DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-061, May 25, 2007 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2007 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1360: ** tentative Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 [irregular] Sat 2130 WRMI 9955 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1500 WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 0530 WRMI 9955** Mon 0930 WRMI 9955** Tue 1030 WRMI 9955** Wed 0730 WRMI 9955** WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULE: Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS updated May 24: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** ALBANIA [and non]. A problem, May 25: at 1300, R. Tirana was JBA on 13750, but nothing at all from adjacent 13745 Rwanda which was audible last Friday. Rechecking at 1319, I found a huge signal from RHC in Spanish on 13750! Normally they are on 13680 at this hour, but nothing there. Kept monitoring and at 1339 RHC suddenly vanished from 13750 and appeared on 13680, so apparently just a mistake (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Re 7-001: Derzeit verschickt u.a. Radio Tirana eine sehr interessante s/w QSL-Kartenserie. Motiv - Albanische Volksinstrumente: 1 Tepsia, 2 Zumarja, 3 Ciftelia, 4 Qypi, 5 Surlja, 6 Llauta, 7 Dajreja, 8 Gajda, 9 Lahuta, 10 Lodra. RT antwortet normalerweise binnen 14 Tage. RT in Deutsch, Mon-Sat 1930-2000 UT analoge KW 7465 kHz. Postadresse fuer RRs mit etwaigen Beilagen: Radio Tirana, Rruga Ismail Qemali 11, Tirana, Albanien (Paul Gager, Austria, A-DX May 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) Die QSL sind abgebildet auf der Web Site des Radio Tirana Hoererklubs http://www.agdx.de/rthk/ Vom Leiter dieses Hoererklubs [Werner Schubert, wb.] stammen auch die QSL (Dr. Anton J. Kuchelmeister, Germany, DK5TL, A-DX May 24, ibid.) ** ARGENTINA. Amigos, acabo de receber por e-mail, uma excelente confirmação QSL. Recei e-QSL da La Voz de las Madres, 530 kHz, República Argentina. Não tinha muita esperança de receber essa confirmação. Bem, a esperança é a última que morre. 530, La Voz de las Madres - Buenos Aires - República Argentina - Recebido e-QSL no data, mas no qual a emissora me diz que realmente a escutei. 5 dias. V/S: Pedro E. Lanteri (Director Artístco). O informe foi enviado para o seguinte e-mail: radio@.... [truncated by yahoogroups]. O site da emissora é: http://www.madres.org QTH: Cerrito 242 PB "B", 1010 - Buenos Aires - Argentina. 73! (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso, Bandeirantes - PR, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BENIN. Benin - TWR new station [1566 kHz]: Latest information I've received says: The dedication of the Benin station will be on 4th August. However, we're hoping to start preliminary broadcasts in mid July. This depends on when the transmitter arrives in Parakou from Canada. 73s (Steve Whitt, UK, May 24, MWC via DXLD) ** BERMUDA. 1280, Hamilton, VSB2 Bible BC Network, 4/30 0504, Amazing Grace and other standards and 0600 ID by man "This is the Bible Broadcasting Network, 1280 Hamilton, Bermuda" Good to very good, atop KXTK and occasional Tupi. Last heard here in the 80s (RICHARD E. WOOD, HCR3 Box 11087, Keaau BIHI 96749. DXing with Icom R75, 1800' Eastern beverage, 300' LW to NE., DX Worldwide, IRCA DX Monitor May 26 via DXLD) ** BHUTAN. Probeer ook eens op 6035 kHz Bhutan Radio Broadcasting [sic], Thimpu niet zoeen gemakkelijke. Maar volgens sommigen zou de ontvangst het best zijn om 0200 UT, maar dan zit Colombia op deze frequentie, volgens Jari uit Finland zou het ook lukken tussen 1400 en 1500 utc, uitzending is in het E en ik hoorde toch iets about India wel aan de zachte kant toe. Condities waren dan ook somber. Zo tot hier toe het verse nieuws vanuit Belgie, nog vele groeten (Maurits van Driessche, May 24, BDX via DXLD) Should be fading out before 0200 UT = 0800 local (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "Joen-pa Leg so!" (Welcome in Dzongha, Bhutanese Language). BBS starts at 0005 UT (not 0100 UT) on 6035 kHz, audible here in Salzburg with nice signal the last three days, f/out around 0035/0045 UT. A short mp3 clip on my page: http://www.ratzer.at/audio.php See also "Blue Mauritius": http://www.ratzer.at/QSL_Bhutan.php (later) Wobei der Erwerb einer Empfangsbestaetigung sicher der schwierigere Teil der Veranstaltung ist. Ich empfehle auf jeden Fall Papierpost als Uebertragungsweg einzusetzen und den sonst gerne verwendeten Empfangsberichtsvordruck nicht zu verwenden. Trotzdem gehe ich davon aus das man in Thimphu nicht ein besonderes Interesse hat den Bestand an Lorbeerblatt-Papier bunt zu bedrucken und fernen Hoerern zuzusenden (Christoph Ratzer, Austria, OE2CRM, DXplorer May 20 via BC-DX via DXLD) Glenn, When you announced that the BBS was going to phase out shortwave a couple of years ago, I mentioned to you that the installation of the 50 kW SW transmitter in 1985 was considered a big deal to the Bhutan government back then. So, When found out, via DXLD that they were planning to phase out SW at the end of 2006, I told you I found that very hard to believe. So, what does the installation of the 100 kW SW transmitter mean now?? Click here and go to the 2nd page for more on the announcement: http://download.aibd.org.my/papers/Broadcaster/Broadcaster_2004_3.pdf (Artie Bigley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Excerpt: Radio Broadcasting was started in 1977 by a group of young volunteers broadcasting on Sundays a 30-minute mix of music and news. The Station was called NYAB (National Youth Association of Bhutan) and was integrated six years later into the Ministry of Information. In 1986 the name was changed into Bhutan Broadcasting Service and a daily three hour long programme was launched. In 1991 a 50 kW shortwave transmitter was purchased and a permanent studio and office building next to the Ministry of Information was inaugurated. In 1999 the national television service was launched by BBS to commemorate the Silver Jubilee reign of His Majesty the King of Bhutan. Radio Broadcast now covers the daytime from 7:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m. In these ten [sic] hours BBS Radio broadcasts in four national languages i.e. Dzongkha, Sharchhop, Lhotsam and English. For a detailed programme schedule see http://www.bbs.com.bt/Telschedule.htm From 19:00 p.m. to 10:00 [sic] the TV soundtrack is also broadcast via radio to the rural population which at the moment is still unable to receive the TV signal. BBS changed its transmitting policy for radio in 1999. To the end of 2006 the whole country will be served by FM transmitters and the shortwave transmitter will be phased out. As the start of the TV service in 1999 had to be done without long preparations, radio personnel was used to produce the TV programmes. This shortage of staff is still felt today and radio producers work in TV and vice versa. . . (via DXLD) It means they changed their policy on quitting SW. Above sked link still worx and now shows English for one hour at 0500, 1400 and 1600, the latter two being TV simulcasts (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Op 9624.83 kHz kwam Radio Fides, La Paz; om 0103 UT er best door. Ik hoorde geen ID maar typ. music from Bolivia and talks in Sp., clear audio, 23333. Best was met de Kaz antenne, soms gepaard met de longwire 100 meter via MFJ1026, rx 545 (Maurits van Driessche, May 24, BDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 5025, R. Nova Relógio - Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 23/05/07, 1716 LT [= 2016 UT] "pip time" de fundo; fv [voz feminina] anunciando "dezessete horas, dezessete minutos, zero segundos"; mv com notícias e "pip time" de fundo, intercaladas pelo anúncio da hora a cada minuto cheio. Sinal com muito ruído e forte fading mas, mesmo assim, possível de ser entendido. Estou achando estranha a freqüência de 5025 kHz quando, em minhas anotações consta a freqüência de 4095 [sic: R. Nova Relógio, Rio, listed on 4905 --- gh] kHz. 23111. [Logo:] São 1755 [2055 UT]. Continuo ouvindo a R. Relógio e o sinal melhorou muito. Continua forte o fading mas o ruído diminuiu bastante. Que bom ouvir a voz da Íris Lettieri novamente. Receptor Icom IC R75 + Antena FM RC3 (Giuseppe Settimi Cysneiros, Santa Rita do Sapucaí - MG, Brasil, Alt. 810m, Lat.22º15'08"S, Long. 45º42'12"W, Grid Locator GG77ds, Membro do DX Clube do Brasil, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Re R. Senado: Amigos, recebi o e-mail abaixo da Rádio Senado e gostaria da avaliação e sugestões construtivas dos senhores - Dirney, A Rádio Senado OC transmite de segunda à sexta, de 7 às 19 horas, horário de Brasília [Mon-Fri 1000-2200 UT]. Aos sábados e domingos ela funciona de, 7 às 10h [Sat & Sun 1000-1300 UT], para transmissão do programa o Senado é Mais Brasil. A nossa antena está direcionada para a região Norte, mas atinge também, com boa qualidade sonora, os estados do Maranhão, Piauí e noroeste da Bahia, além do Norte de Minas Gerais. Em que lugar do Nordeste você está? Na região litorânea a sintonia não é muito boa, mas já consegui sintonizar a emissora no sul da Bahia. Se você morar em casa com quintal pode montar uma antena externa. Pegue um arame liso e grosso de 12,5 metros de comprimento. Amarre esse arame em dois pedaços de pau que tenham pelo menos uns 3 metros de altura. Finque os paus no chão de forma que o arame fique esticado. No centro desse arame amarre um fio e leve este fio até a antena telescópica do seu rádio, prendendo-o na ponta da antena. Com esse sistema você melhorará a sintonia de todos os canais que transmitem na faixa de 49 metros. Espero que isso ajude. Se onde você mora tiver muitos fios de eletricidade, muitos postes com redes aéreas de energia, isso atrapalha a recepção. Mande notícias. Atenciosamente, José Carlos Sigmaringa Seixas, Rádio Senado Ondas Curtas (May 18 via Dirney Martins, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Caro Dirney e Colegas da Lista, - Inicialmente quero ressaltar que o Sr. Sigmaringa Seixas teve a máxima boa vontade e generosidade de tentar auxiliar o colega " Dirney " a tentar melhorar a sua recepção. Por segundo, se nosso amigo Dirney se apresentasse ao distinto funcionário da Rádio Senado, talvez expondo o seu singelo "curriculum vitae" de radio escuta e hobista, eu disse hobista, e não lobista!!! das Onda Curtas brasileiras; talvez o nosso prezado amigo da Radio Senado até lhe convocaria para ser monitor daquela emissora. Por terceiro, louvo a sinceridade do distinto funcionário da Radio Senado em declinar que na Região Nordeste, e que sem dúvida é mais populosa que a Região Norte, a sintonia da emissão da Rádio senado não é muito boa. A lição que extraio desse episódio é que nos daqui do Nordeste sempre estamos em segundo plano estratégico, mas isso é explicável do infinito medo que se tinha nos idos dos anos 60 e 70 do Brasil perder a Amazônia, eu mesmo fui um daqueles que foram exportados para lá naquela época. Mas temos que reverter essas situações, talvez com a inclusão dos transmissores de 19 metros da Radiobrás em 15265 Khz que estão voltados para a Europa de Brasília aí sim estaríamos aqui ouvindo melhor que a CVC em 15410 kHz [Chile]. Quem sabe eles nos ouvem (Cezar Camillo Alves Pelzer, May 23, ibid.) ** CAMBODIA [and non]. BRITISH TO GIVE CAMBODIAN MUSLIMS RADIOS TO HELP FIGHT TERRORISM Britain will hand out hundreds of radios to Cambodia’s Cham Muslim minority, partly in an attempt to combat militancy among some of the country’s poorest people, the British embassy said today. The radio giveaway in rural Kompong Chhnang province is part of a larger effort begun last year to give Cambodian Muslims access to Cham-language programming on development, human rights, health and current affairs. But “it also helps to engage the Muslim community throughout Cambodia and works to promote peace, democracy, human rights, and to combat terrorism,” the embassy said in a statement. Cambodian Muslims make up around one percent of the country’s total population and have traditionally lived in tight-knit but poor fishing communities. While the government says it has no specific concerns that the Chams are leaning towards militancy, authorities claim to have exposed several groups plotting attacks in Cambodia, including the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah. Most recently, several Cambodians, including Muslims, were arrested for allegedly trying to create an armed force, while Bangkok periodically voices concerns that Cambodians are crossing the border to join the insurgency in southern Thailand. The government has vigorously denied these accusations, saying Thai officials have never provided proof that Cambodians are involved in the troubled Thai south. (Source: AFP) (May 24th, 2007 - 13:00 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) The big unanswered question is what Cham-language programming will these radios pick up? Are they on FM or SW? Fix-tuned? If anybody other than the Cam government is broadcasing in Cham, it will be some Christian gospel huxter. The only Cham broadcast in EiBi, which has a huge list of languages and their abbrs, is for Eastern Cham, for Vietnam, from, like I said, FEBC Manila, daily 1400-1415 on 6070. And what do they mean by ``Britain``? The British government is giving away the radios? Or some private agency based in Britain? Yes, the embassy issued the news, but does not say explicitly that the British government is behind this (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, look at this; any relation? FEBC DISTRIBUTES WIND-UP RADIOS IN CAMBODIA Far East Broadcasting Company-Cambodia is working on distributing a few hundred wind-up radios throughout the country within the next couple of days. This follows the presentation of 5,000 radios by FEBC- Korea to the Deputy Prime Minister Sok An. The team also met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Of the 5,000 wind-up radios presented, 1,000 radios have been passed to FEBC-Cambodia for distribution. Many of the listeners are hard-pressed to purchase batteries and live in isolated areas, so the wind-up radios are an especially appreciated commodity. In 1976, Cambodian national programmers joined Far East Broadcasting Company’s (FEBC) studios in the Philippines to resume making culturally-relevant evangelistic programs for their own people. By 1993, the government allowed national programmers to establish FEBC Cambodia’s first office and studio in the capital, Phnom Penh. Five years ago, FEBC Cambodia introduced its first local station, Family-FM (Source: Mission Network News)( May 25th, 2007 - 14:04 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** CANADA. Célio, No sábado embarco para Whitehorse, no ártico canadense, lá do lado do Alasca. O programa do dia 1 de junho vai ser transmitido ao vivo de lá. Mando release. Abs H (Hector Vilar, Annonceur - réalisateur / Announcer - producer, Section brésilienne / Brazilian Section, Radio-Canada International / http://rcinet.ca 1 (514) 597-7545 RCI, 1 (514) 249-5358 Cel, to Célio Romais, Brasil, DXLD) Viz.: RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTS TO THE WORLD FROM YUKON COLLEGE --- May 22, 2007 For Immediate Release Whitehorse – Yukon College will host a team of eight journalists from Radio Canada International (RCI) during the last week of May. The journalists are coming from RCI headquarters in Montreal to the Yukon to prepare radio programs which will be heard around the world. They will be using Yukon College as their broadcast centre and base of operations. "This is a great opportunity to showcase the College and the territory to the world," says Terry Weninger, the president of Yukon College. "We’re pleased the College is able to support RCI in its efforts to tell its audiences about life in the North." Radio Canada International broadcast from the College in February of 2004. In this return visit, the journalists will broadcast in four languages – Chinese-Mandarin, Arabic, Ukrainian and Portuguese. "RCI’s mandate is to communicate Canadian values, as well as the social, economic and cultural activities of our country to listeners in other parts of the world," says Sylvie Robitaille, the executive producer who will accompany the journalists to Whitehorse. "We visit various parts of Canada each year to give our listeners a sense of the diversity of this country. Our listeners always enjoy the interesting people and stories that come from the more remote parts of Canada. I’m sure Whitehorse and the Yukon will provide some colourful characters." The journalists will be working at Yukon College from Monday, May 28th – June 1st. As well as broadcasting live from the College to their international audiences, they will be preparing stories for insertion into regular programs broadcast from Montreal. RCI also reaches out to new Canadian immigrants by providing multi-lingual coverage of regional affairs and events. "Our main challenge is finding people in the Yukon who can talk to us in the four languages we are working in for this week," says Robitaille. "We are looking for Yukoners who can speak Mandarin, Arabic, Portuguese and Ukrainian. They can tell our listeners what it is like to live here, what makes the Yukon so special. These stories interest our overseas listeners and new Canadians who listen to us in their mother tongue." "Our staff and students are looking forward to helping RCI portray the Yukon," says Weninger. "Anyone who would like to participate in these language broadcasts is invited to contact the College." -30- Contact: Spence Hill Sylvie Robitaille Communications Officer Executive Producer -RCI Yukon College, Whitehorse (514) 597-7639 (867) 668-8722 shill @ yukoncollege.yk.ca sylvie_rci_robitaille @ radio-canada.ca (via Célio Romais, DXLD) ** CHAD. Re 7291.1 Unidentified *African*, distorted This was observed today as follows: 7291v, 0614-... (still going as I write, 0830), 24 May, Vernacular & French talks, African tunes & songs, chantings; 55444, so really very strong QSA wise, but dreadfully distorted audio. Whether Chad or anything else, that remains to be ascertained, I believe. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unlike previous nights, the extremely distorted transmission was very strong here May 24 around 0506; it was on the high side of 7290 but could not find a specific carrier to measure. QRMing Portuguese on 7290 which could be heard by off-tuning to low side. In fact, 7292v was the strongest signal on 41m, 7100-7300! As K-index was 5 (at 0600), and usual European signals were barely audible; even BBC Ascension 7160 was much weaker. I think there is little doubt this is the same one which was on 7312v earlier, and re-identified as Chad in Martien Groot`s report in DXLD 7-060 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 23 May follow. Solar flux 70 and mid- latitude A-index 37. The mid-latitude K-index at 0600 UTC on 24 May was 5 (82 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is expected to be minor. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level are expected (SEC via DXLD) ** CHINA. Our Danish member Bjarke Vestesen just returned from a strenuous journey to the Guizhou-province in southwestern China which is far, far behind Beijing and Shanghai in development in all ways, but interesting to visit. Bjarke brought his SONY ICF2001D, but had sparse time to listen. But on Apr 28 in Guiyang at 0140 AM local time (1740 UT), he found the following Chinese stations active on the low SW frequencies: 3950, 3985, 3990, 4330, 4500, 4800, 4905, 4920, 4980, 5040, 5060, 5420, 5925, 5935, 5960 and 6015. On the other hand Guiyang itself on 7275 was never heard! (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window May 24 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Chinese Firedrake Jamming full recording --- Dear DXers, Several days ago we mentioned that some Japanese DXers made a recording of a full Chinese Firedrake Jamming, which was published in one edition of the DXLD in 2006. Here are the links: Streaming: http://www.ndxc.org/audio/china/050911_035842.m3u Download (58.5 MB, 1 h 3 min 58 s, 128 kbps/44 kHz): http://radio.ndxc.org:8000/file/china/050911_035842.mp3 Best regards & many 73s! (Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia, May 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS TURKISH NORTHERN. 6150, R Bayrak, Yeni Iskele, 0154-0240, May 20, English ann, ID's: "Bayrak International - 87.8 FM", "Radio Bayrak International - 24 hours a day - the best station in the Nation!", 34343. From *0240 covered by University Network, Costa Rica which returned to the air (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window May 24 via DXLD) ** EGYPT. 9460, Radio Cairo; 2306-2325+, 14-May; Woman with English news to 2310 with neat drum bumper between each item; Arabic vocal to 2315 pips, ID, brief anthem & W/EE news again, this time without the drum bumper; ID at 2325. SIO=533, USB helps with down-frequency buzz. Nothing on 9990 (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) 9990 not scheduled at this time anyway (gh) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. I've seen reports lately of Radio East Africa on 15190 kHz via Malabo (Fernando Poo). It has been my understanding that 15190 is actually via Bata (Rio Muni), and Africalist has reflected this with "R. Africa relaying US religious broadcasts via Bata on 15190" as does the WRTH 2007. Are reports of this as Malabo just confusion stemming for the Malabo mailing address listed for this station? 73, (Brandon Jordan, TN, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess some would consider it a separate radio country if upon the insular part of EqG (gh, DXLD) Google Earth Imagery. Most probably two masts each, seen northerly and western direction from the transmitter hall at 01 49'33.44"N, 09 46'42.52"E, 4.3 kilometers south of Bata. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** ERITREA [non]. 15315, Voice of Democratic Eritrea, via Juelich, Germany, *1700-1800*, Th May 17, Fanfare, Tigrinya ID: "Ezi Demtsi Democrasiyawit Eritreá eyu", news about Sudan and Taleban, talks, Horn of Africa music, 1730 Arabic (not English as mentioned in DX-Window no 324!) ID, news, talks and music, closed with fanfare, ex 13630 not heard. 35333 (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window May 24 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. MONITOR DX para el sábado 26 de Mayo 2007 Monitor DX es un programa de Daniel Camporini, dedicado a las comunicaciones y al diexismo, realizado íntegramente en los estudios de diexismo y comunicación, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Si quieres conocer la historia de la radiodifusión mundial, no te pierdas este extraordinario programa. En él podrás escuchar grabaciones históricas y hechos transcendentales. Esta semana Monitor DX está dedicado a la historia de la radiodifusión en Francia. Conozcan y escuchen la primera estación regular en este país europeo. No se pueden perder la histórica grabación de la primera Radio Toulouse y disfrutar del conglomerado de emisoras que componían el dial francés. Contado cronológicamente y muy detallado por nuestro amigo Daniel Caporini. No dejen de escuchar el gran número de grabaciones que complementan este estupendo programa sobre la radiodifusión en este país europeo. Ésta es la historia viva de la radiodifusión mundial que nos brinda este maravilloso programa de Daniel Camporini, que nos cuenta de manera muy amena y cronológica la historia de la radio. Para cualquier comentario sobre el programa se pueden dirigir a: diexismoarg @ yahoo.com.ar Pueden escucharlo, a partir del sábado, en la página de Programas DX: http://es.geocities.com/programasdx/monitordx.htm También están disponibles todos los anteriores programas. Disfrútenlo. Cordiales 73 (José Bueno, May 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. FiP UK Website: for those following the saga of the FiP "relays" in Brighton: Here is a website of the campaign to get it all legal in the town... http://lovefip.freehostia.com (Andrew Tett, (Shoreham), BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. HONDURAN PRESIDENT ORDERS RADIO, TV TO AIR GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDA President Manuel Zelaya has ordered ten private radio and TV stations in Honduras to broadcast government propaganda to counteract what he called unfair coverage of his administration. Zelaya said that ten stations will be required to simultaneously air conversations and interviews with government officials two hours a day, for ten days in a row. Under Honduran law, the government may order broadcasters to transmit messages that are deemed to be of importance to the country. There was no immediate response from the broadcasters. Addressing a news conference, Zelaya said “We find ourselves obligated to make this decision to counteract the misinformation of the news media about our 17 months in office.” (May 24th, 2007 - 13:14 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. Radio Budapest (e la musica) in italiano --- Gli spazi originariamente destinati alle trasmissioni in italiano sono ancora riempiti da musica italiana, in questo momento (2047 UT) Occhi di ragazza dell'attempato Morandi riempie i 3975 e 6025 kHz, con ottima ricezione (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, May 24, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3987.05, RRI Manokwari (presumed) at 1236-1320 on May 23. Long phone chats by M; Indo vocals at 1238 and 1255; SCI at 1259; Jak news 1300-1317, then back to local studio. Good signal for a change but still did not catch an ID; much weaker at 1318 as the band was on its way out. Has been on for several straight days so maybe the kinks are ironed out. 4749.96, RRI Makassar at 1216-1229 UT on May 21. Out of Jak news at 1216 and into local chat and music. Fair (John Wilkins, CO, DX Plorer May 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. SOUTH KOREA TO END ANALOGUE TV BROADCASTS South Korea will discontinue analogue television broadcasting by the end of 2012 at the latest and will allow only digital services thereafter, the finance ministry said today. The transition will cost 2.35 trillion won (US$2.5 billion; euro1.86 billion), of which TV stations will need to invest 2.24 trillion won (US$2.4 billion; euro1.78 billion), the ministry said in a statement. South Korean television stations, which have offered both analogue and digital TV services since October 2001, will be asked to phase out their terrestrial analog broadcasting over the next five years, the ministry said. “High-definition digital TVs offer better viewing quality and interactive services,” it said. The digital transition will also help create 980,000 jobs and add US$38.7 billion (euro28.78 billion) to the country’s exports, the ministry said. The ministry will submit legislation outlining the transition in July. (Source: Business Week) (May 25th, 2007 - 14:09 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LATVIA. Re 7-060: Gracias Glenn. Creo recordarla de la época de las piratas europeas, como R. Caroline. Si uno puede leer holandés, en Wikipedia parece haber una historia de la radio: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Mi_Amigo También hay varios sitios web llamados Radio Mi Amigo, "Home of Good Music", en español, holandés y alemán, pero no sé si tienen relación con la mencionada emisora. 73, (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, condig list via DXLD) LETONIA, 9290, Radio Mi Amigo, 1922-1955,escuchada el 23 de Mayo en inglés con emisión musical, pop melódico, locutor con comentarios, ID “Radio Mi Amigo International”, SINPO 44444. Saludos Moises y Glenn, todo apunta a que la página web oficial de Radio Mi Amigo es: http://www.radiomiamigo.net/ por otra parte aquí en España, más concretamente en la provincia de Alicante existe por la FM otra emisora denominada Radio Mi Amigo, muy probable que pertenezca al mismo grupo, http://www.radiomiamigo.es/index.html Así como esta otra de Holanda: http://www.radio-miamigo.nl/ Cómo se puede apreciar en todas ellas van acompañadas de un logotipo idéntico formado por una paloma o ave similar (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, condig list via DXLD) LETONIA, 9290, 23/05 1915-1932, Radio Mi Amigo International, via Ulbroka, música pop, ID às 1930 por OM em inglês, 25322. 73 (Samuel Cassio Martins, São Carlos SP, Brasil, receptor Philco Transglobe, ibid.) Reportada con muy buena QSA, sobre las 2045 UT, con temas de Pink Floyd. No se llamaba "Mi Amigo Carolina" el barco???? (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) El barco se llamaba sólo "Mi Amigo" si mal no recuerdo, pero albergaba a dos emisoras, Radio Mi Amigo que era un servicio en holandés y la otra Radio Caroline que era un servicio en inglés. Hay muchas páginas en inglés y holandés con fotos, historias etc. Yo nunca tuve la oportunidad de escuchar a R. Mi Amigo ya que estaba en Sudamérica en aquel entonces, pero sí tuve la oportunidad de escuchar a R. Caroline, pero ya desde otro barco el "MV Ross Revenge" que también tenía otros servicios de radiodifusión: Radio Monique y World Mission Radio. Realmente no sé si la "actual" Radio Mi Amigo que ha difundido programas através de Latvia tiene algo que ver con la emisora de aquel tiempo o es una de las tantas "imitaciones" que han surgido de varias emisoras legendarias de aquella época, quienes transmitían desde barcos y que tenían bastante capital detrás para poder mover operaciones similares.... http://www.roundsandsounds.co.uk/radio/Mi%20Amigo%202.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi_Amigo#Radio_Mi_Amigo Saludos de (Jorge, Radio Piraña Internacional, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, June brings some changes to Radio Netherlands' shortwave frequency schedule, when we add some additional frequencies for Dutch holidaymakers in Europe. The online schedule will be updated in the course of next week. Also next week, there are significant changes to the programme schedule of our English service as we launch the new programme "The State We're In". The programme debuts next Saturday, 2 June, and in the course of next week the website for the programme will go live. We'll have the details in next week's Newsletter (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter May 24 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. PAKISTAN EDITORIAL SLAMS NWFP GOVERNMENT OVER FM RADIO "APPEASEMENT" | Text of editorial headlined "Appeasement unending" by Pakistani newspaper The News website on 24 May The MMA [Muttahida Majlis-e Amal] government of the [NWFP] North-West Frontier Province has finally struck a deal with the maulvi who in the past had asked his followers to resist polio vaccination. This is the same cleric who once said in an interview that he saw no reason for women to venture outside their homes - not even to get an education. When asked why not even an education, he said there was no need for women to be educated because their duty was to remain in the home. According to this deal, which shouldn't have been made in the first place, the maulana will give up his opposition to vaccination against polio (those who die from the crippling disease, which mostly strikes children, are "martyrs," in his view). At the same time, he will stop his virulent campaign against girls' education. It should be remembered that the said cleric happens to be a son-in- law of that other firebrand, Maulana Soofi Mohammad of the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi. The signing of the deal means, if the provincial government is to be believed, that the cleric will have overnight given up his fanaticism, presumably till such time that it no longer suits his politics. There's no guarantee that the maulana's radical concessions are not part of a temporary bargain to save the FM station from which he has been spewing his fanatical poison unchallenged. On the other hand, we'll never know if the government of Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani itself suggested the compromise to the maulana to justify its own capitulation. After all, it suits the MMA to have such an FM station before the elections. Its own acts of fanaticism in the nearly five years it has been in power include banning the music trade, shutting down theatres and looking the other way when activists of the various parties that make up the MMA went about Peshawar and painted all advertising billboards carrying the faces of women black. But the most objectionable element in the agreement is that it permits the continuation of the FM station that has no licence to operate. This permission is almost certain to encourage other fanatics to start FM stations in NWFP, and there's no telling that they won't take up the maulana's pro-polio, anti-women campaign from where he's leaving off. Besides, would any other citizen of Pakistan be allowed to operate an FM station without first obtaining a licence from PEMRA [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority]? If the answer to that is in the negative, then why the concession to an individual whose views are bigoted and extreme and who has proven by his actions (among them asking his followers to resist vaccination for their children because that is a US-Jewish conspiracy to make the faithful sterile) to be someone who is better suited to living in the Dark Ages? Surely, the government can see that this is the same kind of illogical appeasement that was (and is being) made to the Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid fanatics. Why can't the authorities deal firmly with Maulana Fazlullah, who at this stage is still little more than a nuisance? Since the NWFP government has now proved that it can't - or won't - do this, the federal government must step in, nullify the deal and ask him to wind up his illegal radio station. Source: The News website, Islamabad, in English 24 May 07 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3905, R. New Ireland at 1158-1233+ on May 22. Announcements and IDs to 1203, then island, pop, and reggae music to 1233 tuneout. Still there at 1300 re-check though basically unreadable by then. Fair signal. Also noted on 23 May around the same time with an even better signal, again with music and M in either Pidgin or heavily-accented English (John Wilkins, CO, DX Plorer May 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Luego de siete años al aire, integrantes de Radio Teko Porä, de la ciudad de Presidente Franco en el Alto Paraná, denunciaron que la Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) los despojó de la frecuencia que utilizaban. Los afectados advirtieron que el hecho responde a intereses políticos debido a las permanentes denuncias que se realizaban en la emisora contra la corrupción imperante en la zona. Bartola Fernández, integrante de la Radio con perfil alternativo y ciudadano, manifestó que esta decisión se debe en razón a las constantes denuncias que realizan desde su programación a la corrupción imperante en esta zona del país. (21/05/2007) (de http://www.deradios.com via Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, condig list via DXLD) WTFK? ** RUSSIA. KILLING THE RUSSIAN MEDIA The New York Times May 24, 2007 Editorial http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/24/opinion/24thu3.html?pagewanted=print Journalists from around the world who will gather in Moscow next week are poised to stand up for their colleagues in a country where journalism and journalists are increasingly under attack. The 1,000 media representatives plan to establish a commission to finally investigate the growing number of unsolved murders of journalists in Vladimir Putin`s Russia. Russia is now the third deadliest country for journalists, after Iraq and Algeria, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Since the year 2000, when President Putin was first elected, at least 14 journalists have been murdered because of their work. None of these murders have been solved. A journalists` commission is no substitute for what Mr. Putin`s government has denied justice. But it should draw attention to their murders and what they were investigating. It also may help focus attention on the methodical destruction of the fledgling free press that sprouted in Russia after the fall of Communism. After Mr. Putin took over, national television stations were the first to lose their independence. Major newspapers are increasingly controlled by those who do the states bidding. The radio correspondents for the Russian News Service, the main source of news for radio stations, resigned earlier this month to protest censorship by new owners. And the Russian Union of Journalists, a strong voice against the march to silence any independent reporting, was ordered to leave its Moscow headquarters just days before the international conference. The few remaining critics increasingly write or speak out at their peril, as new laws tighten the government`s grip. Most recently, the definition of extremism has been expanded to include media criticism of state officials. That can mean jail time for the reporter and the shutting down of the news outlet. Nina Ognianova of the Committee to Protect Journalists puts it chillingly: The process of squeezing critical journalism out of the public space is now near complete. In the meantime, polls show President Putin`s popularity has soared. No wonder. Fewer and fewer Russians can see or hear from anyone who opposes him, his policies or his government (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) So are Radio Liberty and other surrogate services filling the vacuum? How much longer before jamming resumes? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** RWANDA. Re 7-060: ``All the logs of Rwanda are from ``Digger``/``Terje`` in Biberstein, Switzerland: http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1716 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1360, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Two logs from Daniel, F1TAY in Paris: http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showpost.php?p=38343&postcount=18 http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showpost.php?p=38555&postcount=24 (Mike Barraclough, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAINT HELENA. Information for WRTH 2008 corrected April, 2007, by Mike Olsson of SaintFM and Kipp: SAINT FM Address: St. Helena Media Productions Ltd., Jamestown, St. Helena, So. Atlantic Ocean, STHL 1ZZ Telephone: +290 – 2660 and 2488. Email: FM @ helanta.sh Web: http://www.saint.fm (and Webcasting). Leading Persons: Station Manager: Mike Olsson. Deputy Manager: Emma- Jane Yon FM (MHz): 90.0, 30 Watts and 93.1, 130 Watts. Internet-feed to Ascension Island, Falkland Islands and world-wide. Daily Program: 24 Hours. Station Announcement: "Saint FM". Goal of this station: Bringing Saints Together. Verification by QSL card, return postage required. Email reports accepted. Recordings not returned. Return postage: 2+ IRCs or 2 US- Dollars or 1 Br. Pound. Saint FM also has FM Repeater transmitters on Ascension Island and Falkland Islands (Nicholas Hardyman, WRTH, via Robert Kipp, DSWCI DX Window May 24 via DXLD) Its webcasting is heard perfectly here after downloading and installing a special plug-in from Saint FM. They played pop music and announced the next embarcation time for the ship to Ascension! (Anker Petersen, ibid.) ** SERBIA. 7835, R. Serbia International with an FMish modulation // 7240. ID at 1500 22-5 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was putting out similar spurs a few hundred kHz away when same transmitter was on 6100. That`s plus 595, so look for a match on 6645 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Possibly a similar transmitter problem in Serbia that I noted on 18 March (when they were still on 6100): "18 March 2007 at 1459 noted a strong distorted audio with familiar interval signal on appr. 6686. Checking against weak 6100 and it was Radio Serbia International, starting their Spanish (?) program at 1500. Similar strong spurious signal also on appr. 5514. So the transmitter puts out strong spurs plus/minus 586 kHz from nominal 6100 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, HCDX via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Voters in Spain will go to the polls next Sunday, May 27th on local and regional elections. From 2000 HOE (1800 UT) there will be special programs on all radio networks with local/regional breaks. This is a good chance to listen to more long beaks than usual on Sunday. Good luck. Paz y Dx (Ignacio Sotomayor, Segovia, Castilla, España, May 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN RADIO STATIONS http://davaotoday.com/news/2007/05/24/thailand-government-shuts-down-radio-stations/ The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is outraged at reports that three Thai radio stations were shut down soon after airing an interview with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. IFJ president Christopher Warren said the closures of Confidante, Taxi Driver Community Radio and Saturday Voice Against Dictatorship appeared to be blatant intimidation against media outlets who challenge the government. “The current military-appointed government’s record of respecting press freedom grows weaker and weaker every day, which also seriously undermines its promises of an eventual democracy with free elections,” Warren said. According to local reports, Thaksin gave his first interview since the September 2006 coup to Confidante from London, and it was also broadcast on Taxi Driver Community Radio and Saturday Voice Against Dictatorship. Hours after the interview was aired, government officials showed up at the Confidante offices, confiscated the recording of the interview, and shut the station down. “The people of Thailand need to have access to information on both sides of the political divide in order to be able to make an informed decision during the upcoming election,” Warren said. Legal proceedings have since begun against Confidante and Taxi Driver Community Radio, and the server for Saturday Voice Against Dictatorship has been blocked. The station is only available via the internet. This is at least the second time in six months that Saturday Voice has been blocked by the government, and 3000 other stations have reportedly been warned to heed the behaviour of these three broadcasters. “These actions by the current Thai government show an utter disregard for press freedom, and if the country is to have a democratic future, they cannot continue on in this manner,” Warren said. For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific +61 2 9333 0919. The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 115 countries (via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) ** TIBET. PBS-Lhasa, Chinese Service is extended until 1800 UT (ex 1730). Now sked: Chinese 2000-1800 UT (not Tue 0600-1000) 11950 0158-0857 11860 0200-0857 7240 2000-0157, 0858-1800 7170 2000-0157, 0858-1800 6050 2000-1800 5935 2000-1800 4820 2000-1800 (including CNR-1 relay 2230-2300, 0030-0100, 1030-1100) Tibetan 2100-1805 UT (not Tue 0600-1000) no change. 9580 0200-0930 9490 0200-1000 7385 2100-0200, 0930-1805 7125 2100-0200, 1000-1805 6200 2100-1805 6130 2100-1805 6110 2100-1805 5240 2100-1805 4920 2100-1805 4905 2100-1805 (incl. CNR-8 relay 2300-2357,0400-0457, 1300-1357) "Holy Tibet" in English at 0700-0730 and 1630-1700. de S. Aoki (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, May 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So the frequencies for Holy Tibet are: 0700-0730: 9580 9490 6200 6130 6110 5240 4920 4905 [exc Tue] 1630-1700: 7385 7125 6200 6130 6110 5240 4920 4905 [both exc Sun??] (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. In order to improve reception in Central Europe as well as to avoid splash from Radio Free Afghanistan via Udorn Thani and Irana Wila on 15680 kHz, RUI replaces 15675 kHz with 11550 kHz 0800-1300 (English 1100-1200) as of May 28. Transmitter remains the same: Kharkiv, 100 kW, 277 deg. (Alexander Yegorov in open_dx yg via Serghey Nikishin, Moscow, Russia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Per HFCC, 11550 looks clear until 1200 when it will collide with Kuwait and/or Islamabad (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. AFN: The Vanished Shooting Star AFN London gave pleasure to many thousands of American servicemen and women during the War, as well as 5 million Britons. It shone brightly and briefly, then vanished almost without a trace. British journalist Patrick Morley has written an illustrated account of this station’s brief existence (6 months in 1943) which is now available at Radio World Online. Read the story http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0106/t.6223.html (May 24th, 2007 - 13:26 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) Just published here May 23, but I think I`ve seen it somewhere else before (gh, DXLD) John England Says: May 24th, 2007 at 15:15 e Interesting but unfortunately vague. What were the “70? broadcasting stations used by AFN in Britain?`` There is much more to this story than what is relayed here and Churchill (whose genealogy was half American), had used offshore (Continental) “pirate radio” beamed into the UK before WWII. Churchill hated Reith’s BBC and Churchill was the person who helped facilitate the creation of ITV as a slap-back at Reith and his pomp and dogma. While Churchill viewd ITV as a “Punch and Judy” show, he favored free choice verses government choice. William Paley of CBS was based in London during WWII and he had much to say about AFN and Allied broadcasting propaganda. Paley and Churchill were known to each other on both an official and unofficial level. I give this article an -C. [C minus?] Ray Robinson Says: May 24th, 2007 at 15:57 e Back in December 2001, Andy conducted an interview with Patrick Morley about wartime AFN in the UK, and posted the audio recording on the the Radio Netherlands website. I’m surprised he didn’t mention this. I don’t know if that recording is still available (I couldn’t find it listed), but if not, you can download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?6wqdbmm8b3v It runs 15 minutes in length, and is very interesting. Oh, and your summary above is incorrect. AFN broadcast from London for 2½ years (July 1943 - December 1945), not 6 months. Ray (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A. HAPPENING NOW AT KSFR --- A BIGGER VOICE! - KSFR soon will be heard over-the-air from Taos to Albuquerque, with a stronger signal throughout all of Santa Fé, Los Álamos, White Rock, Española, Placitas, Corrales, Río Rancho, Bernalillo and more. An official announcement coming in June (KSFR Santa Fé website May 24 via DXLD) ?? Nothing in their FCC info about an application to increase power from 3 kW, increase tower height, or move it to another location; maybe translators? But shouldn`t they appear under KSFR file number? What they really need is a translator on Sandia Crest but that wouldn`t help much in Española. This is one of our favorite webcasters, anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RIAA goes after terrestrial radio ARTISTS AND LABELS SEEK ROYALTIES FROM RADIO By Jim Puzzanghera, Times Staff Writer May 21, 2007 WASHINGTON — With CD sales tumbling, record companies and musicians are looking at a new potential pot of money: royalties from broadcast radio stations. For years, stations have paid royalties to composers and publishers when they played their songs. But they enjoy a federal exemption when paying the performers and record labels because, they argue, the airplay sells music. Now, the Recording Industry Assn. of America and several artists' groups are getting ready to push Congress to repeal the exemption, a move that could generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually in new royalties. Mary Wilson, who with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard formed the original Supremes, said the exemption was unfair and forced older musicians to continue touring to pay their bills. "After so many years of not being compensated, it would be nice now at this late date to at least start," the 63-year-old Las Vegas resident said in Milwaukee, where she was performing at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino. "They've gotten 50-some years of free play. Now maybe it's time to pay up." The decision to take on the volatile performance royalty issue again highlights the rough times the music industry is facing as listeners abandon compact discs for digital downloads, often listening to music shared with friends or obtained from file-sharing sites. "The creation of music is suffering because of declining sales," said RIAA Chief Executive Mitch Bainwol. "We clearly have a more difficult time tolerating gaps in revenues that should be there." It's not the first attempt to kill the exemption. In the past, politically powerful broadcasters beat back those efforts. But with satellite and Internet radio forced to pay "public performance royalties" and Web broadcasters up in arms about a recent federal decision to boost their performance royalty rate, the record companies and musicians have a strong hand. Broadcasters are already girding for the fight, expected to last more than a year. In a letter to lawmakers this month, the National Assn. of Broadcasters dubbed the royalties a "performance tax" that would upend the 70-year "mutually beneficial relationship" between radio stations and the recording industry. "The existing system actually provides the epitome of fairness for all parties: free music for free promotion," wrote NAB President David Rehr. Performance royalties are collected from traditional radio stations in nearly all major industrialized countries, but U.S. musicians and record companies can't because there is no similar royalty on the books here. "The time comes that we really have to do this," said John Simson, executive director of SoundExchange, a group created by the recording industry to collect and distribute Internet and satellite music royalties. For record labels and musicians, addressing the issue now is crucial because digital radio, now being rolled out, allows broadcasters to split a signal into several digital channels and play even more music exempt from performance royalties. Groups preparing to push Congress to change the law include the RIAA, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the American Federation of Musicians and other organizations. The U.S. Copyright Office has long supported removing the exemption. The groups have a major ally in Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Valley Village), who now chairs the House subcommittee dealing with intellectual property law. Berman is "actively contemplating" leading a legislative push to end the exemption. "Given the many different ways to promote music now that didn't exist as effectively when this original exemption was made," he said, "the logic of that I think is more dubious." Congress granted composers and publishers of music copyright protection in 1909. But the recording and radio industries were in their infancy, and the actual musical recordings were not covered. Congress extended limited copyright protection to musical performances in the 1970s to guard against an earlier form of piracy: the copying of records and tapes. But by then, broadcasters were influential enough to snuff out any talk of making them pay musicians and recording companies for playing their music. "The old saying is the reason broadcasters don't pay a performance royalty is there's a radio station in every congressional district and a record company in three," said Chris Castle, a music industry lawyer. Broadcasters even successfully fought a group of singers and musicians led by Frank Sinatra in the late 1980s who tried to pressure Congress into changing the law. Broadcasters also prevailed in 1995, when Congress exempted them from new fees for digital recordings that everyone else had to pay. "Congress has always recognized that broadcasters generate enormous sums of revenue to record companies and artists in terms of airplay," said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. Radio stations also have public-interest obligations that satellite and Internet broadcasters don't have to worry about, he said. Satellite radio, Internet broadcasters and cable television companies offering digital music channels now pay performance royalties. The recording industry and musician groups say it's time for traditional radio stations to pony up. "Most of the artists in the world are kind of middle-class cats, trying to piece together a living," said Jonatha Brooke, a singer- songwriter who is part of the Recording Artists Coalition advocacy group. "It's important to be recognized and paid for our work." (LA Times via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Speaking as someone who makes his living from sales of copyrighted works he creates, I have to wonder if a significant percentage of artists and executives in the music industry suffer from brain damage. Airplay is free advertising --- that's why people buy CDs in the first place and attend live shows. (If someone wants to read aloud on the air from one of my books, please do so!!) The reason why CD sales are down is simple: 1) a lot of recent music is crap; 2) a typical CD has one or two songs you like and the rest are crap; and 3) CDs are overpriced relative to their manufacturing costs and consumers are tired of being gouged. If the RIAA "wins" this war, look for two things to happen: 1) A lot less music on the radio, meaning it will be even tougher to break new artists and albums. 2) Radio stations to require waiving of performance fees to play an artist (and don't believe there aren't a lot of artists and independent labels who wouldn't be eager to do so in exchange for airplay). A variation of 2) is done often in the publishing industry. I have allowed magazines and web sites to use, free of charge, excerpts from my books in exchange for a plug for the book. Why do I allow that? Because each time I do there is an upward bump in sales --- the excerpt is, in effect, a free multipage ad for my book. It's a win/win situation for me and the magazine/web site. Why recording artists and executives have trouble figuring that out is beyond me. . . . (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, http://topsecrettourism.com ABDX via DXLD) Yeah, but you're not greedy! I've been in radio for 12 years & I'd guess a surge of spoken-word programming on both bands would occur. On the plus side: radio drama may return in the U.S.. On the downside: there would be more business talk stations. 73, (Jay, N1WVQ/V31VQ/WQBI410, ibid.) And I believe you hit the nail on the head about the lower CD sales. Maybe if they'd stop signing on these no-talents like Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, etc. and start actually signing on DECENT artists who have talent and potential (instead of lots of $$$,) then maybe there'd be some DECENT music out there and people would start buying the CDs again. I see this as a lose-lose situation -- and as the other person mentioned, I can see more stations flipping to Business Talk, Sports, News, and any other format devoid of music if this goes through (Eric Berger, MI, ibid.) This should prove interesting combined with the push from the Democrats to reinstate the "fairness doctrine". No music, no political / opinion talk. Maybe drama will make a comeback (Jay Heyl, FL, ibid.) I didn't see any mention of iTunes as a reason for slower CD sales. I know several people who will buy the songs they want at 99 cents each and stay legal in the process. They have big disk drives and iPod's. They have no interest in buying a CD, whether it be or one or ten songs. These same people only have books at work; they have PDFs and eBooks at home. Actually, Christina Aguilera has been showing a lot more talent after the world started telling her that the third-world bimbo look wasn't cutting it anymore. She cleaned up, her music (while still to a younger audience who prefers dancing whether it be vertical or horizontal) is better too. Paris Hilton also has talent, except hers is solely to make the rest of us all look normal. In this day and age, that has value! Along with the RIAA going on the rampage again, it should probably be said that CD sales are probably not really tumbling. CDs that are produced and sold by the major manufacturers are tumbling, because of all of the reasons mentioned including flat-out greed. The internet has allowed independent artists to use their web sites to develop a fan base, publicize their live shows, plug other artists, and most importantly, sell THEIR CDs on THEIR terms, with a severely increased amount of money going into THEIR pockets to support THEIR creative efforts. Regardless of whether you like the music or not (I like very little, your opinions may vary), the model has changed. The old model was that the media created the artist and the artist forever supported the media and was grateful for having pennies thrown at them by the people who kept the dollars. The ONLY way they could survive was through touring. The new model is that they tour (if they want, and they usually do) and they create, market and sell through independent channels. The major CD stores are going out of business because of their own model and their dependence on the big boys. The big boys are watching the walls of the palace crumble around them. They can change the exemption all they want to, but this far into the game, the musical side will slip more towards the talk side, the indies will take over the majority of the musical side. They will not back the RIAA demands because they are already in control of their own destiny. After that, what comes next? Maybe RIAA demanding that XM and Sirius triple or quadruple their monthly fees to keep feeding the fat cats. It ain't gonna happen. Piracy is a minor issue compared to flat-out revolt by those who learn to control their own destiny. RIAA and MPAA may have built a world full of mousetraps, but the mice evolve faster than the traps. I'm talked out. I think I'll find a nice quiet island off the coast and start speaking in tongues. It works for PVZ! (Mike Hawkins, ibid.) ** VENEZUELA. Re 7-060: YVKE Mundial Caracas suffering interference As Chávez government is shutting down the main private TV network in a few days and situation in Caracas is very tense (I was there last week), I would not rule out a wave war could blow out there (550 is 24hours government propaganda and very tough on opposition) (Rocco Cotroneo, Rio de Janeiro, May 22, MWC via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO SHUT DOWN RADIO CARACAS TELEVISION POLITICALLY MOTIVATED http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20070523103514371 TV Shutdown Harms Free Expression HRW via BBSNews - Washington, DC, May 23, 2007 – The Venezuelan government's politically motivated decision not to renew a television broadcasting license is a serious setback for freedom of expression in Venezuela, Human Rights Watch said today. The decision will shut down Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), the country's oldest private channel, when its license expires on May 27, 2007. President Hugo Chávez has repeatedly threatened to cancel RCTV's license ever since he accused it of supporting an April 2002 coup attempt. On December 28, 2006, he announced during a military ceremony that the order not to renew the channel's 20-year license had already been drafted. "President Hugo Chávez is misusing the state's regulatory authority to punish a media outlet for its criticism of the government," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "The move to shut down RCTV is a serious blow to freedom of expression in Venezuela." Of the three commercial stations accessible in all parts of Venezuela, only RCTV has remained strongly critical of the government. The other two — Venevisión and Televén — were themselves accused of supporting the attempted coup and subsequent anti–government protests. But both have since removed virtually all content critical of the government from their programming. Venevisión's license is also due for renewal on May 27, but the government has remained silent about the channel's future, in contrast to its repeated public attacks on RCTV. Officials defend the decision by pointing out that the government is merely exercising its right not to renew RCTV's broadcasting license when it expires. However, no procedure was established to enable RCTV to present evidence and arguments in its favor; the criteria on which the decision was based were not established clearly beforehand, nor was there any application or selection process allowing RCTV to submit an application for continuation of its concession. In March 2007 the government published details of its case --- a 360–page "White Book on RCTV" --- which includes pages of allegations against the station, some of them based on investigations by the government broadcasting authority CONATEL. The report was issued months after Chavez made his announcement and does not address the station's replies to CONATEL's investigation. The White Book accuses RCTV of "inciting rebellion," showing "lack of respect for authorities and institutions," breaking the laws protecting minors, engaging in monopolistic practices, and failing to pay taxes. However, it does not cite a single final judicial or administrative ruling establishing that the channel had in fact committed any of these alleged offenses during its 20–year contract. No one from the channel has been convicted for their alleged complicity in the attempted coup. Government officials have announced that RCTV will be replaced by a public service channel open to community groups and independent producers and without editorial control by the state or government programming. The government has not made a clear case why RCTV must be taken off the air to set up the new channel. The government has frequencies at its disposal on both VHF and UHF wavebands in many parts of Venezuela. It has already used UHF frequencies to successfully install a nationwide education and cultural channel, Vive TV. "The government's proposal to democratize the airwaves sounds great in theory, but shutting down broadcasters for their political views is not the way to do it," said Vivanco (via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) VENEZUELAN TV BOSS URGES CHÁVEZ TO KEEP CHANNEL ON The head of Venezuela’s biggest private television channel has urged President Hugo Chávez to reconsider his controversial decision to shut down the station. Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) director general Marcel Granier made the plea just days before his channel goes off the air, as Chávez has refused to renew its broadcasting licence expiring on Sunday. The leftist leader’s decision to close the popular channel, which he accuses of backing a short-lived coup against him in 2002, has drawn criticism from media and human rights groups and street protests in Caracas. ”I ask the citizen president to reconsider (his decision), because true leaders do not leave the people they must protect without jobs, nor do they silence their critics,” Granier wrote in an open letter published in national newspapers. “Allow other opinions to be voiced in Venezuela,” he wrote. ”Are you a leader of the new Latin American left or are you a totalitarian populist? Are you strong because your convictions are strong or are you weak and need to silence all who disagree with you?” he wrote. ”Who is in charge Mr president, you or your aides who see a business opportunity in canceling contracts? Granier asked. The government has decided to replace RCTV with a new government- backed public-service channel. About 70 to 80 percent of Venezualans are opposed to RCTV’s closure and considers the move “arbitrary and personal,” according to opinion polls. Thousands of protesters marched through Caracas on Saturday in support of the private channel and accused Chávez of stifling freedom of expression. The private broadcaster and the state-owned Venezolana de Television (VTV) are the only channels whose signals cover the entire South American country. RCTV’s demise would leave only one private broadcaster seen close to the opposition: Globovisión, which only broadcasts in Caracas. (Source: AFP)( May 24th, 2007 - 13:03 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 6300.05, R Nacional Saharaoui (RASD), Rabouni, Algeria, 2300-0001*, May 16 and 18, Arabic political comment about Kabul and Al-Jazzera with string music in background, native song, closing ann, ID, martial anthem, 45544 heard // 1550 MW (32333)! Spanish programme moved to 1700-1800 (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window May 24 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. Voice of Zimbabwe (a.k.a. News24, a.k.a. Studio 24/7) had been due to launch today (25 May), but... LAUNCH OF PROPAGANDA STATION POSTPONED INDEFINITELY By Our Correspondent GWERU, May 25, 2007 - The launch of government's much-heralded News 24, an ambitious all-day propaganda blitz on radio, which was scheduled for today in Gweru, has been postponed indefinitely. . . Read more at http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=935&Itemid=44 (Chris Greenway, May 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: By Our Correspondent. GWERU, May 25, 2007 - The launch of government’s much-heralded News 24, an ambitious all-day propaganda blitz on radio, which was scheduled for today in Gweru, has been postponed indefinitely. Sources at the Ministry of Information and Publicity confirmed to The Zimbabwe Times yesterday that the launch had been postponed but could not give the reasons why government had backed down at the last minute. "The launch of the radio station which was expected to take place tomorrow has been cancelled," said a source who requested anonymity. The near-launch of News 24 was scheduled to coincide with Africa Day, May 25. The station, which was first mooted in 2000 by the then Minister of Information, Prof Jonathan Moyo, was meant to counter what the government describes as negative publicity from western-oriented broadcasting stations, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), CNN, Voice of America’s Studio 7 (VOA), Voice of the People (VOP) and SW Radio Africa, the last three being run by Zimbabweans and broadcasting specifically to Zimbabwe. The source said the launch could have been postponed because of the technical problems currently being encountered by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). On Wednesday ZBC failed to broadcast a live morning news programme called Business Today. and had to make do with one newsreader two weeks ago after workers failed to turn up for work because of lack of bus fare."ZBC is facing a lot of problems and the postponement of the launch tomorrow could have been influenced by the bad state of broadcasting infrastructure in the country," said the source. The Minister of Information, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, could not be reached for a comment as he was said to be attending a meeting until late yesterday. Happison Muchechetere, a veteran of Zimbabwe's war of liberation and a former ZBC employee who was in charge of propaganda at New Ziana’s documentary production arm, will head the new station. Despite its ambitious name, News 24, was initially meant to broadcast, apparently to the whole world, for just two hours a day. Insiders say the station will gradually be developed into a 24-hour news station, in keeping with its name. ZBC Chief Executive Officer, Henry Muradzikwa, who is currently in China for orientation in international broadcasting at China’s CCTV, said the new station was designed to counter the hostile propaganda of foreign-based radio stations by "providing factual information about the reality on the ground in Zimbabwe. "It will not be a propaganda station. It will present the truth. We hope it will also give Zimbabweans an opportunity to tell their own story. We plan to not only interview business people and other people in urban areas but to go out to rural areas and record what people there have to say," he said. The government accuses SW Radio Africa and Voice of America’s Studio 7 based in London and Washington respectively of broadcasting propaganda aimed at inciting Zimbabweans to rise against the government. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) has since its inception in 2001 failed to issue licenses to private broadcasters. This has resulted in the emergence of several stations run by exiled Zimbabweans such as the London-based SW Radio Africa and Studio 7 beaming into Zimbabwe on short and medium wave from beyond the country’s borders (Zimbabwe Times via DXLD) Apparently this publication is based in the UK, judging from adverts in pounds, but BBCM says it is based in USA (gh, DXLD) Plans for the new service were first revealed in 2000, but previously- announced launch dates have not been met. Originally to have been called Studio 24/7, this was later changed to News24 and then to Voice of Zimbabwe. This latest name deliberately evokes broadcasts by a clandestine radio of the same name during the so-called Chimurenga (liberation war) fought against the Rhodesian authorities before independence in 1980. In early April 2007 Information Minister Ndlovu said the new station would be on the air on the 18th of that month to mark the anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence. But that date also passed without a launch. Voice of Zimbabwe will be run by Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH), the state-owned umbrella that holds a monopoly on broadcasting within the country. ZBH - still widely referred to by its former name, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) - already operates four FM radio networks and one TV channel. One of these networks, Radio Zimbabwe, is relayed on a single shortwave transmitter (currently 6045 kHz during the daytime and 3396 kHz at night). Despite the operation of these relays, Zimbabwean officials have stated on a number of occasions that the new Voice of Zimbabwe will be revitalizing the use of shortwave, implying that shortwave is not at present used by ZBH and that the station will be operating from new transmitters. (Source: BBC Monitoring research 25 May 07 via Media Network blog via DXLD) 25 May 2007 at 1805 UT noted a station on 4828 with nonstop African music (fair signal). They continue programming past 1830 without announcements. At the same time 3396 is carrying another program. Maybe 4828 is a test from Zimbabwe. The jammer against SWRA on 4880 is also audible, so possibly 3 transmitters from Zimbabwe on the tropical bands at the same time (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5897.5 seemed to be the center peak tho there were multiple carriers/constant pitched tones, which when combined were pulsating every few seconds with a recurring higher pitch. I could not detect by ear any variation which would indicate any intelligence was being conveyed. I suspect this is the Cuban spy-numbers/letters transmitter often heard around 5900 with more conventional modulation. This was at 0518 May 24, and litely QRMing WWCR 5890. Off when rechecked about a semihour later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6215, Unknown clandestine station, *1200-1210*, May 21, opens with Korean popular song, followed by numerals ann only, all in Korean. 1210 closed with "kamsu hamnida" ("thank you" in Korean). Sometimes the same programme is heard on this frequency (for example at 0700-0730). Communications between North Korea and Koreans in Japan?? (Takao Miyajima, Yokohama-city, Japan, DSWCI DX Window May 24 via DXLD) We have had reports of this before, but am having a hard time searching it out amongst all the other 6215 logs (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see RWANDA; DTV: KOREA SOUTH ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC COMES TO HARRISBURG PA Sounds like WHP 580 and WTKT 1460 Harrisburg Pennsylvania are now using IBOC. These are the first local stations to use it and it's even worse than I thought it would be (Tom Dimeo, May 23, IRCA via DXLD) Chicago's "The Score 670" seemed to be running IBOC Tuesday evening around 10:30pm Central, wiping out 660 and 680 with the usual sideband hiss... and the characteristic grumbly ON-channel background noise was audible on 670 itself with the Sony in sync-detector mode. I should've gone upstairs to my office to see whether the Boston Acoustics HD rig would actually decode the audio, but I was already in bed! Not sure WSCR was strong enough (Randy Stewart Springfield MO, May 23, ibid.) Purpose of HD abomination is to make listeners keep buying new HD stooge radios. Red flag, iNiquity's exclusive rotten deal. Keep releasing 'software updates', present card, continue listening. No card, no radio. They can go straight to the scrapheap of ingnominy. Why listen to programs from proven liars? "There is no known interference from HD." Pardon me, while I scrape this maggoty viscous substance from my hip-boots. Another purpose - because lazy thugs prefer clip many loose ends with one slash - is to jam competitors off the air. These vomit bags of avarice will coerce, extort, and otherwise unduly influence surviving stations into going along with their scheme - or else. They'll get away with it. Unlike AM stereo, HD isn't free-market, it's krony-capitalism. iBLOC will prevail, as do all hole-i-garchic schemes - but it will prove ephemeral. HD may, for a time, seem unbeatable. Not to worry. As with all designs sent forth from tyrants, down it will go, soon forgotten, never again called to mind. z (pv zecchino manalog key fl, irca via DXLD) Levine’s KKGO/KMZT Embrace HD Radio Indy Owner Also Puts ‘K-Mozart’ Format on HD2 Multicast Channel by Scott Fybush, 5.23.2007 Frequent RW contributor Scott Fybush is always on the lookout for interesting "Travels with Scott" destinations. There aren’t many broadcasters working today who were active on the radio scene back in the days when FM was an unproven, commercially questionable technology. There are fewer still who put a station on back then and still own that station today. And there’s only one doing it in a major market: Saul Levine at KKGO and KMZT in Los Angeles. Back in 1959, Levine put KBCA(FM) on the air at 105.1, broadcasting from more than a mile above downtown L.A. as one of the first FM stations on Mount Wilson. KBCA soon became all-jazz KKGO, then flipped to classical in 1989, eventually becoming “K-Mozart,” KMZT. In 2005, Levine flipped the switch to put K-Mozart on the air in HD Radio, a move he says he never doubted he’d make. “There was never a moment’s hesitation about going digital,” Levine said. “That was a natural progression we thought we had to make.” The motivation, Levine admits, was as much promotional as technological. “There’s the perception, which I don’t agree with, that analog radio is dead,” he said. “So terrestrial radio had to go digital to stay competitive.” . . . http://www.radioworld.com/pages/s.0049/t.6224.html (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) MORPHY RICHARD LAUNCHES WI-FI INTERNET RADIO --- by Amy-Mae Elliott http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/7871/8895/Morphy-Richards-Launches-Internet-Radio.phtml 24 May 2007 - Following on from the launch of their DRM radio, Morphy Richards are expanding your radio boundaries even further with the Internet Radio. All you need is wi-fi and you'll be able to catch the latest tunes worldwide on your Internet Radio. If you want to hear Jazz from New Orleans or Ghazals from India then this will let you listen to your favourite stations from all over the world at the touch of a button. Morphy Richards promises it easy and intuitive to use - if it's in range of the wi-fi connection it will automatically detect the network and let you connect. All available stations are uploaded and listed alphabetically. A rotary dial allows you to scroll through the stations by genre or location so you can easily choose your stations and be listening to them clearly in minutes. A menu button lets you scroll through the radio's modes and a back button lets you easily go back a stage if you've accidentally gone into the wrong mode or station list. Sounds do-able, non? You can also play MP3 tracks from your PC, or plug in an MP3 player, and it has an alarm function too. The Morphy Richards Internet Radio costs £159.99 and is available from Argos (via Alokesh Gupta, India, dxldyg via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ AIRPORT SECURITY AND AIRLINE-BASED DXPEDITIONING: Lessons Learned John H. Bryant While it is still fresh in my mind, I thought that I might share a few lessons learned from my recent DXpedition to Easter Island. In Spring 2007, I actually planned two DXpeditions, almost back-to-back, so that the first, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, might serve as a test bed for the second, the main trip to Easter Island. I was particularly concerned about moving a lot of bits and pieces of radio gear through airport security. For each trip, I used two large pieces of luggage which were checked for the flight and a medium-sized backpack which I carried on the aircraft with me. Even though specially miniaturized for these journeys, my radio gear alone weighed about 50 pounds and was made up of many small, suspicious-looking objects. Given my history of lost luggage, I was also very concerned about arriving at my destination without some vital piece of radio equipment. Thus, I decided to keep my main DXing gear with me in my carry-on back pack: my main receiver, the Eton E1-XM, one matching transformer, my main audio recorder, the Edirol R-09 by Roland, a few spare batteries, ear bud headphones and 500 feet of 28 gage teflon- coated antenna wire. When viewed through an airport X-ray machine, I cannot imagine more suspicious looking carry-on luggage than that backpack. I also planned to be at the airport at least two hours early for flights to allow for security problems. I planned similar long lay- overs at way-points for luggage security or customs problems. Counting both trips from my home in Oklahoma, the carry-on backpack went through the security X-ray machine an even dozen times in the US, Santiago, Chile and Easter Island. It made it through X-ray 10 out of 12 times with no questions asked, a fact that I find both shocking and frightening. The two times that the backpack was inspected were each also interesting: one inspection was a rather cursory physical search, with the security agent being easily satisfied with my explanation of the wire as a radio antenna and with an offer by me to turn on the portable radio to demonstrate it. During the second instance of carry-on inspection, the agent used a hand-held piece of equipment that was a black box with a long rigid tube attached; the security agent pushed the tube down into various pockets and crevices in the backpack, apparently using the device to "sniff" for explosive residue. That inspection was very quick and I passed, of course. I did also carry in the backpack a club bulletin and a commercial magazine with radio articles by me in them: aids to help me prove that I was a "radio enthusiast," if questioned in depth at security checkpoints. Those documents were never needed, but their presence was certainly reassuring. My experiences with the checked baggage were considerably more thought-provoking. I encountered absolutely no Security problems during the trips between Oklahoma and Norfolk, VA on the Cape Hatteras trip, so I began to think that my concerns and planning in this area were way over-blown. Not so. As was standard procedure, leaving for Easter Island, I arrived at Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport with well over two hours to spare. I checked in, got my boarding pass and had to carry that darn backpack the full length of the airport to the most remote departure gate. I had just collapsed into a comfortable seat at my gate when the all-gates paging system squawked "Will American Airlines passenger Mr. John Bryant please report to the nearest American Airlines Agent." Frankly, that sounded kinda scary; it got worse! I reported to the gate agent and was told that I needed to return the full length of the airport to the Baggage Claim area because the security people "could not unlock your checked luggage to inspect it." I told the agent in no uncertain terms that my luggage was NOT locked and there had to be a mistake... they then informed me that they couldn't solve the problem at the gate and I would need to make the half-mile hike, with my backpack, to Baggage Claim "if you want to travel with us today, sir." So.... When I got to the Information Desk at Baggage Claim, I was confronted by an armed female Oklahoma City police officer who stayed at least 6 feet from me and maintained her hand on her holstered pistol, as she dealt with me. I haven't felt that threatened, personally, since my government-paid trip to Viet Nam in the late 1960s. She informed me that both Federal and Oklahoma City security agents had serious concerns about some of the contents of my luggage and that I'd need to "accompany" her to be interviewed by these agents. She would not walk with or ahead of me, but maintained the 6-foot space behind me and directed me, in a very loud voice, "Down that hall, sir!" "Through that door, sir!" "Walk to the left, sir!" I was later discouraged from describing the security apparatus that I viewed in the baggage- handling bowels of the airport on this little journey with the lady cop, but it was very impressive. Eventually, the lady policeman, her pistol and I all made it to a table where they had my most equipment-laden suitcase opened out and were examining it like they were doing an autopsy on a particularly interesting but disgusting corpse. I got interviewed by Oklahoma City police officers and by David W. Culver, Assistant Federal Security Director-Law Enforcement, who was not easily satisfied. It turned out that what had concerned them, what had tripped the alarm, was the PVC pipe enclosure on a Ramsey Active Ferrite Bar receiving antenna that I'd only brought along to use in the heavily noise-ridden environment of my downtown hotel room in Santiago. Mr. Culver told me that the L-shaped piece of 1.5 inch PVC pipe "looked just like a pipe bomb." I told him that I thought that was kind of odd, since all of the pipe bombs that I'd ever seen in articles were from iron or steel pipe to produce shrapnel during the explosion. He didn't want to discuss that further, but informed me that ANYTIME that I carry any PVC product, I need to treat it just "like you do when you check in luggage containing a loaded pistol." That finally made me mad. I told him that I was very conscious of security matters and that I had NEVER seen an advisory cautioning against PVC and that I had no idea how to check luggage containing a loaded pistol; I hadn't owned one since I'd laid down my trusty six-shooter, when I turned 9-years old. He explained that, carrying PVC, one should check your luggage at the airline counter and tell them of the PVC. They would then inspect the luggage at the counter and determine whether you could proceed... if so, they specially mark your bag. Well, after another 15 minutes of discussion, we all parted friends and they rushed me through more of the bowels of the airport, even taking me on a short-cut across the tarmac, and both I and my suspect bag did make the flight. They were appreciative of a large-scale typed note that I'd left atop the stuff in each bag, written to the security agents, thanking them for inspecting the bag, explaining that I was a radio hobbyist and volunteering to explain or demonstrate any of the equipment, if they had security concern. They were also very appreciative of the fact that I had checked in for my flight over two hours early. So was I, since I was just flying to Dallas to then catch a ten-hour overnight flight to Santiago. Thinking things over later, I think that there is a good chance that Agent Culver wasn't telling me the exact truth. I'll bet you that the PVC pipe, which was almost brand new, was out-gassing and that their sniffer-sensors can't distinguish between PVC pipe and some forms of plastic explosives, hence the very-understandable red flag. At least, that explanation makes more sense to me. In any case, I will NEVER knowingly carry PVC in my luggage, again. As a matter of fact, I disassembled that Ramsey antenna while I was on Easter Island and left the PVC pipe behind. So, after this experience, here are my current working rules for airline-based DXpeditions: 1. Be at the airport and through the Security checkpoint at least two hours before flight time. The radio items in your luggage may well trip some sensor and the resulting close inspection/explanations with the Security personnel can be time consuming. 2. Having a note to Security in each checked bag about the contents seems like a smart thing to do. It helped in my case. 3. Beside having plenty of photo-ID, having a club bulletin or radio magazine that contains identifying material in it that shows you, personally to be a bona fide radio enthusiast is quite helpful. 4. Don't try to take PVC through any Security checkpoint. If you absolutely must do so, have the airline inspect that bag at the airline counter. 5. Getting mad or feeling unfairly singled out does NOT help. Keeping your cool, thanking them for doing their jobs and being sympathetic to the difficult choices that your gear might force on them also seems to work very well. (John Bryant, OK, IRCA DX Monitor May 26 via DXLD) GREAT SOFTWARE TOOL (EXPSTUDIO AUDIO EDITOR) It's becoming increasingly important for DX'ers to be able to record audio directly on their computer. To reduce size, and make it practical to e-mail out reports, it's also handy to be able to convert those files into compressed audio files in formats like MP3. "Audio editing" is also helpful---being able to literally look at the audio waveform and edit out everything except what you need. For example, I have recordings of every logging in my book...reducing usually to just the legal TOH ID, or perhaps a few minutes at most of format, along with legal ID. A great tool for doing this is EXPStudio. It comes in both a free version (but it only saves in .wav format) and a very inexpensive $30 "Pro" version that will save files in any number of formats. You can also amplify those weak sounds, do some basic filtering, etc. It provides about 90% of the functions that Sony's Sound Forge 9.0 provides, for a small fraction of the cost. It's available at: http://www.expstudio.com/audioeditorfree.htm Audio can be routed from the radio to the computer in a number of ways. A trip to Radio Shack can yield a simple cable that will connect the 1/4" headphone jack on the radio to the 1/8" mini plug jack on most computer sound cards. Simply connect the headphone audio jack of the radio to the "mic" or "line" input on the computer and then use the sound recorder software in Windows to record. Some users may experience problems with hum or other issues using this set up. If so, you can purchase a variety of "sound card interfaces" intended for amateur radio use. I use the Rig Blaster Pro, which does connect using a USB adapter. Look for these at: http://www.westmountainradio.com Hope this helps! 73, Les Rayburn, Birmingham, AL 35216, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Another good audio editor is "Audacity" from SourceForge.net. http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity (Bill Frahm - Boise, ibid.) I don't like such unrequested advertising on mailing lists, even if it's for a tool which is (in its basic version) free and costs only for the "pro" version. So, I feel free to do some "counter- advertising". For the given purpose, there is also a lot of other software, that remains completely free, for all of their functions. To record, cut, filter and convert DX audio, I prefer for example "Audacity", which is completely free, open source and available not only for Windoze, but also for Mac and Linux. It also provides at least 90% of the functions of other software, for no cost at all. It's available at: http://audacity.sourceforge.net SCNR 73 (Udo, DL3GN, Deutscher, MWC via DXLD) Udo, It was not intended to be "advertising" of any sort. I have no connection to the company, but know that many DX'ers are still trying to make the conversion from cassette tapes to digital media. Audacity is also a great tool. I personally use Sound Forge 9.0, because it's noise reduction plug in does a great job of cleaning up recordings that are typical of most of my domestic DX catches. Since I use it professionally, cost isn't an issue --- but otherwise it would be an expensive option simply for DXing. 73, (Les Rayburn, director High Noon Film, ibid.) I still use the old Cool Edit Pro 2, which has great Noise reduction and hiss/notch filters. Its aging a bit now but is still what I use to convert the old cassette tapes onto disk. It converts wav to mp3 etc. I also use Total Recorder and Audacity at times. Dave (David Onley, Rijswijk ZH The Netherlands, ibid.) I'm a routine user of Total Recorder which I find reliable & convenient. I also have Audacity loaded on the Pc but have not got past experimenting with it. Has anyone else noticed subtle yet audible degradation of noisy DX signals, when recorded in mp3 format. Sometimes when I'm listening live to Dx and I'm also recoding via TR, I can make out words first time through live that that later I struggle with on repeated listening when I play back TR. I generally use Mpeg 3 - 16kbit/s mono at 11025Hz sampling which should be OK I think. I suspect mp3 was never optimised for poor signal to noise ratio audio. 73s (Steve Whitt, UK, ibid.) Steve, Yes, I have noticed a degradation of very weak DX signals (particularly those that are at the receiver noise level) when using the mpeg settings you use. Is it the mp3 algorithm or simply the settings that result in this degradation? I use 16 kb/s mono and 11025 Hz sampling because it results in file sizes I'm comfortable with, but these may not be the optimum for weak/noisy signals. I also use TotalRecorder, which fits my needs very well. I've been meaning to experiment with alternative settings to see if they improve matters, but haven't found the time yet. Anyone else experimented? 73s (Martin A. Hall, Clashmore, Scotland. NRD-545, RPA-1 preamp, beverages: 513m at 240 degrees, unterminated; 475m at 265 degrees, terminated; 506m at 290 degrees, terminated, 550m at 340 degrees, terminated. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clashmoreradio/ ibid.) Steve, Absolutely - mp3 was optimised for music recording. Lossy compression systems, such as mp3, are particularly bad at handling random signals and sudden peaks. So, for example, applause often records very badly in mp3 and, for the same reason, so does radio noise. The other big problem with using mp3 (or other lossy systems) is the cascade effect which results from multiple re-compression of the same material. Even basic operations such as editing a short clip out of a longer recording or applying a filter to extract more detail from the voice will degrade the quality if you then want to save the modified file. I never use mp3 for DX recordings, only uncompressed WAV and AIFF. If file size is a problem, there are lossless codecs such as FLAC which can reduce this without degrading the sound. I don't often need to use a recorder program because my Winradio G313 has a recorder built in (it produces wav files). When I do need a standalone recorder, I generally use Audio Hijack Pro on my Mac. For subsequent editing or processing I tend to use Bias Peak LE, also on the Mac. I do agree with the positive comments about Audacity, it delivers a lot for a free program and Cool Edit Pro is an all-time great (now renamed Adobe Audition - still excellent but more expensive). Best regards, (Jack Weber, ibid.) Interesting discussion ! I'm very interesting to receive some comments on my recordings. I use my IRiver IFP-895 recorder. After recording I get two files: one mp3 and one REC file, both are the same size. With Cooledit 2000 I can convert the files to wav files with are much much bigger in size. This wav file really has the wav extension. However I always understood that it is impossible to convert mp3 to wav, because mp3 is compressed and is missing information. So, what is the file I get after converting? Is it still mp3 or I it really wav? 73 (Max van Arnhem, Netherlands, ibid.) VOICES FROM TECHNOLOGY’S PAST By Bill Husted | Friday, May 25, 2007, 07:14 AM The Atlanta Journal- Constitution I’ve been hearing voices for years. Strange music, too. While that bothers my wife, I can’t imagine a world without those voices. Sometimes the voices are clear, but my favorite times are when they are faint whispers that fade in and out of the static from the old shortwave receiver in my home office. Radio broadcasting is an analog technology in a digital world; yet each time I write about it, I hear from readers who find it either reawakens an old interest in shortwave listening, or creates a new one. Stay tuned and I’ll tell you why. Maybe it’s because we’re dealing with magic here. Being completely practical about shortwave radio is as silly as being practical about golf or fishing. But for those who want practical benefits, shortwave broadcasting has some. It offers a broader perspective on the world than any TV program or newspaper. Shortwave lets you pull up a chair and listen for as long as you’d like to the news, the music and the popular programs of other lands. There’s something about hearing the voices that helps a person understand. There’s also no better way to refresh language skills than listening to native speakers. But the people who eventually find themselves pulled into the static end up staying because of the magic. It’s very much like fishing; you never quite know what you’ll pull in. So how do you sample this hobby? http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/technobuddy/entries/2007/05/25/ive_been_hearing_voices_for.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ONE HOUR WARNING ON RADIATION STORMS A scientist using the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has found a way to forecast solar radiation storms. The new method offers as much as one hour advance warning, giving astronauts time to seek shelter and ground controllers time to safeguard their satellites when a storm is approaching. The full story is available at: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/25may_costep.htm?list181860 (Mark Coady, Editor, Your Reports/Listening In Magazine, Co-Moderator, ODXA Yahoogroup, Ontario DX Association, via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ PALAST EXCLUSIVE: THE GOODS ON GOODLING AND THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM AND THE NO LONGER 'MISSING' ROVE EMAILS REVEALING THE CAGEY SCHEME TO STEAL 2008... *** Special to The BRAD BLOG by Greg Palast BLOGGED BY Greg Palast ON 5/24/2007 12:20AM This Monica revealed something hotter --- much hotter --- than a stained blue dress. In her opening testimony yesterday before the House Judiciary Committee, Monica Goodling, the blonde-ling underling to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Department of Justice Liaison to the White House, dropped The Big One....And the Committee members didn't even know it. Goodling testified that Gonzales' Chief of Staff, Kyle Sampson, perjured himself, lying to the committee in earlier testimony. The lie: Sampson denied Monica had told him about Tim Griffin's "involvement in 'caging' voters" in 2004. . . [MUCH MORE] http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4594 (via Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) BBC broke the story; US media and Congress ignored it (gh, DXLD) ###