DX LISTENING DIGEST 14-06, February 5, 2014 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 2014 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html For restrixions and searchable 2013 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid13.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 1707: *DX and station news about: Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Greece, Japan, Jordan, Korea North and non, Liberia non, Mexico, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oklahoma, Oman, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Carolina non, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Tatarstan non, UK, USA, Yemen SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1707, February 6-12, 2014 Thu 0430 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Thu 1330 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Thu 2201 WTWW 9475 [off the air!] Fri 0426v WWRB 3195 [confirmed] Sat 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sat 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Sun 0030 WRMI 9495 [confirmed] Sun 0030v WTWW 5085 [confirmed] Sun 0501 WTWW 5830 Mon 0400v WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Area 51 Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Wed 0730 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Wed 1400 WRMI 9955 [on northwest antenna] Wed 1530 HLR 7265-CUSB Hamburger Lokalradio Thu 0430 WRMI 9955 [or 1708 if ready in time] 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 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS HAVE RESUMED starting with #1701: Tnx to Dr Harald Gabler and the Rhein-Main Radio Club. http://www.rmrc.de/index.php?option=com_podcast&view=feed&format=raw&Itemid=156&lang=de 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]. USA(non) Frequency change of VOA Radio Ashna in Dari: 1500-1530 NF 17580 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg to WeAs, ex 11595 // 11825 WOF, 12140 KWT (DX RE MIX NEWS #836, Feb 2, 2014 via DXLD) ** ALASKA [and non]. License Renewal Problems: All AM and FM stations in Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Mariana Islands, Oregon, and Washington were required to file license renewal applications by October 1, 2013. The existing licenses of any stations in these places that failed to file for renewal expire on February 1, 2014. On January 30, the FCC published a list of stations that didn’t file for renewal and therefore should be deleted on February 1, including KRSA-580 Petersburg AK, KJAL-585 Tafuna, American Samoa, and KSEW-950 Seward AK. We’ll see if any of these stations panic at finding themselves on this list and come in with last-minute late applications (AM Switch, NRC DX News Feb 10 via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. 7465, Radio Tirana; 2104-2116+, 14-Jan; English news to 2107+ folksy tune; 2111 English commentary on current parliamentary session plus items about Kosovo & Macedonia. SIO=3+53- (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 7425, Feb 1 at 0259, R. Tirana IS is playing after the English semihour, and with a SAH from open carrier. Soon Shijak goes off, and the carrier enlivens with Deutsche Welle opening Kiswahili via RWANDA. I assume it was not on early enough to bother programming from Tirana (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. 5985, Jan 30 at 0635, ME music, Arabic announcement, poor signal and carrier unstable: it`s CRI via Cërrik, at 05-07, 240 degrees; // 7210 and 9590 sometimes also audible but unchecked (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NOT ``R. Tirana`` as some log editor inserted into one of my reports (gh, DXLD) Cërrik fundamentals 11785 CRI English and 11855 CRI Chinese produce the usual noted intermodulations 70 kHz apart, this morning again on 11715 kHz Chinese, and 11925 kHz English program. 0712 UT Feb 5 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC- DX TopNews Feb 5, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AMSTERDAM ISLAND. I was watching for FT5ZM on Amsterdam Island (Indian Ocean midway between Western Australia and Madagascar) this morning on 160m; over a 5 minute period between 1530 and 1535, his signal built from nothing to almost 579, we worked and 60 seconds later he was gone. Looks like we enjoyed the same 'peak' which for the FT5 was right on our common grayline (Steve, VE7SL, Mayne Island, BC, WEB - "The VE7SL Radio Notebook": http://members.shaw.ca/ve7sl Jan 31, IRCA via DXLD) Referring to a MW DX log; CW only? WTFK?? (gh) 1826.5 (Steve, ibid.) Some years ago, I did an article for QEX on being able to use overseas MW stations as possible indicators of enhancement on 160m, Steve. I think you may have helped prove the point, and Bob Brown would have immortalized your contact in an article if he was still going strong. That's pretty near antipodes DX isn't it? (Nick Hall- Patch, ibid.) No, it`s not; as I pointed out in my HF logs of FT5ZM, the antipodes is in SE Colorado, Prowers County near Lamar (gh, ibid.) [earlier:] Yes, very very close which makes me wonder if this is more of a 'normal' dawn enhanced antipodal occurrence and less to do with the grayline as their sunset was almost an hour earlier than our sunrise. It's encouraging that their signal pops-up every morning on 160m like clockwork, right at our sunrise and then vanishes shortly thereafter; too bad their wasn't a MW outlet there to see what it does at the same time! ``For future reference when firing up 160m, maybe you should check out http://www3.telus.net/public/shallpat/test/display.htm for real time signal strength updates from this part of the world on MW, and see if you can find some other good DX. I aim it west during the overnight hours until sunrise, then shift to north for daytime and evening.`` Yes; I have checked it out a few times when I hear some TA carriers to see what it is indicating. I don't really have a proper BCB antenna, other than my 160m wire, but am thinking about some sort of loop. Cheers / (Steve, ibid.) [non]. 18130, Jan 30 at 1438, no sign of FT5ZM nor pileups in the area, so settled for Vlado in Slovakia, q.v. Trying 15m, plenty of pileups, at least on 21350, 21345, 21312, 21298, 21293, countless hams spouting nothing but their own calls over and over, presumably provoked by FT5ZM in the region, but nothing audible here on its nominal 21285. Bill Smith, W1OW suggests consulting this running log of attempts and successful contacts: http://www.dxscape.com/dxped/dxped3.html Including lots of rude language (more so than on the ham bands??). It only goes back one hour, but as of 1720, FT5ZM had been using 21288 on 15m (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 14160-USB, Jan 30 at 2220 I`m looking around for FT5ZM DX- pedition. 14185 is the nominal 20-m frequency, but I am hearing pileups on 14165, mainly 14170-14175; one guy interjects ``he`s listening up``. 14160 finally uncovers FT5ZM, and despite his also frequently saying ``listening up 5-15``, keeps getting calls back on same 14160. I could have logged numerous embarrassing callsigns of these clueless amateurs. Calling on 14160 provokes more hams to interrupt on same frequency to tell the others to get off, even swearing at each other back and forth at 2237; these don`t bother to ID. I keep on 14160 until 2253, and *never* hear FT5ZM give his own call! Tho it could have been rarely during CCI. Typical `QSO` consists of the lucky contactee`s call and ``5-9``, and that`s it, on to the next one. Notch up the tally and the DXCC counts! Nothing else matters. For this they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get to Amsterdam?? Despite four sesquidecades as a DXer, I`m beginning to think these guys are all nuts. Fortunately, I am satisfied to *hear* a distant spot, feeling no need to make a two-way contact, which really proves nothing more. The December issue of Atividade DX, the monthly print bulletin of the DX Clube do Brasil, has arrived just in time with a timely lead article about the much-anticipated FT5ZM DX-pedition, the first since 1998, and before that, 1987. Alfredo Meurer points out, ``Uma estação dessa magnitude é de interesse planetário dos amadores e dos SWL. Todos querem tê-la como um troféu de uma grande conquista. Então os amadores vão se matar para conseguir o tão sonhado QSO com ela. Um tumulto inacreditável será ouvido por todos numa certa QRG. Será uma balbúrdia sem precedentes que todos ouviremeos. Ai saberemos que se tratará de FT5ZM. Mas atençao! Ela não estará ali naquela QRG. Ela estará em split [. . .] E nós estaremos ali para faturarmos ela e todas aquelas estações raras que também estarão a sua caça. Num pile-up dessa magnitude poderemos faturar mais de 150 países, sem dúvida, e muitos deles muito difíceis de serem escutados depois.`` In other words, he`s suggesting DXing the pileups for more rare countries, more than 150 of them! I`m not sure I could take that: most of the piler-uppers heard around here are mere North Americans. 14185-USB, Feb 2 at 0106, FT5ZM found here after pileup on 14190; as usual, no IDs, but calling QRZ and making very quick contacts with VE7XT, N6?NKT, KC7ZON. 0109 carrier jamming and some clueless co- channel calling, inspiring others to exclaim ``listening up``, but not as bad as usual. When CCI abates, FT5ZM himself is 5&9 here, about the best heard so far. At 0110 QSOing partial calls IM and KP. During a brief lull at 0111, he even gives an ID! ``This is Fox Tango Five Zulu Mike, listening up``. The op I heard first on 20m Jan 27 foneticized Mexico instead of Mike, so maybe a different one now. They *never* mention their handles, since doing so would gobble up precious seconds and drive down the overall QSO count. However, this one politely, frequently says ``thank you``, also a terrible waste of time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 1670, Rafael Castillo, La Matanza, Buenos Aires. "Radio Rubi", 0201 UT 30/01. Selección de música chamamé y anuncios publicitarios de conciertos folclóricos e identificación por una mujer con eco y promoción de programa "Orgullo de ser misionero y continúan con música chamamé, SINPO: 45434. 1700, Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires. "Radio Juventud", 0142 UT 30/01. Selección de Música Chamame instrumental y cantada, SINPO: 35323 (Marcos Cox, Vicuña, Chile, Receptor: Degen DE-1103, Antena: Cable Largo 3 Metros, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Salutacions, aquestes són les QSL rebudes els últims mesos: Voice of Russia, 9435 kHz via Erevan. 2 QSL cards (Russian churches series) and postcard received in 25 days for Spanish service reception reports sent to letters @ ruvr.ru and post_es @ ruvr.ru 73, (Rafael Martínez, Barcelona, Catalunya, via Dario Monferini, 31 Jan, playdx yg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 6676-USB, Brisbane Volmet, 1132 weather conditions 30 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Program Focus: "The Daily Planet" on ABC Radio National and Radio Australia (ABC-RN) and (ABC-RA) The term ‘world music” has a somewhat imprecise definition among listeners and presenters, but in general most agree that the genre includes an eclectic mix of international styles that emphasize traditional, folk, jazz, rock and popular forms emanating from a variety of indigenous, continental, national, regional, cultural, linguistic and social backgrounds. Most also agree that this music is not mainstream in nature, at least insofar as the commercially driven music industry is concerned, though that fact does not discount the popularity of much of it within a particular musical form’s social sphere. One of the very best programs on radio that is most informative about, while providing access to an astonishingly full and eclectic variety of, world music is The Daily Planet, hosted by a fellow who calls himself Lucky Oceans, and broadcast on ABC (Australia) Radio. This is actually an American musician and two-time Grammy award winner named Reuben Gosfield, pedal steel guitarist for, and one of the founders of, the popular country-western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. Born in Philadelphia, Oceans relocated to western Australia in 1980 and formed a band called The Zydecats. The Planet debuted in 1995 on Australian radio and continues to this day. Oceans is a master at mixing a melange of music in such a way as to provide the listener with a captivating hour long voyage around the world of music. In so doing, the listener enjoys while learning how the currents that have brought cultures in touch with one another have influenced and been infused into local music to produce the diverse melodies and syncopations that are at the same time familiar and foreign to a listener’s ears. Music lovers who truly appreciate being immersed in the instrumental and vocal arts in all its wonderful forms will easily become fans of this truly unique and expertly crafted program. Broadcast and Streamed: M-Th 11:00pm – 11:59pm (Australian Eastern Summer Time); 7:00am – 7:59am (EST); 1200-1259 (GMT/UTC) on ABC Radio National (ABC-RN). T-F 4:00am -4:59am (Australian Eastern Summer Time); M-Th 12noon- 12:59pm (EST); 1700-1759 (GMT/UTC) on ABC Radio Australia (ABC-RA). http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/dailyplanet/ (John Figliozzi, http://wwlgonline.com Jan 30, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 9580, Feb 3 at 1245, no signal from RA on what is usually its best frequency, off? Tinang is propagating well enough on 9800, but not exactly in the Shepparton neighborhood. Nor is RA on 12065, second best. At 1247 it can be heard poorly on 6150, and very poorly on 6140-SINGAPORE, so maybe it`s just not propagating on higher bands, quite unusual. By 1253, 9580 is fading up with ABC news, and by 1305 back up to usual VG level with reports and discussion about the situation in Thailand; 9965 via PALAU also audible at 1344, still talking about Thailand when `Rear Vision` is supposed to be on. Seems like RA has resumed relay of the TV newscast following summer holidays thru January. Yes, the online schedule for today shows: 1230 `Australia Network News Bulletin`; 1300-1330 `Newsline`, Australia Network`s flagship current affairs program [sic]. Australia Network = television! But maybe not for long: See this disturbing report via Rich Cuff on the internetradio [sic] list: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/30/abc-faces-australia-network-loss (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: ABC MAY LOSE AUSTRALIA NETWORK | Media | theguardian.com Growing signs that Abbott government will strip the ABC of international broadcasting as a concession to conservative critics Katharine Murphy, deputy political editor theguardian.com, Wednesday 29 January 2014 20.27 EST Julie Bishop Julie Bishop argues the Australia Network is not serving Australia’s regional interests. Photograph: Stefan Postles/AAP [caption] Another signal has emerged that the Abbott government intends to strip the ABC of its international broadcasting service – the Australia Network – in a significant concession to Rupert Murdoch and to conservative commentators critical of public broadcasting. . . http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/30/abc-faces-australia-network-loss Not exactly shortwave or radio related, but noteworthy given the rightward shift evident in Aussie politics these days. RC (Rich Cuff, PA, internetradio [sic], 30 Jan via DXLD) It's interesting that it appears the Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, don't agree on this. There is no question that running the Australia Network costs the Australian taxpayer a fair chunk of money. However, abandoning the service would be misguided. Of course, for a tiny fraction of what the TV network costs, full shortwave service could be restored. My own reaction to the complaints of commercial services (e.g. Sky/News Corp) in Australia is: if the content on AN is poor, what are you afraid of? If it is good and hurting your business, maybe you should up your quality and digital distribution -- (-Rob de Santos, ibid.) [Abbott's political strategy as simple as ABC] http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/abbotts-political-strategy-as-simple-as-abc-20140203-31xgz.html February 4, 2014 Nicholas Stuart "The current to-ing and fro-ing is nothing more, nor less, than a contest about the way we interpret events, interact with the world, and sort out our values as a society": Nicholas Stuart. So what do you think about the ABC? Is it an inner-city, latte- sipping, hotbed of anti-Aussie sentiment and waste of taxpayers' money? Or is it, perhaps, one small bastion of integrity in a stream of dumbed-down commercial broadcasting pandering to the lowest common denominator in our society? Now pause. Hang on to that thought for a moment but step outside the emotion. This column might appear to be about the ABC, but it's not. Instead, it's an examination of what an academic might call the meta-debate; the debate about the debate. There are myriad reasons politicians may feel impelled to fling mud at the public broadcaster, but its news product is only a minor irritant. Take the Australia Network for example. Compared with the groaning weight of the federal budget, its cost is minuscule. It has a huge potential audience, but the key word here is ''potential''. Increasingly viewers, even overseas ones, access the corporation's material through the internet. Virtually nobody uses short-wave radio any more. And while I've got no way of proving what the audience actually is, neither does anyone else. The point is it's not a mass audience. This is not to minimise the importance of the material the ABC's streaming into Asia. The point is simply to note that the total cost of the service is such a small blip on the fiscal horizon, it didn't even show up when the commission of audit came to review government expenditure. This whole debate is, in effect, an argument about nothing - but that doesn't mean that it isn't important. The reason it is resonating far more widely than the substantial subject is precisely because it isn't really a debate about the ABC at all. Nor is it a debate about money. The current to-ing and fro-ing is nothing more, nor less, than a contest about the way we interpret events, interact with the world, and sort out our values as a society. So let's begin, very quickly, with Labor. While he was still foreign minister, Kevin Rudd instituted the review that unilaterally recommended the ABC should be stripped of the Australia Network contract. He was dumped before he could implement his ideas, which were born from some mixture of anger, impotence and inchoate rage. Almost to spite him, Julia Gillard bolstered the service and lodged it firmly under the umbrella of the ABC. If Rudd were PM today he'd be acting exactly as Tony Abbott: the only differences would be ones of rhetoric and motivation. Now the Coalition. Since marching triumphantly to office last September the polls have reflected growing disenchantment. Abbott rode a wave of anger into government but it's evaporated and there's been no surge of enthusiasm for his policies. The last leader to suffer such an abrupt end to their honeymoon with the voters was Gillard - and look how that ended. Quite aside from anything else, something has gone very wrong with Abbott's communications strategy. He was comfortable criticising from opposition, but governing persuasively has turned out to be another matter entirely. He needed, desperately, to find a way of reigniting the anger that only the dispossessed feel; a reprise of the tactics that had worked so well to get him into office. And then in walks the ABC, entering stage left, from the government's perspective seemingly absolutely determined to provoke it. Come in spinner! So this fight isn't really about the specific report from Jakarta that revealed some asylum seekers suffered burns as a result, allegedly, of having been stopped by the navy. It's actually about something bigger, the whole tone of ABC coverage, combined with a sense of conservative frustration that somehow the ABC's lost its impartiality. This is a culture war and, for that reason alone, it's one Abbott won't lose. He's Prime Minister, he has the power and, come the new Senate, there will be nothing anyone can do to stop him. A shrill argument actually suits Abbott, because it will look as if he's actually done something important. It appears recognition of the eventual victor in this battle is slowly dawning in the executive suites of the ABC - if a bit late. When I was working inside the corporation's Ultimo headquarters a couple of decades ago, the prevailing corporate mood was very different. It was a far more conservative institution, in every sense of the word. Now those instincts will re-assert themselves. This quick rap on the knuckles combined with a rapid filleting of the budget may well see the restoration of what Abbott believes are ''traditional'' news values. That's the way organisations work. No editor would today dream of partnering up with Guardian Australia. The word has also gone out warning reporters to watch the tone of their reports. Abbott needed to reframe an issue so that he could go back to doing what he been so successful at - complaining. He's done it. Attacking the ABC gave Abbott a perfect opportunity to return to campaigning from opposition. And, given that the vast majority of voters don't watch or listen to the ABC regularly (apart from specific programs), he was always on a winner. And this is where the analysis gets tricky, because now we've come to the substance of the debate, away from the politics of appearances. Now, as it happens, I do actually believe there is some truth in Abbott's critique that some areas of the ABC are not providing balanced reports. News is a funny thing. Decisions about what stories should be headlined and the style of reporting are never obvious. They're always influenced by other factors. That's why I'm welcoming this opportunity to dissect the ABC's output. But look! Goodness! I've run out of space. -------- Nicholas Stuart is a former ABC foreign correspondent. His wife works for Australia Network (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. AROUND 200 LOCAL RADIO STATIONS TO CEASE ONLINE BROADCAST IN MUSIC LICENCE STOUSH Nearly 200 local commercial regional radio stations will cease online simulcasts of shows over the internet by midnight today after being asked to pay for a separate licence fee, says Commercial Radio Australia (CRA). The extra fee is a result of the Federal Court ruling in February last year that internet simulcasts of radio programs fall outside the definition of a “broadcast” under the Copyright Act and are therefore not covered by existing licences to commercial radio networks. After the ruling the Copyright Tribunal ordered broadcasters to apply for an interim simulcast licence by the end of today. . . http://mumbrella.com.au/radio-cra-ppca-203443 (via Craig Seager, ARDXC list via DXLD) What`s a stoush? Let ABC explain: http://www.abc.net.au/newsradio/txt/s1591014.htm Stoush --- Presented by Kel Richards === There was a time when “stoush” (meaning “fight”) was a very common piece of Aussie slang. But does anyone still say "stoush"? Stoush was both a noun and a verb: to stoush someone was to bash them or fight them, while a fight was called a stoush. It probably had its highest currency in the late 19th early 20th centuries. In typical Aussie fashion the Great War of 1914- 18 was called “the big stoush”. The earliest citation is from a report in the Bulletin in 1893. The source of the word remains a mystery, but the English Dialect Dictionary records a somewhat similar word “stashie” meaning “uproar” or “quarrel”. So stoush may have started life as an English dialect word that immigrated, changed, and then lived on here while it died out back in the British Isles (via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Here`s something unusual, logs on an extra broadcasting band which exists only in this country. Presumably low powered for local range only, so no idea how far he was from these when DXing them. Altho WRTH 2014 mentions DAB being rolled out in the 200+ MHz area, apparently these are beyond the ken of WRTH. I wonder if any get picked up by unintentional satellite relays giving them worldwide coverage? Note the one on 151.675, familiar because it has also been on SW, 2368.5v (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 151.45, 2VNR Vietnamese Radio. Presumed the one, weak 1000 w/talks, prior to dropping out, 13/1 151.6, UnID Community station. Fair 1238, 17/1 151.675, R. Symban, Charlestown. Very strong, 1101 Greek talks, 13/1 151.85, Galaxias Greek Radio, Lakemba. Fair 1234 announcements & into Greek music, 17/1 151.9, Bankstown and Surrounding Areas Community Radio, Hurstville. Arabic programming 1230, good with talks, 17/1 151.975, Community Station, Pennant Hills. Indian music 1059, weak 13/1 152.075, UnID Community station. Chinese programming 1105, 13/1 152.15, Portuguese Radio, Sydney. Fair with Portuguese talks 0945. One of the more professional sounding Sydney NAS community stations. Also streams on the web at http://www/portugueseradio.com.au Listed as 50W 152.225, UnID Community station. Chinese programming, fair 1104, 13/1 152.250, UnID Community station. Chinese programming 1107, 13/1 152.3, Australian Tamil Broadcasting Corp. Fair 1006 with subcontinental music, 13/1 152.425, Voice of Charity. Possibly devotional music 1055, fair 13/1. English ID and URL 1103 (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW (Icom IC-R75, Amplified home brew loop) [or really some other rx?], Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 15340, Jan 30 at 1523, RHC is conveniently absent today so I can hear Kununurra, fair signal with hymn; 1526, Ozish sign-off announcement for the S Asian service until tomorrow morning on 17760, and yes, still calling itself ``HCJB Australia``, despite manifesto from Colorado Springs HQ last week that the ministry has been renamed ``Reach Beyond``, banning historic HCJB brand. It lives longer straddling the Equator, and Down Under. Off at 1530* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 4750, Bangladesh Betar, 1230 to 1245, Subcontinental and Western music, YL announcer, good signal 26 January (XM, Cedar Key, South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4750, R Bangladesh Betar, Khabirpur, 1650 26 Jan, program local + ID, off at 1706, 44444. Ciao 73 (Mauro Giroletti, Italy, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** BELARUS. 7255, Radio Belarus, 0400 Jan 31, sign-on after two time pips with instrumental music and then man in Belarussian, went into news. Poor, ACI from 7260 (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia, Listening in my car, parked by the lake, with the Eton E1 and Sony AN1 active antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. RUSSIA / BELARUS --- UNIQUE RADIO RUSSIAN NAVY CELEBRATED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY It is one of two Russian military bases on the territory of Belarus. 300-meter tower antennas above the forest attracted the attention of not only the residents of nearby villages. Triangle antenna field with more than kilometer dimensions is clearly visible even from space, and are looking at him and at the Pentagon. Located in the woods near Vileika, radio "Antey" - an important strategic element of the Navy of Russia. She is responsible for communicating to the extra-long distances between the General Staff and ships and submarines in the waters of Atlanticheskogo, Indian and Pacific Oceans even. The secret to journalists allowed only on the anniversary, but managed to see only a small part of a large-scale complex. 80 kilometers of the antenna wires in the air and another 600 - underground. There's also a massive bunkers and tunnels to withstand a nuclear attack. Expert Opinion Russian voenproma - after 50 years in radio have the potential for development. Olga Kildisheva, general director of the Russian Institute of High-Power Radio: "We have every opportunity to breathe new modern life in the station, so she could perform all assigned functions and nothing would have yielded the most modern radio is not quite our allies." Extra long wave able to go around the entire Earth. Signal reception is possible under water, which is important for nuclear submarines. Station "Antey" built during the time of the Cuban missile crisis, but now it is every day intrudes on alert. Together with the Russian seafarers working here and Belarusians. Yuri Savitchev, Head 43rd superlong radio Russian Navy: "Our radio station like time represents the close proximity and affinity of our peoples. Because both Russian and Belarusian in the same ranks intrudes on combat duty, performing common tasks in the interests of our two countries - security of Russia and Belarus." Gennady Kazakov, Head of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus "reached full operational compatibility of military tactical management and technical compatibility of communications that perform joint operational and combat missions. This was highlighted during the exercise "West - 2013"". Now the military departments of Belarus and Russia implement a plan to build a united communication system the regional grouping. Go joint research and development and updating technology. A radio station in the Belarusian outback is still in touch with the world. http://ont.by/news/our_news/00113619 (Moscow Information DX Bulletin, Weekly electronic publication # 878, January 28, 2014, Editor of the current issue: Alexander Dementyev, Russia via RusDX Feb 2 via DXLD) ELF ** BENIN. On Thu 02.01.14 there was a programme aired from ELWA via the facilities of TWR Parakou on 1566 kHz. The programme was in a vernacular language and lasted until 0326 UT. Programme ended with Radio ELWA Liberia announced twice plus presumed address. 0327 back to TWR. Don't know whether this is transmitted on a regular basis. Nothing on their web-site in this regard, strange, to say the least (Stefan Schliephacke) Later Stefan got a reply from ELWA which reads as follows: "Thank you for your email. We are on a 1 kilo watts shortwave transmitter. Our frequency is 4760 kilo Hertz on the 60 meter shortwave band. Moses Nyantee" So we got a "official reply". But this leaves me along with my 1566 story. I clearly heard the two ELWA announcements. May be a take over from TWR and ELWA is not aware of it?! What do you think? (Stefan Schliephacke, Germany? Feb MW News via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 3310, Radio Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba, 0930 OM in Q, again noted at 1020 music. 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4699.9, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, 0940 "amigos de ..." OM in rapid Spanish into bass driven music, OM vocal at 1013 on 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Bolivia on short wave - observed from within Bolivia and in the region - from late December till today: Only the following stations are on the air 3310, Radio Mosoj Chaski, Quillacolla, Cochabamba 4700, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta 4717, Radio Yura, Yura (not "Radio Yatun" as reported elsewhere) 5580, Radio San José, San José de Chiquitos (very irregular) 5952.5, Radio Pio XII, Llallagua 6025, Red Patria Nueva, La Paz (and not "Radio Patria Nueva" as reported elsewhere) 6105, Radio Panamericana, La Paz 6135, Radio Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz All other stations listed are off the air - some gone for a long time, others possibly temporarily off air, but at least one - Radio Juan XXIII from San Ignacio de Velasco - is planning a return to short wave [6035?] with a new transmitter. I saw somewhere that Radio Santa Ana has been logged in Miami [sic] on 4451 kHz in mid-January. I haven't heard it though. Best 73's (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, from a rainy Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Feb 4, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) Perhaps there is also hope for Radio Fides, which was last reported in October 2013: (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) Viz.: ``6154.90, R. Fides, La Paz, 2/10 2335-0007, 44444+, px El Invisible, mxf, ads Banco Sur, la mejor cadena de cajeros. ID “El Grupo Fides presentó..” ID “Radio Fides, la voz amiga…” ID “Radio Fides (escuchar grabación), ads La vuelta a Bolivia, inscríbete en las oficinas de Radio Fides. ID “Radio Fides presenta noticias...”, px En Contacto por Fides (Pedro F. Arrunátegui, Lima, La recepción la he efectuado del 24/09 al 19/10 en compañía de mi sabueso Icom IC R72 acompañado del Mizuho KX-3, una antena de hilo largo de 12 metros y una antena loop, Chasqui DX, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` ``9625, FIDES, 05/10 1222 UT. Noticias sobre la variabilidad del precio de la quínoa en el mercado de Sucre. Señal con SINPO: 54554 con QRM de AIR en 9620 (Claudio Galaz, Rx: Tecsun PL-660, Antena: Beverage de 20 metros con balun 9:1, QTH: Centro de Ovalle, IV Región, Chile, condiglista yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1690, DXLD)`` ``9625, 8/10 2051, Radio Fides, Bolivia, talks, fem music, weak (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1690, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` via DXLD 14-06 ** BRAZIL. 3375.1, Brasil, Rádio Municipal São Gabriel da Cachoeira, OM in Portuguese with music 1020 to 1025 on 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4754.92, R. Imaculada Conceição, 2312-2335 Jan 30 Portuguese; Weak audio at tune/in with various announcers and music bits; improving by 2320; even better by 2330; tentative jingle ID at 2334 to the tune of "Happy Birthday to You"; more announcer talk; fair in ECSS-LSB (Scott Barbour, NH, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4805, Brasil, Rádio Difusora do Amazonas, Manaus, 0957 OM in Portuguese noted during band scan; 1016 signal still strong 21 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4845, 1 Feb 2305, R. Cultura, Brasil - Manaus, PP, calcio suff. REACTIVATED!!! (Roberto Pavanello, Italy, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. I heard this station sign on 4865 at 1032 on Monday 1/14. Which of the three Brasilians is it? https://soundcloud.com/shortwaveology/4865-khz-sign-on-1032-utc (David Goren, Feb 4, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Hi David, nice catch! It's Radio Verdes Florestas, Cruzeiro do Sul (Acre). ID's at 1':15" followed by MW and tropical band frequencies, 940 and 4865 kHz respectively (Andrea Lawendel, Italy, ibid.) Agreed; and they have a nice interval signal at the outset; why is it so much clearer than the announcements? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Rádio Aparecida auf allen drei Kanälen um 0749 UT aufzunehmen, 6134.958, 9629.781, und 11854.921 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Radio Aparecida - Onda Tropical --- Caro Glenn Hauser: A Rádio Aparecida me passou a informação: a frequencia tropical de 5035 kHz, foi trocado o transmissor e eles estão operando com capacidade reduzida para ajustes. A emissora agradece a todos que sintonizem essas frequencia, enviem por favor um informe para que o ajuste seja o melhor possível. Agradeço divulgar essa informação. Os interessados que desejaram podem enviar seus informes para o e-mail do programa Encontro DX - encontrodx@radioaparecida.com.br Programa Encontro DX, Rádio Aparecida Sábados: das 19:00 ás 20:00 hs - horário de Brasília 25 anos no ar trazendo informações sobre o mundo do rádio e do dexismo Ondas médias, curtas , tropical, satélite e internet http://www.a12.com/ [DST of UT -2 so time is 21-22 UT; until Feb 16 when DST ends, thus UT -3, so time will then be 22-23 UT --- gh] Gracias [sic], (Cassiano Alves Macedo, Produtor do programa Encontro DX, Radio Aparecida - Aparecida, São Paulo, Brasil, Feb 5, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s also on WRMI, 9955, UT Sunday 0400-0500; maybe too on 9495 some day at 00-01? Says R. Aparecida has replaced the transmitter on 5035, now running reduced power for adjustments and invites reception reports. Not clear to me whether the unit now on 5035 is a new transmitter which will be turned up to full power, whatever that may be, or a substitute old transmitter running as much power as it can (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11783+, Jan 31 at 0604 check, RNB/RNA is still off- frequency; wonder for how much longer? Much weaker signal than usual, but has enough punch to be audible when nothing else is on 25 or 31m (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RNB war heute Morgen um 0800 UT on air, war in den letzten Tagen etwas unregelmäßig auf Sendung, mit sehr, sehr schöner Musik. Das 25mb Schätzchen wandert noch immer 3 kHz höher bei 11783.205 kHz herum und stört dort CRI Cerrik Albanien, aber noch stärker im 49mb auf 6180.005 kHz. Schöne Aussage, die man 'auch' versteht, "Bom Dia Amazonia" um 0700 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11783+, Feb 3 at 0609, RNA is still off-frequency and still propagating well in the nightmiddle, except there`s no modulation: dead air (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 11780.0, Feb 4 at 0630 check with music, RNB/RNA is finally back on frequency; had been 11783+v since January 25 (and before that around 11780.1). As usual, it`s the SSOB, with nothing else on 25m but much weaker 11725 NZ, 12070 Rwanda, 12095 South Africa (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Ähnlich gute Musik ist auch oft bei R Brasil Central auf 11815.293 kHz zu hören, heute um 0758 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Re: [radioescutas] Gaúcha OC 11915 kHz agora retransmite Novo Tempo --- Já não bastam os donos de emissoras de rádio desativarem suas ondas curtas e tropicais, as que não as interrompem, alugam para pastores. Eu, que escutava programas matinais da Gaúcha, fiquei frustrado. Não adianta estrilarmos, pois a grana do aluguel é boa. Puro pouco-caso para com os ouvintes. 73 (Luiz Chaine Neto, SP, 30-1-2014, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Entrei em contato vi e-mail com a rádio Novo Tempo de Novo Hamburgo 99.9 MHz sobre as transmissões em Ondas Curtas da Gaúcha e a resposta foi a seguinte: ``Boa tarde, William. Não compramos estas frequências. Na verdade, não sabemos exatamente o que está acontecendo, não temos concessão destes canais e estamos recebendo dezenas de e-mails com esta informação. Já estamos em contato com o Grupo RBS para averiguar a situação`` (William Viu, Feb 3, ibid., WORLD OF RADIO 1707) NOTIZIA CURIOSA DAL BRASILE: La Direzione di Radio Novo Tempo sede di Novo Hamburgo (Porto Alegre) contattata da William iscritto alla lista Radioescutas Brasil Yahoo Groups ha ricevuto un messaggio nel quale l'emittente dice di non saperne nulla della ripetizione del segnale su 11915 & 6020 kHz assicurando che contatterà RBS Radio Gaucha di Porto Alegre per chiedere spiegazioni. Radio Novo Tempo è stata INONDATA di email con segnalazioni dell'ascolto su 11915 kHz. La cosa ricorda un po le ripetizioni di segnali di emittenti FM Italiane nella banda dei 60 metri che erano state diffuse alcuni anni fa da "buontemponi`` Italioti. In attesa di ulteriori chiarimenti su quello che accade a Porto Alegre sulle onde corte; meglio non scrivere a Tempo Novo. Occorre chiarire che il Gruppo RBS è stato comprato (Radio TV Jornal) dal Gruppo Radio Record di Sao Paulo; e Radio Novo Tempo fa parte del Gruppo Radio Record. Provabile che il Gruppo è così GRANDE che la mano destra non sa cosa fa la mano sinistra. Hi (Dario Monferini, 3 Feb, playdx yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) No presente momento, a R Gaúcha voltou a transmitir sua programação normal em 11915 kHz. Já sobre a transmissão da R Novo Tempo na semana passada utilizando o transmissor de 25m da Gaúcha, pode ter sido algum teste piloto para um arrendamento futuro, porém como isso deve ter sido ilegal junto a ANATEL eles (a Gaúcha e a Novo Tempo) jamais assumirão isso oficialmente. No entanto isso é apenas uma especulação, espero que continue a ser a TX da Gaúcha em 11915 kHz. 73´s (Renato Uliana, http://www.amantesdoradio.com.br Indaiatuba - SP, Feb 3, radioescutas yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) Seg, 3 de Fev de 2014 2:01 pm --- Neste momento o sinal de 6020 kHz 49m esta com a programação normal da Rádio Gaúcha (William Viu, ibid.) ** CANADA. Talk Radio news from Canada (via milkmanunlimited.com): Corus Entertainment is pleased to announce the première of Canadians Talk, a live interactive series featuring debate, discussion and insight on timely issues that resonate with Canadians. The first show launches with Canadians Talk: Leadership: Have our leaders lost our trust? and will be hosted by Vancouver’s CKNW AM 980’s Jon McComb. Airing on Corus Radio’s news talk stations starting January 28, the series will broadcast across Canada on the following stations: CKNW-980 at 6 p.m. PT, CHQR-770 at 7 p.m. MT, CHED-630 at 7 p.m. MT, CJOB- 680 at 8 p.m. CT, CHML-900 at 9 p.m. ET, CFPL-980 at 9 p.m. ET, CFMJ-640 at 9 p.m. ET (AM Switch, NRC DX News Feb 3 via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) What day(s) of week??? Jan 28 was Tuesday = UT Wednesday. The true live time across Canada is 0200 UT, until ??? Could it really be ~0205 after some ignored newscast? As of Feb 5, still nothing about it on the CKNW website, and in fact just blanx in the program schedule between 3 and 10 pm! (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** CANADA. Re: one less Newfoundland: CJYQ was always good for testing my phaser, I'd null CFBC out of existence and CJYQ would pop in. I suspect the transmitter would be toast along with the building. Maybe Newcap has an older 10 kW Nautel that could be plugged in to replace the 25 kWer. Rumour has it that "50 kW" CFBC [930, Saint John NB] has been running for years on CFCY's old 10 kW Nautel, with no sign of any change in license in the CRTC files. Maybe its a false rumour, but CFBC's signal acts like 10 kW, not 50 kW. CJFX moving from historic building http://www.thecasket.ca/archives/35292 This will mean that the only radio station left within the Town of Antigonish [NS] will be 93.3 CFXU The Fox, where I used to work a thousand years ago when it was on 690 kHz. 97.9 CKEZ New Glasgow [NS] about to start testing --- I have learned that CKEZ is about to start testing - likely sometime in February. Might be time to set one of my car radio presets to 97.9 (Phil VY2PR Rafuse, Stratford PEI, Canada, Jan 30, ABDX via DXLD) ** CANADA. Die beiden low power Senderchen von CBC Radio One aus Kanada heute Morgen on air, aber frequenzmäßig sehr nahe beieinander: 6159.989, CKZU, Vancouver, und 6159.974, CKZN, St. Johns. Lässt sich nur durch das Bombensignal auf Vancouver im lokalen remote Perseus auseinander halten. Das lokale CKZU Signal splattert recht ansehnlich von 6144.8 bis 6173.4 kHz. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 31, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. 4228, Valparaíso. Señal Horaria CBV, 0059 UT, 01/02. Hora oficial de Chile transmitida en USB, con mensajes de la Hora en Chile y mensajes cada minuto de "Faltan 30 Segundos", "La Señal indicará, seguido de la hora en Chile; también se escuchan sonidos de computador y también dice que es la Hora Oficial y se equivocan diciendo que son las 20 Horas y paran a las 0105 UT quedando en silencio y terminando la transmisión, SINPO: 55545 (Marcos Cox, Vicuña, Chile, Receptor: DEGEN DE-1103, Antena: Cable Largo 3 Metros, condiglista yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ``Official`` time announced two hours slow! Presumably on the air only for brief segment(s), not intended for public, in marine band, and not listed in WRTH, tho I think it once may have been. 0100 UT is currently called 22 Chilean summer time, and even when that`s over it will be called 21 hours, not 20! (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** CHINA. Strong OTH radar pulsing, rather low-pitched, presumed from here, all of these with the same sound, 26 to 29 kHz wide: 11436-11463, Feb 2 at 0139, so strong, easily audible on G8 with whip 11739-11756, Feb 2 at 0053, vs All India Radio broadcast on 11740 12287-12316, Feb 2 at 0122 12473-12499, Feb 2 at 0122 Chinese broadcast signals and jammers were also audible up past 17 MHz at this time, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. EAST JAMMERSTAN: 7495, Crash & Bang Chinese Music Jammer; *2100, 24-Jan; Before 2100, there was lite music on; at 2100 an unfamiliar anthem started and within a few seconds, crashing & banging started. Real mess with 7490 WBCQ splash. R. Free Asia via Marianas listed thru 2100 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9435-9460, Jan 30 at 1452-1506+, the CNR1 jammers centered on 9450 produce an echo, one of which is also the distorted blob expanding beyond 9450 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6010, "CNR 1/Firedrake Jammer", 2302 UT 30/01. Música instrumental china interfiere a programa en tibetano de Radio Free Asia junto a transmisión en mandarín de CNR 1 China que pasa a dominar frequencia cerca de las 2330 UT, SINPO: 45444 // 5010 SINPO 35233; 7310 SINPO: 35233; 7555, SINPO: 25322; 9585 SINPO: 43444; 9685 SINPO: 44444; 9825 SINPO: 55455; 9875 con Firedrake también SINPO: 44444; 11775: SINPO: 55545. 17860, "CNR 1 Jammer", 0306 UT, 01/02. Programa Informativo en Mandarín y anuncios publicitarios bloquea VOA Tibetano, SINPO: 55445 // 17690 Vs RFA Mandarín, SINPO: 55545 (Marcos Cox, Vicuña, Chile, Receptor: DEGEN DE-1103, Antena: Cable Largo 3 Metros, condiglista yg via DXLD) [and non]. 17730, Feb 2 at 0113, heavy doppler on an Asian signal. It`s either CNR1 jamming or its target, R. Free Asia in Tibetan this hour only via MONGOLIA. By banning this transmission from HFCC, Radio Free Asia and Ulan Bator can invoke deniability and pretend Mongolia has not sold out to the Americans, but it`s openly listed in Aoki at 0100-0300, 250 kW, 230 degrees from Ulaanbaatar; and even in WRTH 2014 on page 494 as ``uba``. This propagation encourages me to do a full bandscan on the DX-398, risking wearing out the down button, all the way to 12 MHz for more CNR1, jammers or Firedrake. This is all I find, starting at 0113: 17595, JBA signal. Aoki shows CNR1 from Shijiazhuang 723, not jammer! 17550, poor signal in Chinese, also CNR1 from Beijing 572, not jammer 17495, good signal in Chinese, i.e. CRI Amoy from Beijing all per Aoki 16100, at 0116, VP Chinese, no doubt CNR1 jammer vs Sound of Hope 15425, at 0117, Chinese, listed also as CRI Amoy, here via Xian Also see OTH radar logs above, CHINA 9825, Feb 3 at 1217, Firedrake jamming mixed with two talkers in Chinese, no doubt including target VOA Chinese via Saipan. 11635, Feb 3 at 1220, Firedrake mixed with maybe only one Chinese speaker which could either be more jamming from CNR1 or target, VOA Chinese via Thailand. 12045, Feb 4 at 1440, Firedrake is VG with flutter, so good that its higher audio frequencies are QRMing adjacent 12050 WEWN, as if its constant squealing self-QRM weren`t enough. FD also on usual spots 9315, fair with flutter; and 6145 at 1445. 11945, Feb 5 at 1508, Firedrake good with flutter 9570, Feb 6 at 1512, Firedrake, poor vs algo 6145, Feb 6 at 1514, Firedrake, very poor (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. New schedule of Voice of Jinling in Chinese from Jan. 20: 1230-1600 on 5860 NJG 100 kW / 161 deg to EaAs, ex 1430-1700 Stable signal in Sofia on Jan. 30 around 1530 till s/off at 1600. (Bulgarian DX blog via Ivo Ivanov, DXLD) Hi Ivo, Believe we will need to wait until the end of the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year's celebrations) to know for sure just what the Voice of Jinling (VOJ) schedule currently is. Until after Feb 14, probably all stations will be back to normal, but I believe now many Chinese stations are having special programs and unique scheduling. A week after Jan 20, when VOJ changed schedule to *1230 to 1505* per Aoki, I checked several times and indeed did find VOJ was off the air by 1515. As you noted Jan 30 with 1600*, their schedule is different now. On Feb 2, I heard VOJ at 1509 and 1522, but was gone by 1527. Must be that during the Spring Festival they will continue with an erratic schedule. On Feb 1 (Saturday), I checked in with Voice of Strait on 4940 for their normal weekly "Focus on China" program in English, but due to New Year's activities was preempted with program of traditional Chinese opera after 1500. Checked again on Feb 2 at the same time and again heard Chinese opera. Certainly not their usual programming at that time! The Spring Festival is one of China's biggest holidays."All told, 3.6 billion passenger trips will be made on planes, trains, and automobiles this holiday season." http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-16/chinas-massive-spring-festival-travel-forecast-3-dot-6-billion-passenger-trips (Ron Howard, San Francisco, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Message from Arnie about Radio Progreso Tropical 60 meter band station: Dear amigo Wolfie: Radio Progreso's successful test from October to December of 2013 using 4765 kHz frequency registered to Cuba at the ITU with 50 kW omnidirectional and high take off angle antenna was completed on the last day of December and starting January 1 2014 it is now a permanent daily service 7 days a week. Under study now is the possibility of extending the on the air time starting at 2300 UT, so that the broadcast will be from 2300 to 0500. As regards to reports received and QSL verification, the station will issue a QSL card soon, and in the meantime listeners who report correctly the transmissions will receive a QSL letter. Please note that the postal mailing address for the 60 meters Tropical Band reports is: Radio Progreso Atte: Transmision Banda Tropical PO BOX 3042 Codigo postal 10300 La Habana Cuba. In the meantime I will continue to relay the e-mail messages sent via Radio Havana Cuba's to Radio Progreso's Chief Engineer Ing. José Antonio Fuentes Beltrán that is going to be the person in charge of verifying and signing the QSL letters now and QSL cards when they come from the printer. At this moment Cuba has on the air three short wave services Radio Havana Cuba in eight languages using frequencies on the 60, 49, 31, 25, 22, 19, and 16 meters bands. Radio Rebelde on 5025 kHz 60 meters band Radio Progreso on 4765 kHz 60 meters band. 73 and DX, Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich (AKA Arnie Coro on the air) Advisor / Senior Consultant to the Director General, Radio Habana Cuba (via Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 29, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 31 via DXLD) ** CUBA. 5025, 29/01 0000-0028, R. Rebelde, Habana, Cuba, Spanish, political program, CELAC conference, same program 5040 Radio Habana suff. USSD [meaning the reporter, in Deutschland?]. That´s the newest logs from me. vy´s 73 and very good DX (Uwe SENNEWALD: logs 27 [sic] January 2014, Receiver: Tecsun S 2000 + PA 30 and DEGEN 1103 with telescope antenna, via Dario Monferini, 30 Jan, playdx yg via DXLD) Unusual for those to be //, special event. Or not really //? (gh) ** CUBA. 5040, RHC English is AWOL at 0637 Jan 30, while 5025 Rebelde is on. 11750, Jan 30 at 1334, RHC Spanish is just barely modulated, compared to 11760; ditto at 1508 recheck. 15230 is also undermodulated at 1432; while 15340 is completely missing, audiblizing AUSTRALIA, q.v. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unscheduled broadcast of Radio Habana Cuba: from 0700, 6060 HAB 100 kW / 010 deg NEAm Spanish SINPO 45544 in Sofia from 0700, 6100 HAB 100 kW / 010 deg NEAm Spanish SINPO 45444 in Sofia Continues after 0800, with strong QRM from TWR in English on 6105 via Nauen. End of broadcast at 0810 UT of both frequencies. – 73! (Ivo Ivanov, QTH: Sofia, Bulgaria, Equipment: Sony ICF-2001D 30 m. long wire, Jan 31 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Ich habe nur RHC auf 6100 kHz mit einem sehr gestörten Audio Splatter Signal bis 0700 UT gehört, aber auch nur auf der 6100 kHz. Bei alten Röhrensendern hätte man auf eine defektes Teil in der Endstufe getippt. Demgegenüber waren die restlichen anderen Signale aus Habana mit sauberem Signal im 49mb zu hören, 6000 kHz powerhouse, 6060 kHz, und 6165 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe transmitter engineer check? RHC 6100 kHz noted till 0700 UT on Jan 31, VERY DISTORTED AUDIO CHARACTERISTIC, the TX final stage seemingly faulty. Clean audio signal instead on 6000 powerhouse, 6060, 6165 kHz. 73 wb (Büschel, ibid.) [and non]. Unfortunately awake at 1200 Jan 31, as RHC is signing on, 6000 is VG, while 9550 and 9850 are still weakish, so I stand by after IS and NA to copy the opening frequency announcement at 1203. It`s axually correct, at least nominally! In usual Soviet-style disorder: 12-16 on 17580, 17730, 15230, 11760, 11860, 12010, 9540 12-14 on 9550, 9850, 6000 14-16 on 15340, 13780, 11750 However, 15340 is missing again today Jan 31 after 1400 at 1433, uncovering S Asian music from HCJB Reach Beyond Australia (RHC is audible on 15230). 5025, Feb 1 at 0707 check, open carrier/dead air from R. Rebelde. 15340, Feb 1 at 1448, another day of RHC missing from this morning frequency, leaving something weak, presumably HCJB Reaching Beyond Australia. Still no RHC at 1518. 15340, Feb 2 at 1427, RHC is back on this morning frequency after missing for a few days (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9155, Feb 3 at 1251, RHC with fair signal here // and synchronized with 9850, but missing from 9550, an absence first noted at 1218 {audiblizing CRI in Vietnamese, whew, still Commie-controlled frequency}; RHC still gone from 9550 at 1245, and assumed to be totally off. Another example that when an RHC frequency is missing, one must search out of band for a possible substitute, no doubt a mixup with a known spy-numbers frequency used by the shared transmitter; 9155 is supposed to be numbering only at 1000-1055 four days a week including Mondays, per Aoki. Recheck at 1341, still RHC on 9155, now up to VG level with `Gaceta Cultural`, but by 1352 it`s off and 9550 is finally on, a few minutes before it`s scheduled to close anyway, as the slopperator at RadioCuba must have finally noticed he forgot to QSY it between 1055 and 1200. Oops (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5025, Feb 4 at 0626, R. Rebelde off again; limited schedule? Next check not until 1339 when it is on, barely audible before fadeout. 9550, Feb 4 at 1355, RHC is missing, and unlike yesterday unfound on 9155 or any other espionage frequency in the 9s or 10s. 15340, Feb 4 at 1435, RHC is missing again, audiblizing something weak, presumably HCJB Australia; tho RHC is audible on 15230; and no replacement found on an espionage frequency in the 14s or 16s. Ops normal on 17730, 17580, 13780. 11860, Feb 5 at 1509, is today`s missing RHC frequency, but not found on any out-of-band spy channel between 9 and 13 MHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 60M NEWS (Cuban hams allowed on 60m band). Effective January 22nd, 2014, the Cuban Regulatory Agency allows all Cuban hams to operate on the 60m band between 5418-5430 kHz, a 12 kHz continuous segment. They are allowing CW, SSB and the digital modes limited to PSK31/PSK63. Transmitting power is limited based on the class of license: 10 W limit for Novices and 50 W for others. The law makes an emphasis on emergency communications: when Cuba declares an emergency situation, all the traffic on the 60 m band must cease and only emergency nets are allowed; in this situation 100 W maximum power is allowed to any station on the net to maintain reliable links for emergency. Remember that Cuba is on the path of most of the Hurricanes in the Caribbean. This band is a secondary use for hams, as in most countries where it's approved. To read more from Pavel, CO7WT, see the following: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/january/cuban_hams_can_use_60m_band.htm#.UuqsZrWYaCg (Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1148, February 3, 2014, Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW, Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio) via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY: 4319/USB A.F.N. (tentative); 2238-2300+, 30-Jan; Pop & C&W tunes; brief item about Iraq at 2250+. ToH ID, but only caught "Network". SIO=2+52/2+22; no QRM till about 2243 when a strong het came up from 4320 -- no mod/audio (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow- tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, RTD Atta, 0354-0415 Jan 31 Arabic; HoA music selections thru ToH; brief M announcer at 0415 & right back to music; good with occasional ALE burst; best here in quite some time (Scott Barbour, NH, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, R Difusión de Guinea Ecuatorial, Bata, 2010 19 Jan, px local, 33333. Ciao 73 (Mauro Giroletti, Italy, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [non]. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 9840, R Africa Network, via WRMI, Okeechobee FL, 0645-0700*, Jan 24 and 25, heard on this new frequency with male announcer and English religious talks to 0700. Clear ID: ”Radio Africa Network” then back to Brother Stair and the Overcomer Ministry. Poor to fair at this location 35433. No sign of 17790 at this hour where heard previously (Michael Ford, Newcastle, United Kingdom, DSWCI DX Window Feb 5 via DXLD) ?? 17790 was never on at that hour, but 14-20 UT only. This 9840 transmission altho for Africa is not on the WRMI schedule as one of the RAN broadcasts; When I heard BS there it might have been a mixup, or RAN itself carrying BS separate from WRMI itself; murky (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Salutacions, aquestes són les QSL rebudes els últims mesos: FREE RADIO. Radio Tango Italia, 6240 kHz. Full detailed e-QSL and MP3 clip with one of the songs reported received in 2 hours for reception report with audio clip sent to libertango58 @ libero.it 73, (Rafael Martínez, Barcelona, Catalunya, via Dario Monferini, 31 Jan, playdx yg via DXLD) ** FRANCE. 7390, Feb 3 at 0606, RFI in French with heavy SAH and hum; usual assumption of double transmission from Issoudun (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Former german MW-TX site Bremen 936 kHz - demolition completed! End of January 2014 the demolition of former Bremen site (936 kHz) has been completed. It existed only for 10 years and seased broadcasting in 2010. The unusual construction and only 45 meter high antenna proofed to be very effective for groundwave propagation. Sources: http://www.weser-kurier.de/bremen/stadtteile/bremen-nordost/oberneuland_artikel,-Oberneulander-Sendemast-nur-noch-Schrott-_arid,767122.html http://www.waniewski.de/MW/Bremen/index.htm (walterbar259, Feb 1, mwmasts yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY. 3995, HCJB Weenermoor, 0230 12 Jan, ``Die Andenstimme`` (The Andes Voice) with W announcer in German and M crooner vocal, good (Richard Parker, Pennsburg PA, 51S-1, R390A, sE4, antenna farm, Tropical Band [sic] Loggings, Feb NASWA Journal via DXLD) On the air all-night, but rarely reported from NAm as it`s a sesquikilowatt aimed opppositeward and vs QRhaM: Aoki shows: ``3995 HCJB Deutsch "Life FM" 2330-0400 1234567 English/Spanish 1.5 145 Weenermoor D 5312N 00719E HCJ/FNA b13`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Studio DX via HCJB Weenermoor --- For all friends of the italian language, Radio HCJB Germany is broadcasting the DX Show „Studio DX“ at 2130–2200 UT on 3995 kHz every Sunday evening. Reception Reports are welcome. Please send them to: Radio HCJB c/o QSL Manager Joachim Sinning Im Grund 18 27777 Ganderkesee 73, (Stephan Schaa, Feb 1, HCJB Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Different version from the program`s producer/presenter: Studio DX su HCJB Germany --- Seppur con qualche settimana di ritardo rispetto al previsto, da domani siamo in onda ogni sabato anche su HCJB Germany con un segmento in lingua italiana tra le 2130 e le 2200 UT su 3995 e 7365 kHz (Roberto Scaglione, Sicilia, Fri Jan 31, shortwave yg via DXLD) CORREZIONE - Studio DX su HCJB Germany --- e seppur con qualche settimana di ritardo rispetto al previsto, e diversamente da quanto precedentemente annunciato, da domani siamo in onda ogni DOMENICA (non sabato) anche su HCJB Germany con un segmento in lingua italiana tra le 2130 e le 2200 UT su 3995 e 7365 kHz (Roberto Scaglione, Sat Feb 1, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Pessima ricezione qui sui 3995 kHz con molto rumore tanto da fare fatica a comprendere se fosse veramente Studio DX, verificato via websdr di Twente. Sui 7365 kHz solo la IRIB in giapponese (Roberto Rizzardi, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) Ciao! Anche qui a Milano ricezione con molto rumore su 3995 kHz (forse per la attuale forte attività solare??? oggi ha fatto valore 190 SFX !!!!!!!) mentre su 7365 come segnala Rizzardi e come mi scrive con SMS Roberto Pavanello, opera Radio IRAN VOIRI in Giapponese. Pertanto suggeriamo a Roberto Scaglione di proporre una nuova frequenza nella banda dei 41 metri. Grazie per il controllo! Buoni Monitoraggi (Dario Monferini, ibid.) ** GREECE. 4982.7, Greek pirate, 1415 playing a pro Greek Junta audio (a CD with documentaries of 70s) then with military marches. Found to be // 1660! And sign off!! harmonic 1660v x 3 (Zacharias Liangas, in a very cold room of 14 C, near Thessaloniki, Makedonia, Greece, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GREECE. Dear Rumen, I hope 2014 has started well for you. I saw a comment from in the latest BC-DX. I have a comment on one matter and the source is said to be you (or someone else?) and you say, that the Greek broadcast on 729 kHz is not new. ``GREECE Cf. bc-dx #1147 - Excuse me please, but the broadcast on MW 729 kHz is not new Mauno - see the info from 8 Dec 2013 and earlier. By the way there is no current schedule on SW from Greece now - all is irregular (Rumen Pankov-BUL, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 28)`` I knew that. I said that it is 'back', with what I tried to say, that it has been there before. I suppose it wasn't clear enough, but the emphasis on mwoffsets list is on the exact frequency: > Athens is back on the air, now on 729.012 kHz, slightly variable. > Carries Elliniki Dimosia Radiofonia 1st prgr. Also everybody knows, that the Greek SW operation is irregular, so I don't see the point in that comment. From now on, please send any comments directly to me or to some mailing list, not to bulletins. I'd be happy to clarify. 73, (Mauno Ritola, to Rumen Pankov, via DXLD) ERT signal down? I've been listening regularly the past few days to the Greek programming on 7475 and 9420 kHz. The two signals (in parallel) have been pretty steady here in Newfoundland at least for a couple of weeks and have been carrying the same sound as the Athens programme at the ERTOpen.com site. As seen last summer, the shortwave signal is a little behind the web signal, just the opposite of what you'd expect if the sw b/c was coming directly from the studio. But perhaps Avlis picks it up off the web too. The delay is about a second normally. This evening (it is 2315 UT right now, Thursday 30/1/14) there is no carrier on either frequency. I don't know when they were last on air but they were both there last evening (Wednesday 29/1/14). The ERTOpen.com site is still carrying the Athens programming. I'm listening with my Grundig Satellit 750 and its whip antenna (plus a two- or three-metre wire strung to my window from the whip). (Philip Hiscock, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Phil, I agree with you. I usually listen to them here in New Jersey, USA but I also noticed no carrier. Let`s hope they will be transmitting again soon (Steve, ICOM R71A, Long Wire, ibid.) Yesterday the two ERT (Greece) sw frequencies I often listen to (7475 and 9420) were down. Today they were up again. Right now (at UT 0045 on Sat 1/2/14) they are once again carrying the Athens feed (with a few seconds' delay compared to what is available on the ERTOpen.com website). Before UT midnight (that is, an hour or so ago, at about 2330 on Friday 31/1/14) they were carrying a different signal -- not the Athens feed -- on the two SW frequencies. I went through the five or six feeds at ERTOpen.com but could not match any of them with the shortwave signal, though for a time the SW did sound like the Deutero Programma (which is to say, it was a similar equalisation, similar music, etc., as if it were a recording of a different programme from that station). For the past hour or so, 9420 has been quite poor here in St. John's, Newfoundland (with both noise and interference). Meantime 7475, in parallel, has been strong and clear. I am listening with my Grundig Satellit 750 and its whip antenna (plus a two or three-metre wire strung from there to the window). (Philip Hiscock, Nfld., dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Former ERT - Elliniki Radiofonia Tileórasi new EDT - Ellinikí Dimósia Tileórasi (BC-DX Jan 31 via DXLD) 729, Elliniki Dimosis Radiophonia is now the new official name and ID of this station (dimosis = official, common) and is heard late evenings in Växjö [Sweden]. Patrick Robich [Austria] informs that 1512 and 1260 kHz are still running with the old ID as rebel stations (Bengt Ericson, ARC via Feb MW News via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) Elsewhere spelt as dimosia, depends on context. Google translates both demosis and demosia as ``public``. Spelt delta-eta-mu-omicron-sigma- iota-sigma/final or /alpha. So far on SW I`ve not heard the word dimosis inserted (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII [and non]. Talking about immortality --- In year 2000, each and every week 300 million people listen in to the voice of most played artist of all times: Jane Barbe. Soon it will be 10 years since she left us, but her voice is as loud and clear as ever, exclusively and simultaneously broadcast 24/7 on four frequencies. Recorded last night on 15000 at 1130 UT, Perseus / 3el Yagi, dx http://goo.gl/RhfzfB 73 (Nick Hacko VK2DX, Feb 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGESTE) ** HAWAII [and non]. Pacific Area MF Allocation Standards --- re the comments about the 740 station in Hawai'i vis-à-vis Tahiti on 738: Although the US is a member of ITU, it's not signatory to the GE-75 MF (and LF) agreement that governs things in ITU Region III. There is an ITU process for dealing with "intra-regional" or other unusual cases (countries not signatory to the GE-75 or RJ-81 agreements). It's ITU (IFRB) Circular Letter 662, dated 8 July 1986. So far as I'm aware, the FCC has never used it to evaluate the effect to or from stations in Hawai'i or Alaska from or to the Pacific region or Japan and the Russian Far East. Given that the Circular Letter 662 contains a table showing the deleterious effects of "offset" frequency spacing in 1 kHz steps from 1 to 20 kHz between the regions (which, for 2 kHz spacing is 18 dB greater than the co-channel case) it actually should be taken into account in some cases. But if so, I've never seen any evidence of it (Ben Dawson, WA, Hatfield-Dawson, Feb 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONG KONG. 8828-USB, Cape d'Aguilar, 1145 to 1147 weather 30 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. 189 kHz, Gufuskalar, 0550 to 0558 YL vocalist, good signal. 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4840, presumed AIR Mumbai, 0022-0038 Jan 29; Format of Hindi music with brief announcer between selections; W with (presumed) news at 0030; M announcer comments at 0035 and right back to W; fair with increasing noise by tune/out (Scott Barbour, NH, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4970, AIR (Shillong), 1446+ 23 Jan. Doing rather nicely this morning with Simon & Garfunkel ("Sounds of Silence") & Abba ("Fernando") segued; also (tentative) AIR outlets on 4880 (Lucknow) & 4895 (Kurseong) sounding // with sub-continental tune (tabla / sitar / enthusiastic vocal) at same time (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA G5/6m X wire via Bob Wilkner, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 11740, Jan 30 at 1448, SW Asian language, fair past 1451, presumably AIR Pashto service, new frequency via Bengaluru, per Jose Jacob and Wolfgang Büschel, rather than Panaji, Goa as per Aoki and Ivo. Clue: wb says it`s exactly on 11740.000, not a Goan characteristic. I should have relistened at 1530, when others have been hearing AIR`s domestic 9 pm English newscast on 11740 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. WRN had offered streaming audio for All India Radio's General Overseas Service and it was a real handy feature. Alas, it disappeared when WRN retrenched in mid-December. I know that GOS-AIR is working on some type of online audio offering - as recently as December I exchanged Facebook messages with them about this (Richard Cuff, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Fayyaz Sheheryar is new Director General, All India Radio Sh. Fayyaz Sheheryar has taken over the charge of Director General, All India Radio. Sh. Sheheryar is an officer of Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service having served people of India in diverse ethno-linguistic zones through Akashvani and Doordarshan since 1981 in different consequential capacities that call for a fertile brain, agile mind and, above all, creative skills and yearnings. He competed successfully for the second time through Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 1991 when he was inducted into IB(P)S directly in the Senior Time Scale (STS). A topper of UPSC on both the occasions i.e., when selected as Programme Executive and later on getting inducted into the organized service known as Indian Broadcasting Service. More at: http://airddfamily.blogspot.in/2014/02/f-sheheryar-is-new-dgair.html --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Feb 1, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA [non]. 15150, Athmeeya Yathra Radio (Nauen) *1530+ 23 Jan. Sitar AY theme, opening with ID followed by program in (presumed) Maithili. 15235, Athmeeya Yathra Radio (Nauen), 1510-1528* 23 Jan. Program in (presumed) Magathi with chat, nice song with tabla/horns + chorus, closing program at 1515 with Post Box # in Bihar, followed by new language (listed Mundari) -- (presumed) religious chat with a few English words mixed in, SMS # with numbers in English ("0-9-9..") and closing broadcast with AY Post Box in Gorakhpur. 15285, Athmeeya Yathra Radio (Nauen), 1444-1458* 24 Jan. AY sitar theme, opening with ID, long (presumed) Hindi sermon with occasional instrumental breaks, closing with "Radio Athmeeya Yathra, Post Box Number 4-5-6-7, New Delhi 110016", AY website, then another PO # with #s in (presumed) Hindi. All 3 frequencies logged barefoot (whip-only) on the PL380 (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA PL380 via Bob Wilkner, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 4870 tentative, RRI Wamena, 1235, suspected, as this is often in here earlier, but at this hour it could possibly be Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, 28 January (XM, Cedar Key, South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Salutacions, aquestes són les QSL rebudes els últims mesos: Voice of Indonesia, 9526 kHz. Spanish programme. Non detailed QSL card and sticker in 116 days for online report at http://en.voi.co.id/contact-us/reception-report 73, (Rafael Martínez, Barcelona, Catalunya, via Dario Monferini, 31 Jan, playdx yg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Radio moves online Southgate February 1, 2014 The BBC report 'anyone with a smartphone can tune in to 100,000 radio stations from all over the world' "It's the last mass market medium moving online," says Tune In's CEO John Donham. "Now a single radio station can reach everyone digitally, rather than just through the terrestrial analogue signal." Read the story and watch the BBC Newsnight video at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25982521 http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/february/radio_moves_online.htm#.Uu68YzaYbDc (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) See also AUSTRALIA ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Voice of Peace 1993 video --- Thanks to Mike Brand on Facebook for this 5 minute video of the Voice of Peace in summer 1993 whilst she was in Ashdod to stock up. Interviews with all the English DJ's. Of particular interest is that these include Reading meeting regular and shortwave DXer Mark Warner, then working under the name Mike Melbourne. Think this was his second stint before moving permanently to his adopted country of Australia. I was in fairly regular touch with Mark, including seeing him when he was over in the UK, until 2009. His Braggtopia website was last updated then, was taken down last year. http://vimeo.com/23899542 The Voice of Peace's last broadcast was October 1993; there's an account of the last months here, Mark was on a six month contract and left the station July 19. http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/VOP/vop33.shtml (Mike Barraclough, Feb 4, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ** IRAN. 11675, Jan 30 at 1447, open carrier with flutter, same past 1500, 1512. I can only assume it`s the Russian service of VIRI, except failing to modulate the 500 kW coming out of Sirjan at 320 degrees also USward during the 1420-1520 hour. Wake up? 6155, Jan 31 at 0129, fair signal, heavy flutter, including Russian words, but otherwise something else; 0130 three chimes, VIRI news theme and presumed news: per HFCC it`s the Kazakh service, at 0120- 0220, 500 kW, 16 degrees from Sirjan. So much for R. Fides, Bolivia, if even active on 6155 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. 4875, OPPOSITION. Voice of the Iranian Communist Party - TURKMENISTAN to IRAN, at 0355, on 2 Feb. Male speaker talking in presumed listed language of Persian. At 0401 a song came on with male and female singers in a chorus. Song ended at 0404 followed by station going off the air. Poor (J. Cooper, Lebanon, PA, WR-G33DDC Excalibur Pro, RF Space-SDR-IQ, Grundig Satellit 750, Tecsun PL-660, Wellbrook ALA 1530+, All Band Tuned Super Sloper, PARS- SWL End Fed, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 2 via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. 18130-USB, Feb 2 at 1430, pileups here, for FT5ZM? No, some guy named Julio is quickly working co-channel stations as if he`s a hot DX target, but I can only copy partial call BSV, and separately, MD. Then at 1441 someone asks if he is learning the Manx language, which is a hefty clue. Later I search http://www.dxscape.com on BSV and that goes right to MD/EB1BSV on 18130 as late as 1650 UT today. QRZ.com lookup for home call: EB1BSV [Lifetime Platinum Subscriber] Julio César García Mahillo Avenida de Cortijos 14 Portal 2-1ºF 47270 Cigales (Valladolid) 47270 Spain With lots of photos and other stuff at http://www.qrz.com/db/EB1BSV including previous expeditions to IOM in 2012 and 2010 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Hello dear listeners, I'm glad to introduce to you a new entry on MW broadcast radio. Frequency: 1323 kHz, Name: RADIO BASE 101, Location. PADOVA (North east Italy), Power: 600 W, Aerial: Wire. The radio transmit in Italian language except for some kind of spots made by English. Mostly music 70's-80's-90's. You may also reach this radio on the web at: http://www.radiobase101.it/ I cooperate with the technician staff for the aerial tuning unit so we are experimenting new kind of wire antenna for broadcasting. SWL [sic] reports are welcome to: info @ radiobase101.it and segreteria @ telecitta.it Thanks, bye (Diego IK3WUZ, Feb MW News via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Studio DX via HCJB: see GERMANY; Tango: see EUROPE ** JAPAN. NEWS GIANT IN JAPAN SEEN AS BEING COMPROMISED By MARTIN FACKLER, FEB. 2, 2014 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/03/world/asia/news-giant-in-japan-seen-as-being-compromised.html?hp&_r=0 NHK’s Tokyo newsroom. After several resignations, the broadcaster has been accused of pushing a pro-government agenda. Kosuke Okahara for The New York Times [caption] TOKYO — First, there was the abrupt resignation of the public broadcasting chief accused by governing party politicians of allowing an overly liberal tone to news coverage. Then, his successor drew public ire when he suggested the network would loyally toe the government line. Days later, on Thursday, a longtime commentator for the network angrily announced that he had resigned after being ordered not to criticize nuclear power ahead of a crucial election, unleashing new criticism. These are hard times for the broadcaster, NHK, which is widely considered the country’s most authoritative television and radio news source and like its British equivalent, the BBC, has been troubled by scandal. But the current controversies at NHK have also stoked Japanese liberals’ fears about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his supporters, who critics believe are behind what they call the efforts to muzzle criticism amid a push to impose an expansive right-wing agenda. The prime minister is already pressing for more patriotic textbooks and has pushed through a secrecy law that will allow Japan’s notoriously opaque government to hide more of what it does. The actions come as Japan is mired in an emotional tug of war with China and South Korea over their fraught wartime history and recent, potentially explosive, territory disputes. “What I am worried about is that NHK will become loyalist media, become the public relations department of the government,” an opposition lawmaker, Kazuhiro Haraguchi, said in unusually harsh criticism in Parliament on Friday. NHK is “part of the infrastructure that forms the basis of our democracy.” The lawmaker made the statements as a parliamentary committee summoned Katsuto Momii, the new president of the broadcaster, to explain remarks at a recent news conference, including his declaration that overseas broadcasts would present the government’s views on foreign policy without criticism. “We cannot say left when the government says right,” he said when asked whether NHK would present Japan’s position on territorial and other disputes. He explained that it was “only natural” for the network to follow the Japanese government position. He also said it should refrain from criticizing the secrecy law as well as Mr. Abe’s visit in December to a Tokyo war shrine, which angered China and South Korea. The comments seemed to run counter to the stated mission of the broadcaster, which is funded by fees collected from everyone who owns a television set, to report the news “without distortion or partisanship.” While it is nominally independent, the broadcaster’s 12-member governing board is appointed by Parliament, which also approves its budget. The board, which includes four Abe appointees, chooses the president of the network. The bluntness of the questioning in Parliament reflected the deep suspicion shared by many in the opposition that Mr. Abe’s governing Liberal Democratic Party is stocking the governing board with people ready to stifle criticism of his conservative government’s agenda, including playing down Japan’s wartime atrocities. Mr. Momii said during his testimony, broadcast by one of NHK’s own TV channels, that he apologized for what he called misunderstandings. “It is my intention to protect freedom of speech and unbiased reporting,” he said. Still, he retracted only one of his remarks, in which he compared Korean and other “comfort women” forced to work in military brothels during World War II to common prostitutes; his view has been rejected by many foreign historians but has been espoused by many Japanese nationalists including, in the past, Mr. Abe. Even this retraction seemed less than heartfelt: Mr. Momii did not say the comparison was mistaken, but merely apologized for expressing a “personal opinion” while speaking in his capacity as president. The public interrogation, just a week after Mr. Momii took office, was a rare public humiliation for the head of a powerful institution whose influential evening news program can still set the tone for Japan’s group of smaller, privately run networks. NHK is known for everything from children’s shows to high-quality documentaries to its popular samurai dramas. The network also has a storied history. When former Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender after World War II, he did so on NHK’s predecessor. And the network is so entwined with the culture that during the country’s headiest economic era, workers exercised en masse to its iconic morning calisthenics music. Experts say the newest controversy hurts NHK’s image at a time when one in four Japanese households refuses to pay its monthly viewing fee of $13 to $22 because of scandals, including one in 2004 when a producer used company funds to take a mistress to exotic destinations. The broadcaster has also faced widespread distrust for coverage of the 2011 Fukushima accident that some say complied with government efforts to hide the extent of radiation releases. The latest accusations of political interference have also become a headache for the Abe government, which has already seen its high approval ratings slide after passage in December of the secrecy law. Many Japanese journalists saw the law as a way of intimidating would- be government whistle-blowers from speaking with reporters, further hampering the independence of Japanese news media already criticized for being overly cozy with authority. “This is gross political interference,” said Yasushi Kawasaki, a former NHK political reporter who teaches journalism at Sugiyama Jogakuen University near Nagoya. “The Abe government has stocked NHK’s board of governors with friendly faces in order to neuter its coverage.” The top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, has denied that the appointments were politically motivated, but said the prime minister chose people whom he knows and trusts. The last NHK president, Masayuki Matsumoto, suddenly announced in December that he would not seek a new term. Other news media said he was driven out by criticism from the Abe administration for critical coverage of conservative causes, such as nuclear energy and American Marine bases in Okinawa. This is not the first time that NHK has been criticized for caving in to pressure from Mr. Abe. In 2005, a producer said that Mr. Abe and another Liberal Democratic lawmaker had forced the broadcaster to cut a scene from a program that showed a mock trial in which Hirohito was found guilty of permitting the military to use the so-called “comfort women” in brothels, according to the Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s largest newspapers. NHK officials and Mr. Abe denied political pressure was behind the deleted scene. And last year, Jun Hori, a popular NHK television news announcer, quit after superiors questioned him for more than six hours about a documentary he had made describing nuclear accidents at Fukushima and in the United States. It is expected to be shown this month at a small theater in Tokyo. On Thursday, the commentator who more recently severed ties with NHK, Toru Nakakita, said the show on which he had appeared regularly for 20 years had told him not to say anything critical about nuclear power. An NHK spokesman said the demand was made to ensure balanced coverage during the coming election for Tokyo governor, in which nuclear power is an issue. Mr. Hori, who works as a freelance journalist, disagreed on the motive. “NHK has become a place where it is hard to speak out against authority,” he said. “This is unhealthy for democracy.” (via Jim Renfrew, NY, and Mike Cooper, GA, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) GOVERNOR OF JAPAN BROADCASTER NHK DENIES NANJING MASSACRE Memorial to victims of the Nanjing Massacre, Nanjing, China China says up to 300,000 died in Nanjing at the hands of Japan's military [caption] Related Stories NHK boss in 'comfort women' apology NHK boss sparks 'comfort women' row The 'comfort women' for whom WWII never stopped A governor of Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, has denied that the Nanjing massacre took place, days after a row over Tokyo's use of war- time sex slaves engulfed the new NHK chief. Naoki Hyakuta made his comments as he campaigned for a right-wing candidate in the Tokyo gubernatorial election. Mr Hyakuta, a prominent novelist, is one of 12 members of the NHK board of governors. He was picked by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the role late last year. "In 1938, Chiang Kai-shek tried to publicise Japan's responsibility for the Nanking Massacre, but the nations of the world ignored him. Why? Because it never happened," the Asahi newspaper quoted Mr Hyakuta as saying. . . http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26029614 (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) This is extremely damaging to NHK World / Radio Japan`s credibility not only about these subjects but all subjects (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** JORDAN. Jerry Plummer in reporting from HFCC Kuala Lumpur, via `Wavescan`, as heard on WRMI webcast, Feb 1 after 1600, mentions a conversation with the rep from Jordan about their 500 kW transmitter on 12090, which they pledge to keep plenty far enough away from 12160 WWCR. But, but, but, but, Jordan has been completely gone from SW for years! Clueless Dr Jerry apparently believes the Jordanian that the thing is really on the air, or will be in A-14? Don`t bet on it. These expenses-paid trips to HFCC twice a year are just a junket for a lot of lucky frequency ``managers`` who pretend to broadcast. Jordan continues to register several wooden channels, 9830, 11775, 11810, 11960 and 15290 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 6400, Pyongyang Broadcasting Station, 1210, fair signal and did not hear the jammer present last logging. 31 January (XM, Cedar Key, South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Does anyone know if the "Voice of (North) Korea" streams anywhere online? I can't find anywhere that they do. The website for Voice of Korea http://www.vok.rep.kp/CBC/english.php doesn't seem to have any reference to their being a radio station at all; no frequencies or program schedules, and no streaming service. Anyone familiar with this broadcaster? D (B-T-M, Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) A couple years back they had a streaming capability that required their own web non-standard player that I chose not to download lest it scramble my PC's brains. I don't think I visited them since. For a while VOK's audio was available on-demand via the World Radio Network -- they used an Internet-connected receiver somewhere to record the audio from shortwave, I believe -- but WRN ended this service in mid-December. For what it's worth, the content of VOK comes from the Korean Central News Agency ("KCNA") of the DPRK, as they call themselves. Their own website is here, hosted in Japan: http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm No audio but the text of their "news" is there (Richard Cuff, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) You might also want to monitor this website for info on media in North Korea including VOK: http://www.northkoreatech.org/tag/voice-of-korea/ I just now checked out the VOK website; there's audio available for individual stories but no "packaging`` of a daily broadcast, from what I could quickly see. Shameless cross-promotion: This year's Winter SWL Fest will feature two forum sessions on North Korean media and radio, led by an Australian gentleman (Mark Fahey) who has traveled there. See http://swlfest.com for more details; the Fest is coming up in mid-March. Best regards, (Richard Cuff, ODXA yg via DXLD) As Richard said, the ending of WRN posting the daily Voice of Korea programs online is a blow. I have never found the English language service files on-line, but it is available in studio quality on an audio subcarrier on Thaicom 5. Thaicom 5 footprint doesn’t reach North America though. But if you can speak Korean all is not lost! Voice of Korea, and the Korean Central Broadcasting Service programs seem to be recorded in segments and assembled to make the broadcast each day. You will notice that you never hear a mistake or an ummm or errrrr from the announcers in Pyongyang, that`s because nothing seems to happen live, its a tight prerecorded production. The audio wav files that make up each segment can be found in some dark corners of the internet, particularly if you can read a little Korean. Here is the rundown of today’s (Feb 1st 2014) 50 minute broadcast: start.wav : This file is the interval signal, national anthem and station identification. (02:39) 2014-02-01-2.wav : This file identifies the broadcast. (00:06) 2014-02-01-3.wav : This file is the daily news and commentary broadcast. (22:07) 2014-02-01-4.wav : This file segment is usually a song. Today it is “Leader General Together with the Visitors. (2:12) 2014-02-01-5.wav : This file is a broadcast segment announcement. (00.09) 2014-02-01-6.wav : This file is a song, toady it is a brass band “Country Song”. (05:12) 2014-02-01-7.wav : This file is a broadcast segment announcement. (00.04) 2014-02-01-8.wav : This file is a overview of today’s Rodong (Workers Party Newspaper). (03:17) 2014-02-01-9.wav : This file is a song, today it is “My Country Full of Hope”. (02:28) 2014-02-01-10.wav : This file is a song, today it is a song currently a massive hit in North Korea by a group called “The Moranbong Band” (04:40) 2014-02-01-11.wav : This file is a song, today it is : “Prosperous Worker’s Party”. (03:46) end.wav : This is the broadcast close announcements with frequency details and the national anthem. (02:15) You may have noticed that unlike the external services in other languages, the Korean service doesn’t start with the Song of Kim Il Sung & the Song of Kim Jong Il. This is unique to the Korean external broadcast. All other languages feature the Kim worship songs as well as all the domestic services. So you can have a listen to all of the above files joined together as how it sounds when it goes to air I have assembled them as a MP3 and uploaded it to SoundCloud. You can listen to or download the assembled broadcast here: https://soundcloud.com/mediaexplorer/central-broadcast-station If you attend my two sessions at the Winter SWL Fest next month you will learn just about every thing there is to know about the media of North Korea! I will be preparing a handout that will describe how to access these files, so you to can grab them each day, together with lots of other interesting things. A lot of what I will be presenting has never been heard before, so come along. After the presentation I will put a link to the notes here at the DXLD group as well. Cheers, (Mark Fahey, Australia, Feb 2, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ARDXC Luminary to speak at NASWA Event http://www.swlfest.com/forums-events/ Sounds like a fascinating presentation (Craig Seager, ARDXC mailing list via DXLD) I wonder if Mark is not going to North Korea again. The North Koreans may not appreciate him talking about what he has experienced (Wayne Bastow, ibid.) Ha, yes, Wayne, I'm not going back! My trips there over the last few years were undercover research for my book / app / project that is in the final few months of editing. I can assure you I won't be going back till the regime falls - they would never let me back in! In 2011 I was detained by the North Korean Army (only for about 45 minutes) and they deleted an SD Card of photos, but then on another trip (April 2013) I visited the front lines as a guest of the North Korean Army on the day that the western media was reporting that there was a high chance of war breaking out. So their treatment of me to date is slightly inconsistent! I have collected an amazing amount of content, much of it smuggled out. A overview of the project is here: The Guide to the Propaganda and Media of North Korea http://behindthecurtain.asia Cheers, (Mark Fahey, Sent from my iPad, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, ibid.) Re: Voice of Korea (North) streaming? Hello Wolfgang! THANKS for forwarding this eMail to me. As far as I know VOICE OF KOREA doesn't stream any programming. There is only audio-on-demand available from their website And WRN [not any more --- gh] ceased the audio-on-demand service. The only stream I know of is Korean Central TV Station (KCTV) via South Korean website and Japanese website You may also copy this link and paste it into the VLC player "open network stream" option. By the way, today is the traditional Lunar New Year's festival and they are currently (1000 UT, 19:00 Korean Time) broadcasting the New Year fireworks from the banks of the River Taedong! Hope to have been helpful! Enjoy our hobby! (Arnulf Piontek, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 31 via DXLD) KOREA D.P.R. Nordkorea im Internet und Weiteres. Hallo liebe Hobbyfreunde! Da ich mich ja auf Nordkorea spezialisiert habe, gebe ich Oich im Folgenden eine Linksammlung nordkoreanischer Internetseiten und weitere Informationen. Ich hoffe, dass sie von Interesse sind! Stimme Koreas - offizieller nordkoreanischer Auslandsrundfunk (u.a. Deutsch) E-mail Info: KCTV - offizielles Koreanisches Zentrales Fernsehen (Koreanisch, Live-Programm ca. 0730 bis 1430 MEZ/CET) (Link kopieren und im vlc-Player unter /URL aus Zwischenablage oeffnen/eingeben) Info: KCBS - offizielle Koreanische Zentrale Rundfunkstation (Koreanisch) Info: KCNA - offizielle (Nord-)Koreanische Zentrale Nachrichtenagentur (u.a. Englisch) (Webseite in Japan) Info: Naenara - offizielle Webseite von Korea Computer Center in DPR Korea & Foreign Languages Publishing House (u.a. Deutsch) Info: Rodong Sinmun: offizielle Zeitung der Partei der Arbeit Koreas (PdAK) (in Koreanisch, Englisch & Chinesisch) (Koreanisch)> (Englisch)> (tagesaktuelle pdf-Ausgabe in Koreanisch) Info: Pyongyang Pangsong: (Koreanisch, fuer Sued- und Auslandskoreaner) Info: Webseite in China: (Koreanisch) Telekommunikation in Nordkorea: (Englisch) YouTube: Links mit Musik, Filmen usw. aus und ueber Nordkorea Global Tuners: weltweite fernsteuerbare Rundfunkempfaenger Weitere weltweite fernsteuerbare Rundfunkempfaenger Fernsteuerbare Rundfunkempfaenger in Japan: Fernsteuerbare Rundfunkempfaenger in Neuseeland: Mit besten '73 + allzeit gut DX wuenscht allen. (Arnulf Piontek, Germany, jan 22, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 31 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9775, Feb 3 at 1341, R. Free Chosun carrier from Radio Veritas Asia, Palauig, PHILIPPINES site is already on, and 1343 cutting on music prélude, transmitter off and back on to stay with unknown love song by YL we don`t often get to hear, 1352 on to perpetual YM love song ``For the long run``. 9775, Feb 4 at 1353, carrier on and off and on, 1355 applying modulation of what else? `Here for the long run` lovesong JIP prior to 1400 R. Free Chosun in Korean; via RVA Palauig, PHILIPPINES. 9775, Feb 5 at 1357, R. Free Chosun via RVA PHILIPPINES playing as always ``At 17`` in English musical prélude. Today it`s pretty fluttery, more so than 9800 VOA Tinang (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, Shiokaze/Seabreeze (via Yamata, JAPAN) 1603-1617+ 17 Jan. Friday English program with short news items / sounders, "This is Shiokaze-Seabreeze from Tokyo, Japan" at :17 and back to news briefs (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA PL380/6m X wire via Bob Wilkner, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Changes of Shiokaze Sea Breeze from Jan. 27: 1330-1430 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5985 Japanese Mon/Wed/Thu 1330-1430 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5985 Chinese/Korean Tue 1330-1430 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5985 English Fri 1330-1430 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5985 Korean/Japanese Sat 1330-1430 5910 YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5985 Japanese/Korean Sun 1600-1700 5975*YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5910 Japanese Mon/Wed/Thu 1600-1700 5975*YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5910 Chinese/Korean Tue 1600-1700 5975*YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5910 English Fri 1600-1700 5975*YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5910 Korean/Japanese Sat 1600-1700 5975*YAM 100 kW / 280 deg KRE, ex 5910 Japanese/Korean Sun * QRM from China Radio International in German on 5970. (DX RE MIX NEWS #836, Feb 2, 2014 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. Absence of N. Korea jamming --- Feb 4 heard South Korea (KBS Hanminjok Bangsong 1) on 6015 free of jamming 1305- 1352; fair-good reception. At 1349, also clear of any jamming - 3912, Voice of the people 5910, Shiokaze in Chinese 6003, Echo of Hope - VOH (Ron Howard, San Francisco, Feb 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9950, Furusato No Kaze “Wind of Hometown” Taiwan (presumed). Japanese female with music at 1346. What a fascinating station this is. Aimed at Japanese abductees held in North Korea of which there can’t be too many, and who I presume are not permitted to own a shortwave radio! Strong signal but with poor audio on 29/12 (Philip Brennan, Darwin NT (Yaesu FRG7 with pre-amp, Icom R75 End Fed wire antenna, EWE), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. Winter B-13 shortwave schedule of KBS World: 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 6045 WOF 250 kW / 105 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 7235 WOF 250 kW / 075 deg to EaEu Russian 1900-2000 on 5875 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg to WeEu German DRM 1900-2000 on 5885 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg to WeEu German 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 9840 DHA 250 kW / 285 deg to NEAf Arabic 2100-2200 on 3955 WOF 250 kW / 114 deg to WeEu French 2200-2230 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 [``new``, as of several months ago --- gh] 2300-2400 on 9805 KIM 100 kW / 205 deg to SEAs Chinese (DX RE MIX NEWS #836, Feb 2, 2014 via DXLD) 15575, Feb 1 at 0149, open carrier, fair signal, and doubtless KBSWR direct about to open Spanish to South America --- and it`s the OSOB, nothing propagating either on 13 MHz! If only they were so robust in English at 1300 to North America, should that even still exist (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. 4760, ELWA (presumed); 2302-2331+, 30-Jan; M in English (tentative) with mix of Afro & traditionall -- Glory Glory Hallelujah, religious tunes. SIO=242, pulse bursts at 2321 & 2330 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4760, ELWA Radio, Monrovia 2337-0000* Jan 30 English; Choral music and religious ballads with brief announcer between selections; soft spoken M announcer with s/off announcement and ID at 2358 followed by NA; fair in ECSS-USB (Scott Barbour, NH, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BENIN ** MALAYSIA. 9835, RTM Sarawak FM from Kajang, S=9+15dB downunder in AUS, broadband 9829.6 to 9840.4 kHz. Nice soft smooth music singer; balm to my ears. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, 2114 UT Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SARAWAK [non] ** MEXICO. 590, XEPH, Sabrosita 590, México, DF. 1122 February 2, 2014. Female canned "Sabrosita" over very tropical non-Mexi-tunes vocals, female at 1124, "Sabrosita 590 AM, la más caliente" then live male DJ, TC, ID, mention of música tropical, into vocal. Excellent, alone with Musical Nacional [Cuba] off at this hour (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater, FL using (for these) NRD-515, NRD-535, ICOM IC-R75, roof dipole, active portable loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 700, Feb 3 at 1314 UT, rustic song in non-Spanish with frequency to itself; still in at 1329 UT just before sunrise here but fading: presumed usual XEETCH, Etchojoa, Sonora, La Voz de los Tres Rios which broadcasts in three indigenous languages. 700, Feb 4 at 1315 UT, rustic Mexican music, hypo announcer, no doubt the regular XEETCH, Etchojoa, Sonora (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 780, MEXICO, unidentified. 1144 February 2, 2014. The 70s/80s English pop hits mystery continues. Tune-in to female mentioning "... punto 9" then the Bee Gee's "Jive Talkin'" and another "... punto 9" slogan, into McCartney & Wings "Jet", an unidentified female vocal, then "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer across the hour. Not XELD Radio Costa who is listed as simulcasting 103.9, as not parallel their stream (jazzy instrumental there). Could this be Radio Fórmula, Tampico switching to their listed 103.9 FM some days/times (Cantú lists as Fórmula NotiGape + FM 103.9)? 780, XEMTS, Radio Fórmula, Tampico, Tamaulipas. 1127 February 2, 2014. Long string of promos for Grupo Fórmula, Radio Fórmula ID, Spanish kiddie song 1132, into that network news feed 1137-1146 with female and pulsing music between items. Promo for Grupo Fórmula 1148. No trace of the unidentified English pop Mexican. 780, XEWGR Exa FM, Monclova, Coahuila. 1154 February 3, 2014. Weak under XEMTS with national anthem beginning at tune-in followed by a vocal rendition of the catchy and obvious Coahuila state anthem, so by default it's XEWGR (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater, FL using (for these) NRD-515, NRD-535, ICOM IC-R75, roof dipole, active portable loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. 1180, Feb 1 at 0711 UT tune-in ``Ciudad Delicias, Chihuahua`` partial ID amid music. Per WRTH 2014, it`s XEDCH with 1.5 kW at night; per IRCA it`s 250 watts. And Cantú *still* claims the call is XEJK. Whatever, how can this possibly surpass the 34 R. Rebelde jammers all over Cuba (per WRTH) on 1180 ranging from 1 to 200 kW, including four of 50 kW? What little RF is coming out of Cuba is easily nulled for XEDCH to dominate, with more QRM from Omaha than Cuba (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6185, Feb 2 at 0639, XEPPM is still modulating with Spanish music, instead of stopping circa 0600; and it`s still undermodulated, but better than usual, yet not enough oomph to overcome 6180 Brasil. Just to be sure, I try to // it to 1060 XEEP, and succeed sufficiently amid the QRM there. Wolfgang Büschel also heard 6185- past 0600, 18 Hz low, and declared that ``Aoki is wrong``, but I say it`s just another instance of variable closing on 6185; don`t count on it to continue, nor even all-night as it once was (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 6184.982, nice folk music, R Educación, XEPPM until 0700 UT close- down, Feb 2. MEX entry in Aoki Nagoya list is wrong mention -0600 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6185, Feb 3 at 0604, XEPPM is again still modulating Spanishly past nominal 0600*, ACI from Brasil. 6185, Feb 4 at 0625 check, XEPPM is completely off, no modulation and no carrier either; on Feb 2, Wolfgang Büschel heard them until 0700* (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 4830.00, Mongoliin [sic] R, Altay, 0000-0010, Jan 15, Mongolian songs - this transmitter now is much stronger than during the past 3-4 months, 35243 // 4895 (45233). (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Feb 5 via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) 4895, Mongolian Radio. New Year in Mongolia, at 1550 Tchaikovsky waltz, 1552 President's speech, 1600 National Anthem, shouts, shots; all // 7260 on 31/12 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria. (Sony ICF 2001, 16m Marconi antenna), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. 9575, Radio Medi Un at 1549 in both French and Arabic with several men with talk followed by music then ID at 1600 – Fair Jan 29 (Charlie Wardale, Lincolnshire, England, UK, Yaesu FRG-7 and 15 meter wire, ODXA YRX via DXLD) 1530-1600 is a rare time when there is something else on 9575; R. Japan in Chinese, per Aoki (gh, DXLD) 9575, R. Medi Un, Feb 02 0733-0745, 43443-45444, French, News and music, ID at 0734 and 0736 and 0738 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC- R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Seldom audible here (gh, OK) ** MYANMAR. 7200.1, Myanmar Radio, Yegu. Noted at 1105 with English song "Love You More Than I Can Say", then the sound of a telephone ringing, an ID and song announcement, then into more easy listening pops. This service is in one of the minority languages, which has a more chopped and crisp style of pronunciation than the Burmese language (which always sounds softer, rounder and slightly more tonal to my ears). Compare the different styles by switching back and forth between this frequency and 5985.85 kHz for the National Program in Burmese. The signal was stronger on this night than is often the case, even despite local thunderstorm atmospheric QRM. I retuned around 1140 and heard more pop music, then the station suddenly left the air unannounced at 1143! I hung around for about 10 minutes but the signal never returned. 27/1 (Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), Mount Evelyn, VIC (Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Double Bazooka antennas for 80 and 40 metres, Par EF-SWL End Fed antenna, BHI NEIM1031 Digital Noise Eliminating Module, MFJ-1026 Noise Cancelling Module, ATU), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 9590, Radio Thazin, Napyidaw (presumed). I’m guessing Burmese language but largely music played at 0655. Very poor with lots of splatter from Japan on 21/12 (Philip Brennan, Darwin NT (Yaesu FRG7 with pre-amp, Icom R75 End Fed wire antenna, EWE), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) Email from Myanmar Radio --- A nice way to start off the Chinese New Year! Note the new contact name at their English Section. Sent to and received from - nptradio eng : Dear Ron Howard, Greeting from Myanmar Radio, English Section. I received your mail and I'd like to say thank you very much for your kind attention to our radio program. Yes, now we are broadcasting ABC Radio Australia programs every Monday and Wednesday noon by Myanmar Radio on 9730 kHz. and I'll send QSL card to you soon. Yours, Ms. Thainlar (via Ron Howard, dxldyg via DXLD) = 0530 UT (gh) Feb 3 (Monday), confirming the information received from Ms. Thainlar (Myanmar Radio's English Section) that ABC Radio Australia programs are on Monday and Wednesday. Heard 9730.00 at 1045 with OM, with Australian accent - "I recommend a restaurant close to here. May I suggest you try a local beer?” and in vernacular with ending announcement. Victor Goonetilleke (Sri Lanka) also was listening today and noted the program started at 1030 (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That is nowhere near local ``noon`` as in her original reply, which would be 0530 UT in the UT + 6:30 timezone. Are there additional airings then when we could not hear them anyway? (gh, DXLD) Feb 5 (Wednesday), on 9730.0, from 1100 to 1111 with Myanmar Radio broadcasting ABC/Radio Australia's "Lesson Five - Making Recommendations" (last week "Lesson Four - Checking In"); repeat of this Monday's program. Brief audio attached. As Glenn has pointed out, these programs are not at "noon" as Ms. Thainlar indicated in her email to me. Will inquire if there are any other times on Monday and Wednesday that these programs are carried. Thanks Glenn for your comments. Today noted 1133* (Ron Howard, Feb 5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. 7375, UT Sunday Feb 2 at 0145, The Mighty KBC via Nauen, GERMANY, indeed a mighty good signal tonight, playing ``I`m the Pied Piper``, 0148 Eric plugs the 100,000 watts [at another time] on 6095, and the 125,000 watts on 7375, KBC Imports ad for a SW receiver, 0150 weekly Forgotten Song segment with Kraig Krist introducing from Feb 1965, ``Just Dropped In, to See What Condition My Condition Was In`` by The First Edition, some ex-New Christy Minstrels, until 0154 back to Eric (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 13840, ?? Radio New Zealand. Special test transmission 1 Feb 1000 in DRM. Typically swooshing; got a BC221 frequency meter using the modulate stage; this upset the audio in the R75 so every now and then swooshing would cease and would hear a one or two second burst of discernible audio. I often wondered what this type of experiment would do; well if you were looking for hearing the programme in total, (failure), for one or two seconds every few minutes, bingo. (I have nothing to do in life)! I also attached a wire from the BC221 to the pre amp before the signal got to the set! (John Wright, Peakhurst NSW (Icom IC-R75, EWE antennae 350 degrees), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) A roundabout way of getting bits of DRM? Or are you saying that by manipulating the BC221 you were able to defeat DRM, and hear an AM signal; was this just coincidental, something wrong with the transmission? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) 13725-13730-13735, Feb 4 at 0632, RNZI DRM noise is stronger sounding than its presumably // AM on 11725. And also much stronger than 13630 Australia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA. 539.835, Radio Corporación, Managua. *1104 February 2, 2014. Big het up on the Mexican at 1104, seconds later into national anthem by male solo, live announcer from 1107. Good once in LSB. 600, Radio Ya, Managua. 1127 February 2, 2014. Excellent with Spanish male preacher on a local Sunday morning, mentions of nicaragüense. 720, Radio Católica, Managua. 1134 February 2, 2014. Light inspirational Spanish vocals, live female announcer, TC, ID, inspirational chatter over music (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater, FL using (for these) NRD-515, NRD-535, ICOM IC-R75, roof dipole, active portable loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 800, Radio 800, Managua, 1125 to 1145, two Radio 800 IDs on this one this morning, shouted over the music. 1 Feb (XM, Cedar Key, South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 11769.9, V of Nigeria, Ikorodu. Good in Arabic on 20/1 at 2125 (John Adams, Beech Forest Vic (JRC NRD-535 Ewe and Folded Dipole), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ¦ [same frequency] Site Unconfirmed. First tuned in at 2058 to hear fast and furious music played on a native wind instrument with drums (sounding like a bee in a bottle!). S/on and ID in Hausa (NOT Arabic as listed in Aoki) at 2100, then news and commentaries, punctuated by short bursts of more "bee in the bottle" music. There appears to be some conjecture over the transmitter site for this service. One list says Ikorodu, another offers the new transmitters at Abuja (Lugbe). There's a fair chance that the later site is the one in operation, but I can't say for certain. However, wherever it is, the transmitter is 10 Hz [sic; 100] away from where it ought to be! A fair signal and in the clear, making listening quite easy on 31/1 (Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), Mount Evelyn, VIC (Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Double Bazooka antennas for 80 and 40 metres, Par EF-SWL End Fed antenna, BHI NEIM1031 Digital Noise Eliminating Module, MFJ-1026 Noise Cancelling Module, ATU), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) 11770-, Feb 2 at 2145, weak music and talk in splash from 11775 Antigua. Weak het audible. Once the FRG-7 BFO is zeroed on 770 from The Metroplex, adding 11 MHz finds a pitch of Eb3 below middle C, i.e. 156 Hz, while without BFO the het I am hearing is G above middle C, i.e. 392 Hz. Possibly a local device is confusing the matter, but Wolfgang Büschel has been reporting V. of Nigeria here, presumably in Hausa during this hour; measured a month ago at 11769.872. Thorsten Hallman says this and other Hausa transmissions off-frequency are via the Abuja site: ``7254.9 *0728-0800*, 9689.9 *08-09*, 9689.9 *20-21*, 11769.9 *21-22*`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9689.919 - .927 kHz, two male announcers in Hausa, hops 5 to 10 Hertz up and down, old Ikorodu transmitter. 20.53 UT Feb 1. Scheduled 20-21 UT. At 2057:10 UT close-down, cut off. Nothing on v11770 kHz. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11769.872, Ikorodu old TX unit still 127 to 129 Hertz down, and hopping up and down continuously. 2150 UT Feb 3 (Büschel, ibid.) Ikorodu / new Ampegon unit of 2012. That will never happen on a very modern electronics product of European electronic radio industry, which new Ampegon-Thomcast installation is only 18 months in operation on the air at Abuja. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, this WAS certainly Abuja. In fact IKO is inactive since one week or so. We discussed it over and over: Most likely two of the new units WERE off-channel and slightly unstable quite from the beginning and still are. See logs from March 2012. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, ibid.) 9689.894 kHz rather tiny poor S=4-5 signal this morning 0814 UT Feb 4. 73 wb (Büschel, ibid.) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6925-AM, Feb 2 at 0054, screaming hard rock music from a pirate; 0103 several testimonials on how great this station is and ID as Radio Free Whatever; 0142 still going, 0143 another ID, mentions orgasmotron. Poor to fair signal here, reported much stronger to the east (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello, very strong pirate into Montreal S9 +20 at times .. AM mode on 6925, 0140 UT with rock music. No ID yet. 73 (Gilles Letourneau, Montreal, Canada, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s Radio Free Whatever with Dickweed (Dave Hughes, KCMO, 0146 UT Feb 2, ibid.) ** OKLAHOMA. KEPN 640, KFAQ 1170, KMUS 1380, KPGM 1500: mixed in USA ** OKLAHOMA. KOKC ADDS FM SIGNAL RadioInsight Radio Industry News Discussion Commentary Insight Boards January 31, 2014 by Lance Venta News Talk 1520 KOKC Oklahoma City 103.1 Tyler Media [logo caption] The Talk battle in Oklahoma City is escalating. One day after 1640 KZLS announced it was flipping to Talk, Tyler Media News/Talk 1520 KOKC Oklahoma City has begun simulcasting its programming on 103.1 K276EX Oklahoma City. The translator, which is owned by The Love Station, Inc, had been rebroadcasting their Christian CHR “The House FM” KJTH Ponca City. The translator has applied to its upgrade from 75 to 99 watts from a new location north of Oklahoma City. Despite having the only 50 kW AM signal in Oklahoma City, KOKC registered a mere 0.8 share in the Fall 2013 Nielsen ratings. Clear Channel’s 1000 KTOK led the Talk battle with a 4.5 share in the same book (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) 103.1 won`t be heard in Enid with local KOFM, and its range to the NNW of OKC will be limited by it; but who cares? The important thing is to *be on FM*, no matter how insignificantly, as who cares about a puny 50 kW AM signal??? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 1640, Jan 31 at 2102 UT check, no news, just `True Oldies` music even at hourtop from KZLS Enid-Hennessey-Oklahoma City. But not for long! Tnx to Artie Bigley for finding this on the reactivated RadioInsight.com board for Oklahoma, posted by Lance Venta, yet *another* format change for 1640; call change coming too? ``Reid Mullins And Talk Coming To KZLS Oklahoma City Last Updated on January 30, 2014 at 3:49 pm Champlin Broadcasting will begin shifting "True Oldies 1640" KZLS Enid/Oklahoma City to Talk on Monday, February 3. Reid Mullins, who had hosted mornings at Clear Channel Talk 1000 KTOK until last August will join the station Monday for a daily program from 7 to 10 am [13- 16 UT, probably meaning M-F only, not daily]. McCarvilleReport.com states that “The new show on KZLS will bring back the “information and news” paradigm that former KTOK listeners were accustomed to, Mullins said. Guests will include local, state, and national political figures, commentators, and experts in various fields and sectors from agriculture, energy, healthcare, immigration and more.” Mullins joining KZLS will kick off another format change at the station, which picked up the Oldies format and KZLS call letters when sister Classic Country “99.7 Hank-FM” KNAH debuted in late September. KZLS will shift to News/Talk in all dayparts by the end of February.`` One comment so far: ``It was a real treat to hear the Oldies on 1640 via skywave at night in the Dallas area. They had a real nice processor setting too and were not handicapped by the reduced analog bandwidth which so many AM stations seem to run as a default these days. Nothing like Oldies in marvelous mono on skywave. I knew it was too good to last :-( Jay Walker``. I guess the 1630 DFW outlet is evitable. 1640, Feb 4 at 1320 UT, as expected, KZLS Enid-Hennessey-Oklahoma City has started talking, one guy about school closings due to snow storm around state; 1333 UT still ID as KZLS, PSAs including Oklahoma National Guard. 1336 UT Hank-FM farm news update on the Radio Oklahoma Network; more of same at 1436 UT; 1441 UT name of show is `The Ride with Reid` [Mullins], alluding to drive-time, not advisable under current conditions. Supposedly, talk blox are being phased in the rest of February, with part of the airtime on KZLS still filled with True Oldies: yes, back to music after 1600 UT. 1640, Feb 5 at 1516, KZLS, Enid-Hennessey-OKC, Reid Mullins, reactivated talkhost ex-KTOK, is saying that there will still be 21 hours of True Oldies from 10 am (16 UT), until his next show tomorrow morning at 7 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. 91.7, Feb 2 at 0203 UT, KOSU Stillwater has the STereo pilot on, says the DX-398 icon, but with headphones The Spy music still sounds monophonic (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 15140, RSO, 1510-1535+ 21 Jan. Surprised to find RSO in English (usually English 14-15, Arabic 15-22) with "The Modern Family" (an interview with an Islamic scholar about the importance of reading for Islamic youth), break at :29 to give phone # for listener comments (24 60 20 58), program ID, song in English praising Allah, phone # given once again with the comment "we'd love to hear some voices, Inshallah", back to interview with questions/advice about parenting (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA PL380/6m X wire via Bob Wilkner, Feb 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 11570, 02/Feb 1845, R Pakistan in Urdu. OM talk. At 1846 local pop music. At 1854 back OM talk. At 1856 more local music. At 1859 ID by YL and end of transmission. 25432 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 12 14´S 38 58´W - Brasil, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALAU. 9960, Jan 30 at 1457, BaBcoCk music loop which is somehow mesmerizing, even tho poor in QRM between WRMI and 9965 Cuban pulse jamming against nothing. This is filler *after* the 1430 Furusato no Kaze clandestine broadcast to Korea North in Japanese about abduxions (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SOUTH CAROLINA [non] ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3365, R. Milne Bay, Alotau. Running an all-night music program it seems noted at 1620 and again at 1740 with good old Aussie rock and pop plus the occasional local PNG songs. No announcements but a strong signal on Jan 21. Then again on 28/1, strong carrier by the audio was quite low at 1020, making listening rather difficult. These days, it seems that this station is regularly running with reduced audio, while the carrier is S8-9 on the dial! (Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), Mount Evelyn, VIC (Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Double Bazooka antennas for 80 and 40 metres, Par EF-SWL End Fed antenna, BHI NEIM1031 Digital Noise Eliminating Module, MFJ-1026 Noise Cancelling Module, ATU), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ** PERU. 4789.9, Perú, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, 1100 to 1113 OM in Spanish but distorted signal with distinct hum, a difficult copy 30 January, also noted 0555 on 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4810, Perú, Radio Logos, Chazuta, Tarapoto, 1110-1115 vocalist, mentions de El Señor, into flauta Andina, good signal 30 January. 1000 to 1020 off the air on 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4824.49, Perú, La Voz de la Selva, Iquitos 1057-1105 vocalist mixing CODAR but much improved signal, several ments de "Madre de Dios" into instrumental music 30 Jan (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4955, Perú, Radio Cultural Amauta, Huanta, 1110 locatura [sic] en español, pleasant voice, strong signal 30 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5980, Jan 31 at 0057, JBA carrier from R. Chaski, until cutoff at 0105:04.5* which is 17 seconds later than last check 3 days ago (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU [and non]. 5980, Feb 2 at 0054, usual carrier from R. Chaski, vs nonsensical pulse jamming from Cuba, but I miss the expected cutoff circa 0105. Recheck at 0133, there is still/again a carrier here in the jamming; it would be extremely unusual for Chaski to stay on this late. HFCC has the answer: BBC Urdu, 250 kW, 60 degrees via UAE at 0130-0200. 5980, Feb 5 at 0104, R. Chaski carrier until cut off at 0105:32*, which is 27.5 seconds later than last check 5 nights earlier on UT Jan 31 at 0105:4.5, keeping up the average of 5.5 seconds later per night. I expect the autotimer to be reset to circa 0100 within the next week (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 9465, Jan 30 at 1505, fair signal in Russian mentions ``golos boga``. No, it`s merely FEBC being extremely presumptuous, but then every gospel huxter thinx he`s *the* voice of god, not least Brother Scare. But Russian modestly lacks definite articles (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES [non]. 15320, R. Veritas Asia, SM Galeria [VATICAN]. A very happy, lighthearted Filipino talk show, with laughing, chatting, between two announcers. Really sounded like an old-time radio show. Plenty of English words and phrases included in the chat and many IDs for R. Veritas Asia, at 1515 with a beautiful signal on 24/1 (Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), Mount Evelyn, VIC (Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Double Bazooka antennas for 80 and 40 metres, Par EF-SWL End Fed antenna, BHI NEIM1031 Digital Noise Eliminating Module, MFJ-1026 Noise Cancelling Module, ATU), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) ** POLAND. POLISH RADIO FACEBOOK 5000 COMPETITION: WIN PRIZES! Polish Radio 20 January 2014 http://www.thenews.pl/1/11/Artykul/160797,Polish-Radio-Facebook-5000-competition To celebrate us reaching over 5000 followers on Facebook, think up a slogan for our new DAB+ English language broadcasts and win Polish Radio goodies! Since 1 October last year, Polish Radio channels (Radios One, Two, Three and Four) as well as Polish Radio External Service are available in DAB+. The launch of terrestrial digital transmissions on DAB+ by Polish Radio makes it the leader in technological change and a pioneer in digital broadcasting not only in Poland but also in the entire CEE region. This also creates the opportunity for Polish Radio to expand its offer with new channels and to reach a wider audience. To find out how to access our DAB+ broadcasts see here http://external.polskieradio.pl/10/60/Artykul/159221,Polish-Radio-External-Services-launches-DAB-channel-in-Poland 5000 followers on Facebook can't be wrong! To win prizes in the competition, including special Polish Radio wallets (a must-have accessory for any self-respecting radio listener) think up a slogan to publicize the new DAB+ broadcasts. The slogan should be suitable for use on air as well as on our web pages at thenews.pl. For example, the slogan could be something like: 'DAB+ bringing radio closer to you', although we are sure you can do better. The competition is open for entries from Monday 3 February until midnight CET on Sunday 16 February. Please read the rules below, and may the best slogan win! Rules 1. The competition invites all listeners of the English Section of Polish Radio as well as readers of thenews.pl to think up of a slogan in English on the theme of: Polish Radio’s English Section closer to you – now in DAB+. It should be suitable for use on air as well as on our pages at thenews.pl. More information on DAB+ here: http://dabplus.polskieradio.pl/english.aspx 2. We invite all competition entrants to submit their slogans between 00:01 CET, 03.02.2014 until 23:59, 16.02.2014 3. All submissions should be sent to thenews @ polskieradio.pl or by post to English Section, Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy, Al. Niepodleg?os'ci 77/85, 00-977 Warszawa, with the adnotation [sic] “Facebook competition”. Please include your name, surname, email address and telephone number along with your submission. 4. All entries will be taken into account, with the selection chosen by a vote of the competition committee made up of Polish Radio English Section journalists. The decisions made are final. 5. Entrants can submit more than one slogan for this competition. 6. We will let the winners know of their success by email or telephone in order to make arrangements for prize delivery. At the same time, entrants agree to let their name, surname be used for the competition’s promotional page on thenews.pl or other pages of the different language sections of Polish Radio External Service. 7. Prizes: an embossed leather wallet is foreseen as the main prize. The second, third, and fourth runners-up will receive a credit-card sized USB stick. 8. For more details contact John Beauchamp, Polish Radio - English Section. john.beauchamp @ polskieradio.pl (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) DAB in Europe is of absolutely no use to would-be PRES radio listeners in North America. But some of us should win prizes, anyway (gh, DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. 1660, WGIT, Canóvanas PR; “Ésta es WEGA, 13-50 AM Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, WGIT 16-60 Canóvanas San Juan … uniendo la familia cristiana a través de la radio e internet” G, 0306 18/1 (Paul Crankshaw; Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland, Perseus SDR, EWE antenna (300 ), RPA-1 pre-amp, Feb MW News via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Salutacions, aquestes són les QSL rebudes els últims mesos: European Music Radio, 7290 kHz via IRRS. Full detailed e-QSL and e-information sheet received in 13 days for reception report with audio clip sent to studio @ emr.org.uk 73, (Rafael Martínez, Barcelona, Catalunya, via Dario Monferini, 31 Jan, playdx yg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 5900, VOR (Irkutsk), 1506-1515+ 24 Jan. A good morning for these guys; clear "Radio VR, this is the Voice of Russia" ID, disclaimer about opinions given during the program + news (North Korea, Ukraine demonstrations, ceasefire in S. Sudan, Russia's role in encouraging peace in the Middle East) (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA PL380/6m X wire via Bob Wilkner, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Radio MTUCI (a.k.a. Radio Green Eyes) --- Observed today, 31 Jan 2014, fading up on 25900 kHz at 1159 UT with rock music and introductory studio chat in Russian. The broadcast did not start with an ID as it usually does, and in fact there was no ID until 1227 - the usual canned "Radio Moskovskiy Tekhnicheskiy Universitet Svyazi i Informatiki" announcement. Monitored via Global Tuners remote rx in Rimini, Italy, the signal was stronger and clearer than I've ever heard it, until it fell off a cliff into an abyss of noise at 1230 UT (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Btw, the proper translation is Radio Magic Eye not Green Eyes. "Green eye" stands for "Magic eye tube" in Russian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_eye_tube (Aleksandr Diadischev, Ukraine, ibid.) See also TATARSTAN [non] ** SAAR. 183 kHz, Germany, Europe 1, Felsberg -Saarlouis-, OM vocalist till 2346 then OM announcer - new music at 2347 and 2354, very strong in South Florida 1 February (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, and MR, Vero Beach, South Florida, NRD 515, Drake R8B, Timewave ANC-4, Quantum Phaser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SARAWAK [non]. 11665, Wai FM (via RTM-Kajang) 2357-0015 19/20 Jan. Another afternoon reception of these guys; local percussion tune until TOH, 1+1 pips and TC, into Sarawak news (Kuching, etc.), quick "Sarawak, Wai FM" at :04, W DJ with canned station promo, Malay pops and phone requests, occasional "Wai FM" mentions. 6050, Salam FM (via RTM-Kajang), 1500-1547* 16 Jan. Running especially late this morning with Negaraku at TOH, Salam FM jingles, qira'ut + commentary (today in Malay with some prose readings as well) 'til :15 then M DJ with Malay pop and frequent jingles until abruptly off mid- song (Dan Sheedy, Moonlight Beach, CA PL380/6m X wire via Bob Wilkner, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MALAYSIA 11665, Wai FM; 1051-1104+, 27-Jan; W in unknown language with lite pop tunes past ToH to 1103 "Wai FM" spoken ID by M--not the singing ID I've heard before. Then W talk in LL--not news unless the first item made her laugh. SIO=2+52+; they're there Fair/Fair+ every morning past 1400, but usually buried by 1500 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. U.K. (non) Frequency change of FEBA Radio: 0200-0215 NF 7315 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg SoAs Urdu, ex 7320 0215-0230 NF 7315 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg SoAs Urdu Sun, ex 7320 0215-0230 NF 7315 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg SoAs Baluchi Mon-Wed, ex 7320 0215-0230 NF 7315 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg SoAs Sindhi Thu-Sat, ex 7320 (DX RE MIX NEWS #836, Feb 2, 2014 via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. 18135-USB, Jan 30 at 1438, OM3TWM is calling QRZ and making quick simplex contacts; is there some contest on this Thursday? Found him while hunting for Amsterdam Island, q.v., still no sign of it around here nor on 20m, but pileups at least on 15m. QRZ.com: OM3TWM VLADO LUDROVSKY Lidicke namestie 10 KOSICE 04022 Slovak Republic Apparently he doesn`t like CW or QRP, judging from his (naughty language, beware) website: http://www.qrz.com/db/OM3TWM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9545, SIBC, Jan 29 0750-0802, 45444, Pidgin, Music, ID at 0752 and 0755 and 0758 and 0800, IS at 0800, News (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9545, Feb 1 at 0657, very poor signal with some talk, 0658 music, 0700 talk. Generous FRG-7 meter shows S9+10, which ought to provide more modulation than the just-barely I am hearing. 31m is almost dead otherwise, but there is nothing else this could be except SIBC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9545, SIBC, Feb 02 0745-0752, 45444, Pidgin, Music, ID at 0747 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9545, SIBC - Voice of the Nation, 0949-1033, + 1159*, Feb 3. fair- good; in Solomon Is. Pijin and English; ads (South Pacific Oil Ltd., etc.); SIBC promos and SIBC employment notice; "Special Weather Advisory"; "Heavy Rain Alert"; 1000 news. Six minute audio at https://app.box.com/s/9ukldjtpmunwbfcqdf2f Very readable! (Ron Howard, San Francisco at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9545 at 1815 UT, Strong carrier with no audio, still there at 1853. Perhaps SIBC. 1902 still no audio. SIBC having a bad day maybe. SIBC sign on at 1909 UT with Island drums, etc. I also enjoy listening to your podcasts of WOR. Regards (Bill Richards, Adelaide, South Australia, Drake R8B, EK890, UT Feb 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9545, SIBC, 5/FEB/2014 2100, The voice of the nation, News In English. Good copy on clear frequency (Nick Hacko, VK2DX, Sydney, AUSTRALIA, FT920+20m vertical, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALILAND. SOMALIA, R. Hargeisa on 7120 kHz, Times of sign off: Jan 01 1902* Jan 02 no check, Jan 03 1902* Jan 04 1900* Jan 05 1900* Jan 06 1900* Jan 07 1902* Jan 08 1901* Jan 09 1859* Jan 10 1901* Jan 11 1900* Jan 12 1900* Jan 13 no check, Jan 14 1900* Jan 15 no check, Jan 16 1900* Jan 17 1901* Jan 18 1901* Jan 19 1901* Jan 20 1900* Jan 21 1902* Jan 22 1901* Jan 23 1859* Jan 24 1901* Jan 25 1900* Jan 26 1902* Jan 27 1902* Jan 28 1901* Jan 29 1901* Jan 30 1900* Jan 31 1902* 7120, R. Hargeisa, Feb 02 *1459-1507, 33333-35333, Somali, 1459 sign on with IS, ID at 1500, Koran, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 15255, Channel Africa, Jan 29 0556-0611, 25332-35333, English, Music, 0600 Opening music, Opening announce, News (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 11755, Feb 1 at 2100-2102*, BabCoCk music loop IS, in splash from 11760 Cuba. HFCC shows this is Meyerton still running after AWR Yoruba at 2030-2100, 250 kW, 328 degrees also USward; typical slopperation by SENTECH (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. SABC's lack of competence (in most fields) questioned MPS GRILL SABC OVER STAFF'S SERIOUS LACK OF SKILLS 04 Feb 2014 19:17 Andisiwe Makinana Mail & Guardian MPs have questioned whether the SABC is capable of a successful transformation to digital broadcasting after a report showed a severe lack of skills. MPs have questioned whether the SABC is capable of transitioning to digital braodcasting after a report showed a severe lack of skills. (Delwyn Verasamy, M&G) [caption] Members of Parliament came down hard on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and questioned whether the public broadcaster was capable of a successful transformation to digital broadcasting scheduled to take off in June 2015. This followed a presentation by the SABC leadership on Tuesday of an independent skills audit report, which was compiled by audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2013. The report reveals that the SABC lacked critical skills, especially as the corporation plans to move from analogue to digital. . . http://newsletters2.mg.co.za/servlet/link/6026/346777/6505046/1886883 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg RSA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And read the 43+ comments; SENTECH really to blame? (gh, DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [and non]. U.S.A.: 7570, WRMI Radio Miami Int'l (presumed); 2211-2217+, 27-Jan; B.S. & non-Alexander Scourby Bible reader telling me all about abomination, revenge, etc. (I don't know how much more of this inspiration I can take.) B.S. sed I should call him and tell him what frequency I'm listening to (B.S. doesn't know how to use prepositions) and where I am (fat chance!). SIO=433- with co-channel & wind-whistle QRM (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9370, Jan 30 at 1451, WWRB is missing, so so is BS, but on at next tuneby 1456. Still no WTWW-2 9930 (see USA: WTWW entry), but that audiblizes the nonsensical co-channel BS on 9930 from PALAU; its carrier is on at 1457, and ID sign-on 1459, into 1500 BS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just heard from Larry Will of Area 51, Jan 31: ``Hello Glenn, Allan tells me that Brother Stair will be reverting back to his pre-January schedule on WBCQ as of February 1. Presumably this means that BS programming will be limited to the following: Sun-Thu 0100-0400 7490 Sat 1400-1800 15420 I am hearing BS on 15420 as I write this at 1724 on Friday 1/31 with a good but fluttery signal. I've decided to keep the Area 51 schedule as-is for now, which means WORLD OF RADIO will stay Monday at 0400 on 5110. Allan and Tom Barna will coordinate the weekday schedule on 5110 which will probably run 0000 to 0200 or so. This will probably include the Christian Media Network news show and repeats of various WBCQ programming such as Marion's Attic. I expect Allan's show will also be simulcast on 5110 as usual. Regards, Lw`` (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For more BS, see USA: WRMI report below 17705, Jan 31 at 1825, Brother Scare is very strong here from WHRI, and during this hour // 17610 also WHRI, but much weaker and *not* synchronized; 17705 runs a couple words behind 17610. 9955, Jan 31 at 1909, WRMI is now back with BS, after having carried other programming in the 1500-1712+ period as in previous report; and also BS on 9690 WRMI, 9980 WWCR, but 9930 WTWW is off again. 5110v-CUSB, Feb 1 at 0241, WBCQ is still BSing here, presumably for the last time on this frequency with reversion to certain hours on 7490 and 15420 only, the rest of February. 7570, Feb 1 at 0146 and 0251, WRMI remains absent from this frequency which had been carrying BS overnight; transmitter problem, or schedule change? No update to the online grid. 11565, next band up for BS via WRMI, very poor carrier at 0146, can`t ID for sure. Next check at 0457, none of the scheduled WRMI frequencies audible: 7570, 9495, 9840, 9955, 11565. All off? Since Cuba is propagating on 9790, the CRI relay being the SSOB by far (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WRMI Saturday, February 1, 2014 New frequency of Brother Stair via WHRI Angel 2 Frequency change of Brother Stair via WHRI Angel 2 from Feb. 1: 0600-0800 NF 7490 HRI 250 kW / 047 deg to WeEu, ex 7520. And co-ch: 0600-0800 on 7490 BCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm, scheduled 0500-1100 Here are other similar nonsenses of Brother Stair broadcasts: 0700-1100 on 9955 HRI 100 kW / 345 deg to NEAs, scheduled 0600-1100 0700-1100 on 9955 YFR 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm 1500-1800 on 9930 HBN 100 kW / 318 deg to EaAs 1500-1800 on 9930 TWW 100 kW / 180 deg to SoAm, scheduled 1400-2300 1600-1900 on 9955 HBN 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs 1600-1900 on 9955 YFR 100 kW / 315 deg to WNAm, scheduled 1500-2200 (DX RE MIX NEWS #836, Feb 2, 2014 via DXLD) 7490, Feb 1 at 0702, Brother Scare rerererereplaying his claim to be on 29 SW transmitters, and again later in the minute, since there are now *two* unsynchronized transmitters with BS on 7490, not just WBCQ. They are making a wobbling SAH as it`s BS vs BS. Yet another self- defeating clash like on 9930 and 9955. Ivo Ivanov says the second 7490 is WHRI, moved from 7520 at 06-08, while WBCQ is on 7490 at 05-11 with BS. Or has been: as we reported yesterday, from Feb, BS on WBCQ 7490 is supposed to re-contract to 01-04 Sun-Thu only. So maybe this clash is only once for the transitional period. Surprised if WBCQ agreed for WHRI to move onto 7490; there was nothing wrong with 7520. However, for A-14, there is a gap at 05-12 between WBCQ and WWCR reservations on 7490, so why not? Meanwhile, 5110-CUSB is still WBCQ with BS at 0705 Feb 1 check, and unusually much stronger than the BS on 5085 WTWW, as the skip is long with the TN signals barely propagating to here. 5110 is also supposed to be Scare-free from now on in February; we`ll see. See also USA: WRMI where some BS frequencies have suddenly vanished even before Feb 1, 7570 and 11825: would that be a reduxion in total hours, or some technical problem? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cancelled broadcasts of Brother Stair TOM via WBCQ: 0800-1100 on 5110vBCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm from Feb. 2 0500-1100 on 7490 BCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm from Feb. 2 v=5109.75 CUSB Probably Brother Stair TOM from Feb. 3 will be as follows: 0100-0200 on 7490 BCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm Mon-Fri 0200-0400 on 7490 BCQ 050 kW / 245 deg to ENAm Mon-Sat (BULGARIAN DX BLOG Feb 2 via DXLD) Brother Stair TOM via WRMI Okeechobee Cancelled broadcasts of Brother Stair TOM via WRMI: 1000-2200 on 11825 YFR 100 kW / 355 deg to ENAm Daily 2200-1000 on 7570 YFR 100 kW / 315 deg to WNAm Daily Current schedule of Brother Stair TOM via WRMI Okeechobee: 0000-0300 on 13695 YFR 100 kW / 151 deg to NSAm Daily 0000-0600 on 11565 YFR 100 kW / 140 deg to BRAS Daily 0300-1300 on 9495 YFR 100 kW / 181 deg to CARR Daily 0400-0800 on 9840 YFR 100 kW / 087 deg to NCAf Daily 0600-1100 on 9955 YFR 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm Daily 1100-2100 on 9690 YFR 100 kW / 285 deg to MEXI Daily 1500-2200 on 9955 YFR 100 kW / 315 deg to WNAm Daily 1800-2100 on 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Daily 2200-2300 on 9955 YFR 100 kW / 160 deg to CeAm Mon-Fri 044 deg to Europe 087 deg to Africa 140 deg to Brazil, South America 151 deg to Southern Caribbean, Northern South America 160 deg to Caribbean, Central and South America 181 deg to Caribbean, Central America 285 deg to Mexico, Western North America 315 deg to Western North America 355 deg to Eastern North America (Bulgarian DX blog Feb 3 via DXLD) TOM on 7570 and 11825, not heard for several days, have now been deleted from the updated WRMI schedule grid; see USA. That leaves a total of *only* 48 transmitter hours per day of BS via WRMI as in December, rather than 72 during most of January. 7490, Feb 2 at 0636, only one BS is here, now presumably via WHRI rather than WBCQ after colliding last night (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WBCQ 5110v-CUSB, Monday Feb 3 at 0610, WBCQ is still BSing here, contrary to Larry Will`s assumption that his stint on this frequency was over. Hardly necessary, as also heard now on // but never synchronized 3185 WWRB, 5085 WTWW, 5890 WWCR, 7490 WHRI, 9495 & 9840 & 9955 WRMI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As we suffer through the echoes of Brother Scare's omnipresence (Chuck Ermatinger, St. Louis MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5110v-CUSB, UT Tuesday Feb 4 at 0626, WBCQ is off; must have taken an extra day to get rid of Brother Scare as expected, since he was still BSing here 24 hours earlier. 3215, Feb 4 at 0634, no more BS here, WWCR-1 instead filling with `Worldwide Country`, somebody yodeling, then introducing a Buck Owens tune; while non-yodeling BS remains on 3185 WWRB. WWCR hasn`t updated their program schedule dated January 1, still showing BS daily except Sunday at 0600-1000 on 3215, but this is Tuesday. Month-to-month deals always result in TOM schedule changes on various stations, like just cutting from 72 to 48 hours a day on WRMIs. By Feb 5, WWCR program schedule backdated Feb 1 is finally visible, showing BS only on #4 5890/9980, nothing on 3215 or other frequencies. 3215 resumes running mostly fill programming at 06-10 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) 1170: "Newsradio WWVA" (Wheeling, WV) beginning at 0522 UT (12:22 AM!) with. Brother Stair! Yep-- even on AM you can NOT escape the now 80 year old "Last Day Prophet of God". I should note that this program was about 15 -20 seconds AHEAD of WWCR on 5935 (which I tuned into to compare such things). I should note that WLIB AM (1190 in NYC) was splattering OVER WWVA for most of the program. Ended at 06 UT -- to 5 minutes of Fox News Radio -- then at 0605 UT, went to Coast to Coast AM (parallel to 1100 above). Oddly enough, The Overcomer Ministry program is only listed to be on SATURDAY from 10 to 10:30 pm, and from 11 pm to midnight, NOT during the week! For verification purposes: BS was talking about 'everything that can be seen is temporal', meaning that it's around for a little while and passes away. Around 0530 UT, it seemed that WWVA (but not WWCR) was running two tapes of BS -- which may have been due to the delay from SW: it may have hit the AM feed somehow. Eventually this ceased. In that news broadcast: inmate captured after long manhunt, etc. And at 0605 UT they went to Coast to Coast AM. This is enough for one night, so I still remain your (semi-) intrepid reporter (Shawn From Flushing NY Fahrer, Feb 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now that Brother Stair is even showing up on conventional medium wave, the question does arise as to what will happen when he passes on? There is quite a bit of money invested in keeping transmitters operating if only to carry his programming. Would the current channels go the route of University Network preserving through constant replay a dead man's programming or are we going to see quite a bit of excess capacity come on the market? On occasion in the summer I can hear WRVA in northeast Ohio and I just find it surprising that they have excess capacity for Brother Stair to purchase. Was it excess or was the payment offered just right for the graveyard shift? I can only speculate (Stephen Michael Kellat, KC8BFI, Feb 5, ibid.) BS on MW is nothing new; has been on quite a few stations, some of `em big`uns, mostly overnight filler cashflow (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** SPAIN. 918 MW, R Inter, Madrid. Alerted by a Guillermo Saéz tip at MediumWave.info I tuned on Jan 31 at 2200 to China R International relay in Spanish, playing an old Christmas show tape, 2256 R Inter ID, promos and ads, 2300 back to CRI programming; 43433 co-channel Slovenia QRM. Not // SW, it seems CRI recordings aired randomly, the program schedule at the R Inter website does not show these relays. Very funny to see a right wing station as R Inter relaying the communist CRI (Rafael Martínez, Barcelona, Spain [sic], DSW [sic] CI DX Window Feb 5 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. REE, 6055 kHz, F/D “70th Anniversary of REE” card, letter thanking me for entering the “Friends of short wave” contest and that I did not win the radio. I also received several old REE QSL cards, stickers, pocket calendars and a fridge magnet in 77 days for an e- mailed report (Mick Delmage, AB, Feb CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. 11905, Feb 1 at 0150, SLBC fair with flutter in S Asian, presumably Hindi songs; 0200, 3-pip timesignal about 13 seconds slow as seems to be required, a bit of talk, but soon back to pop music past 0225. Supposedly there are some English segments in this transmission, which I`ve yet to catch: Aoki says 0115-0330 English/Hindi; anyway, would only be gospel huxters at 0300-0330 irregularly on Sat & Sun as per BDXC-UK B-13 Broadcasts in English booklet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. Reception 0115-0300 UT Hindi with some sponsored religious English. 11905 kHz is from Trincomalee 125 kW beamed at 350 degrees. This service gets in to both North and South America pretty decently. Also 1115-1215 UT South Indian languages on 9720 kHz. 1630-1835 UT on 11750 kHz Sinhala with some English and Tamil announcements for Sri Lankans overseas including Italy. 125 kW but not daily, depending on sponsors for the show, usually commercial banks inviting workers to bank with them, answering their questions (Victor Goonetilleke-CLN, 4S7VK, DXplorer Jan 29 via BC-DX Jan 31 via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. New Transmission from Trincomalee --- I wish to bring to your notice that the WRN transmitting one hr program from TRM effect from 25th January to Korea on 11860 kHz with 45 degrees azimuth from 1300 to 1400 UT on week days and 1300 to 1430 on Sundays. Reports welcome (Victor Goonetilleke, SL, Feb 1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Voice of Wilderness in Korean to North Korea (ex Dushanbe on same frequency) (S. Hasegawa, Japan, ibid.) ** SUDAN. 9505, Voice of Africa – Radio Sudan – Al-Aitahab, 1759-1835, Jan 27. English service with plenty of IDs (“This is the Voice of Africa coming to you from Sudan Radio”), mentioned Post Office Box 572, Omdurman twice for letters from listeners, local music features and a long talk about Christian religion. Man closed English service with ID and final Box 572 postal address (my 2013 WRTH has Box 1094 address; still waiting for the 2014 WRTH to arrive) as well as mentioning Facebook page for reports. Dead air at 1828. Arabic ID at 1829 followed by lively music opening of regular program service with ID and talk by another man announcer. Poor to fair (Rich D’Angelo, French Creek State Park DXpedition No. 45 (January 26, 27 and 28, 2014), Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B and an Eton E1, 500-foot wire essentially north for the RX-340 and 250-foot wire essentially northeast for the R-8B and a whip antenna for the E1, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 2 via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. CLANDESTINE, 15550, R. Dabanga via UAE, Feb 03 0446- 0458, 33433, Arabic, Talk, ID and SJ at 0457 (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. 4990 tentative, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, presumed, 0825 to 0840, threshold signal, 1 Feb (XM, Cedar Key, South Florida, NRD 525D, R8A, E5 via Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4990 tentative, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, 0930 OM into music at 0940, signal fair with fades, YL at 0947 Dutch? 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Apintie from Paramaribo in Dutch, in our European morning very tiny signal UNDER THRESHOLD, no chance, measured always 4989.989 kHz footprint. 0655 UT Feb 2. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4990, R. Apintie, Paramaribo, 0659-0711 Jan 31; Various music selections: pop, dance, salsa with brief announcer in listed Dutch & 0701 & 0708; f-g in ECSS-USB (Scott Barbour, NH, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. NEW SYRIAN RADIO --- ‘Radio For All’ reminds Syrians there is more to the world than war ISTANBUL // Radio Al Kul, a dissident radio station run by Syrian exiles in Istanbul, prides itself on broadcasting unfiltered news and criticism of the country’s warring factions. But for Syrians shattered by nearly three years of fighting, it is the station’s shows on how to fix a broken car and cooking meals when supplies are low that are proving most popular “The radio is their only alternative way of having news, even having fun, listening to songs, listening to shows, regaining their civil life again,” said Obai Sukar, co-founder and CEO of the station. Radio Al Kul, which means “Radio For All” in Arabic, started broadcasting in April last year, employs just 20 people and claims to reach about half a million Syrians. The station, which is run from the ninth floor of a run-down office building in a commercial zone in Istanbul, tries to present a balanced look at daily life in Syria, said Mr Sukar, 31, a US educated audio engineer who returned to Syria after getting his degree but left again for Turkey after Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011. Many of the listeners crave a sense of normality, which is why the station beams shows such as “My Car Has Stopped”, a slot that offers practical advice on how to keep cars running. “You have to get around using whatever you have,” said Mr Sukar. One of the station’s aims was “to remind people that it isn’t always about fighting and war,” he said. “You have to be human and sometimes you just have to have fun or just listen to the radio.” But the station does not shy away from sensitive political debates. Mr Sukar said that although Radio Al Kul supports the Syrian opposition fighting to topple Bashar Al Assad’s regime, it is careful not to become too close to the Istanbul-based Syrian National Coalition (SNC), the main umbrella organisation of the opposition. “We keep the same distance between all the opposition forces,” he said. “Sometimes we criticise them, we criticise a lot,” he said. Mohamad Al Barodi, a 25-year-old from Damascus, who used to work for Syria’s state radio before he came to Turkey a year ago where he now is an anchor for Radio Al Kul, said the station is an important part of the fledgling democratic movement. “It is one step towards free Syrian media,” he said. He said he hoped Radio Al Kul could contribute to change in his country. Like Al Barodi, most of Radio Al Kul’s employees are media professionals who left Syria in recent years and came to Turkey, a country now home to about 600,000 Syrian refugees. The station’s programming is available online 24 hours a day. Four hours of fresh content are sent daily to activists within Syria who rebroadcast it via FM in seven of Syria’s 14 provinces to reach Syrians who do not have internet access. Like many things at Radio Al Kul, the method of broadcasting is a mixture of professionalism and improvisation. Funding for the radio station comes from private donors and from NGOs, most notably the Association for the Support of Free Media (ASML), a French-Syrian group registered in France. ASML also supports the activist group Syrian Revolutionary Media Action Team (Smart), whose members have been equipped with the mobile FM transmitters that are used to spread Radio Al Kul’s programme. “Sometimes they have to cut the broadcast because of a bombing or an air raid,” Mr Sukar said about the Smart members who, he said, were under threat of attack by government forces. Power cuts and fighting in parts of Syria mean that call-in shows sometimes fail because of a lack of responses by listeners. “There is this problem that we are reaching the people, but the people are finding really hard obstacles to reach us,” Mr Sukar said. “We are getting good testimonies and feedback, especially from people who are living in total blackout areas where there’s no electricity.” No one at Radio Al Kul expects the conflict to come to an end soon. But Mr Sukar said his team was committed to a long-term aim of having “our station based in Damascus, in the capital of the free Syria, to be the free Syrian voice that the people are waiting to listen to”. In the meantime, Mr Sukar is hoping for more funds to be able to expand programming, which already includes Kurdish broadcasts, to include Aramaic, the language of Syriac Christians. “We have this optimism, because we don’t have any other choice,” he said. “You cannot tell the people, ‘You are losing.’ You always try to give this message of uplifting and high spirits, because it’s the only thing that Syrians have left.” [non] NEW SYRIAN RADIO: HAWA SMART, A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND TOLERANCE A new Syrian radio station has started on January 1, 2014 operating from Gaziantep, in southern Turkey, 50 km from the Syrian border. Hawa Smart is the only radio Syrian opposition that manages to transmit FM throughout the country. Heard by Syrians in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Idleb and Deir Ez Zor. This radio is born from the collaboration between the SMART group and we, the French association ASML (Association for the Support of Free Media, medialibre.fr). You can listen to the radio by clicking this link: http://tunein.com/radio/Hawa-SMART-1032-s204859/ or tune to 103.2 MHz in Homs Installing transmission antenna somewhere in Syria [caption] Syria is increasingly divided. The country is divided between the political spectrum, the resurgence of ethnic or religious identities, foreign interventions, the front lines, checkpoints, etc. seats entire cities. This is why radio highlighting a unitary message of peace for all and accessible through the whole territory was sorely lacking. New Radio: Hawa Smart It is in the center of Gaziantep, an industrial town south of Turkey, which is found a part of Syrian society who had to flee their country. Some fled the atrocities of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, other than radical Islamists ISIS (close to Al-Qaeda). It is in this city a new Syrian radio has just been updated. Installed in a discreet and undetectable to the uninformed eye residential apartment, the station’s birth went unnoticed throughout the neighbourhood. Yet it is an important event for the Syrians "from within." This radio is called "Smart Hawa". Smart is the name of the group of volunteers who started the project, "Hawa" can translate radio waves. Strongly rooted in the field through its 14 correspondents within the country, Hawa SMART broadcasts since 1 January 2014 18 hours a day. Radio advertising via graffiti “Laboratory Of New Syria” [caption] Composed of a majority of women, the team members also come from all communities in the country. Working together regardless of religious or political beliefs, the team aims to “fix the Syrian social fabric destroyed by the war.” Zoya confirms: "It is here that the new Syria built. Everyone here works together towards a common goal. Regardless of where we come from. We hope that tomorrow will be as Syria ... In fact ... one is a little laboratory of the new Syria." (Sources not given, presumably from the press, with illustrations, all via Medium Wave [sic[ News 59/09 13 February 2014 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 9773.819, odd Chinese talk channel, probably v9774 kHz Fu Hsing BC from Kuanyin TWN, noted at 2105 UT Feb 1, S=5 in Australia. Though Aoki list 2300- UT ? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN. 19060, harmonic, Tajik Radio. Home Service at 0800 on 24/1, tiny signal on their 4th harmonic, better on 3rd 14295, but under CNR1 on 9530 with 2nd harmonic. Often noted here (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria. (Sony ICF 2001, 16m Marconi antenna), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 7245, Jan 31 0157, V. of Tajik heard on 1/31 from Perseus site in Edmonton AB at armchair level from 0157 tune with open carrier. SINPO 45534 with a slight hi-pitched transmitter hum in background but otherwise very good audio with polar flutter. Still going past 0300 with decent signal. On 1/31 heard from home QTH from 0208 tune at lower sig strength (SINPO 25533) but actually improving to peak around 0300-0315 at S3. Still going at 0330, but in a fade. Best I have heard this external service in many years. Programs were a mixture of very interesting Tajik vocal & instrumental music and various man and woman announcers with perhaps news and other feature commentary (Bruce Churchill, CA, DXPlorer via SW Bulletin Feb 2 via DXLD) ** TANNU TUVA. Radio Rossii, Tyva, Russia, 6100. MP3 file, size 611 kB. From Alexey Stepanov, Irkutsk, Russia. Recorded 17 Nov 2013, 0410 http://dxsignal.ru/audio/r/rus/86.Radio%20Rossii%20Tyva%206100%20kHz.mp3 (via Dmitry Mezin, Signal yg via DXLD) ``Govorit Kyzyl`` at :47 into the 1:02 clip (gh, DXLD) ** TATARSTAN [non]. Tatarstan Wave is no longer on shortwave RUSSIA And the last broadcast of Tatarstan Wave is no longer on SW: 0810-0900 on 12095 ARM 100 kW / 337 deg to WeEu, no signal on Feb. 3-5 Cancelled broadcasts from Jan. 11: 0410-0500 on 11790 NVS 250 kW / 085 deg to FERu Tatar/Russian 0610-0700 on 9895 NVS 250 kW / 295 deg to CeAs Tatar/Russian (Bulgarian DX Blog Feb 5 via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** THAILAND. 6676-USB, Bangkok Volmet, 1140 weather, visibility repeated 30 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. Updated winter B-13 for Voice of Tibet from Feb. 1: 1200-1215 NF 15543 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 15542 1215-1230 NF 15537 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 15548 1230-1245 on 15568 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan unchanged 1245-1300 NF 15573 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 15562 1300-1315 NF 9318 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 9317 1300-1315 NF 15573 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 15562 1315-1330 NF 9323 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 9322 1315-1330 NF 11518 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 11517 1330-1345 NF 9323 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, ex 9322 1330-1345 NF 11513*DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 11522 1345-1400 on 9328 DB 100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese unchanged 1345-1400 NF 11513*DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 11522 1400-1415 NF 11507*DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 11527 1400-1415 on 15520 MDC 250 kW / 045 deg to CeAs Tibetan unchanged, noise jammer 1415-1430 NF 11507*DB 100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 11527 1415-1430 on 15515 MDC 250 kW / 045 deg to CeAs Tibetan unchanged, noise jammer *QRM from Denge Kurdistan in Kurdish on nominal 11510 All frequencies are jammed by CNR-1 on xxxx0 or xxxx5 Changes between frequencies vary from 3 to 5 minutes (Bulgarian DX blog via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. 7275, Jan 31 at 0558, no signal from IWT. Ivo Ivanov reports both their remaining SW hours have been missing all year, i.e. at 05 on 7275, 07 on 7335. They`ve vanished in the past for weeks at a time, then come back, so as yet unknown whether this time they`re gone for good. TUN RTT ONT still bothers to register both for HFCC A-14, along with several others which are long-abandoned and obviously wooden (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1706, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AUDIOCLIP: RADIO TUNISI ID. IN ITALIAN AND FRENCH --- Radio Tunisi [sic], International Channel come back on medium wave, frequency 963 kHz. The audioclip with the identification in French and Italian language is available here: http://blog.libero.it/radioascolto/12639927.html 73's de (Francesco Cecconi, QTH. CENTRAL ITALY, RX: ICOM R72, ANT: 100 mt lw, Feb 5, condiglista yg via DXLD) ** UGANDA. 4976, Radio Uganda, 0304 Jan 31, vernacular, male announcer, several songs. Very weak and suffering from a het and occasional utility station. I might have missed it if I hadn’t been looking for their unique frequency. At 0337 even weaker; fading out as the sun had now risen in Uganda (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia, Listening in my car, parked by the lake, with the Eton E1 and Sony AN1 active antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Another one on 7195 kHz? Weak carrier on 7195 kHz that I don't remember seeing there before. Surrounded by some pretty strong hams + the usual splash from the very broad 7205 kHz broadcaster, so no idea of content. Extremely light in VK4, Wolf. Yesterday, I did not hear it at all (at 2045 UT, I was a bit late in picking up your message). Today, the carrier was switched on at exactly 20Z - so far, just music. I'm not going to be much use doing an ID on it, I am afraid - it is that light. The daily China radar on 6930(ish, very broad) is extremely strong here, so one assumes I have a path. (John Kirk, Queensland, VK4TJ, intruderalert Jan 28) Re: Another one on 7195 kHz? 7195 kHz may be Uganda Radio which broadcasts music, with news and talks in vernacular Luganda, Swahili and English in local daylight hours - about 0630 to about 1400 UT. They have not shut down in spite of numerous protests over a year (E. H. M. Alleyne, Kenya, 5Z4NU, intruderalert Jan 29, all via BC-DX Jan 31 via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. 21270-USB, Feb 1 at 1441, UT9IR making quick contest contacts, awarding ``5-9, BS217`` to each. What means the latter? Not the format for grid squares. QRZ.com lookup shows: UT9IR Sergey V. Ponomarenko ul. Perova 26 83085, Donetsk Ukraine (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. ---> For those who wish to support the Ukrainian struggle towards Europe, there is a free of charge award called "Ukraine is Europe!" - see http://www.qrz.com/db/UR3LCM for the details. [TNX UR3LCM] (425 DX News via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Radio Dniprovska Khvylya --- February 2, 2014 at 0810 to hear 11980 kHz UR1 broadcast of the concert in Kiev. Better reception mode USB. Interference from other radio stations do not observe, but noisy clutter (Alexander Yegorov, Kiev, Ukraine / "open_dx" & "deneb- radio-dx" via RusDX Feb 2 via DXLD) Interestingly, I have also heard in Kharkov (first accept them). But the distance is even smaller. The signal is quite weak and disappears periodically, but USB is pretty good hear (Vitaly Lisowskiy, Kharkov, Ukraine / "deneb-radio-dx" via RusDX Feb 2 via DXLD) 11980.5, Dniprovska Hvyla (Wave of Dniestr) was not on at 0800 Feb 2, but little later at 0815 with Russian song. Better heard with SSB, best on USB, S1. A recording can [not] be heard here (Zacharias Liangas, in a very cold room of 14 C, near Thessaloniki, Makedonia, Greece, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** U K. FORMER BBC DIRECTOR APOLOGIZES FOR FAILURE OF DIGITAL PROJECT By STEVEN ERLANGER and STEPHEN CASTLE FEB. 3, 2014. NEW YORK TIMES Mark Thompson arrived for a hearing on Monday to answer questions on the BBC's money-losing Digital Media Initiative. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images [caption] LONDON -- Mark Thompson, the former director general of the BBC, offered a general apology to a parliamentary committee on Monday for the failure of an expensive digital project, but he insisted that he had never knowingly misled Parliament or the BBC Trust, its oversight board. Mr. Thompson, now the president and chief executive of The New York Times Company, testified with other former BBC officials before the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, which has been looking into allegations of overspending and bad management at the BBC, which is largely financed by the public. The central issue on Monday was a $205 million project, called the Digital Media Initiative, intended to transfer all of the BBC's production and archived materials to a digital format. The project ran into many difficulties, and the effort was suspended in October 2012, with a net loss of $160 million. The independent National Audit Office said on Jan. 28 that the BBC executive board "did not have sufficient grip" on the program and failed to "commission a thorough independent assessment of the whole system to see whether it was technically sound." Mr. Thompson, in the face of such criticism and the loss of public money, told the committee: "I just want to say as the director general, who was at the helm when D.M.I. was created and developed and oversaw in the end much of the governance system, which as we will no doubt discuss, did not perform perfectly in the project, I just want to say, sorry. I want to apologize to you and the public for the failure of this project." Asked why he told the committee in February 2011 that the project was going well, he said he had responded on the basis of what he had been told. "I don't believe I have misled you on any other matter, and I don't believe that I've knowingly misled you on this one," he said. The BBC started the digital effort in 2008, and parts of the project are still being used. Mr. Thompson led the BBC from 2004 until September 2012. Dominic Coles, the BBC's director of operations, said last week: "As we have previously acknowledged, the BBC got this one wrong. We took swift action to overhaul how major projects are managed after we closed D.M.I.," including monthly reports on expensive projects instead of quarterly ones. Mr. Thompson has also been criticized by members of the committee for authorizing high severance payments to senior staff members beyond contractual requirements. He has said that such payments were necessary and ultimately helped cut costs for the BBC (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. LBC TO TAKE ON RADIO 5 LIVE WITH NATIONAL EXPANSION The Independent 30 January 2014 http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/lbc-to-take-on-radio-5-live-with-national-expansion-9095430.html Global Radio, Britain’s largest commercial radio company, is launching a national news and politics network which will rival the BBC’s Radio 5 Live. Global is putting its long-running London station LBC on a national footing and creating the country’s first news talk broadcaster on a commercial platform. As well as challenging 5 Live for ratings, the station will bring new competition for local stations from smaller commercial radio groups. LBC is known for its political content and features high profile shows such as the weekly “Call Clegg”, which is hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, and “Ask Boris”, presented by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson. The station is a pioneer in commercial radio and launched 40 years ago as the London Broadcasting Company. It is not entirely clear how the network, with its broader footprint, intends to widen its offering to appeal to more listeners outside of the capital. The station’s other presenters include the former London mayor Ken Livingstone and the former Conservative minister David Mellor. Global, which also owns the national station Classic FM, is moving to offer advertisers nationwide-reach. The stable also includes the Capital, Heart, Smooth, Xfm and Gold networks. The national LBC will launch on DAB radio on 11 February (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) Presumably whoever wrote the story - or lifted it from a Global- favouring press release - knows nothing of the forerunner to TalkSport, which was originally a general talk station covering much more than sport and intended to rival 5 Live- much as Global seem to be trying to do now. In a not-so senior moment, I can't even remember what the original station (on AM only before DAB came along) was called! I think it may well have been NewsTalk, but I'm sure somebody will remember better than me. Clearly, however, it was not nearly as memorable and popular a brand as LBC! Global's idea is hardly new, therefore, and certainly not the first such station on a national analogue platform, though national LBC may well be the first newstalk station on DAB. The SportsTalk frequency on AM has always had national reach; indeed it uses frequencies originally allocated to the BBC. Neither is the idea of high profile, and often controversial, 'political personality' presenters new to commercial radio. George Galloway was/is a popular phone in host - and 5Live were way ahead when David Mellor started with them as, I think, the original host of their post-match football show on Saturdays. As it is, the idea of a new national talk station has been banded about many times in the last few years; both Guardian Media Group when it had radio interests, and Channel 4 Television Corporation (which is, of course, still state -owned for the moment) dipped a toe in the water with plans which never came to much. I wish this initiative well, though I dread to think what branding Global will now come up with. LBC was cleverly adapted to stand for "London's Biggest Conversation". I guess the B and the C could stay with those meanings, but what of the "L"? Let's hope it doesn't merely become "Loud, Brash Conversation" à la US! (Mark Savage, Feltham, ibid.) Hi Mark. Apparently LBC will now stand for "Leading Britain's Conversation" (Chris Greenway, ibid.) I am unclear as to whether this national LBC will be the replacement for Jazz FM. I was led to expect a new Jazz station. [later:] Just heard from Glyn Jones at Digital One. LBC is the replacement for Jazz FM. There will be no new jazz station on DAB digital. Best wishes, (Martin Reynolds, Nantwich, ibid.) ** U K. Two London MW channels silent --- Following the dramatic takeover of two former Sunrise Radio channels by Lyca Media today, two former Sunrise Radio Group MW frequencies are currently silent, but still transmitting carriers. The current status is: 1458 kHz - Carrier, no audio (formerly Sunrise Radio 1, Sunrise Radio) 1035 kHz - Carrier, no audio (formerly Sunrise Radio 3, Kismat Radio) 963/972 kHz - Now IDing as "Sunrise Radio" (formerly Sunrise Radio 2, Buzz Asia) The "Sunrise" and "Kismat" channels on DAB (which were never re- labeled after the recent rebranding) are also currently silent. It's reported that Time 106.6 and Time 107.5 have also been acquired by Lyca Media. Currently both online streams are down. The Time 107.5 website has a message stating that "due to technical issues" the station will be "playing back-to-back music for approximately 48 hours" Grooveline - http://www.groovelineonline.com Soul Central Radio - http://www.soulcentralradio.com (Stephen Howie, Feb 4, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) With stories like this, I have to decide whether the stations are significant or not beyond locale --- all low power except 1458 which is 125 kW per WRTH (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) Just checked on 106.6. Time FM in Slough are playing back to back music (Incognito as I type, Steve!), with lots of dead air between the tracks. No presentation. No news on the hour. Time 106.6 sweepers still being heard. Just tried the Time 106.6 website and that's redirecting to the main Sunrise Radio website! I remember hearing the forerunner to Sunrise Radio back in the late 80s on trips to London. It was called Sina Radio. If I remember correctly, it broadcast on 90.8 MHz FM. It was a pirate back in those days. I think I have a cassette somewhere, with Avtar Lit voicing a commercial. Sunrise seemed very popular in the 90s when I used to visit customer homes in the west London area for work. Nowadays, most of those same homes seem to have a TV on instead, tuned to one of the many Asian TV channels now available. Video killed the radio star? As I finish typing, just got a second play of Incognito's "Don't You Worry About A Thing". An ironic choice in the circumstances (Ian Kelly, Tilehurst, Reading, England, 0948 UT Feb 5, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) Just received this full summary of events: ADMINISTRATORS CONFIRM SUNRISE RADIO SALE TO LYCA MEDIA "Sunrise Radio – End of an Era on 1458 AM" by Lakh Baddhan, Biz Asia 5th February 2014 It’s the end of an era and start of a new dawn! Dr Avtar Lit has been forced to hand over all but one radio frequencies in London, as Lyca Media acquire the companies that went into administration. BizAsia has been here providing you with almost daily coverage of the going-ons. Check out all the latest and coverage here. Latest news - Lyca Media has acquired Sunrise Radio 1 (1458 AM London) - Lyca Media has acquired Sunrise Radio 3 (1035 AM London) - Lyca Media has acquired Time 107.5 and Tristar 96.6 - Sunrise Radio 2 (963 /972 AM) has now “morphed” into just Sunrise Radio - Sunrise Radio 1 3 are static until the stations move to new premises - Lyca Media has yet to name their newly acquired stations Full stories from our coverage 4th February 2014 – Administrators confirm Sunrise Radio sale to Lyca Media 4th February 2014 – Sunrise Radio 13 go off as new owners take charge 4th February 2014 – Sunrise Radio Crisis: Sunrise Radio 2 rebrands 4th February 2014 – Exclusive: Lyca Mobile acquires Sunrise Radio Limited 4th February 2014 – Sunrise Radio Crisis: Administrators pull plug 4th February 2014 – Sunrise Radio Crisis: Sunrise Radio 2 becomes older 3rd February 2014 – Sunrise Radio Crisis: Administrator to confirm sale 2nd February 2014 – Sunrise Radio Crisis: Lyca to fork out millions? 21st January 2014 – Confirmed: Sunrise Radio in administration 21st January 2014 – Report – Start of the end for Sunrise Radio? 20th January 2014 – Dr Avtar Lit’s companies go into administration Before the administration 14th December 2013 – Hearing to wind-up Sunrise Radio Scotland this week 1st December 2013 – Sunrise Radio Group rebrands stations 24th October 2013 – RAJAR: Sunrise Radio returns to top after two years 11th December 2013 – Sunrise Radio’s HMRC debt to be settled today 15th September 2013 – In Audio: Avtar Lit confirms no more donations 10th September 2013 – Sunrise Radio broadcasts funding pledge shows 7th September 2013 – Sunrise Radio goes off air on digital radio in London 1st September 2013 – Sunrise Radio given 42 days to settle HMRC payment 28th August 2013 – Sunrise Radio Group in £400k debt; Avtar Lit denies closure 27th August 2013 - Petition to “wind-up” Sunrise Radio filed in court 7th June 2013 – Kismat Radio goes off in Bradford on DAB 7th June 2013 – Sunrise Punjabi Radio goes off air in London 4th June 2013 – Sunrise Radio ceases on digital radio in Scotland 30th May 2013 – Sunrise Radio pledges for ‘listeners donations’ 21st March 2013 – Sunrise Radio Group sells shares in Radio Plymouth 19th March 2013 – Kismat Radio removed from Sky Digital 8th March 2013 – Punjabi Radio goes off on Sky Digital 27th February 2013 – Sunrise TV Sunrise Radio removed from Sky EPG 6th February 2013 - Sunrise Radio Punjabi Radio cease in Midlands 16th January 2013 – Sunrise Radio Group retains Time FM Slough licence 11th June 2012 – Sunrise Radio turns off digital feed in B’ham See more at: http://www.media247.co.uk/bizasia/sunrise-radio-end-of-an-era-on-1458-am#sthash.2wqR1Nm5.dpuf (via Mike Terry, ibid. WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** U K. Check out Woofferton UK - YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/wooffertonuk?feature=watch (via W0WOI, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In nine parts, 2-10 min each WOF 6045 Jan 31 - BAB Babcock Woofferton site, KBS Korea relay. 0730 UTC O=5. But with a transmitter of the range of approximately 6000- 6100 kHz Splatter covers up (Sven Dibbert-Midsundm Norway, A-DX Jan 31 via BC-DX Jan 31 via DXLD) This was subject on German A-DX newsgroup discussion this morning January 31. Heavy sideband CLIPPING splatter audio, originate MOST probably from WOF KBS 6045 kHz relay outlet at 0700-0800 UT Jan 31. Covered a range of approx. 5995 to 6095 kHz in peaks. Clipping splatter traced already on HDSDR and Perseus units in Norway and Germany posts. Attached recording made at 0723 UT in HDSDR-WAV format, but transferred into encoded MP3 Format, listen attachment. HDSDR IQ {wav} File format online (56MB) play with software Perseus WAV format online Screenshot: (Sven Dibbert, Norway, via df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 31, ibid.) ** U K [non]. 9505, Jan 30 at 1504, BBCWS news in English, fair with flutter. This one is 250 kW, 10 degrees from OMAN at 1500-1800 per HFCC, and likely to collide with Sudan after 1630, which however is 100 kW aimed 210 degrees to totally different CIRAFs, so no problem, right? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA Radiogram for the weekend of February 1-2 will include simultaneous MFSK32 text and image transmissions. Details: http://voaradiogram.net/post/75085431284/voa-radiogram-1-2-feb-2014-includes-simultaneous-text VOA Radiogram transmission schedule (all days and times UT) Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz All via North Carolina (Kim Elliott, http://voaradiogram.net dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) During the simultaneous radio transmission of the two MFSK 32 tracks there were no problems or disturbing influences. Only at the beginning of the MFSK-64L-mode, something went wrong. Despite perfect signal I had the first block of text full of errors (USB + LSB). As I said, the reception was very good, would have been enough for MFSK128. At the end of the HTML (as usual) some EasyPal-images of the radio amateurs. [14233kHz/USB] http://www.rhci-online.de/VoA_Radiogram_2014-02-01.htm (roger, germany, ibid.) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, Still airing the WOR show after all these years. We're proud to say we are no longer a LPFM. We are now broadcasting at 90.3 FM at 42 watts, but since we're about 300 meters HAAT, we're officially a Full Power station, and our signal is getting out there compared to the 100 watt LPFM signal from the top of a downtown building. We're in significant monetary debt to some hard working but very expensive tower climbers who helped us get on the air against a CP deadline. Anyway, that's the frequency change for your listings (Leigh Robartes, Station Mgr., KRFP / Radio Free Moscow, Inc., 90.3, Moscow, ID, Feb 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Next step: 1100 watts: http://www.krfp.org/2013/09/step-up-to-full-power/ We`re pleased to be on such a fine progressive station, Sundays at 6:00 am PST/PDT. Check out the full-service program schedule of KRFP: http://www.radiofreemoscow.org/documents/Schedule.pdf including a world-music show UT Thursdays at 0400-0530, and they do stream: http://www.krfp.org/krfp.m3u (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO 1706 monitoring: ready well ahead of 0430 UT Thursday Jan 30, and confirmed at 0431 on WRMI webcast, but WRMI-10, 9955 is a JBA carrier, MUF not cooperating, whilst 7570 BS is blasting in from Okeechobee. Too bad RMI programming itself does not enjoy a 7 MHz frequency and on a NW antenna, but how was 9955 in South America? The K-index went up from 2 to 3 between 0300 and 0600 UT. Confirmed next WOR airing at 1330 Jan 30 on WRMI-10, 9955. Finally, the gh ID plays before 1330:00 so WOR starts right on time, and is over just in time at 1359 for two notes of music fill before cutting to `Scoreboard`. This was on the SSE antenna with rather heavy pulse jamming, tnx a lot Arnie, but WOR/WRMI readable if you cared to put up with it. Overridden for a minute at 1356:30 by the WRMI-11 transmitter carrier northwest, which cut back on to stay amid `Scoreboard`. Next: Thursday 2201 on WTWW-1 9475 UT Friday 0426v on WWRB 3195 (we hope; internet outage last week) Saturday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio 7265-CUSB UT Sunday 0030 on WRMI-14 9495 UT Sunday 0030 on WTWW-2 5085 UT Sunday 0501 on WTWW-1 5830 UT Monday 0400v on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Tuesday 1200 on WRMI-10 9955 Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on HLR 7265-CUSB Wednesday 1400 on WRMI-11 9955 Remember: WOR podcasts now via http://www.rmrc.de But listening on shortwave is encouraged, if possible. WORLD OF RADIO 1706 monitoring: confirmed Thursday Jan 30 at 2200:55 on WTWW-1, 9475. Also confirmed UT Friday Jan 31 at 0428:20 on WWRB-1, 3195, after a brief respectful pause following the previous preacher who was interrupted. Within a few seconds of WOR finishing at 0457, transmitter off without any ID. Next: Saturday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 7265-CUSB UT Sunday 0030 on WRMI-14, 9495 UT Sunday 0030v on WTWW-2, 5085 UT Sunday 0501 on WTWW-1, 5830 UT Monday 0400v on Area 51 via WBCQ-3, 5110v-CUSB Tuesday 1200 on WRMI-10, 9955 Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 7265-CUSB Wednesday 1400 on WRMI-11, 9955 WORLD OF RADIO 1706 monitoring: confirmed still on extra WRMI frequency 9495, UT Sunday Feb 2 at 0052 check, fair signal and intact until finished at 0059, then dead air before closing. WOR 1706 also confirmed VG at same time on 5085, WTWW-2 starting at 0029:18 UT Sunday Feb 2. And on 5830, WTWW-1 after 0501 UT Sunday Feb 2; weakened signal due to low MUF, but audible. Next: UT Monday 0400v on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB; Tuesday 1200 & Wednesday 1400 on WRMI 9955; Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on HLR, 7265-CUSB. WORLD OF RADIO 1706 monitoring: confirmed on Area 51 webcast, UT Monday Feb 3 at 0400, and presumably also on unchecked WBCQ 5110v- CUSB. Next: Tuesday 1200 & Wednesday 1400 on WRMI 9955; Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on HLR 7265-CUSB. WORLD OF RADIO 1706 monitoring: confirmed final broadcast this week on WRMI, 9955, Wednesday Feb 5 at 1400-1429 complete, following a gh ID which Jeff always seems to be playing just before WOR. VG reception as always on the NW antenna after 1400. WORLD OF RADIO 1707 monitoring: confirmed first broadcast this week on WRMI, 9955, UT Thursday Feb 6 at 0430; sufficient reception. Next: Thursday 1330 on WRMI 9955 Thursday 2201 on WTWW 9475 UT Friday 0426v on WWRB 3195 Saturday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio 7265-CUSB UT Sunday 0030 on WRMI 9495 UT Sunday 0030 on WTWW 5085 UT Sunday 0501 on WTWW 5830 UT Monday 0400v on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110v-CUSB Tuesday 1200 on WRMI 9955 Wednesday 0730 & 1530 on Hamburger Lokalradio 7265-CUSB Wednesday 1400 on WRMI 9955 Remember our podcasts now available via http://www.rmrc.de Look down the menu on the left (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Arrived in my mail yesterday, signed by Jeff White, complete with "First Day of Broadcasts" sticker and a photo of the outside of transmitter #7 (which is beamed toward Africa) for reception report of Brother Stair's first transmission on WRMI at 7570 kHz (which ended at 06 UT on December 1, 2013 -- the transmitter is on for a few more hours nowadays [not any more --- gh]). Perhaps World of Radio listeners will start receiving their QSLs from WRMI in the near future, if they haven't already done so. Unfortunately, the post card is just a bit too tall to fit into the standard plastic photo/QSL holder/preserver, so I'll have to find another way to store it in my QSL folder, which has QSLs from 1992 to 1993, when I originally got into SWL. From Your Intrepid Reporter, (Shawn From Flushing NY Fahrer, Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Shawn, I also received mine yesterday for frequency 15440 at 2029 on 7 Dec 13. Same card as you describe but no Sticker. Btw, Shawn, where did u get QSL HOLDERS. I need a few. STEVE (Steve ICOM R71A, New Jersey, ibid.) See RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM 9495, Jan 31 at 0055, no signal from WRMI-14, presumed off the air, since I can still hear higher signals with BS on 11565, even 13695 weakly; while 9955 bears jamming only. 7570 BS is still blasting in at 0055, but --- 7570 missing at 0602, so another WRMI transmitter is down, #11. Still on 7520 WHRI, unusually weaker than long-delayed // 7490 WBCQ, at this moment BS is rererereplaying his claim to be on 29 SW transmitters: not quite. At this time 9 MHz is dead, so no telling what is really attempting to emanate there. Strangely enough, the K-index is only 0, but WWV reported at 0600: ``Geophysical Alert Message Solar-terrestrial indices for 30 January follow. Solar flux 161 and estimated planetary A-index 5. The estimated planetary K-index at 0600 UTC on 31 January was 0. Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate. Radio blackouts reaching the R2 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be minor. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are likely.`` Then I check for other US SW signals at 0610 Jan 31: The MUF for single-hops is way, way down, yet further Eurosigs remain audible: WWCR and WTWW are JBA on 5935, 5890, 5830, 5085, even 4840! Usually the 60m channels are still holding up when the 50m channels are attenuated. Now only the 90m ones are still at good strength, 3215 and 3185. By 1200 UT, however, the 5`s are back up to good level too. 9955, Friday Jan 31 at 1506, surprised to hear WRMI with R. Praga in Spanish, instead of BS which has normally been starting at 1500 on this frequency. Maybe that`s what`s on the stream, mistake, or filler? But WRMI still has BS on 9690. Recheck 1712, 9955 is still something in English other than BS as on 9930 WTWW and 9980 WWCR, while BS remains on 9690 WRMI. 9955, Feb 1 at 0146, WRMI is VG with R. Slovakia International in English, pulse jamming barely audible under; at 0225 amid weekly PCJ Radio International hour, during `Media Network Plus`, the episode from about a month ago featuring Lucy Burton`s interviews at Radio Romania International, and starting at 0229, with yours truly about the future of shortwave. 0233 Keith introduces next topic, about difficulty of reporting health news, as contradixions about what`s good for you and not are sure to follow. 0240 recheck, the 9955 signal has really dropped out. Altho Jan 31 solar flux was 166, and K index at 0300 Feb 1 is 0, WWV also reports that radio blackouts reaching the R1 level have occurred and remain likely. See also SOUTH CAROLINA [and non] 9955, Feb 1 at 1400, I can`t detect any change in signal from WRMI at the usual time they swap transmitter #10 at 160 degrees for transmitter #11 at 315 degrees. #11 is also the one which has been missing from 7570 at 22-10 UT, so is that one down? At 1400, 9690 is still running with BS, which is #13 at 285 degrees, but also missing is 11825, which had been #12 at 315 degrees. 17790, #7 with Radio Africa at 87 degrees is audible at 1438, but not propagating(?) earlier in the hour. Another check at 1520: 11825 still AWOL; 9690 with BS, 17790 with RAN; and 9955 with BS now sounds strong enough to be on the NW antenna, but not sure. Meanwhile I check the RMI webcast, and at 1558 Sat Feb 1 hear IS and Eslovaquia closing in Spanish, fill music, and 1601 `Wavescan`: [see JORDAN]. 7730, Feb 1 circa 2100, it seemed that WRMI is no longer on this frequency, but it`s always been very weak here off the side while aimed at Europe. However, it`s still on the updated grid at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtF_YVDtCVlNdDJma2Jham9mYVlNQldpUWNiR1hYa2c&usp=drive_web#gid=0 at 1800-2100 TOM, and 2100-2200 RMI programming. 7570, however, has been removed completely as we have no longer been hearing it at all overnight with BS. It had been transmitter #11; also gone is 11825, which had been running all day long with BS. Still on the schedule and still heard, tho weakly with BS, are WRMI 11565 and 13695 circa 0100 Feb 2. See also SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 9955 itself cannot be detected, just jamming. 9955, Feb 4 at 1351, music underneath stronger open carrier, as WRMI- 11 is preparing to take over from WRMI-10 at 1400. Too bad it has to QRM itself. 9495, Feb 5 at 0047 check, Keith Perron with a `Media Network Plus` with bloopers of trying to make phone contact with someone, of Sat Dec 28, judging from his plug for upcoming Dec 29 special broadcast. Perhaps a regular occupant of this extra RMI hour on UT Wednesdays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 12105 & 9930, Jan 29 at 2113, both WTWW transmitters are off, leaving only 9475. 5085 is also missing Jan 30 at 0637 (so not overshadowing BS on 5110v-CUSB WBCQ) and 5085 still gone at 1340; also day frequency of WTWW-2, 9930 is missing at 1500 Jan 30, thus audiblizing the co-channel station BSing, T8WH Palau after its sign-on at 1459. See SOUTH CAROLINA [non] George McClintock explained at 0411 UT Jan 30, with photos: ``WTWW # 2 transmitter failure --- A crack in #2 heat exchanger from freezing. There are 5 frozen spots. Cutting out a bad section. The only scenario that matches the fact are: 1. The electrical power failed last night when the temperature was about 0 degrees. 2. Both transmitters have latching relays for filaments on and a separate relay for high voltage on. 3. When the power failed the #1 transmitter drained the water back into the building because of an automatic air valve. When AC power returned the #1 transmitter came to normal operation. 4. #2 transmitter did not drain on power failure and froze up because no air could get into the exchanger to allow the water to drain. I have an automatic air inlet valve that I will order shortly and put on #2. #2 currently has a manual valve because an operator was to open it when needed. If everything goes according to plan, #2 will be operational tomorrow after I pick up some parts. George McClintock, WTWW Jan 29, 2014``. 12105, Fri Jan 31 at 1508 check, WTWW-3 is off, while 9930 & 9475 are on. 12105, Jan 31 at 1834, WTWW-3 is back on with Arabible, having been absent at last check 1508. 12105, Feb 1 at 1523, WTWW-3 is on today, with Arabible, and so are the other two, 9930 with BS, and 9475 with PPP (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Surprisingly transmissions of WTWW-3 on Feb. 1: 0500-0600 on 12105 TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Portuguese 0600-0900 on 12105 TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Yoruba 0900-1200 on 12105*TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Chinese 1200-1400 on 12105#TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Russian * co-ch KTWR Guam in Chinese 1115-1145 Mon-Fri, 1145-1200 Sat # co-ch Radio Free Asia in Burmese from 1230 All broadcasts are confirmed also on Sunday, February 2. Here is current winter B-13 schedule of WTWW-3 1400-0500, non-daily: 1400-1500 on 12105!TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Russian 1500-2100 on 12105^TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Arabic 2100-2400 on 12105 TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm French 0000-0300 on 12105 TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Spanish 0300-0500 on 12105 TWW 100 kW / 040 deg to ENAm Portuguese ! co-ch Radio Free Asia in Burmese till 1430 ^ co-ch Radio Dialogue in English/Shona/Ndebele 1600-1700 Changes between languages vary from 4 to 7 minutes (DX RE MIX NEWS #836, Feb 2, 2014 via DXLD) 5830, Feb 4 at 1346, just as I tune in WTWW-1, cuts off the air. It was also off a few minutes earlier; nominal QSY time to 9475 is 1400. Meanwhile, WTWW-2, 5085 stays on the air with BS; and after 1400, WTWW-3 is on, Bibling in Russian. Meanwhile, George McClintock informs that they are cleaning out the middle building to make room for a fourth transmitter, Harris SW 100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. 15420, WBCQ, Monticello ME (presumed); 2016, 29- Jan; English Aggressive Christianity huxtress in sing-song delivery mode. SIO=4+54 without BBC-Seychelles QRM which goes off at 2000 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7490 // 5110, UT Sunday Feb 2 at 0137, ``Plastic Jeezus`` song from WBCQ, but 7490 is about a sesquisecond behind 5110. Presumably `Radio TimTron Worldwide` as now scheduled on 5110 at 00-02 UT Sundays (plus 02-03 `Lumpy Gravy`, 03-04 `Eric Dolphy Mystery Hour`). That`s from the Annotated WBCQ Program Guide for 5110, http://schedule.wbcq.com/main.php?fn=sked&freq=5110 but which has not yet been updated to delete The Overcomer at 00-11 UT Tue-Sat. The corresponding 7490 schedule also still has TOM on it at 05-11 nightly, presumably kaput; and on UT Sun at 0000-0200 `Heart and Soul of America Broadcast` which was certainly not the case tonight! At 0156, still 5110v//7490 are playing botched attempts by Casey Kasem to record promos for numerous stations carrying `American Top 40`, and he is swearing up a blue streak, with lots of F- and S-words. Quite a hoot. Should he have cared, it might not have been a good idea to keep swearing while tape was rolling and could be preserved for posterity. At 0200, 7490 sign-off with Allan Weiner accompanied by classical music to 0201*, while 5110 continues with `Outer Limits` clips (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9345-9405 approx., Feb 5 at 1512, buzz at the same pitch as heard on 9370 WWRB with lousy Brother Scare audio feed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Updated schedule of WHRI Angel 1 11565 from Sunday, Feb 2: 0800-0900 11565 HRI 250 kW / 245 deg to AUS WHRI px Mon-Fri unchanged 0800-1000 11565 HRI 250 kW / 245 deg to AUS WHRI px Sun, ex 0900-1100 1000-1200 11565 HRI 250 kW / 245 deg to AUS Brother Stair, unchanged (Observer, 12:16 PM Feb 2, Bulgarian DX blog via DXLD) ** U S A. 12050, Feb 5 at 2038 check, WEWN is off, but 13830 is very much on with squeal, and also English on 15610 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7505, WRNO, New Orleans. Finally WRNO is already on 7505 after months in range 7503-7504.5. On 11/1 with news in English at 0200 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria. (Sony ICF 2001, 16m Marconi antenna), Australian DX News Jan/Feb 2014 via DXLD) Must have been a fluke; in Feb still heard here when active circa 7506.6, and I don`t think it was ever below 7505. Was the news from Deutsche Welle? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) 7506.6, Feb 1 at 0257, I am mainly hearing a TADIL-A bonker, but measure a carrier here, which must surely be WRNO`s, just barely modulated in music, then barely modulated in talk, still unreadable. Hard to decide if it`s propped out, too close, or on low power. Anyhow, 7490 WBCQ is much stronger now at thrice the distance. 7506.6, Feb 6 at 0250, no signal from WRNO. I was checking since someone recently reported they had returned to 7505, or even lower (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 17775, Jan 30 at 1433, KVOH has started propagating (never yet at *1400), but choral music suffers from distortion, rough modulation, and unstable carrier; quite unpleasant, more likely to drive listeners away (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 14227-USB, Jan 31 at 1917, W100AW making quick contacts and talking an awful lot about whisky but suddenly stops, QSYed without notice? At first I thought he had: 14241-USB, Jan 31 at 1918, sounds like the above but this one signs W1AW/0, giving out 5-9s from Minnesota. While W100AW is presumably the HQ station in Newington CT. These are part of the year-long ARRL QSO Party, celebrating the organization`s one hundredth anniversary. *All* about it here, including portable W1AW`s in every state, two per week, so one can WAS with nothing but them: http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party Certificates for sale at a hefty price. However, searching FCC lookup on call W1AW/0 from the very same pages gets no results! Here`s the schedule of the portables: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/On%20the%20Air/W1AW_2014_sked.pdf including this week, with host callsign and host name: 1/29/2014 Minnesota W0AA MWA/NLRS [lookupable: MINNESOTA WIRELESS ASSOCIATION, W0AA (Club), 292 Heather Ln, Long Lake, MN 553569439] 1/29/2014 Texas N1XS TDXS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 640, Jan 31 at 2047 UT on the caradio, I find that our local KEPN Moore OK cuts off the air, back on, and at 2048 UT off again and stays off, and along with it, daytime IBOC! As I am driving around central Enid, I hasten to find a place to park with the least line noise, to go after DX on this suddenly clear frequency! I stop in front of a day care center near Seventh & Randolph, and hope I don`t look too suspicious. I`m hoping for WOI Ames IA, and that`s obviously just what I am getting on 640, weak but clear during ``Science Friday from PRI`` (no longer NPR, since demise of `Talk of the Nation`), Ira Flatow interviewing Alan Alda. There is also a slow SAH from much weaker station. Assuming skywave is not in play at mid-afternoon, most likely the 50 kW non-direxional daytime groundwave signal from WCRV Collierville TN (Memphis), with the only other possibility KTIB Thibodaux LA which is 5 kW, direxional N/S-ish. KFI is a bit far. At 2058 UT, winter weather advisory for Iowa; 2059 UT mentions University of Northern Iowa (also on KUNI, I assume), and ID for ``Iowa Public Radio News, WOI, 640, Ames-Des Moines``. This is 5 kW non-direxional at a city-to-city distance of 726 km = 451 statute miles, over high ground-conductivity central USA, and not really surprising since 540 KWMT Fort Dodge even further is constantly audible (tho mixed with The Metroplex), also 5 kW, but lower-end advantage and also somewhat direxional this way. BTW, NRC AM Log shows WOI with IBOC too, but too weak to tell here, and I recall that such has recently been denied by closer monitors. It`s great to be hearing the *one* public radio station possible here on MW groundwave (and nothing really on nighttime skywave either, besides CBW, vs XET). {And since KSU relinquished KKSU 580 Manhattan KS ex-KSAC, to WIBW Topeka becoming fulltime.} KEPN`s AM + IBOC offness also opens up 650 for daytime DX (but not 630, still infested with nothing but IBOC noise from KMIK 620 The Metroplex). 650, Jan 31 at 2052 UT, just as I tune up from 640 WOI, immediately hear ``KGAB.com``; weak but steady. At 2055 UT this has a fast SAH on it. Could it be: 50 kW WSM? 250-watt KIKK Pasadena (Houston) TX? 10 kW WNMT Nashwauk MN? Surely one of those. KGAB is 8.5 kW from Orchard Valley (Cheyenne) WY; for WY on daytime groundwave, it helps to be in the SE corner closest to here. I`ve heard it before in daytime when KEPN IBOC was off, and it`s not unusual at SRS or at night on 500 [sic] watts with WSM nulled. Now 660 KSKY Balch Springs (Irving [Dallas]) TX puts some splatter on it. 670, Jan 31 at 2053 UT, religious ad with phone 1-888-252-5345, the numbers spelling out BIBLE## something, address in Texas, but this is no doubt 50 kW KLTT Commerce City (Denver) CO, which always has a marginal daytime groundwave signal here; to hear it, just a matter of signal/noise, but checked to compare with KGAB. What else is in? 830, Jan 31 at 2056 UT, weak sports talk, WCCO? Yes, ID at 2058 UT also with an HD2 FM frequency I don`t copy, must not be the NRC-AM Log-listed 103.5, since that`s only a translator. 50 kW ND WCCO is also an extreme groundwave catch from here at 1032 km = 641 statute miles. Since it`s less than a sesquimonth after Solstice, the question arises whether any of this is really skywave? Enid sunset is not until 2357 UT, and local mean noon is always 1832 UT, so halfway between them would be 2114.5 UT [corrected], just after this session. All these signals are weak but steady, more like groundwave than skywave. Since I am getting WCCO, try 1500 for KSTP, which if in, would likely be skywave at top end of band, but nothing audible other than my nearest, 500-watt KPGM Pawhuska OK, providing at 2101 UT Jan 31 a ``WWLS Sports Animal`` ID which KEPN itself cannot. I should have checked 1540 for KXEL Waterloo IA, which is typically skywaving early. After some shopping, next check at 2123 UT finds that 640 KEPN has come back on in the meantime, so the fun is over (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I received a few inquiries about Milt Rosenberg’s program, `Extension 720`, that ran evenings on WGN-720 for almost 40 years. It aired for the last time 12/20/12 with a retrospective show. WGN had announced the ending of the long-running program only three days earlier. The last show featured Salman Rushdie, Howard Cosell, Henry Kissinger and Mike Royko, It was a very low-key ending to a four- decade show. To update, you can continue to hear these long-form interviews in the form of podcasts by going to http://miltrosenberg.com/ Happy listening, no matter what your medium of choice (Karl D. Forth, Chicago IL, Musing of the Member, NRC DX News Feb 3 via DXLD) It seems that a few more old shows are being availablized each day with current dates, but prompting $5/month for `premium access`` to everything in the archive, which apparently is required for *any* access. Guess it`s Milt`s retirement plan (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. KONO 860 San Antonio Flips To Sports S.A. gains another sports radio station — and Jim Rome San Antonio Express (blog) - Jan 31, 2014 Early Friday, KONO-AM (860) — which, for 20 years previously, was a simulcast of greatest hits music station KONO-FM — was re-launched as CBS Sports Radio 860. S.A. listeners now will hear up-to-the-minute sports news and popular CBS talk shows on ... http://blog.mysanantonio.com/jakle06/2014/01/s-a-gains-another-sports-radio-station-and-jim-rome/ KONO-A/San Antonio Flips To Sports All Access Music Group - Jan 31, 2014 COX MEDIA GROUP Classic Hits KONO-A-F/SAN ANTONIO has split its long- standing simulcast and has flipped the AM side to Sports using CBS SPORTS RADIO. The music format continues on FM. VP/Market Manager DAN LAWRIE said, “We're excited to ... http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/126393/kono-a-san-antonio-flips-to-sports Cox San Antonio Flips AM to Sports Radio Ink - Jan 31, 2014 CMG San Antonio has flipped KONO-AM to CBS Sports Radio. For more than 20 years, KONO-AM 860 has been a simulcast of CMG's greatest hits station KONO 101.1 FM. Market Manager Dan Lawrie said, “We're excited to bring this level of quality sports ... http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=2752802&spid=24698 (all via Artie Bigley, OH, ex-San Antonio, DXLD) ** U S A. The 1130 call change: KTLK-AM 1130 kHz Minneapolis, Minnesota KTCN (to become KTLK) has been logged here in the UK a number of times. So far 1150 KTLK (to be KEIB) LA is only a pipe dream for yours truly. Best wishes and 73's (Barry :-) Davies, Carlisle UK, Lat. 54.9795N, Lon. 02.8745W, Jan 4, MWCircle yg via DXLD) More below 1150 CATCH THE DRIFT: 1130, KTLK [new call], MN, Minneapolis – 1/28 2100 [EST = 0200 UT Jan 29] – Off-frequency at 1129.92 kHz; no audio but clearly visible offset carrier with sidebands during quiet moments in WBBR audio. Hunted down by Jurgen Bartels of mwoffsets group (Bruce Conti, NH, NRC DX News Feb 10 [sic] via DXLD) ** U S A. 1140, Feb 5 at 0645 UT, I am nulling XEMR looking for some US station, since someone thought he might be hearing WBXR in AL which is supposed to be a daytimer; don`t hear that, but I find one with C2CAM, sounds like same subject as on countless other affiliates, mentioning ``mansions`` and confirmed as such by tuning to WOAI 1200, which is always running way behind most of the others. Most likely WRVA in Richmond VA, confirmed on the C2CAM website as an affiliate, tho I have not searched the whole thing for any other 1140s. I remember how pleased I was sesquidecades ago when I first picked up WRVA for a new state in OKC; IIRC, KLPR and XEMR at night were not factors. I have visually searched the 2014 NRC AM Log and find KNWQ Palm Springs CA is also a `B` station, but unlikely here and may not be on C2C this early. A TN station is also shown as a B-affiliate, even tho it`s a daytimer?? Would you believe there is even another 1140 in Virginia? Daytimer in the western tip, possible because per NRC Pattern Book, WRVA 50 kW has a NW/SE direxional pattern day & night. Which means it`s still a good catch in OK. Palm Springs throws what power it has southwestward into San Diego and the Pacific (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. [Re 14-05] Regarding KCXL, it's KCTO 1160 a sister station to KCXL that's Spanish. KCXL's stream is still English talk (Paul Walker, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That may be, but I definitely was hearing Univisión Kansas City in Spanish on 1140, NOT 1160. Either their streams or their broadcasts are mixed up, or they swapped? Note also the announced 102.9 FM to go with 1140, which matches previous pairing when they were not Spanish. (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) KCXL carries pretty much all brokered talk; someone could be buying time for español talk (Paul Walker, ibid.) see also UNIDENTIFIED. 1140 below ** U S A. 1140, Feb 3 at 1302 UT, Mexican music interrupted by ``KLTK, Radio Las Américas`` ID with the letters pronounced in English, right back to music; briefly mixed with another SS talking; 1305 UT, KLTK with a ``dos frecuencias`` canned ID for ``##80 y 1140 AM``. I still think it`s 1380, i.e. station with same slogan, KMUS Tulsa that they are saying, but fade/distortion makes it hard to be certain it`s not 680 which sounds about the same. Quick check of 1380 here finds unID in English, in heavy splash from local 1390 KCRC. Back to 1140: at 1317 UT, another ``dos frecuencias`` ID this time giving 11-40 first. I keep listening past 1331 UT sunrise, but KLTK is losing out to KRMP OKC even when nulled. So no luck today on 1140 Kansas City, whether KCXL Liberty MO is still English or Spanish. KLTK`s slogan is not named after the Americas, but after a frequently-advertising Arkansas supermarket named after the Americas; COL tiny Centerton (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KTLK 1150 --- On Jan. 2, 2014, Los Angeles' only liberal AM radio station -- KTLK AM 1150 -- was re-branded as a "hard-right conservative" station, according to station content director, David Pérez. Clear Channel Communications, which owns over 9,000 US radio stations, is making a move that further homogenizes local talk radio: the L.A.-Orange County area already has four other conservative talk- radio stations. [9000????? Let`s not overdo it --- ONLY 1,200 per CCC`s website. So are further figures in this article any more reliable?? -- gh] "Basically, this is all about ratings and branding," Pérez said. He explained that the current KTLK never really established its branding, which explains why listener ratings are lower compared to conservative talk radio, he said. He was not able to provide specific ratings figures by press time, only to say that he or someone else from the station would supply these figures later. That call back never came. According to Arbitron.com, one of the main groups that monitors and reports radio listenership, KTLK's average ratings in 2013 have been significantly lower than the the dominant conservative talk radio station in L.A. – AM 640 KFL. KTLK's rating has averaged 0.4, compared to KFI's 3.3. So it seems to make sense that Clear Channel is dumping progressive radio, and focusing solely on conservative radio because that's where the listeners -- and advertising profits -- are. Right? Wrong. When reviewing the ratings for the other conservative talk-radio stations in Los Ángeles, you will find that all of the other stations (AM 790 KABC, AM 870 KRLA, and AM 980 KFWB) have ratings that are very close to KTLK's numbers. It should be noted here that KFWB bills itself as a "news" station, which ought to attract even more listeners. But KFWB's numbers barely surpass KTLK's. Also, anyone who listens -- and who has access to a wide variety of information sources -- can easily identify KFWB's conservative position. One could argue that Clear Channel is trying to steer listeners away from KABC AM 790 (which is owned by Cumulus Media), from KRLA AM 870 (which is owned by Salem Communications), and from KFWB AM 980 (which is controlled by a trust that is owned by CBS). Considering those stations already have their own base of loyal listeners, with their own lineup of hosts, and the fact that Clear Channel is moving one of its current shows (Rush Limbaugh) from KFI to the re-branded KTLK, it would appear that the most this move will do is reduce the number of listeners at KFI and increase the number of listeners at KTLK. Most certainly, the current progressive group of KTLK listeners are not going to stay with the re-branded KTLK. Most likely they will abandon AM radio and move to FM 90.7 KPFK, FM 89.3 KPCC, or FM 89.9 KCRW. That means the ratings numbers aren't really going to benefit Clear Channel, nor its advertising revenue. That means Clear Channel's comment, about KTLK rebranding being tied to ratings, is either misguided or misleading. A staff person at KTLK, who asked to remain anonymous, said the staff there have known since August that the change was coming. That was when Clear Channel decided to move the Rush Limbaugh Show from KFI 640 AM -- another LA station they own -- the KTLK. The source also stated that some at KTLK suspected Clear Channel wanted to hold off announcing the change until a big news day, in order to minimize possible backlash from critics. Clear Channel officially announced the Limbaugh move the same day worldwide news was flooded with reports about Nelson Mandela's death. It can be argued that the attention of many progressives was diverted to the Mandela story, and thereby missed hearing Clear Channel's re- branding announcement. If the announcement was made on a slow news day, there would be a more concentrated focus by critics -- meaning more people would've heard about it at the same time, and more people would've jointly questioned the reasoning behind the move. It is no coincidence that Clear Channel is also rebranding the only progressive AM station left in San Francisco. And Clear Channel's ratings claim is as weak there as it is in Los Angeles. When asked about the rebranding, coming 11 months before a mid-term election where progressive are running very strong, Clear Channel's Pérez said they do not make operating decisions based on politics. That's no way to run a radio station! Imagine Clear Channel deciding to cancel Los Angeles Kings broadcasts, during their 2012 championship run, saying they don't make radio decisions based on sports. When you consider the fact that the tea party had substantially decreased in popularity, and conservatives are scrambling to hold their seat in Congress, anyone running a progressive radio station can see that they ratings over the next 11 months are going to benefit them continuing their progressive talk shows. That is, or course, unless the progressive agenda conflicts with your corporate agenda. It will be interesting to see how the Arbitron ratings show for the rebranded KTLK in 2014, as well as the other conservative AM stations. Will we see an increase in the ratings for FM progressive stations? http://www.opednews.com (via MWN editor, Jan 12, via DXLD) ** U S A. 1150, KEIB Los Angeles: Tuned in just before noon and then heard their new calls, KEIB, into Fox News Radio news, "The Patriot AM 11-50" slogan, sounds like Conservative Talk format now, ex. Progressive Talk format (Martin Foltz, Mission Viejo CA, Feb 1, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 1160, Jan 31 at 1422 UT, after lots of W&M chatter in Spanish, ad for car dealer in 816 area code, so it`s KCTO Cleveland MO (Kansas City market). I was also checking 1140 but not started early enough today to sort out the KC and AR SS stations as heard yesterday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Heard on a Digital Superadio nekkid in the bed: 1170, KJXX, Jackson, MO, 2/2 0700 [CST = 1300 UT] with some real nice music. Easy stuff. vocals, not Muzak. Got TOH ID. This one is hard to get because of usual blast furnace 1170 KFAQ in Tulsa. Rare (Kevin Redding, Crump, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ?? KFAQ should be anything but a blast furnace when on night pattern westward only. KJXX runs 250 watts day, 5 watts night. So the window to get it eastward is between sunrises in Jackson and Tulsa: 1245-1315 UT during Feb (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Check out 1204 kHz now --- Especially if you are in the SE. I've been hearing WBML, Country 105 from Macon GA here for the last week. It's 2146 EST right now and I hear them on my PL-390 and on a Global Tuner in Lexington KY (Rob K, Summerville SC, 0247 UT Jan 31, ABDX via DXLD) I listened carefully for a few minutes around 2210-2225 EST and nothing heard, not a trace of any signal on 1204 kHz. No carrier, no nothing, even with a sharp filter. I live on Hilton Head Island, SC. How strong is the signal in Summerville, SC? I am using an AOR-7030+ with an outdoor active whip antenna right now. 73 - (Todd WD4NGG Roberts, 0330 UT Jan 31, ibid.) Todd, on peaks it's pretty strong, although hindered by the IBOC hash. It can also disappear into the hash for long periods of time. When I was first trying to ID them last weekend, I'd get decent audio for 2 or 3 minutes at a time, usually 3 or 4 times an hour (Rob Keeney, SC, 0334 UT Jan 31, ibid.) I detect a faint carrier here on 1203.5 that is fading in and out, no hope for audio but I do "see it" on the SDR. 73, (Tim Tromp, West Michigan, 0338 UT Jan 31, ibid.) Hi Bob, I will leave the AOR-7030+ parked on 1204 kHz for an hour and see if anything pops through, but so far that frequency is totally empty here. In the past I have heard intermittent spurs from a broadcast station on the wrong frequency so it is possible it can happen if something is out of adjustment in a transmitter. 73 (Todd WD4NGG Roberts, 0343 UT Jan 31, ibid.) Nothing heard on 1204 kHz after monitoring the frequency for over an hour. Have you heard it again in the past hour between 2215-2315 EST? 73 - (Todd WD4NGG Robert, 0419 UT Jan 31, ibid.) Zero heard on an Eton E1-XM and a Sony 2010 with 225 foot wire in Crump, TN (Kevin Redding, 1146 UT Jan 31, ibid.) There have been loggings in AL, PA and MI too. I've passed the info along to their Operations Mgr (Rob K, Summerville SC, ibid.) Here's the response I got from the Ops Mgr.: ``Sounds like we may have a problem, which is quite possible. We are a low budget operation and don't have an engineer on staff. Frankly, it's been a while since we've had one check the tuning on either station. One other possibility. Have you heard of FM translators? The FCC granted very low power FM frequencies to AM stations to help them compete against the onslaught of full power FM stations. As mentioned, we have no full time engineer, so the owner hung the FM antennae on the AM tower at 900 AM. The other FM is off site from 1150. Now I'm no engineer, but almost certain you can't just stick something on an AM tower without retuning. I'll ask some of the engineers we've used in the past if that could cause what's happening here`` (via Rob Keeney, 1323 UT Jan 31, ibid.) ** U S A. Update on WWRL-1600 format change --- According to Radio Insight, WWRL-1600 New York will begin programming a regional Mexican format as "La Invasora 1600" beginning at 1200 UT on January 6. (They have been stunting with a mix of English and Spanish music since switching from talk a week or so ago.) Some program names will be La Invasión Mañanera con El Gordo y Mamizukii, Alex “El Genio” Lucas, Tardes con Iliana Sánchez “La Nena,” Erazno y la Chokolata, Hablando Inmigración con el Abogado J. A. García, and Intimidades Show con Betty. http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/86966/wwrl-to-drop-liberal-talk/ (David Yocis, Washington DC (USA), Jan 5, MWCIrcle yg via DXLD ** U S A. [Re 14-05, The 1620 WJDI Story] --- I connected with Dave Schneider a year ago after posting some old WJDI audio clips on my blog. After exchanging some emails, we thought it would be nice to properly document the history of WJDI with facts provided by the person behind the operation, Dave Schneider. This story documents Dave's interest in DXing at an early age and how this interest evolved into the first WJDI in 1970 using only 7-1/2 watts. WJDI would later be recognized as running one of the most powerful hand-crafted pirate transmitters on the AM dial on 1620 kHz during the late 1980s through the mid 1990s. If anyone has any memories of hearing WJDI then I would encourage you to leave a comment at the bottom of the page this story appears on so Dave will see it: http://midx.wordpress.com/wjdi/ 73, (Tim Tromp, West Michigan, Feb 3, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 1710 Yesterday heard in Scotland --- I noticed someone has heard the same ann I have heard here in Scotland yesterday morning, 30th as well as 29th on 1710. It gave the call of WQFG, and is in NJ. There was a music station also mixing at times, but couldn`t ID it: Soeil, or Celestial?? My audio clip, with call repeated a few times at the start. I just didn`t have a peak at any time to record the whole ann, as it was very weak. Rx Perseus SDR, and 500m beverage. http://www.dxarchive.com/mw/audio/140130_0103_0257_wqfg_tis_stn_1710.mp3 Another DXer heard it in Scotland back in Sept I think it was; The X band has been roaring its head off this last couple of days. Might be an ideal time for any naughty pirates to try 1720 again (Ken Baird, Scotland, Jan 31, IRCA mailing list via DXLD) Hello Ken, The station was WQFG689 and is the only Emergency Radio Service authorized on 1710 in the USA. It runs 10 watts from Jersey City, NJ. It was started during Hurricane Katrina and continues because the recovery effort continues. You'll hear a lot of Homeland Security PSAs on the station. For a QSL, contact: James Woods, Coordinator of Emergency Management County of Hudson (WQFG689) 555 County Avenue, Bldg. 11 Secaucus, NJ 07094 USA My initial letter went unanswered until I followed up with a fax to the number listed in the FCC database: +1 201 369 5204. Mr. Woods explained that he was still very busy with the cleanup from the hurricane. The other station you possibly heard there may have been Radio Celestial, a NYC church pirate. They were recently busted and fined. Their signal was quite wide-ranging and they had pictures of it on their website, which now appears to be streaming only, unless they have continued transmissions. I have not monitored recently. The website address is http://www.smjrc.com If you hear it again, you can compare against their webstream. Congrats on some amazing DX!! (Al Muick, Whitehall PA, USA, ibid.) ** VATICAN. VATICAN CITY EXTRA-TERRITORIAL AREA: 6075, 1959:06*, 29- Jan; Just caught end of Latin Mass AND chopped IS. SIO=453+ Listed to go to 2015 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow- tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mass L&C here 0630 (gh) Salutacions, aquestes són les QSL rebudes els últims mesos: Vatican Radio, 9645 kHz. Full detailed QSL card and calendar received in 12 days for follow up reception report - Latin mass including short Esperanto reading - sent to promo @ vatiradio.va 73, (Rafael Martínez, Barcelona, Catalunya, via Dario Monferini, 31 Jan, playdx yg via DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. 1690, WIGT Charlotte Amalie, CP for new station, had the license granted by the FCC on January 30, and so is now officially on the air. [David Yocis, NRC AM Switch] WIGT (920 watts) and sister 97.9 WGOD-FM Charlotte Amalie are Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) owned stations, with affiliate and/or co-owned stations worldwide. http://3abn.org/networks/3abn-radio/3abn-radio-affiliates/ (NRC IDXD Jan 31 via DXLD) The information about WIGT came from the FCC, which approved the WIGT on-air license on January 30. In FCC-speak, this is a granting of the final "license to cover" the construction permit for the station; this means that the facilities have been built and tested and are authorized for full operation. Usually a new station is on the air long before the final "license to cover" is granted. [and non] For example, KPSF-1200 Cathedral City CA has been broadcasting since April or May of 2012, even though the "license to cover" was not granted until Dec. 31, 2013. This is because the "license to cover" means that the station has been broadcasting, even on a test basis, and that the proper operation of the station within its licensed parameters has been confirmed. There are several U.S. stations still listed as "construction permits" by the FCC even though they have been reported on the air, still (legally at least) in testing mode. I am aware of at least three -- KCIK-740 Kihei HI, KTXW- 1120 Manor TX, and KHTC-1490 Malmstrom AFB MT. All that said, I have not yet seen any reports of anyone actually hearing WIGT. It's entirely possible that they have only been operating with a limited schedule of test broadcasts -- but even if so, regular schedule cannot be far away. I expect our UK friends may have an easier time with this than many of us in North America - CHTO especially is a real pest here! (David Yocis, Washington DC, USA (NRC publisher), Feb 2, MWCircle yg via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 1550, R Nacional del RASD, ALGERIA, Rabuoni, 2210 19 Jan, px loc, 32233. Ciao 73 (Mauro Giroletti, Italy, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** YEMEN. Radio Yemen on frequency 6135 kHz. I have heard this middle east station and wish to share the tip with you. Irregular catch now in English, normally only in Arabic. Radio Sanaa, 6135 kHz at 1830 till 1900 UT. In English with international music then discussion on antiques of Yemen, news again 1857 UT. "This is Radio Yemen from Sanaa". Little music then sign off at 1900 UT. SIO 444. 30 Jan 2014 (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, Jan 30, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 31 via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, Zambia Nat. B.C., Jan 30 1600-1610, 23332, vernacular, fish eagle IS, Announce by man, Talk and local music (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD- 345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5915, Z.N.B.C., 0245, Jan 31, Fish Eagle IS barely audible. But at 0332 in vernacular with strong signal, hilife music, male DJ talking over music, 0334 “ZNBC” ID (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia, Listening in my car, parked by the lake, with the Eton E1 and Sony AN1 active antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5915, Zambia Nat. B.C., Feb 01 1559-1608, 23332, vernacular, fish eagle IS, announce by man, Local music and talk (Kouji Hashimoto, JAPAN, RX, IC-R75, NRD-525+RD-9830, NRD-515, NRD-345, Satellite 750, DE-1121, ANT, 70m Sloper Wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Trans-Atlantic MW carrier search, Jan 31 at 0122 UT; 1521 Saudi het is stronger than usual against 1520 KOKC, so I step down by 9-kHz to find only JBA ones on: 1512, 1503, 1422, 1332, 1205, 1044, 945, 747 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. TP carrier search Feb 3: JBA on 774 at 1254, 594 at 1255, 747 at 1256, all likely NHK. Today`s LSR is 1331 UT, precessing about one minute earlier per day (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 530, UNID, TX, 1/21 1640 [EST = 2140 UT] – Very weak TIS with public service announcements from the central Texas area (John Reed, Shawnee OK, NRC DX News Feb 3 via DXLD) Matches the format of ``K530AM``, Vance AFB, Enid OK; what clue puts what you heard in Texas? You would eventually hear a non-ID as above, not necessarily at hourtop, and also some local info about gate opening and closing hours, etc. I have heard it on caradio groundwave as far as northern OKC (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1140, Feb 3 at 1405 UT, checking out the Spanish stations, some Mexican music is still audible, vs an ID in English sounding like KCNC. I wonder if that could have been KNAB Burlington CO with a weather or news report out of channel ``4``, Denver? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1140: [see also USA above]. Dave, As you may have noticed in my logs, a few mornings ago I had Spanish on 1140 identifying as Univisión Kansas City, or so it sounded. I assumed it was a recent format change for your local KCXL (Liberty), also as on 102.9 FM. Could you check 1140 and confirm whether this is the case, or is it still Radio Free Liberty? Thanks, (Glenn Feb 4, to Dave Hughes, KCMO, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, I am hearing, on 1140 at 0600 UT the normal KCXL in English with weather updates & news at TOH and I hear what sounds like Univisión underneath (sometimes on top of) the KCXL signal. No format change as far as I can tell. I am using my Satellit 750 with the cool rotating MW antenna and the Spanish language station comes in best when it`s on a north/south beam. I am having trouble copying both the Spanish language station & KCXL due to what I think is WBXR (I had a hard time coping the TOH ID but it was definitely WBxx). I hope this helps you. I'm not much of a MW DXer. Best regards (Dave Hughes, Kansas City MO, Feb 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dave, Tnx for checking. At this time of the night the Spanish would most likely be XEMR Monterrey (religious). I definitely had KLTK in NW Arkansas, which is a Spanish daytimer, but there was a second one before 1400 UT which I thought must have been KCXL. If you happen to be up at that hour, you might check again in case it`s partly Spanish. As for WBXR Hazel Green AL, it`s also supposed to be a daytimer only. I`m going to look for that right now. 73, (Glenn to Dave, via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1170, Feb 5 at 0655 UT, still trying to pull an ID from a SS with KFAQ Tulsa nulled, making 72/minute SAH = 1.2 Hz; seems to be quoting Bible when KFAQ fades a bit (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. HAWAII. 3326-USB via Honolulu(?), 1219-1228, Feb 4. Tuning in for RRI Palangkaraya (3325) and heard instead this with weather forecast and sea conditions; "Tropical storm warning" for cyclone Edna; short breaks between items which ended with "Honolulu, Hawaii." Perhaps someone who is more knowledgeable about this type of broadcast can tell us more. Two minute audio at https://app.box.com/s/vgkr4r2utt4sumb7c9ej (Ron Howard, San Francisco at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ron, Very few logs on this frequency in the UDXF yg, other than Russian military as heard in Europe, but one indicating it is a US Coast Guard frequency (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) UNID site, again on 3326-USB, Feb 5 from 1034 to 1059. Mentioned "National Hurricane Center"; carrying NOAA information - http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/NFDOFFPZ5 : "FZPN25 KWBC 050944 OFFPZ5 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST NWS OCEAN PREDICTION CENTER WASHINGTON DC 144 AM PST WED FEB 5 2014 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE WASHINGTON AND OREGON WATERS FROM 60 NM TO 250 NM. SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT. ZONE PZZ080 . . ." and California waters. Audio at https://app.box.com/s/z8nyg1l9b0fw58s83mg6 (Ron Howard, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 3380, strong carrier, no audio 1100 to 1115 on 30 Jan (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 3977.40 on Feb 1, tuned in at 1359 to hear a weak station here with YL talking, but too weak to guess at the language; 1401 EZL music till off at 1402*. RRI Pontianak years ago was often heard on about 3976.03v, a rather unique frequency. Today was surprised not to hear the often present KCBS Pyongyang which drifts around this vicinity with terrible audio, but no hint of that today. Needs more monitoring. Due to the off frequency, perhaps a slight chance it was RRI Pontianak? (Ron Howard, San Francisco at Ocean Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4715.3, Strong carrier with weak audio 0950 to 1000 31 January (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 746Pro - Drake R8 modified - Sony 2010XA - wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5835, 20-21 UT Feb 1, most likely Korean program? heard on remote unit in Australia, 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Very strong signal on 6045 starting at 1445 until sign off at 1516. Brief music bursts and British sounding OM with announcement, "You are listening to a test transmission. Please email your reception report to transmissiontest@gmail.com" I heard this lot on 13 metres last year. Anybody know who they are. The strength certainly implied UK. I don't think I have heard so strong a signal on 49 metres. They could have been in my back yard! (Simon Beavan, Cardiff, Wales, Feb 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As Glenn has often posted in the past: "That`s typical of BaBcoCk tests from Woofferton as reported elsewhen and discussed in DXLD (gh, DXLD)" (Ron Howard, ibid.) In German newsgroup A-DX complaint since last Thur / Fri about that distorted WOF signal at 07-08 UT 6045 kHz KBS Korean daily. Sven in Norway reported that terrible signal out of WOF since last week. (WOF 6045 KBS Korean). 6045 KBS WORLD RADIO 0700-0800 daily Korean 250 105 Woofferton G KBS BAB Since the scrapping of Skelton transmitter site in Cumbria, Babcock are a bit short on available transmitters. Today is first weekday to repair the TX unit S94 there. S=9+60dB powerhouse here at my place some 850 kilometers away. 73 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 3, ibid.) Viz.: > xxxxxxxx told me the usual sender (S94) that carries this transmission is out of service for repairs and so it's being carried at 300 kW on S81. S94 is AMC 250 kW so a 62.5 kW carrier at 100% modulation! I'll check it tomorrow on a normal rx and see what it sounds like. Vy 73 yyyyyyy < ----- Original Message ----- Subject: Re: [A-DX] LOG: KBS 6045 kHz 0730 UTC O=5 JA, DIE MÜSSEN DORT NOCH DEN SENDER S-94 REPARIEREN, und ob das über das Wochenende geschieht? Vielleicht sind sie etwas eng an verfügbaren Sendern, seitdem Skelton Nord-England verschrottet wurde. Und der S81 passt nicht zur Antenne? 73 wb (to Sven Dibbert, Feb 1, A-DX via Büschel, DXLD) Re: [A-DX] LOG ``You are listening to a test transmission`` 6045`` Babcock testet wohl wieder?! Vy73 (Ralf O=3-4 in Cottbus am ATS909 Ladusch, 2104? UT Feb 3, ibid.) Am 03.02.2014 15:55, schrieb Clasen: ``auf 6045 khz: kurze instr. Musikschnipsel von steelband über indisch bis pop und "your are listening to a test transmission" "please mail your reception reports to transmissiontest@gmail.com" SIO 454`` Wer immer das auch sein mag, er landete hier einen Volltreffer: s9+60+, sprodadisch fading. Vielleicht bringt ein Empfangsbericht mehr Aufklärung. 73, (Willi Westrupp, Yaesu FRG-7700 | T2FD 12,50 m | ALA 1530 S+ | QTH: 35390 Gießen/Hessen, http://dxerscorner.tikishop.de 2104 UT Feb 3, A-DX, ibid.) Am 03.02.2014 um 15:55 schrieb Clasen: ``auf 6045 khz: kurze instr. Musikschnipsel von steelband über indisch bis pop und "you are listening to a test transmission" "please mail your reception reports to transmissiontest@gmail.com" SIO 454, rx Sony ICF-7600D /Teleskop (all via Büschel, Feb 3, DXLD) U.K., 6045 WOF relay of KBS Korean mornings 07-08 UT has now a clean signal again in 49 mb. No spurs occurred today in 5995-6095 kHz frequency range like done on Fri/Sat/Sun via S81 sender. Sender #S94 at WOF seemingly repaired yesterday Feb 3rd. This morning at 0730 UT Feb 4 noted a S=9+35 dB signal in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. Bandwidth is visible on Perseus screen about 10.5 kHz from 6039 to 6050.6 kHz. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. U.K.(non) New UNIDentified broadcast via BABCOCK effective from February 3: 1700-1730 on 17500 DHA 250 kW / 245 deg to CeAf African language with French words (Bulgarian DX blog Feb 5 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ACKNOWLEDGED ON WORLD OF RADIO 1707: Tnx to Chuck Ermatinger, St Louis, for a contribution via Paypal to woradio at yahoo.com One may also contribute by check or MO in US funds on a US bank to World of Radio, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ Updates: DX/SWL/Media Programs: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html Note especially all-new times for R. Australia shows World of Radio schedule: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html Note our longtime affiliate in Moscow ID, KRFP has moved from 92.5 to 90.3, no longer an LPFM even tho power has lowered, tower has highered Alan Roe`s SW Station Hitlist: http://www.w4uvh.net/hitlist.htm with updates concerning Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Indonesia, USA WINB (Glenn Hauser, Feb 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LISTENERS GUIDE LIBRARY You may find the leaflets on this page of interest to you. I had the boys book of crystal sets as a child! It also has stacks of news on domestic and shortwave radio stations. A real blast! http://www.listenersguide.org.uk/swl/list/?section=Leaflets (Keith Knight, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE February 2, 2014 -- This time we again look at the Foreign Broadcast Information Service, which was originally part of the FCC, and later relocated to the CIA. America's governmental monitoring agency, FBIS was born in 1941. A narrative history of the early days of the agency was produced in 1969 by Joseph E. Roop, a 24-year veteran of the agency, but it was not released publicly until 2009. It is now available online at https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi- publications/books-and-monographs/foreign-broadcast-information- service/ "Broadcasting Stations of the World" (BSW). "FBIS" was earlier known as the Foreign Broadcast Monitoring Service and the Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service. Tetsuya Hirahara of Japan had informed us that a University of Illinois link http://hdl.handle.net/10111/UIUCOCA:Serial/broadcastingstat led to full copies of various issues of BSW from 1953 to 1974, posted in several formats. Happily, this link still works (Jerry Berg, MA, via Craig Seager, ARDXC via DXLD) JAN ERIK RÄF, 70 YEARS OF DXING This is a very interesting article written in Swedish by the well known Swedish DX-er Jan Erik Räf covering his 70 years of DX-ing. This article has been published in ARC in 9 chapters. This material has now been compiled to one complete article and will be published on my website at this link: http://www.thomasn.sverige.net/ARC/JER_DXa_for_70_ar_sedan.pdf (Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin Feb 2 via DXLD) 37 pages, illustrated DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ MANDARMANI DXPEDITION 2014, 17-19 JANUARY Here is the blog of SW DXpedition @Mandarmani: http://www.dxinginfo.com/dxpeditions/asian-dx-league-mandarmani-2014 (Avijit Mondal, WB, INDIA, Feb 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Enthusiastic account of their activities, apparently DXing SW only, not MW, and no specific log reports (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) MUSEA +++++ YouTube Videos of the Month PHILMOLOGY - We Interrupt This Broadcast, Parts 1, 2 & 3 PART 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NOFsRtl_KA PART 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDVIu7RSqi8 PART 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt9X7IbsaEc “We Interrupt This Broadcast --- features a number of famous radio Broadcasts accompanied by a selection of photos. The backround music featured is Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”. The collection of clips is presented in the three separate YouTube videos listed above. Just click on each link (Feb CIDX Messenger via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY See also HAWAII +++++++++++++++++ THE COMFORTING TONE OF THE HOURLY RADIO PIPS 5 February 2014 Last updated at 10:36 ET http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-26052087 The "pips" - the hourly markers broadcast on Radio 4 and other BBC stations - have turned 90. Sam Judah looks back at a familiar sound. In a broadcasting landscape beset by rebrands and reshuffles, the pips have somehow persevered. Perhaps it's their reliability, their comforting monotony instilling a sense of momentary calm before the turmoil of the news, that has assured their survival. First heard on 5 February 1924, the six beeps were designed by John Reith, head of the BBC, and Frank Watson Dyson, the astronomer royal. They were controlled by two mechanical clocks at the Royal Greenwich Observatory - hence their official name, the Greenwich time signal. There was just one difference back then. The pips were all of uniform length - there was no elongated beep to round off the signal, which proved confusing for former BBC radio announcer Charles Lister. On BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lister told presenter John Humphrys that he may even have triggered the historic change. "Which of the six pips is the important one?" Lister had asked his boss back in the 1960s. As today's listeners know, it's the final pip that matters most, but its elongation didn't materialise until years later - in 1972, according to David Rooney, former curator of timekeeping at the Greenwich observatory. To Lister's dismay, it may have been the introduction of an atomic clock, and the addition of a "leap second", that actually gave life to the idea. Today the pips are heard most often by BBC Radio 4 and World Service listeners, but they are also used on Chris Evans' breakfast show and Clare Balding's Sunday programme, among others on BBC Radio 2 - and they even turn up on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra on Saturday evenings. Television viewers can hear them too, mixed into the theme tune for many BBC news programmes. The sound is tightly regulated and can never be broadcast as a sound effect. Plays and comedies featuring fictional news programmes must find creative ways around the rule. On the Hour distorted the sound while it has been reported that an episode of The News Quiz played the pips individually, but not as a full set. The pips are not to be trifled with. After nearly a century, their place in the broadcasting schedule is firmly assured (via Gerald T Pollard, DXLD) WORLD RADIO DAY 2014 --- UNESCO 13 February is World Radio Day — a day to celebrate radio as a medium; to improve international cooperation between broadcasters; and to encourage major networks and community radio alike to promote access to information, freedom of expression and gender equality over the airwaves. As radio continues to evolve in the digital age, it remains the medium that reaches the widest audience worldwide. It is essential to furthering UNESCO’s commitment to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. - Through World Radio Day celebrations around the world, UNESCO will promote gender equality by: - Sensitizing radio station owners, executives, journalists, and governments to develop gender-related policies and strategies for radio - Eliminating stereotypes and promoting multidimensional portrayal in radio - Building radio skills for youth radio production, with a focus on girls as producers, hosts, reporters Promoting Safety of women radio journalists We invite all countries to celebrate World Radio Day by planning activities in partnership with regional, national and international broadcasters, non-governmental organizations, the media and the public. On 13 February, let’s celebrate women in radio and those who support them! - See more at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/world-radio-day (via Mike Terry, UK, Feb 1, dxldyg via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ AMSTERDAM RADIO DAY 2014 SCHEDULE The full schedule for the Amsterdam Radio Day 2014, Saturday 22 March, has now been published. http://radioday.nl/ Anyone visiting Amsterdam can now go on the Veronica Ship, the Norderney, now anchored at NDSM Pier 1. One easy way to get there is on the frequent free ferries from Centraal Station, takes 15 minutes. http://www.veronicazendschip.nl/ For anyone going to Radio Day and intending to stay a bit longer there will be some transport restrictions on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 March due to the Nuclear Security Summit. Details on their website: https://www.nss2014.com/en/news/security-and-traffic-related-measures-during-the-nuclear-summit and some flight schedule adjustments at Schipol from March 10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ28Z3vk-10 (Mike Barraclough, Feb 4, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See also KOREA SOUTH; NEW ZEALAND ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ BBC TO HOST DRM GENERAL ASSEMBLY Amateur Radio Newsline - Report 1903 - January 31, 2014 The General Assembly of the Digital Radio Mondiale or DRM Consortium is scheduled to meet March 26 and 27 at the British Broadcasting Corporation headquarters in central London. Themed “DRM in Action,” the consortium will invite attendees to consider the benefits of the digital radio standard and its progress toward standardization. The first day of the event will be open to all Digital Radio Mondiale members and invited guests from the UK and abroad. The morning will be devoted to informative presentations on the benefits of digital radio. In the afternoon consortium members who are attending will be able to experience of DRM while networking in the BBC’s Radio Theatre. (To register for the open events on March 26th please contact projectoffice (at) drm (dot) org.) (RW) (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DAB see POLAND; UK ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ RADIOSHACK TO CLOSE 500 RETAIL STORES The SWLing Post Posted on February 5, 2014 by Thomas After serving up a comical, self-effacing Super Bowl ad on Sunday, RadioShack’s stock momentarily surged, only to plummet after RadioShack announced yesterday that they are to close about 500 of their 4,500 retail stores in the coming months. RadioShack admitted through its ad that the retailer’s mindset had been “stuck in the 80s”–an outdated image to make way for “Do It Together” brand positioning. Now investors must be questioning if “The Shack” can thrive in a retailing environment dominated by online and big-box retailers. While many radio listeners and amateur radio operators (like myself) miss the early decades of their retail offerings, RadioShack is the only chain I know of in the US that still carries shortwave radios on their shelves–an easy access point for newcomers to SWLing. I imagine part of RadioShack’s new brand positioning will eliminate legacy product lines as they are no longer as profitable as they once were. Many thanks to Dave (N9EWO) for the tip. http://swling.com/blog/ (includes a link to watch RadioShack’s Super Bowl ad on YouTube). Per Wiki: The company was started as Radio Shack in 1921 by two brothers, Theodore and Milton Deutschmann, who wanted to provide equipment for the then-nascent field of amateur, or ham, radio. The brothers opened a one-store retail and mail-order operation in the heart of downtown Boston at 46 Brattle Street, near the site of the Boston Massacre. They chose the name "Radio Shack," which was the term for a small, wooden structure that housed a ship's radio equipment. The Deutschmanns thought the name was appropriate for a store that would supply the needs of radio officers aboard ships, as well as "ham" radio operators. The term was already in use — and is to this day — by "hams" when referring to the location of their stations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RadioShack (via Mike Terry, Feb 5, dxldyg via DXLD) RadioShack to Close About 500 Stores Within Months Electronics Retailer, Advisers Continue to Work on Restructuring By Emily Glazer, Updated Feb. 4, 2014 7:19 p.m. ET A post-demolition store in RadioShack's Super Bowl commercial. RadioShack [caption} On Sunday, RadioShack Corp. used comedy, in the form of a Super Bowl ad, to show its stores being dismantled and rebuilt. On Tuesday, the news broke that some of the stores will be dismantled, period. According to people familiar with the matter, RadioShack is planning to close around 500 locations in the coming months. It isn't clear which of RadioShack's roughly 4,300 stores will be closed and when exactly the closings will begin. The people familiar with the matter noted that it isn't unusual for companies to close stores when going through a restructuring. The news was a cold dose of reality after the upbeat feeling generated by the commercial, which was widely considered one of the best that aired during the big game Sunday night. In the commercial, RadioShack poked fun at its outdated image by bringing in a crowd of throwback characters from the 1980s, including Hulk Hogan, Erik Estrada and Alf, who purport to want their store back and proceed to tear out the shelves and haul away products. On Tuesday, RadioShack shares slipped 4.8% to $2.36. Following the Super Bowl ad, the stock jumped more than 7% Monday morning. The Fort Worth, Texas, retail chain has been working on transforming its image from an old-school electronics store into a destination for shoppers looking for entertainment gadgets, like headphones and smartphone cases. In October, RadioShack secured $835 million in loans to refinance about $625 million of debt. Those funds, from a group led by GE Capital, also freed up cash for RadioShack's overhaul. The retailer has struggled to reverse a string of losses deepened by a sales strategy focused around smartphones, which failed to improve revenue over the past two years. RadioShack executives last year suggested the company would resist shrinking its store footprint as they focused on reinventing the brand's image. Stores might close in one section of a neighborhood to set up shop in more highly trafficked locales, but the number of outlets would stay the same, the executives had previously said. "I think we're a 4,000-plus network," RadioShack Chief Executive Joe Magnacca said in a November interview. "My job is to make sure that we've got the market covered." That was before the entire retail sector suffered a fiercely competitive holiday shopping season that eroded stores' margins while doing little to attract new foot traffic. In mid-January, RadioShack named Dollar General Corp. executive John W. Feray as chief financial official, with plans to start this week. RadioShack's interim CFO Holly Etlin, brought in from turnaround firm AlixPartners, will continue advising the company, according to a January statement from the company. --Drew FitzGerald contributed to this article (WSJ via Mike Terry, DXLD) Enid`s sole RS just closed in the mall (which is going to be demolished, anyway) and reappeared next to Staples in another strip, as a modernized new pared-down store with maybe one SW radio (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) QSL HOLDERS BTW, Shawn, where did u get QSL HOLDERS. I need a few (STEVE, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was using plastic sleeves normally used for photos, a.k.a. a 3 x 5 document protector as shown here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_sitko/244436858/ This site seems to have some 3 x 5 and 4 x 6 card protectors which I would use to house my QSLs (and I think you could also): http://www.dvo.com/binders.html (Shawn Fahrer, ibid.) VOICE FREQUENCY TELEGRAPHY USofA: 7405, R. Martí in SS, 2338 Jan-30, m/f talk SS. Over QRM from a VFT Ute -- data only. VFT=Voice Frequency Telegraphy. See: http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Voice-Frequency+Telegraphy (Marc F Kulbacki, Windsor ON, MARE Tipsheet 31 Jan via DXLD Viz.: Warning! The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased. Telegraphy, Voice-Frequency Telegraphy over telegraph communications channels using the frequency range of 300–3400 hertz (Hz). Voice-frequency telegraphy provides low- speed channels for the transmission of telegrams (50–200 bauds) and, since the 1960’s, for data transmission. Methods of voice-frequency telegraphy are used in multiplexing standard high-frequency telephone channels and radio channels. From six to 48 telegraph transmissions may be carried simultaneously by one such channel, and the entire frequency bandwidth of the channel is usually used. Voice-frequency telegraphy is also used for simultaneous telephone and telegraph communication over a common telephone channel; one to five telegraph transmissions are carried out simultaneously with the telephone conversation. Voice-frequency telegraphy appeared in the 1930’s, and by the 1960’s it had become the principal method of telegraphy. The total length of voice-frequency telegraph channels in the USSR and abroad exceeds the equivalent of 10 billion km. Voice-frequency telegraphy may use amplitude, frequency, or phase modulation. Frequency-modulation is the most widely used method because of the equipment’s high immunity to noise. With frequency modulation, the incoming signals from the information source are converted at the transmitting station to AC pulses of various frequencies. A reverse conversion takes place at the receiving station. The division of a telephone channel into several voice-frequency telegraph channels may be achieved by means of frequency division, time division, or frequency-time division. Time division is used for radio channels. Frequency division and frequency-time division are used for operation over lines because they make separation of a part of a voice-frequency telegraph channel at intermediate points fairly simple. With frequency division, the bandwidth of a standard telephone channel (300–3400 Hz) is divided into 24 equal voice-frequency channels, each of which has a bandwidth of 80 Hz and a deviation (departure of the modulated frequency from its nominal value) of ±30 Hz. With frequency- time division, the frequency spectrum is divided by filters into four channels, each with a bandwidth of 700 Hz and a deviation of ±200 Hz. Each of these channels is then multiplexed for a 12-fold time division, which provides for successive transmission of information from 12 sources. REFERENCE Emel’ianov, G. A., and V. O. Shvartsman. Peredacha diskretnoi in- formatsii i osnovy telegrafii. Moscow, 1973. M. I. MUSHKAT The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. How did you separate that from the Cuban jamming on 7405? Or reading a bit too much into it? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period January 31 - February 25, 2014 Geomagnetic field will be: quiet on January 31, February 6, 11, 13 - 15, 19 - 20, 22, mostly quiet on February 1, 4 - 5, 7, 9 - 10, 12, quiet to unsettled on February 2 - 3, 16 - 18, 21, quiet to active on February 8, 24 - 25, active to disturbed - Amplification of the solar wind is expected on February 1 - 2. In other period can not currently be predicted with regard to the significant changes in the configuration of active regions Remarks: - Reliability of predictions is temporary reduced with respect to significant changes in the configuration of active regions. - Parenthesis means lower probability of activity enhancement. - If until April 2014 (possible secondary maximum) solar activity will not reach similar or higher level as in November 2011, then 2012 will remain to be the maximum of 24 cycle (R = 70). And vice versa. F. K. Janda, OK1HH, Czech Propagation Interest Group (OK1HH & OK1MGW, weekly forecasts since 1978) e-mail: ok1hh(at)rsys.cz (via Dario Monferini, DXLD) :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2014 Feb 03 0218 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 27 January - 02 February 2014 Solar activity ranged from low to high levels during the summary period. Activity was dominated by Region 1967 (S13, L=114, class/area=Fkc/1510 on 02 Feb) with a total of 37 C-class and 19 M-class x-ray events. This active region was the return of old Region 1944 which produced a total of 44 C-class, 7 M-class and 1 X-class events during its last rotation. Region 1967 was first numbered on 27 January as it rotated onto the visible solar disk as a Dso/beta region. By 30 January, the region grew tenfold and was classified as a Fkc/beta-gamma-delta type group. The largest event of the period occurred on 30 January when Region 1967 produced an M6/2n flare at 30/1611 UTC. Accompanying this event was a 220 sfu Tenflare and a Type II radio emission (2161 km/s). An asymmetric halo coronal mass ejection (CME) was subsequently observed in SOHO/LASCO C2 coronagraph imagery which emerged from the SE limb at 30/1624 UTC. Analysis suggested the CME was moving at approximately 1400-1500 km/s and had an Earthward component. Region 1968 (N10, L=112, class/area=Ekc/300 on 01 Feb) was the second largest region on the disk during the week and also productive. The largest flare from this group was an M2/1b flare at 02/0634 UTC. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels. Geomagnetic field activity was at predomiantly quiet levels with isolated unsettled intervals early on 30 January and again late on 01 February. Solar wind parameters, as observed at the ACE satellite, indicated nominal wind speeds at 350 - 400 km/s through a majority of the period. A brief interval of 450 - 500 km/s was observed for about 10 hours from 29/0600 - 1600 UTC. During this same time period, the interplanetary magnetic field Bz varied between +/- 7 nT while total field reached 8 nT. Otherwise, the Bz component did not vary beyond +/- 5 nT with total field ranging between 2 - 6 nT. The phi component was in a predominately positive (away) orientation through about 01'1600 UTC when the field switch to a more negative (toward) orientation. A weak discontinuity was observed at the ACE satellite near the end of the summary field which might have indicated the arrival of the 30 January CME. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 03 February - 01 March 2014 Solar activity is expected to be [sic, blank as posted] No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be [sic, blank as posted] [The later pdf version filled in the blanx]: SPACE WEATHER OUTLOOK 03 FEBRUARY - 01 MARCH 2014 Solar activity is expected to be at moderate levels with a chance for high levels through 09 February when Regions 1967 and 1968 cross the west limb. Moderate to high levels are again possible after 21 February with the anticipated return of Regions 1967 and 1968. For the remainder of the period, activity is expected to be predominately low. There is an increasing chance for proton events at geosynchronous orbit, particularity between 03 - 09 February as Regions 1967 and 1968 cross the central meridian and moves into a more favorable position. The threat decreases after 09 February as both regions cross the west limb. The remainder of the period should see low potential for proton events in the absence of any new large region development. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels during the forecast period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels, associated with recurrent coronal hole high speed streams, on 08 - 10, 17 - 18 and 25 February. The remainder of the forecast period is expected to see mostly quiet conditions in the absence of any transient features. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2014 Feb 03 0218 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 2014-02-03 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2014 Feb 03 195 8 3 2014 Feb 04 200 8 3 2014 Feb 05 205 5 2 2014 Feb 06 210 5 2 2014 Feb 07 205 5 2 2014 Feb 08 195 8 3 2014 Feb 09 180 8 3 2014 Feb 10 170 8 3 2014 Feb 11 160 5 2 2014 Feb 12 150 5 2 2014 Feb 13 140 5 2 2014 Feb 14 135 5 2 2014 Feb 15 130 5 2 2014 Feb 16 140 5 2 2014 Feb 17 145 8 3 2014 Feb 18 145 8 3 2014 Feb 19 145 5 2 2014 Feb 20 145 5 2 2014 Feb 21 145 5 2 2014 Feb 22 145 5 2 2014 Feb 23 150 5 2 2014 Feb 24 160 5 2 2014 Feb 25 170 8 3 2014 Feb 26 180 5 2 2014 Feb 27 185 5 2 2014 Feb 28 190 5 2 2014 Mar 01 200 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1707, DXLD) ###