DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-082, July 14, 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 1366: ** tentative 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 [reconfirmed June 25] 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 ** AFGHANISTAN. Re 7-081: That station is possibly Radio Sedaye Solh, Jabul Saraj, 96.7 MHz FM. Listed in WRTH 2007 page 82 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DXLD) Somewhat more charitably, I remark that maybe the reason there are so many different Radios `Peace` in Afghanistan, is a thirst for that all too rare situation (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ALASKA. HAARP: Google Earth imagery: 62 23 32.10 N, 145 08 57.17 W http://www.alaska-info.de/a-z/haarp/alaska_haarp1.html (BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana July 12, 2007 0145 UT. 6120, S9 +49.9 dB slight QRM from Italian broadcast on 6110. 7425, S9 +36.5 dB slight QRM from VOA broadcasting in English on 7430. Clean, clear modulation on both frequencies. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unlike when I checked (gh) ** ALBANIA. 13720, 2002-, Radio Tirana, Jun 22. Very good reception, although somewhat weak modulation in English with local Albanian news. Interesting that 7465 is also in English, although much weaker, but seemingly not in // (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is the first of a series of DX reports during my recent travels in Europe. From Vancouver, my first stop was Stansted, UK near London where I spent a wonderful night at a small B&B and dx'd using my small Kaito 1103 portable and its provided random wire antenna. Interesting recordings were saved to my Edirol R-09 mp3 recorder via stereo cable. Subsequent reports will be added from Gdynia, Poland (on the Baltic Sea) and then from various sites in Ukraine during the period from June 22 to July 11, 2007. Compared to the west coast of North America there are vastly more stations to monitor! I was expecting to hear a lot more DRM hash, but this didn't seem to be the case (or perhaps I wasn't looking for it). (Walt Salmaniw, now safely home in Victoria, BC, July 13, dxldyg via DXLD) Most of his items are below, but a few more are in his full report in the yg (gh) ** ANTARCTICA. Hey Glenn, LRA36 back in the air from 1900 UT, on 15476. Typical music and info. Good, best LW 25m. Rx NRD 545. Gr (Maurits from Belgium Driessche, July 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA36, 15476, kon ik volgen tot einde uitzending 2103 UT (Maurits, July 13, BDX via DXLD) But never on weekends (gh) ** ARGENTINA. RAE, 9+30 dB + op 15344.10 kHz, best LSB, 2105 UT in German (Maurits van Driessche, Belgium, July 13, BDX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Re 7-077: ``11660, RA via Brandon, 2125 6/24/07. Public affairs program was S4 // weaker 11650. Waltzing Matilda at 2158 on 11650. Both stations much stronger on 6/27/07 during same time period (Jerry Strawman, IA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) What is your source that 11660 is Brandon? My source says both are Shepparton 100 kW at 2000-2200, 11650 being 30 degrees, 11660 at 70 degrees, much like the 9590/9580 pair in our mornings, respectively (gh, DXLD)`` Looking over the RA Operational Schedule for A-07 which Chris Hambly sent me, the answer may be that it is 9660, not 11660, which is via Brandon at this hour; including BBC relay at 22-23 // 12080. Brandon shown as still having only the two 10 kW transmitters, and tho there is a color code for DRM (looks like noise!), none is on the bars for Brandon or Shepparton on this map. This version for the beginning of A-07 was updated as of 14 January 2007 so not including subsequent changes. Shepparton is shown as having six 100 kW transmitters, designated A thru F, plus TX7, rather than G, which is ``as required`` apparently on standby, but only with a 30-degree antenna, and looks as if it matches the schedule on F, 15240-9590-9710-11650-15230, the all- English service to the Pacific (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. ORF TO KEEP SHORTWAVE FOR NOW The budget for ORF's radio services in 2008 will be cut by 2.5 million Euro. An ORF spokesperson denied rumours about 1.5 million Euro of these savings to be made by stopping the shortwave transmissions of Ö1 International: "This is not a plan of the management at present." Otherwise each ORF regional studio will have to save 260,000 Euro, TV news 6 million Euro, TV entertainment 7 million Euro. http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=2955705 Controversial opinions about continuing shortwave in the reader comments. ORF almost never uses the long form of its abbr., but to satisfy the demand for it given in any item at least once: Österreichischer Rundfunk (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 7185, 1745-, Voice of Islam, Jun 22. A presumed logging, at only very weak level. During my entire stay, I never did hear them at anything but a poor level (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. 7390, 2018-, Radio Belarus, Jun 22. Another station I follow with interest. Before 2000 they're in German, but switch to English between 2000 and 2200. 7390 is the best frequency at good to very good levels, whereas 250 kw 7105 was heard at good level, and 7440 only at poor to fair levels. Russian at 2209 on 7390 at excellent level. 11930, 0405-, First Channel of National Belarussian Radio, Jun 23. A consistently, but infrequently reported summer frequency often well heard at this time in North America as well. Very good reception with ID at this time, and then into pop music (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS [non]. LITHUANIA/BELARUS Cross-border broadcasting to Belarus. FYI please find below the current Belarus broadcasting schedules of Radio Baltic Waves (RBW) and Radio Baltic Waves International (RBWI). All times in EET (= Vilnius and Minsk time, UT +3 hrs, in winter - one hour later). Medium wave (AM) 612 kHz, 100 kW, Vilnius 0600-0800 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarusian 0800-0900 European Radio for Belarus, Belarusian 0900-1000 Radio Racija, Belarusian 1800-2400 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarusian 0000-0100 Polish Radio, Belarusian Medium wave (AM) 666 kHz, 500 kW, Kaunas 2000-2200 Radio Racija, Belarusian Medium wave (AM) 1557 kHz, 150 kW, Kaunas 1900-2000 Polish Radio, Polish 2000-2100 Polish Radio, Belarusian Short wave (HF) 6225 kHz, 100 kW, Kaunas 1830-2030 Radio Racija, Belarusian TOTAL: 17 program hours/day, 2600 transmitter/kW/hours/day. Status: July 10, 2007 (Rimantas Pleikys, Lithuania, via Dr. Hansjoerg Biener, Germany, July 10, BC-DX July 13 via DXLD)) ** BOLIVIA. 4556.94, Radio Paitití, Guayaramerín Depto. *1046 on with weak audio. Tnx previous log by Rogildo F. Aragão 4600.044, Mystery station with weak audio 1040. Honduran harmonic per Hans Johnson logs in Florida [months ago?]? Is the Bolivian on the air? 4650.26, Radio Santa Ana, Santa Ana de Yacuma. *1040 Weak audio with CODAR on top of signal! 4690.93, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, 1015 OM en español, very clear and strong signal with no hash interference. The cleanest signal since move to this new frequency for R S M - ex 4900v- 4690.3, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, poor signal is hash. On the air, at tune in at 1000. 4690.80, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, continues to drift. There at 0950 tune in with good signal. 4717.19, Bolivia R. Yura, Yura, *1017- 1020 with music, fair signal 4717.6, Radio Yura, Yura *1023 with immediate Flauta Andina 4717.63, Radio Yura, Yura 0152 on the air 4732., Radio Universitaria, Cobija, Pando, *1025-1035 with excellent signal, OM with ID, pop music 4732., Radio Universitaria, Cobija, Pando 0140 to 0203; RTTY pattern seemed on for about 2 minutes then off for a minute, A series of "RYRYRYRYRY" at the end of each RTTY period. Standard music oldies noted during RTTY break. At 0203 YL mentioned "5 6 sesenta..." First time noted the station audio dominating the RTTY 4732., Radio Universitaria, Cobija, Pando *1045 late sign on with music [dates missing, but apparently different] 4763.23, Radio Chicha, Tocla seemingly the CP 1032 to 1040, weak signal, some OM en español --- excellent Bolivian Morning. First time noted in months. 4763.23, Radio Chicha, Tocla, Sign on about 1046 weak, some audio, fading out 4796.33, Radio Mallku, Uyuni, *1015 with music and YL 4796.40, Radio Mallku, Uyuni *1015 carrier on with no audio; program there five minutes later. [no dates, apparently different] 5967.78, Radio Nacional de Huanuni, Huanuni 1015 to 1020, badly squeezed by adjacent power houses 11 July and 10 July - Nothing on 13 July 6105.47, Radio Panamericana, La Paz, *1035 sign on with excellent signal (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, Japan Premium July 13 via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. UK, 7235, 2040-, Radio Canada International, Jun 22. RCI's The Link program with a very interesting article on the UN at very good level (from Skelton). // 5850 Hörby, Sweden is good, but seemingly with some DRM hash, while 15325 direct from Sackville was the best heard at excellent levels. Incidentally, 9800 direct from Sackville in DRM was very strong at 2102, but I wasn't able to demodulate it (no receiver capability) (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9800 is 70 kW at 268 degrees, not for Europe (gh) ** CANADA. Re 7-081: Radio Shalom's website lists Kol Israel English news at 7:00 AM ET (I would guess, the news originally broadcast 1.5 hours earlier) http://www.radio-shalom.ca/programme07.htm (Doni Rosenzweig, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CJRS ** CANADA. HD Radio trials report: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** CHINA. According to monitoring in the Vladivostok region, CRI Russian is no longer aired on 1116. Instead Russian is heard on 1323, obviously from a site in NE China, co-channel with the CRI and VOR Korean services from Huadian, Jilin, 100 kW (via Mauno Ritola, Alan Davies, ARC Information Desk 9 July via Olle Alm, DXLD) By co-channel do you mean two different transmissions at the same time now on 1323 from the same site? I recall that this was axually done intentionally on some MW frequency over there using highly direxional antennas (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 6009.45, La Voz de Tu Conciencia (Puerto Lleras), 0455­ 0530, 7/12/07, in Spanish. Man with long talk through ToH with occasional mention of Colombia, 0522 ID, light vocal. Poor; (Probable) 0522­0536, 7/13/07. Man with animated talk (? preaching), 0536 musical bridge, announcement (couldn`t tell if it was an ID), back to same man with same kind of talk. Used ECSS LSB on R75 to avoid R. Mil (6010). Poor; 7/14/07, 0607­0731. Same man as last two nights, 0622 vocal, 0626 back to talk, 0657 instrumental music through ToH, orchestral music, 0709 "La Voz de tu Conciencia, Puerto Lleras, Colombia", vocal, 0722 ID over music, man with religious talk (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, Icom R75, Etón E1; Evesdropper, 110' random wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also MEXICO ** COLOMBIA. LV de Tu Conciencia: Since January we have had a flurry of death threats. The value of the US dollar has fallen by 30 per cent. Several of our key sponsors have been unable to continue their support. Right now we have 6000 Galcom solar radios (worth $25 each) stuck in Miami because we do not have anyone to sponsor the transportation and importation of these radios into Colombia (it costs $1.25 to get them from Miami to Colombia and then another $1.25 per radio to deploy them within Colombia by parachute or other means into the hands of desperate, needy people in the vast war zone). So we need $15,000 dollars to be able to import and deploy these 6000 radios which someone already paid close to $150,000 dollars to donate to us! We have lost our sponsor who was donating $5000 dollars a month for aircraft operating expenses. We have also lost the sponsor who was paying $1000 a month to hire an excellent Colombian mountain pilot to help reduce my work load. New government regulations require us to buy expensive equipment and to hire a professional laboratory to certify that none of our transmitters are emitting harmful radiation to people that live nearby. After all the miracles that have happened for us to have the use of these frequencies (no Christian group has ever had short wave frequencies in the history of Colombia) plus all the cost of the Galcom radios which have been donated and deployed it would really be sad if we have to shut down one of these stations, or even worse, if we lose our government licenses because we are unable to financially comply with all the new regulations. Short term obligations are starting to accumulate. Tax deductible donations may be sent via: Pan America Mission Inc., P. O. Box 429, Newberg, OR, USA, 97132-0429; or Colombia Para Cristo Society, 12629 248th St., Maple Ridge, BC, Canada V4R 1K4 (Russ Stendal in "Colombia Para Cristo" newsletter via Jerry Berg, DX-plorer via DXLD) ** CYPRUS. 5930, 2215-, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, Jun 22. Very good reception in Greek with their weekend service to the UK. // 7210 is good with some cochannel interference, while listed 9760 was not heard (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. 13680, 0507-, RFI, Jun 23. Excellent reception in French, so the listed English half-hour must be Monday to Friday only. // 15160 at good level (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. Emisora Afropop en 17660 --- Hola: Estoy escuchando la emisora Afropop en 17660 de las 1320 UT en adelante y me está sorprendiendo mucho que el tipo de música que está saliendo hoy corresponde a una música melódica tipo telepredicadores para África. Tal vez sea un capricho del tipo que se encarga de preparar la grabación, o bien un cambio del que paga las horas de emisión; ya se verá. Saludos (Tomás Méndez, Spain, July 13, playdx yg via DXLD) Surprised by a change in type of music on this transmission to something resembling that used by preachers for Africa (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Open Door Day DWL Bonn, August 19, 2007. Offene Tuer bei DWelle. Eine Vielzahl von Bonner Institutionen, Unternehmen und Organisationen oeffnet am 19. August 2007 ihre Pforten fuer interessierte Besucher. Die Stadt Bonn laedt ein zum "Tag der offenen Tuer" im ehemaligen Regierungsviertel. Interessenten sollten sich Sonntag, den 19. August (10-18 Uhr MESZ), vormerken. Auch die Deutsche Welle beteiligt sich daran, u.a. mit Funkhaus-Fuehrungen, einem Musikprogramm und einem reichhaltigen Angebot im DW-Casino. [...] So, hier noch etwas konkreter (aus der Bonn-Broschuere): Achtung: Fuehrung nur nach vorheriger Anmeldung (s.u.) Deutsche Welle (DW) Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse 3 Bahn: 16 / 63 / 66 Haltestelle: Heussallee / Museumsmeile Bus 610 Deutsche Welle Mit rund 1500 Mitarbeitern und Mitarbeiterinnen aus ueber 60 Nationen erreicht die DW mehr als 90 Millionen Zuhoerer und Zuschauer in aller Welt. DW-RADIO sendet in 30 Sprachen, DW-TV auf Deutsch, Englisch, Spanisch und Arabisch und DW-WORLD.DE informiert ueber ein 30- sprachiges Internet-Angebot. Die DW-AKADEMIE schult Journalisten und Rundfunkfachkraefte aus aller Welt. http://www.dw-world.de Programm: - von 10.30 bis 16.30 Uhr Fuehrungen mit begrenzter Teilnehmerzahl. Telefonische Anmeldung (maximal vier Personen) am 13. August 2007 von 10 bis 16 Uhr unter (02 28) 4 29 - 24 99 - Hoerfunk live auf der Studiobuehne: Aus Bonn in alle Welt - Programmmacher berichten - Musikalische Weltreise mit dem DW-Chor - Nicolas Simion - Balkanjazz - Gastronomie im DW-Casino- Letzter Einlass: 17 Uhr (DWL via Harald Kuhl-D, A-DX July 10, via BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) ** GHANA. Not news, but good to have the position confirmed. A friend of mine has been visiting West Africa. He is not a DXer or technically-minded, but in Accra earlier this week he met officials at the GBC who confirmed that the SW transmitter 4915 is still off the air, though they do plan to bring it back (Chris Greenway, England, July 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. 880, KHNR, HI Honolulu. 6/24 2120 [EDT]. After on-and-off testing at full power and low power, relaying sister Salem stations KHNR-FM and KGU 760 (and even competitors KHVH 830 and KKEA 1420), now at full strength relaying KHNR-FM with Glenn Beck on CNN Headline News audio (9 seconds behind TV). ToH ID “Hawaii’s FM Talk, KHNR AM-FM, Where Your Opinion Counts.” Apparently on regular schedule now. KHNR used to be on 870, and before that 650. KHNR now shares a tower with sister stations KHCM 690 and KGU, as well as KWAI 1080 and KZOO 1210. 1460, KHRA, HI Honolulu. 6/19 0123 [EDT]. Noted back on air for the first time since the earthquake related blackout of 10/15 with what sounded like Korean Christian AC music. Later tuned in at 0257 to hear light pop music, and at 0305 Korean non-ID “...shib-sa yook-shib (14- 60) kilo-huhtsu, Hawaii Lah-dyo Bahngsong”; no English ID heard. Later on one night I even heard ‘70s soul music! Per phone call 6/20 to former owner Joongang Ilbo (Korea Central), station was sold and it is no longer involved with the station despite what the FCC database says. Per station’s new website http://www.hawaiiradiobc.com new owner publishes the Koreana newspaper (and the station still doesn’t give an English ID). (Dale Park, HI, Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News July 16 via DXLD) 1460, HAWAII, KHRA, Honolulu, JUN 21, 0555 [UT] - Noted back on the air, format still Korean, appears at least partly religious. 0559 ID, “KHRA nida,” 0600 time signal of four equal tones, “1460 kilohertz Hawaii Radio Pangsong nida.” No English ID noted. Very good but KION strong through it. Last active the day of the October ‘06 earthquake (Richard E. Wood, Keaau BIHI, International DX Digest, NRC DX News July 16 via DXLD) ** ICELAND. 12115, 1755-, Rikisutvarpid, Jun 22. Tone at 1756 and then into a immediate talk in Icelandic at fair to good level, but with their terrible less than phone quality audio feed (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now kaput ** INDIA. CENTRE PLANS TO SPLIT UP AILING PRASAR BHARATI [Broadcasting Corp. of India, encompassing All India Radio, Doordarshan TV --- gh] 13 Jul, 2007, 0049 hrs IST, Meenakshi Verma & Joji Thomas Philip, TNN http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Media__Entertainment_/Centre_plans_to_split_up_ailing_Prasar_Bharati/articleshow/2199151.cms NEW DELHI: Loss-Making public sector broadcaster Prasar Bharati could lose its identity, if a proposal under consideration gets implemented. The proposal is to split Prasar Bharati into two corporations - an Asset Corporation, to hold all assets, and a Programming and Broadcasting Corporation to oversee programming and other operations. The PBC would also get the lion's share of government-sponsored ads, including a fifth of the budget for print ads, according to the proposal. The government is of the view that if this restructuring proposal is implemented, it will not only help revive the PSU, but also make it competitive with regard to private broadcasters. Prasar Bharati accumulated about Rs 4,000 crore loss over the past five years. The proposal will be examined by the group of ministers set up to examine various issues pertaining to Prasar Bharati, which has not met once since it was set up on March 7, 2006. As per the plan, the AC will maintain all assets, upgrade them and lease them out to any player, including private broadcasters, while the PBC will run on a commercial basis. The PBC will also perform the role of a public broadcaster, where the government will continue to fund the production of content. The PBC will also be compensated by the government for airing public service broadcasts in the form of a broadcasting service fee. At the same time, the government may also mandate that 70% of all central government ads are reserved for PBC to improve its financial status. Other proposals to improve PBC's profitability include diverting 20% of the government's print advertising budget to Doordarshan and All India Radio and introducing a mandatory provision to ensure that a minimum of 10% funds is released by the Centre to state governments to promote centrally-sponsored schemes, earmarked for the PBC. The GoM, which will take a final call on the proposal, consists of nine ministers including minister of home affairs Shivraj Patil, urban development minister Jaipal Reddy, finance minister P Chidambaram, communications and IT minister A Raja, I&B minister P R Dasmunsi and company affairs minister Prem Chand Gupta. Listing the advantages of this model, the I&B has said that AC will act as the guardian of all assets of both AIR and DD and also put safeguards in place for protecting them. This assumes importance since of the 1,371 properties held by DD and AIR , no land records or details are available for 567 places (via Mukesh Kumar, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 2960.05 noticeably drifting to 2959.92 - threshold audio, 1000 to 1030 [RPDT2 Manggarai ?] on 11 July. 3987, RRI Manokwari. Tune in 1103 YL news?, into music 1110. Strong signal (Robert Wilkner, FL, DXplorer Jul 11 via BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. WEB DJS SILENCED BY ROYALTY FEES --- SMALL INTERNET STATIONS SHUT DOWN AS A RULING RAISES CHARGES FOR SONGS. By Jim Puzzanghera, Times Staff Writer July 12, 2007 - Judges clear way for higher Internet radio royalties WASHINGTON — Every day was Christmas for Michael Clark, but now the holiday's over. From the attic of his condo in Woodbridge, Va., the 38-year-old Web developer ran an Internet radio station that spun his beloved Christmas carols all year long. Then in March, a panel of federal judges sharply increased the royalty charges for playing music online. Since then, it's been one long, silent night for Clark and his hundreds of listeners at christmasmusic247.com. His site and hundreds of other free Internet radio stations already have shut down. Most others say they will stop when the rates kick in Sunday. . . http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/business/la-fi-radio12jul12,1,2601079.story?coll=la-headlines-business-enter&ctrack=5&cset=true (LA Times via DXLD) SHAKEN INTERNET RADIO STATIONS FACE SPECTER OF NEW FEES SUNDAY By Kendra Marr, Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, July 13, 2007; Page D03 Sunday will be a day of reckoning for Internet radio stations. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071202169.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071202169_pf.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Re: Court Won't Block Web Radio Fee Hike --- Fearless predictions: 1) Terrestrial broadcast radio will be the next target for audiences seeking performance fees; that's where the big money will be compared to internet radio. 2) Radio --- internet, satellite, and terrestrial --- will eventually start developing and launching their own artists in response to performance fees. 3) Musicians are going to screw themselves asking for performance fees. They are, in effect, asking radio to pay for the privilege of giving them free promotion and publicity. It's dumb, counterproductive, and some of these artists are going to learn the hard way that when you're not on some form of radio you might as well be dead. But the music industry has far more than its fair share of idiots --- witness last week's bloated egofest known as "Live Earth" --- so I guess this is par for the course. (BTW, did you know NBC's prime time highlights of Live Earth drew fewer viewers in the USA than a soccer match between Argentina and Peru on Univisión at the same time? 'Tis the truth. . . . ) (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://topsecrettourism.com ABDX via DXLD) I'm not gonna rant, but that somehow seems to be the message that no one is hearing. If you are an artist and you want to try to make it, you WANT radio stations to play your music. You would want even INTERNET radio stations to play your songs. I have several CDs at the station right now from local / semi-local artists who GAVE them to us because they want us to PLAY them. Now isn't that how it all started? Yeah yeah yeah you could spit ipods and satellite radio into the argument but leave it alone for the moment when I say this... "these artists wouldn't EXIST without the help of radio!!" It really makes me VERY angry that these companies are so GD**** greeedy that they want US to pay THEM for the privilege of playing their artists records. BS!! Total BS and GREED!!! THAT my friends is bad enough and if it weren't greedy enough, NOW they are going after internet stations --- who AGAIN are HELPING to make these artists become more popular and DEMANDING that they get paid for the privilege of playing their songs. Now how well do you think it would go over if some new artist was on Letterman or the TV news and actually said "You think I'm good? WELL! You're gonna have to PAY if you want to play my music. Otherwise I won't LET you play my music." Now doesn't that sound pretty effin SNOOTY and CONCEITED and EGOTISTICAL???? What the EFF has happened? GREED AND THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR...THAT'S what. Good thing I said I wasn't gonna rant, huh (Michael n Wyo Richard, KEVA, ibid.) Internet Radio --- Safe for now ??? From Rolling Stone. The last paragraph makes me feel like all the hard work many have done "may" have made a difference. Regardless of what happens, Interent Stations WILL pay more, but at least most will survive. Depending on the "good faith" negotiations from Sound Exchange. Oh boy (Juan Gualda, Ft. Pierce, FL, ABDX via DXLD) Viz.: This Sunday, exorbitant new royalty rates for Internet radio outlets like Pandora and Yahoo are set to go into effect, a change that, many webcasters say, will force them out of business. Despite the industry's Day of Silence protest and outpourings of support from the public and members of Congress – some of whom proposed the Internet Radio Equality Act, which would set the royalty rate at the same level currently paid by satellite radio (about 7.5 percent of revenue) until 2010 – the US District Court of Appeals denied an emergency stay petition that would have given the stations more time to negotiate a settlement. It looked the music industry was continuing a long tradition of self- sabotage: In an effort to win higher royalties for artists, they would shut down a budding industry that has sparked interest from consumers and become a vital method of discovering new music. But late yesterday, Jon Simson, director of SoundExchange – the label- affiliated organization responsible for setting royalty rates – told Congress that the group would not enforce the new royalty rates and would continue to work on negotiating new rates with the Digital Media Association (DiMA), who are acting on behalf of webcasters. "This is definitely a step in the right direction," Pandora founder Tim Westergren, told us this morning. "At this point, provided there's good-faith negotiations, they're not going to go after people." According to insiders, negotiations are already making progress – the per-channel minimums that would have cost webcasters more a $1 billion a year are off the table – and it looks like, fingers crossed, this whole crisis could be averted before Pandora, Soma, WOXY or any other awesome web outlets are forced to shut down. Three cheers for those in the record industry who might've peeked their heads out of their asses on this one, to the webcasters for sparking a loud protest movement and, most of all, to Internet radio listeners for making their voices heard. "One million people called, faxed or emailed Congress since our Day of Silence," says Westergren. "That's what happened here: Public outcry equals Congressional pressure equals intervention." -- Evan Serpick (via Juan Gualda, ABDX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. IRAN'S PRESS TV TO GIVE ALTERNATIVE VIEW The 24-hour satellite news channel will compete with Western outlets to counter what Tehran sees as propaganda. By Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi, Special to The Times, July 13, 2007 TEHRAN — Host Susan Modaress is trying to get London correspondent Roshan Mohammed Saleh on the satellite link to talk about the tasks ahead for Britain's new prime minister, Gordon Brown. "Hello, London?" says the host of the show "Four Corners" on Iran's new English-language news channel, Press TV. "Can you hear me, London?" Silence and darkness gape back. She quickly moves on, trying to reach Tony Benn, a former member of Parliament with Brown's Labor Party. He's also not on the line. And neither is Robert Ayers, of the British think-tank Chatham House. But Modaress doesn't lose her cool. "OK," she says in near flawless American-accented English. "We're having some technical problems. Let's take a break." In fits and starts, Iran this month entered the business of providing 24-hour English-language satellite television news programming, competing in a field that includes BBC World, CNN International, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Al Jazeera International and France 24 [. . . more. . .] But observers have found themselves more frustrated by the station's irksome programming missteps than its politics. "First impression is that it is not as slanted as one might expect," said Glenn Hauser, editor of Review of International Broadcasting, an online newsletter. However, "the news headline crawlers are too repetitive. The promos are too repetitive. The upcoming documentaries look interesting, if only we knew when to expect them." Overall, initial reviews for Press TV in Iran and abroad were positive, but perhaps not what its founders had in mind. Hauser said his favorite segments were the colorful animations of battle scenes, using famous medieval Persian miniatures from various Tehran museums, that fill the time between segments. . . http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-presstv13jul13,1,3696911,full.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=5&cset=true (Los Angeles Times via DXLD) GH / don`t know how I missed the launch of PRESS TV, the new all- English news channel from Teheran, which is to be an alternative in regard to news & viewpoints presented by channels emanating from the West / don`t know exactly when the channel came up, tho there it was in Mike Kohl`s listings of 10 May --- just failed to note it --- but was not aware of it until I heard a report about it on CNN the other day / as with the Aljazeera English channel, no cable system will have any part of it, the report indicating PRESS w`d be available in the US only via Internet & pay DBS (don`t know if the latter is true) but was FTA [free to air] availability mentioned? --- OF COURSE NOT / PRESS is radiated worldwide from 10 satellites, two of which have footprints for North America: Galaxy 25 ku (97 deg. W) & Hispasat 1C ku (30 deg. W) / since the channel is on a `bouquet` I`d already programmed into the rx, I easily added it by just changing the PIDs on an encrypted channel in that bouquet (12053/22.000 V) – receiving on G 25 / There have been some glitches --- esp. on a review of the week`s news being anchored form London this morning (7/7), but the videography/ graphics etc. are first rate / a lot of promos for upcoming programs, one I`m looking forward to being `America at War` / yesterday there was a documentary that I`d previously seen on that subversive FREE SPEECH TV / The channel is an operation of Iranian State Television (unlike AJ, which is financed by private capital) / right now on the screen is a `PTV EXCLUSIVE` in regard to the situation in Pakistan / oops! --- can`t use PTV as abvr. For PRESS / is ID for Pakistan TV / Station on air personnel appear to be Iranian (excellent English speakers) & recruits form the English speaking West (all women, of course, in the required garb) --- the US/Washington correspondent is Mike Kellerman / What about the name `PRESS`? --- has multiple meanings / a kind of inclusive name for any form of news media? / one of the dictionary dfs: `to influence powerfully or irresistibly` (as in propaganda?) / or is it an abbreviation for something? So PRESS TV can be added to BBC WORLD, CNN INTERNATIONAL, AL JAZEERA & RUSSIA TODAY as all English continuous news channels: of course there are a number of others that are primarily, but not exclusively, news channels, e.g., DW TV, CCTV 9, etc. / TELE SUR is the all Spanish news channel for Latin America / VOA TV is, of course, a world-wide player in the `news & information` dissemination game, then to make certain elements in this country feel good the US govt/ puts up such channels as TV MARTI (saw some sort of satire the other day with a Fidel look- alike) / Marti TV & Radio on the Hisp/ sat / PRESS TV has a bit of a way to go operationally to match BBC WORLD & AL JAZEERA but bear watching / Brief features on Persian art of the Middle Ages between some PRESS TV programs / `Iraq a blood basin for both Iraqis & American troops` /PRESS News 7/7/07 To receive NPR & BBCWS programming WVGN-FM (St. Johns, TI) use Sirius Radio / There is Hungarian radio – Kossuth Radio – on T 25 / Radio Damascus on T 25 --- excellent audio / There is a Lexington, KY TV station on satellite – CONUS beam: WBLU-LP / actually it`s part of a `bouquet` of mostly (or all) LP stations being radiated from the G10 (Ku) & G3-C (C) satellites / except for a couple of ABC stations & another feed that is mostly carrying CBS programming --- can be interrupted for special feeds --- the stations are RTN/MY TV affiliates or Univision affiliates / WBLU is a strange operation: have no local studio; carry no local ads / removed their equipment from their local studio in the middle of the night; evidently nothing here but a downlink & transmitter, all of these stations being uplinked from a central location; visited their studio here a couple of times when they had one / one man operation / if a movie was needed for the night`s schedule, while a program was playing, he`d run out to Wal-Mart & buy one / had been a UPN affiliate at one time / have a local telephone nr, which I`ve called a couple of times, a recorded voice saying they would call back, but no one ever does / the owner is something called Equity Broadcasting / not on local cable / terrestrial signal varies greatly in signal strength / viewership must be minuscule / RTN (Retro TV Network) --- obviously – features old TV shows (including good ones like ``Mission Impossible``) / run many hours of infomericals (does anyone actually watch these things? --- apparently they keep some TV stations in business) / MY TV provides originally produced programming also carried by full power stations / With so much time to fill on RNW`s English satellite channel, wish they could run a voiced version of `Media Network` / or maybe some recordings of old RNW programs / some Eddie Startz again? (Loren Cox, Jr., almost 79, Lexington KY, July 7, by P-mail, retyped by gh preserving as much LC style as poss / for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. Press TV: see INTERNATIONAL VACUUM; LA Times quotes gh ** IRAN [and non]. 6205, 2018-, VOIRI, Jun 22. Another station that was consistently well heard in Europe. English at very good level in English. // heard: 9925 (fair), 7205 (fair), 6255 (via Sitkunai, Lithuania--good). Listed 9800 not heard (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LITHUANIA, 11515, 0706-, VOIRI, Jun 23. Excellent reception in Italian, via the Sitkunai transmitter. Another very strong station widely heard throughout my stay in Europe (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Israel Radio cutbacks --- Well, I was waiting a couple days to see if there would be any information published in the papers --- but here is the current rumor. As always, negotiations etc. may impact what actually happens. They are talking about foreign language cutbacks as of August 1. Reshet Hei (Israel Radio International) transmissions will be 'severely curtailed', including loss on the hour from 2200-2300 local (currently 1900-2000 UT). This includes the only English broadcast created specifically for external listeners. The other three English broadcasts are relays of the domestic REQA (REKA) network. Also, they say that shortwave is due to end on the 1st of January, 2008. Employee reductions were mentioned in the article I forwarded a couple of days ago (Doni Rosenzweig, July 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CANADA, relays via R. Shalom, CJRS 1650 ** ISRAEL. Re 7-081: IBA CEASES FREE-TO-AIR SATELLITE BROADCASTS TO EUROPE The government must be mis-managing the billions of dollars given to them by America. At 1021 UT today: IBA Channel 33 on the Hotbird satellite has an information card directing viewers to the free to air broadcasts at 11633v transponder 6 on the Amos satellite. See http://www.lyngsat.com/amos.html Kol Israel is not continuing to broadcast on the Hotbird satellite. They have not been for at least two weeks. Kol Israel's audio pid was 1060. See 12207h transponder 75 at http://www.lyngsat.com/hotbird.html IBA Channel 33 has been broadcasting from the Amos satellite for at least a year as has Kol Israel via the Reka network (Harry Brooks, NE England, July 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ISRAEL RADIO INTERNATIONAL HAS ALSO LEFT HOTBIRD SATELLITE David de Jong writes: Besides IBA Channel 33, also Israel Radio International (better known as Kol Israel and also known as Reshet Hey) has also left the Hotbird satellite. The international Israeli radio station was broadcasting there alongside with IBA Reshet Bet which mainly broadcast news and information in Hebrew. As a result the availability of Israel Radio International, which mainly consists broadcasts of the domestic foreign language radio network IBA Reka together with broadcasts from Reshet Bet and some own broadcasts (Reshet Hey), is more restricted. Israel Radio International and Reshet Bet are now only receivable in Europe 24 hours a day on Internet and some hours a day on shortwave. WRN (World Radio Network) however continues broadcasting on satellite 15 minutes of English news (2230 UTC) on WRN English, while the German service WRN Deutsch and the French service WRN Français broadcast daily the Yiddish and French speaking broadcast of Kol Israel on Hotbird. WRN English is also on Astra 2/Eurobird (Sky UK), WRN Deutsch and WRN Français also on Astra 1. Websites: http://www.israelradio.org http://reka.iba.org.il http://bet.iba.org.il Shortwave schedule http://www.iba.org.il/doc/shortwaves.pdf (July 14th, 2007 - 13:29 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** JORDAN. R. Jordan reactivated on 6105 in Arabic to ME/SEAs at 1700- 2200 (WRTH July 12 update via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Address: Furusato no Kaze Headquarters for the Abduction Issue 1-6-1, Nagata-cho, chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8968 Japan Email: info @ rachi.go.jp Tel: +81-3-3522-2300 (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, July 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. According to Mr. Tohru Yamashita of Asian Broadcasting Institute, the first government's shortwave broadcast "Furusato no Kaze" (Wind of Homeland) started transmission at 1600- 1630 in Japanese on 9780 kHz on July 9. The contents were; explanation of the recent Japanese government's action to the North Korean abduction issues, the voices from the families of abducted Japanese citizens. The second transmission in Korean was observed at 1700-1730 on 9820 kHz. The contents were the Korean translations of the first broadcast at 1600-1630. The name of the station was called "Ilpone Palam" (Wind of Japan), which was different from the Japanese transmission. The first broadcast in Japanese was well heard in Tokyo, but the second broadcast in Korean was not so well, probably due to the different direction. The correspondents in Kyushu, Japan, Shengyang, China and Seoul, Korea reported that the Korean broadcast was well heard in their areas. The same programs will be repeated for a week. The broadcast is done by Headquarters of North Korean Abduction issues, Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet (Tokyo 100-8968, Japan, E-mail: info @ rachi.go.jp The programs are produced by Japan Center for Intercultural Communications (Hirakawacho 2-7-7, Chiyoda- ku, Tokyo 102-0093, Japan http://home.jcic.or.jp a government related organization (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, via wwdxc BC-DX July 12 via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 12 July, 1003 UT, 11530 kHz, bubble jamming! E' la prima volta che sento un jamming (presunto) contro Denge Mezopotamya (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. 11990, Radio Kuwait. July 4 at 2032-2100 in English. SINPO 34433, but covered by Iran at 2055. Music program with pops. News in brief at 2052 (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) I`ve yet to get a listenable signal from this (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS [non]. Listened to Hmong Lao Radio at 1325-1335 Sat July 14 on 11785 via WHRI. Impassioned speaker, and judging from the frequent English terms mixed in, about the political situation in Laos and the need for reform, if not revolution, to get rid of the commies. I wonder if it was Vang Pao himself? Certainly qualifies as a clandestine, tho this particular transmission is for the Hmong in Hminnesota and elsewhere in NAm (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Relay this Sunday night 9290 khz. Sunday July 15, Latvia Today 1900-2000 UT, programme about Latvian music. Good listening (Tom Taylor, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6010, Radio Mil (Mexico City), 0518­0536, 7/13/07, in Spanish. Man and woman announcers with light music, 0530 ID & back to music. Used E1`s sync in USB to separate from LV de tu Conciencia on 6009.45. Poor (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, Icom R75, Etón E1; Evesdropper, 110' random wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also COLOMBIA ** MEXICO. 9599.31, R. UNAM, 1313-1420+ July 8. Classical music to 1349, then brief announcement by YL, followed by an operatic aria; ID at 1401 by same YL and announcing 860 kHz; still no references to SW in their announcements. Good signal and frequency stable. Still good at 1515 UTC as I type this. [Later:] 9599.34, R. UNAM. Still listening to this at 1550 UT and it has drifted up to 9599.34 after being stable on 9599.31 for a couple of hours. Still a pretty good signal (John Wilkins, CO, DXplorer July 8 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** MONTENEGRO. Radio Podgorica, RTV Crne Gore has reduced the power to 5 kW and they plan to shut down the 882 transmitter due to shortage of money. That means there will be no AM-transmitter in Montenegro (Svetomir Cuckovic via BE [Bengt Ericsson?] 6.6.2007, ARC Information Desk 9 July via Olle Alm, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. THE BEST NEW PROGRAM ON SHORTWAVE IN MANY YEARS? Radio Netherlands’ “The State We’re In” For years, Jonathan Groubert has been increasingly associated with high-quality, award-winning programming from Radio Netherlands; most recently, he was the host of the weekly EuroQuest magazine show. Several months back, Radio Netherlands announced that EuroQuest would be ending, and Jonathan was in the process of developing a new series for Radio Netherlands. That series debuted at the end of May, and Radio Netherlands has clearly invested a significant portion of its talent to create what is now termed its “flagship” program, “The State We’re In”. No matter how you listen, “The State We’re In” is one of the most interesting new public broadcasting programs created in recent memory; what’s even better is that Radio Netherlands still uses shortwave to get the program to us in North America. Hooray! So, why the hubbub? The program itself is about “…how we treat each other…;” the subtitle for the program is “Human rights, Human wrongs, and what we do about them.” “The State We’re In” is a magazine program; it runs roughly 50 minutes each week, with a series of stories each running 5-10 minutes each; several of the stories surround a common theme. The theme for the June 30th edition of “The State We’re In” is Religion; the theme a week prior was Adoption. One of the reasons “The State We’re In” impresses is that several well-known members of the Radio Netherlands team in addition to Jonathan Groubert participate in each wek’s program. Eric Beauchemin, who produces the majority of Radio Netherlands’ weekly documentaries, takes a look at human rights stories in the news over the past week in one segment; Michelle Ernsting (Sound Fountain) is the program’s editor, Dheera Sujan (Sound Fountain, Vox Humana), Marnie Chesterton (The Research File, Newsline), Marijke van der Meer, Fiona Campbell, Hélène Michaud (A Good Life, Documentaries), Tim Fisher (Euro Hit 40), and Bertine Krol (Dutch Horizons) all are regular contributors. Another interesting name in each week’s credits is Jim Russell. No, you won’t recognize his name from any Radio Netherlands programming; Russell was the creator of the USA public radio program Marketplace, and now provides consulting services to public radio organizations in the area of program creation; he’s credited as a Creative Consultant for “The State We’re In”. I like this program a lot. The first reason is the host: It's clear Jonathan Groubert has done this before -- he has a remarkably relaxed air about him as host and interviewer. He also asks questions they way that one would ask questions of someone in a pub -- as in, "now, wait a minute, why do you believe what you believe?" He has me saying to myself, "that's how I would chat with that person if I were in his shoes..." Hearing people like Eric Beauchemin, Michelle Ernsting, Chris Chambers, and other longtime Radio Netherlands presenters along with Jonathan G., in the same program is impressive, knowing the skill and capabilities all of this team bring to the radio craft. Program subjects are frequently topical from a newsworthy sense – for example, much focus in the program’s first month has been on the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip. While these subjects are broadly relevant, they are simultaneously intimate, using one-on-one interviews and profiles to help paint a highly personal picture of the subject being explored. Two weeks back, Jonathan interviewed a Gaza- born, Gaza-based journalist, who daily risked his life to take video and produce reports for outside broadcasters. Jonathan helped you get to know the individual as well as the overall sense of despair that currently pervades Gaza; this intimate, one-on-one approach reminds me of another personal favorite program, the CBC’s As It Happens. You would think that a program with human rights as its major theme could consistently dreary on a regular basis, but “The State We’re In” regularly mixes in stories that inspire the listener. For example, in the June 16th edition, which had “Press Freedom” as its theme, there was a story about a 24-year-old citizen journalist in rural Darfur, Sudan who publishes a magazine about the local region that is – literally – posted on a tree in the center of town. Others post comments and corrections on the stories she writes; she adds them to the stories she “posts” on the tree. The woman’s initiative, and dedication, are unique given the day-to-day challenge faced by refugees in Darfur. “The State We’re In” airs on shortwave to North America at 1100 Saturdays (11675 kHz), 2000 Saturdays (15315, 17735, 17660 kHz), plus 0000, 0100 and 0400 Sundays, on 9845 kHz (0000, 0100) and 6165 kHz (0400). Additional midweek airings of an edited 30-minute version can be heard 1130 Tuesdays (11675), 0027 and 0127 Wednesdays (9845), plus 0430 (6165). In addition to the shortwave airings, listeners to the World Radio Network in North America via Sirius satellite radio or local rebroadcast can hear the long-version of “The State We’re In” Saturdays 1200 and 2200, plus Sundays 1900; WRN listeners can hear the midweek edition Tuesdays 1230 and 2229. On the Internet, “The State We’re In” can be streamed on-demand and can be downloaded in an MP3 file. A podcast version is also available. Prior editions, so far, can be listened to in their entirety, or can be downloaded by individual story. Radio Netherlands’s English language service is also available 24 hours per day in a live stream; the live stream schedule is shown at http://www.radionetherlands.nl/listeningguide/how_to_listen_namerica and link to the live stream is provided on that page. Radio Netherlands isn’t the only organization behind “The State We’re In”; the Washington, DC-based public radio station WAMU is also shown as a sponsoring organization, though “The State We’re In” doesn’t appear yet on WAMU’s schedule. As one might expect for a newly-launched program, the website for “The State We’re In” offers several opportunities for listener interaction. You can reach the website for “The State We’re In” via the usual Radio Netherlands website http://rnw.nl but the program also has claimed its own domain, http://www.thestatewerein.org The website offers a forum (which wasn’t operating when I recently checked it) and a chance to pose a query or conundrum to Shabnam Ramaswamy, a young Indian woman who has demonstrated Solomon-like justice without benefit of legal training nor official status; her approach is even supported by the local police. Other new Radio Netherlands programming There have been other changes to Radio Netherlands’ programming in addition to the launch of “The State We’re In”. Here’s a rundown of other programming that joined the Radio Netherlands schedule as of the end of March Flatlanders This is a program featuring conversations with people who have a connection with the Netherlands; I outlined this program in the April Easy Listening column. Flatlanders airs on shortwave at 1130 on Thursdays; 0027, 0127 and 0427 on Fridays; 1900 Saturdays, and 0000 Sundays. Echoes This is a weekly 15-minute listener-comment / “mailbag” program, hosted by Mindy Ran. One segment consists of commentary from Perro de Jong. Most of the letters are simply read in the studio; some comments from Yours Truly on “The State We’re In” were aired in the June 23rd edition of the program. Echoes airs to North America Saturdays at 1942, Sundays at 1142 and 2042, plus Mondays at 0042, 0142 and 0442. Arts & Culture This is mostly a mix of art- and culture-focused features that previously aired in either Vox Humana or as a Documentary; shortwave air times to North America include Wednesdays 1130, plus Thursdays 0027, 0127, and 0430. Once each month, a newly-produced series, Radio Books, airs in this timeslot; Radio Books is an eclectic collection of short stories by Dutch and Flemish writers presented for the first time in English translation. Radio Books will become a weekly feature as of the Winter 2007 schedule. Other programs currently on the Radio Netherlands schedule previously discussed here include Network Europe, Research File, Amsterdam Forum, and the daily Newsline current affairs program. All these programs can be heard in Radio Netherlands’s daily shortwave broadcasts targeting North America, as well as via the World Radio Network, live webcast, on-demand streaming, and podcast. As you review this list, you’ll see some familiar programs are no longer aired: Documentaries, A Good Life, Vox Humana, Dutch Horizons, and EuroQuest have all ceased (or possibly just suspended) production. This certainly gives further emphasis to the importance of “The State We’re In” on the Radio Netherlands schedule (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, July NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Hi, all! When I tried to tune in RN this morning on 11675 kHz for its usual 1100 UT transmission from Bonaire, with a tune-in around 1130 UT, there was no signal there. I didn't stay tuned in so I don't know if I just happened to try to tune in during a temporary problem. Were they on earlier or later during the hour? Or was this transmission skipped today (7/13/07)? 73, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 15120, 1749-, Voice of Nigeria, Jun 22. Very good reception in English. When rechecked at 2020, they were no longer on (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Something strange from the bowels of the FCC website: Dr. Wayne G. Walker, P. O. Box 1902, 1010 S. Pine, Suite 100, Ponca City, OK 74601, FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION EXPERIMENTAL RADIO STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT AND LICENSE (Nature of Service) EXPERIMENTAL (Class of Station) XC FX MO (Call Sign) WE2XFZ (File Number) 0029-EX-PL-2007 NAME: OSU-University Multispectral Laboratories, LLC Subject to the provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, subsequent acts, and treaties, and all regulations heretofore or hereafter made by this Commission, and further subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in this license, the licensee hereof is hereby authorized to use and operate the radio transmitting facilities hereinafter described for radio communications in accordance with the program of experimentation described by the licensee in its application for license. Operation: In accordance with Sec. 5.3(b) of the Commission's Rules This authorization effective June 22, 2007 will expire 3:00 A.M. EST July 01, 2009 Station Locations (1) Chilocco (KAY), OK - NL 36-56-14; WL 97-04-17; MOBILE: Chilocco (KAY), OK, within 3 km, centered around NL 36-56-14; WL 97-04-17 (2) Chilocco (KAY), OK - NL 36-56-14; WL 97-04-17; MOBILE: Chilocco (KAY), OK, within 3 km, centered around NL 36-56-14; WL 97-04-17 (3) Flying H (OTERO), NM - NL 33-00-08; WL 105-02-54; MOBILE: Flying H (OTERO), NM, within 5 km, centered around NL 33-00-08; WL 105-02-54 (4) Flying H (OTERO), NM - NL 33-00-08; WL 105-02-54; MOBILE: Flying H (OTERO), NM, within 5 km, centered around NL 33-00-08; WL 105-02-54 Frequency Information Chilocco (KAY), OK Frequency Class Authorized Power Emission Designator 540 kHZ MO 29.99 kW (ERP) 8K00A3E 830 kHZ FX 29.99 kW (ERP) 8K00A3E 1680 kHZ MO 29.99 kW (ERP) 8K00A3E 92.3 MHz MO 5.0118 kW (ERP) 180KF3E 99.1 MHz MO 5.0118 kW (ERP) 180KF3E 107.5 MHz MO 5.0118 kW (ERP) 180KF3E Flying H (OTERO), NM 530 kHZ MO 29.9916 kW (ERP) 8K00A3E 950 kHZ MO 29.9916 kW (ERP) 8K00A3E 1680 kHZ MO 29.9916 kW (ERP) 8K00A3E 88.3 MHz FX 5.0118 kW (ERP) 180KF3E 97.7 MHz MO 5.0118 kW (ERP) 180KF3E 107.3 MHz MO 5.0118 kW (ERP) 180KF3E Special Conditions: (1) In lieu of frequency tolerance, the occupied bandwidth of the emission shall not extend beyond the band limits set forth above. (2) Licensee should be aware that other stations may be licensed on these frequencies and if any interference occurs, the licensee of this authorization will be subject to immediate shut down. (3) Operation is subject to prior coordination with the Society of Broadcast Engineers, Inc. (SBE); ATTN: Executive Director; 9247 North Meridian Street, Suite 305; Indianapolis, IN 46260; telephone, (866) 632-4222; FAX, (317) 846-9120; e-mail, executivedir @ sbe.org; information, http://www.sbe.org (4) This authorization is issued for the express purpose of conducting experimental operations described in the related application and required by U.S. Navy contract N65236-07-D-7878. The use of this radio station in any other manner or for any other purpose will constitute a violation of the privileges herein authorized. Except as subsequently authorized by the Commission, this radio station shall not be operated after the expiration date of the contract designated in the related application and enumerated above. FCC Form 442 --- Attachment explaining test modes OSU-UML is applying for AM/FM, TV, and SW experimental licenses under the following applications: 0029-ex-pl-2007 0062- “ “ 0072- “ “ 0196- “ “ [USSOCOM: US Special Operations Command: http://www.socom.mil/ ] USSOCOM experimental RF testing using these FCC licenses consists of two types of Tests: 1. System Level Integration: - 1 kHz tone or licensed audio for 5-10 minutes - Remote teams are measuring mV strength at 25 miles 2. Operational Tests: - Authorized audio/video material for short periods - Remote teams are measuring fidelity and quality In both cases, operators are in constant contact with remote teams. They are also monitoring for potential interference. During all tests, any reports of interference trigger an immediate cessation of emissions by the government testing operators. These tests are conducted under CFR 47, Part 5, section 5.202 (b) (g) (h) and (k). (FCC via DXLD) Clear as mud, eh? No sign of TV or SW frequency information. Rather odd that the MW frequencies should have powers in ERP. Chilocco, Kay County OK, is N of Ponca City, the last town in OK right on the border with KS on US 77 on the way to Ark City. Flying H, Otero County NM, is a tiny place SW of Roswell and NW of Artesia in the middle of nowhere (not far from Piñón, site of the defunct SW CP KIMF, coincidence?) Who is Wayne G. Walker? Seems a nonentity today in searches, but we found two books by him (or someone with same name) at bookcost.com: Recovering the fumbles and organizing for the future: Xerox integrates R&D into corporate strategy with pioneering research and restructures to become ... -- with lessons for military acquisition Author: Wayne G Walker Release: 1993 Publisher: Rand Technological innovation, corporate R&D alliances and organizational learning (Dissertation / Rand Graduate School) Author: Wayne G Walker Release: 1995 Publisher: Rand Format: Unknown Binding 212 pages List Price: No Retail Price At the OSU website, however the new Multispectral Lab is no secret and the subject of some pride: PONCA CITY APPROVES $2 MILLION FOR NEW OSU SENSOR CENTER New laboratory will provide leading-edge, national sensor work Expressing its confidence in positive economic prospects for Oklahoma State University’s new sensor testing center in Ponca City, the city’s development authority has approved a resolution to invest $2 million in the center over the next four years. “This is an extraordinary opportunity with world class partners in ConocoPhillips and Oklahoma State University, and Ponca City stands to benefit greatly from the success of the sensor testing center,” said David Myers, executive director, Ponca City Development Authority (PCDA). ConocoPhillips, which donated the 70,000-square-foot building to OSU for the center, will match the $2 million investment from PCDA with a $2 million donation of its own. The center, officially named the “University Multispectral Lab,” will provide a national facility for the testing of sensors and sensor technology. “We are truly fortunate to partner with Ponca City on this project, which has the potential to dramatically enhance our sensor work,” said OSU System CEO and President David Schmidly. “Thanks to ConocoPhillips and the Ponca City Development Authority, OSU will be able to strengthen its position as a leader in the critical area of sensor and sensor-related technology research. This is a tremendous boost to our efforts as a research institution, as well as the regional and statewide economy.” While the sensor project is expected to create more than 80 direct jobs, a recent economic analysis by the PCDA shows it could provide a $120 million boost for the Ponca City area economy over the next 10 years. “This is an opportunity to build an economic sector around a growing, knowledge-based industry that has a real potential to attract other companies to Ponca City,” said PCDA Chair Darrell Stolhand. “I commend President Schmidly for his vision as well as area legislators including Sen. David Myers, Sen. Mike Morgan, Rep. Jim Newport and Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation in Washington D.C. for helping make the sensor center a reality.” “The new lab will fulfill a national need for a single sensor testing and evaluation facility by enabling the rapid transfer of innovative technologies from the laboratory to the end user. And, it opens the door to secure future federal funding,” said Stephen McKeever, Oklahoma State University’s Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer. PCDA, OSU and the company that will operate the center, AMTI of Virginia Beach, Va., worked for more than 18 months to finalize the sensor lab project. The PCDA funds are the result of a half-cent sales tax approved by Ponca City voters in the fall of 2003. OSU’s leading-edge researchers already collaborate with government, industry and other universities to develop innovative sensor and sensor-related technologies for commercialization. Developments at OSU include bacterial sensors, biomedical sensors, environmental sensors, optical sensors and sensors for homeland security and defense applications. The new OSU University Multispectral Laboratory will create additional interdisciplinary opportunities for faculty and students working on sensor and sensor-related research projects (OSU press release March 8, 2006, at http://osu.okstate.edu/news/ponca%20investment_mitchell.htm via DXLD) DOORS OPEN FOR NEW OSU SENSOR LAB FOR FIRMS ENTERING CRUCIAL NEW FIELD By Jim Stafford, Business Writer, Tue December 26, 2006 PONCA CITY — Gary Gallagher threw open a door to a massive building on the Conoco Phillips campus here and allowed a group of visitors their first peek into Oklahoma State University's national sensor research facility... http://www.newsok.com/article/2990656 and sidebar to the above article: SAFE AND SECURE PONCA CITY — The University Multispectral Laboratories that Oklahoma State University and business partner AMTI is developing here will offer scientists a secure environment in which to test sensors that will help the military battle biological, nuclear and chemical weapons, officials said. It is serious work with lives at risk, said Timothy Reynolds, manager of business operations. Heat, sand and water pressure all have the capabilities to disrupt sensors in the field, he said. The laboratory will feature high security and limited access even to those working in the facility. RFID, or wireless radio frequency tags, will track people and equipment throughout the building. If a person strays beyond permitted locations, alarms will sound. . . [more] Searching inside the okstate site, we find a number of hits on Wayne G. Walker, mainly dealing with his involvement in wind farms a few years ago. Searching on the Navy contract number above, we get a hit! http://sscc.spawar.navy.mil/ebus/pdf/public_active.pdf OSU - TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO IDENTIFY, ANALYZE, SELECT, TEST AND EVALUATE SOLUTIONS TO WARFIGHTER REQUIREMENTS FOR SENSORS AND SENSOR- RELATED TECHNOLOGIES. THIS ACTION IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE SPAWAR CHARLESTON WITH THE CAPABILITY TO QUICKLY TRANSITION SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICAL APPLICATION FOR IMMEDIATE USE BY SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES(SOF) IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR (GWOT). This is from Active Contracts, report run on 8 July 2007 also showing: annual award amount $5,098,869; total amount with options $27,922,354. In any event, we should keep an ear on those AM and FM frequencies in OK and NM, perhaps also in KS and TX, and beyond if they test at night. The big question is: why do these tests need to be carried out inside the AM and FM broadcast bands?? (Glenn Hauser, July 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Major AM station change : Catoosa, Oklahoma: 1120 kHz: KEOR granted move from 1110 kHz at Atoka. Power decreases to 2 kW, tower moves to 36-18-31N/95-58-25W. Station moves from south-central Oklahoma to a Tulsa suburb in the northeastern part of the state. posted by Doug Smith @ 12:12 AM (Doug Smith blog July 13 via DXLD) ** PERU. 3172.66, Radio Municipal, Panao 1015 to 1030, tune in with OM with talk en español, then flauta andina. 1026 brief comments by OM, then back to music. Good signal. 11 July 4746.94, R Huanta 2000, Huanta, Ayacucho *1020 sign on (Bob Wilkner, FL, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. GERMANY, 7265, 1745-, Polish Radio, Jun 22. Armchair 5-5-5 signal with English program. // 7140 fair to good. This was the first station heard during a stop over at Stansted, UK on my way to Poland and Ukraine. I used my Kaito 1103 along with its random wire antenna (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) GERMANY, 9695, 1800-, Polish Radio, Jun 22. I investigated the recently started Hebrew service. I don't recall seeing any postings on this service in the past. On this day and the next day, all that was heard was a program of continuous Polish music (the following day was identical), beginning with 'I did it my way' sung in Polish. No sign- off announcements when they left the air in mid-music at 1828. Very good level. I wondered at the time whether this service perhaps didn't really get off the ground, but I did hear a normal broadcast later during my visit (will be reported later as I'm transcribing chronologically). (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. According to the message from DX-editor of RRI Bucharest in Russian the reconstruction of RRI shortwave facilities seems so: 1. All antennas will be repaired during the period till at least May 2008. 2. All transmitters will be replaced with new 6, feat.[uring?] 3 x 300 kW in Tiganesti, 2 x 300 kW in Galbeni and 1 x 100 kW in Saftica. 3. The periods are planned: June 18th to Sept 15th in Galbeni with problems of Romanian, English and French broadcasts. 4. Next Sept 15th till Oct 30th in Tiganesti, feat. Russian and Chinese broadcasts which will be only in Internet. 5. In Saftica and other works till May 2008 or earlier. For season B- 07 all broadcasts will be on the air as usual (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. 11735, 1750-, Radio Romania International, Jun 22. Very good to excellent reception in English with only the slightest hint of a cochannel station. // 9535 only fair, however (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11810, 2030-, Radio Romania International, Jun 22. Anemic, undermodulated audio at otherwise good level in English. // 9515 at fair level, 15465 at good level (and listed to North America!), while 11940 strongest by far, but suffers from cochannel interference (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 9890, 2012-, Voice of Russia World Service, Jun 22. Armchair copy in English with their Moscow Mailbag program. // 12070 equally strong. Seems to me that both the content and strength of transmitters, including the use of multiple frequencies, has returned to the bad old days of the cold war. VORWS is nothing like it was 5 years ago when they were often more difficult to hear, with only a handful of transmitters. Pre-Putin, they were also much more pro- Western. Today they seem to be constantly flexing their muscles, like they used to. VORWS consistently was very well and widely heard throughout my European travels (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Hello Rumen - re your log in BC-DX of that strange station on 7325 kHz. This is probably the external service of Adygey Radio or Kabardino- Balkar Radio which is listed on p 465 and 466 of 2007 WRTH. In winter they use 6005 kHz and in summer 7325 khz, both from Krasnodar (Armavir). This service has operated for many years (since at least the 1980s) but is rarely reported. WRTH 2007 listed the schedule as: 1700-1800 Mon+Fri Adygey Radio in Adygey 1730-1800 Wed+Sun Kabardino Balkar R in Circassian 1730-1800 Thurs K-B radio in Karbardino-Balkar Are you able to confirm any of the above transmissions (or one hour earlier in summer?) (Dave Kenny-UK, BDXC-UK July 7 via BC-DX via DXLD) The next observations on 7325 kHz (Armavir?) are verifying the situation known from the previous years: Mondays: Programme in Adygean(?) and simultaneous translations just in Arabic followed by Turkish (or language near to Turkish). On July 9th Adygey was at 1715, at 1724, 1732 etc.; Arabic: 1718, 1725, 1733, 1738, 1756; Turkish at 1722, 1726, 1733, 1730, 1757. Songs in Adygey at 1728, at 1734, at 1752. 1700-1732 was info bulletin in all three languages ending with an . [sic] about frequency, meter band and phone number. In Turkish: approx "Edi Yuch Yuz Irme Besh khz, Kurk Bir Metere" 7325 kHz, 41 meters. I had not a recorder to record the phone number. (July 9th). So, 1700-1800 7325 in Ad, Ar and Turk. Thursday: 1730 Nat Anthem of ? Republic. Long speech in language near to the Turkish, at 1742 Lady talks in language like Adygean, Abkhazian or similar. WRTH gives Karachai and Balkar languages. Next back in approx. Turkish till end at 1800 UT. Sundays but seems the programme is from another Caucasian Republic 1800-1900 7325 - if You check old BC-DX I gave in previous years same unidentified station. BBC in Ru but is so strong at the same time here. Thanks to all OMs which gave suggestions about 7325 kHz, Suns 1800-1900. (Observed on July 5th). (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC- DX July 9 via DXLD) ** SLOVENIA. Re 918 kHz missing or low power: mast painting action at present? Wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA. I heard your reference in WoR #1366 to the court- case & possible judgement against Bro. Stair back in April that did not get widely reported then. THAT's what I had been referring to when I mentioned a "fine" against him and which you asked for further details about and which all my net-search efforts did not discover. I feel vindicated! :-) There really had been something that I had heard or seen in passing and then could never dig up doing Google searches with all the different criteria and specifications that I could think of, using "Stair" and "Overcomer" and "court" and "fine" and various other terms. One of the things that frustrates me when using Google is that it doesn't seem to let you adequately limit the search to stuff that is really recent, like within the past week or 10 days or even "today" or "yesterday", and so you always get thousands of hits on stuff that is old. I think the finest time-limit in "advanced search" is "past 3 months", which isn't adequate for looking for current news only. I haven't experimented with other search engines; are there others that you have found that are better at getting more recent-only findings? Anyway, I'm glad that you finally did receive the info eventually. 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I`m afraid I usually try only Google searches tho there may be better ways to go. I agree on the date-specific problem. With Stair the problem is that most of the news about that is in the local paper which does not seem to have much of an online presence, if any. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) ** SPAIN. Since July 7, RNE Radio 3 has replaced La Salamandra, one of our favorites, Sat 18-19 UT on webcast, with El Guirigay, another musical program. There was nothing on their website about it last week, but now there is. Not clear if this is temporarily for summer vacation period, or permanent. What does Guirigay mean? I wasn`t sure how to spell it until now. Googling, it could refer to a dance form, and there are also homosexual undertones (as in Queer y Gay??) but my Random House dixionary merely translates it as gibberrish, uproar, babble. The show, not sure if a repeat or different, also airs at 18- 19 UT Sundays. BTW, the real audio version of R3 was down today so had to go with the inferior WM feed. Anyway, much more entertaining is Adventures in Sound on KOOP Austin webcast, same time 18-19 UT Sat (Glenn Hauser, OK, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. SLBC radio show presenter Roshan Abhiseka mentioned that the refurbished 9770 transmitter used for English language programming is now running at 200 kW. Also mentioned that English language evening transmissions are to resume from B07 (David Woollan, Kathmandu, Nepal, July 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN: gives a revised tentative schedule for V. of Tajik (ex- R. Tajikistan), all on 1143 and 7245 from Dushanbe rather than the variety of frequencies registered and just rementioned in DXLD. Includes English at 0900-1100 CAs/SAs and 1730-1800 CAs/ME. Anyone hear these? Website http://radio.tojikiston.com/ is under construxion. (WRTH July 12 update via DXLD) ** TANZANIA. Radio in Tanzania. Thanks to Ian Baxter, Australia of SW transmitter site yg. http://www.tv4d.org/Tanzania_4_Mediaprofile.pdf (BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) 48 pages including cinema, outdoor. No mention of 11735 Zanzibar, q.v. (gh, DXLD) ** TIBET [non non]. Re: Tibet by Maarten Van Delft, Jul 10, DSWCI DX Window July 11 via DXLD From where did he get that some of the transmissions would be from Xi'an or even Lingshi? All evidence is that all the frequencies he mentions are via Lhasa. The Xi'an transmitters are only used for relays of CNR programs in Tibetan. Listening today at the 2100 s/on I find that the audio on all the Tibetan channel frequencies is well synchronized. Different sites would produce detectable propagation time differences. Using 6050 from Xi'an throughout the day would be a propagationally stupid choice. Often the transmitters are divided into two groups with different delays, but this is most likely to reduce mains surges. As one group includes 4905 and the other includes 4920 any location outside Tibet is very unlikely. Another reason could be that the transmitters are housed in two separate buildings with separate choice of satellite or landline feed (Olle Alm, Sweden, 12 July, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Perhaps they told him about Xi`an and Lingshi when he visited Lhasa, disinformation (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Their Chinese language service now goes until 1800 rather than 1730 (Serghey Nikishin, Moscow, Russia, July 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TUNISIA. 7275, RTV Tunisienne (Sfax). 0422-0440. 6 July. Arabic. Arm-chair quality signal. OM/YL announcers with commentary between songs in mixed Arabic & French. The music ranged from Torch songs to traditional ME instrumentals. VG (Joe Wood, Greenback TN, MARE Tipsheet July 14 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. 6195, 2205-, Voice of Turkey, Jun 22. Excellent reception in English to North America, except for some transmitter hum. 9785, 1833-, Voice of Turkey, Jun 22 .Very good reception with English news. This station was widely heard during my stay in Europe (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. 7490, 1750-, Radio Ukraine International, Jun 22. I spent a lot of time during my European journey monitoring RUI. At this time they were only poorly heard in Ukrainian. Generally, reception of RUI in Europe is spotty. Not on par with other European broadcasters. At times, though, reception could be excellent. I wish they'd either up their power (from 100 kW), or use multiple sites or frequencies. This latter approach is used by Belarus with much better results! 9945, 0502-, RUI, Jun 23. Fair to good reception with the Roots program in English (a Friday repeat, this being Saturday morning). (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. 7440, Radio Ukraine Intl. (Mykolayiv). 0336-0400*. 14 July. English. Excellent program called Ukrainian Traditions dealing with jewelry in the region from prehistoric times until the current era. The segment about jewelry was followed by a feature on social societies in the Ukraine that focus their activities on fun, frivolity, and the drinking of beer. Very Good (Joe Wood, Greenback TN, MARE Tipsheet July 14 via DXLD) ** U K. Reminder that the Prom Concert season is now underway on BBC Radio 3. As usual, we shall try to catch most of them, more likely on demand at our convenience, than live, on the BBC Radio 3 player (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Here is a list of all 188 marches composed by Karl L. King, one of which is titled ``Voice of America``: http://www.jaroherr.com/komponister/kingmarsjer.html I started researching this after hearing ``VOA`` on KCSC`s ``No Strings Attached``, July 13 at 15-16 UT on KCSC. Is it named for the radio station? No mention of a dedication, tho it`s rated easy to play and published in 1955y (or 1956y per some other source). A couple of CDs that include it: http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/work/Voice+of+America/a/Voice+of+America.htm A 1-minute sample of it is included here: http://www.amazon.com/Circus-Spectacular-Karl-L-King/dp/B000001KEZ If the Washington Post should have its very own march, why not the Voice of America? But it sounds unfamiliar from the sample and can`t say I have heard it or heard of it on VOA. What`s the story behind this? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 7-081, VOA/Martí transmitter sites Google Earth imagery: IBB Delano, CA: 35 45 13.47 N, 119 17 06.74 W IBB Marathon, FL: 24 41 57.61 N, 81 05 18.97 W (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX July 13 via DXLD) ** U S A. 15825, 2047-, WWCR, Jun 22. Very good reception with Glenn Hauser's World of Radio program. This was on a Friday. Excellent choice for Europe (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. GERMANY, 9860, Family Radio via Wertachtal. July 2 at 2050-2105 in English. SINPO 23332. Open Forum program. I didn't know where the transmitter site was, but DX Mix News in DXLD 7-077 said it was Wertachtal. When I checked on July 4 and 5, Family Radio was heard on 9610 and no signal on 9860. It seems that they returned to 9610 (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** U S A. CW DX last night --- I tried for the maritime CW station "night of nights" last evening and here is what I heard; the UTC date is July 13 and all times are UTC: 6477.5, KPH "VVV VVV DE KPH" marker with frequencies 0241; good signals 12695.5, KFS "CQ CQ CQ DE KFS KFS KFS" marker with frequencies 0243; good signals 12993, KSM "VVV DE KSM KSM KSM" marker with frequencies 0245; good signals All of the above were sent at about 18-20 wpm and I assume, from the web site for the test, that all were transmitted from the KPH site in Bolinas, CA. I listened for WLO, KLB, NMN, NMC, and NOJ on their announced frequencies but heard none of them. I was hoping to nab WLO on 438 kHz but heard no signals at all from the test on longwave. I enjoyed hearing those markers again; it sounded like the marine bands did three decades ago and was a reminder of that now-gone era. It would be nice if some other classic maritime station calls, like WCC and WSL, could be reactivated for future tests (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, July 13, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. KTBL 1050 - REASON for LICENSE to LOS RANCHOS de ABQ ? Hey, I'm new to the market, and as to why KTBL 1050 licensed to LOS RANCHOS de ALBUQUERQUE? My guess is that perhaps 1050 doesn't cover all of Albuquerque at 5mV/m? This weekend at the Wine/Lavender festival I measured the 1050 signal in Los Ranchos. I have an old analog 1-5 dial on an old portable analog radio. Near the southern part of Los Ranchos I got a health reading of 4.0, near the Los Pablanos Farms/Anderson Winery. I know that on my radio, this is well over 5mV/m. Driving north on Rio Grande, I got only 2.6 at the intersection of Alameda (northern city limit of Los Ranchos). That's getting down there, in the 5-7.5 mV/m range. So, 1050 does indeed cover its city of license. But how about Albuquerque? How about field strength in the Heights where you might see some ground conductivity issues - versus the river valley? (ABQTom, July 11, radio-info.com NM board via DXLD) KTBL was licensed to Los Ranchos de Albuquerque due to FCC rules at the time which allowed AM applications to be filed only as a first or second service to a "community". At the time there was one other station licensed to Los Ranchos, KLTN (now Disney's 1240), thereby allowing the application to be filed. The application was originally for 500 watts daytime only from the KLTN tower, and was later modified and constructed at 1000 watts daytime / 500 watts nighttime directional 24 hours southwest of town when the FCC changed their rules to allow full time operation on Mexican clear channels. Citadel later applied for 1000 watt nighttime operation, so now the station is 1000 watts full time using the same pattern day and night. It gets hammered at night by 150,000 watt XEG in Monterrey, Nuevo León, MX (ABQRADIO, ibid.) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA, 11735, 2004-, Radio Zanzibar, Jun 22. No sign of English (this was a Friday), with good reception in presumed Swahili and into Arabic sounding music from 2008. I believe that I subsequently read that they may have returned to the 1800 time frame for English news from Spice FM, but I didn't check this again (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Google Earth imagery. Zanzibar 11735 site is now in high resolution. TZA Dole SW: 06 06 05.14 S, 39 15 26.75 E. 11735 / 6015 kHz, 50 kW, 2 modern Chinese type curtains, north of transmitter hall 6 lower height masts on left side (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX July 11 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. ZBC TV GOES LIVE ON THE INTERNET By Lebo Nkatazo Last updated: 07/13/2007 08:03:38 ZIMBABWE’S state television has entered into a deal with a Dubai-based internet technology firm to beam its programmes live on the internet. JumpTV began streaming Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) TV live on June 22, at no expense to registered users of their service. http://www.jumptv.com/en/channel/ZBCTV/ The company said it would charge US$9.95 per month for the service beginning July 15. But viewers in the United States would continue to access the live stream for free, the company said. . . http://newzimbabwe.com/pages/zbc40.16668.html (via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. Re 7-079: I wonder if the report is correct and the Thornhill site is separate from Guinea Fowl site. They are about 11 km from each other. At least the tests have used traditional Guinea Fowl frequencies. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. NORWAY, 12035, 1753-, SWR Africa, Jun 22. Excellent reception with ID in English and giving their internet website at swrafrica.com. I never did hear the other // frequencies very well during my stay (Walt Salmaniw, visiting Stantsed, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11775, 11810 UNIDENTIFIED. I set the system up last night for unattended recording on 895 kHz on the Caribbean beverage, looking for the Voice of Nevis. Nothing heard until around 0405, when there was light jazz style singing, very weak in the noise for about 5 minutes. Since VON is scheduled to sign off at 0200, who might this be? 73s (Martin A. Hall, Clashmore, Scotland. NRD-545, RPA-1 preamp, beverages: 513m at 240 degrees, terminated; 475m at 265 degrees, terminated; 506m at 290 degrees, terminated, 550m at 340 degrees, unterminated. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clashmoreradio/ July 13, MWC via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ THE LAST UPDATE OF WRTH http://www.wrth.com/files/WRTHWEBA07update.pdf (via Lenfant Lee, China, July 12, DXLD) This is a new one dated July 12, just 5 pages of changes since the previous one in May. We`ll go thru it in case there is something significant not already covered in DXLD (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) see JORDAN; TAJIKISTAN above ECUADOR: the transmission in German on 9815 should be specified DRM – only one from HCJB currently GERMANY: most or all of those DW German/English entries are DRM, not specified (DRM is mentioned only under LUXEMBOURG and NEW ZEALAND, so there could be others missing) U S A: they noted our KJES item and moved the times earlier; however there is an obvious typo in the last line. [Later:] Excuse me: the (+) symbol must mean DRM, altho not stated clearly with each entry (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AUDIBLE ATROCITIES ++++++++++++++++++ ``Mt Whitney is the highest peak in the continental US`` --- Steve Julian, for NPR News in LA, NPR news 1504 UT July 13, reporting on a fire. WRONG. Alaska is in the continental US, and the highest peak there, and anywhere in the USA, is Denali, MUCH higher than Whitney, and there are 15 more peaks in AK towering above Whitney. The correct term for the first 48 states is conterminous, or contiguous. BTW, I`ve never been that impressed by Mt Whitney, which is only 61 feet higher than Mt Elbert, Colorado`s highest, where there are also scads of other peaks above 14 kilofeet, and a relative few in the Sierra Nevada (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ DEUTSCHE WELLE OPEN HOUSE August 19: see GERMANY IT’S BOISE 2007! NATIONAL RADIO CLUB AND WTFDA CLUB IN A JOINT CONVENTION Labor Day weekend Here are details of what is planned for the 2007 National Radio Club Convention. First of all, we are holding a joint convention with the Worldwide TV-FM DX Association, the WTFDA. And they will be hosting this first joint venture in Boise, Idaho over the Labor Day weekend, with Frank Aden as the Master of Ceremonies. Some of you may know Frank as a pre-eminent historian of Idaho broadcasting, both radio and TV. Now, those of us who have attended NRC Conventions have always paid a large registration fee that included a banquet on Saturday night. This year, at Frank’s suggestion, we are not including the price of ANY meal in the registration fee. This keeps the registraton cost low and lets each attendee select each meal, and where to eat. This Rodeway Inn hotel has been used in years past for radio conventions so we know it will have just the amenities we need, and if the weather cooperates, there is a large area around their outdoor pool that should be a great place to tune for stations you’ve only ever dreamed of hearing from your east-coast or mid-west home. The program will begin on Friday morning around 11 o’clock with a tour of a Boise television station, and Frank has arranged it so the group can sit in and watch how their noon newscast is put together and broadcast. Friday night, Frank is going to speak on the history of Idaho’s earliest radio and TV stations. Saturday will be filled with a tour of the local radio transmitting sites around Boise for those who want to see where the signals are coming from. For others, the hotel meeting room will be open for musing and swapping stories or demonstrating what you have brought with you to the convention. In the evening after dinner, we will hear about how our two clubs are doing. Frank Aden will present some video about the DuMont Television Network, and that will be followed by the annual auction. Sunday will include the annual “Candy Quiz” for the early risers, followed by the annual “National Radio Club Examination” for those who wish to compete for a free full-year’s membership in the NRC. There should be time for a visit to 7100-foot Deer Point where the Boise FM and TV transmitters are located in the hills just outside of town. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, here’s what to do: 1. Call the Rodeway Inn (Rodeway Inn, 1115 N. Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706) now at 208-376-2700 for your room reservations. Be sure to tell them you will be attending the National Radio Club convention. Remember that the program events start Friday morning, August 31, and the convention winds up after lunch on Sunday, September 2. You can stay longer, of course, but I know many people like to beat the Labor Day traffic rush on Monday. The room rate, including tax, for one person is $67.75 -- but the great news is that two can stay in the same room for exactly that same total price! And a third person can be in the room for only an additional $8; $20.34 if you want a roll-away bed. So three people could split a room for less than $30 a night if you want to make those arrangements. MOST important: You MUST make your room reservation by August 15. We will be checking with the Rodeway Inn that day to make final plans for the weekend. 2. You should also send in the Convention Registration payment by August 15. Be sure to include your name, mailing address, a phone number and your e-mail address if you have one. We need all those things so we can notify you of any last-minute change in the plans. The Registration fee is $15, and if you’re bringing a spouse, the spouse will only be charged $10! Children get in free. The fee should be made payable to the National Radio Club, PO Box 5192, Sun City Center, FL 33571-5192. You may also register and pay via Paypal from our website http://www.nrcdxas.org just follow the links. If you use the mail, be sure to allow enough time to get your payment to us by August 15 so we don’t cut you off. 3. You can start mailing things for the annual auction at any time. The mailing address for auction items is: Mr. Frank Aden, 4096 Marcia Place, Boise ID 83704. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at this exciting new location and hope it will mark the beginning a new and fresh thinking for how conventions should be run in the future (NRC DX News July 16 via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM: ALBANIA; AUSTRALIA; CANADA; PUBLICATIONS INITIAL HD RADIO TRIALS IN CANADA Status Report CCBE Sept 15-17, 2006 By François O. Gauthier, P. Eng., Director, Delivery Systems and Spectrum Engineering Strategy and Planning, CBC/Radio-Canada Technologies CONTENT: •FM Broadcasting Technical Regulations Differences between the US and Canada Rules FM IBOC Emission Mask FM HD Radio Service Planning Parameters •Test Plan Description •Laboratory Tests Preliminary results: D/U •Toronto Field Trials Implementation Details & Highlights What to consider •Remaining Work to be Done http://www.ccbe.ca/Papers2006PDF/HD%20Radio%20in%20Canada_CCBE_final.pdf (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ DFing SW Re 7-081, AUSTRALIA [and non]. VISITING A SHORTWAVE SITE WITH A PORTABLE SW RECEIVER This is how, years ago, I confirmed AFN/AFRTS was (is) emanating from the USN facilities at Saddlebunch Keys and not any Key West-proper facilities as some geographically challenged DXers continue to erroneously report. Using my cheap DX-399 portable, I placed the radio on the passenger seat with the whip antenna almost completely retracted on the drive from from Key West, on US-1. The signal briefly popped up loud upon crossing Saddlebunch (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, July 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ NOT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT [Re 7-081:] ``That's why you won't see Martí leasing HF out of Florida, or even Goose Creek, SC. Too close! I stand by my "Fedral Thinking". Some of us who worked for the Feds gave a %^$%^$^%$! Many still do! df (Dan Ferguson, ibid.)`` Not an accurate statement regarding Florida to Cuba and v.vs. Ask a Florida DXer. Reception of RHC on lower channels (6000, 6180) and Rebelde 5025 are near local level here in west central Florida, be it day or night use. Therefore, a lower channel from, say the WYFR site north of (not) Okeechobee, would work to much of Cuba. The Dominican Republic station on 6025 is also audible daytime here in Clearwater. Ditto the USN (Armed Forces) Saddlebunch Keys transmitters (huge). Also, the Mexican that used to be on 6105 was strong as well; and Haiti's old Radio Citadelle 6155v; and 4VEH on 25 and 31 meters came in nicely. I could go, on siting others such as former Hondurans; Dominicans; current Cuban utility and numbers stations, etc. Accurate channel selection and antennae is the key (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater, Florida USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And then there is WRMI way down in Miami which only uses 9955 for all those Cuban exile programs, at high angle takeoff? But we suspect the first hop mostly goes over Cuba, especially Habana and the nearer regions (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MARTIN A. HALL`S MW DX FROM NORTHERN SCOTLAND I've now updated my personal All Time List and the List of MW DX heard in Clashmore since 1996 - if you're interested these lists may be found in PDF format at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clashmoreradio/medium_wave_logs.html I've taken the opportunity to tidy up some bad links, but if you find any other problems with the site, please let me know. 73s (Martin Clashmore, Scotland. NRD-545, RPA-1 preamp, beverages: 513m at 240 degrees, terminated; 475m at 265 degrees, terminated; 506m at 290 degrees, terminated, 550m at 340 degrees, unterminated. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clashmoreradio/ MWC via DXLD) SITO OSSERVATORIO GEOMAGNETICO Ciao a tutti, La settimana scorsa, cercando qualche approfondimento sulla propagazione ho trovato la pagina web http://www.delprete.ch/pubblicazioni.htm dalla quale possono essere scaricati dei documenti PDF - di pochi kB - relativi ad una ricerca sui fenomeni della propagazione ionosferica. In certe parti è molto tecnico, con numerose formule matematiche e riguarda soprattutto esperimenti radioamatoriali effettuati sui 7 MHz, però alcuni passaggi spiegano e dimostrano come l'andamento della propagazione in onde corte sia regolato da un numero di variabili che va ben al di là di quelle comunemente riportate nel radioascolto e giustifica anche varie anomalie che poi in realtà non sembrano essere tali o così strane (Luca Botto Fiora, playdx yg via DXLD) all in Italian SOLAR-ACTIVITY FORECAST FOR THE PERIOD JUL 13 - 19, 2007 Activity level: very low to low Radio flux (10.7 cm): a fluctuation in the range 80-67 f.u. Flares: weak (1-10/day) Relative sunspot number: in the range 11-30 Astronomical Institute, Solar Dept., Ondrejov, Czech Republic e-mail: sunwatch(at)asu.cas.cz (RWC Prague) Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period Jul 13 to Jul 19, 2007 quiet: Jul 15, 16 and 17 quiet to unsettled: Jul 13 unsettled: Jul 14, 18 and 19 active: 0 minor storm: 0 major storm: 0 severe storm: 0 Geomagnetic activity summary: geomagnetic field was quiet from Jul 5 to 10, unsettled on Jul 4, unsettled to active on Jul 11. RWC Prague, Geophysical Institute Prague, Geomagnetic Dept, Czech Republic e-mail: geom(at)ig.cas.cz Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period of one solar rotation unsettled to active: Jul 18, 21 active to disturbed: Jul 19(-20), (26,) 30-31, Aug 7 quiet: Jul 13-15, (16-17, 22,) 23-24, (25,) 27-28, (29,) Aug (1-2,) 3- 5, (6) Survey: quiet on: Jul 7-9 mostly quiet on: jul 5 quiet to unsettled on: Jul 6, 10 quiet to active - quiet to disturbed - mostly unsettled - unsettled to active - unsettled to disturbed on: Jul 4, 11 mostly active - active to disturbed on - disturbed - Notice: Days in brackets refer to a lower probability of possible solar activity enhancements depending on previous developments on the sun. F. K. Janda, OK1HH, Czech Propagation Interested Group e-mail: franta.janda(at)quick.cz (from http://www.asu.cas.cz/~sunwatch/070713.html via DXLD) ARNIE CORO’S DXERS UNLIMITED’S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Very low solar activity continues. Sporadic E propagation reports continue to come in from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as from Africa and Europe. Recently received e mail messages talk about excellent VHF band openings, and one particular recent opening that took place on the 6th of July, reaching maximum useable frequencies up to the 1.25 meter or 222 megaHertz amateur band, that made them lots of VHF operators very happy indeed, as this was their first ever opening on 222 megaHertz, and for some other newcomers to VHF DXing, their first two meter band opening via the ionosphere. The extremely high free electron density at the height of the sporadic E layer also made possible TV DX signals on NTSC channels 7 to 13, that operate from 174 to 216 megaHertz. Sporadic E openings are expected to continue during the next several days, and some of them maybe happening even during the late evening hours. I do insist that there seems to be some sort of relation between periods of very low solar activity and sporadic E events!!! This program that will come to an end with our exclusive and not copyrighted, in the public domain HF plus low band VHF 30 to 60 megaHertz propagation update and forecast. . . Solar activity expected to continue to be at very low levels during the next several days. No significant sunspots regions on the far side of the Sun, and the same holds for the visible solar disk. The effective sunspot number has hovered at very low levels, and the recent fantastic sporadic E opening might be somehow related to this marked minimum in solar activity indeed. Solar flux is now around 80 units and moving steady up, expect solar flux to be around 80 units by mid week. The effective sunspot number near 25, and we do see the effective height of the F2 layer reaching up to near 400 kilometers above the Earth’s surface at locations where the Sun is high above the horizon, something that makes daytime HF propagation conditions very poor indeed (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited July 14, HCDX via DXLD) ###