DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-093, August 6, 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 1369: ** tentative 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 ** ARGENTINA. My visit to 11133 paid good results this time. Feeder for presumed Radio Continental with what basically moves these transmissions, fútbol. So accurate is this that once the match involving Argentino Juniors ended, transmitter went off by 2328 UT Sat Aug 4. Poor but audible. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica. dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. Re: [bangladx] Information regarding new SW frequencies of Bangladesh Betar Good news that listeners' requests have been heard and they at last abandoned the hopeless 7185 kHz. However, 7250 doesn't look too promising here in Europe: Vatican Radio uses it the whole evening. 9550 should be free after 1700 CRI & VOV c/d. But we'll see how the situation is in reality. Does anyone know if both are from Khabirpur 250 kW? [Later:] I missed to notice Family R. in Chinese via Taiwan 1100-1605! Measured as 7249.97 kHz. Another weaker station with carrier only on 7249.99 at 1315, possibly BB. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Aug 2, bangladx via Swopan Chakroborty, India, DXLD) Checked at 1523 - severe co-channel QRM from CRI-Nepali. No trace of BB, ocassionaly heard in background with weak signals.Seems like bad frequency chioce. Regards, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Aug 2, ibid.) Checked Sunday evening transmission at 1230 UT on 7250. Programme was audible but too weak signal strength. Overall SINPO 24332. Slight interference from 7245. Nothing audible on 7250 & 9550 at 1515-1545 & 1630-1730 UT. 73s, (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, August 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. 7105, Radio Station Belarus, Minsk, 2125-2200, August 5, Tune-in to English news program & lite instrumental music. Local folk music. Fair signal strength but audio somewhat muffled making reception difficult. // 7390-weak & // 7440-very weak (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4754.90, 2345-0105, R Imaculada Concepção, Campo Grande MS, Aug 5. Low key Catholic monologue by male speaker, ID at 2359 into contemporary Christian vocals with announcers taking occasional calls. Announcements and IDs at the bottom of the hour and back to taking phone calls and vocals. Good S4 signal at tune-in steadily improving to S6/7, with presumed but weaker R Huanta 2000 on 4754.96 until 0050* not causing much trouble except on peaks (Brandon Jordan, Memphis, TN, http://www.bcdx.org Receivers: WinRadio G313/e, RFSpace SDR-14; Antennas: Wellbrook ALA 100, Wellbrook ALA 330S, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. 9900, Radio Varna, 2050-2125+, August 5, Tune-in to Euro- pop & US pop music. National Anthem at 2100 followed by news in Bulgarian. Radio Varna ID jingle at 2109, followed by US pop music of the 50s & talk. Fair to good signal. Sunday only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Why don`t they play Varna music? (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. RCI, off frequency, 15234.9, June 24 at 1835 in Maple Leaf Mailbag, SIO 332 (Tony Rogers, UK, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) I had this in mind when I came upon RCI, Aug 5 at 1957 in French. My YB-400`s BFO is getting very touchy and hard to zero, so I did not have time to decide if it was still on 15234.9; however, an open carrier had just come on producing a low het of about 100 Hz! RCI off at 1959* and from *2000 Adventist World Radio/Voice of Hope (not to be confused with defunct George Otis`), came on with much better signal, IDs in English, French, German, Italian, then opening in English with what sounded like ``Africa Rediction``, then program on depression presented with an ``African(?)`` accent. Since it was Sunday, I was hoping for Wavescan, but no dice. Per Aoki, 15235 is Jülich, 100 kW at 200 degrees. Odds are that it`s really Sackville off-frequency, not Jülich (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. X-banders CHTO, CHHA off-frequency: see UNIDENTIFIED ** CHINA [non]. 6280, TAIWAN: Sound of Hope, via Tanshui, Ch, 27/07 2216. YL: talks, forte jamming, 12511 (Rudolf Grimm, Brasil, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Unlike the other OOB frequencies, this one is allegedly 300 kW, same transmitter as used for WYFR relay in the evening, per Aoki Aug 5; SOH only on UT Fri & Sat: 6280*Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH 2200-2300 .....67 Chinese 300 325 Tanshui TWN 12125E2511 SOH a07 6280*Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH 2300-2400 .....67 Chinese 300 325 Tanshui TWN 12125E2511 SOH a07 6280 FAMILY RADIO 1500-1600 1234567 English 300 285 Tanshui TWN 12125E2511 WYFR a07 6280 FAMILY RADIO 1600-1700 1234567 Hindi 300 285 Tanshui TWN 12125E2511 WYFR a07 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also UNIDENTIFIED ** CHINA [and non]. Looking around for Firedrake, against Sound of Hope, found this, Aug 6: at 1314 on 14450, FD was JBA // much stronger 13970. At 1326 found some very weak audio, maybe music on 16490, aside ute pulses on 16494; SOH/FD has been reported around here lately from Japan. Aoki Aug 6 shows: 16480*Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH 0000-2400 1234567 Chinese 1 ND ? TWN SOH a07 Jul.22- 16480-16520 At 1342, FD on 10300 much stronger than // 9200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. While checking out FD/SOH on 16480v in Aoki, I noticed the next entry, which could explain a log on 17330 as in 7-088 from ITU: ``They also had a broadcast from China on 17330 at 1733`` --- 17332 Yantai Radio 0000-2400 1234567 Chinese 0.5 ND Yantai C1631 CHN 12130E3725 Coast Radio A3E Does this coastal station transmit any audio, like some others do, even music, which could be mistaken for a broadcast station, or even relay some real broadcasts? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Re: HISTORIAS DE RADIO PARA EL SABADO Se puede leer sobre la historia, nos dice José Elías, y agrega que en la radio y por internet también se puede oír la historia contada por alguien, como en este espacio de Daniel Camporini. Es cierto, y es muy loable la iniciativa, pero al contar la historia conviene ser minucioso en la pronunciación de los nombres geográficos que carecen de respaldo grabado. En este orden de cosas anoté algunos errores, como el de "La Voz de Antioquia" cuando en Colombia nunca se dice "Antioquía", "Ondas del Gualí" (no es "Guali") y "Radio Girardot" (no es "Yirardot"). Entre las grabaciones hay una que quiero destacar, pues forma parte de un tipo de programas que tiene una larga tradición en Colombia. Me refiero a "La cantalete", de Radio Santa Fé. En los años 60, en "El corcho", de RCN, se destapaba entre burbujitas y chistes una realidad nacional en ebullición. Hoy por hoy, y desde hace más de 10 años, el programa "mamagallista" por excelencia es "La luciérnaga", de la cadena Caracol. Se encuentra en http://www.caracol.com.co (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, condig list via DXLD) And then we received a slightly different version for DXLD: La historia la podemos leer, nos dice José Elías Díaz, y agrega que en la radio y por internet también la podemos oír, contada a viva voz, como en este espacio de Daniel Camporini. Cierto es, y muy loable la iniciativa, pero al contarnos estas historias conviene ser puntual al pronunciar los nombres geográficos, especialmente si carecen de respaldo grabado. En este orden de cosas anoté en el primer programa algunos habituales errores, como cuando se hablaba de "La Voz de Antioquía" en lugar de "Antioquia" que es como se dice en Colombia. No se hablaba de "Ondas del Gualí" sino equivocadamente de "Ondas del Guali", no se decía "Radio Girardot", sino "Yirardot", y se mencionaba una emisora que sonaba como "Ecos del Cobeima", cuando debía de ser "Ecos del Combeima". Entre las grabaciones presentadas hay una que quiero destacar, pues forma parte de un tipo de programas radiales tradicionales en Colombia. Me refiero a "La cantaleta", de Radio Santa Fé. En los años 60, en "El corcho", y en "Cantaclaro", se destapaba entre burbujitas y chistes una realidad a veces áspera. Hoy por hoy, y desde hace más de 10 años, el programa "mamagallista" por excelencia sigue siendo "La luciérnaga", de la cadena Caracol. Se encuentra en http://www.caracol.com.co "La zaranda", de RCN, ha intentado quitarle algún punto de rating, pero sin conseguirlo (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gee, I learned how to pronounce Antioquia sesquidecades ago when I heard the 770 station, or Rdif. Nacional on 4955 (gh, DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, Radio Djibouti, *0300-0330+, August 5, Sign on with short National Anthem. Opening Arabic announcements at 0301. Some Horn of Africa music. Koran at 0303-0313. Arabic talk. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. Greetings, Mr D`Angelo: Thank you for your note. You tuned into our Arabic program on ``Akhbar Mufriha,`` the ``Joyful News`` station, 12025 kHz. We are on every night from 2100 to 2230 UT. I don`t have a QSL card but this email verifies your reception. Thank you for the report. Our programs are typically broadcast form Skelton, UK, although this time of year it has probably been transferred to Sackville, Canada. To learn more about us, go to our website http://www.akhbarmufriha.com where you will see we are tied into our satellite station, Radio Al Mahabba. Arabic broadcasting is a partner of ours who supplies us with four of our programs. Radio Ibrahim is a cooperating partner radio station. I trust these answers suffice. May you have a great day in the Lord! Blessings, Andy Braio, Station Manger, Akhbar Mufriha (undated illustration in QSL Report, Aug NASWA Journal via DXLD) Nothing said about Ecuador on that, but since this transmission appears on HCJB`s schedule, I file it thus. There are about half a dozen layers in this thing, programs within programs within transmission providers within sites within stations (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. PIRATE (Scotland), 6400.07, Weekend Music Radio, 2240- 2305+, August 4, ID, pop music. Poor in thunderstorm static (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. I received a letter from Sabine Garvol, Back Office Shortwave Sales at T-Systems, in which she stated that my reports from April 4, 2004 to October 2006 were correct. She listed IBC Tamil, CVC, RTI and WRN. Quite a change from Walter Brodowsky (Marlin Field, MI, QSL Report, Aug NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** GREECE. Glenn: Knowing how much you enjoy listening to Greek music, I am sure that you were tuned in to the "Greek In Style" program on Voice of Greece which is on at 2305 UT Sunday to 0005 UT Monday on the frequencies of 7475 and 9420 in this area with SINPO's of 55555, with Angelika Timms doing the introductions in English and Greek. This time she had recordings of various famous Greek singers; it was certainly a most enjoyable hour (John Babbis, Silver Spring MD, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. 4779.96, 0105-0111, R Coatán, San Sebastián Coatán, Aug 6. Spanish with announcements by woman then many 'Radio Coatán' IDs, TCs, phone #, etc by man. Outstanding S8 signal. 4799.78, 0118-0125, R Buenas Nuevas, San Sebastián, Aug 6. Children`s song, 'Radio Buenas Nuevas' ID by man then taking a phone call. Strong S8 signal marred by the ever present CODAR (Brandon Jordan, Memphis, TN, http://www.bcdx.org Receivers: WinRadio G313/e, RFSpace SDR-14; Antennas: Wellbrook ALA 100, Wellbrook ALA 330S, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CODAR: see RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM ** HAWAII. KUPA 1370 REACTIVATED --- OAHU GETS ANOTHER DOSE OF SPORTS RADIO http://starbulletin.com/2007/07/31/business/engle.html THE talk was all Bill Walsh all the time on the sports radio station yesterday afternoon. Yes, it was probably on the sports station you're accustomed to listening to, but it was also on KUPA-AM 1370. The long- silent KUPA is broadcasting the national network programming of Fox Sports Radio. Utah-based Broadcasting Corp. of America bought the station two years ago for $650,000 from another Utah company. The station has a long history of call-letter changes, despite being mostly off the air since Hawaii Public Radio Inc. sold it in 2002. Broadcasting Corp. President Nathan Drage, an attorney, at first thought he might put Hispanic programming on the station. By the time his purchase closed in April of 2006, however, he was thinking about sports programming -- and sports it is. He could not be reached yesterday to provide details, such as the studio or transmitter locations or whether he intends to put local programming on the air. At least four Oahu radio stations now traffic in sports talk: KUPA, KKEA-AM 1420; KUMU-AM 1500; and KORL-AM 1180. KKEA, branded as "Honolulu's ESPN Radio 1420 AM," has been doing sports-talk the longest and its morning show, hosted by veteran sports-talker Bobby Curran has a devout following. KUMU has recently rounded up a variety of well-known morning show hosts to go head-to-head against KKEA, including Jim and Kanoa Leahey, attorney and sports fanatic Jeff Portnoy and another duo -- Bob Hogue and Jai Cunningham. Longtime broadcaster John Noland recently joined KUMU in the afternoons, where his part-sports show is up against another local sports show on KKEA. KORL's sports block was added last year in a time brokerage agreement with Starcomm Wireless. Its programming airs from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturdays, according to the KORL Web site. At the moment, the difference between KUPA and its sports- spewing brethren is that the stations also sell blocks of time for other types of programs (via Paul, NZ, greylinedx via DXLD) 1370, KUPA, Pearl City. Noted testing on 7/12 at 1420 [EDT] with smooth jazz, then off at 1426. Later noted on 7/14 at 2047, seemingly on regular schedule with a mix of adult alternative, smooth jazz and “light music.” Played the same songs over and over, thought apparently not on a loop but shuffled randomly, by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, Sarah Brightman, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, Harry Nillson, etc. Finally an ID at 2352 “Coming soon, KUPA 13-70 AM, Pearl City, Hawaii.” Still testing upon recheck 7/26 and 7/28. Then on 7/29 at 0307 noted airing Fox Sports Radio, IDs as “KUPA AM 13-70 Pearl City.” (DP-HI) 1570, KUAU, Haiku. I spoke to someone at now-silent KUAU, owned by King’s Cathedral, on 7/25. The spokesman said the station went off 7/1 so that the transmitter could be moved to Kihei, hopefully by next July. He pointed out that the shutdown was approved by the FCC. I once visited the transmitter site; it’s in the back yard of the original owner’s house and uses an amateur radio antenna; the previous owner serves as the chief engineer. (Incidentally, the tower shared by KNUI- 900 and KAOI-1110 is north of Kihei.) (DP-HI) (Dale Park, HI, Domestic DX Digest-West, NRC DX News Aug 13 via DXLD) What kind of ham ant? ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. 'MY DAMN CHANNEL' LAUNCHES ENTERTAINMENT STUDIO AND NEW MEDIA PLATFORM FOR TOP TALENT Comedian Harry Shearer, Music Producer Don Was, Filmmaker David Wain and Web Phenom Andy Milonakis Among First to Launch Original Episodic Videos with MyDamnChannel.com NEW YORK, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, My Damn Channel launches an entertainment studio and new media platform created to empower artists to | co-produce, distribute and monetize original, episodic video content. Comedians, musicians and filmmakers will develop short-form series and retain total artistic control of their own web channels. Original content is available free to viewers on http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ and as branded programming syndicated to major web portals and digital devices. Venerable comedian/political satirist Harry Shearer ("The Simpsons," "This is Spinal Tap"); renowned music producer Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan); independent comic filmmaker David Wain ("Wet Hot American Summer," "The Ten"); and Web phenom Andy Milonakis ("The Andy Milonakis Show," MTV), will join http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ live at 7:00 a.m. (EDT) today. My Damn Channel is the brainchild of President and CEO, Rob Barnett. Barnett was an executive at MTV and VH1 for more than 11 years and was most recently President of Programming for CBS Radio. Barnett has produced new and "traditional" media with hundreds of popular personalities, including President Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, Johnny Rotten and Oprah Winfrey. "My Damn Channel gives our talented friends a blank canvas to do what they want and the digital means to reach the masses," said Barnett. "Some execs talk about disrupting media but forget about how smart this new audience really is. The B.S. barometer is very high. Our channels deliver the original content that web fans deserve and that advertisers and syndicators will support." "My Damn Channel is a great example of the kind of place an artist like me seeks out - a new outpost in an emerging medium where the rules have not yet been engraved in stone," Shearer added. "Rob and his team are giving me the opportunity to make smart, topical comedy and get it to the audience before it cools. What, except for having a zillion stock options in the company, could be better?" My Damn Channel is ad-supported and all of its programming will also be syndicated to the most heavily-trafficked online communities and social networks. The company will share revenues with its artists from advertising on http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ and from programming syndication deals. YouTube, the leader in online video, is the first to enter into a syndication agreement with My Damn Channel. Under the agreement, My Damn Channel content will be available to the YouTube community at http://www.youtube.com/MyDamnChannel Beginning today, My Damn Channel will launch with a diverse portfolio of original programming featuring comedy, political satire, music and filmmaking. Every My Damn Channel artist will co-create the look and feel of their own signature channel, including: - Harry Shearer Project: Harry Shearer is an actor, comic, writer and radio host best known for his celebrated work on "The Simpsons," "This is Spinal Tap," "A Mighty Wind," "For Your Consideration," "Le Show" and "Saturday Night Live." Shearer will satirize the current political and pop-culture landscape with new webisodes debuting weekly. His videos include songs from his forthcoming album, "Songs Pointed and Pointless." Shearer's first project with My Damn Channel will be produced by Karen Murphy ("This Is Spinal Tap," "Drugstore Cowboy," "Waiting for Guffman," "For Your Consideration"). The premiere episode (7/31) features Shearer as Vice President Dick Cheney, singing the torch noir tune, "No Cooler for The Scooter," written exclusively for My Damn Channel. The second episode will feature Shearer as President George W. Bush (8/7). - Don Was / "Links": Don Was has produced some of the most commercially and critically successful albums in music history. Was brings musicians from every genre to My Damn Channel giving fans unique access to legends and emerging acts. Was has signed an exclusive agreement for multiple projects, including a weekly radio show/podcast; live events; new music previews; and new tracks produced by Was. He will co-produce the new music interview series "LINKS," with actor Paul Reiser ("Mad About You") through Reiser's Nuance Productions. The first episode (7/31) features a no-holds-barred session with Velvet Revolver's Slash and Duff McKagan - both formerly of Guns N' Roses. Ozzy Osbourne will appear on LINKS (8/7). "I wanted 'LINKS' to capture the passionate conversations that happen when it's after midnight in the studio - talking about favorite albums, musical influences and road stories," said Was. "It's not just about upcoming records and tours, we have real music discussions between musicians; we incorporate some pretty rare archival footage; and many of the artists will perform exclusively for us." - David Wain / "Wainy Days": David Wain is a founding member of the comedy troupe The State. The group had its own MTV series in the 1990's. Wain's past projects also include the web hit and Comedy Central series, "Stella." Wain has directed films, including the comic cult classic "Wet Hot American Summer" and his latest comedy "The Ten" (opening 8/3). Wain launches an exclusive new series for My Damn Channel called "Wainy Days," ten short-film comedies premiering weekly. "Wainy Days" follows Wain on an anxious search for love and romance in New York City. These shorts will be cast with many of Wain's favorite actors, and the debut episode features Elizabeth Banks from "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" (7/31). "I love the short-form series format," said Wain. "It's a great way to explore comic ideas without having to stretch them to feature-film or even TV-episode length. At the same time, characters, storylines and themes will develop over the course of the episodes, making my work utterly unmissable!" Additional offerings rounding out the launch of My Damn Channel include "Hot Mental Freedom," a video blog for the channel's talent and its fans to attack hot issues and topics. Web phenomenon Andy Milonakis, who has previously starred in his own MTV series, will debut his own "My Damn Channel" in August. Additional talent and syndication partnerships will be announced in the coming weeks along with a channel for new and emerging web stars. My Damn Channel is signing artists to episodic series deals. The company is the first to devote major resources to producing original promotional spots to fuel branding and destination viewing for its content. Promo spots and the unique interactive experience of the My Damn Channel brand are created by the firm Big Fat Brain. Promos will run on syndication partners, and on a dedicated channel called "PromoSexual." Big Fat Brain Creative Directors Matt Bledsoe and Troy Hitch have garnered multiple Webby nominations and broken down conventional marketing models with experiential campaigns for companies such as TIBCO and iRobot. In creating My Damn Channel, Barnett forged a strategic relationship with Okapi Venture Capital, securing an initial round of funding and naming Okapi Managing Director B. Marc Averitt to the company's Board of Directors. Warren Chao will serve as My Damn Channel's Chief Operating Officer. Chao was recently Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning for Gemstar-TV Guide International, and is a former attorney and venture capitalist. Paul Gallagher, a former VH1 executive producer of "Behind the Music" and Emmy nominee, has been appointed My Damn Channel's Vice President of Production. Vince Thompson will present advertising, sponsorship and promotional opportunities along with fellow managing partner Mark Chassman from the firm Middleshift. Thompson recently pre-sold advertising for the popular web/mobile series "Prom Queen." About My Damn Channel My Damn Channel is an entertainment studio and new media platform created to empower artists to co-produce, distribute and monetize original, episodic video content. Programming is created by artists for the My Damn Channel site http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ and for syndication on today's most heavily-trafficked online communities and social networks. My Damn Channel gives its artists 100% creative control to develop their own brands and new storylines. My Damn Channel produces a diverse array of programming and entertainment experiences. The company is supported by an advertising revenue model, and by licensing the studio's entire portfolio of content across all forms of digital distribution, including online, mobile, VOD and DVD. Website: http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ (PR Newswire via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Video and MP3 From Jamboree ISS Contact Now Online --- Saturday's contact between the International Space Station NA1SS and GB100J at the World Scout Jamboree, Hylands Park, Chelmsford was a great success. A video of the contact can now be downloaded from the web. Video http://www.g6lvb.com/GB100JISS.wmv (21Mb) A hi-res version of the video is available at http://www.g6lvb.com/GB100JISSHiPAL.wmv (124Mb) MP3 Audio http://www.g6lvb.com/GB100JISS.mp3 (7.6Mb) GB100J Website http://gb100j.radio-scouting.org.uk/ Echolink node MB7IDA available for Chelmsford World Scout Jamboree http://www.southgatearc.org/news/june2007/mb7ida.htm ARISS Europe http://www.ariss-eu.org/ Getting Started on Amateur Radio Satellites http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/408/168/ AMSAT-UK publish a quarterly newsletter full of Amateur Satellite information. Join now online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subscription/ Secretary Jim Heck G3WGM Tel: +44 (0)1258 453959 Email: g3wgm @ amsat.org Website: http://www.uk.amsat.org/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA, Aug 5 --------------- Daily Amateur Radio RSS News: http://www.southgatearc.org/ (monitoringmonthly yg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. Space Shuttle STS-118: Launch Countdown Set to Begin Sunday Night. Launch Date: Aug. 8 Launch Time: 6:36 p.m. EDT [2236 UT Wednesday August 8] (NASA.gov at 1721 UT August 5 via DXLD) Space Shuttle flight STS-118 launch - a reminder All, the next Space Shuttle launch is due on Tuesday 7th August [sic], so here is some information for those wishing/hoping to hear the launch on HF. Of course, you're not going to hear the Shuttle on HF, as it is not equipped with HF equipment. However, you can hear the various support aircraft and ships involved in the launch. And there is a lot to hear! There are usually two USAF MC-130 aircraft orbiting in the eastern Atlantic, using the callsigns 'King 1' and 'King 2'; and there may be other 'King' callsigns either waiting in reserve or orbiting in the mid or western Atlantic. There is usually a USN Frigate patrolling the waters off the Atlantic coast of Florida, and also the SRB recovery vessels, M/V Liberty Star and/or M/V Freedom Star. A USN E-2C Hawkeye aircraft usually patrols the same area, on the lookout for aircraft and ships straying into the launch area - this uses the callsign 'Clearance 1'. Finally, there are a few Ground Stations to consider - 'Cape Radio' and 'Cape Osborne'. (#Update - the 'King' and USN callsigns were not heard or reported on HF during the last launch, but maybe nobody found them?) The launch of STS-118 is due at 19.02 EDT (2302 UT, 00.02 BST next day) on Tuesday 7th August. This is another ISS mission, so the launch window is only 5 minutes long - if it doesn't launch on-time, it will have to wait until the following day for the next suitable window. For HF listeners, the best place to start is 10780 kHz about 3-4 hours before the launch. At some point most of the aircraft and ships involved will check in with 'Cape Radio' to find out which other HF frequencies they are using for the launch. Keep listening until you hear them mention this freq, as most of the signals will be on this other freq rather than 10.780 MHz. Once you find the other freq, keep switching between it and 10780 in case other aircraft/ships are sent to other freqs. UHF. About 15-20 minutes after launch the shuttle will pass over/near the southern UK, and it is possible to hear them on UHF airband. The comms are quite short, but it is definitely them! Tune to 259.7 MHz AM, but don't expect to hear too much if you're just using a set-top rubber- ducky. They are only 'in range' for a few minutes, so don't expect to hear too much! - however, some listeners have reported hearing brief comms on this freq using simple equipment, so please try to listen just in case, you may be surprised. (#Update# - I heard the last launch on my scanner using just a simple telescopic aerial, so it is possible!) SATCOM. If you have a good enough external aerial, ideally a beam, and maybe a pre-amp, it is possible to hear the MC-130s orbiting in the eastern Atlantic as they maintain contact with the Cape using satellite comms in the UHF airband. Tune to 261.75 MHz NFM or 263.625 MHz NFM (the commonest 2 freqs) and listen for 'King' callsigns. They have also been known to use 261.8 MHz, so check that freq too. These guys seem to spend most of their time doing radio-checks with Cape. They provide a kind of 'emergency service' for the Shuttle launch, so don't expect to hear much else unless it all goes very pear-shaped in the launch. INMARSAT. I do not personally have the ability to listen to these signals, but I know that some do There is a TAL site pre-launch briefing held sometime in the 24 hours prior to the launch, which should pop up in the range 1535 to 1545 MHz on AOR east. (#Update# - during the last launch no comms from the TAL sites were heard on INMARSAT, so maybe they have moved to INMARSAT-M?) The European Space Agency may arrange a video feed of the launch via satellite into Europe as they did for the previous launch, and there should also be a relay of NASA TV for Reuters. Both will be carried on NSS K at 21 degrees west in digital format. I would recommend checking emails from John Locker, as he usually provides some good clues as to launch frequencies SHF. NASA TV usually cover the launch in-depth, and I am sure that John Locker can give details of what freq(s) to listen to. Live TV coverage. [in UK] Don't forget Sky Newsdigital (now with 8 interactive screens) and also BBC interactive news. The great thing about the interactive news channels is that they can carry a shuttle launch for much longer by using one of their sub channels, so it's well worth keeping an eye on those two. For those of you with access to IRC (Internet Relay Chat), a number of us meet on channel #HEARSAT, and you're welcome to join us. This is usually from about 1 hour before the planned launch time, until about 30 minutes afterwards. With people all over Europe receiving signals from different stations, most frequencies are quickly reported when anything happens. If anybody has any updates for the above, please get in touch and I will re-issue it with corrections (Graham Tanner, London, UK, Aug 4, monitoringmonthly yg via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel maybe stopped programs in English since August 3rd. Heard in Russian 1900-2000 all three evenings and now also on 9345, 11590, 15640. 73s, (Rumen Pankov, Bulgria, August 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Rumen, External service English/French/Spanish at 19-20 they cancelled, moved Russian forward one hour to replace those (still beamed to west rather than east Europe??); and some other changes. But the other three English broadcasts, from domestic service, remain on SW, 0330, 0930, 1730. 73, (Glenn to Rumen, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. I haven`t checked any of the other NAm broadcasts, but Rai was still on 17780 at *1400 August 5. Altho only fair, this is the best signal direct from Europe at this hour on 16m, no doubt because it is the only one axually aimed at us. There has been some question about part of Rai`s SW schedule being cancelled. Rai NAm service at 1830 still going too, as noticed Rai chirps at 1827 August 5 on 15380 aside stronger KJES 15385. Rai, Italian to NAm, or rather Toronto, still going at 1412 check Aug 6, lo-fi music on 17780 with squeal, // 15280 without squeal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISENING DIGEST) RAI italy is still on the air, Heard 0055 UT in English and then French at 0115 on 11800 KHz with excellent signal here in Montreal on August 6, 2007 (Gilles Letourneau, Montreal, Canada, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 3250.03, V. of Korea (presumed), 1013-1030, 4 Aug, talk by M in Asian sounding language with occasional MOR instrumental music. Had a very weak signal on 11865 and it did sound // at 1033 with W vocal song, then W announcer briefly at 1034 on both frequencies. Someone in the neighborhood turned on their TV at 1035 and wiped out 3250. Caught the IS at 1200 on 11865. Also had signals from 2850.05 and 3959.73. Haven't been doing much DXing lately due to a number of reasons, not the least of which is the typical noisy Summer conditions. 73 (Dave Valko, RX: JRC NRD-535D, Hammarlund HQ- 129X, Collins R-388 Ant: 60 meter T2FD, 60 meter Windom; QTH: Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) Per Aoki, this is Japanese service of VOK, 50 kW ND. At some other times, same facility is used for Pyongyang domestic service (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. R. Korea [sic], 15360 and 15365 --- this is my third, maybe fourth QSL for the same Arabic program. I received two identical letters in Arabic, 3 identical QSL cards in Arabic and 9 report forms in Arabic (Marlin Field, MI, QSL Report, Aug NASWA Journal via DXLD) And I bet he doesn`t even understand Arabic. Doesn`t say when reception was; current season? Aoki now shows: 15360 KBS WORLD RADIO 1800-1900 1234567 Russian 500 62 Rampisham G 15365 KBS WORLD RADIO 1900-2000 1234567 Arabic 500 168 Rampisham G 0238W5048 KBS a07 VT (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGESET) ** KUWAIT. R. Kuwait, 11990, English service reactivated, 29 June, 1930, ``Kuwait in History`` program (and old out of date program still referring to Saddam in power in Iraq!!), SIO 444 (Dave Kenny, England, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. 6255, The Mighty KBC, 0140-0200*, August 5, US pop music of the `80s. Ad for KBC Imports. IDs. Many station promos. English/ German announcements. E-mail address & Holland address. Acknowledged listeners' reports. Very strong. Really booming in. UT Sun only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Mighty KBC, 6255, originating in Netherlands, finally checked their weekly broadcast to NAm, UT Sun Aug 5 during last 8 minutes from 0152 UT. Continuous music bed whilst acknowledging reception reports from June and July, including some familiar names such as Christer Brunström, Terry Palmersheim. Plugged http://mediumwave.info and commercial for Kaito, synthesizer music right up till 0200. SINPO 34433. Periodic pulsing ute QRM, but not too bad. I wonder what else they do besides play pop music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Recién acaba de finalizar el encuentro diexista mexicano y tengo buenas noticias: Radio XERTA [4810] verificará con QSL personalizada por cada 2 informes enviados en menos de un mes a sus oficinas en calle López, además de un diploma en el mismo período. Atte. (Luis Vallebueno E., Durango, Dgo, Mexico, Aug 5, condig list via DXLD) 4809.998, 0125-0137, XERTA, México City, Aug 6. Spanish chatter by female announcer, contemporary latin vocals parallel to the XERTA audio stream. S6 signal marred by ever present CODAR. Best in LSB to avoid unid carrier on 4810.104 (Brandon Jordan, Memphis, TN, http://www.bcdx.org Receivers: WinRadio G313/e, RFSpace SDR-14; Antennas: Wellbrook ALA 100, Wellbrook ALA 330S, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CODAR: See RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM ** NETHERLANDS. Cierre de Radio Enlace. Claro está que con igual desazón y poco convencimiento me dejaron las declaraciones de José Zepeda, por lo que tengo que unirme a la disconformidad por la eliminación del programa Radio Enlace. Y es que sin quitarle mérito al resto de su producción radial, como fiebre de la radio lo que me mueve a sintonizar RNW es este programa. Cuando Radio Enlace desaparezca, RNW sólo quedará para mí como una magnífica radiodifusora de la onda corta, pero que no me muero por escucharla. Lo mismo me sucedió con la poco convincente explicación de Andy Sennitt por la desaparición DX Juke Box/Media Network. Cierto, estimados colegas, nosotros hemos crecido y hasta envejecido al lado de RNW por sus excelentes programas DXistas, con las llamativas locuciones ya fuera de Jerry Cowan, Ian Elliott y Jonathan Marks hasta Pancho Ibañez (¡excelente!) Jorge Valdez y los presentadores actuales. ¿Por qué nos hacen esto? (como cuestiona el colega portugués Carlos Mourato). No hay cuento válido que sustente desaparecer, creo yo, el programa más escuchado de la emisora, que trata el tema que los seguidores de la radio a distancia queremos disfrutar. Por qué, por ejemplo, no desaparecen esos espacios con la insulza y descerebrada música pop actual, que bien que mal, el que la quiera escuchar, sintonizará una radio de las tantas --- ¡qué desperdicio! que contiene hoy la red mundial o las hay a montones en las F.M. locales... Henrik Klemetz acota que con la desaparición de Media Network, perdió toda motivación de escuchar las emisiones en inglés de RNW. No veo por donde va a ser diferente la reacción de los colegas de habla hispana con la retirada de Radio Enlace. Los directores de la emisora insignia holandesa deberían de dejarse de cuentos chinos, como decimos en Tiquicia, y caer en la cuenta de que si solo fuera por Radio Enlace que salen al aire sería suficiente --- ¿o de qué otro idioma creen que al oyente de la onda corta le interesa que le hablen? ¿Qué les impide hacer una encuesta al respecto para que determinen lo equivocados que están...? Hasta aquí me ha seguido asistiendo la impresión de que entonces el programa lo producen ellos sólo como relleno o para autosatisfacerse. Y esto con todo respeto: ¿dónde quedamos los oyentes, entonces...? 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Aug 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I really don`t know whether it is true in this case, but I know it has been in other cases --- a reason no one is going to admit to publicly: cancel the DX program because it *is* the most popular on a station, and it shows up all the other programs and the people who produce them. Professional jealousy, office politix, coupled with the all-too- common management attitude of ``why should we be telling our listeners about all those other stations??`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Desde Argentina adhiero fervorosa y desesperadamente a lo que dice Raul; da la sensación de que han perdido la noción de qué precisamente se trata de una emisora de onda corta y no una señal comercial más. Si uno de los gigantes del dial internacional que quedan aun en pie, como RNW tomó este rumbo (o precisamente pierde el rumbo) me temo que sea el inicio de una tendencia de emisoras que se descontextualicen aun más de su condición ser en onda corta (Loco Azulado, condig list via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. KBC ending transmission on 6255 at 2259 Sat Aug 4. Poor level but audible altho distant T-storm was on the move. How was the story on this one? European pirate from the Netherlands? (Raúl Saaveddra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See LITHUANIA ** PAKISTAN. NB: Full station listing in Pakistan http://www.radio.gov.pk/detail.htm and with station times & phone numbers http://www.radio.gov.pk/rad_freq.htm 73 (Steve Whitt, MWC via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 17660.0, 1355, BSKSA-Ryad, Señales horarias + inicio en francés (no QRM), 02/08, 45444 (Tomás Méndez, Spain, playdx yg via DXLD) No more Afropop music jammer/distraxion (gh, DXLD) ** SYRIA. R Damasco en Castellano, con un nivel de audio extremadamente bajo, hasta el punto de tener que subir el volumen a unos niveles muy poco habituales. 12085.0, 2233, R. DAMASCO-Adra, Nx (audio muy bajo), 05/08, Esp, 45433. RX: GRUNDIG SATELLIT 700, SONY ICF SW7600GR, ICOM IC-R2, DEGEN 1103. Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, Spain, logsderadio yg via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. V. of Tajik, 7245, noted here several times recently at 1700-1800 but weak signal and very strong accent make it extremely difficult to follow anything that is being said (Dave Kenny, England, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Voice of Tajik was heard in Sofia again on July 21 from 17 to 1758 hours on 7245 kHz with a program in English (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX program Aug 3 via DXLD) ** TIBET. Dear DX-editors, Following the recent discussion in DXLD and NASWA The Journal about the relevance of the use of the Xi'an relay for the Tibetan domestic broadcasts based upon the DX-Window, I forwarded the discussion to the DX-er visiting the area and here is his reply to all those of us who have not noted the details in WRTH 2007 where Xi'an is mentioned as relay on 6050, 6200 and 7125 and Lingshi on 7385 kHz. Here is his reply. So the question should be forwarded to the WRTH Editors instead. Best 73' (Anker Petersen, Denmark, Aug 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: CHINA TIBET I never questioned the accuracy of the WRTH listings of Lingshi and Xian for broadcasting to Tibet and beyond for the following reasons: The vast area of the TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region) can probably not be covered effectively at all times from one site only, i.e. Lhasa. Large areas of historical and ethnic Tibet are now incorporated into the Chinese provinces of Qinghai and Gansu (traditionally known as Amdo), and Sichuan and Yunnan (traditionally known as Kham). More Tibetans in China now live outside the TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region) than inside it. The Chinese government would certainly like to get their ‘message’ across to the many thousands of Tibetans living in exile in India (Maarten van Delft, via Anker Petersen, DXLD) Yes, if you look at the frequency listings on pp 161-162 of the WRTH 2007, various entries for Xizang-Tb or Xizang-Ch do show Xian or Lingshi instead of Lhasa. So, how about it WRTH? Why does this info contradict other sources such as HFCC? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, thank you for your message. I forward this question to the Publisher and I am sure that the editors of the China entry will check the correctness of the sites in question for the next edition. Best regards, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Extensive recent monitoring of the Xizang transmitters clearly indicate that they are all located at one site, possibly in two separate buildings. The Tibetan mintorities in other provinces, like Qinghai, have their own regional services. On the other hand, a frequency like 6110 could well be intended for Xizang expatriates in NW India. Currently the audio of all Xizang PBS transmitters is well synchronized. It would not be so if different sites were used. So basically HFCC is right and the WRTH is wrong (Olle Alm, Sweden, 6 August, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. Good signal on 11605, August 6 at 1259 with music, ``RFA Channel 4`` ID --- do they really intend to put their satellite feed IDs on SW?? 1300 opening Tibetan, and immediately CNR1(?) co- channel jamming starts, but slightly off-frequency producing a low het, which I am sure is no accident either. R. Free Asia site is Tinian, 309 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Just got a new V. of Turkey by-p-mail-only program schedule, the 95th edition, postmarked 18 July (with a real stamp! Showing Istanbul skyline), so they are still coming out twice a year. Accompanied by a cardboard bookmark showing a braided mosaic on one side, and all languages` e-mail addresses on the other. They still fail to define their terms, but now at midyear it is apparent that III. Term means the third quarter, Jul-Aug-Sep, and IV. Term means the fourth quarter, Oct-Nov-Dec. There are also English I and English II, each of which is divided into the two Terms, and most program titles of which are identical, with two exceptions, on Monday and Saturday. It would be far more user- friendly to combine all four of these into one master schedule, with notations of changes for the IV. Term or English II vs English I. As usual, Live From Turkey, the call-in preempting other features, is the intruder messing up a neat schedule, since we know it appears on the 1230 UT broadcast on Thursdays, and on the 1830 UT Tuesdays (one UT hour later in winter; axually starts about :50 past the hours). So here is our reworking of the English programming into one annotated master schedule. Specific times within the 50-55 minute broadcasts are not provided. For the 0300 broadcast, the final repeat, read one UT day later than shown: Daily: NEWS, REVIEW OF THE TURKISH PRESS; and then: Mon: FROM TURKEY; HUES & COLOURS OF ANATOLIA; MEVLANA FROM PRESENT TO FUTURE [IV: IDIL BIRET instead] Tue: SPORTS ROUND-UP; AGENDA; ATATÜRK THROUGH DIARIES; FOODS OF THE COURT [1850: last two replaced by LIVE FROM TURKEY] Wed: REVIEW OF THE FOREIGN MEDIA; THE MIDDLE EAST FROM TURKEY`S WINDOW; LETTER BOX Thu: AGENDA; LIVE FROM TURKEY [oh, oh, this shows LFT on ALL Thursday broadcasts, a mistake, so what is the other programming? Or could be that the Thu 1250 LFT is now just played back at 1850, 2050, 2220, Fri 0320 contrary to previous pattern, to be confirmed; why not? We know the 0300 UT Sunday broadcast is a repeat of the 1830 Saturday, per the time check before the ``news``, or should we say, ``olds``?] Fri: NEW DIMENSIONS OF THE ARMENIAN ISSUE; TURKISH ALBUM; THROUGH HISTORY / TURKISH CAPITAL [the ``/`` probably means alternating week to week, tho not explained] Sat: OUTLOOK; FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS (``The programme `From our correspondent [sic]` may be replaced by a feature programme broadcast two days earlier if technical conditions necessitate``) / NEW DIMENSIONS OF THE ARMENIAN ISSUE [the latter is shown only for English I, not English II, whatever that means; it would make more sense if it were shown for III Term, but not IV Term]; THROUGH HISTORY / DX CORNER [as confirmed in July, the projected on-weeks for DX Corner are Aug 11-12, 25-26, etc., but all they did was read and acknowledge reception reports]; TURKISH MUSIC Sun: FROM THE WORLD; THROUGH THEIR EYES / TURKISH STARS; THE BLUE VOYAGE / TURKISH ON RADIO / TURKISH MUSIC [has the same asterisked notation on English I but not II listings, as for CORRESPONDENTS Sat above, which does not make sense] There is no background info on these programs; especially what MEVLANA, to be replaced by IDIL BIRET, on Mondays, are about. Fortunately, in DXLD 7-020, about the previous edition we had this: ``The printed program folder also has an article about Mevlâna, since 2007 is World Mevlâna Year (had you heard?), about Sufism, Whirling Dervishes, etc.``. Google quickly reveals with 127,000 hits, that Idil Biret is an outstanding Turkish concert pianist, b. 1941, starting with http://www.idilbiret.org/ She spent several years in the GDR. Altho we admit to listening to VOT more on their webcast than on SW, there is no direct link shown to the webcasts, only a minor mention of their parent organization homepage http://www.trt.net.tr An entire panel of the folder, however, is again dedicated to ``TRT Voice of Turkey and Tourism Radio Satellite Programme Schedule``, with all the parameters for 16 different services and not a word about ``programmes``. Via publicradiofan.com we find this audio player page: http://www.trt.net.tr/wwwtrt/canli.aspx but do we punch VOT West, World or East? The answer is on this page: http://www.trt.net.tr/voiceofturkey/language.htm showing all the English broadcasts are in the World category only, and all the times are one hour off as in winter. It also has satellite info in different format, but maybe same as in the folder, uncompared. BTW, it does show an additional English broadcast on Internet and satellite only at 08-09 UT = 07-08 in summer. These are the direct audio linx at PRF: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgibin/wrap.pl?s=mms://212.175.166.3/RDVOT and http://www.turkishmedia.com/stream/vot.asx For those who have not yet memorized them, the A-07 English frequencies thru 28 October are: 1230 15450 Eu, 13685 Au/As 1830 9785 Eu 2030 7170 Au/As 2200 6195 Eu/NAm 0300 5975 Eu/NAm, 7270 As/Af 15450 sometimes makes it to CNAm, tho not lately; reception should pick up as equinox approaches. There are also some articles in the folder, notably about VOT`s 70th anniversary (shux, too late to help in the essay contest), and a bit about their own news monitoring service, which however works only in Russian, Arabic and Greek. We`ve scanned and posted these and the bookmark in the files of the dxld yahoogroup. Cover girl is VOT`s very first English-language announcer from 26.11.1941, the auburn-haired and thus un-scarved Berter Tali --- who gets only 6 Google hits, none in English. VOT, 15450 to WEu, was carrying on well enough to CNAm for a change on August 6; tuned in at 1316 to hear the conclusion of this week`s Mevlana episode on Sufism until 1319, to continue next week; then at 1320 their fill-minute of multilingual IDs (Can anyone identify them all, in order? My stumbling block would be distinguishing several Turkic languages, and also several Slavix). 1321 news headlines, IS and off at 1324* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. "Feedback" on Radio 4 --- This week`s programme has some very critical listener comments about DAB and weak responses from the BBC man with the unenviable job of pushing the technology. DAB Plus was mentioned as a possible development by the BBC man - surely an admission of the present poor audio quality (when you can receive a signal that is!). Well worth a Listen Again - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml (Mike Terry, Aug 5, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. Death of George Moore, IBB Deputy Director (update). Mr. Moore, acting director of the International Broadcasting Bureau, was previously IBB director of engineering. See BBG statement, 3 August 2007. Update: "His willingness and ability to close the antiquated shortwave stations to find resources for television and Internet literally paved the way for the most important international broadcasting developments of our time. (If only he had been in charge of programming to the Arab world!)" Former BBG chairman Kenneth Tomlinson, via Extreme Mortman blog, 4 August 2007. Posted: 05 Aug 2007 http://www.extrememortman.com/terrorism/remembering-an-unsung-hero-of-international-broadcasting/ (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A. One year later, murder of Radio Free Asia general counsel still unsolved. D.C. police have yet to make any arrests in the slaying of Robert Wone, who was killed late Aug. 2, 2006 while staying overnight at a friend's home. Wone, 32, was stabbed three times in the chest with a butcher knife that came from the kitchen, police said. Police said they did not get full cooperation from the three men known to have been in the house at the time of the killing." ... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/04/AR2007080401332.html (Washington Post, 5 August 2007. Posted: 05 Aug 2007, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) See also TIBET [non] ** U S A [non]. Aug 6 at 1329 on 17730 some ME music, 1330 M&W talk, unsure of language; poor to fair. This is VOA Kurdish via Lampertheim per Aoki: 17730 VOICE OF AMERICA 1300-1400 1234567 Kurdish 100 104 Lampertheim D 00833E4930 IBB a07 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Dear Mr. Hauser, Your kind response restored my faith in postal services from the U.S. which have proved strangely erratic over the last year. I do think that electronic mail and the increasing use of computers to facilitate enquiry are having a bad effect on people putting anything onto old fashioned paper. So much for penmanship too. But that`s a stateside word I love. [oh? What is the British word for it? --- gh] I notice that fewer shops here sell shortwave sets. They seem to think that radio interest now means digital sets. What exactly is broadcast digitally in the U.S.? I have been rather disappointed by what might be termed nostalgic recycling of very old programming and also the irritating receptional quirks on sets. They really are strange. When I buy another SW set, I can see myself using one of the bigger warehouses that rely on mail order. About reception on very small equipment. Nothing seems as strong and clear as many years ago. I take note of certain stations not being present at all certain evenings. It has taken me a while to find WWCR late at night. I presumed it was simply not around for English listeners. What I actually hear is a lot of Pastor Pete Peters. If the books written about him are true, why is a station with any moral reputation at all giving him so much air time? His shows are circumlocutive, maybe so no one thinks out the implications of his pretend patriotic redefinitions. I take on board what you have said about decencies vanishing when one considers deployment of him and the chilling American Dissident Voices of old and on allied frequencies. Could we sue them for misuse of Dixie, at least? Concerning University Network, the bigger picture emerged when they chose to reply to a letter before you made your own clarification. I had no idea that Gene Scott was married, and this female now in charge might have seemed a daughter [she`s younger enough to be --- gh]. Never mind, I sense that many things are winding down all over. I do not think people will buy tickets for an auditorium filled with a recorded voice, or a church, for that matter. One senses a sort of travesty of what would happen in a more high definition ministry such as Billy Graham operates. One wonders how his association will act on his death. Quite a few Americans still know nothing about Dr. Scott and also have little to say on Brother Stair. I wonder about the excessive and tendentious Harold Camping. I have yet to find anyone in England interested enough to apply his startling ideas about church congregations [abolish brick-and-mortar churches], but sense that his base may be among listeners in the Third World. Outside his powerful network, does he possess credibility? Dealing with EWTN, I would say that a religious cultural nadir is here struck by their setting the Divine Mercy prayers to a pop theme, reminiscent of a girl band taking the veil! It is atrocious and probably nothing exceeds it in bad taste on this station. The American Catholic Bishops Conference seem to no longer concern themselves about the network`s excesses. Their secretary has little knowledge of the Box Number clerics who regularly broadcast in stentorian tones using theology that was strangely out of date even in Fulton Sheen`s era. Lastly, EWTN clergy will fare very badly when the Latin Mass is revived; the terrifying transatlantic style they drawl out virtually canonises Tom Lehrer. I am afraid few are impressed, hearing it. I thank you kindly for your indications of further information on our topics [DXLD via Internet at a library, perhaps]. May I ask you about one last favour? Do you ever remember the strange example of a man who convinced a television audience over a number of years that he was an ordained cleric and a theological expert? He is thought to have been American or Canadian. He was actually one of the most successful imposters in this field. Has his career ever been documented? Sooner or later, I am convinced that through all the posturing and false accents that EWTN broadcasts, someone like this fellow may well begin pulling proverbial wool --- if this happened, would anyone know or care? Thank you for all your friendly assistance and my goodwill to you, my favourite authority, Yours sincerely (Jason Redvers Latham, Beverley, England, 22 July, fountain pen, brown ink, calligraphy upon ivory- coloured paper, by P-mail, typed by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t recall the imposter you mention, but surely there are loads of them anyway. Does any reader recognise this specific case? I wonder if WWCR still p-mails out printouts of its program schedules upon request? I haven`t received one lately, myself. There was just an update on the website dated August 3, so I have made a few changes on MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR and DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS. Fewer and fewer specialty programs remain, and SING FOR JOY is gone. PPP is of course full-time on WWCR-4, which late at night in UK means 9975/9985/7465, but also considerable chunx on WWCR-3, 12160/5070. You cannot even avoid him by listening only to WWCR-1, where he also has a few hours on 3215, and not late at night, on 15825. I am sure WWCR is not ``giving`` him all this airtime, altho some of it may be bonus for buying out one entire transmitter fulltime. He must now be their #1 customer exceeding even DGS who has no more than one entire transmitter fulltime. Where is Bro Scare when we need him? What exactly is broadcast digitally in the US? Very little of an original nature. Commercial stations with ``HD`` fill in with music formats that won`t pay to run on the main channel in their market; non-commercial stations tend to counter-program, i.e. talk if main channel is music, music if main channel is talk. A growing number of them fill such extra air time with BBC World Service, you might be pleased to know (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. I happened to hear WWCR announce on 13845 Aug 4 at 1303 that all four transmitters were going off the air for ``powerline and electrical maintenance``, and would return when completed. Meanwhile programming continues available on streams. Now`s our chance to hear something else on 15825, 13845, 9985, 5890, later 12160, depending on how long it lasts. WWCR is still off at 0230 UT Sunday August 5, so no WOR on 5070. I hear that the problem is an insulator in the field on one of the rhombics, but until that is repaired they can`t run any of the SW transmitters. Probably could be temporarily fixed with a rope. Apparently this is unrelated to the previous problem of a relay burning up, which is likely to cause some of the WWCR-1 frequencies to funxion at lowered power. So tonight`s your chance to DX something on or near 3215, 5070, 5935, etc. Jason at WWCR called to apologize to the DX community for the missing DX block, and explained that when they were trying to repair the first problem today, another wire came down and now it`s too dark to work on that. They have called in a professional crew to work on it and hope to have it all repaired and be back on the air sometime Sunday morning. And then I also got this from him (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WWCR Engineering Bulletin Saturday Evening, August 4th, 2007. Due to an antenna insulator failure, all four shortwave transmitters are temporarily off air. A lines crew has been contacted and have confirmed that they will be on WWCR property to perform any repairs by 7:30 AM CT, Sunday. We will resume transmission immediately following the repair. Our programming will remain available via streaming audio at http://wwcr.com I would especially like to thank the DX Community for your understanding of the omission of this evening's DX Block on shortwave. We appreciate the service that the DX Community provides shortwave listening as a whole. Kind Regards as Always, --Jason Cooper, WWCR CE (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Don`t know when they resumed, but 13845 back on and very strong at 1736 UT check August 5; much weaker on 15825, 12160, 9985 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENIING DIGEST) WWCR transmitters are back up --- Hi Glenn; In case Jason hasn't let you know yet, we corrected the antenna insulator failure, we believe, and went back on air about 11.00a/1600 UT today at full strength. Jason is monitoring the transmitters/antennae to verify that the affected areas have been made right. Thanks for helping us get the word out, and all of us are sorry we missed the DX Block-but it will return! Cordially (Jerry Plummer, WWCR, August 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [earlier:] Good evening, Glenn. I seem to hear that same announce while listening Rock The Universe on 9985 before 1300. In fact Country Music Worldwide was missing, as well as 15825 and no DGS on 13845 after 1300. Noticed they were back around 1530, maybe earlier. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, UT Aug 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Was enjoying some big band music, Stardust? August 5 at 1332 on WWRB 11920, when it abruptly switched in mid-note to a hoarse, screaming Brother Scare, // 9385 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KJES, 11715, Monday Aug 6 at 1305 in English with off-key YL singing hymn, mixing with robokids chanting, which really don`t go together; a few minutes later fade out the singing and fade up the kids. Good signal, anyway. Other days inaudible at this hour, and I am still not sure whether operation is irregular, or propagation/skipping over accounts for this (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WINS is a major pest here, along with channel dominant CFRB, so I recorded 1010 overnight with CFRB semi-nulled. Caught one newie - WSPT Stevens Point WI, running oldies, with a nice clear ID at 0101 EDT (and not likely on 10W night power!). I also was surprised to hear CBR Calgary poke through at 0300 - not new, but rare here. Other than that, just a relog of WNTK after sunrise. Thanks to those who posted the alert! (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, Aug 4, NRC-AM via DXLD) WINS signed off this morning (8/5) at 0030 [EDT] as scheduled. The announcer said that they would sign back on at 0430. In WINS absence, CFRB is dominant on my NW loop and WOLB is dominant on my NE loop. There is a rumble underneath and maybe something will pop through, but it doesn't sound promising (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, Check out the Spokane Radio History Pages http://spokane.philcobill.com HCDX via DXLD) Unsurprisingly, it's all CFRB here in Rochester. This has been the case pretty much ever since the interference agreement in the 90s that allowed both CFRB and WINS to send more signal right at my family room. (Or so it seemed at the time.) (The joke's on them, anyway - the family room was torn down last week in preparation for a new addition here, so they're sending all that RF at a concrete slab covered in a tarp! Ha!) s (Scott Fybush, IRCA via DXLD) WINS does indeed have difficulty adequately covering its primary area in analog. They probably are going to have a rather rude awakening on the digital coverage. As is often the case, the sidebands will probably cause DX'ers problems farther away than the digital signal will decode. Even absent nighttime IBOC, CFRB will chew them up at pre-sunset and post-sunrise in many of the suburbs even more than they do today (Russ Edmunds Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ) [15 mi NNW of Philadelphia], ibid.) ** U S A. APPLICATIONS: 1590, WABV, SC, Abbeville - Applies for an STA of D1 250/0 for six months as the application states: “Due to Equipment Failure, WABV is now operating at 250 Watts. At this power output, the station’s operation falls completely within the protected contour of its licensed operation. The tower and transmission facilities have not been moved or altered. The licensee is working diligently to make repairs as time and funds permit. To allow sufficient time for repairs, WABV requests a six month STA, as our chief engineer only works with us on a part time basis.” Although licensed for U1 1000/27, no mention is made of nighttime operation under the STA. APPLICATIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION: 1590 WABV SC Abbeville - Application to move to Whitney, Nevada (!!) on 1370 with D3 14000/0 (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Aug 13 via DXLD) That of course is Paul B. Walker`s station, discussed recently (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 960, KMA, IA, Shenandoah - Operating with an STA for U1 1250/1250 after its center tower (of three) came tumbling down, word on the Web indicates the new tower is up and testing should begin shortly. So they should be back to their U2 5000/5000 facilities shortly with the nighttime pattern favoring the northnortheast (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Aug 13 via DXLD) 960, KMA, IA, Shenandoah. In DDXD-W #74-27, we ran an item regarding this station’s middle tower in its three-tower array. Ernie Wesolowski had reported then that the deteriorating 48-year-old tower was taken down on 5/31, and the station would be using an STA for 1250 watts non-directional for nighttime operation while the new tower was constructed. During a recent phone call, Ernie told me that he visited the station on 7/12. The new tower is up but engineering issues remain, and the station did not expect to be ready to begin nighttime directional broadcasting again until around 8/1. In the meantime, the STA remains in effect (and the DX opportunity remains intact). As of this column’s deadline of 8/3, I can neither confirm nor deny that these operations have begun (Bill Dvorak, Ed.-WI, Domestic DX Digest- West, NRC DX News Aug 13 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi all, there is an internet stream of a station from Oakhurst [California] at 1610, yet I've never received them, because I've been unwilling to extensively explore because of my dirty tuner in my GE Super Radio 2 here in Oakland, so, has anybody received this oldies 1610 station, because when I was down in the San Joaquín valley last year, I didn't get them, but maybe they have to protect 1600 from Fresno (Marty Rimpau, CA, IRCA via DXLD) It would be a Part 15 station and they wouldn't get very far. A few miles (maybe 10) in the daytime, and either Fresno or Pomona would eat them up at night. You'd have better luck with the 1700 station in Manteca (Mike Hawkins, ibid.) And no protecting, per se (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC WINDOW OPENING; GET YOUR OWN COMMUNITY FM RADIO STATION By Eliot Van Buskirk, August 03, 2007 http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/08/fcc-window-open.html Between October 12th and 19th, the FCC will open a full-power non- commercial/educational FM radio station licensing window (PDF) that could be the last chance to grab some decent FM spectrum before it's all gone. If you've ever wanted your own terrestrial radio station, you can apply for a license, assuming there's free spectrum in your area and that you qualify as a community group or nonprofit. According to Getradio.org, "it will be many years before another licensing window opens and, frankly, there won't be much full power radio spectrum of value available after this issuing period." If you or someone you know might be interested, now is the time to act. You can check spectrum availability by zip code and find out how to apply on GetRadio.org site, but be forewarned: "The application process will take considerable effort on your part and will require the professional support of a radio engineer and a telecommunications lawyer. Don't be discouraged by technical complexity, there are ample resources to help see you through the process and securing such a vital resource for your community will be well worth it." (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) And PLEASE, make it a real community radio station, not a jukebox or a thinly-disguised commercial entity to line your own pockets (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DXLD) ** U S A. [Black] TALK RADIO CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH - washingtonpost.com By Casey Lartigue Jr. and Eliot Morgan Sunday, August 5, 2007; B03 For nearly three decades, the memo has been passed around by word of mouth, the Internet, on nth-generation photocopied fliers, making the rounds among African American activists, politicians and talk-show hosts. In "Black Africa and the U.S. Black Movement," also known as Memorandum 46, President Jimmy Carter's national security adviser outlines a sinister 1970s government strategy to undermine black leadership in the United States and sow discord with Africans abroad. It's a fantastic story, and on June 23, we devoted an entire edition of "The Casey Lartigue Show," our weekly political talk show on an XM satellite radio channel aimed at black listeners, to debunking it and other urban legends. Everywhere we looked, we found evidence that the document was fake: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/02/AR2007080201751_pf.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. EL LIBRO BLANCO SOBRE RCTV: LA CONTUNDENCIA DE LA VERDAD CONTRA LA ESTRECHEZ DE LA MENTIRA Entre los documentos editados por el Estado venezolano para contrarrestar la insidiosa y rastrera campaña desinformativa en contra del país, “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV” es de los más científicos y didácticos que se haya publicado hasta el presente. Pieza por pieza, argumento por argumento, razón por razón, “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV” ofrece las herramientas necesarias para desmontar la maraña de medias verdades tejida por la tramoya comunicacional desplegada por el canal de Bárcenas, a escala nacional e internacional. Con las pruebas en la mano, primero se hace un recuento de los grupos económicos controladores de la mayoría de las concesiones radioeléctricas en televisión (78% en VHF y 82% en UHF), lo cual echa por tierra la “tesis” oposicionista de que el Estado venezolano tiene predominio sobre el sector comunicacional y apabulla a los “indefensos” e “inocentes” medios de difusión “independientes”. Cualquier parecido con el glosario de términos de la comunidad cubana exiliada en Miami, es pura coincidencia. En segundo término, “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV” desglosa el marco jurídico de las concesiones y brinda al lector el contexto real en el cual a RCTV no se le renueva la habilitación administrativa para continuar operando el canal 2, en el Valle de Caracas, y sus distintas estaciones repetidoras en el interior de la República. Entre los acontecimientos citados se encuentran: la participación de altos directivos de RCTV en el Golpe de Estado del 11 de abril de 2002; la difusión de mensajes que incitaban a la violencia, la guerra civil y el magnicidio; y el bloqueo informativo impuesto por RCTV - y otras empresas de comunicación - a todos los venezolanos, por 47 horas continuas. Solamente con las infracciones cometidas por la planta de Quinta Crespo, en el período correspondiente al Golpe de Estado de 2002, RCTV ya tenía un EXPEDIENTE lo suficientemente vasto como para perder la concesión POR REVOCACIÓN automática. A continuación transcribo uno de los fragmentos insurreccionales emitidos por RCTV en el marco del sabotaje petrolero de 63 días, convocado por el oposicionismo histérico, entre diciembre de 2002 y febrero de 2003: “(...) El paro tiene que ser indefinido hasta que salga Chávez (...) el pueblo tiene que salir a las calles mañana, el pueblo tiene que permanecer en las calles mañana, y yo me pregunto, en estas horas vamos a demostrar LA RESISTENCIA CIVIL, pero yo quiero saber dónde está EL HONOR Y LA RESISTENCIA MILITAR (...) el llamado es al pueblo, pero el llamado es TAMBIÉN A LOS MILITARES que deben portar esos uniformes que se los hemos dado nosotros”. (Hermann Escarrá, abogado identificado con la oposición. 6 de diciembre de 2002. Página 69, Libro Blanco sobre RCTV). A todas luces, el llamado “cívico” de un abogado venezolano (Hermann Escarrá) es a violentar el Estado Derecho y a desconocer las leyes; una clara y evidente invitación a la ANARQUÍA y al Golpe de Estado, al hacer – igualmente - una abierta insinuación a los militares para tomar partido en los eventos del sabotaje petrolero. ¿Qué haría la FCC si en Estados Unidos un abogado diplomado declarase – en un canal de TV como ABC, Fox News o NBC - semejante aberración discursiva? Allí y en cualquiera nación del planeta, la televisora sería multada y hasta clausurada; en el mismo orden de ideas, el abogado podría ser enjuiciado por inducir a la anarquía y a la acción militar en contra de un gobierno legítimamente electo. Más claro no canta un gallo. Más adelante, “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV” indica la plenitud de las jurisprudencias violentadas en flagrancia por la estación de Quinta Crespo; en la esfera constitucional se hallan los artículos: 50, 57, 58, 108 y 133. En el ámbito de la Ley Orgánica de Telecomunicaciones (2000): 15, 171 (Literal sexto) y 208; y en la Ley Orgánica de Protección al Niño, Niña y Adolescente: 32, 35, 38, 63, 65, 68, 71, 74 y 79. RCTV ha mantenido en los últimos años una actitud abiertamente delincuencial y transgresora del entramado jurídico venezolano. ¿Es ése el fin de un medio de comunicación social? ¿Llevar a un país entero al enfrentamiento y casi la guerra civil? Ya en su fase cumbre, “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV” despliega las variadas comunicaciones escritas dirigidas al canal de marras, desde distintos organismos estatales como la Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones y la Comisión Nacional de Derechos del Niño y del Adolescente. En la mayoría de ellas se exhorta a RCTV a respetar el orden legal y a no continuar con las ya recurrentes infracciones dentro de su programación. Al final, la publicación del Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Información y la Comunicación, presenta una interesante investigación sobre las prácticas monopólicas y desleales de RCTV en la repartición de la “torta” publicitaria anual y los expedientes abiertos en tribunales laborales en contra de la televisora del conglomerado 1BC. Razones en demasía asistían al Estado venezolano para adoptar la decisión soberana de NO RENOVAR LA CONCESIÓN a un canal FORAJIDO. Incluso pudo REVOCARLA en 2002 y no lo hizo. Era una deuda con LA VERDAD y la DIGNIDAD. El carácter incisivo y veraz de “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV”, lo convierte en un material de consulta obligada para investigadores, periodistas, estudiantes de comunicación social y público en general. Es un ejemplo caminante y denunciante del alcance de la manipulación mediática de las empresas mercantilistas de comunicación y sus tentáculos de poder a escala global. CASO RCTV, LA DISOCIACIÓN PSICÓTICA Y EL ANALFABETISMO FUNCIONAL Ante tal contundencia de argumentos jurídicos a favor del Estado venezolano, es inexplicable la negación y obcecación de ciertos colegas con respecto al tema. Buscaron el libro que aquí comentamos y en un intento fallido por comprenderlo, se enredaron aún más en su marasmo de contradicciones e inconsistencias. La nuez de la actual discusión es que un grupo de venezolanos, muy reducido, está en TODO su derecho de adversar al presidente Chávez, pero eso NO PUEDE convertirse en un pretexto para DESCONOCER LAS LEYES, MANIPULARLAS o atentar contra el Estado de Derecho. Eso es INACEPTABLE. El claro y peligroso mensaje enviado por algunos de los colegas es el de que si una persona quebranta la ley, ésta no puede ser sancionada por los organismos competentes. Es como si afirmáramos que a un delincuente se le está violando su derecho al libre tránsito, porque está tras las rejas. ¿No es de locos? ¿No es de disociados? Si infringió la ley, debe ir preso. Si RCTV desconoció las leyes – como efectivamente lo prueba “El Libro Blanco...” - debe asumir la responsabilidad administrativa por el hecho y pagar un precio: el fin de su concesión y la negativa rotunda del Estado a la renovación. La disociación psicótica no es invención mía, ni mucho menos el analfabetismo funcional. Lamento de verdad que el colega Glenn se haya tomado el último calificativo muy a pecho; cuando hablaba de analfabetas funcionales, en realidad cavilaba sobre otras histéricas opiniones y personalidades “traídas de los cabellos”. El afirmar que “El Libro Blanco sobre RCTV” no aporta nada sustancial al debate, entre otros “delirios sintagmáticos” leídos por mi persona, retrata en la crudeza la no asimilación de los elementos condensados en la publicación antes citada. Si eso no es analfabetismo funcional, ¿cómo se le puede tildar? En la Venezuela revolucionaria se están desnudando verdades de verdades y tal realidad no es del agrado de ciertos personajes. En nuestro país – amigo Glenn - se abolió el paradigma sacrosanto de los medios de comunicación ETERNOS e INTOCABLES. La contundencia de la VERDAD objetiva y científica convence por sí sola y sin gran esfuerzo, y la ESTRECHEZ de la mentira se diluye en las piruetas discursivas del “circo oposicionista”. Ah, y escribo, como todo REVOLUCIONARIO, por pasión a las ideas y a la dialéctica. No lo hago ni por dinero, ni por un puesto burocrático. (ADÁN GONZÁLEZ, Certificado de Locución #26950, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, August 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNA BAJA SINTONÍA MARCA EL CANAL QUE REEMPLAZÓ A RCTV La partida del nuevo canal estatal de Venezuela, Televisora Venezolana Social (Tves), no ha sido de lo más auspiciosa. Aunque ocupa la misma frecuencia que antes tenía Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), el canal 2 de señal abierta, las cifras de audiencia distan mucho entre sí. La concesión de RCTV fue caducada por el gobierno de Hugo Chávez el 27 de mayo, quien puso en su lugar a Tves, canal que espera llenar su parrilla con un 75% de programas nacionales de producción independiente. Pero según datos de la empresa AGB citados por la agencia France Presse, la sintonía de Tves, que tiene cobertura en todo el país, alcanzó apenas el 5% de audiencia promedio en junio, a diferencia de RCTV, cuyos niveles superaban el 40%. En su búsqueda de audiecia Tves ha debido recurrir a la transmisión de la Copa América y partidos históricos de los mundiales, pero ello sólo les ha dado un respiro, dicen sus ejecutivos (El Mercurio, Chile via Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Aug 4, condig list via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. From press reports that ``Aló Presidente`` can go on for hours and hours all day Sundays, I have wondered how long the RHC relay can stay with it. The nominal time used to be published as 1400-1830 UT, but August 5 I rechecked at 1826 and Hugo was still going on 11875, 13750 and 17750 via Cuba. I happened to check 11875 again at 1950, just in time to hear a promo for Cuban radio and TV being available on satellite, and off at 1951* Barely had time to // it to very weak 17750, then mixed with WYFR, or rather CBS Taiwan relay in Chinese (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RNV, 15250 & 13680 via Cuba, full-data ``Canal Internacional`` card with ``República Bolivariana de Venezuela`` postcard via Fedex delivery from Venezuela in 4 months. Also received a letter with photo ID of v/s César Mosco with a copy of his fingerprint on the letter! Also got six different booklets about Hugo Chávez and his administration. Most unusual package (Sam Barto, Thomaston CT, QSL Report, Aug NASWA Journal via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Re gh`s carrier on 1600.1: I've been hearing something during my local daytime (a carrier) for a while on around 1600.15, surely not your station, but nonetheless someone probably in FL or just maybe coastal LA, MS or AL (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Tone on 1690. I was just scanning around the X band. There is a sort of dual tone right now on 1690. It sounds like one pure note, and one lower wavering tone. The higher tone is louder, and they are really tearing up the frequency. Anybody else notice this? (Adam Myrow, Memphis, TN, 0322 UT Aug 5, NRC-AM via DXLD) Hi Adam, I was tuning around on the X band last night too and noted the same thing. It was pretty strong. Sure wish I knew what it was (John Hunter, Rossville GA, ibid.) Not the OSU experiments in OK & NM, supposed to be on 1680 (gh, DXLD) Both tonight and last night I've noted a carrier just below 1690.7 kHz, presumably CHTO. Never strong enough to produce any audio, but must have been getting close at times, so but as Patrick notes, could be a reasonable target for westerners with improved conditions. 73, (Nigel Pimblett, Dunmore, Alberta, 0439 UT Aug 6, IRCA via DXLD) How to tell a tone from a het: a tone transmitted on regular AM will produce equal signal peaks on both sides of the carrier frequency; in this case it would have been on 1690.7 and 1689.3. If it was on 1690.7 only, this would point to a separate carrier such as CHTO varying off- frequency as reported before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CHTO Toronto was at 1690.73 last week when I first heard them off- frequency; their signal was as strong as the others on the channel here in PA, and was causing quite a het. As for CHHA, when I first logged them in 2004 they were abt 1609.9; a year ago I heard them high (1610.05) but lately they have been on the low side again. Wonder what it is about these Canadian X-banders that can't get their transmitters on-frequency? Is CRTC as ineffectual as the FCC is here? (Brett Saylor, Central PA, R-8 w/100' sloper, NRC-AM via DXLD) Brent, a minor point: FYI, CRTC looks after the content end of radio and Industry Canada are the ones who should be looking after issues of tech compliance, if I recall correctly (Eric Flodén, ibid.) Good point - that could well be. I wonder how CHSL/CHHA could be allowed to remain off-frequency for years? (Brett, ibid.) I realize these stations are off frequency and we DX'ers notice it, but do the regular listeners on boomboxes or clock radios? Probably not. Maybe Industry Canada has a certain standard, a certain percentage or kilohertz off you can be and these stations fall within that acceptable range (Paul B. Walker, SC, ibid.) I think that since these stations are particularly aimed at localized ethnic populations, listeners may be close enough that they don't hear it. But that still doesn't let Industry Canada off the hook (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), ibid.) I was getting the het on about 1690.7 or there abouts last night, but no audio to separate from 1690. But someone is off frequency. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, Aug 5, ibid.) The standard in Canada is actually tighter than in the U.S. - the carrier frequency is supposed to be within 10 Hz (vs 20 Hz in the U.S.). That said, Industry Canada operates the same way as the FCC regarding enforcement: they are reactive rather than proactive. No complaints, no action (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. Hi All, I found today 08/05 in 14450, an unidentified station at 1755 UT, with music in oriental style with drums, may be from China, SINPO-25432, with broken in the audio stream, sign off at 1800 and returned 1804. No talks heard, only music in the transmission. Someone can help me? Rx: Drake R8-B communications Receiver, Ant: Grove Mini-skywire, dipolo, 14 mts (Djaci Franklin Silva, Salvador - Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) Djaci, This is the typical pattern of the `Firedrake` jamming from China against the Sound of Hope clandestine, one transmitter of which constantly moves around in this frequency range. You can read much more about this in DX Listening Digest if you search on Firedrake or ``Sound of Hope``. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) And I also heard it on 14450 --- see CHINA [and non] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ CODAR HERE TO STAY Never really checked out the CODAR Web site before, but did so a few weeks ago and was thoroughly disgusted. I didn't realize these things were sold commercially. I thought it was simply for scientific/oceanographic research and that it would end one day. It seems not much thought was ever given to the interference they might cause. I guess the 4 MHz portion of the spectrum will never be the same again. I wonder if things would be different if the interference was covering the 80 mb instead of the 60 mb. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Aug 5, HCDX via DXLD) GOT CODAR? I do. Check out the 500 kHz bandwidth screenshot of CODAR, including the rattlesnake, courtesy of the SDR-14 on my web site at http://www.bcdx.org/?p=9 (Brandon Jordan, Memphis, TN, Aug 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RE: SOVIET R-250 SHORTWAVE RECEIVERS R-250, R-250M and R-250M2 where the most prominent and remarkable Russian short wave receivers. The receiver line produced and modernised from 1948 until 1981. The designer was Anton Antonovich Saveliev, Yuri Alexandrov (U1SX) and others. The project was started in 1940 and finalised in 1946 - 1949. First named AS-1 and AS- 2 (designers initials) The set took the Stalin Premium prize in the early 50's. While working on the design numerous other developments were taken into account, but no examples were actually obtained, so it is basically an original Russian design. AS-2 is an early version of R- 250 and identical to it. Only the labels are different. Very few AS sets were produced, so it is a rare thing among the R-250 series radios. The design is very rugged. The set comes in a cabinet with two compartments and is made from Aluminium (Silumin) castings which are used on chassis etc. All R-250 series produced from 1949 till 1981 largely in Charkov Radio Works (later IU “Proton”) and some in other factories. Name "Kit" - translated "Whale". The receiver was mainly used in soviet and her allied armed forces. Later often found in HAM radio clubstations. Net weight 95 kg / 3351 oz Kolla mer om Warsawapaktens mottagare på denna lank: http://www.milradio.com/warsaw_gal.htm (via SWB-editor Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin Aug 5 via DXLD) CONSULTA ¿RADIO AMÉRICA EN 280 KHZ? Estimados Co listeros, Disculpas pero quiero abusar de los conocimientos de la lista. Hoy a la madrugada estaba medio dormido buscando señales y en 280 kHz escuché muy fuerte Radio América que esta en 1190 kHz. Es más, se escuchaba bastante bien en Banda Lateral. Eran más o menos las 1:30 AM hora local, 0430 UT. Vivo en Buenos Aires y tengo una Sony 7600GR y la usaba con la antena telescópica, no más. ¿La señal era un armónico? ¿Mi radio funciona mal y debo tirarla por la ventana? Muchas gracias, 73! (Alejandro, Aug 3, condig list via DXLD) Estimado Alejandro, Tirar. 280 es una frecuencia imagen dentro del receptor, lo que pasa comunmente a menos 910 kHz de la frecuencia verdadera. Es 2 por la frecuencia intermediada (IF) de 455 kHz. En otros casos se encuentran a menos 900 (2 x 450). 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Logan, Por más que tu rx capte la frecuencia imagen, ni se te ocurra descartar esa radio; es comun en todas las radios portátiles que esto suceda. Si los colegas brasileños (fanáticos de la 7600Gr) leyeran el mensaje, se estarían agarrando la cabeza !! 73 (Enrique Wembagher, Argentina, fugado del siglo XXIII, ibid.) Si la vas a tirar por la ventana, ¡¡¡tírala para acá!!! :-) :-) :-) (Moisés Knochen, Uruguay, ibid.) Muchas gracias por los comentarios y la ayuda. Bueno, me "ofendí" un poco con la Sony pero si es común, la perdono. 73! (Alejandro, ibid.) A VIDEO TOUR OF A 50 KW AM DAYTIMER TRANSMITTER SITE Say hello to WCMA-AM 1560 in Daleville (Enterprise) Alabama.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At5oRhr5mE0 The audio isn't that great during the interview portion, but it's still OK. Of course, as a radio geek, I loved seeing some of the nitty gritty in the video, talking about the transmitter and all. I liked the shot of the tower at the end. Sincerely, (Paul B. Walker, Jr., NRC-AM via DXLD) WCMA the one just upgraded, not off the air (gh) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DAB: UK; DRM: not mentioned in this issue! ++++++++++++++++++++ SANGEAN HDR-1 RADIO I have checked out this radio, and find several points that makes this radio (not the companion Sangean tuner) not useful for DX: Apparently, no outside antenna can be connected for FM. The microprocessor creates interference, so only strong local stations can be received. There is no composite point inside the radio, meaning no SCA adapter can be added. It already has RDS. It is possible the composite is masked by all the RF birdies generated by the microprocessor. I like the comparable Radio Shack Accurian boom box radio better. I do plan to force FM/SCS into the radio by modifying a smaller Radio Shack FM-100 or TM 100 tuner, and that can be plugged into the "audio in" or AUX jack. The older Radio Shack tuner at least can be connected to an outside FM antenna, 300 ohms (Bruce Elving, MN, WTFDA via DXLD) What are you talking about? I have one connected via coax to my outdoor antenna as I am listening to it right this second. Unscrew the whip from the back and connect your coax to the outdoor antenna, Bruce. Maybe you missed reading the manual before operation. ``The microprocessor creates interference, so only strong local stations can be received.`` Huh? You must have a bad set. It WILL definitely cause interference to other stations within 50 cm though. Even the directions say keep your AM/FM antenna more than 50 cm from the radio. Did you not follow the directions and put the antenna right on top of the radio? This is clearly stated in the manual. ``There is no composite point inside the radio, meaning no SCA adapter can be added.`` Of course not. SCA is ANALOG. The HD2 is the digital version of SCA. ``It already has RDS. It is possible the composite is masked by all the RF birdies generated by the microprocessor.`` I don't have this problem with mine. I have found my Sangean HDR-1 vastly superior in every way to the Accurian model (Kevin Redding, Gilbert, AZ, ibid.) Regarding my previous post and the reply, let me clarify that I re- checked the outside FM antenna situation, and took a pliers to the base of the loopstick antenna and was able to remove that and saw the 72-ohm FM input jack. But the instructions, as far as I can tell, say nothing about that. They only explain that an external AM antenna must be placed 50 cm away. The point for FM/SCS, a composite, should be available when listening to analog FM stations as I was doing. And even in digital mode, I think an analog host signal will remain. Perhaps with an outside FM antenna, finding and working with an SCS signal would be possible, but I do not recommend that, since my customers would most likely be using the unipole antenna, which is close enough to the radio to get the microprocessor interference. Maybe the radios vary; the one I have suffers from interference on many FM frequencies across the band. It is fun to read the manual. For example: "Press and release the power/control knob on the unit to enter tuning mode. Rotary the power/control button to make manual tuning." (BrucElving, ibid.) IBOC OFF IN WISCONSIN 620, WTMJ, WI, Milwaukee. An e-mail from Milwaukee-area NRCer Ray Totzke on 7/19 revealed that this station’s IBOC has been down lately. A check of the Milwaukee online radio forum http://www.brewcityradio.com explained much about this situation (the forum is a cozy little group, among whose contributors are both IBOC cheerleaders and bashers). IBOC was first noticed off in late June. WTMJ’s downtime appears to be for an IBOC firmware upgrade for their Harris transmitters. From my understanding, firmware is neither software nor hardware, but may be thought of as software imbedded on hardware. Thus to make the correction, the exciter (hardware) must be sent in to Harris, and the usual downtime is about a month (an explanation also on why other IBOC stations have experienced downtimes of a few weeks at a time). The Harris upgrade has been successful in other cases, and the station has no plans to dump IBOC. In the meantime, Ray is enjoying (while it lasts) listening to WMFN 640 from across the pond in Zeeland MI. That includes the day of this column’s deadline, 8/3, as WTMJ’s IBOC remains off. See also 1640 WKSH below. 1640, WKSH, WI, Sussex. While researching the WTMJ IBOC situation on brewcityradio.com (see above), I discovered that a second Milwaukee area station, WKSH, had also turned off its IBOC, also in late June. Unlike the case of WTMJ, the reasons were not as clear. Various explanations were transmitter problems, antenna problems and “IBOC implementation” problems. Also not clear: if this situation is permanent and if not, how long it will be off (it remains off on this column’s deadline of 8/3). So, two of the five Milwaukee IBOC stations are down (the other three: WOKY 920, WISN 1130, WJYI 1340) (Bill Dvorak, Ed.-WI, Domestic DX Digest-West, NRC DX News Aug 13 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TROPO MAP WEBSITE UPGRADE NEW : 42 hour forecast in 6 hour intervals ! Day 6 added. Preview of 6 days so that you don't have to scroll down the whole page to get a general idea of the forecast. Web Site: http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html Enjoy (Bill Hepburn, WTFDA via DXLD) Excellent! Now some decent tropo in some direction other than SE from here would be nice! (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) Excellent! This will be fun to watch, especially with today's pink blob just to my north. The site looks great Bill - thanks for providing this valuable service to the DX community! Bill Hepburn's maps are right on target with the trops to my north. With a stifling dew point of 77 this afternoon (temp is only 90 though), there are some good signals at mid-afternoon. I do like what the next week holds on the tropo maps. Looks like a lot of the US will be locked in to some hot and humid weather, so trops ought to be interesting (Matthew C. Sittel, Bellevue, NE, ibid.) I really like this feature. Bill has gone all out for this. I really like the ability to track the tropo over the hours, as the duct moves. In the case of tomorrow morning, however, I am not really very happy with where it's moving. A little more north, a little more east, please! I am almost thinking I'd do better at my Snowball site NW of Toronto than I would here at Burnt River, which is 100 km roughly NE of Toronto. I'm staying put for now (Saul Chernos, Ont., ibid.) Bill, As a meteorologist, I obviously love maps, and while I've checked your site off and on, now that I'm more serious into the DX aspect of things, I can really appreciate what you've put together, and I plan to use it quite frequently! Great work! -- (Matt Lanza, WKTV Evening Meteorologist, Utica, NY/Glenville, NY, ibid.) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Speaking of marketing, I always thought there could be some money made in selling those scrolling LED message boards for placement in car back windows. That way you could have a programmable bumper sticker on board. No need to be stuck with your old Bush sticker, you could just punch in "Gore" and so transform the hearts and minds of the people in traffic around you. Or what better finishing touch could you add to your winning street sprint then to show signage like "Eat Dust!" as you leave your competitors behind you eating same. Now, this past week I saw the very thing for sale in one of the Airline on-board catalogues. Another million that I'm out of. Straying from the topic, (Jim Renfrew, NY, WTFDA via DXLD) OT? I had this idea many years ago. I want my cut. Except to diminish rather than increase road rage, I would have limited them to certain helpful messages, such as: Your right tail-light is out Left rear tire is low! Is that your muffler almost dragging? You lost your gas cap I`m turning left at 45 degrees, not 90 degrees Thank you for yielding Sorry, I really didn`t see you in my blind zone You must be slowpoke for a reason, so don`t be offended by my passing I had to roll up windows because you didn`t while smoking I am not impressed or intimidated by your decibels I may have a legal concealed handgun Do you have XM on 87.9? Flash headlights twice 73, (Glenn Hauser, WTFDA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So, apparently did some other people, because I have seen such a thing - also many years ago. It was a black sedan with lots of extras and it was on the rear shelf. I can't recall what it said, but it had at least 2 messages ( I wasn't behind it for long ) in purple-red lettering. Alas I can't recall how long ago, but probably 25 years since it was when I lived in NJ (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) I had the idea, too. Though a lot less complicated. I just need room for seven letters and an exclamation mark (Saul Chernos, Ont., WTFDA via DXLD) You sound like you're from New Jersey (Rick Shaftan, NJ, ibid.) Glenn: The proposed messages for signs are practical and should promote road safety. Very interesting! 73. Good DXing (Dave Sinclair, Vancouver, B.C., ibid.) Before I added the handgun one (gh) ###