on 13680 ISS 500 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Farsi 1430-1515 on 15745 MDC 250 kW / 035 deg to SoAs Hindi 1500-1700 on 9750 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 1500-1700 on 12045 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to WeAs Japanesee 1515-1600 on 13870 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg to SoAs Urdu 1530-1600 on 9540 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Chinese 1700-1800 on 9835 YAM 300 kW / 085 deg to SoAm Japanese 1700-1800 on 11945 ISS 500 kw / 155 deg to SoAf Japanese 1700-1800 on 15445 NAU 250 kW / 140 deg to WeAs Japanese 1730-1800 on 13730 MDC 250 kW / 300 deg to CeAf Swahili 1800-1830 on 11885 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg to CEAf English 1800-1900 on 11945 ISS 500 kw / 155 deg to SoAf Japanese 1800-1900 on 15445 NAU 250 kW / 140 deg to WeAs Japanese 1900-2000 on 9670 YAM 300 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Japanese 1900-2000 on 15130 ISS 500 kw / 152 deg to CeAf Japanese 2000-2100 on 9625 YAM 300 kW / 175 deg to Pac Japanese 2000-2100 on 9670 YAM 300 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Japanese 2000-2100 on 15130 ISS 500 kw / 152 deg to CeAf Japanese 2030-2100 on 11850 MDC 250 kW / 305 deg to CeAf French 2100-2200 on 9670 YAM 300 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Japanese 2100-2200 on 11910 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 2100-2200 on 13680 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 2130-2200 on 9560 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Indonesian 2130-2200 on 17540 HRI 250 kW / 152 deg to SoAm Portuguese 2200-2300 on 11910 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 2200-2300 on 13680 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Japanese 2210-2330 on 9560 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Korean 2230-2350 on 9560 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Chinese 2300-2400 on 11910 YAM 300 kW / 290 deg to EaAs Japanese 2300-2320 on 13650 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Thai 2320-2340 on 13650 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 2340-2400 on 13650 YAM 300 kW / 235 deg to SEAs Burmese (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. Summer A-13 of KBS World Radio: 0100-0200 on 9580 KIM 250 kW / 081 deg to SoAm Japanese 0100-0200 on 9605 HRI 250 kW / 167 deg to SoAm Spanish 0100-0200 on 9690 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 0100-0200 on 11810 KIM 250 kW / 096 deg to SoAm Spanish 0200-0300 on 9580 KIM 250 kW / 081 deg to SoAm English 0200-0300 on 9690 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs English 0200-0300 on 11810 KIM 250 kW / 096 deg to SoAm Japanese 0200-0300 on 15575 KIM 250 kW / 081 deg to NoAm Spanish 0300-0400 on 11810 KIM 250 kW / 096 deg to SoAm Korean 0700-0800 on 9860 WOF 250 kW / 102 deg to WeEu Korean 0800-0900 on 6155 KIM 100 kW / non-dir to EaAs Japanese 0800-0900 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / non-dir to EaAs Japanese 0800-0900 on 9570 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs English 0900-1000 on 15160 KIM 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Korean 0900-1100 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / non-dir to EaAs Korean 0900-1100 on 9570 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Korean 0900-1100 on 9805 KIM 100 kW / non-dir to EaAs Japanese 1030-1130 on 9770 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 1100-1130 on 9760 WOF 100 kW / 105 deg to WeEu English Sat DRM 1100-1200 on 11795 KIM 250 kW / 096 deg to SoAm Spanish 1130-1230 on 6095 KIM 250 kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 1130-1230 on 9770 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / non-dir to EaAs Korean 1200-1300 on 9570 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1230-1330 on 6095 KIM 250 kW / non-dir to EaAs English 1300-1400 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / non-dir to EaAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 9570 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs English 1300-1400 on 15575 KIM 250 kW / 081 deg to NoAm English 1400-1500 on 9570 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1400-1500 on 9640 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs English 1400-1500 on 15575 KIM 250 kW / 081 deg to NoAm Korean 1500-1600 on 9640 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 1600-1700 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / 305 deg to WeEu Korean 1600-1700 on 9515 KIM 250 kW / 285 deg to N/ME English 1600-1700 on 9640 KIM 250 kW / 225 deg to SEAs English 1600-1700 on 9740 KIM 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Korean 1600-1700 on 9805 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1700-1800 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / 305 deg to WeEu Korean 1700-1800 on 9515 KIM 250 kW / 285 deg to N/ME Korean 1700-1800 on 9740 KIM 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Korean 1800-1900 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / 305 deg to WeEu English 1800-1900 on 9515 KIM 250 kW / 285 deg to N/ME Korean 1800-1900 on 9740 KIM 250 kW / 290 deg to SoEu Spanish, new time 1800-1900 on 15360 WOF 250 kW / 074 deg to EaEu Russian 1900-2000 on 6145 WOF 250 kW / 172 deg to WeEu French 2000-2100 on 3955 WOF 250 kW / 114 deg to WeEu German 2000-2100 on 5950 ISS 250 kW / 182 deg to NWAf French 2000-2100 on 13585 DHA 250 kW / 290 deg to NoAf Arabic 2100-2130 on 3955 WOF 250 kW / 114 deg to WeEu English 2200-2300 on 7275 KIM 250 kW / 275 deg to EaAs Chinese 2200-2300 on 9805 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 2200-2300 on 11810 KIM 250 kW / 305 deg to WeEu English, new time 2300-2400 on 9805 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Chinese (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. SEOUL’S NORTH KOREAN JAMMING – AM AND SHORTWAVE --- HOW SOUTH KOREA TRIES TO JAM NORTH KOREAN RADIO SIGNALS 130621-radio-657 by Martyn Williams, July 10, 2013 [here is the text but see the original for numerous clips & linx] http://www.nknews.org/2013/07/seouls-north-korean-jamming-am-and-shortwave/ SEOUL — Tune around the radio dial in Seoul and you’ll come across radio stations that appear to be broadcasting electronic-sounding noise or nothing but silence. The stations don’t represent a new trend in avant garde radio but are some of the most visible, or audible, signs of the South Korean government’s attempts to keep its citizens from listening to North Korean radio. To the average radio listener, the jamming is pretty effective and makes North Korean radio all-but impossible to receive around Seoul. In late May while I was in Seoul, I took a little time to tune around the radio dial find out the current status of North Korean radio jamming by the South Korean government. North Korean radio broadcasts on three different frequency bands — mediumwave (AM), shortwave and VHF (FM) — and the jamming carried out by Seoul varies based on the band. Part one of this two-part survey looks at the current state of South Korean jamming on mediumwave and shortwave. Part two looks at the FM band. Pyongyang Broadcasting Station (????) The signals that would be easiest for most South Koreans to hear are those from a network of powerful mediumwave transmitters that carry the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station (PBS) for most of the day. PBS is targeted at Koreans living in South Korea, China and Japan and is a part of Pyongyang’s overseas propaganda efforts. Due to the characteristics of mediumwave signals, these would be easily heard across most of South Korea during the daytime were it not for the jamming. Here’s what’s heard on 855 kHz, home of a PBS transmitter near Pyongyang, when tuned at Paju near the inter-Korean border. As you can hear, the jamming is pretty effective. The situation is the same on other PBS channels, such as 684kHz from Samgo. The PBS signal on 1053 kHz from Haeju manages to punch through the South Korean jamming, thanks to its close location near the border and its power. At a reported 1,500 kW, it’s tied with a South Korean transmitter as the most powerful on the peninsula. By no coincidence, the South Korean transmitter carries the KBS program targeted at North Korea. In this recording, the radio is first directed at Haeju for a clean signal. At the 17 second mark, it’s rotated to face the South Korean jammer and at 33 seconds is positioned to show a mix of the two. It’s this latter signal that most people in the area would hear when tuned into Haeju. To my surprise, a couple of frequencies were coming in loud and clear in Paju. One was the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on 657 kHz, a transmitter that is reported to be in Kangnam near Pyongyang. Closer to Seoul, this is blocked by jamming. This is an extended clip the includes some music. If you listen at the 5:45 point, you can hear the station identification, “Pyongyang Pangsong ni imnida.” Korean Central Broadcasting Station (??????) The second frequency coming through clearly was the 810kHz transmitter of Korean Central Broadcasting Station, the main domestic radio network. This transmitter is fairly weak compared to the rest of the network but is very close by in Kaesong, so would be difficult to jam in Paju without causing disruption to domestic North Korean listeners. There was a buzz on the signal, which you can hear around the 1-minute mark. Echo of Unification (????????) North Korea launched this radio station on December 1, 2012. Much more focused on South Korean listeners than Pyongyang Broadcasting Station, Echo of Unification broadcasts a two-hour program three times a day, from 7am to 9am, 1pm to 3pm and 9pm to 11pm. It took over some transmitters used by PBS and KCBS and is jammed to the same extent as KCBS and PBS. Getting around the jamming It’s easy to get around the jamming with a simple trick, and that tells us something about South Korea’s jamming program: it appears to be targeted at casual listeners, who might be curious enough to stop at a North Korean station they tune past on the car radio or at home. This can be inferred because none of the shortwave transmitters that carry either PBS or KCBS are targeted at all by the Seoul government. Few radios available today feature shortwave reception, so the government has apparently decided not to bother spending time and resources blocking transmitters that only a few people might be listening to. Still, that does mean that if you’re motivated enough, you can pick up a shortwave radio and quite easily tune into programs from Pyongyang. The signal is excellent in Seoul for most of the day and night and even covers Japan and China in the evenings. Here’s a couple of short video clips to illustrate the difference. They were each taken at street level in the Itaewon district in Seoul. First the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station signal on 657 kHz mediumwave that was clear in Paju. And here’s the same station on 6,400 kHz shortwave. The best frequencies for KCBS are usually 2850, 6100 and 11680 kHz. The former is reported to be from a transmitter in Pyongyang and the latter two from transmitters in Kanggye in the north of the country. There are also a handful of other shortwave transmitters covering different regions of the country, but these are much weaker. PBS doesn’t have quite as loud a voice on shortwave, but 6400, reportedly from Kanggye, and 3250, reportedly from Pyongyang, usually offer the best reception. Echo of Unification’s shortwave signal is difficult to receive. One of the transmitters it uses, 3970, puts out a weak signal and the other, 6250, suffers from heavy interference from an apparently unrelated transmission on an adjacent frequency. The offending broadcast sounds like jamming, but is reported to be a Japanese naval communications system.... (via Zacharias Liangas, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 0926 - 21540 kHz, R. KUWAIT - Kabd, Arabo, mx e tk OMs. Segnale Buono-Molto Buono. 1039 off. Per EiBi (June 12th) 0950-1800. Qualche problema tecnico (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. 17550, July 8 at 2045, nice to hear R. Kuwait`s C&W NAm service in Arabic music with fair signal, in fact somewhat better than English with rock music on 15540. News at 2051; 2058 sign-off by announcer still blithely asserting that 15540 is in the ``25-meter band``, quick military band anthem, accurate 5+1 timesignal to 2100, switch to fanfare introducing Arabic news which no doubt will be cut off in a few minutes after paralleling 17550 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1612 - 11600, R. LYBIA, Arabo, nxs YL. BN/SF (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) Radio Libia en el aire 11600; hace media hora apenas se escuchaba. Ahora llega muy fuerte, UT 1819 (Ernesto Paulero, Argentina, July 9, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. Mike Barraclough tells us that Radio Luxembourg.co.uk has been relaunched as a history/tribute site for the English service: lots of interesting material and photos, with some audio and two videos in the gallery section. (BDXC-UK Communication magazine July 2013 via BCDX via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. 5014.09, Jun 26, 1900, R Madagasikara drifting heavily and also with 20-30 Hz jumps around nominal frequency. Finally found an ID from May 26 at 1902 as “R Madagasikar”. The piece of recording was sent to Arne Nilsson who also could hear the ID. He played back the recording through PolderbitS where the ID stood out even more clearly. Checked this one again on July 6 from 1815 but no signal at all, not even on 5010 so obviously off. Thanks a lot for your help, Arne! (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. QSL: 13765, Vatican Radio Swahili to Africa via Talata- Volondry transmitter. Full data Pope Francis QSL Card (with site as Madagascar) with stickers and schedule in 100 days for a Postal report (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 7295, Traxx FM (via RTM, Kajang) 20, 21, 22, 24 June. 1345-1445+ Still has IADs/loss of carrier, Malay pop/rock (even a little bit of metal) and some different drop-in "IDS": "We're receiving a transmission --------- TRAXXFM!", "This is Will.i.am and you're listening to TraxxFM". 9835, Sarawak FM (via RTM, Kajang), 25 June. 1425+ Surprised/pleased to hear Dee Snider & the boyz (a.k.a. Twisted Sister) ranting away with "We're Not Gonna Take It", nice back-announce by the M DJ and slightly more sedate pop following. (I always thought "We're Not Gonna Take It" would have been a great signature tune for Radio Free Sarawak -- obviously, I have 'way too much free time). Also 30 June 1343-1430+. Apparently the start of a new Tilawah Al- Qur'an competition with commentary, recitations, crowd noises, short chats with competitors (one woman in English - "the competition is very good, we come from many countries") and thanks to Ron Howard's timely email, I found out this is the International Level (Peringkat Antarabangsa) for Tilawah Al-Qur'an. // Klasik Nasional-5964.7, tho much weaker on 49M (Dan Sheedy, Encinitas, CA G5/8m X wire, via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9835, July 4 at 1210 Qur`an, so suspected the recitation competition Ron Howard has been hearing from RTM, but 1212 into variety of music, so apparently not now; good signal but with flutter, our best bet by far for Malaysia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6050, Asyik FM via RTM, via Kajang // 5964.7 (Klasik Nasional also via Kajang) // 9835 (Sarawak FM also via Kajang). July 6 with the final day of the live coverage of the annual Qur'an International Level recitation competition (Tilawah Al-Qur’an); 1331 into multi-language (Malay, Arabic, English and French) announcements of the many winners of the competition; 6050 ended coverage at 1346, while KN and Sarawak FM continued on; all frequencies fair. https://www.box.com/s/7prqpwszt5ki72qnh6ky contains audio of a six minute segment (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn - Traxx FM (Malaysia) on 7295 was off the air today. Ron (San Francisco, July 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 600, XEZ, Radio Fórmula, Mérida, Yucatán. 1022 July 6, 2013. Spanish ballads, male at 1032, “… XHZ 105.1 FM… la música… grande…” Then canned “mi tierra” patriotic fanfare. Presumed FM simulcasting. Good on sunrise peak, slight WBOB, Jacksonville, FL co- channel. 650, XEVILL, Noticias, Villahermosa, Tabasco. 1027 July 8, 2013. Weak under an unidentified Mexican that was playing music snips and talk. Then this one bubbled up with male and female, peso mentions, slogan ID 1037. Mostly gone a few minutes later. Listed as 1000/500, a surprise catch (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. 1320, July 9 at 1204, checking hi-end MW for remnants of skywave, 42 minutes after sunrise, something in Spanish with 7:04 timecheck before fading. Loops NE/SW, rather than NW/SE, so not KXYZ Houston which could be in Spanish instead of Chinese at this hour, and no known SS in other neighboring UStates, so most likely XECPN in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. A minute later on 1350, then found Univisión América, i.e. KCOR San Antonio so that ties in (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6010, R Mil, 0900 to 0910, nice XE music, // 1000, which had to battle Cuban QRM; both 6010 and 1000 deteriorating after 0900, neither there on 1000 recheck. 24 June (XM, Cedar Key - South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Sporadic E opening in progress at tune-in July 8, with antenna south on NTSC channel A2, UT: 1413, Spanish audio; 1416 CCI, then peak of one signal with Elecciones 2013 full-screen grafix, returns for yesterday in Tamaulipas, then Coahuila and Chihuahua. This is during INFO 7 news show with Azteca net-7 bug in LR along with 9:18 clock and 24 degrees at 1418. So it`s XHTAU in Tampico 1420, fade to another ch 2, with MATUTINO EXPRESS on set, f-bug (Televisa net-4) in LR, TELEACTIVA in UR, i.e. XEFB-TV Monterrey NL 1421, mentions Azteca Nordeste, and ``siete 7`` promo, i.e. this subnetwork: 1422, XHTAU dominates. Large INFO 7 in middle of set/screen between W & M anchorette (stage left) & anchor. Also reads info7.mx below it. Peaks snow-free for a bit. Headlines at screenbottom but not crawling, rather flipping vertically. Full story about vacationers having problems(?) or overloading the Monterrey bus station, as this morning cast originates in Monterrey tho relayed from Tampico. 1427 it`s quite dominant, then fades in and out. At 1444 I start to hear English on channel 2 so rotate to CANADA, q.v., maybe missing more from Mexico. (XHRIO in Matamoros switched from Fox in English to MundoFox in Spanish some time ago. So how do you see Fox in the RGV?) 15825 WWCR had been Es-boosted around 1400 UT July 9, so expected some VHF activity too. 1415 tune-in channel 2, with antenna south, yes, some weak Spanish audio, seems drama; and traces of video at times on ch 4 1432 on 2, fades in with toon from Televisa net-5 as bugged in LR 1446 on 4, algo again, and some zero CCI on ch 5 to my cable radiation past 1530, just weak video CCI mostly on 2 1532 on 4, fades in toon from Televisa-5 in LR. To be continued? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. 9579.1, July 9 at 0517, weak music, but it`s not on 9580, so not Africa Number One, Gabon, as some have assumed/listlogged lately, but instead Médi Un, Nador. ANO remains absent, maybe gone for good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9579.137, exact footprint at 0704 UT July 7. Radio Medi #1 from Nador MRC, still on odd frequency channel since last August 2012. French service performed nice female announcer, at S=9+20dB signal strength into central western Europe (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. July 8 with unusual reception of Myanmar Radio. At 1311, on their lower spur of 7185.76 had fair reception with two equally strong audio feeds; whereas the primary frequency of 7200.06, at 1320, had one strong audio feed with an extremely faint secondary audio feed. Lower spur audio at https://www.box.com/s/azzyk3e0txw3i9955eym Primary frequency audio at https://www.box.com/s/xoqdabyeozjqpity6brv (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. 6159.966, Jul 7, 0232, “This is CBC Radio” and thus most likely CKZN with a little unstable and trembling signal (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) CKZU Vancouver has been the one on the low side, and CKZN Nfld much on the high side like 6160.8. Must check this out. 0232 is of course rather early for Vancouver (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also checked 6159.966, from this morning, July 8, at 0300. “CBC News” after time signal. No station at all detectable on 6160.8. Disturbed by R Rossii on exactly 6160 (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Thomas, Tnx. Apparently CKZN is back (almost) on-frequency. Tough here against bigsig from Cuba on 6165 unless I`m up after 0700 (or Cuba fails). Best time to catch local ID info from CBC is right after the news :05 when they usually give local/provincial weather (Glenn, via DXLD) 6159.96 approx., July 9 at 0050, poor signal in English, surely CKZN back on (near) frequency after months circa 6160.8 producing a big het with CKZU and anyone else. Before sunset here, and way before sunset in Vancouver, surely this one is CKZN, as first noted by Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, July 7 at 0232 and July 8 at 0300 with CBC IDs and news on 6159.966 both times, ``but a little unstable and trembling``. I needed to get this before 0100-0700 when bigsig from Cuba blox on 6165 (unless it fails). Best time to get local info on CBC is the weather about :05 after the news, but altho RHC was late tonight, still off at 0103, it was on by 0105 and modulating before 0106. CKZU had also stayed slightly on the lo side of 6160, so when both are mixing later in the night, it will be interesting to compare how far apart they be now. SAH sure beats an AH (Glenn Hauser, OK< DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, CKZN - I am now hearing them on 6159.995 with a good signal here in Massachusetts at 0155 09 July. Noted them last night, 08 July, almost right on 6160 also (Stephen Wood, Harwich, Massachusetts, ABDX via DXLD) CANADA/RUSSIA, 6159.965 is the footprint at 0105 UT July 10, most likely CKZU Vancouver, but covered by R Rossii Russian from Murmansk Monchegorsk transmitter on even frequency, from the far north. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, July 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wolfy, no way 6160 is Vancouver at this hour, 0105. Sunset is not until 0417 UT today: http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/vancouver.html (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Yes, I also had my doubts too; long distance Europe to Vancouver under northern Whitesun condition. This morning at 0535 - 0600 UT I heard the two Canadians on remote units: 6159.969, CKZN St. Johns, "CBC Radio One" program stronger on the east coast in Massachusetts and Florida. 6159.982, CKZU Vancouver - more power on the west coast at Mojave Desert CA, and most powerful close-by Vancouver at Bainbridge Isl. WA state remote installation. 73 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, July 10, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So only 13 Hz apart now (gh, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. 15720, July 4 at 0448, no signal from RNZI which is normally quite good, and Australia was inbooming on 15515, 15240 and 15160. Must be off the air (or on totally wrong frequency as sometimes happens, like 7330, computer programming screwup?). Nor any signal on 11725 at 0515, nor DRM on 11675. Next check at 1218, correct 9700 is on the air with `Checkpoint`, usual deficient signal here aimed at Timor. 15720, July 5 at 0452, RNZI is on with good signal, unlike absence 24 hours earlier; and DRM noise also audible on 17670-17675-17680 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. Tuned in this morning (Saturday 25 May) to strong Voice of Nigeria on 15120 kHz at 0505 UT (still complete with audio buzz though) which has a Listeners' Letters programme 0505-0530 on Saturdays (presented by enthusiastic presenters Gloria and Okinwa(?) who rave about any SINPO codes including a '5'!). This morning they read a letter from BDXC member David Ansell in Sussex who had mentioned the VON buzz on 15120 kHz - they seemed to think their new 250 kW transmitter would eliminate this, though! A few music programmes on VON were also mentioned in the programme (I've not checked them out yet): • Musical Heritage: Sat 1205: 9690 and Sun 1505: 15120 • Time for HiLife: Wed 1330: 15120 and Sun 1030: 9690 • Evergreens (music from the past): Sun 1245: 9690, Wed 1815: 15120, and Sat 1330: 9690. • Music Makers: Sun 1205: 9690, Thurs 1205: 9690 and Sat 0805: 15120 However these times do not seem to tie up with the programme schedule on their website! http://voiceofnigeria.org/programmeschedule.htm (Alan Pennington, Listening Post, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Musical Heritage has long been a favourite of mine; however I have only been able to listen to it sporadically on Sundays at 1505 on 15120 due to poor reception. By co-incidence, I received a programme schedule in the post this week from Voice of Nigeria. However, whilst being dated April 2010, it is more recent than the website schedule, it is still sadly out of date. On air announcements from VoN are currently the only reliable way of getting programme schedule information. Another excellent programme from VoN is Celebrations, broadcast on Sundays at 0515 on 15120. There was fair reception of this programme on Sunday 26 May which featured the “Masquerade Festival” in Oyo State (in SW Nigeria). This festival happens four times a year and includes much dancing, with each dance telling a story. Oyo people believe it to be a “magical” event; a government spokesperson however says that it is not magical, but rather is a cultural event. Either way, it was agreed that this event is important for the Oyo cultural heritage. I do wish reception of VoN was more reliable – they do have some excellent programmes (Alan Roe, ed., ibid.) Hi Glenn, This morning: July 5, 15120, 0644, Voice of Nigeria, English, likely Ikorodu good signal, low audio level, QRM Chinese. The first time for over two weeks I heard this broadcast, though almost daily checks. Also in the afternoons, English and Arabic on 15120 and WAf languages on 9690 were regularly missing. Abuja 15120-DRM and 9690 from 2000 were on air. It seems that services/broadcasts produced in Lagos still cannot be simply aired via Abuja, so they keep Ikorodu on air, though judging by the amount of inactivity periods this year, this seems to be difficult also. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, http://www.africalist.de.ms DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15120, July 6 at 0612, VON is on with English news going from African to other parts, fair signal. There was no sign of it an hour earlier tho the broadcast supposedly starts circa 0445 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. North Woods Radio: I logged a pirate radio station early this morning UT. USA (Presumed) 6935.000 USB, North Woods Radio July 6, 2013 0204-0248 UT. SIO 444 with QSB to 243. ID's at 0212, 0219, 0248 sign off. Hard rock music of Led Zeppelin and blues by Neil Young. Mentioned email address for a signal report and QSL card of northwoodsradio @ gmail.com At sign off mentioned name Jackpine Savage and sound of howling wolf. QTH Lakeland, FL, USA. Antenna 300 ft long horizontal loop up 35 feet. Rig Kenwood TS-570DG. 73 & GUD DX, (Thomas F. Giella W4HM, Lakeland, FL, USA, ABDX via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. 1210, KBXO, Bixby, CP for new station here has expired; deleted from database. (D) 1120, KEOR, Catoosa, OK, CP for D4 10000 (ch 7000) is on the air. (Andrew Brade, North American News, July-August MW News via DXLD) ?? 1120 still weak here like it`s only 2 kW. NO comparison e.g. to KFAQ 1170 50 kW (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 89.3, July 6 at 0058 UT, the unID classical Es station having outfaded, I hear the new KIEL Loyal with net ID as ``Twenty- four hours a day, Radio Seven Four International``. See previous report about this Radio 74 network (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 92.1, July 6 at 0110 UT, KAMG-LP Enid has once again lapsed into dead air; at least there are no clix, and no stereo pilot either. It`s really incredible to me why anyone would want to have a radio station, and yet not make sure it operates properly. Back to praise music in Spanish at next check 1545 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 95.1, July 6 at 0058 UT while DXing WRNS in NC, I unavoidably hear KQCV Shawnee/OKC, with Bott Network promo for TWR soliciting kilobuck contributions in order to send 10,000 radios to China so that the Gospel can be heard!! Is there a shortage of SW radios in China? Guess where they are manufactured? Nor is a myriad of radios even a drop in the sinogigabucket. But a sucker is born again every minute (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 9760, July 7 at 0117, fair signal with ME music. Figured it would be R. Farda, until HFCC reminded me: ``9760 0000 0200 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 1234567 310313 271013 D 13650 Arb OMA RSO RSO 10180`` -- that is, R. Sultanate of Oman, which despite the dates on this entry, only recently started broadcasting new frequency at these hours (just in time for Ramadan?) (Farda is on 9760 but not until 0230, via Germany) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 15485, Not so bad signal heard tonight from Islamabad on the remote SDR unit in Australia downunder. R PAK Urdu was early on air, noted at 0031 UT July 7 - scheduled on 15490 kHz! from 0045 UT, S=7 fair level, drums + local singer noted on powerful and somewhat cleaner modulation quality. I guess they moved 5 kHz down - always suppose my notes drawing is correct, midst on deept European night (Wolfgang Büschel, July 7, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17520. R. PAKISTAN. 8 de julio a las 1421 UT. Hombre y mujer entrevistan, al parecer, a un músico que canta en vivo en idioma Urdu. La señal tiene mucho QRN, aunque es clara y estable con SINPO: 43343 // 15235 la señal tiende a sobremodularse con SINPO: 42344 con QRM de RHC en 15230. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) QSL: 15425, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation. Full data QSL card of HQ’s with a note thanking me for report and apologizes for the delay. Also sent a PBC Plastic Pennant (don’t see them much these days!) Pakistan calling and HF Schedule for a Postal CD Report to Islamabad Address. Reply in 113 days. V/s: Shahid Hameed, Engineering Manager (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Pakistan to air special programmes during Ramadan: DG In an interview the Director General Radio Pakistan said an embitious plan has been evolved to improve quality of all programmes. Radio Director General PBC Samina Pervaiz says Radio Pakistan‚ in its national hook-up‚ will launch special programmes during the holy month of Ramadan. In an interview with APP on Sunday (June 30)‚ she said religious significance of Ramadan ul Mubarak will be highlighted across the country through programmes with special Sehr and Iftar transmission. Samina Pervaiz said that a team of leading religious scholars from different schools of thought and shades of opinion will unfold the importance of various aspects of Ramadan. She said that the pioneer institution in the country had tailored an ambitious plan to further improve the quality of all programmes and revival of dramas to restore its pristine glory. PBC The Director General said we have evolved an ambitious plan to introduce new dramas‚ revival of Urdu dramas‚ interviews of legends‚ music concerts‚ production of English language programmes for FM 94‚ revival of running cricket commentary in English and digitization of archival material. She said that FM 93‚ 94 and 101 are also made available on internet through the satellite network. She said that the quality of world‚ external and foreign services will also be further improved to meet the demands of listeners. Source: http://www.radio.gov.pk/newsdetail-47879 (via Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Tirunelveli, India, July 6, dxldyg via DXLD) ** PALAU. QSL: 11705, NHK Radio Japan Indonesian to Asia via KHBN Palau transmitter. Full data (with site and power indicated). ``A lull in the rainy season`` QSL card with complete schedule and relay sites, Reception forms and Berita Radio Jepang Newsletter for an English report to Indonesian Section. Reply in 54 days (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, NBC Madang, 1205-1213, July 5. National audio feed in English; PSA from World Health Organization and NBC; singing ad for energy drink; ad (“great taste that everyone from the highlands to the islands enjoys”); sports promo; “I’m Stacy Rose. Join me this Sunday at 10AM and again at 9PM right here on the Voice of PNG, 90.7 FM, for two hours of the best Caribbean Gospel Music this side of the sun … all right here on Island Praise with me, Stacy Rose, Sundays at 10AM and again at 9PM, right here on NBC National Radio, the Voice of PNG, 90.7 FM.” Fun summertime listening! Brief MP3 audio posted at https://www.box.com/s/ztsyh4u5dm6zir2fo9tm 3325, NBC Bougainville. July 5 with one of their strongest receptions yet; random listening from 1125 to 1302* (formerly 1303*); mixing with RRI Palangkaraya (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Facebook response from Stacy Rose to my posting - https://www.facebook.com/ipraize : "Hello there. Thanks for taking the time to make contact. I'm thrilled that you were able to hear that transmission. Goodness! This serves as a stark reminder for me that there is no limit to where and how people will hear what i put out into the universe. Blessings to you. Please keep listening. Enjoy!" Ron NBC Bougainville's schedule is now Monday to Saturday. July 7, another Sunday not on the air. July 6, with a rare treat to find RRI Palangkaraya off the air from about 1158 to 1220, on 3325; very late starting. Leaving NBC Bougainville in the clear (Ron Howard, California, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3324.996, Jul 6, 1915, NBC Bougainville (tentative) with talk and music of the style Papuan stations use, definitely not sounding like any RRI program. S6 signal. Unfortunately I was busy with other things and was on first at 1913 this evening. I sent the recording to Ron Howard and he replied this morning: ``Very nice, Thomas!! It does sound to me like Tok Pisin/Pidgin. Compare it with my attached recording from today. July 6 was a rare day for me; no RRI not on at all till 1220 (very late starting), so I had NBC Bougainville in the clear. Poor reception, but clear (just like yours). Note the logs below. If NBC was strong via an Australian remote, then is it propagationally possible for you to hear PNG as I think you did??? Maybe you could tune in a little earlier for their sign on (about 1907 UT)? Best regards, Ron`` 3364.98, Jul 6, 1910, Most likely R Milne Bay showing up first time for the season. Strong enough to produce weak audio (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. UNIDENTIFIED. 3345. July 7, at 1208, found RRI Ternate on about 3344.9 with the Jakarta news relay; clearly // to both RRI Makassar and RRI Palangkaraya; for the first time this month, since I have been daily monitoring RRI Ternate’s routine broadcasting now, heard a definite new het; unable to make out any other station present; by 1253 positive signal from two stations mixing here; slightly off frequency from each other and producing a prominent heterodyne. The UNID spoiled the usually decent reception of RRI Ternate! Suspect possible re-activation of NBC Northern, the Voice of Oro (PNG). If so, they picked a bad time to come back on again, as RRI Ternate has considerably better reception; het was still on at my tune out of 1407. My last log of NBC Northern here (March 8) had them still on the air at 1503. Due to the strong het and the mixing of both stations, was unable to accurately measure either frequency. Perhaps a DXer in Asia/Pacific with a Perseus SDR can “see” the two different frequencies? Thanks for any possible help with this! (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checking via Brisbane remote rx I could hear NBC Northern, but no other station and had to wait until 2027, when RRI Ternate signed on. A bit later it occurred me to try also at my own QTH and I could find the same carriers, Popondetta very weak, being already in daylight. Looks like they were on 3344.873 and 3345.032 kHz. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, via Ron Howard, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Checked same this afterNOON. {also at Brisbane remote unit 3344.875 noted footprint at S=5 rather tiny on July 7 at 1417 UT} (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Yesterday's reactivation of NBC Northern (PNG) was rather brief. Not heard July 8. Just the normal RRI Ternate with no het; at 1210 with the Jakarta news relay; // RRI Makassar and RRI Palangkaraya; still solo at 1235. RRI Ternate is routine now for Ramadan! BTW - NBC Bougainville (PNG) was back July 8 on 3325, after being off on Sunday; conforming to their Monday to Saturday schedule (Ron Howard, July 8, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3205, July 9 at 1145, which is 23 minutes after sunrise here but as early as I awaken, quick check of 90m for NBC signals. 3205 is the only one with some modulation audible, but also carriers on 3260, 3325, none of the others. Also something comes and goes on 3230 where no broadcasters exist (except RSA one other hour weekly, unpropagable to here) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn - 3385 NBC East New Britain was off the air July 9; not heard at anytime from 1050 to 1230 (Ron (San Francisco), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY [non]. La Voz del Chaco relayed via GERMANY: q.v. [WORLD OF RADIO 1677] ** PERU. Libreria Nuevo Mundo: “LA RADIO EN EL PERÚ – HISTORIA DE LOS MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN EN EL PERÚ: SIGLO XX” --- Written by Emilio Bustamante, published by Fondo Editorial de Universidad de Lima in June 2012. ISBN 978-9972-45-262-8. 740 pages in total. Price: S/.110.- This is a book to relate the history of radio stations in Peru from 1925 to 2000. Some data were taken from OAX (by Alonso Alegría), so not so accurate. In spite of this, highly recommended (Tetsuya Hirahara, Radio Nuevo Mundo “El Tiempo Hechicero” June 2013 via ARC mv-eko July 8 via DXLD) ** PERU. 3329.52, Perú, Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco, 0822 to 0840 en español but gone 1000 recheck. This the only log, had not been heard in previous week or since. 4 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, July 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4810, Jul 3, 2359, R Logos here with a very strong signal just like most days (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) 4810, Perú, Radio Logos, Chazuta, Tarapoto - 0915 flauta andina, 0920 om vocalist, 1015 still heard with strong signal. 4 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4826.5, Perú, Radio Sicuani, Sicuani, Cusco, noted back on the air for first time in a fortnight 1020 to 1040 on 30 June; also noted 2350 on 3 July (XM, Cedar Key - South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, and Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4835, ONDAS DEL SURORIENTE. 6 de julio a las 0215 UT. ID de la emisora, junto a la transmisión de música serrana, en especial huaynos serranos en español. Señal con poco QRN, pero tendiente a sobremodularse un poco en algunos momentos, con SINPO: 44444. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Tecsun PL-660, 5 metros de alambre de cobre, QTH: Barraza Bajo, Comuna de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** PERU. 4984.145, Jul 4, *2307-, Voz Cristiana often heard here but not that strong (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** PERU. 5024.91, Jul 4, 2256, R Quillabamba quite good here for about half an hour before R Rebelde get too strong (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** PERU. 5039.22, Perú, Radio Libertad de Junín, Junín, 1020 om chat, 1024 female vocalist. 1026 back to om. 1033 another female vocalist 6 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5980, July 4 at 0051, R. Chaski with some audio; carrier cutoff at 0104:19.5* which is 5.5 seconds later than last night. The split-seconds are just my approximations, roughly halfway between the numbers ticking away on my digital watch (as always with a WWV correxion). For a closer estimate we need to compare to the time a certain number of days earlier, such as: ``5980, May 16 at 0059, R. Chaski carrier detectable until cut off the air at 0100:02*, which is 5 seconds later than yesterday. At this rate it will take roughly 70 days to reach 0106 and another timer reset.`` That is, over a period of 50 days from May 15 to July 4, the cutoff has precessed 4 minutes and 22.5 seconds later = 262.5 seconds, which divided by 50 = 5.25 seconds per day. 5980, July 5 at 0050, R. Chaski carrier audible at usual very poor but steady level. Unfortunately I stayed on 4055 Guatemala a few seconds too long and missed the Chaski cutoff, already gone when I retuned at 0105. But I am confident that it would have been at 0104:24.75 or so, 5.25 seconds later than yesterday, which may also be interpolated after the next check July 6 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Chaski, Urubamba on 5980 at 2322 UT, strong signal with good audio. Talk by male with song by choir ""Halleluja"". Nice to hear this on my new vintage Collins 390a receiver. 73, (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) 5980, July 6 at 0057, R. Chaski carrier among the 5990 CRI/Cuba splash, but the cutoff is now well beyond likely overrun time for that: 0104:31* which is 11.5 seconds later than two days before, altho I was expecting only 10.5; variable? Wolfgang Büschel was hearing this in Germany at 0045, 6-7 Hz above 5980. And Claudio Galaz in Chile noted that the 0103-0104 feature on July 3 (and probably every day) from the relayed Red Radio Integridad was the Spanish version of `Creation Moments`, which I consider despicably anti-Science. I`m glad the signal is never good enough here to listen to the content. 5980, July 7 at 0050, R. Chaski is in with enough strength to tell it is talking; after chasing lots of others, back to here at 0104 in time to time cutoff as 0104:35*, which is only 4 seconds later than yesterday, but averaging 5.17 seconds per night later compared to 0104:19.5* on July 4. 5980, July 8 at 0045, JBA carrier from R. Chaski in splash and noise level, but still sufficient to clock the cutoff at 0104:40.5* which is 5.5 seconds later than yesterday. 5980, July 9 at 0058, R. Chaski as usual barely audible with talk in hash/splash/noise level, until carrier cut at 0104:45.75 or so = 5.25 seconds later than yesterday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5980, R. CHASKI. 9 de julio a las 2210 UT. Música cristiana coral hasta las 2216, en donde hay un ID como: “Red Radio Integridad” y el microprograma “Reflexión para Hoy” sobre Cristo como hijo de Dios hasta las 2220, cuando vuelven a la música hasta las 2122 UT cuando vuelven a hacer una reflexión sobre la misión de la emisora e invitación a los oyentes a escribir a la estación. Señal con sobremodulación y SINPO: 54444. 73! (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Coaxial de 5 Ohms de 20 Metros, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via DXLD) 5980, July 10 at 0053, R. Chaski carrier, some modulation until cutoff at 0104:51*, i.e. 5.25 seconds later than yesterday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6173.93, Radio Tawantinsuyo with folk songs 23/6 at 0256 till clobbered by WHRI 6175 opening at 0258 to relay Voice of Vietnam. Peru also noted on this distinctive frequency at 1043 same day, LSB mode to avoid strong Chinese on 6175 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. FEBC now has a new postal address: FEBC, PO Box 14205, Orticas Center, Paig City 1605, Philippines (Allen Dean, England, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** SAINT PIERRE & MIQUELON. UPCOMING DXPEDITIONS: FP/KV1J St Pierre & Miquelon (NA-032) 6 July – 16 July. For full QSL information: http://www.kv1j.com/fp/July13.html (July CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Sabato 6 luglio 2013: 0932 - 17805 BSKSA 1 + Buzz. BN/SF 0933 - 17785 BSKSA Francese (no Buzz). BN/SF 0936 - 17615 BSKSA Holy Quran (no Buzz). BN/SF 1533 - 17660 BSKSA FF + Buzz very very low. MB 1541 - 15435 BSKSA 1 + Buzz. MB 1544 - 15225 BSKSA 1 (no Buzz). MB (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) 15170, Annoying BSKSA HQ prayer bad signal of S=9+20dB performed via a disturbed TX unit from at Riyadh this morning. Noted at 0518 UT July 7 disturbed signal in broadband range spurious splatter on 15160 to 15180 kHz wide range (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS [and non]. 5019.884, Jul 6, 1855 SIBC?? Weak, steady signal here, maybe first sign of SIBC for this season? S4 and very little audio so not possible to be sure of anything. VL8A on 4835 very strong at the same time (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) ** SOMALIA [non]. SOMALI AMERICAN CAUGHT UP IN A SHADOWY PENTAGON COUNTERPROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN - The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/somali-american-caught-up-in-a-shadowy-pentagon-counterpropaganda-campaign/2013/07/07/b3aca190-d2c5-11e2-bc43-c404c3269c73_print.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) No radio angle, but internet; very interesting ** SOMALILAND. Radio Hargaysa, 7120 Hargaysa, Jul 9, 2013 Tuesday. 1712-1736. Somali, OM giving a speech, lots of clapping and applause. HOA music and song at 1730, ID “Radio Hargaysa” at 1731. Very good, my best ever reception of Hargaysa. Jo'burg sunset 1531 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ullmar, a frequency change away from 7120 kHz is unlikely because according to Don Jensen they cannot modify the antenna. 73, Harald, DL1ABJ (Ullmar Qvick via intruderalert@iaru-r1.org via SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) Hi Bill and all the group, is there no way to "let them know" that their transmission is actually not according to the international laws as they are using a ham radio frequency?? Greetings (Thomas Wagnsonner, OE3TWB, Austria, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Thomas, Believe there has already been considerable effort put into seeing what can be done by some of the ham groups. The government has been made aware of the situation. From what I have read, the current insolvable problem is that the local technicians in Somaliland are simply incapable of changing the frequency, that is to say they do not have the expertise to make the necessary changes to the antenna for a new frequency. Therefore, for the time being, they are really locked into 7120. The improvements that happened last year were the result of Chinese technicians being in the country, working at the station for a short period of time. Perhaps if they ever return again something can be done then. We should not expect any change in the near future. (Ron Howard, CA, ibid.) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Brother Stair Overcomer Ministry additional transmissions from July 1: 1700-1800 on 13590 MOS 300 kW / 175 deg to NoAf English 2000-2200 on 11775 NAU 500 kW / 175 deg to NoAf English (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) ** SPAIN [and non]. 17850, 1750, R Exterior España via Costa Rica. Spanish sports news, 222, 21/05 (Nigel Reid, Enfield. Middlesex, Eton Satellit 750, indoor long wire, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) I thought this frequency was deleted months ago along with all analog broadcasts northward. HFCC still has it as: 17850 1500 2300 7,8,10,11 CRI 100 340 0 145 1234567 310313 271013 D SPA E REE REE 3826 However, many registrations, especially REE`s are hypothetical or not occupying the full timespan shown, or extremely variable depending on day of week or special events. May 21 was a Tuesday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Amigos de la Onda Corta para 7 y 8 de julio: Horarios y frecuencias para el periodo A-13 (del 31 de Marzo al 27 de Octubre 2013) Emisión del DOMINGO 1205-1255 UT Europa: 13720 DRM Oriente Medio: 21610 kHz África: 21540 kHz Filipinas: 11910 kHz (Desde Xian) América del Sur: 11815 kHz América Central: 5970 kHz Emisión del LUNES 0005-0055 UT América del Sur: 11815 DRM(*), 15160 y 9620 kHz América Central: 15160 y 9535 kHz América del Norte: 9630 DRM(*) y 6055 kHz (*) Desde el centro emisor de Cariari, Costa Rica (José Bueno, Spain, playdx yg via DXLD) It seems that even in Spain it`s difficult to obtain an accurate schedule. At 1205, the 11815 and 5970 frequencies are *via Costa Rica. 11910 moved some time ago from the Xian to a Beijing site. The 0005 broadcast is NOT on 6055, which is always English during this hour. I did confirm it on the others, 9535, 9620 and 15160 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. FAREWELL EKALA --- by Stig Hartvig Nielsen Friday 31st May 2013 saw the end of Ekala. This was the last day on which the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) could be heard over the famous, historical shortwave station in Ekala. It was a well-known station among short wave enthusiasts for decades. The closure came as no great surprise. When I visited the station, located just north of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, in February, it was clear that the station's days were numbered. At that time there were talks about a closure on 31st March, but it wasn’t until two months later that the final transmission from Ekala was aired. Although broadcasting via Ekala has ceased, the short wave transmissions of SLBC continue - now via Trincomalee in northeastern Sri Lanka instead. Unlike, for instance, Sackville, there are no immediate plans for the station in Ekala to be dismantled. Ekala aerials [caption] The history Sri Lanka - or as it was previously known till 1972, Ceylon - was one of the first countries in the world to use radio, and supposedly the first country in Asia to do so. The first experimental broadcasts were aired in 1923, and in 1925 regular programmes commenced – initially with a 250 Watt transmitter under the name of Radio Colombo. In 1930 the station got a new 2 kilowatt medium wave transmitter - some years later, 5 kW, and during 1934 the first experimental short wave broadcasts materialized. The aim was to reach listeners outside the capital Colombo. During World War II all broadcasting was taken over by the Allied Forces under the name of Radio SEAC (South East Asia Command) and short wave was introduced on a larger scale. The station in Ekala was built, and the strong signals from Radio SEAC played an important role from 1944. The construction of the station commenced as early as 1941, but was delayed by the fact that the Germans managed to sink the boat from England carrying the first 100 kW Marconi transmitter, which ended up on the ocean floor. So it wasn’t until the end of 1943 that broadcasting first began with some 18-20 hours of broadcasting daily on 15120 kHz. Following the war - in 1949 – the Radio SEAC facilities, consisting of studios and the transmitters in Ekala (two Marconi short wave transmitters at 7½ and 100 kW), were transferred to the local government and thus back to Radio Ceylon. Some years later three 25 kW transmitters were installed. These transmitters were used for covering the entire country with broadcasts in the three languages of Sri Lanka: Sinhala, Tamil and English. In 1950 ’The English Commercial Service’ was launched, and this was a huge success in the 1950s and 1960s across South Asia. In particular there were a lot of listeners in India. In 1953 the USA achieved permission to build a VoA relay station in Seeduwa - not far from Ekala. Later – in 1996 - the Americans constructed a new powerful station in the fishing village of Iranawila, 150 km north of Colombo. This despite massive opposition from local residents in the small village. Today, the station consists of two 500 kW transmitters and six 250 kW transmitters. In addition to broadcasts from VoA the facility is used to broadcast programmes such as Radio Ashna, Radio Azadi, Radio Farda, Radio Free Asia, Radio Liberty and Radio Sawa, all parts of the U.S. psychological warfare aimed at Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, several other Asian countries as well as the Arabic-speaking countries. Radio manager [caption] In 1959 Radio Ceylon took a new 10 kW medium wave transmitter into use, thanks to help from West Germany. By the end of the 1960s a number of new medium wave stations in various parts of the island were installed. In the late 1970s, they were supplemented or replaced by new FM transmitters. In 1967 the name ‘Radio Ceylon’ was changed into ‘Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation’, and in 1972 - when Ceylon officially changed its name to Sri Lanka – the name of the radio station was changed again - it became the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), a name which remains till today. In 1983, Sri Lanka's first community radio station - Mahaweli Community Radio – took to the airwaves thanks to donations from Denmark. One of the objectives was teaching the local farmers modern farming methods. Round about the same time West Germany succeeded in getting a permission to build a huge relay station in Trincomalee for the external service known as Deutsche Welle (DW). Initially two high power SW transmitters at 300 and a 250 kW were installed as well as a 600 kW medium wave transmitter. The relay station was opened in 1984. Later the row of transmitters included four 300 kW shortwave transmitters in addition to the high power medium wave transmitter. In November 2011 DW's relay station in Trincomalee was handed over to the Sri Lankan government. This happened because DW dropped virtually all broadcasts on short wave. In 1992 a close collaboration with Japan began. It included delivery of new studio equipment, OB [outside broadcast; remote] equipment and FM transmitters to SLBC. And the Japanese also delivered a number of short wave transmitters to Ekala: Three new 10 kW transmitters to be used for the SLBC Domestic Service and two new 300 kW short wave transmitters that were used to relay broadcasts from NHK Radio Japan. In 2012 NHK ceased all transmissions via Ekala, and the two 300 kW were handed over to Sri Lanka. 300 kW Japanese transmitters [caption] Most transmitters at Ekala in poor condition It isn’t hard to find the Ekala short wave station – located approx. 20 km north of Colombo on yet another very hot day in Sri Lanka during my journey to South Asia in February 2013. Admittedly the easy finding of Ekala is due to the well-known - and only - DXer in Sri Lanka, Victor Goonetilleke, who directs us. For ages he has followed developments in the short wave world and of course also in Ekala and this is by no means his first visit there. The station is located relatively close to built-up areas. It consists of three very large main buildings and a few fields with a lot of aerials. It's really not modern and some of the transmitters - most of which do not work anymore - are in quite poor condition. But it is a friendly team of engineers who welcome us at the station, and they willingly tell us everything about the station – its facilities and its history - and show us around. The staff realise that the station is living on borrowed time. Victor Goonetilleke is of the opinion that it is important that the station is not just being completely dismantled. He suggests that some of the transmitters and aerials are being preserved and that Ekala should be turned into a museum, so future generations can see and learn about how short wave once played a major role in international communications. But the chances of that happening are slim. Goonetilleke adds that already several companies have expressed interest in buying the large area on which the station is located. And in these materialistic days it is very likely that the land will be sold and that the transmitters will all be scrapped as scrap or electronic scrap. Until the closure only three transmitters were in working condition: Two 10 kW and one 35 kW transmitter. One of the three, however, had rather poor audio. All the transmitters which Japan donated to Sri Lanka in the early 1990s are out of service. The four 10 kW transmitters used for the Home Service are very unlikely to be usable again, says a technician I talk to. The two large 300 kW transmitters however are in good condition. They had been in operation until mid-2012. These two major transmitters, however, lack tubes and it remains such a huge expense (2 x US$50.000), that the purchase of these tubes has been postponed several times. The aerials at Ekala consist of three set ups: An old aerial directed towards India, a new aerial which can be used for both India and the Middle East and also an old aerial aimed at the Far East. Only the latter doesn’t work anymore. Trinco is better The old Deutsche Welle relay station in Trincomalee - often abbreviated to Trinco - from the mid-1980s - is in good condition, and there are several reasons why SLBC has chosen to broadcast from here instead of Ekala. Trinco is located in north-eastern Sri Lanka, where an intense civil war between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil rebels from the LTTE was fought for some 30 years. The civil war meant that DW could not get its electricity from the normal power grid. Instead, delivery of diesel fuel was made to some giant diesel generators. DW had an agreement with both the Sri Lankan army as well as the Tamil forces which ensured DW's station was spared and left in peace, and stopped any attacks on the transportation of diesel fuel on the 12 km dirt road from the nearest port to the relay station. This agreement was observed by both sides during all of the war. The civil war ended three years ago, and the area in north-eastern Sri Lanka is now getting standard power supply established. A connection to the grid will make it much cheaper to operate the station, and in February 2013 it was expected that the connection would come into place in March 2013. Diesel generators were an expensive and a cumbersome solution. It is due to this fact that the SLBC has refrained from relocating from Ekala to Trinco a lot earlier. As from the end of May all of SLBC’s international broadcasts have been moved. This has meant that instead of using three frequencies at a time - now only one frequency is used at a time. But with much higher output power than in the past - namely 125 kW compared to the previous 10-35 kW (July BDXC-Communication via DXLD) QSLs: 11750, PCJ Radio International via Trincomalee. Received a verification letter with full data (with site indicated); also sent NTU Bookmarker plus a number of plate block Taiwanese stamps, for a postal report to Taiwan address. Reply in 24 days, v/s: Keith 11750, PCJ Radio International. Full data (with site) PCJ Radio International E-mail #062 QSL Verification for a report sent to Victor Goonetilleke, who replies within 10 hours. Special Thanks to Victor for this valuable service to the DX Community! (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1630 - 9505 kHz (SYNC-L), LA VOIX DU SUDAN, Francese, notizie OM e canzone. Segnale buono-sufficiente (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) Another nice signal: 9505 kHz "Voice of Africa" from Omdurman, Sudan. English around 1730/1830 UT, audible only in USB. Some days strong QRM, some days better. Last week excellent!! Please listen to the clip from my remote station. 73 from Salzburg also to Wolfy, Mauno and Thomas! (Christoph Ratzer, http://ratzer.at http://remotedx.wordpress.com SW Bulletin July 7 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Voice of Sudan, Sudan Radio, 9505, 1700 UT, English with music and commentary regarding Sudan people. 1725 info regarding station with email ID as voiceofafrica @ sudanradio.net (not sure if it was net or sn). Also postal address as PO 572, Omdurman, Sudan. Icom 751, Dipole (Manikant Lodaya, City of Hubli in the state of Karnataka, India, July 8, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [and non]. UNIDENTIFIED. 15150, July 4 at 0446-0516+ continuous 1 kHz tone, good signal, no breaks at hourtop or anywhen. Nothing scheduled until 0530 Iran in Arabic via Zahedan. Terry Krueger also suspected this source with music at 1306-1329* Dec 23, 2012 as in DXLD 13-01. But I would not be surprised if it be some BaBcoCk test and/or a new transmitter/site. UNIDENTIFIED. 15150, July 5 at 0449, the 1 kHz continuous tone test is back 24 hours after last heard. It`s a good steady signal, lite fading, quite unlike 15170 Saudi and 15110 Tatarstan non, both poor with flutter, so I doubt it`s Iran. This time I stay awake until 0530 to hear what happen when Iran is supposed to start this frequency in Arabic. Tone and carrier cut off just in time at 0529, but nothing further audible. If these keep up, would those with direxional antennas or other means of locating source please try to do so! UNIDENTIFIED. 15150, July 6 at 0519, 1 kHz tone for the third night in a row. This time there are no Mideast signals on 19m, hi-latitudes outblacked, just much stronger ones from Australia, with Rwanda 15275 and Madagascar 15400 also in sufficiently. Comparing, the 15150 signal is most similar to 15400. At 0522 I find a duplicate 1 kHz tone JBA on 17690, likely same unknown site testing; only other sigs on 16m and only slightly better than 17690, are Australia 17750, Saipan 17855, and some JBA music on 17490, scheduled as Udorn in Tibetan, ergo just as likely to be a Chicom jammer. On two radios I monitor both 15150 and 17690 whether they cut off at same time 0529 like 15150 did last night: No, 15150 now stays until 0531* (and still no sign of Iran scheduled from 0530), while 17690 tone is still JBA when I quit a couple minutes later. {17690 is scheduled only for R. Azadi (Free Afghanistan) alternating Dari and Pashto all the way from 0230 to 1430, with a variety of sites, switching at 0530 from Sri Lanka to Thailand; unheard} UNIDENTIFIED. 15150, July 7 at 0429, 0449, 0458, 0513, no sign of the continuous 1 kHz tone test heard the previous three nights during this hour; nor 17690. Propagation degraded, but Australia was still OK on 15160 before 0500. Wolfgang Büschel heard no tone on 15150 either, but on 15400 at 0521 July 7, covering Dabanga/Madagascar and thinx that may be Kamalabad, Iran testing prior to their 1300 UT broadcast on same frequency. For propagational reasons, I doubt 15150 was from Iran (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15400, July 8 at 0517, 1000 Hz tone making slight SAH with weaker R. Dabanga, Madagascar. Nothing on 15150, where 1 kHz tones were being heard during this hour until last night, when Wolfgang Büschel found it on 15400. Now the 15400 tone cuts off at 0531* as R. Dabanga continues. This is getting suspicious, as 15150 is also a R. Dabanga frequency via Madagascar, but at a totally different time, 1529-1627 (plus R. Tamazuj at 1500-1529). Thus I suspect the tones are jamming from Sudan, except they were at first mixed up about which frequency to attack in the morning. The other morning frequency, 11650 via Vatican at 0400-0557 has long been marred by continuous tone jamming. As for 17690 tone, checking again for that I hear a weak 1 kHz circa 17693.5 at 0518, which I am now writing off as out of some local device, altho how an exact 1000 Hz tone arises is unclear (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Henceforth see SUDAN [and non] Re your 1000 Hertz tone tests at 0449 UT Re "...so I doubt it's Iran ..." IRAN/MADAGASCAR, Noted such test tone on 15400 kHz at 0521 UT July 7 today. Covered R Dabanga in Sudanese- Arabic from Talata Volondry MDG til 0526 UT, then test tone had disappeared. I guess the engineers at Kamalabad Iran test their transmitter / antenna / feedline for further services the day around 1300-1527 UT towards South Asia. Test tone signal on S=9+20dB level. No test tones observed here on 15150 kHz today so far (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15400, July 9 at 0512, 1 kHz tone atop R. Dabanga, again presumed jamming from, or on behalf of, Sudan`s repressive government. 15400, July 10 at 0511, 1 kHz tone jammer mixing with R. Dabanga via MADAGASCAR, but both weaker than usual in degraded propagation (at 0518 WWV says K index at 0300 was 5; G1 and R1). Even DW English via Rwanda 15275 is weak (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. 4990, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, 0847 om in Dutch? to 0852, 0852 yl vocalist, 0900 instrumental music. 0903 bass driven music, 0905 om chat, 0944 instrumental music. 4 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWAZILAND. 6120/9500, TWR (Manzini) *0500+ 20, 21, 25 June. 0500 seems to be the new, improved 49M opening time -- usually audible slightly past 0520 (0720 local in Manzini); occasionally 6120 has IADs which aren't heard on 9500 (Dan Sheedy, Encinitas, CA G5/8m X wire, via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. SAQ, 17.2 kHz, reception reports: http://alexander.n.se/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/SAQ-PRELIMINARY-REPORTS-OF-TRANSMISSION-2013-06-30-ALEXANDERSON-DAY-4-pagineraddoc.doc (via gh, DXLD) ** SYRIA. Radio Damascus has lost the majority of mediumwave radio transmitters during the civil war. Some of the transmitters are still on the air and this is the situation now: 567 kHz - Damascus 666 kHz - Damascus Network 2 783 kHz - Tartus 828 kHz - Deir al Zor Radio Nur of the Hezbollah organisation Tartus relay station transmitter on 1071 kHz is on the air. Radio Al-Quds Palestinian radio in Damascus, 702 kHz is off the air for months (O. Barth, Israel(?), 7 June, mediumwave.info via July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. 6115, R Taiwan International with English News read by YL with the top story still talking about the service trade agreement between China, India and Taiwan, which has been an item in the last 3 broadcasts (!) and an item about organ donation in Taiwan. Then regional weather and into features including "Soft Power' with an item about Taiwan being a 'land mine free' country with the removal of all land mines from the outlying islands. Into "Feast meets West" with item re hunting rats and cooking them in the traditional aboriginal custom of hunting field rats after a funeral, and --- here's the good part: how to stir-fry them. Lots of garlic, basil and sesame oil -- and stir fry it until it is dry -- the moisture makes it too gamey. Add Bonito flakes and not MSG to add a flavor kick. YUM! Apparently this is not a dish popular in restaurants for some reason. Go figure. The chef opined that field rat is good for the vocal cords and eating it makes you sing better. The host said it tastes like 'chicken' and then back-tracked quickly to admit the preparation matters and it was a little more gamey. A "competition question", tell them in 50 words or less about hunting in your culture, rounded out the show, and then they announced their English Schedule and sign off with WYFR ID. In well 5554+4+ -- I wonder what will be revealed here next week when this signal is gone. 0300-0400* 29/Jun --Zichi MI2 6115, R Taiwan International via WYFR with the FINAL broadcast to North America, in English with News including an item that last May was the hottest on record EVER in Taipei, Week in review, weather in Taiwan, ID and web address, and 'today in history': In 1859, 25k people watched a tightwalker cross Niagara Falls, and in 1990 East and West Germany merged economies. Then into "Here [sic; it`s really ``Hear`` as I later learnt --- gh] in Taiwan" with items re an ATM that is shocking people despite being repeatedly fixed, and a woman hired to promote "sword lions" (door decorations used traditionally to ward off evil) and stories of 'ghost' sightings in Taiwan. Then 'Chinese to Go' language lesson and 'Soundwaves' with information about and songs from the Golden Melody Award nominee for best male singer Jay Chou (who is actually pretty darn good!) Schedule information including the North American frequencies which are kaput as of now at end, and off with carrier dropping without comment or other fanfare right at the ToH. 5554+4+ -- still amazing quality as from WYFR before, *0300-0400* 1/Jul (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Port Hope MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Hi hello, a necessary task for Japanese and Chinese DXer, to explore the new schedule in Taiwan, when Hu Wei and Tainan sites to be decommissioned soon or at present. CHECK OF TAIWANESE broadcasts and relays. Today July 4th between 0800 and 1120 UT checked the Taiwan broadcasts. On remote units at Tokyo and on Hokkaido isle, on the far Northern Japan. Also Brisbane AUS - 15 MHz, but on downunder winter time dead band at this hour. 11605, Jpn, couldn't be traced at this hour, not on air 8-9 UT, maybe new schedule time? 7325 and 11875 RFI Paris Chinese on air 9745 on air 6180 Huwei 1000 on air 6105 9660 11640 7385 Kouhu 10 UT on air 11520 Paochung, 11910 Tainan(or replacement) Indonesian on air 9735 RTI Japan on air Tainan-replacement? 7280 Tanshui on air. 15680 RFI Paris, French on air, not Lao 11985 RTI Russ, HuWei replacement on air. 9680 HuWei replacement on air FuHsing BC - a peak is visible and really very good on 9774 kHz at 11 UT, plus jamming on 9775 from mainland China. Also a Chinese program with 'SCRATCHING Audio Sound' on center 9410 kHz, and bandwidth of 12 kHz range fromn 9404 to 9416 kHz. 7445 RTI English on air, Paochung, 1120 UT. TWN_RTI_Hu-Wei_8 curtains (Yun-lin) 23 43'35.06"N 120 25'01.92"E express train line and two highways very nearby on westerly side. ``Residents in the vicinity of the Tainan towers have long complained about electromagnetic wave interference and repeatedly pushed for their relocation, and the Huwei towers are being removed to make way for a special high-speed rail zone, the statement said. The decision to demolish the Tainan towers was made in 2004 when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was still in power and the decision to phase out the Huwei station was made in 2011, it said.`` Baozhong - see style spelling of BauJong/Paochung. SOH - And behind all this lies Falun Gong sect !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Wolfgang Büschel, July 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Another Article re end of RTI Tainan site Another article for interest sake from Taipei Times:- http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/07/03/2003566214 SOH information discredited - re loss of RTI TXer sites. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/07/05/2003566399 (Ian Baxter, NSW, July 5, dxldyg via DXLD) ROC OFFICE REBUTS SOUND OF HOPE CHARGES ON BROADCASTING ISSUE 2013/07/03 14:41:09 Washington, July 2 (CNA) The Republic of China's representative office in the United States on Tuesday described as "inaccurate" a radio network's claim that the office has failed to convey to its home government congressional concerns over a shortwave broadcasting issue. . . http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201307030014.aspx (via Ian Baxter, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) Re: Epoch Times Articles - RTI Tainan --- The full response is here: http://www.taiwanembassy.org/US/ct.asp?xItem=396685&ctNode=2300&mp=12&nowPage=2&pagesize=15 I must say that I find this complete break-down of communications between Radio Taiwan International and the media organization "often connected with the Falun Gong spiritual group", as Wikipedia puts it, quite amazing. One has to wonder how they are able to handle their business under such circumstances. In fact apparently no "Sound of Hope" transmissions are affected at all. A schedule researched in May by Ivo Ivanov did not show Tainan or Huwei for any of these transmissions; instead most of them went out from Tanshui already then. So they could be only affected by way of capacity being taken away and used for other services instead now. But this does not appear to have been done either. All Family Radio transmissions ceased at the same time the Tainan transmitters were shut down (I think both events are directly related, or more precisely the demise of Family Radio brought the attempts to continue with the Tainan station to an end), and all but one of the Tainan outlets of RTI English were cancelled without a substitute. By the way, as recently as in May, the head and in fact now only staff member of the German service (Chiu Bihui, to mention the name of the lady which to fire has been proposed here) still hoped to run another series of special transmissions from the Tainan station this autumn, believing that it will be closed in 2014. She further stated that the new management of Radio Taiwan International is no longer convinced of shortwave as a distribution platform, but still she was not aware of real plans to abandon it for the time being (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RE ``Paochung? For all the years I have been living in Taiwan I would like to know where Paochung is? There is no place in Taiwan called Paochung. There has never been any place in Taiwan called Paochung. The pronunciation is Taichung (tai pronounced as tai as in Taiwan). For example, where I live in bopomofo it's spelled Panchao (but it is pronounced as Banchao with the B sound). Tamshui is not pronounced as tam, but as dan (Danshui) (Keith Perron, Taiwan July 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Why not Google? http://www.collinsmaps.com/maps/Taiwan/Yunlin/Paochung/P1068592.00.asp http://www.worldweatheronline.com/v2/weather.aspx?q=Paochung,%20Taiwan (Terry Krueger, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At a certain scale of the Google map we also see that Paochung is quite near Huwei on the west coast (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Huwei is part of Yunlin County. At some point in the future will be part of New Taipei City. Last year many areas like Banciao, Xinzhaung and many others were put all together New Taipei City. This was doing to make services like police, fire and others more efficient. Before there use to be maybe 12 or more mayors, now there is just one for the whole area. The other reason this has been done it to make Taipei bigger (Keith Perron, Taiwan, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) THE RUMOUR FILE: RTI Huwei Folk following events at RTI will be aware that the RTI shortwave transmission site will close sometime between now and December 2013. There are rumours about that the RTI Huwei shortwave transmitter site might become a museum. The antennas will be felled to make way for the planned Huwei High Speed Rail Station, but the transmission building might be saved as a (RTI?) Radio Museum. This is just one proposal. Currently the MW RTI site Minhsiung is also home to the National Radio Museum. RTI Huwei is the most beautiful of all RTI transmission sites (Ian Baxter, NSW, shortwavesites yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) A couple of RTI TX Site names/spelling --- MY TURN: Hi, I know Glenn & others may recall I/we had discussion about this some years ago. I pretty much agree with all of Keith's comments - after all he should know, he currently lives there. Yes, the Romanised way of spelling Chinese names in Taiwan is a mess & yes, the government is now committed to standardising this - thankfully. Was a source of absolute annoyance to me in Taiwan. But worse, when some streets had completely different names and one needed numerous maps to have a chance to finding some places. I'm not such a big fan of either Pinyin or Wade Giles spelling. Neither is perfect in my humble opinion, but it will be good if one day all of Taiwan becomes standardized with the one system of Romanised spelling. I've never liked the RTI or WRTH way of spelling Tamshui (Pinyin?. Please DON'T pronounce it as: "Tam–shoe–ee". I prefer to spell the name closer to the way it sounds and was `previously' spelt at the train station (and currently on Google Earth): Danshui: Pronounce it correctly as: Done Shway And in defiance I spell it: Danshui. Paochung: Is a horrible representation as well. Pronounce it like: Bow Joong (not perfect) B as Bat. Ao or ow as in Cow. Joong or zhong. I prefer to see spelling as: BaoZhong (Pinyin?) (Ian Baxter, NSW, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) In Romanised Chinese, Wade-Giles Romanization was common. This resembles English pronunciation. POJ (Peh-oe-ji) in Romanised of Taiwanese. The Beijing (Peking) government established pinyin in 1958. Taiwan government adopted pinyin formally in 2009. Various types are used together now in Taiwan. Two types are in Japanese Romanised, Kunreishiki and Hepburn. Hepburn; Chiba-pref. Fuji etc. Kunreishiki; Tiba-pref. Huji http://park.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/eigo/UT-Komaba-Romanization-of-Japanese-v1.pdf (S. Hasegawa, Japan, ibid.) I have an QSL from RTI with TX Site Paochung, actually it is ?? in Chinese character, yes it sounds as "Paochung", see the QSL received Jan. 3, 2013, with image at: http://jshort.blog.163.com/blog/static/20971528920127159110135/ (``Jonathan Short``, China, ibid.) Going to that site locked up my computer (gh, DXLD) Paochung (township ???) is sited in Yun Lin County (???), Glenn (Jonathan Short, with Chinese characters, ibid.) Coordinates for the Paochung SW site (yes, spelt that way) in Aoki and WRTH 2013 page 661 are: 2343N 12018E --- is that correct? (gh, DXLD) Yes, very close per: Map of Paochung = Paochung relay station, Near Huwai http://www.collinsmaps.com/maps/Taiwan/Yunlin/Paochung/P1068592.00.aspx (S. Hasegawa, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Geographical Information for Paochung Place name: Paochung Latitude: 23 43' 09" N Longitude: 120 19' 03" E Feature description: town Area/state: Yünlin Population range of place: is between 10,000 and 20,000 Country: Taiwan Country ISO code: TW Location of Paochung in The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World is plate 25 I12 (via DXLD) Following talks on above, attached please find scan result of image in 2011 RTI diary (Tony Ashar, Indonesia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Fuzzy map shows six of the eight sites are bunched around the western bulge of Taiwan, not only Huwei and Paochung; plus one site around Taipei in the north and one around Khaosiung in the south. Less fuzzy shot can make out most of the letters (sic); North near Taipei: Dan-shui West-Central group, north to south, along coast, with a couple further inland; Banciao, Xinzhaung [sic as above] are half the island away from Taipei tho Keith says they are being made part of that city: Lu-gang Bao-zhong, Kou-hu Hu-wei, Min-xiong Tai-nan South: Fang-Nao (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. Summer A-13 of Radio Taiwan International: 0000-0030 on 11655 TNN 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 0000-0300 on 9660 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 0200-0300 on 11995 ISS 500 kW / 232 deg to SoAm Spanish 0300-0400 on 15320 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs English 0400-0430 on 15320 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Cantonese 0400-0600 on 11640 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 0400-0600 on 15245 TSH 300 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Chinese 0430-0500 on 15320 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Hakka 0800-0900 on 11605 TNN 250 kW / 045 deg to JPN Japanese 0900-1000 on 15270 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 0900-1000 on 15465 PAO 100 kW / 230 deg to SEAs Chinese 1000-1030 on 9735 TNN 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Cantonese 1000-1030 on 15270 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Cantonese 1000-1100 on 6105 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1000-1100 on 6180 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1000-1100 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1000-1100 on 9660 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1000-1100 on 11520 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1000-1100 on 11640 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1000-1100 on 11915 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1000-1100 on 15465 PAO 100 kW / 230 deg to SEAs Amoy 1030-1100 on 9735 TNN 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Hakka 1030-1100 on 15270 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Hakka 1100-1200 on 6180 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1100-1200 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1100-1200 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs English 1100-1200 on 9660 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1100-1200 on 9680 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1100-1200 on 9735 TNN 250 kW / 045 deg to JPN Japanese 1100-1200 on 11640 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1100-1200 on 11915 PAO 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Chinese 1100-1200 on 11985 HUW 100 kW / 002 deg to NEAs Russian 1200-1230 on 6105 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Cantonese 1200-1230 on 11915 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Cantonese 1200-1300 on 6180 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 9660 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 9665 PAO 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 9680 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 9735 PAO 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1200-1300 on 11640 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 11765 TNN 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 1230-1300 on 6105 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Hakka 1230-1300 on 11915 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Hakka 1300-1400 on 6180 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 9660 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 9680 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 9735 TNN 250 kW / 045 deg to JPN Japanese 1300-1400 on 11640 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1300-1400 on 11915 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Amoy 1300-1400 on 15265 TSH 300 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 6075 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 6145 PAO 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 6180 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 9625 TNN 300 kW / 250 deg to SEAs Vietnamese 1400-1500 NF 9660 PAO 100 kW / 245 deg to SEAs Thai, ex 11635 1400-1500 on 9680 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 9735 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1400-1500 on 15225 ISS 500 kW / 060 deg to RUSS Russian 1500-1600 on 6075 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1500-1600 on 6145 PAO 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1500-1600 on 7365 TAI 300 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Chinese 1500-1600 on 7380 PAO 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1500-1600 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1500-1600 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Thai 1500-1600 NF 9660 PAO 100 kW / 245 deg to SEAs Thai, ex 11635 1500-1600 on 9680 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 6075 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 6145 PAO 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 6180 TNN 250 kW / 205 deg to SoAs English 1600-1700 on 7365 TAI 300 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 7385 KOU 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 9680 HUW 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1600-1700 on 15485 ISS 500 kW / 085 deg to SEAs English 1700-1800 on 6075 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 1700-1800 on 6145 PAO 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 1700-1800 on 13750 ISS 500 kW / 055 deg to RUSS Russian 1700-1800 on 15690 ISS 500 kW / 160 deg to SoAf English 1800-1900 on 6155 ISS 250 kW / 345 deg to U.K. English 1900-2000 on 6185 WOF 300 kW / 078 deg to WeEu German 1900-2000 on 7325 WOF 300 kW / 140 deg to WeEu French 1900-2000 on 15690 ISS 500 kW / 190 deg to NoAf French 2000-2100 on 3965 ISS 250 kW / 215 deg to SoEu Spanish 2100-2200 on 3965 ISS 250 kW / 050 deg to WeEu German 2200-2300 on 6105 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 2200-2300 on 6150 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 2200-2300 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Thai 2200-2300 on 11605 TNN 250 kW / 045 deg to JPN Japanese 2200-2300 on 11635 PAO 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Chinese 2200-2300 on 11885 HUW 100 kW / 002 deg to JPN Chinese 2300-2400 on 6105 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 2300-2400 on 6150 KOU 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese 2300-2400 on 7445 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs Thai 2300-2400 on 9660 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 2300-2400 on 9685 KOU 100 kW / 267 deg to SEAs Chinese 2300-2400 on 11635 PAO 100 kW / 208 deg to SEAs Chinese 2300-2400 on 11885 HUW 100 kW / 002 deg to JPN Chinese 2330-2400 on 11655 TNN 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Vietnamese (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) ** TINIAN. NORTH MARIANA ISLANDS, QSL: 15595, Vatican Radio English to Asia via Tinian. Full data (with site as Tinian). Special March the 19th live transmission of Pope Francis on Youtube QSL card with schedule and verie letter thanking me for my report. Reply in 73 days. V/s: Joseph Paimalli S.J. English Section, South Asian Desk (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UNITED KINGDOM. QSL: 12025, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Turkmen to Asia via Woofferton. Full data (with site and power) HQ building in Prague. Reply in 74 days for a Postal report (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: VOA JOURNALISM? Is government broadcasting irrelevant? Important article, and be sure to read the comments too: http://www.cjr.org/feature/mission_impossible.php?page=all More biting commentary from The Federalist at BBGWatch, in reaxion to the above CJR article: http://www.usgbroadcasts.com/bbgwatch/2013/07/05/broadcasting-board-of-governors-%c2%a0information-war-lost-%c2%a0dysfunctional-defunct-and-proud-of-it-%c2%a0self-flagellation/ http://www.usgbroadcasts.com/bbgwatch/2013/07/06/egypt-explodes-voice-of-america-english-news-nowhere-to-be-seen-on-social-media-voa-director-goes-on-vacation/ (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New essay at http://www.kimandrewelliott.com discusses the June 26 House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Broadcasting Board of Governors and the future of US international broadcasting: kimelli.nfshost.com/?id=14194 (Kim Elliott, July 6, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: THE BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF US INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING Posted: 03 Jul 2013 Commentary by Kim Andrew Elliott On 26 June, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on U.S. international broadcasting (USIB): "Broadcasting Board of Governors: An Agency 'Defunct.'" During the hearing, two distinct visions of US international broadcasting, and of how it will consider the needs of the audience, became evident. The fate of US international broadcasting will be determined by the political debate in the next several months. The opening statement by committee chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) included misinformation about the Voice of America: "While the Voice of America aims to provide listeners with objective news and information about United States foreign policy, the purpose of the surrogate broadcasters such as Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, is very different. And that is to beam ... information into closed societies, giving those citizens the information that otherwise they would never be able to access." Anyone who has listened to VOA knows that its content is not limited to US foreign policy. VOA would not have an audience if it did not also include news about its target countries. Where did the chairman get this erroneous description of VOA? It is often used by supporters of the surrogate Radio-Free stations to justify their preservation. Such misinformation about VOA is persistent (see previous post). It was on such faulty premises about VOA that Radio Free Asia was created in 1996. It is perhaps based on this perception of VOA as purveyor of US foreign policy that a proposal is swirling among Congressional staff offices that VOA be absorbed into the State Department. VOA, as the largest of USIB entities, with by far its largest audience, would therefore become a sacrificial elephant. Under State, VOA would lose, in quick succession, its independence, its credibility, its audience, and its justification for continued existence. The surrogate stations (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Alhurra, and Radio Sawa) would come under the umbrella of the National Endowment for Democracy. These entities would enjoy more independence than VOA, giving them the potential to continue reporting the news. The surrogates would retain their audiences and survive into the future. The three witnesses at the hearing did not include any present members or representatives of the "defunct" BBG. Instead, three former members of the BBG spoke and took questions. James K. Glassman James K. Glassman was chairman of the BBG during the George W. Bush administration and was a senior fellow of the American Enterprise Institute. With those conservative credentials, it's interesting that Mr. Glassman's proposals for USIB are based on central planning rather than market based solutions. They focus on what the U.S. government wants the audience to hear, not on what the audience itself wants to hear. The attention of the audience is taken for granted. While Mr. Glassman said USIB output should consist of "journalism of the highest caliber" he also said that such journalism should be "not the end but the means." It should be "following actual strategic directives, for example convincing Pakistanis that they face an existential threat from Al Qaeda" and trying "to persuade Iranians to oppose the development of nuclear weapons." To that end, Mr. Glassman wants the BBG "fully integrated into the foreign policy apparatus of the US government" by placing USIB (all of it, not only VOA) into the State Department, with an assistant secretary of state playing the role of a CEO, or under a "resurrected USIA." Mr. Glassman did not mention Radio Moscow and probably never listened to it back in the day, but it is the model for the type of USIB that he wants. Its news-like content was certainly a "means to an end" rather than an end itself. It was definitely integrated into the Soviet foreign policy apparatus. Radio Moscow was the granddaddy of international broadcasting, with more broadcast hours, more languages, more kilowatts, than any other international radio station. But it had a tiny audience. This is because the audience for international broadcasting is, collectively, much smarter than the decision makers and experts who would devise schemes to use those broadcasts to change opinions in other countries. Yes, freedom is a more attractive ideology than communism, but extolment even for a commendable cause becomes repetitive. USIB under the Glassman centrally-planned vision would manage only to persuade the audience to reach for the dial and tune to the BBC. Turning U.S. international broadcasting into public diplomacy would be bad public diplomacy. Audiences could be even more annoyed with the United States than they may already be if the U.S. provides a product labeled as news but is really thinly disguised advocacy for US policies. Audiences want news that is more credible than the news they get from their government-controlled domestic media. The solution is not more government controlled media. Through international broadcasting as international news, audiences abroad will learn about U.S. policies. They will do so through interviews, actualities, reportage, all of which enhance credibility and attract audiences, rather than the opposite. Enders Wimbush In his testimony, Enders Wimbush, a former director of Radio Liberty and member of the BBG until last year, described USIB as a "mélange" of federal agencies and 501C3 corporations. He also said that USIB is characterized by "rampant duplication of effort" and he read out all of the 23 languages that are transmitted by more than one entity. Because of all this duplication, said Mr. Wimbush, USIB lacks the funds to add new strategic languages, such as Ibo. The distinction between surrogate and non-surrogate broadcasting is a "canard." He added that "VOA has been practicing surrogacy for years" and that one station can both be a surrogate and "tell America's story." About the BBG, Mr. Wimbush was blunt: it "was a bad idea when it was created, and it is dysfunctional." He recommends that the BBG be eliminated. As one who has advocated consolidation of USIB for nearly a quarter century, I was happy to hear Mr. Wimbush's strong statements about consolidation and the deconstruction of the surrogate-official dichotomy. The elimination of the BBG, however, worries me. Throughout the world, there is no public broadcasting body that has been able to maintain its independence without the protection of a multi-partisan board. Such independence is necessary to achieve the credibility necessary for a successful news operation. If the BBG is eliminated, chances are it will be replaced by something other than a bipartisan board. If the senior management of USIB is again appointed by the president with Senate consent, the quest for independence becomes a crapshoot. A president might appoint a director who is committed to independent journalism. Or the president might appoint a policy flack who will steer the broadcasting service to something with an evident bias. In previous decades, VOA went through such pendulum swings. The BBG was created to put an end to that, it succeeded, and thus it was, and still is, a good idea. Jeffrey Hirschberg Of the three witnesses, only Jeffrey Hirschberg unambiguously made the case for independent journalism in USIB. "The most important thing is that US international broadcasting has in its favor around the world is its credibility. ... The BBG does not do messaging. It does not do advocacy." He also stressed that any CEO of USIB must be behind the BBG firewall, i.e. appointed by the Board and not by the president. Mr. Hirschberg noted that the BBG worked well in the past, and can again if its members work together. He would not eliminate the present multi-entity structure of USIB. He said that, beyond its structure, part of the problem is that the BBG is underfunded. Of course, I am gratified by Mr. Hirschberg's defense of the news function of USIB. And by his reminder that the BBG can work if it has the right people working constructively together. I can't sign on to his desire to preserve the present multi-entity structure of USIB. The standard Washington solution to any bureaucratic problem is: increase our funding. An agency so replete with duplication should, however, reform itself, or beg Congress for the necessary reforms, before it asks for any budget enhancement. The present structure of USIB 1) is full of duplication, a form of waste in federal spending, 2) divides resources that are scarce no matter how generous the budget, and 3) forces the audience to tune to two different stations to get all of the news. In USIB as it is now, each entity is assigned a deficiency. VOA needs more resources to report about its target country. RFE/RL and RFA mostly do not do world news and news about the USA. In each target country, through audience research, the audience will indicate what proportion of news about their country, about the United States, and about the rest of the world, they want. When two USIB entities transmit in the same language, neither is calibrated to provide news in the desired proportion. Reps. Brad Sherman and Eliot Engel Most of the members of the committee perceive U.S. international broadcasting as a form of advocacy. One member said the BBG is "not about increasing your target audience. It's about getting your message out." In other words, international broadcasting as soliloquy. Two members of the committee defended the news function of USIB. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) said, "We need to maintain enough distinction between the State Department and the broadcasters so that every news report isn't considered an official statement of the US government subject to 17 reviews." He also said, "I think we need one agency overseeing this to avoid the duplication." He also spoke of his quest to add VOA broadcasts in the Sindh language of Pakistan. "I've been here 17 years. I haven’t seen any suggestion taken by the broadcasters unless it was passed by both houses of Congress and binding on them by law." If languages of USIB were added every time a member of Congress wanted it added, USIB would soon be up to 200 or more languages. With resources so subdivided, daily broadcasts in each language would probably not be possible, nor would television in most of them. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), in his opening statement as ranking member, said, "As we examine ways to improve the governance of international broadcasting, it is vital that any reforms maintain the journalistic integrity that has been built over the last 70 years. This means maintaining a strong firewall between journalism and politics." He also cited what he described as a VOA adage: "Tell the truth and let the world decide." That adage is a wonderful encapsulation of what VOA, and indeed all the entities of USIB, should do. It is, unfortunately, not displayed anywhere at the VOA headquarters. And it requires some explanation. Some might wonder, why merely broadcast truth to the world? Why on earth let audiences decide for themselves? Shouldn’t we decide for them? The answers are not difficult but require a slight intellectual leap. Rep. Engel also asked a key question: "Is there any common ground in the overarching mission of US international broadcasting? Is it possible for the broadcasters to provide authoritative, accurate, and objective news while at the same time advancing US interests?" The responses largely consisted of sophistry, with journalism positioned as a “context” for an effort whose real intent is to support U.S. policies. Mix any amount of propaganda with news, however, and the sum is propaganda. The audience will detect an agenda. And they can tune to other stations, or access other websites, with a more sincere approach to news. Here is the answer to Rep. Engels’ question: Providing authoritative, accurate, and objective news in itself advances US interests. 1) It attracts an audience, because authoritative, accurate, and objective news is what the audience is seeking. 2) Having received such information, the audience is bolstered against the misinformation and disinformation of dictators and terrorists and other miscreants. 3) The audience has a clear and undistorted picture of US policies and actions, and of the reasons behind them, and of US discussion and debate about those policies. 4) It speaks well for the United States that it provides such a needed information service. 5) It speaks well for the United States that it would provide a news service that includes all the day’s events, including those that might be unfavorable to the government. 6) Authoritative, accurate, and objective news is necessary for the development of democracy, and for the maintenance of young democracies. The United States has a substantial public diplomacy effort in the State Department. That is where advocacy should be employed to advance U.S. interests. Public diplomacy and international broadcasting are complementary. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen In her questions for the witnesses, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) expressed her support for Radio and TV Martí, a subject of interest to her constituency. She also asked if VOA can fill the information “vacuum” in Venezuela and Ecuador. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen should find out what media research says about any such information vacuum in those two countries. Is CNN en Español available there? Is it being watched? Is it reporting in sufficient detail about Venezuela and Ecuador? Keep in mind that CNN en Español provides the hemisphere with a 24-hour news service at no cost to the US taxpayers. I thought conservatives preferred private sector initiatives, but, no, here they go again, trying to increase the size of government. As acting chair of the committee (Rep. Royce having stepped out), Rep. Ros-Lehtinen closed the hearing with a sternly inflected admonition: "I again remind our witnesses, our audiences, and members that the mission of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is, quote, 'to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy,' end quote. This is broadcast for freedom and democracy. If you think that this is an impartial broadcasting, then you are not fulfilling your mission, because you are supposed to stand for freedom and democracy. That is the direction, that is what the BBG is supposed to do. We don't have to change the mission. We have to change the folks who are in charge of the programming who don't have any idea what their mission is. So, this is an important mission, it's of great interest to this committee, support for freedom and democracy. Amen." Rep. Ros-Lehtinen thus warned U.S. international broadcasting, including, presumably, its journalists, not to commit the sin of impartiality. And, significantly, she used the BBG’s own mission statement as ammunition in her assault on the BBG firewall. This is the BBG’s mission statement: “To inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.” When this new mission statement was unveiled in 2011, I had a sinking feeling. The first thing to know about international broadcasting is that the audience for international broadcasting is seeking news that is more accurate, balanced, and objective than the news they get from their government controlled domestic media. The new mission statement, unlike its predecessor, does not mention “accurate, balanced, and objective”. In fact, it does not even mention “news.” It does include the verb “inform,” but there are many ways to inform. An advertisement for an automobile dealership informs, but it is hardly accurate, balanced, and objective. I wrote that the wording of the new mission statement “could cause confusion among audiences, and among the employees of USIB.” But it is also confusing members of Congress, and why shouldn’t it? It mentions “support of freedom and democracy” but nowhere mentions accurate, balanced, and objective news. The mission statement has not only confused members of Congress, it has incited them to dissolve the BBG firewall and move USIB towards the advocacy role that corresponds with the words in the mission statement. And isn’t it fascinating that this momentum towards advocacy comes just as the domestic dissemination prohibition of the Smith-Mundt Act has been lifted, and the BBG is informing U.S. domestic media outlet how to access its content. Fear of domestic propaganda was one of the premises of the prohibition. Somewhere from the Great Beyond, the late Senators Alexander Smith and Karl Mundt may be trying to tell us: we told you so. The battle for the soul of US international broadcasting If and when Obama nominee Jeff Shell is appointed as the new BBG’s new chairman, the first thing he should do is jettison the BBG’s unfortunate mission statement. He should also bring in people who can explain the concept of international broadcasting in terms that Washington decision makers, think tank fellows, writers and commentators understand. With press freedom deteriorating throughout the world, there is a greater global need for accurate, balanced, and objective news. USIB is poised to be the world’s leading multilingual news service. To achieve this requires the consolidation called for by Enders Wimbush and the journalistic independence articulated by Jeffrey Hirschberg. The BBG must decide, unambiguously, that it is in the business of accurate, balanced, and objective news, and not in the advocacy business. This intention should be proclaimed in plain language to Washington, to the American people, and to the world. The battle for the soul of U.S. international broadcasting has been joined. The outcome will determine whether USIB does news or propaganda, whether it is market based or centrally planned, and whether it will have an audience, or not. (kimandrewelliott.com July 3 via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) Homepage also linx to above and other stories about this (gh) Re >>> In her questions for the witnesses, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) expressed her support for Radio and TV Martí, a subject of interest to her constituency. She also asked if VOA can fill the information "vacuum" in Venezuela and Ecuador. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen should find out what media research says about any such information vacuum in those two countries. Is CNN en Español available there? Is it being watched? Is it reporting in sufficient detail about Venezuela and Ecuador? <<< What's that "VoA TV Latin America" listed on NSS 806? Does it contain significant amounts of Spanish content? In fact it remains quite unclear which, if any, strategy the BBG has to reach audiences in Venezuela since Spanish radio from VOA (or just its shortwave distribution?) has been terminated, apparently including the special broadcast for Venezuela launched with big PR just a few years earlier. And the same may go for Ecuador and Bolivia, if it is still intended to reach audiences there at all. Otherwise it would be enlightening, although requiring to disregard for a moment the strategy that the third class partners in Europe are no longer target audiences of USIB at all, to remember how and why USIB has been bumped out by NPR in Berlin (Kai Ludwig, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA Radiogram for the weekend of July 6-7, 2013 This weekend, VOA Radiogram will consist entirely of MFSK text and images. We still need more data on how MFSK text copes with co-channel noise, so if you can introduce noise at your location, at least during the MFSK16 and first MFSK32 VOA News story, that would be helpful. This could be done by turning on an appliance in your house that is notorious for generating RF noise. Or move your portable radio or antenna to a place where RF noise occurs (Kim Andrew Elliott, July 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yesterday the reception on 17860 kHz here in Central Germany was very weak, even with MFSK16. I gave up after 5 minutes and worked a little in the garden - thereby came out more .... ;-) The night broadcast on 5745 kHz was much better, very clear signal (O = 4) - even the MFSK64 text without errors. The reception quality of the pictures --- well --- not much better than with analog SSTV-variants RX: ICOM R75 with external antenna (dipole 2x38 feet) (roger, Germany, July 7, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LISTENING POST WITH ALAN ROE Voice of America Alan Pennington writes: “Just noticed this story about VOA's Music Time in Africa with nice pic of presenter Heather Maxwell at http://www.insidevoa.com/content/library-of-congress-picksvoa-music-time-in-africa-for-recording-registry/1626289.html I didn't realise the programme was VOA's longest running English program, viz.: "Music Time in Africa is VOA's longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on what's happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music." (Alan Pennington, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Thanks, Alan. Music Time in Africa (“Your connection to the best in pan-African music”) is one of my favourite music programmes from Voice of America. It’s a weekly programme heard at weekends, and I will listen to at least some of the program two or three times a week. It’s a lively, fast-paced show featuring songs from all over Africa. What I like in particular is Heather Maxwell’s introduction of many of the songs with a short summary of the lyrics to give a feel for the song we’re about to hear. For example, in the programme of 16 June, she played a track called Gomo by the Zimbabwean singer Chiwoniso, from her 2008 album “Rebel Woman” describing her as: “one of the most dynamic female vocalists and mbira player”, and song summary: “We are the children of the mountains, we play the drums, we play the mbira, we play the horsho, we the children of the mountains” A notable feature is the inclusion of recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music. Leo Sarkisan recently formally retired from the VOA at age 91, and was the original host of Music Time in Africa. He spent many years (from 1958 to the 1990’s) recording African music. When he retired, his library numbered over 10,000 reel-to-reel recordings, and these are now being digitized by the University of Michigan. Music Time in Africa is heard Sundays at 1500 and again at 2000, and repeated Fridays at 2100, and Saturdays at 1500 and 2000. There is excellent reception here in the UK at 1500 UT on 17895 kHz (Alan Roe, ibid.) [non]. Frequency changes of Voice of America: 0700-0730 NF 11885 SAO 100 kW / 020 deg WCAf Hausa, ex 11785 1400-1500 NF 15490 PHT 250 kW / 270 deg SEAs English Mon-Fri, ex 12120 1500-1600 NF 15490 UDO 250 kW / 284 deg SoAs English, ex 12120 (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) QSL: 7305, Vatican Radio Spanish to Latin America via Greenville ’B’ site. Full data Pope Francis QSL Card (with site as ‘USA”) with Vatican Dome stickers in 110 days for an English report. 7305, Vatican Radio Spanish to Latin America via Greenville ’B’ site. Full data Pope Francis QSL Card (with site as ‘USA”) with Vatican Dome stickers, calendar of special / key dates in the Catholic Church in 56 days for a Spanish report (Edward Kusalik - Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New Street View imagery for USA - Delano Finally some refreshments to USA Street View (SV) images. I think most of the prior US imagery was from 2007-2009. Particularly from the 2007 to 2008 era, the resolution of the SV images was poor. Now the Google SV people have just released, a lot of imagery taken in the period from 2011 to April 2013. And the imagery is of much higher resolution. It DOESN'T replace ALL current old 2007-2009 imagery (yet), but hopefully more refreshments will continue to occur so we can see many of the existing SW transmitter sites in greater resolution & thus clarity. One such example is the ex-VOA/IBB Delano site. At least one of the roads bordering this site has the new hi-res imagery showing antennas & masts etc. (Ian Baxter, NSW, July 5, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1676 monitoring: confirmed on WTWW- 1, 9479, Thursday July 4 at 2100.5. (Missed checking 0330v UT Friday on WWRB 5050; can anyone confirm this week?) Next: Sat 0130v on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB; Sat 0630 & 1430 on HLR 7265- CUSB; Sat 1500 & 1730 on WRMI 9955; Sat & Sun 2329v on WTWW-2 9930; UT Sun 0400.5 on WTWW-1 5830; Sun 0630, 1030, 1430, 1830, testing on HLR 15785-CUSB; Tue 1100 on WRMI 9955; Wed 0630 & 1430 on HLR 7265-CUSB; maybe also Wed 1630 on 15785-CUSB as previous week. WORLD OF RADIO 1676 monitoring: confirmed on Area 51 via WBCQ webcast starting on time at 0130 UT Saturday July 6 after some music fill, as AWWW must have run shorter than usual; and also JBA on 5110v around 0150. Next: Sat 1730 on WRN via WRMI 9955; Sat 2329v on WTWW-2 9930 (or Sun 0000 on 5085 like last week?); Sun 0400.5 on WTWW-1 5830; Sun 2330v on WTWW-2 9930. Also could appear any day, any time between 17 and 24 on 9930, 00-01 on 5085. Sun 0630, 1030, 1430, 1830 tests planned via Hamburger Lokalradio, Göhren, Germany, 1 kW on 15785-CUSB. WORLD OF RADIO 1676 monitoring: confirmed this Saturday back to usual time, instead of half an hour later after frequency change: i.e. from 2330:27 July 6 on WTWW-2 9930, and finished in time for 2359+ QSY announcement to 5085 and 9930 off by 0000. Next: 0400.5 UT Sunday July 7 on WTWW-1 5830; Sunday 2330v on 9930. And the Hamburger Lokalradio tests Sunday at 06-08, 10-12, 14-16, 18- 20 on 15785-CUSB are to include WOR at 0630, 1030, 1430, 1830. WORLD OF RADIO 1676 monitoring: confirmed on WTWW-1, 5830, from 0400.5 UT Sunday July 7. VG signal but some overmodulation / distortion. Next: Sunday 1830 test on 15785-CUSB from HLR, Germany [q.v.]; Sunday 2330v on WTWW-2, 9930. WORLD OF RADIO 1676 monitoring: confirmed on WTWW-2, 9930, Sunday July 7 at precisely timed start of 2328:43. Next: Tuesday 1100 on WRMI 9955; Wednesday 0630 & 1430 on HLR 7265-CUSB (Glen Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From this week July 13, new time on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB: 0200 UT Saturdays, presumably fixed (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9330-CUSB, July 6 at 0510, no signal detectable from WBCQ, possibly propped out, but still no signal at 1239 when it should be audible if on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 12105, July 4 at 1403, WTWW-3 Bible Worldwide is in Arabic, probably just switched from Russian at 1300; never on the air before then. Also with CCI, which is KSDA in Chinese at 11-15, as the FCC unwisely and unnecessarily assigns two US SW stations to the same frequency at the same time. 12105, July 5 at 1300 tune-in to hear how WTWW starts up, since it`s regularly heard later in this hour in Russian. Nothing there at first but Chinese from KSDA and CODAR. WTWW cuts on at *1302:08 with Russian Bible in progress, no ID or sign-on. 12105, July 8 at 1255, WTWW-3 Bible Worldwide is already on in Russian, unusual as normally comes on after 1300; CCI and SAH from KSDA Chinese. Intention per WTWW schedule is to start at 1100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9955, WRMI with English "Viva Miami" with Jeff White talking about radio news and events around Miami. ID at 59 in English and Spanish and then into Spanish classical music. PCJ Data transmission at 0227-0230. 3+3+44+3 with goose honking Jammer QRM and splatter de 9960. 0145-0230 30/June (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Port Hope MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** U S A. 17775, KVOH San Francisco reactivated with initial test 29/6. Signal level from 1950 tune-in varied from poor to very good, rolling idents & program promos in Spanish and English, requesting reports. Also announced alternative 31 metre freq of 9975 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) KVOH QSL received in p-mail July 5 for e-mail report to Ray Robinson of the June 29 test on 17775. Obverse has full color atlas map of Americas in skewed projexion with three concentric uncalibrated coverage patterns toward Mexico, Caribbean, S America. Full data on reverse, and boxes available to check reasons for not verifying report --- but one must get the card anyway to say so. Mine is checked as ``able to verify`` for 6-29-2013 on 17775 at 1902-2043. Here it is: http://www.w4uvh.net/kvoh1.jpg http://www.w4uvh.net/kvoh2.jpg (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting that the coverage circles are flattened to indicate a skip zone of about 600 km from Simi Valley. Of course the signal goes in all directions but is primary in the circles. JL (Jerry Lenamon, Waco, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) In case you haven`t heard, Ray Robinson of KVOH notifies us that there will be another test transmission Sunday July 7 on 17775, this time at 1700-1900 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: KVOH - Voice of Hope, Los Angeles, would like to thank all those who responded to last Saturday's test broadcast. It was unfortunate that the time chosen for the test happened to coincide with a geomagnetic storm, but in spite of that, reports have so far been received from 13 U.S. states, as well as from Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and Indonesia. The station will be testing again tomorrow, Sunday 7th, from 1700-1900 UTC (1-3 pm Eastern). As before, the frequency is 17775 kHz with 50 kW on a beam of 100 degrees (towards Cuba). The same test program will be used as last week, with announcements in English and Spanish, which hopefully will be easier to copy since atmospheric conditions are better this weekend. Reports will be very much appreciated to either QSL@KVOH.net or P.O. Box 102, Los Angeles, CA 90078. If reporting by email, please attach a short mp3 recording of your reception if possible. If reporting by mail and requesting a QSL, please enclose return postage. In all reports, please be sure to describe your receiver and antenna used. Reception comparisons using handheld portable radios with telescopic antennas (outdoors) will be especially helpful. KVOH currently expects to be able to launch a preliminary 2-hour daily schedule around the end of this month (July), and will build from there (Ray Robinson, Los Angeles, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17775, CALIFORNIA, KVOH, Voice of Hope, Los Angeles (Simi Valley). 1654+ July 7, 2013. Thanks Ray Robinson of KVOH for email tip the day before regarding the next test. Signal about the same (fair-good) as on June 29th with some local sparking electrical noise. Fair on a quick comparison with the Sony ICF-7600GR portable and whip antenna in the driveway. QSL: CALIFORNIA, KVOH, Voice of Hope, Los Angeles (Simi Valley). Full data color North/South America map with antennae pattern grids in six days for email reception report on 17775 kHz June 29 test. Signed by Ray Robinson, Operations Manager (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) En 17775 KHz está KVOH en emisión de prueba, hasta la 1830 UT entraba sin ruido; a partir de las 1830 comenzó algo de ruido, aunque igual se escucha muy bien (Ernesto Paulero, Argentina, July 7, condiglista yg via DXLD) Hearing KVOH on 17775 kHz from 1804 UT with test broadcast. Fair to good on peaks but subject to very deep fades. 73, (Rich D`Angelo, PA, July 7, NASWA yg via DXLD) Checking at 1900 but no signal at all here in Massachusetts (Stephen C Wood, Harwich, MA, ibid.) Same here, Steve -- nada (Chris Lobdell, ibid.) Was able to hear short test ID and theme from Route 66 here in Florida at 1900. Seemed to go off the air at 1905 (Larry Colton, ibid.) 17775, Sunday July 7 at 1720, KVOH is testing again for two hours from 1700. Just noted that it`s on, not fully checked until 1805, when signal is VG, slightly better than VOA GB 17895 which fades from peaks while KVOH does not. Same test material as 8 days ago, Spanish and English requests for reports, bits of gospel programming. Propagation is closer to normal this time. I check for spurs around 17920v as with the old KVOH, but none heard despite very strong fundamental and good modulation. I was getting some distorted blob around 17925-17935 but could not match modulation to 17775: could be local FM breaking thru which is a problem on the DX-398. Besides VOA, the only other signals on 16m are much, much weaker, 17715 Spain, and 17850 France (in French so not REE/CR which is also still registered!) (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 11715, KJES Vado NM with the 'call and response' Bible reading REPEATEDLY reading the part of Luke about throwing someone into the sea with a millstone around his neck rather than leading a child into sin. I wonder why they picked that one? Always wondered about the kids in this cult, er, religious compound, but then all the robo-kids seem to be busting into adulthood if their voices mean anything! Eh -- who knows!? 3+4443+ 1435-1445 30/Jun (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Port Hope MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** U S A. 11550, July 4 at 1243 tune-in, minute of dead air (totally, not merely a pause with rustling or dinging sounds), then 1244 mass cuts on in English, with Spanish voice-over translation. Clear here but // 12050 with squeal from the perpetually defective WEWN transmitter. The translations are obviously scripted rather than processed in real time thru a brain, just as the order of the mass is scripted, the same stuff over and over ad infinitum (but I assume the bored voice-overer is paying some attention to be sure he is matching what is being pontificated). When the mass goes into crude singing in Latin, there is no attempt to translate, as no one is supposed to understand that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 4840, UT Monday July 8 at 0400-0430, `The Talking Machine Show` on WWCR is replaying last week`s episode. Is this SOP? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New registered frequencies of World Wide Christian Radio from July 1: 2100-0100 6115 WCR 100 kW / 046 deg to WeEu English WWCR-1 not active! 0100-0400 6115 WCR 100 kW / 090 deg to CeAm English WWCR-4 not active! (DX RE MIX NEWS #789 from Georgi Bancov and Ivo Ivanov, July 10, 2013, via DXLD) ** U S A. They didn't give any reason for leaving SW? I guess they will be using other media, e.g. online? I'll miss their brass-choir interval signal. Regards, (Keith Beesley, Seattle USA, 10 July, swl at qth.net via DXLD) I.e. WYFR 6115, WYFR very few announcements in English -- calm classical music and religious songs e.g. "Spirit of the Living God" sung by a choir and a bell choir ringing into a medley of songs like "Amazing Grace" and then into reading from First Peter 2:6, and then reading a passage about fornication and controlling your spouse`s body from First Corinthians. I guess those folk of Corinth were a lusty bunch! If you weren't feeling morose before these broadcasts, you sure will be afterward! 'Family Radio' ID at :59 and then about 30 seconds of dead air until WYFR Legal ID at ToH and into RTI. If I had to characterize this, I'd say they are 'dying peacefully.' No Harold Camping during this hour and nothing the least bit controversial; just plain SOMBER. I almost feel sorry for them! 5554+4+ 0210-0300 29/Jun 6115, WYFR "Quiet Hours" with religious 'Elevator music' and Bible reading again from Corinthians about those heathenist hedonistic urges. ID and a good 30 seconds of dead air before switch to RTI. 4+554+4+ 0230-0300 30/June [see also TAIWAN [non]] 6115, WYFR The final broadcast: Bible Class of the air in English with a "brother" Harold Camping recording in which he was waxing philosophic about the church and salvation, and NOT mentioning the end times, except obliquely. This was recorded in 2003 according to the continuity announcement at 0154. ID at ToH saying to write to them for a frequency schedule and NO mention of the end of WYFR. At 0200 after legal ID into "Family Bible Reading Fellowship with reading from the minor prophets of the Old Testament. Then into "Quiet Hours" for the Lord's day. They really aren't going to mention this is the end, are they?! 5554+4+ -- amazing quality. 0130-0300* 1/Jul (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Port Hope MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** U S A. New GE SV - WYFR & other US sites - newer higher res images Nice to see a refresh of the Google Street View Imagery with the USA. I previously mentioned the Delano site. Now here's some more SW TX sites that have new imagery enabling a clearer, more detailed look at several SW transmission sites across the US. WYFR: Pleased to see this (post site closure) with one Log Periodic clearly seen & other masts. WRMI: Thumbs up. WMLK: Thumbs up. VOA Greenville B (A bit of the site from a distance, down a side road) WRNO was updated, but something went wrong; looks like SV at night :-) yes it's all black! WWBS antenna still around as well (Ian Baxter, SWsites YG July 7 via DXLD) ** U S A. Nothing propagating on 21 MHz broadcast or hambands, July 5 at 1342, until I encounter very weak USB contacts on 21290. Sounds like a contest with lots of stations calling another, some from Europe and some from USA. Eventually becomes clear that the focus of this activity is K2K in New Hampshire. At 1403 his signal really improves as he rotates antenna toward us instead of Europe. This is part of the ``13 Colonies`` special event, as hams come up with artificial calls and activity to maintain interest, explained here in OPDX (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 13 COLONIES (Special Event). Just a reminder that the annual "13 Colonies Special Event" will take place between 1300z, July 1st and 0400z July 6th. There will be at least two stations from each on the 13 colonies on the air, as well as Super contest stations, multi- operator Club stations and OM and XYL teams. The U.S. original 13 colonies are CT-DE-GA-MA-MD-NC-NH-NJ-NY-PA-RI-SC- VA. Special events stations mentioned are: K2A (NY), K2B (VA), K2C (RI), K2D (CT), K2E (DE), K2F (MD), K2G (GA), K2H (MA), K2I (NJ), K2J (NC), K2K (NH), K2L (SC), K2M (PA) and WM3PEN. The theme for 2013 will be "Banners of the Revolution". The certificate is printed on heavy card stock. Stations working one state, or as many as all 13, will be eligible for the certificate. A "Clean Sweep" indicator will be affixed for those lucky enough to "Q" all 13. A special endorsement will be attached for stations contacting their sister operation, WM3PEN, in Philadelphia, PA. All HF bands will be in play except the WARC bands and 60 meters. 2 meters and 6 meter simplex are encouraged. All modes of operation should be represented - SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, and the Satellites. The mode of operation is up to the individual colony state station. For more details on the stations, suggested frequencies, QSL info and on how to obtain the special certificate, see: http://www.13colonies.info (Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1118, July 1, 2013, Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW, Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio), via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** U S A. WDEV 550 Test, August 16, 2013 --- WDEV-AM 550 Waterbury, VT, 12:03 AM EASTERN TIME (Friday night into Saturday Morning) [0403 UT] 5000 Watts/2 towers Day & 1000 Watts/3 towers night The test will start at approximately 12:03 AM EASTERN TIME, give or take about 2 minutes. It will be 3 minutes long and consist of morse code, sweep tones and a few sound affects along with a brief voice announcement or two. WDEV-AM will test at night power and pattern. The Test on WDEV-AM 550 will also air on the following stations: WDEV-FM Warren operates on 96.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 25,000 watts from Lincoln Peak in Warren atop Sugarbush Ski area. 723 meters (2372 feet) above average terrain. The antenna is 8 meters (26 feet) above ground level at Lincoln Peak. W243AT operates at 96.5 MHz is licensed to Barre and broadcasts from a tower located at “The Nation’s Site of Excitement” Thunder Road International Speedbowl amongst Barre’s granite quarries above town. It uses 99 watts ERP at 76 meters (249 feet) above average terrain and 11 meters (36 feet) above ground level. W270BR is owned by brothers Vincent and Joseph Illuzzi and relays WDEV’s programming to the Northeast Kingdom counties of Essex, Caledonia, and Orleans; is licensed to the village of Island Pond in the town of Brighton, VT with 10 watts of ERP on 101.9 MHz. The signal comes off Paradise Mountain just to the west of the village. The tower is 11 meters (36 feet) above ground level and 188 meters (616 feet) above average terrain. Please include information such as your location, type of radio used, quality of the signal and what you heard along with any other information you feel is important. Audio clips sent by mail on CD, tape or USB stick are welcome. You may also email SMALL audio clips of less then 3 MB. Here’s the information to send in a Reception Report for WDEV: Bob Welch WDEV Radio PO Box 550 Waterbury, VT 05676 USA or by e-mail to bwelch(at)radiovermont(dot)com Accurate reports will be acknowledged by a letter from Bob along with a WDEV bumper sticker. Please include an SASE for a reply. CD’s, tapes and USB sticks will be gladly accepted but will ONLY be returned if return postage is included. PLEASE NOTE: There is a Red Sox vs Yankees baseball game scheduled for 7:05pm first pitch and WDEV is a Red Sox affiliate. If the game goes late because of extra innings or a rain delay, the WDEV test will be automatically rescheduled for Friday August 30, 2013. If you have any questions, email walkerbroadcasting(at)gmail(dot)com http://onairdj.com/dx-tests/ (Paul B Walker, Jr., via Kevin Redding, July 4, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 960, not reported lately, but most nights I continue to check the local KGWA Enid Fox-hole of dead air at 0500-0505 UT, and more often than not, it still occurs. KGWA signal continues to be weaker than it had been until a few weeks ago, and also thankfully, no longer with the big hum it produced at nulls, requiring slightly offsetting the peak null position. Yet I haven`t heard anything new during the window. Most nights lately there has been an unidentifiable CCI mix of several stations during this period. July 10, ABC News is dominating with slight reverb/echo, so it`s the usual KGKL San Angelo TX and KMA Shenandoah IA. Around 0503, one of them really peaks strongly, probably KGKL. Immediately after ABC at 0505, a few seconds before KGWA modulation resumes, one of them goes right into local weather, but nothing pinnable, and then hear KMA mentioned from the other, so the weather was probably KGKL. Both of them benefit from being close to the KGWA null in opposite direxions (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I understand that KCKN 1020 Roswell NM is running only about 500 watts now, altho STA`d for 1000 instead of 50000. This should open up the frequency for lots of other DX in its former western USA coverage area (Glenn Hauser, July 6, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KHMO & WLIQ DX Tests, August 23, 2013. KHMO-AM 1070 Hannibal, MO, 5000 Watts/3 towers Day & 1000 Watts/6 towers night 12:00AM to 1:00AM CENTRAL TIME (Friday night into Saturday Morning) [0500-0600 UT] PLEASE READ BELOW FOR SPECIFICS ON THE TIME SCHEDULE FOR THESE TWO STATIONS. [followed from 1:30 am by WLIQ; see 1530 below] KHMO’s test will be from 12 to 1 am CENTRAL TIME and begin as close to the top of the hour as possible and last for an hour. The first 15 minutes will be done on KHMO’s 1KW/6 tower night power while the second 15 minutes done on the stations 5KW/3 tower day power. The 3rd 15 minute segment will be done on night power/pattern and the final 15 minutes of the test will be done on KHMO’s day power/pattern. The test will consist of morse code, sweep tones, voice announcements, easily identifiable sound effects and other odd material. Please include information such as your location, type of radio used, quality of the signal and what you heard along with any other information you feel is important. Audio clips sent by mail on CD, tape or USB stick are welcome. You may also email SMALL audio clips of less then 3 MB. Here is the information to send in a Reception Report for KHMO: Gary Glaenzer C/O KHMO DX Test 325 East Douglas Avenue Jacksonville, IL 62650 or by email to glaenzer(at)frontier(dot)com All correct reports will be acknowledged by Gary in whatever method you contact him with. Please include an SASE for a reply. CD’s, tapes and USB sticks will be gladly accepted but will ONLY be returned if return postage is included. If you have any questions, email me walkerbroadcasting(at)gmail(dot)com (Paul B Walker, via Kevin Redding, July 4, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 1120, KTXW Manor, TX, CP for new station granted program test authority on 17/5; should be on soon if not already. 1120, KTXW, Manor, Granted modification to CP for new station to U4 5600/155 (from 5600/153) and applies for program test authority; may be on soon (Andrew Brade, North American News, July-August MW News via DXLD) He must not have seen this in DXLD 13-23 of June 6: Now we must beware of another new Spanish station on 1120, KTXW in Manor (Austin) TX which has just started testing, ``nostalgic wall-to- wall Spanish language ballads format`` as `Exitos 11-20`` with 5000/155 watts. Tnx to Artie Bigley for tip of this thread at http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=235285.msg2121776 KTXW is about 90 degrees away from KEOR from my angle, so besides format difference, not easily confundible here (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1672, DX LISTENING DIGEST 13-23 via 13-28) ** U S A. WLIQ DX Test, August 23, 2013. WLIQ-AM 1530 Quincy, IL 1000 Watts Day/Non Directional & 290 Watts Non Directional Critical Hours WLIQ’s test will be from 1:30AM to 2:30AM CENTRAL TIME [0630-0730 UT] and begin as close to the scheduled time as possible and last for an hour. The first 15 minutes of the test will be at 290 Watts Non Directional. The second 15 minutes will be at 1400 Watts Non Directional. The third 15 minutes of the WLIQ test will be at 290 Watts Non Directional and the final 15 minutes will be at 1400 Watts Non Directional. The test will consist of morse code, sweep tones, voice announcements, easily identifiable sound effects and other odd material. Gary Glaenzer C/O WLIQ DX Test 325 East Douglas Avenue Jacksonville, IL 62650 or by email to glaenzer(at) frontier( dot)com All correct reports will be acknowledged by Gary in whatever method you contact him with. Please include an SASE for a reply. CD’s, tapes and USB sticks will be gladly accepted but will ONLY be returned if return postage is included. If you have any questions, email me walkerbroadcasting(at)gmail(dot)com http://onairdj.com/dx-tests/ (Paul B Walker, Jr., via Kevin Redding, July 4, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. PITTSBURGH GETS NEW LOW-POWER AM RADIO STATION Jul 5, 8:57 AM EDT PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A new radio station has hit the airwaves in Pittsburgh. WZUM, 1550 AM, began broadcasting Thursday. The station's automated format features rhythm-and-blues from the 1960s to 1980 featuring artists like Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Sly & the Family Stone. The stations based in nearby Braddock had operated as WLFP until its business talk format went off the air in May. The new station is owned by Ed DeHart and Stephen Zelenko doing business as AM Guys LLC. The station's signal is 1,000 watts during the day and 4 watts at night. The station will stick with the automated format while technicians perfect it over the next few weeks. After that, the station may try to add local hosts and national news (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. 1650, FLORIDA (MIS, or a “private” LPR operation?). This mystery NOAA Weather Radio relay is a growing mystery. Only barely audible along the north/central side near the water path Tampa Bay east side of Pinellas County. Thinking this would be one of the three Sunshine Skyway Bridge TIS’s recently listed as activated in the FCC dB, I drove to Ft. DeSoto mid local morning, July 6, 2013. At the east end, with the bridge in view to the SE, only a threshold trace of this. Pointing the Sony ICF-7600GR portable to the NE, a huge carrier was present, which is one of the new WQQJ297 transmitters on I-275, Tampa, the one that airs the quasi-malfunctioning default date and keypad entry instructions on programming access (female compu- voice that appears only every 20 minutes!) via whatever the phone number I could do so with if only I knew the number. So where is this from? Gerry Bishop, driving north on the Suncoast Parkway SR-589 toll just after noon local July 7, 2013, had this peaking around Mile Marker 7, roughly Zephyrhills area to the east if indeed located east of this point. The Suncoast Parkway FDOT transmitter on 1640, located a bit north of here, remains on and with the Turnpike DOT loop, so not that one repurposed to 1650 with NOAA. Florida Low Power Radio Stations: https://sites.google.com/site/floridadxn/florida-low-power-radio-stations (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 95.1, July 6 at 0053 UT, searching for something besides unID classical on 89.3 once the Es MUF pokes into the FM band, there are three stations here mixing, rap, gospel and C&W, one too many for OK and KS. Luckily, at 0054 ID by YL DJ as ``Your Country 95.1, WRNS``. Tho I have the call, searching slogan on WTFDA FM db goes right to this 100/100 kW in Kinston NC. See also OKLAHOMA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KJWP DT-2 Wilmington, DE Construction Permit I was looking at TV Fool and they showed KJWP as a station that I should be able to receive. A check of the FCC website shows a construction permit on channel 2 digital for Wilmington, DE and it supposedly has NBC network affiliation. The proposed transmitter location appears to be in the Philadelphia antenna farm. Does anyone know anything about KJWP? KJWP has a digital transmitter on channel 2 in Jackson, WY which has the NBC network according to the listing on the FCC website (Bob Seaman, Hazleton, PA, July 4, WTFDA via DXLD) Is that a real channel 2 transmission or only a virtual with the transmission in UHF? (Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH, 15 mi NW of Philadelphia, ibid.) Russ, That is a real channel 2 full power digital according to the information on the FCC website. There are probably very few, if any, UHF channels available for a full power TV station in the Philadelphia market. We heard from the engineering department at WPVI that was the reason they returned to channel 6. It was their only viable option to have a signal which duplicated their analog coverage. Part of the problem is the surrounding markets have so many station that their signals overlap the channel 6 coverage area. When you start looking at the stations from NYC, Baltimore, Lancaster/Harrisburg/York, Allentown, Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, Atlantic City, Camden, Trenton, etc you will find very little available. A number of signals from these markets already overlap. Channel 31 comes to mind immediately along with 29, 46 and probably more (Bob Seaman, ibid.) KJWP moving from WY to DE is result of an absurd loophole in revised FCC regs allowing this, rather than starting from scratch as a new station in DE (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I'm sure Doug can shed a light on this one. Sounds to me a typo on the FCC website. Why would they be assigned or allowed a K call for Wilmington, DE? (-John L., ibid.) Because KJWP's city of license is Jackson, Wyoming. The CP's city of license is Wilmington, Delaware. It's currently a Me-TV affiliate http://metvnetwork.com/ (Blaine Thompson, IN, ibid.) It's a real channel 2. To my knowledge it is not yet on the air. This is part of the whole PMCM thing, the same situation that created WACP- 4. Since it's a weird one, here goes again: - Back in the early 1970s, WOR-TV channel 9 in NYC got in trouble with the FCC over non-engineering violations. They were at significant risk of having their license revoked. At the same time, New Jersey residents & politicians felt their state was getting short shrift from the media, as there were no commercial VHF TV stations in the state. - So, a NJ Senator pushed a bill through Congress. This bill required the FCC to approve the move and renew the license of any commercial VHF TV station that would agree to move to a state having no such station, as long as it was technically feasible. New Jersey and Delaware were the only two such states.* And the only technically feasible way to move a station to either state was to move it from NYC or Philadelphia. City-of-license service requirements were stricter then; it would be more difficult for a NJ or Delaware station to compete. - So, the only station which chose to take advantage of the bill was the station that would go out of business altogether if it didn't move. (i.e., WOR) - Forty years went by. Most people forgot all about this law. But they never got around to repealing it. - Now, along comes the digital conversion. The station which triggered this law in the 1970s, now WWOR, is still *virtual* channel 9 -- but its signal is actually broadcast on UHF channel 38. Which means there is again no commercial VHF station in New Jersey (and nobody ever did take advantage of the law with regard to Delaware). - Also, with the digital conversion, most stations abandoned low-band VHF channels 2-6. - Most people didn't notice. But a firm called PMCM did. - PMCM bought two low-band VHF stations in isolated areas of the West. KJWY channel 2, Jackson, Wyoming (a satellite of KPVI channel 6 Pocatello, Idaho) and KVNV channel 3 Ely, Nevada (a satellite of KTNV Las Vegas, IIRC). Why these two? Not entirely sure, but I'm sure they were cheap! - PMCM told the FCC they were willing to move KJWY to Wilmington, Delaware and KVNV to Middletown Township, New Jersey. Because most stations had abandoned low-VHF, it was technically feasible to make the moves. And because there were other TV stations licensed to Jackson and Ely, FCC policy would allow these KJWY and KVNV to leave their original cities. - The FCC said the 1970s law only required them to approve moves if the stations in question could not operate in their original city and their new city at the same time. WOR-TV could not operate from NYC and NJ at the same time without interference. KJWY certainly could operate from Jackson and Wilmington at the same time. So the FCC denied the moves. - At the same time, the FCC did rule that another provision of the law did require them to allot at least one VHF channel to every state. So they allotted channel 4 to Atlantic City, New Jersey and channel 5 to Seaford, Delaware. They auctioned off the channels, and the same firm bought both. Permits have been issued, and the Atlantic City station is now on the air. (WACP, which quite a few DXers have seen) - PMCM appealed the FCC's decision to the Federal Court. The Court ruled in PMCM's favor (IMHO the Court was correct). The FCC was ordered to approve PMCM's moves. - A week or two ago, the FCC issued the construction permit for KJWY's move. They haven't yet issued the CP for KVNV, but they have changed the channel assignment. Not too long before that, PMCM changed the call letters from KJWY to KJWP. Not sure why. - I think you can reasonably assume KJWP and KVNV will NOT be NBC affiliates when they return to the air. Indeed, I already have KJWP as a MeTV station -- that's what it was last reported airing in Wyoming. I list KVNV with My Family TV. So, in the end, we're going to get four new stations in the NJ/DE/PA/NY corridor: - KJWP channel 2, licensed to Wilmington, Delaware with transmitter in Philadelphia. - KVNV channel 3, licensed to Middletown Township, New Jersey with transmitter in NYC. - WACP channel 4, licensed to Atlantic City, New Jersey with transmitter east of Philadelphia. - WMDE channel 5, licensed to Seaford, Delaware with transmitter site currently authorized in eastern Maryland but working on moving elsewhere. To my knowledge WACP is the only one of the four now on the air. However, I wouldn't be too surprised to see KJWP show up at any time. * WNET-13 and WHYY-12 are VHF stations licensed to NJ and DE respectively, but both are non-commercial. -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) Jeff Kadet reports logging KJWP-2, still transmitting from Wyoming with MeTV. They could still appear from Philadelphia at any time, but at least as of a few days ago they're still in Wyoming. – (Doug Smith, W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, July 10, WTFDA-AM [sic] via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 7906-USB, Vietnam Coast Radio Station 1052 to 1100 weak, noted tnx Ron Howard 6 July (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, NRD 535D, Icom 746Pro, Drake R8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, Lusaka with distinctive bird call tuning signal 0459 then English ident and news “This is the Zambia Broadcasting…. Zambia..” Poor level 27/6 and muffled audio but semi-regular from fade in around 0430. Also traced here at 2000 past 2100 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) A grayline winter solstice short-path like ZANZIBAR 6015 (gh) 5914.985, Jul 2, 2003, ZNBC Lusaka with native language, often quite good signal. But not any trace of the station on 6165 for several days! (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) Both Zambians missing today. If ZNBC1 (5915) is on air, it isn't making it to Johannesburg. And for the record, ZNBC2 (6165) remains off-air. ZNBC1, 5915 Lusaka. Jul 10, 2013 Wednesday. 0320-0330. AWOL. ZNBC2, 6165 Lusaka. Jul 10, 2013 Wednesday. 0320-0330. AWOL. Jo'burg sunrise 0455 (Bill Bingham, RSA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. /TANZANIA, 6015, ZBC best heard 0354 on 22/6 from daily monitoring 19-30 June. Distinctive drumming and time pips on the hour then Swahili news with many mentions of Zanzibar and Tanzania. Usually tough reception prior 0400 when strong CRI via Albania in CC closes. Followed past 0430 some days, but occasionally missing altogether. Sometimes IDs as “ZBC”. This catch was a long-held goal for me, so thanks to Ron Howard and Bill Bingham for their support in also monitoring 6015 daily and providing comparisons on their reception (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai (Northland), New Zealand, with AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America, and Drake SPR4 with Alpha Delta Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mangawhai is north of Auckland, about halfway to Whangarei. Seems to be a resort area, perhaps recently developed, as I can`t find it in index or map in the detailed(?) 1997y Reader`s Digest Great World Atlas. Latitude near 36 S, about the same as Enid is N, but on the sea likely with a much milder climate (104 F in Enid today; winters can drop a few degrees below zero F). Northland is the northernmost region of the North Island. At that hour must be (very) longpath, as it`s daytime eastward from Zanz, before sunset in NZ, then nighttime eastward. So there would be only a short window. Short path is only about 8350 miles, over the Indian Ocean south of Australia, so long path is about 16550 miles, close to twice as far, over this Great Circle route: across all of Africa, to the Strait of Gibraltar (the antipodes from him), across the Atlantic, Quebec City, Milwaukee, Kansas (not far from Enid!), Albuquerque, Baja California, trans-Pacific. Apparently ZBC does not use 6015 in the local evenings, when it should be relatively easy by shortpath into NZ; instead 11735 until 2100v*. However, keeping in mind that the attempt and success at this was over the winter solstice period, shortest days of the year, perhaps it really was shortpath, close enough to the grayline. What does Bryan think? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, In response to your comments re my Zanzibar 6015 reception, the below advice from Paul Ormandy is that it was shortpath. Paul is very active on the ham bands chasing exotic radio countries these days and I respect his advice as to where our signals come from. I am still getting traces of 6015 after 0400 UT but the signal level is dropping away compared to a few weeks ago. Best regards, (Bryan Clark, NZ, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: On 22/06/2013 9:46 p.m., Bryan & Sandra Clark wrote: Well, the weather outside is decidedly cool at present, but the DX is hot, hot, hot! A station that has been on my DXing bucket list for many decades is Zanzibar 6015. After hearing just a weak carrier on that channel after their scheduled 0300 sign-on Thursday and Friday, yesterday afternoon I was astonished to find a quite readable signal from 0354 tune-in till past 0430 UT. Have attached an audio clip which includes ZBC's distinctive drums just before the hour. The estimated planetary A index jumped up to 15 yesterday reflecting some disturbance in the magnetic field - will be interested to see if the signal comes through today! Good listening, Bryan Hi Bryan, Great DX! This signal would undoubtedly come over the short path (via Antarctica). This trans-polar path is only open May thru July and is best around the solstice. There is a similar path when Brazil opens to NZ even at low as 90 around midday. Have a look at the attachment, created using the free VOAPROP program. The red line shows the MUF (5.8 MHz), MHz on the vertical axis and UT on the horizontal. The low, flat bit at the start is around 6 MHz and it tails up at 0200z. This is based on today's solar indices. It's a bit like forecasting the weather too, a rough science at best. Not allowed for is the transmitter power as VOAPROP only goes up to 9,999 W so a 50,000 W transmitter (if that's what they use) would have bigger signal levels. Cheers, Paul (via Bryan Clark, NZ, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not really via Antarctica; as I checked the long and short paths, except for crossing northern Madagascar, it`s all over-water, Indian Ocean, south of Australia, maximum latitude about 49 S, across to NZ (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1607 - 11735 kHz, Portante muta e rumore bianco tipo quello usato come jamming verso, per esempio, VOBME o V of Oromo Liberation, ma non si capiva se era un problema tecnico della Tanzania o un altro trasmettitore in sottofondo. Segnale Buono (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 4865.0, Jun 25, *2257-, A station noted here only this day. I directly thought of Voice of Iranian Kurdistan judging from the speech. Mostly talk but definitely not in Portuguese. Suffered from the Codar (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin July 7 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5925-5965 approx., July 4 at 0058, extremely distorted modulation is spreading roughly here wideband, worse in open spots, but audible also under WWCR 5935 PMS. Otherwise peak circa 5955 mixed with Cuban jamming against no Radio República. Sounds like a silly ballgame with hyped enthusiasm, could well be in Spanish. R. Nacional, Argentina, 6060 transmitter has been reported way out of whack in the 5920-5930 area by Argentines, but this seems stronger than it could manage so far away; only one receiver on the porch, so I can`t hunt for parallel matches (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9335 poss Cairo 1950 best in 9931.8 in FM ! wit news in English . Spurious on 9270 with bet reception in AM 6 July (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, July 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sic, I don`t know what to make of this or if all the numbers are correct (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 9410, July 9 at 1150, big distorted blob, maybe jamming if Fu Hsing has reactivated from Taiwan (Glen Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn - What happened on 9410 was that CNR5 was off the air for a while (late May - early June); returned on June 8, but seems they did something to the tx, as ever since the 8th it has been daily making crackling sounds (over modulation? - the "blob"). So for most days CNR5 is unusable! Before CNR5 went down for maintenance, I never heard this situation before; in fact it was possible for me back then to hear Fu Hsing BS (Taiwan) underneath CNR5 without too much trouble; impossible for me to hear them now. See DXLD 13-24: CHINA. BTW - Fu Hsing BS (Taiwan) was not broadcasting on their other frequency of 9774 after 1100 on July 9. Aoki shows both Taiwan frequencies off the air, but I have recently heard 9774, but not every day. A reduced schedule? Ron (San Francisco) I am back in Shanghai for this week. I can confirm Ron's comments about the situation on 9410. CNR5 is strong on this frequency here and has lots of crackle in the modulation as monitored at 1245 UTC July 10. There might be something under 9410 but very hard to distinguish with all the crackle on 9410 from CNR (Harry Smith, July 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also wb`s comments on 9410 under TAIWAN (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 9445, July 7 at 0115 while checking out the dirty Cuban jamspur range, I find an extremely distorted blob here. It might be the center of a jammer, except there is nothing scheduled here, but there are traces of program modulation in it, so more likely a spur or extremely mistuned transmitter. Found nothing else like it on the 9 MHz band. 9445, July 8 at 0043 nor after 0100 no distorted blob here unlike 24 hours earlier. And the 9490 Cuban jammer is not bleeding much either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Sabato 6 luglio 2013, 1607 - 11735 kHz, Portante muta e rumore bianco tipo quello usato come jamming verso, per esempio, VOBME o V of Oromo Liberation, ma non si capiva se era un problema tecnico della Tanzania o un altro trasmettitore in sottofondo. Segnale Buono (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) - Italia, Playdx yg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 11750, 06/Jul 1820, Only Arabic pop music. End of transmission at 1830. Fair signal in my QTH and good signal on SDR Twente (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 12 14´S 38 58´W - Brasil, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 11979, July 8 at 0523, without BFO, the weak 11980 Turkey carrier suffices to audiblize some CW sending 7 over and over in code: --... Almost sounds hand-keyed; at least the pauses between the sevens vary. There are 28 repetitions per minute. What in the world is going on here? {later occurs to me it could be a HIFER beacon, but none listed on 11979, at http://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/High_Frequency_Beacon and none anywhere sending ``7``; but could be a new one} 11980, as we noted before, is also infested by RTTY intruder inside the SWBC band, poor signal at 1408 July 8, but probably unrelated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13650-13300-, July 8 at 1403, buzz sort of like OTH radar, and I realize it is slowly moving downward; hard to determine bandwidth as it moves, but less than 25 kHz. Perhaps a cross with an ionosonde. I sit on 13500 and then jump to 13400 to time how long it takes for it to decrease by 100 kHz: about 50 seconds; then to 13300: another 52 seconds for it to cross there. Call it 51 average. Thus the frequency is ``decelerating`` at the rate of 510 seconds per Megahertz or 0.51 seconds per kHz, or the other say round, 1.96 kHz per second = kilocycles per second per second. One could also write kHz/sec, or kc/sec squared. We need a handy name for this unit, but MegaHausers is already taken = megacycles per minute (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15485v, 06/Jul 1910, Strong distorted signal with speech in Arabic, and Arabic music. Constant cuts in the signal. Also on SDR, Twente. Still on the air at 1920 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 12 14´S 38 58´W - Brasil, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 89.3, July 6 at 0031 UT, classical music in stereo, Beethoven`s Eighth, atop new semi-local KIEL; obviously sporadic E opening going for some hours has finally reached this far west and this far up in MUF. Searching classical format on the WTFDA db for this frequency finds plenty, but since I later get NC on 95.1, how about this state? WTEB New Bern might be, except checking their own schedule, not classical during the evenings. Maybe WSCI Charleston SC or some other neighboring state. I see that this week`s San Francisco Symphony release from WFMT network includes Beethoven`s Seventh, not close enough (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++ In the form of contributions to keep our broadcasts and websites going are always welcome by check or MO to P O Box 1684, Enid OK, 73702; or by PayPal, not necessarily in US funds to woradio at yahoo.com (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WRTH A-13 update 22 May. A 2-page update to that has just been issued July 5: http://www.wrth.com/files/WRTH2013IntRadioSuppl3_A13SchedulesUpdate.pdf There is also a July 5 National Radio update: http://www.wrth.com/updates_national.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [ham] QSL GALLERY ---> The large collection of QSL cards on Les Nouvelles DX's web site has been updated. Fifteen different galleries include 11,166 cards for the ten Most Wanted DXCC Entities (2004-12), the 61 deleted DXCC Entities, obsolete prefixes, stations from Maghreb from 1945 to 1962, Allied Forces stations in Germany (1946-69), special stations commemorating ITU and IARU, Antarctic bases & TAAF (Terres Australes and Antarctiques Françaises), the various French DXCC island Entities in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Americas (from 1945 to 1970), pre-1945 countries, French Departments and CONUS, plus a gallery for cards not accepted by DXCC. Your participation is encouraged - please visit http://www.LesNouvellesdx.fr [TNX F6AJA] (425 DX News, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ ARMSTRONG HONOURED Scott Fybush reports on the man who invented FM and who might therefore be considered as the man who started the downfall of AM radio. Edwin Howard Armstrong Memorial Yonkers N.Y. Dedication Yonkers, N.Y. --- dignitaries, relatives of Edwin Howard Armstrong and others gather for the unveiling of a plaque to memorialize the broadcast technology inventor and resident of Yonkers. It took nearly 60 years after his death, but the inventor of FM radio is finally being recognized on the street where he lived. On Monday, city officials in Yonkers, N.Y. joined with radio enthusiasts and history buffs to unveil a plaque honouring Major Edwin Howard Armstrong’s accomplishments. The bronze plaque in Hudson-Fulton Park is just a block away from the site of Armstrong’s home on Warburton Avenue, and it overlooks the Hudson River and the unique three-armed tower that Armstrong built in Alpine, N.J. in 1937–38. The plaque was the brainchild of Steve Klose, a New Jersey resident who learned of Armstrong because of their shared interest in fast motorcycles. Klose became fascinated by Armstrong’s story and ended up leading a fundraising campaign that generated more than $4,000 in contributions to pay for the plaque. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and several city council members were on hand for Monday’s ceremony, joined by two Armstrong descendants. The ceremony was broadcast live on WA2XMN, the experimental “Armstrong memorial station” that transmits on Armstrong’s old 42.8 MHz frequency from the tower in Alpine. “He changed the world with his inventions and it all began right here,” said Armstrong relative Adam Brecht, who read a letter from Jeanne Hammond, Armstrong’s great-niece and, at 92, the inventor’s oldest living relative. After the half-hour ceremony on a warm, sunny afternoon, guests were treated to a cake displaying an image of Armstrong. The plaque may not be the last commemoration of Armstrong in his native Yonkers. City officials are now working to get a replica made of a bust of Armstrong now on display at Columbia University, and there’s talk of renaming part of Warburton Avenue in the major’s honour. Armstrong has been called "the most prolific and influential inventor in radio history". He invented the regenerative circuit while he was an undergraduate and patented it in 1914, followed by the super- regenerative circuit in 1922, and the super-heterodyne receiver in 1918. Armstrong was also the inventor of modern frequency modulation (FM) radio transmission (July-August MW News via DXLD) THE TEENAGE RADIO ENTHUSIASTS WHO HELPED WIN WORLD WAR BBC News By Katia Moskvitch Technology reporter 5 July 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23162846 To mark the centenary of the Radio Society of Great Britain, one of its members recalls how the amateur organisation played a key role in a covert operation to safeguard the country's independence. One day, towards the start of World War II, a captain wearing the Royal Signals uniform knocked on a British teenager's door. The 16-year-old was called Bob King. When he went to greet the visitor, he had no idea that soon he would become one of Britain's so- called "voluntary interceptors" - some 1,500 radio amateurs recruited to intercept secret codes broadcast by the Nazis and their allies during the war. "The captain asked me if I would be willing to help out with some secret work for the government," remembers Mr King, now 89. "He wouldn't tell me any more than that. "He knew that I could read Morse code - that was the essential thing." The captain had heard about Mr King through the RSGB - an organisation for amateur radio enthusiasts. Many of its members were youngsters curious about the possibilities offered by tinkering with radio receivers. Bob King was only 16 when he was recruited by MI8 During World War II, dozens were recruited by MI8 - a division of the British Military Intelligence department, and a cover name for the now-defunct Radio Security Service (RSS). The purpose of their work was to intercept secret wireless transmissions by German and Italian agents in Britain. Mr King signed the documents the captain had handed to him, which, he says, basically stated that he had "read them and knew what would happen to me if I opened my mouth too wide". He was then given the instructions to scan shortwave bands and write down Morse code he discovered on a piece of paper. Many used their own radio equipment to eavesdrop on enemy messages. The RSS's original headquarters had been in Wormwood Scrubs, London but in 1940 it was moved 12 miles (19km) north to the village of Arkley when German air raids threatened its efforts to analyse and sort the intercepted data. By mid-1941, the new base, Arkley View, was receiving about 10,000 message sheets a day from its recruits. "I worked for five years scrutinising the logs that came in from the other amateurs - thousands of log sheets with the signals which we knew were wanted, and you could only know it from experience," remembers Mr King. Arkley View became the main office of the RSS during the war - it is here that the intercepted data was sorted and analysed "We knew it wasn't Allied army air force, we knew it was German or Italian - various things gave that away, but it was disguised in such a form that it looked a bit like a radio amateur transmission. "We knew it was highly important, everything was marked 'top secret,' but only many years later we discovered that it was German secret service we were listening to. Of course you didn't ask questions in those days, otherwise you'd be in real trouble." Encoded messages were transmitted to Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, the UK's former top-secret code-cracking centre. Once decoded, the data was sent to the Allied Commanders and the UK Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Secret listeners Just like thousands of code-crackers working at Bletchley Park during the war, voluntary interceptors had to keep quiet about what they were doing. Mr King says that they were not even allowed to mention anything to their families. His wife only found out about her husband's secret past in 1980 - more than three decades after he had stopped his interception activities. Some voluntary interceptors had regular meetings during and after the war - but they were not allowed to talk about their work to anyone else. Now that they are allowed to speak up, he seems disappointed that this ghost army of secret civilian listeners has not been given more credit for the part it played in the Allies toppling the Nazis - including the successful invasion of Normandy. "The main success of the voluntary interceptors was in knowing what the enemy intelligence services were doing, what they believed and didn't believe, and we managed to manipulate them in that way through the agents that we controlled," he says. John Gould, the organiser of the RSGB's centenary celebrations, agrees. "Not only did the intercepts provide a huge amount of traffic, but through the skills of the radio amateurs 'fingerprinting' the Morse code of the German operators, supported by direction finding, the UK was able to monitor movements of the German forces," he says. "The intelligence gained from these intercepts was reported to have been of significant importance to control enemy agents and other matters such as sabotage and deception activities." (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) There's a 1979 BBC East 30 minute documentary about this, Wartime Radio - The Secret Listeners, at the East Anglian Film Archive. http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/5108 (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP The next meeting of the Reading International Radio Group will be on Saturday July 13 at 2.30 p.m in Room 3, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading. The programme will include a look at 60 years of Deutsche Welle, American Forces Broadcasting, developments in radio broadcasting and listening as shown in the Daily Mail Historical Archive as well as other current and historical radio related items and audio extracts. All are welcome, email me for more details or phone 01462 643899. Dates for upcoming meeings have now been booked, these are September 14, November 30, February 22 (Mike Barraclough, July 7, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) CIDX MONTREAL SUMMER BARBEQUE Saturday, August 3rd 2013, 1 pm Eastern (1700 UT) LOCATION: 79 Kipps Street, Greenfield Park, QC Google Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1UvxP We are very pleased to announce the 2013 CIDX Montreal Summer Barbecue. Hot dogs & hamburgers will be served. Please bring your own beverages. Any food contributions (snacks, desserts, etc) will be appreciated. Bring your own chair too. Please confirm your attendance by telephone, 450-671-3773 or by e-mail to Sheldon Harvey at ve2shw@yahoo.com All CIDX members and radio friends are welcome to attend (July CIDX Messenger via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ WHEN RAMADAN IS http://www.when-is.com/ramadan-2013.asp Exact time of the new moon is: 8 July 2013 07:15:33 UTC Then some Islamofficial has to spot it, i.e. emerging thin crescent at local sunset (Glenn Hauser, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello, In Egypt they declared that Wednesday [July 10] is the first day of Ramadan. As we say in Arabic (Ramadan Kareem) to everybody. All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ramadan (also known as Ramadhan or Ramzan) is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is a period of prayer, fasting, charity-giving and self-accountability for Muslims. Since the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles the timing of Ramadan varies with respect to the solar calendar. This year Ramadan started on July 9th. [sic] For radio listeners Ramadan often is a period of special broadcasts. In the Uk there are numerous short term broadcasts (LPFM) operating on VHF. Some broadcasters in the Middle East operate extended or 24 hour MW broadcasts during Ramadan. 73 (Steve Whitt, July 9, MWCircle yg via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS See TAIWAN ++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB/DTT ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A DAB/DTT question or two There's a massive tropo lift on this morning, across UK and into the European mainland. Many NDR stations swamping semi-local FM here in Reading, plus Gem from Derby, to name but a few. A tune across DAB band produced stations not normally received, from the Oxford area but nothing at all from the continent. Similarly, a DTT search with the Freeview telly produced nowt [sic]. So I have a question. Is mainland EU DAB and/or DTT compatible with UK standard? Also, a tune across UHF TV band in analogue produced nothing. Does this mean there is very little (or any at all) analogue TV left in western EU? Enjoy the sunny weather (Martin Peters, G4EFE, July 9, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) Original flavour DAB is exactly the same as in the UK. However many countries have upgraded some of their muxes to DAB+ which only a few UK sets can decode. France of course "have done it again"and have adopted a system called DMB-A, though I don't think there is much on air. The only UK set I know of that claims to be able to decode DMB-A is the Pure Evoke Flow. The main problem is however that most EU digital radio use the same few muxes as the UK so CCI stops DX. DTT TV is more or less compatible with the UK. I regularly receive French DTT from the Isle of Wight in the summer. I have also received Belgium from E Anglia. There are currently reports on digital spy of Dutch and German reception. I believe all analogue TV is gone in Western Europe. The former Eastern Europe and Iceland still have it however and there reports, again on digital spy, of band 1 reception from both these areas recently (Westfield 6, ibid.) In western EU most DAB stations have been replaced by DAB+ networks, which a standard DAB receiver such as those sold in the UK cannot decode. Also there are countries which have not yet implemented digital radio, such as France, where there were a few DAB tests (from the Eiffel Tower). These have been ended and replaced with T-DMB tests. T-DMB has been chosen to be the digital standard in France, when it is implemented (or rather IF it is implemented). Regarding analogue TV, in the three countries I know of (France, Germany & Switzerland) there are no analogue TV stations left. 73s, (Rémy Friess, ibid.) Hi again, All Pure receivers can decode DAB+ except those sold in the UK. Pure sells DAB models in the UK, DAB/DAB+/DMB models in France and DAB/DAB+ elsewhere in Europe. So my advice would be to buy your set from a vendor in France. Regarding the DMB standard in France: it has been chosen by the local radio authority but stations don't want it, they want DAB+. What's more, the major private networks (those with national coverage such as RTL, NRJ, Nostalgie, Europe1 or RMC) don't want digital radio at all and prefer to stick to VHF-FM. Anyway, there are no receivers for sale in shops, as there are no broadcasts! And why should there be broadcasts, there are no receivers around! A typical chicken and egg situation. So don't expect to catch "digital DX" from France in the years to come, even though three multiplexes are to be set up in Paris, Nice and Marseille in the next few months. But they'll carry only stations that the man in the street has never heard the name of. So digital radio is bound to collapse, just like MW has collapsed, there are no private MW stations left in France now. 73s, (Rémy Friess, ibid.) Not entirely true. Pure receivers that include DAB and Internet radio also have DAB+ when sold in the UK. Apparently they don't want to pay the DAB+ licence fee but with internet radio it is covered as well! Other Pure receivers can be upgraded by getting a code online but you have to either do from outside the UK or use a proxy server. A phone call pleading for a bit of common sense can work as well. I recently did this with a Pure Highway pointing out it was a portable receiver and I wanted to use it in Europe. Martin, if your Evoke Flow has had all the software updates it should be OK. Rgds, (Gareth [Foster? = westfield6], ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also AUSTRALIA; BRAZIL; CYPRUS; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INDIA; JAPAN; KOREA SOUTH; NEW ZEALAND; NIGERIA; SPAIN; RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM DRM at International Broadcasting Convention (!) http://www.mediamughals.com/News/1/3/Article/12269/DRM:_%E2%80%9CYour_%E2%80%98Smart'_Radio_solution%E2%80%9D_at_IBC_2013.htm It would be interesting to see these presentations and events just to understand where the DRM Consortium actually thinks DRM technology is relevant. Here in North America I believe that ship has long since sailed (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, July 4, NASWA yg via DXLD) India, of course, where Mediamughals also happens to be located (gh) A different DRM to be sure, but found it funny that when I visited the page it included an advertisement for "RemoveDRMsoftware.com (Kevin Mikell, ibid.) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ CANADA MAKES POWER LINE INTERFERENCE CONTACT INFORMATION AVAILABLE Telecommunications regulator Industry Canada has just posted contact information on where to report Power Line Radio Interference. The link for more information is: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10641.html This information at the website covers all the major Power Line companies in Canada and is being provided with the cooperation of the Canadian Electricity Association and its member power utilities. Hams in Canada are encouraged to use this contact information and report a problem when confronted with suspected power line interference (Ham Radio Report, July CIDX Messenger via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ BIONIC RADIO EARS Who listens to the humble wireless? Not if you've got one of these RESEARCHERS at Princeton University have brought a new tool into the realm of cybernetics: a 3D printer. The scientists have devised a way to produce an ear-shaped chunk of silicone mixed with bovine cells and infused with tiny particles of silver that form a coiled antenna. Like any antenna, this one can pick up radio signals that the ear will interpret as sound. The 3D ear is not designed to replace a human one, though the research is meant to explore a new method of combining electronics with biological material. "What we really did here was actually more of a proof of concept of the capabilities of 3D printing," said Michael McAlpine, the professor who led the project. "Because most people use 3D printing to print passive objects - things like figurines and jewellery." After it's printed, the 3D ear is soft and translucent. It is cultivated for 10 weeks, letting the cells multiply, creating a flesh colour and forming hardened tissue around the antenna. Manu Mannoor, a graduate student who worked with McAlpine on the project, held up a petri dish in a lab at Princeton last week to show how the process works. The dish was filled with liquid and a partly cultivated ear, and Mannoor said the cells were secreting a matrix, the space between cells that exists in organisms. "They make their own living space," Mannoor said. McAlpine and his team demonstrated the antenna's ability to pick up radio signals by attaching electrodes onto the backs of the ears in the printing process. When they broadcast a recording of Beethoven's "Fur Elise" to a pair of fully cultivated ears, the electrodes passed the signal along wires to a set of speakers, and the music flowed out clear and without interference. Although the new research is just one iteration in the field of cybernetics - an area that looks at combining biology with technology - McAlpine said the research could lead to synthetic replacements for actual human functions, and to a sort of electronic sixth sense. "As the world becomes a more digital and electronic place, I think ultimately we're going to care less about our traditional five senses," he said. "And we're going to want these new senses to give us direct electronic communication with our cellphones and our laptop devices." Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au (via Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Tirunelveli, India, July 5, dxldyg via DXLD) TECSUN PL-660 update HI ALL. Over the winter I had purchased a new Tecsun PL660 and gave a mini review here. Since then, there has been trouble in paradise. To review, the first Tecsun I got, straight out of the box, was little more than a pretty paperweight. It was just deader than a doornail. Installing betteries brought no life. Hooking up the wallwart did squat. The reset button didn't help. Calls to service tecs did no good. They couldn't suggest anything other than what I already knew before I called. So I sent it back to the retailer. The warranty covered it and they shipped me a new one, plus in my preferred color (the first one I got was silver; I asked them to send the replacement in black, which they did). It worked fine, and I reviewed it here at ABDX, commenting on the outstanding reception on the VHF civilian aero band. I was hearing comms from the PHX Tower from nearly 30 miles out from the field. Not just the AC in the pattern, but the tower! Shortwave reception was excellent, and, on a couple of occasions, I was getting those weak hard-to-hear stations nearly up to level with my Drake and longer wires. I was amazed. MW wasn't quite as strong as with my trusty RF-2200, but pretty close. However, over time, the tuning knob began to feel "stiff" and, over the course of a coupla weeks, it got to the point where it just jammed. It would not turn using normal stress on the knob, clockwise OR counterclockwise. I knew not to try to force it. I thought about taking it apart and seeing if there was some simple thing I could do to free it up; had some small wire gotten wrapped around the shaft some way? But, no, I felt that could void warranty, so off again I went to the UPS store to have it shipped back. I made one mistake with my shipping so that the retailer had to send it on to the Tecsun service place here in the U.S. A few weeks later, I got a package from Tecsun. It was a replacement radio. They kept back the one with the jammed tuning knob and sent me a new one. But, out of the box, I was back where I began. The radio was absolutely 901-H (Phoenix PD radio code for a deceased person). Calls to service tecs were of no help. Trying the reset was no help. With the summer camping season coming up (tho I do a lot of camping in desert locations in the winter, too), I decided to pick up the phone and call another retailer that sells the Grundig Satellit 750, the radio I originally wanted. (A cupla other radio guys talked me into going with the Tecsun). I know a couple of guys who SWEAR by the PL 660, and mine was a surprisingly good radio, especially considering the price - WHEN it was working. The Grundig has been reviewed six ways to Sunday, but if anyone is interested, I can offer my take on it. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. When I am on the go, I am adapting the ANT input to the 11 meter Wilson antenna on the roof of my truck, allowing me to follow SW activities when on the go in my small service business. I have already logged RTI Taiwan direct via Taiwan on 7445 with the mobile setup. And I hope to log some stations from the top of a mesa overlooking Oak Creek Canyon in the next few weeks. (It's much cooler up there!). 73 and best wishes for good listening, (Rick Barton, Arizona, July 5, ABDX via DXLD) A COLD, HARSH REALITY FOR RADIO 3-8-2012 [note date] by Radio Ink Publisher Eric Rhoads I stayed in my seat and listened politely, though I wanted to jump up and cross-examine the people onstage. Frankly, I couldn't believe what I'd just heard, and it was so important that it needed to be clarified immediately. Could it really be true? I'd been predicting it for years, but when I heard those words, it was like seeing an old friend I loved being knifed in the gut. I felt victimized. But I also felt vindicated. The moment I am referring to was during our Radio Ink Convergence conference, held earlier this week. For two days, digital experts talked about the surprising growth of online radio listening in the past 12 months. We heard statistics and facts about significant increases. We heard that the iPad is the new transistor radio and the smartphone is the new radio receiver. We heard that Google's YouTube is about to launch a radio service like Pandora, and that Apple is doing the same. So what I heard should have been no surprise, and in a way it wasn't. But it was a shock. For a decade or more, I have been banging my fist on the table, telling radio that a moment will come that the industry must prepare for. Some listened, but most ignored it as some "out there" prediction from an overzealous futurist. Yet what I'm about to tell you is not a prediction, and it's not a guess. It's a fact. And it was a giant shock for the people who attended Convergence. On the stage were three representatives of the automotive industry: one from Gartner Research, a highly respected tech research firm; one from the Silicon Valley offices of General Motors, where they design interactive experiences and new technology for their cars; and one who represents an industry association for the connected car. They were on a panel moderated by Buzz Knight of Greater Media, and they talked about the direction of in-car experiences, the digital dashboard, and what will be coming next to the dash of the car -- apps, Internet radio and audio in the car, and other things we knew were on the way. Then, suddenly, this statement was heard: "AM and FM are being eliminated from the dash of two car companies within two years and will be eliminated from the dash of all cars within five years." Gulp. Really? Did someone really just say that? The panelists went on to say that young people don't use radio anymore, and automakers see no need to continue to put radios in the car. The kids want Pandora, Spotify, and other audio services, and if they want radio, they can get it on TuneIn or iHeart or a similar service. I couldn't sit quietly anymore, so I went to the stage, apologized for interrupting, and started cross-examining the panel to find out if they really meant what they were saying. I was fuming inside, because it appeared they were working from incorrect assumptions. I wanted to find out if they were backed by solid data, or if they just believe "Nobody listens to the radio." Probing The Research When I questioned the panelists on their statements about the lack of youth listening, I asked if that was based on data, or is just a Silicon Valley perception. After all, Arbitron listening statistics don't support their claim, and they needed to know that. Though I've seen personal evidence that young people seem to be listening less, Arbitron numbers say that's not true. The answer I received from the General Motors panelist is that GM uses youth consultants MTV Scratch, a unit of the giant media company Viacom that consults with brands about connecting with consumers and advises GM on trends. I was told there was extensive research to support the lack of interest in radio among youth and that GM researches everything to make sure they are giving consumers what they want. When I asked who did the research, I was told these are proprietary studies but clearly show trends saying young people no longer use radio. Goodbye, AM & FM Now that I'd established that GM doesn't believe that youth listen to radio, I wanted to probe the statement that two car companies are pulling AM and FM radios, looking for specifics. I was told that is proprietary information, and that which two companies won't have in- dash AM and FM couldn't be shared. All they would say is that it was decided a year ago, and it will be happening within two years. The change is already in the works. This wasn't a prediction that this might happen. It was stated as a fact by a top industry researcher. And it seems GM's Chevrolet could be one of those automakers. Will Others Follow? Before the conference I'd heard a rumor that Ford and Toyota both believe AM/FM should be left out of new cars, and that these big radio advertisers want cars to have online radio only so they'll be able to measure their advertising reach precisely, rather than relying on estimates. Frankly, all other advertising has gone in that direction. Why not radio? We've known for a long time that radio is losing its in-car monopoly as other music services hit the dash. But until this moment, we didn't have confirmation from anyone in the auto industry that AM/FM receivers will be eliminated -- by at least two companies, and soon. If this is true -- and these people have no reason to mislead us -- this is the most important "unofficial" announcement in history regarding the future of broadcast radio. Though radio broadcasts will be available through distributors like TuneIn and iHeartRadio, your competition won't just be in-market stations anymore. You will be facing a world full of competitors. Many readers will be in denial after they hear this, saying it could never happen. One commenter on our website said AM and FM will not be removed from the dash in our lifetimes, while others raised the costs of bandwidth. Most who hear this will be tempted to ignore it. Alert: Within two years, AM and FM will no longer be offered by two automakers. According to the Convergence panel, radio will be gone from all new cars within five years. Since the automotive companies work three years in advance, these decisions are being made now. It appears that radio really will be gone from the dash unless it's heard through an Internet radio distribution platform. What can be done about this? It depends on which camp you're in. I happen to believe that this was inevitable, and I've been warning about it for a decade. Internet radio in car gives an exact measurement of listening, and that could be a good thing. But I am deeply concerned about two things: 1. Are the car companies operating on incorrectly skewed research, or on the opinions of a youth-oriented consulting company? It's easy to say radio is dead, but the Arbitron numbers don't support it. GM and other car companies need to understand that if they are wrong, there will be consumer backlash if they remove AM and FM from cars. People love their radios. Young people don't often buy cars, and radio is clearly stronger with baby boomers and older adults. 2. Safety is a giant concern. AM and FM radio stays available when the power goes down. Cell towers and the Internet do not. You can't communicate with consumers in their cars during a storm or a mass evacuation when the signals cannot reach the car. Plus, there are still dead spots in America where there is no cell coverage. Is a car owner in a remote community to go without a car radio that works? This is a slippery slope. So what can you do? 1. You need to believe this is happening. It's now a fact, directly from the mouths of the people behind it. 2. You had better start working out a strategy to strengthen your brand relationship with your audience now so they'll still seek you out when they have tens of thousands of other choices. 3. You need to be on the TuneIn or iHeart platforms (probably both), and you need to be streaming. 4. If you want to fight this, you may want to consider starting with your local congressman. Congress may wish to consider legislation to require in-car receivers for safety purposes -- though I'm not big on forcing regulation on consumer preferences. But Hurricane Sandy made it clear once again that Internet and cell signals cannot be relied upon for safety, and radio is the only means of communication that stays on the air in an emergency. Removing it from cars might not go over well with consumers for that reason alone. 5. You may consider having a talk with your biggest advertisers, local car dealers, to ask them to offer their input to the car companies. Pressure can change things quickly -- but be careful; this approach could backfire. Whatever you do, don't ignore this. As Bill Burton of the Detroit Radio Advertising Group always says, a car is a radio on wheels. We've owned the car, and traffic has been a friend to radio listening. But it appears that, unless something changes, the AM/FM signal to the car will soon be a thing of the past. Whether these same companies will still offer HD Radio needs to be addressed -- it may or may not be part of their plans. If it is, you'll be forced to upgrade to HD to reach people in new cars. Most people at the conference found this very unsettling, and I suspect it will create quite a ruckus in our industry, forcing the issue and bringing more details to light. Let's hope so. We need all the facts so we as an industry can properly respond. Eric Rhoads (via Bill Carney, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) How do YOU feel about the concept of a car with no radio? Have you bought into the concept of paying for each and every bit of audio and video that comes into your ears/eyes? I have NEVER paid a cable TV (or any other cable) bill, or a 'satellite TV/radio' bill for that matter, in my entire life, and, FCC willing, I never will. It is just a matter of principle with me -- and they will pry my antennas out of my cold dead fingers, so to speak. I'm getting the impression I'm a dying breed though -- even among radio geeks! :) Unless I get a great question, this will be the 'starting point' for my next paper column I think. –kvz (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, ed., ibid.) GOODBYE, 2 MHZ MARINE BAND Here's a notice issued by the US Coast Guard on June 18: Effective 01 August, 2013, the US Coast Guard will terminate its radio guard of the international voice distress, safety and calling frequency 2182 kHz and the international digital selective calling (DSC) distress and safety frequency 2187.5 kHz. Additionally, marine information and weather broadcasts transmitted on 2670 kHz will terminate concurrently. The Coast Guard will continue to maintain a continuous watch on VHF FM channel 16 (156.8 MHz) and on existing voice and DSC frequencies in the 4/6/8/12 MHz bands as described in the Coast Guard Navigation Center website http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall Sigh -- I haven't heard much in 2-3 MHz in years, but it is sad to see a band die. I wonder what will replace this? As of now, there is a whole MHz that has WWV and NY Radio in it. Seems like a good place to put digital (local) AM broadcasting using DRM (IF you can get radio manufacturers to make the radios that is!) if you ask me! --kvz (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet July 5 via DXLD) SMALL, CHEAP AND SMART: SHORTWAVE LISTENING & DECODING WITH FUNCUBE DONGLE. A MULTIMEDIA PDF Hi - recently I met the FUNcubeDongle Pro+ V2.0, short FCD2. I was really enthusiastic about this great little radio in an USB stick. But will this under-200-$-piece (door-to-door in the EU) really perform on shortwave? I tried out just that: with broadcast, amateur radio and utility. I just used software for controlling FCD2 as well as for decoding digimodes being available for free in the internet. So no additional costs to listen to the world. I wrote my results down in a multimedia PDF, where you can read, listen and even view some examples on how to tune, optimize and decode reception. Special focus has been laid onto digimodes, may these be e.g. DRM (broadcast), FreeDV (ham radio) and STANAG4285 (utility). The results were not only convincing but in some cases really overwhelming. You will also find some live examples of ALE, FAX, RTTY, GW-FSK,SITOR-B, Pactor-II and Pactor-III, Packet Radio, DSC/GMDSS, CW, HFDL (ARINC- 635), ICAO-Selcall, SSTV (digital and analog), ROS, Hellschreiber, PSK31, MFSK16, Olivia, WSPR, AM (envelope demodulator as well as synchronous detection with selectable sidebands) and SSB. You can download this PDF (30 MB) in English language from Christoph Ratzer's (OE2CRM) website: http:///ratzer.at On the right, under "A-DX Download" click "Funcube2 - DK8OK, Multimedia-PDF". To access the multimedia content of this PDF, you must save it onto your harddisk (right mouse click: "Save under ...) and open it with a recent PDF reader of Adobe. Otherwise, you get a PDF, where you cannot click onto the multimedia content (but read the text, view the screenshots). As the paper has been finished just before June 30th, where Globe Wireless cut most of their HF network, the given example of A9M Manam/Bahrain is no longer valid. Try e.g. 13107 kHz for KPH San Francisco or 18224 kHz for WNU Slidell. I got excellent results from also these stations after July 1st in Germany with the same combo of hard and soft. Have fun, comments & critics welcomed! --- 73, (Nils, DK8OK, Schiffhauer, July 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SUNSPOT COUNT FOR JUNE 2013 The average sunspot count for February was 52.5, which is not at all surprising. If what we've been seeing for these past three months is the much anticipated second peak, it certainly is not at all impressive. The minimum between this cycle and the next should occur around 2017 or 2018, which will then be followed by two more similarly low sunspot cycles and then a third with almost no activity during a phase reversal. A chart displaying the measured sunspot activity since the early 17th century and my calculated prediction is available at: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~christrask/Solar%20Activity%201600-2100.pdf You will notice that the grand minimum that we are entering is now named the Landscheidt Minimum, acknowledging the scientist who is credited for having first predicted the upcoming event. (Chris Trask, N7ZWY / WDX3HLB, http://www.home.earthlink.net/~christrask/ July 3, SWL at qth.net via DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2013 Jul 08 0623 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/weekly.html # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 01 - 07 July 2013 Solar activity was at low to moderate levels. Low levels were observed on 01 - 02 July, predominately from new Region 1785 (S11, L=006, class/area Ekc/680 on 05 July). Activity briefly increased to moderate levels on 03 July when new Region 1787 (S15, L=349, class/area Eai/170 on 05 July) produced an M1/Sf at 03/0708 UTC. Weak, low frequency radio emissions accompanied this event including a Type II spectral sweep with an estimated shock velocity of 1033 km/s. Activity levels returned to low on 04 July and remained there for the balance of the period. Numerous C-class activity, ranging from C1 to C8, was observed from Regions 1785 and 1787 during this time frame. At 06/1601 UTC, a faint, slow-moving coronal mass ejection (CME) was detected in SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery. WSA-ENLIL model output suggested the CME had an Earth-directed component with an arrival time expected for early on 10 July. The source location of this CME was uncertain. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 01 - 05 Jul and at moderate levels on 06 - 07 Jul. A maximum flux of 6,620 pfu was observed at 04/1620 UTC. Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. The period began with unsettled periods early on 01 July and relaxed to quiet levels through late on 05 July. During this time frame, ACE wind measurements indicated a gradual decay in speed from about 550 km/s to near 350 km/s. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bt ranged from 3 to 5 nT while the Bz component varied between +3 to -5 nT. The Phi component was in a predominately positive (away) orientation through late on the 5th. At about 05/1900 UTC, Bz gradually turned southward and remained so through about 07/0200 UTC. Bz reached a maximum of -13 nT at 06/0253 UTC while Bt peaked at 13 nT. The Phi angle switched to a predominately negative (toward) orientation at about 06/0500 UTC and remained negative through about 07/1600 UTC. The geomagnetic field responded with unsettled to active conditions with minor to major high latitude storming through early on 07 July. This discontinuity in ACE, and the related geomagnetic activity, was possibly due to effects from the 30 June CME. For the balance of the period, the geomagnetic field returned to quiet levels as Bz turned mostly positive to about +5 nT and wind speed further decayed to end-of-period values near 300 km/s. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 08 JULY - 03 AUGUST 2013 Solar activity is expected to be at predominately low levels with a chance for M-class activity through the outlook period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels from 08 - 19 July and moderate to high levels from 20 July - 03 Aug. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be unsettled to active levels from 08 - 11 July due to combined effects from a positive coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) and effects from the 06 July CME. Predominately quiet conditions are expected from 12 - 16 July. Unsettled to active conditions are expected from 17 - 21 July as a recurrent, negative CH HSS rotates into a geoeffective position. Mostly quiet conditions are expected from 22 July - 03 August. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2013 Jul 08 0623 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 2013-07-08 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2013 Jul 08 125 10 3 2013 Jul 09 130 10 3 2013 Jul 10 135 15 4 2013 Jul 11 140 8 3 2013 Jul 12 140 5 2 2013 Jul 13 135 5 2 2013 Jul 14 120 5 2 2013 Jul 15 125 5 2 2013 Jul 16 120 5 2 2013 Jul 17 120 10 3 2013 Jul 18 125 15 4 2013 Jul 19 125 15 4 2013 Jul 20 125 15 4 2013 Jul 21 120 15 4 2013 Jul 22 110 8 3 2013 Jul 23 105 5 2 2013 Jul 24 100 5 2 2013 Jul 25 100 5 2 2013 Jul 26 105 5 2 2013 Jul 27 110 5 2 2013 Jul 28 110 5 2 2013 Jul 29 120 5 2 2013 Jul 30 125 5 2 2013 Jul 31 130 5 2 2013 Aug 01 135 5 2 2013 Aug 02 135 5 2 2013 Aug 03 130 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1677, DXLD) ###