DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-004, January 10, 2008 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1390 **flexible times Thu 0700 WRMI 9955** Thu 1530 WRMI 7385 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0730 WRMI 9955** Fri 1200 WRMI 9955** Fri 2130 WWCR1 15825 [not expected 7465] Fri 2330 WBCQ 5110-CLSB Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sat 2230 WRMI 9955 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Sun 1200 WRMI 9955 [new] Sun 1615 WRMI 7385 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular] Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 0930 WRMI 9955** Tue 1130 WRMI 9955** Tue 1630 WRMI 7385 Wed 0830 WRMI 9955** 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: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Radio Solh, 15265 via UK, enters another month and another year still playing exactly the same music every day at the same time, including the sticking CD at 1346-1349+ as reconfirmed Jan 10. The final tune before 1500* is growing on me (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFRICA [and non]. The BDXC Africa on Shortwave list has been updated for January of 2008. http://www.bdxc.org.uk Click on Articles Index Page. In addition to the Africa on Shortwave list you'll find that the Indian Sub-Continent on the Tropical Bands and the Middle & Near East on Shortwave lists have also been updated (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Jan 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Radio Tirana Webradio --- Hello from Switzerland, I really appreciate the German service of Radio Tirana, but it is a real pity, that I can't receive it most of the time, because I have to work in the evening hours. In the office I can't use a shortwaveradio; we only have Internetradio as a possibility to receive radio. I'd really like to listen to Radio Tirana more often and like to ask you if you know if there are any plannings to put Radio Tirana on the web as webradio in the next time. If not, I would really like to help Radio Tirana to a bigger audience. I could provide a private streaming server for audio. The only question would be how to get the audio from your transmitter to the server? Best regards (Martin Stoeckli, Switzerland, Jan 10, to and via Drita Çiço, R. Tirana Monitoring Center, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Martin in Switzerland! The new present web page of Albanian Radio television is http://www.rtsh.al where Radio Tirana Channel 3 is the foreign service, where you will have the 'Internet' option to listen to in the future (Drita Çiço, ARTV-Albanian Radiotelevision, Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA, ibid.) Hello Drita, thank you for your eMail. It would really be a pity to lose Radio Tirana on Shortwave. Put everything on the internet, so every information can be controlled by other countries and governments. I think, Internet can only be a addition to other ways of distribution. Mobile internet? Not the next 10 years. Using mobile internet in foreign countries? Not payable (I don't pay 39 [euro?] per Megabyte...). Internet as a addition would be great, because I cant use shortwave here in the office, because of all the PCs and electronical devices. They make too much interfering noise to hear anything. And at the moment the conditions are not the best here to receive Radio Tirana. For the omnidirectional aerial we are too far in the West in Switzerland, the French programme can be heard much better. And on Mediumwave the English Radiostation Sunrise is the winner on the dial, unfortunately. So I hope for a internetstream soon. If I can help you with that, let me know. Best regards, (Martin (who is 32 years old and listens to shortwave since he's 16 ;-)), via Drita, ibid.) Thanks Martin, for your comments. I hope that our Internet stream will begin this year (Drita Çiço, ibid.) ** ARGENTINA. 6059.97, R. Nacional, upbeat vocals and instrumentals at 0840 UT on Jan 1, brief announcements with quick IDs after every other song; pips at 0900, but never interrupted the program for a ToH ID. Good signal, with moderate QRM from smaller Brazilian signal on 6060.0 kHz (Jerry Berg, MA, DXplorer Jan 6 via BC-DX Jan 11 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. VT Communications changes: CVC International, cancelled from Jan. 7 1000-1100 on 11815 MOS 035 kW / 295 deg to WeEu English DRM (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** BAHRAIN. 9744.6, Radio Bahrain Following up on Zacharias' tip. Heard via DX Tuner Sweden. Arabic music at 1545 tune in. Lots of splatter, but best in LSB. World news in Arabic at 1600-1604 Jan 9. Lots of program promos after the news, but the splatter made it hard to catch an ID; I finally got one at 1608 (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035, Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Sangaygang, checked them from 2355: no signal till 0055 when heard weak tone and carrier. Then suddenly at 0100 started music. I feel since the SW would not propagate at 0000, they bring up the transmitter on SW at 0100 straight into the programme. On Jan 06 at 0033 I was hearing them weak, a bit stronger at 0050 but bad splatter from 6030 Bible Voice to India from Wertachtal (500 kW). (Goonetilleke, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) It seems they have a new s/on time around 0100. I heard them at *0050, Jan 04; *0100-0140, Jan 05; on Jan 07 it was very weak and only audible at 0140-0155; *0100 on Jan 08, instrumental music, native songs, talks in Dzongkha, 34333 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 9 via DXLD) ** BORNEO. RADIO BROADCASTING IN BORNEO - BALIKPAPAN, KALIMANTAN We continue in our onward series of programs here in “Wavescan” that present the story of radio broadcasting on Borneo, the world's third largest island. On this occasion, we visit Kalimantan, which is the Indonesian area of the island, and in particular, the town of Balikpapan. In fact, there is so much radio information associated with Balikpapan that we will concentrate on this location for this occasion, and then in another forthcoming program, we will visit the other areas of Indonesian Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The city of Balikpapan is located on the east coast of Borneo and it is the second largest city in the Indonesian state of Kalimantan Timur, East Kalimantan, with a current population around half a million. Balikpapan has a good natural harbor and a large international airport, and it is a hub for the export of timber and petroleum. However, in its earlier days at the time when radio was wireless, Balikpapan was a small coastal town under the colonial administration of the Dutch East Indies. Balikpapan's Oldest Continuous Radio Station The Dutch authorities at The Hague in their homeland over in Europe began an interest in the usage of wireless very early. They established a Wireless Company in 1916, they installed two spark Morse Code stations on the Dogger Banks in 1917, they made their first wireless broadcast in 1920, they installed their first wireless stations in their East Indies in 1921, and they made the first wireless communication between Holland and their colonial enterprise in Java in 1923. The first wireless station in the Dutch East Indies territory on Borneo was established in Balikpapan close to ninety years ago, in the year 1921 and its story extends over a lengthy period of time. It was a commercial facility established by the Dutch for Morse Code communication with shipping. This station was installed for the Batavia Petroleum Company and it operated under the Dutch East Indies callsign PKF. The original installation was a simple electrical facility, and as time went by, the mode of operation was upgraded with the implementation of electronic valve or tube equipment. Somewhere around the year 1936, station YCP made its appearance in Balikpapan as a 3 kW facility on the international communication channel 8575 kHz and we would guess that this was the same station in a new vogue. As was the custom in those days, many communication stations also entered into a spate of irregular broadcasting as time and circumstances permitted. The available information would suggest that this was also the case with station YCP in Balikpapan during this pre- war era. Back in the year 1939, there are at least two references to the fact that QSL cards were issued from the colonial radio administration in Bandung on behalf of transmissions from station YCP in Balikpapan. In fact, at this stage, station YCP in Balikpapan was administered from station YBZ in Menado, and it is well established that the Menado station was in use with both communication traffic and program broadcasting. A year later, the callsign of the radio station in Balikpapan was amended from YCP to YCC and the channel in use at this stage became the more familiar 9120 kHz. With the changing fortunes of war in the Pacific, the Japanese took over the Balikpapan station undamaged on January 24, 1942, and history tells us that the station was used by the Japanese administration as a communication facility for the next two and a half years. Surprisingly, six months before the coming change of political administration in Balikpapan from the Japanese to the Australians, presumably this radio station was heard in the United States as Radio Borneo on 9120 kHz with a program of music and talks. It would be interesting to learn who made these radio broadcasts at this time, and for what purpose. Then on July 1, 1945, Australian troops arrived at Balikpapan Harbor on board HMAS Kanimbla, a ship that itself had been a noted radio broadcaster a few years earlier. During its earlier usage as a passenger liner, the Kanimbla was on the air with program broadcasting under the callsign 9MI. A black and white photograph lodged in the government archives in Canberra, Australia, shows the undamaged aerial masts at the Balikpapan station at this stage and the caption states that the station had been in use by the Dutch, the Japanese and the Australians. We might also add, that it was in use again subsequently by the Dutch, and then the Indonesians. Australian Radio Stations in Balikpapan As soon as things settled down in Balikpapan, the Australian army personnel got themselves busy in the area of radio broadcasting. They began to make program broadcasts over the camp amplifier system under a pretend radio station callsign TBC, which had the probable meaning, “The Balikpapan Company”. The first actual radio broadcasting station in this sequence was 7KM, which could be understood as a valid callsign for a mediumwave broadcasting station on the island of Tasmania in Australia. This shortwave station was established in August 1945 by the Australian Signal Corp and it operated with just 12 watts in the 7 MHz band. Station 7KM was originally allocated the channel 7880 kHz but it soon moved to 7960 kHz to avoid interference. The transmitter itself was a low power Australian army unit, though the auxiliary equipment was assembled from abandoned Japanese equipment. Broadcasting station 7KM was on the air for three broadcast sessions daily, it was on the air for just 10 weeks, it was heard quite regularly up to 500 miles distant, and it was closed in October when the AAAS station 9AG was inaugurated in Balikpapan. Next on the radio scene in Balikpapan was the mobile station 9AG. This 200 watt broadcast facility was part of a 21 station network established by AAAS, the Australian Army Amenities Service. Original government announcements in Australia at the end of 1944 and in early 1945 indicated that this particular unit was not allocated to a specific location, but it would be available to move to any desired location in the Pacific/Asian arena. It was stated at the time that each of the seven mobile stations at 200 watts would be built into three army trucks, each truck rated at three ton capacity. Although several of these mobile mediumwave stations were heard throughout Australia and New Zealand with test broadcasts beginning around mid 1945, there is no tangible evidence that 9AG was heard with any test broadcasts. Perhaps mobile station 9AG did make a series of test broadcasts in Australia and these broadcasts escaped detection by radio monitors? Perhaps 9AG did not make any test broadcasts before it was taken up into the islands? Or perhaps 9AG was taken up to Balikpapan in crates with the intention of installing it into a regular building that was already under construction? Who knows? Suffice it to say that station 9AG was inaugurated in its own building in Balikpapan in October 1945 and it was on the air as an AAAS entertainment mediumwave station at this location for a period of a little under half a year. The last day of operation for station 9AG as an AAAS station was February 28, 1946. Next day, this station was taken over by the Dutch colonial government in Borneo. Radio Balikpapan Now, in assessing the available information, we would suggest that the Dutch colonial authorities took over both of the radio stations in Balikpapan from the Australian army; that is, the mediumwave station 9AG as mentioned earlier, and also the long established shortwave station that utilized generally just the one channel, 9120 or 9125 kHz. The date for this acquisition was March 1, 1946; and it would also be suggested that they activated both units, mediumwave & shortwave, with their programming in Dutch & English on that date. However, due to propagation conditions, it would appear that the mediumwave unit was not heard in Australia nor New Zealand, though the shortwave unit was heard in both the South Pacific and North America. In fact, both the noted Rex Gillett in Adelaide and the equally well known Miss Sanderson in Victoria received QSL letters from this station during this era. A news report published in the United States declares that Radio Balikpapan shortwave was off the air for about a month, and we would read this as the time interval during which the station was transferred from Balikpapan on the east coast of Borneo to Pontianak on the west coast. When this station returned to the air at its new location, the on-air identification announcement stated: “Radio Balikpapan Pontianak”. And we note that the two locations, Balikpapan & Pontianak are more than 500 miles apart. Interestingly, at this stage there were three shortwave transmitters on the air in Pontianak, one of which was listed as 125 watts, the exact power rating of the transmitter at the previous location in Balikpapan. Now, around the same time as the Dutch authorities took over the mediumwave and shortwave stations from the Australians in Balikpapan, a new shortwave station in Balikpapan appeared on the radio dial. This station also identified on air with a Tasmanian callsign, 7ER. This new shortwave station emitted a mere 8 watts and it began operation on 6980 kHz, though this was soon modified to 7205 kHz to avoid interference. Radio station 7ER utilized Australian army equipment, though plans were announced for the installation of a 100 watt shortwave transmitter abandoned by the Japanese. We would guess that the make shift studio for the broadcast of this programming was in reality the camp amplifier system that was on the air earlier with programming under the callsign 7KM. Summary In summary then, there were three different wireless and radio installations in Balikpapan in the earlier days, which were as follows:- 1. Wireless communication station PKF which apparently morphed into YCP which became YCC, and which was in use successively by the Dutch, the Japanese, the Australians, and again the Dutch, and lastly by the Indonesians in two widely different locations as Radio Balikpapan. 2. Camp amplifier radio station TBC which probably served as the makeshift studio for the low power shortwave stations 7KM & 7ER. 3. Australian army mobile station 9AG which was taken over by the Dutch authorities and became Radio Balikpapan. Radio Broadcasting in Borneo - Kalimantan Balikpapan The Balikpapan Station Year Date Location Event Reference 1921 Balikpapan PKF Batavia Petroleum Co YBWT&T 82.7 544 1923 Balikpapan PKF Batavia Petroleum Co YBWT&T 82.7 482 1936 Balikpapan YCP 8575 kHz 3kW, address c/- YBZ Menado RST-TK 02.166 94 1938 Dec Balikpapan YCP QSL card black print on buff IDXA-TGC 1-39 RD 1-39 1939 Feb Balikpapan YCP QSL black/buff from Bandung 9120 RN 3-39 45 1940 Balikpapan YCP callsign changed to YCC, 9125 kHz IDXA-TGC 2-40 5 1944 Dec Borneo Music & talks heard in USA on 9120 kHz NNRC 1-45 12 1945 Aug 31 Balikpapan Photo radio station masts, used by Dutch, Japanese & Australians http://cas.awm.gov 1946 Sep Balikpapan Heard as phone station on 7460 & 7960 RN 10-46 136 1947 Pontianak ID Radio Balikpapan Pontianak, on 5480 & 6650 & 8090 kHz WRHB 1948 Pontianak ID Radio Balikpapan Pontianak, on 5480 & 6650 & 8090 kHz WRHB 1949 Pontianak ID Radio Indonesia, Studio Pontianak on 8090 kHz WRHB 1950 Pontianak Radio Indonesia, Studio Pontianak YDW 2350 kHz WRHB 1951 Pontianak Radio Indonesia, Studio Pontianak YDW 2350 kHz WRHB ====================================================================== 6. Radio Broadcasting in Borneo - Kalimantan Balikpapan WRHB Entries Year Identification YCN 40 W YCN2 125 W YCN3 250 W 1947 Radio Balikpapan Pontianak 5480 6650 8090 1948 Radio Balikpapan Pontianak 5480 6650 8090 1949 Radio Indonesia, Studio Pontianak 8090 1950 Radio Indonesia, Studio Pontianak 2350 YDW 1951 Radio National Indonesia Pontianak 2350 YDW (Adrian Peterson, AWR Wavescan Dec 30 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL - A emissora brasileira que está ocupando a freqüência de 3325 kHz, atualmente, é a Rádio Mundial, de São Paulo (SP). Foi sintonizada, em Porto Alegre (RS), pelo colunista, em 23 de dezembro, às 2342, quando estava no ar o interessante programa Armênia Eterna. Na ocasião, foram executadas músicas típicas da República da Armênia. Mais detalhes sobre o programa podem ser conferidos aqui http://www.armeniaeterna.com.br/ BRASIL - A Rádio Congonhas, de Congonhas (MG), encerra a sua transmissão na freqüência de 4775 kHz exatamente às 2300. Foi o que constatou o colunista, em 23 de dezembro, em Porto Alegre (RS). Na ocasião, a emissora apresentava um programa com dupla sertaneja que executava músicas ao vivo no estúdio. Em seguida, um locutor leu uma mensagem de otimismo e terminou a programação com rezas e a benção. BRASIL - As forças armadas têm atenção especial para com a Amazônia e usam também o rádio para a sua missão de defesa da região. Está no ar, na Rádio Difusora, de Manaus (AM), em 1180 e 4805 kHz, aos domingos, das 1000 às 1045, o programa Amazônia Verde Oliva, que é produzido pelo Centro de Instrução de Guerra na Selva, unidade do Exército Brasileiro sediada em Manaus. Na pauta do programa, música, informações sobre a região e as atividades da força terrestre na Amazônia. A dica é do biólogo Paulo Roberto e Souza, desde Tefé (AM). BRASIL - O governo brasileiro tem interesse em manter as ondas curtas, conforme manifestação do ministro das Comunicações Hélio Costa, dada a um grupo de professores e pesquisadores da radiodifusão, recentemente. BRASIL - A Rádio Cultura, de São Paulo (SP), é a única emissora brasileira que ainda transmite na faixa de 16 metros. Foi captada, em Jarinu (SP), pelo Rudolf Grimm, em dois de janeiro, às 1840, pela freqüência de 17815 kHz, quando emitia música popular brasileira. BRASIL - Para aprender os meandros da língua portuguesa, a dica é acompanhar o programa Nossa Língua Portuguesa, irradiado, nos sábados, às 7h, na hora brasileira de verão, pela Rádio Cultura AM, de São Paulo (SP). O professor Pasquali Cipro Neto comenta os erros que a maioria da população comete e indica os caminhos corretos para o bom uso da língua portuguesa. Em ondas curtas, o programa pode ser captado em 9615 e 17815 kHz. Confira! (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Jan 6 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Nacional da Amazônia, nem em 6180 e 11780 kHz! É lamentável constatar que a cada dia que passa, a Rádio Nacional da Amazônia está com o sinal cada vez mais enfraquecido aqui no Rio Grande do Sul. Estava tentando sintonizá-lá a pouco, e para minha surpresa em tanto em 6180 como em 11780, emitiam uma emissora em Mandarim com sinal local. Nos 11780 kHz, escutava-se apenas e de fundo, quando a emissora que estava emitindo nesta língua, ficou somente com a portadora,e daí surgiu a Nossa Nacional bem lá no fundo do poço. Em 49 metros nos 6180, a mesma emissora que estava na mesma canaleta nos 11780, comandava o dial. Pois nem com a ausência de áudio, nada se captava da Nacional. ACORDA SR. MINISTRO HÉLIO COSTA.!!! Acorda.!!!! (Édison Bocorny Jr., Jan 7, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Atenção, boa noite... Não adianta criticar o sr. Ministro das Comunicações, para os bem informados, que a responsável pelas emissoras do Governo é a Radiobras http://www.radiobras.gov.br/estatico/contatos.htm (Clovis Sobrinho, ibid.) Eu aqui a rádio que pego melhor ainda é a RN Amazonia em 25 metros 11780 (Sérgio, Fatima, Portugal, Jan 8, ibid.) [and non]. 11780 was inbooming here Jan 9 at 0653 check, with wakeupshow, 4:53 am in the DST areas, but mostly for Amazônia at 3:53 am? Nothing, however, on 6180, unQRMing XEPPM 6185 for a change, which had some nice and clear jazz going. But Jan 10 at 0641 check, 11780 was missing, tho Chile was VG on 11805, also audible on 11745 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Hi Glenn, Just received this e-mail: Hello Ron: The future of CKZU is currently being evaluated. There is a distinct possibility that the operation could close. However a final decision has yet to be made, and will depend in part on whether the FM application is approved and the new service is implemented. At this point a "wait and see" approach is best. Thank you again. Kim Belle CBC Audience Relations (via Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Jan 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I would hate to see CKZU go, having listened to it over much of western Canada when no other CBC was available. I think CKZU shares the valuable-for-housing CBU-690 transmitter site in Steveston BC (Steveston is the SW corner of Richmond) Thanks, Ron (Eric Flodén, NC, ibid.) Hi Eric and Glenn, I have responded to Kim's e-mail and expressed my opinion that as a listener of CKZU-Vancouver, I would be disappointed to have them close their SW operation. Perhaps it would be appropriate if others who feel the same way were to also e-mail Kim Belle (CBC Audience Relations) at: cbcinput @ toronto.cbc.ca (Ron Howard, ibid.) I don't know about the evaluation, but you have the site correct. Except I don't think where they are would be considered valued for housing, unless you mean house boats! I used to live practically under their towers, even visited the site with an engineer once. The towers sit on the flood plain, outside the sea-side dyke, on the western end of Lulu Island, the main island of Richmond, which sits in the mouth of the Fraser River (Steveston is part of Richmond). (As an aside, I used to be able to watch CBU's modulation on an oscilloscope just by hooking a short piece of wire to the 'scope's input, the signal was that powerful.) At the time, CKZU was using a dipole strung between two wooden poles, but I haven't seen the place for a long time, so don't know if that's still the case (Dave Bennett, VE7YJ, Aldergrove, BC, ibid.) I'll defer to Dave's knowledge -- my view came from a conversation with a co-worker (who works in Steveston) who, as it turned out, did not know the precise layout of the antennas . . . as I learned in a conversation today (Eric Flodén, BC, ibid.) ** CANADA. TERRY O'REILLY AND THE AGE OF PERSUASION: Canadians sometime like to sneer at the ugliness of "attack" ads in U-S politics. But Canada isn't free from that kind of thing – remember the short-lived ad that targeted a certain Liberal leader's facial tic? Terry O'Reilly returns this week to kick off another great season of The Age of Persuasion with a look at political advertising. Parties and candidates spend a fortune to come up with ads. Yet somehow these campaigns invariably descend into a paint-by-numbers litany of personal attacks and stratospheric promises. The media have changed the way politicians campaign, from a discussion of issues to a clash of personalities. Terry O'Reilly and The Age of Persuasion, Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m. on CBC Radio One (CBC Hotsheet via Eric Flodén, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) His past shows have been well worth listening to -ef (Flodén, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heartily agree. Sat 1530v UT +1/2/3/4 h (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. Beijing PBS News Service on 828 kHz now operating 24 hrs service. (ex 2130-1700 UT). Programe sked of Beijing PBS is not updated. http://www.bjradio.com.cn/06jmsjb/200701/t20070108_338339.htm Streaming: http://listen.bjradio.com.cn/xinwen/index.htm (S. Hasegawa, NDXC-HQ, Jan 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6065, CNR-2/China Business Radio, 1301-1400, Jan 10, "This is English Evening, on China Business Radio", mostly in English, business news, segments "BBC Learning English" and "Studio Classroom Worldwide", played some music (Rihanna with "Good Girl Gone Bad", etc.), fair, // 6155, 7130, 7245, 7315, 7375 and 9820 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. Winter B-07 schedule of HRT HS-1 in Croatian: 0557-0856 on 6165 DEA 100 kW / non-dir to WeEu/NoAf, ex 0457-0856 0857-1356 on 9830 DEA 100 kW / non-dir to WeEu/NoAf, no change 1357-2156 on 6165 DEA 100 kW / non-dir to WeEu/NoAf, ex 1357-2356 2157-0556 on 3985vDEA 010 kW / non-dir to WeEu/NoAf, ex 2357-0456 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** CUBA. YouTube: Radio Havana Cuba --- Field producers for Media Television Timothy Speaks Fishleigh takes an inside look at Radio Havana Cuba's English service. A small group of dedicated Cubans and international people struggle to get a Cuban point of view out to the short-wave community. Hear them tell their story. 7 minute feature: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YwTny_4AeNY (via Mike Barraclough, dxldyg via DXLD) Includes Arnaldo Coro, identified as ``Founder, RHC``. Altho he certainly played an important rôle, I doubt that even he would claim to be THE founder of RHC. I wonder how old this is? He was axually in the studio, not phoning in from home. Watch the backgrounds for an idea of their antiquated equipment, our fault of course. Starting the third minute, graphics about Radio Martí, not with its theme music, but RHC`s! Note the little-known names of some of the other RHC personnel, not all Cubans. Even the head of the Creole service speaks with an American accent (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. CLANDESTINE from [unknown] SITE to CUBA: 5955, R. República (tentative). I tuned in at 2310 Jan 10 and heard nothing but Spanish and English pop and rock music until 0000. Best tune I heard was one from Rush at 2327. I could not hear any jamming on this frequency tonight. I just heard an open carrier after 0000 Jan 11; I can't tell you if they perhaps signed off sometime after this point as the station was fading. Just a weak carrier when I tuned out at 0019 (Hans Johnson, Naples, FL Kaito KA-1103 whip antenna, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Much like my recent log of same, 5954.1 --- but is it really R. República without R. República, any more so than WDHP 1620? (gh, DXLD) ** CZECHIA [non]. Some VT Communications changes: Radio Prague, all cancelled from Jan. 2 0100-0127 on 11665 ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to SoAm Spanish 0200-0227 on 5995 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg to NoAm English 1100-1127 on 17515 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf French (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) But I guess keeps 0000 ASC 11665, 0400 SAC 5990, 2330 SAC 6000 (gh, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. The shortwave transmitter at Radio Amanecer Internacional near Santo Domingo went off the air last February, but it was re-activated again in August. This 1 kW unit on 6025 kHz has since been heard widely in Europe and North America. Radio Amanecer is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in the Dominican Republic, it is located in the three storey HQ building in Santo Domingo, and it is affiliated with Adventist World Radio. Recently, Adventist World Radio made available some of the electronic equipment from San José in Costa Rica for use at Radio Amanecer. In addition to the shortwave transmitter, Radio Amanecer HIAJ also operates AM & FM transmitters in the capital city, as well as three additional mediumwave transmitters in country areas for nationwide coverage (Adrian Peterson, AWR Wavescan Dec 30 via DXLD) I think Radio Amanecer may be off frequency at the moment and may be up on around 6048 as heard in Florida. Can anyone confirm? 73's (Hans Johnson, Naples, Dec 27, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Did not see any responses to this; have not noticed anything around 6048 here (gh, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. EGIPTO. Todo parece indicar que Radio Cairo ha ampliado sus servicios en 6225; hoy 9 de enero la estoy escuchando emitiendo música a las 1950. El servicio parece en árabe; espero a ver lo que ocurre a las 2000 UT, ya que ayer 8 de enero pude escuchar un servicio en francés de esta emisora, tanto hoy como ayer observo una emisión digital sin identificar. También observo de forma esporádica una señal de burbuja, ¿quizás jammer? A las 2000 UT se escucha la presentación del servicio en francés, sin embargo cortan la emisión bruscamente. Supongo que lo de ayer fue una emisión accidental. El servicio en francés se escucha sin problemas en 6250 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), Spain, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, YAESU FRG-7700, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9250, Nile Valley Radio, 1653 Jan 9. Heard via DX Tuner Sweden. I hoped to catch their 1700 sign on to see what schedule information they would give. Checked at 1658 to hear music, but the only frequency they announced at 1700 was an AM channel. IDs and then into Qur`an (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ERITREA [and non]. ERI/ETH jamming moved --- 10 Jan 1600 UT noted Eritrea hopping between range 6180-6240 to avoid Ethiopian digital- ute-like jammer. Same thing in the vicinity of 7175 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from NOWHERE? to ETHIOPIA. 11900, Tensae Ethiopia Voice of Unity. I believe this one is off the air, or at least not on 11900 any longer. I checked for them this morning Jan 9 at 1543 via DX Tuner Sweden and heard nothing. I then took a look at their website and noticed that the last audio file was from November. I then checked the audio files on the RMS system and found that I couldn't hear either the program or any jamming (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. VT Communications changes: Radio Mustaqbal, all cancelled from Jan. 2 0545-0615 on 15400 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Wed/Sat 0620-0650 on 15400 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg to EaAf Somali Mon/Tue/Sat 0730-0800 on 15530 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Wed/Sat 0805-0835 on 15530 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg to EaAf Somali Mon/Tue/Sat 1130-1200 on 15340 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Wed/Sat 1205-1235 on 17660 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg to EaAf Somali Mon/Tue/Sat (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. SARKOZY VEUT EN 2008 UNE CHAÎNE "FRANCE MONDE" NE DIFFUSANT QU'EN FRANÇAIS [08/01 - 20h13] La salle de la régie principale de France 24 à Issy-Les Moulineaux en novembre 2006Le président Nicolas Sarkozy a souhaité mardi qu'une nouvelle chaîne publique appelée France Monde, regroupant les moyens de TV5, France 24 et Radio France Internationale, soit créée "cette année" et qu'elle ne diffuse qu'en "français". "Je pense qu'une chaîne publique, France Monde, qui garderait l'identité de chacun des participants, ne peut que parler français", a dit le président. "Avec l'argent du contribuable je ne suis pas disposé à diffuser une chaîne qui ne parle pas français", a-t-il déclaré. Nicolas Sarkozy a expliqué qu'"on peut parfaitement avoir un sous- titrage par région : espagnol, arabe, anglais, pour porter une vision française". L'idée est de créer "le plus rapidement possible, en tout cas cette année" un "label France Monde, c'est-à-dire une holding, qui regrouperait les moyens de TV5, de France 24 et de RFI selon des modalités à débattre" pour "porter une présence de la France beaucoup plus massive que ce ne l'est aujourd'hui", a déclaré le président. . . http://actu.dna.fr/080108115130.ema5buhv.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) SARKOZY PLAN FOR FRANCE MONDE “JUST PLAIN STUPID” - JONATHAN MARKS French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a new state-owned channel called France Monde, bringing together the resources of TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale, to be set up “this year” and to broadcast only in “French”. “There could perfectly well be subtitles according to region - Spanish, Arabic, English - to provide France’s point of view”. International media consultant Jonathan Marks believes this plan is “just plain stupid”. Jonathan says this is clearly a case of death by integration. RFI and France 24 are two completely different beasts. Read the commentary France 24- Sarkozy Remark is Bonkers http://criticaldistance.blogspot.com/2008/01/france-24-sarkozy-bonkers-decision.html This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 at 2:30 pm and is filed under For Consumers, For Media Professionals, Full feed. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. 2 Responses to “Sarkozy plan for France Monde “just plain stupid” - Jonathan Marks” Richard Hunt Says: January 9th, 2008 at 4:41 pm The idea of using French audio only is truly bizarre and seems like “typical Frog arrogance”. They need to look to Deutsche Welle TV which has alternating one hour blocks in German and English. Or emulate Euronews - no on screen presenters, but several languages on different soundtracks. Martin Says: January 9th, 2008 at 4:49 pm Another channel like Euronews which has a pro-French/European bias (Media Network blog via DXLD) More about this: http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3096 (kimandrewelliott.com, via DXLD) FRENCH MINISTER DISAGREES WITH SARKOZY ON FOREIGN BROADCASTING Text of report by French news agency AFP Paris, 9 January: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday [9 January] that he did "not completely" agree with abandoning the broadcasting in foreign languages advocated by President Nicolas Sarkozy for the future publicly-owned channel "France-Monde". . . http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/french-minister-disagrees-with-sarkozy-on-foreign-broadcasting (January 9th, 2008 - 18:12 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** GERMANY. CVC International via DTK T-Systems Media&Broadcast from Jan. 1: 1400-1600 7145 JUL 040 kW / 290 deg to WeEu English DRM >> not active 1400-1600 13865 JUL 100 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Russian >> not active 1400-1800 9885*JUL 100 kW / 090 deg to EaEu Ukrainian# + Russian * strong co-ch from 1600 WYFR in English via WER 500 kW / 135 deg to EaAf, also Voice of Russia in Russian/Hindi/Bengali/English till 1700 # Svitle Radio Emmanuil (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. AFN Würzburg update --- Radio operations of AFN Würzburg ("AFN Franconia") are still up, but meanwhile they announced on air that the farewell programme will go out on Jan 31. Probably only the morning show is still on air, recently only automated programming without real content had been heard during their drivetime slot anymore. http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,485588,page=2 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONG KONG. HONG KONG MAGISTRATE RULES FOR ACTIVISTS OVER RADIO LICENSING | Text of report by Radio TV Hong Kong Radio 3 on 8 January "Newswrap": [Presenter] A magistrate has thrown out provisions in the Telecommunications Ordinance which govern applications for radio licences. Eastern Court Magistrate Douglas Yau ruled that they were contrary to freedom of expression guarantees in the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights. This came after five activists were charged with operating a radio station without a licence. The magistrate later agreed to put his ruling on hold pending a hearing by a higher court. Maggie Ho has the details. [Ho] The five, including lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung and former legislator Tsang Kin-sheng, were charged over broadcasts they made through a station called Citizens' Radio. They applied for a licence, but the government rejected the application. The five argued in court that the prosecution was unconstitutional. Eastern Court Magistrate Douglas Yau agreed, arguing that the decision on whether to grant a licence lay solely at the unfettered and unchecked discretion of the Executive Council, which was not independent of the government. The magistrate also noted that the recommending body, the Broadcasting Authority, also lacked independence. He said that the lack of independence of the deciding and recommending bodies was not in accordance with the requirement that any restrictions on freedom of expression must be prescribed by law, and was therefore in breach of the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights. He said that to comply with constitutional requirements, a licensing system should set out the scope for discretion, the criteria for a decision, reasons for rejection and a way to challenge such a decision. The magistrate noted that the law was silent on all these matters. [Presenter] In the afternoon, the prosecution told the magistrate that the government would appeal to the High Court. It asked for the ruling to be put on hold until an appeal had been completed. The prosecution argued that if the ruling was implemented, anyone could set up a radio station illegally and this would affect radio frequencies now used by the emergency services and air traffic controllers. The magistrate agreed to the request and adjourned the case to the 11th of next month to see how it was progressing. One of the defendants, Leung Kwok-hung, vowed to continue broadcasting through Citizens' Radio. Source: RTHK Radio 3, Hong Kong, in English 1000 gmt 8 Jan 08 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** INDIA. Dear Friends AIR Delhi noted on 6085 instead of 6030 at 0200-0310. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS National Institute of Amateur Radio Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad, Jan 9, dx_india via DXLD) ** IRAN. Frequency changes for VOIROI/IRIB in Kazakh: 1300-1357 NF 11750 KAM 500 kW / 058 deg, ex 11745 \\ 9660 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Fair and fluttery signal in Russian, or similar, Jan 9 at 1437 on 5815. Per Aoki this is VOIRIran via Lithuania, 100 kW at 79 degrees, something you really don`t expect to hear on 50+ meters at this hour, but there have been some other reports of this from C&W NAm. From 1527 to 1530 they make a beam switch to 259 degrees for R. Racja from Poland to Belarus (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Frequency change for Kol Israel effective Dec. 15, 2007: 1400-1455 NF 9390*ISR 250 kW / 330 deg, ex 15760 in Hebrew Daily 1500-1600 NF 9390 ISR 250 kW / 330 deg, ex 15760 in Farsi Fri/Sat 1500-1625 NF 9390 ISR 250 kW / 330 deg, ex 15760 in Farsi Sun-Thu 1600-1725 NF 9390 ISR 250 kW / 330 deg, ex 15760 in Hebrew Fri/Sat 1625-1725 NF 9390 ISR 250 kW / 330 deg, ex 15760 in Hebrew Sun-Thu * strong co-ch VOA in Pashto (Deewa Radio) (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. VT Communications changes: North Korea Reform Radio, new station from Dec. 24 1200-1230 on 9630 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg to KRE Korean (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** LAOS. A friend of mine recently returned from a trip to Vietnam & Laos. The feedback from Vietnam will probably be published in the next DXLD (is currently in the message area of Glenn's Yahoo Group). Regarding Laos from my friend's feedback:- This a country, unlike Vietnam, where you can find many people who do speak some English. Usage of the French language is quickly nearing extinction in Laos. I was informed, as my friend's bus travelled past the suspected LNR transmitter near the airport, that he was only able to see a couple of mediumwave towers on the antenna site. I had hopped he might have been able to see some shortwave antennas on the site; I recall these certainly weren't seen on the Google Earth image (this site was discussed within our group message area previously). He was later able to contact LNR & was told that this was their mediumwave site, but the SW site descriptions of Ban Chommany Neuk, KM6 was correct for the SW transmitter site as was the site of Transmitter Hill in Sam Neua for 4678 kHz. Attempts to obtain coordinates proved fruitless, unfortunately. It appears transmitter installation dates for the following frequencies are as follows: 6130 kHz - 1995 7145 kHz - 2001 4678 kHz - 1980? LNR confirms that only two SW sites now exist with Laos. Transmitter manufacturers:- 567 kHz - Harris DX-200 (USA) 6130 kHz - Continental (USA) 7145 kHz - JRC (Japan) So it "appears(?)" that the SW site is not where we thought it was; co-located with the MW site - so where is it?? The provided (rather than monitored) SW transmission schedule of 6130 & 7145 kHz was: 6130: 0500-1500 & 1600 to 2300 UT 7145: 2330-0030, 0500-0630 & 1130-1400 UT 'Viang Chan' seams to be the appropriate name for the capital given that the name 'Vientiane' is a relic from the French colonial era. [later] Vientiane - further clarification. Just realised that some of the information that was posted about LNR was previously posted by Wolfgang in BCDX-795 Feb 2007 issue from the LNR website; apologies for the repeat. [km 49 Harris MW tx site] Anyway the MW site near the airport must be for 640 kHz as the site for 567 kHz is definitely around 50 km north- ish of this site, (maybe closer to 45 km) as mentioned in BCDX & WRTH 2007. Area not Hi-Res at the moment. Further clarification: The date of operation of the 50 kW shortwave transmitter on 6130 kHz is from May 1995. For the 10 kW on 7145 kHz, date of operation was from February 2001. Prior to these transmitters, there was another shortwave transmitter which operated from 1960; its antenna still exists to this day but is no longer used. I wonder what frequency this used? My WRTH's only go back to 1983 with 6130 & 7145 kHz both in use as separate txers/services. Some further info coming (Ian Baxter, Australia, SW TXsite yg Jan 9 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non?]. SITE? Libya's Voice of Africa --- This station has made some changes that I noticed while listening to their English program on 17725 today Dec 14. The first is in modulation. When I have listened to this service in the past, there was always quite the hum that made listening difficult. That hum is now gone and the signal strength and modulation are both very good. The second is in programming. It seems there used to be more music and "facts and figures" type of programming. After a few songs, I heard a program talking about the achievements of the Palestinian Al-Fatah movement, which was from 1410 to 1433. I did get a kick out of the man who gave the opening announcements. He was speaking in English and using quite flowery language about how great Africa will be once it is a single state and the resources it will have at its disposal. Arabic has a tradition of using flowery language, but it just doesn't sound right in English; it comes off sounding to me as crude propaganda. News was announced as starting at "4:30 PM," but it did not start until 1433. Not sure why there was the 3 minute delay. News was read by a man with Qaddafi referred to as the "leader of the revolution," but they did not give his name. Heard via DX Tuner Sweden (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. Updated winter B-07 KBC Radio in English via Sitkunai: 2200-2258 NF 6265 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu Daily, ex 6235 Fri/Sat 0100-0158 NF 6265 SIT 100 kW / 310 deg to NoAm Daily, ex 6235 Sun [above already corrected here to 2130-2230 -- gh] (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) En realidad de lunes a sábado de 2130 a 2230. Web de KBC Radio. 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. For at least a week now Luxembourg DRM on 5990 and 6095 kHz has been off nights. The schedule seems to be 0730-1800 UT. Has there been any official information? (Olle Alm, Sweden, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 10 via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non?]. Op 4, 5 en 6 januari, hoorde ik op 1610 kHz vanaf 0100 +- utc een signaal. Met soms lichte mx and talks in het spaans. Bij nadere informatie via e-mail, zou dit radio Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo, Chapingo, México moeten zijn. Met name ook nog UACH genoemd (250 watt zender). Ik zal proberen in de komende dagen om evt. een opname temaken, indien ik hem natuirlijk kan ontvangen!! Mvg. (Maurits van Driessche, Belgium, Jan 9, Benelux DX [not a yg] via DXLD) Hallo Maurits, Jammer dat je geen opname hebt. Laat jij niet standaard een opname meelopen? Had je ook een tijd waarop 1610kHz wat harder was? Groet (Han Hardonk, ibid.) Maurits, 1610, CHHO, Toronto ligt meer voor de hand. Zij hebben ook Z. Amerikaanse px's met ID "Radio Voces Latinas" (Max van Arnhem, Netherlands, ibid.) ** MEXICO. Después de más de tres semanas se escucha nuevamente la señal de XEXQ Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí en los 6045 kHz. La escucho desde las 2230 UT (16:30 del centro de México) con un SINPO de 4. La programación es de música clásica. 73´s (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, Jan 9, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. As Julián Santiago advised, XEXQ has returned to the air after more than two sesquiweeks; classical music, but only a poor, squeezed signal here on 6045 at 1318 Jan 10 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. XEYU, 9599+, Jan 10 at 1330 with RFI news relay for about 10 minutes; good signal and no significant het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. While scanning through the 49 meter band Sunday, happened to come across an English language news cast from Radio Netherlands on 5955 kHz at 1500 UT. Transmitter had a heavy buzz on the carrier. Went off air for a second, literally, and returned without buzz. Must have been an audio Mix up. Anyone tell me where this transmitter is located? Best Wishes (Chris Lewis, England, Jan 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RN`s usage of 5955 is extremely complex, differing on weekdays vs weekends, a mixture of Dutch and English, a mixture of DRM and analog, and a mixture of transmitter sites --- and has undergone several changes in the last few weeks. As of Jan 6, on Saturdays and Sundays, Wertachtal in Dutch is supposed to close at 1458, and Armavir open in Dutch at 1500. But a conflicting listing is supposedly still in effect, Armavir daily from 1458, language not specified. On weekdays, Armavir opens an hour later at 1600. All the above concerns analog, no English mentioned. So what you observed may have been a handover from Wertachtal to Armavir, or just Armavir, which I suppose would be more likely than Wertachtal to have a buzz problem. Then there`s DRM also on 5950-5955-5960, a schedule which just changed January 9, M-F only. Wertachtal 210 degrees in English and Nauen 240 degrees in Dutch alternate hour by hour: 1200 Wertachtal, 1300 Nauen, 1400 Wertachtal, 1500 Nauen, both 40 kW (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More detail about that from the Media Network blog: RNW schedule change for 5955 kHz DRM transmissions Starting today we have a change on our 5955 kHz DRM transmissions. This will be the new schedule on weekdays only: 1159-1257 UTC Site: Wertachtal Antenna: W314 - Omni Power: 40 kW Mode B; MSC=64QAM; SDC=16QAM; Long Interleaver Parametric Stereo 17 kbps AAC+SBR Service ID: E38300 RNW English 1259-1357 UTC Site: Nauen Antenna: N501 (2/4/0.5) Azimuth = 240 degrees Power: 40 kW Mode B; MSC=64QAM; SDC=16QAM; Long Interleaver Mono 17 kbps AAC+SBR Service ID: E38400 RNW Dutch 1359-1457 UTC Site: Wertachtal Antenna: W314 - Omni Power: 40 kW Mode B; MSC=64QAM; SDC=16QAM; Long Interleaver Parametric Stereo 17 kbps AAC+SBR Service ID: E38300 RNW English 1459-1557 UTC Site: Nauen Antenna: N501 (2/4/0.5) Azimuth = 240 degrees Power: 40 kW Mode B; MSC=64QAM; SDC=16QAM; Long Interleaver Parametric Stereo 17 kbps AAC+SBR Service ID: E38400 RNW Dutch - Uruzgan FM (January 9th, 2008 - 15:16 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) [non] In A-08, RNW plans to add some broadcasts via another new site for them: Tinian (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. I had noted that there has been no English from Pakistan the past few days, so I e mailed the organization and asked them if it has been cancelled. In a return e mail, it was stated that this service had been cancelled as of January 5th 2008 (English to Europe 0730-0830 15100 and 17835) (Chris Lewis, England, Jan 9, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALESTINE [and non]. ISRAELI MILITARY “JAMS PALESTINIAN RADIO WITH PROPAGANDA” The International Middle East News Center, quoting local sources, says that several Palestinian radio stations on FM in the Gaza Strip have been jammed by Israeli military propaganda. The stations, which were affiliated with the Islamic Jihad and Hamas, have been replaced by recorded messages in Arabic broadcast from the nearby Israeli military bases. Some of the messages broadcast on the jammed signals include, “The army warns you of the consequences of cooperation with the “ravagers”, and those who do so will be reached and punished. Hamas brings you only suffering. We promise that your suffering will come to an end, and you will feel soon that the Israeli army will deal with you better than Hamas did. You will soon see the strength of the Israeli army.” This development took place on the heels of an Israeli attack that resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians earlier on Wednesday. In addition, according to the report, the Israeli military broadcast encouraged the Palestinian population of Gaza to rise up and overthrow the democratically-elected government led by the Hamas party. (Source: International Middle East News Center) (January 10th, 2008 - 12:28 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** PRIDNESTROVYE. Transdniestria --- Its a rare thing when Transdniestria gets mentioned outside the DX Press; in fact, other than in an (I assume) out of print book called Stalin's Nose (a sort of travelogue around eastern europe in the early stages of the post- communist era) and another book called Balkan Ghosts, I've never seen it mentioned anywhere. So this item in todays Wall Street Journal (Opinion Journal- Best of the Web) e-mail got my attention, and reinforced my impression of the place as a real-life "Duchy of Fenwick" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053084/ The item links to an article at The Tiraspol Times online about the local's impressions of the US presidential race. It does have some interesting information about this little would-be nation, including a map. The page is here: http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/news/ron_paul_wins_in_freedom_loving_transdniestria.html (Fred Waterer, Jan 8, ODXA yg via DXLD) From today`s WSJ email: Red Alert --- Ron Paul may be a fringe candidate in the U.S., but he's very popular in at least one foreign locale, reports the Tiraspol (Moldova) Times: If Transdniestria could vote in the U.S. Presidential election, Ron Paul would win. So says local journalist Roman Konoplev, editor-in- chief of news agency Lenta PMR, after polling voters and publishing a comparative analysis of the candidate's foreign policy positions. Paul, a ten-term Congressman from Texas, is seeking the Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. Presidency on a platform of a non- interventionist foreign policy which respects democracy and the right to self-determination. "What this means, for us, is that he will not make it U.S. policy to oppose our freedom and independence, " says Roman Konoplev. "Instead, the issue will be decided strictly on the basis of legal principles. And according to international law, we have the same right to independent statehood as our two neighbors, Moldova and Ukraine, and as a number of other countries which also declared independence in the breakup of the Soviet Union nearly twenty years ago." Transdniestria, also spelled Transnistria, is part of Moldova but exercises de facto independence. In a 1997 news article, The Wall Street Journal described the place: Here Lenin is venerated, journalists are muzzled, dissidents are jailed and history is invented. Run by a crowd of unrepentant Communists led by Lenin-look-alike Igor Smirnov, Transnistria is a haven for arms smugglers, money launderers and outlaws on the lam. It has only 750,000 people, but has become an outsized irritant to international efforts to pacify and rebuild its troubled region. . . . "It's as if a tiny terrorist group took over part of the U.S.," says Charles King, a political scientist at Georgetown University. Maybe Paul should move there and run for office. Sounds as though he'd be an improvement (via Fred Waterer, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** ROMANIA [non]. ROMANIA/MONACO-FRANCE/AUSTRIA, Radio Armonia in Romanian now is on the air on Saturdays 1100-1130 on 9795, repeated 1630-1700 on 5950. Announced address is: Radio Armonia, Smardan street 13, 700399 Iasi, Romania (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 6 via DXLD) We previously had the axual transmitter site for this program; what was it? (gh, DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Second Program is heard here regularly 0600-0700 on 9675 \\ 11855 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 6, via wwdxc BC-DX Jan 11 via DXLD) Jeddah always odd 11854.92...96 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** SERBIA [non]. Hello Glenn, Noted International Radio of Serbia with excellent reception here at 2200 on 6100 kHz, with strong signal and good modulation, with special feature on Christmas in Serbia. DRM on 6095 was off, so no interference. 7115 also received well here at 0100 in English, then into Italian at 0130 (Chris Lewis, England, Jan 9, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. 9825 R. Miraya FM relay via IRRS, at 1735-1810 UT in Ar talks, discussions, phone-ins. Very good signal until 1800 when AWR s/on on the same channel. If this AWR programme (for Sudan) is relayed by Austria as listed, then we have two transmitters literally next to each other broadcasting to the same country at the same time. Rather absurd with more and more clear SW channels becoming available all the time (Vashek Korinek, RSA, DXplorer Jan 5 via BC-DX Jan 11 via DXLD) Miraya is supposed to run at 1500-1800. At the beginning they were starting as early as 1300, and now they are running past 1800? We now know that is via Rimavská Sobota, Slovakia, if that is what you mean by transmitter ``literally next to`` the one in Austria? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. The Sudan Radio Service broadcast in English, M-F at 0300-0330 on 5975 via Kigali, which is well heard in NAm, is being moved to another site, Dhabbaya, UAE at 240 degrees, likely to worsen reception here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWAZILAND [non]. VT Communications changes: Trans World Radio Africa from Jan. 2 0830-0900 on 11985 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg to WeAf French, ex 0830-0915 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Radio Ukraine International reactivated transmissions to NAm from Jan. 1 0000-0100 on 7440 LVV 600 kW / 303 deg in Ukrainian 0100-0200 on 7440 LVV 600 kW / 303 deg in English 0200-0400 on 7440 LVV 600 kW / 303 deg in Ukrainian 0400-0500 on 7440 LVV 600 kW / 303 deg in English (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) As first reported here (gh) Radio Ukraine International - Livestreamlink http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/index.php?id=1 Ukr http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/index.php?id=2 En http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/index.php?id=470 De ohne Problem. Und auch Real Player (bei mir über Ersatz "Media Player Classic" rtsp://real.nrcu.gov.ua:7554/encoder/rui.rm rtsp://real.nrcu.gov.ua:7553/encoder/ru1channel.rm rtsp://real2.nrcu.gov.ua:7555/encoder/ru3channel.rm (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 6 via DXLD) Da der Stream auf rtsp://real.nrcu.gov.ua:7554/encoder/rui.rm lautet brauchst Du den RealPlayer oder andere Software die RealAudio kann. Mein Noxon kann das nicht und unter Linux habe ich den RealPlayer noch nicht installiert. Insofern kann ich mit einem Testergebnis nicht dienen. und wer den "Media Player Classic" Ersatz nicht mag http://www.surfmusik.de/radio/radio-ukraine-int,5104.html (Lutz Andreas, Germany, A-DX Jan 6 via BC-DX Jan 11 via DXLD) ** UKRAINE [non]. Kai, may you can read the Russian text entries on website http://www.svitle.org/news_ru.php ?? (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX, dxld Jan 3/5) Well, svetliy means "shining", so this station is called "Immanuel's Shining Radio", on their website I also see a short reference to "Radiostantsiya Emmanyil". It appears that this station has a Catholic background. The 67.28 MHz frequency on their website belongs according to Victor Rutkovski to its own 500 watt transmitter in Kiev. They also mention that they are on air via the Sirius 2 satellite (which would be a likely audio source for the presumed Juelich relays of course, if they did not simply pick up the audio stream). I found nothing in frequency lists so far, but recently unID test transmissions in the Ukrainian mux on 11.766 GHz were reported, so probably Radio Immanuel had been put on satellite just a few days ago? The first partner they mention in such a list is HCJB (being referred to as "Radio Golos And"). They also mention rebroadcasts by stations in Kanada, "various American countries" and the CIS. Also noteworthy a "what we need" page: Furniture, studio maintenance, equipment, just anything a radio station could need. Perhaps the three small images are authentic, but I very much guess that the Neumann U 87 is merely a "symbol photo". That's what I find on a first look (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg Jan 3 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes for Voice of America: 0300-0330 on 7380 and 9440, new additional txion in Swahili Mon-Fri 1500-1530 NF 7145 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg, ex 11630 in Uzbek 1500-1530 NF 11550 KWT 250 kW / 046 deg, ex 15390 in Uzbek 1600-1700 NF 7430 UDO 250 kW / 300 deg, ex 5840 in Hindi Frequency changes of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 0900-1100 NF 7220 PHT 250 kW / 021 deg, ex 9355 in Russian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** U S A. CNN'S STEVE REDISCH IS NEW VOA EXECUTIVE EDITOR. He was "most recently CNN’s deputy Washington bureau chief and executive producer in charge of the CNN White House unit." At VOA, Redisch "will supervise the daily operations and activities of VOA’s news, programs, language services, broadcast operations and Internet departments." Voice of America director Dan Austin e-mail to staff, 7 January 2008. (kimandrewelliott.com via WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) "Executive editor" is a new job title, and appears to function like an all-purpose deputy director. Posted: 08 Jan 2008 (Kim Elliott, ibid.) REDISCH JOINS VOA AS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Washington, D.C., January 9, 2008 - Veteran television news executive Steve Redisch joined the Voice of America (VOA) this week as Executive Editor. He supervises the daily operations and activities of VOA's news, programs, language services, broadcast operations, and Internet departments. Redisch joins VOA after a 20-year career with CNN, where he earned two Emmy Awards and a National Headliner Award. "Steve's record of strong news judgment, keen competitive instincts, experience working in audio, video, and Internet media, and his reputation as a team builder and leader, make him the ideal individual to help VOA continue to grow as an international multi-media provider of exclusive, trustworthy news and information," said VOA Director Danforth W. Austin. Redisch began his broadcasting career in 1979 at WTOP all-news radio in Washington, D.C. after attending American University. In 1987 he moved to CNN's Washington bureau as a television writer and producer, and in 1992 he relocated to Atlanta as a producer for the growing CNN International network. Some of the many highlights of his CNN career include launching the network's flagship primetime news show, The World Today, as executive producer in 1998; serving as executive producer of such special events as political conventions, State of the Union addresses, and the 2001 Presidential Inauguration; and managing the news gathering staff and directing editorial content as Deputy Bureau Chief and Executive Editor in Washington, D.C from 2002 until 2005. Most recently, he oversaw the bureau's multi-million dollar budget while coordinating White House coverage with other networks and media outlets, and adapted the bureau's reporting to meet the different demands and requirements of CNN's many distinct shows, networks, and Internet platforms. For more information, please contact VOA's Office of Public Affairs at 202-203-4959 or via E-mail at publicaffairs @ voa.gov # # # (via DXLD) ** U S A. HARRIS CORPORATION AWARDED CONTRACT TO HELP MODERNIZE VOA WASHINGTON Harris Corporation has been awarded a contract from broadcast systems integrator Communications Engineering Inc to help modernize the International Broadcasting Bureau’s Voice of America (VOA) facility in Washington, DC. Communications Engineering Inc. (CEI) is designing the facility’s new broadcast system. Under the contract, Harris Broadcast Communications will provide master control, routing and quality control systems - including 12 channels of master control playback controlled by a Harris automation system, extensive ingest and record list control, NEO modular series frame synchronizers and converters, and Videotek VTM-3100 test monitors. (Source: Harris)(January 9th, 2008 - 15:40 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) VOA DEBUTS AFRICAN MUSIC BLOG The Voice of America (VOA) has launched African Music Treasures, its first weblog (”blog”) designed especially for African music fans around the world. Matthew Lavoie, host of VOA’s popular Music Time in Africa music show, will moderate the blog featuring music from VOA’s extensive and rare African music collection, music commentary, audio clips, bios of interesting musicians, and chats with online participants. “Our archive is overflowing with rare music from every country in Africa,” said Lavoie. “I’m excited to share it with my fellow enthusiasts,” he added. One of the featured artists on the new blog is Rwandan musician Bizimungu Dieudonne. Dieudonne became a well-known performer throughout Kigali in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was later killed in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Audio clips of Dieudonne favorites, including “Tabara Ryangombe,” a song depicting the struggles of Rwandan youth, are available on the blog. VOA’s African music archive houses more than 10,000 music titles, including the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music. Sarkisian, an internationally known musician and ethnomusicologist, amassed the collection during nearly 50 years of traveling in and broadcasting to Africa. Join African Music Treasures by logging on to http://www.VOAafrica.com and clicking on the African Music Blog link. (Source: VOA) (January 9th, 2008 - 13:26 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) VOA LAUNCHES RADIO PROGRAM FOR RWANDAN YOUTH http://voanews.com/english/About/2008-01-08-heza-launch.cfm PRESS RELEASE - Washington, D.C., Jan. 8, 2008 -- The Voice of America (VOA) has launched Heza, a weekly, half-hour Kinyarwanda- language radio program that addresses issues of concern to Rwandan youth. Heza includes roundtable discussions, news stories by young journalists, and music by some of Rwanda's most popular music bands. The first program featured music by and an interview with "Kigali Boys," one of Rwanda's most popular hip-hop bands. "I am very excited by the first Heza broadcast," comments VOA Central Africa Service Chief Robert Daguillard. "The show is energetic and fast-paced. This is youth radio at its best!" he added. The roundtable discussions and much of the music heard in Heza are recorded at the Maison des Jeunes de Kimisagara, a youth center operated by Forum des Jeunes and located in Kigali, the capital. The program is a co-production of the German Development Service (an international development aid organization funded by the German government), the Voice of America, and the Forum des Jeunes Giramahoro in Rwanda. The partners' goal in producing Heza is to help promote inter-ethnic reconciliation, to help foster civil society, and to combat hatred and prejudice. The program, broadcast on shortwave and 104.3 FM, VOA´s 24-hour station in Kigali, Rwanda, airs on Sundays at 0330 UTC (repeats: Sundays, 1630 UTC and Saturdays, 1600 UTC). (VOA press via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Some WYFR Family Radio changes: 1400-1500 13840 NAU 500 kW / 105 deg SAs in Pashto, new from Jan. 2 1800-1900 7490 ERV 300 kW / 305 deg WEu in German, ex A-A 200/312 1900-2000 NF 5820 SAM 250 kW / 284 deg WEu in German, ex 7240 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** U S A. Winter B-07 of WEWN: English 0000-0500 on 5810 EWN 500 kW / 020 deg to NoAm 0000-0500 on 5810 EWN 500 kW / 285 deg to CeAm 0500-0800 on 5810 EWN 500 kW / 040 deg to WeEu 0500-1500 on 5850 EWN 500 kW / 020 deg to NoAm 0500-1500 on 5850 EWN 500 kW / 285 deg to CeAm 1500-2200 on 11530 EWN 500 kW / 020 deg to NoAm 1500-2200 on 11530 EWN 500 kW / 285 deg to CeAm 1600-2000 on 15785 EWN 500 kW / 040 deg to WeEu 2000-2200 on 17595 EWN 500 kW / 085 deg to WeAf 2200-2400 on 7560 EWN 500 kW / 040 deg to WeEu 2200-2400 on 9975 EWN 500 kW / 020 deg to NoAm 2200-2400 on 9975 EWN 500 kW / 285 deg to CeAm Spanish 0000-1100 on 7540 EWN 500 kW / 220 deg to SoAm 0000-1100 on 11870 EWN 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAm 1100-1500 on 7540 EWN 500 kW / 220 deg to SoAm 1100-1500 on 11875 EWN 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAm 1500-2000 on 11550 EWN 500 kW / 220 deg to SoAm 1500-2000 on 17510 EWN 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAm 2000-2400 on 11550 EWN 500 kW / 220 deg to SoAm 2000-2400 on 15745 EWN 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAm (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 9 via DXLD) ** U S A. KAIJ DEMISE? Glenn, the item in DXLD 8-003 regarding the removal of the KAIJ transmitting facility does not surprise me. If you drive by the site along U.S. Highway 380 you can easily see that it is being rapidly overtaken by urban sprawl from the Dallas suburbs. The land alone might be worth quite a bit. When the facility was built in the early 80's, it was WAY out in the country. Big question is: will they find another site, or just fold up operations completely? (Stephen Luce, Houston, TX, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WMLK suffered antenna damage in a recent ice storm and is off the air pending repairs, according to station engineer Gary McAvin (Hans Johnson, FL, Jan 4, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 9265 ** U S A. A few weeks back, I took the opportunity to visit the silent shortwave station WJIE, the old WJCR, which is located at Millerstown in Kentucky. The son of the founder, Don Powell Jr, states that the shortwave facility was sold to WJIE in Louisville, though all of the equipment, transmitters and antennas, still remain at the original location in Millerstown. The shortwave facility was on the air for a brief period of time only as WJIE, and it has remained silent ever since (Adrian Peterson, AWR Wavescan Dec 30 via DXLD) ** U S A. Jan 10 at 2230 I found Radio Weather running on WHRI 11765. I forced myself to listen for a few minutes to confirm my suspicions that Rod Hembree is palming off on gullible listeners not only his wacky religious views, but communications news items which are anything but. One of the topix was a Notice of Apparent Liability for alleged indecency, issued to station WCZR. This is not easy to look up on the FCC website, but a google search quickly found an FCC page showing that a NAL for that station was dated February 20, 2004! So here is a show almost four years old. He later included a Stardate capsule, which are extremely dated but I did not catch what date if any was announced (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 8-003, sporadic E on 26 MHz --- Hello Dave and all, ``25.910 USA WBAP Ft. Worth, TX in FM at 1942 with mentions of Senator Huckabee. 333 Jan 8/08 (Ross, ON)`` This broadcast auxiliary remote station callsign is WQGY434. WBAP would be for the AM broadcast on 820 out of Fort Worth and the broadcast auxiliary remote transmission you monitored is licensed as WQCY434. Actual transmitter location: .2 MILES EAST OF CLARK ROAD & .4 MILES SOUTH OF BELTLINE ROAD CEDAR HILL, TX DALLAS County 32-34-39.4 N, 096-56-21.0 W. And the output power is 100 watts, 265 watts ERP. ``25.990 USA KSCS Arlington, TX in FM at with fiddle music at 1952 "All the best Country" at 1954 into country music selection. 333 Jan 8/08 (Ross, ON)`` Ditto above. Radio License Holding IV is the licensee of WBAP-AM, KSCS-FM and WQGY434 above. ``26.130 USA WIBC Indianapolis, IN in FM at 2002 with "WIBC FM 93.3" mentioned at 2004 Ad for Garleek and Indianapolis Monthly Bridal Show Jan 13 http://www.indianabride.com Several IDs "Indies News Centre "FM Ninety Three One". 333 Jan 8/08 (Ross, ON)`` Broadcast auxiliary remote callsign - WQDS396. Actual transmitter location - 40 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN MARION County 39-46- 03.2 N, 086-09-33.0 W. Transmit power 100 watts, 63 watts ERP (not very efficient but does what they need in their local broadcast area). Nice stuff, Dave. 73 de LVH (Larry Van Horn, N5FPW dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Studio Links are coming through on 25.990 and 25.910 MHz this morning again. Also heard yesterday. Times UT. 25910, WBAP Ft. Worth, TX in FM. Noted again Jan 9 at 1624 with political talk. 444. 25990, KSCS Arlington, TX in FM. Noted again Jan 9 at 1624 with Country music selection. 444 (David Ross VA3MJR, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** U S A. KKMO-1360 Seattle, WA DX Test, 1/13/08 READY TO GO An e-mail from CE Monte Passmore indicates everything is set to go for the test this Sunday morning. Please note, the station WILL now use Morse code and sweep tones to maximize opportunities to hear the station. Here are the details: Date: Sunday morning (late Saturday night), Jan. 13, 2008. Time: 12 - 12:15 a.m. Pacific Time, 0800-0815 UT. Modes of Operation: 5,000 watts using non-directional antenna pattern. Programming: From 12:00-12:10 a.m. PST, programming will consist of 1,000 Hz tone at 0 db. From 12:11-12:15 a.m. PST, programming will consists of college football marching songs. Morse code and sweep tones are now also scheduled as part of the test. For info on QSLs, please click on this link: http://www.dxtests.info/2007/11/kkmo-1360-khz-seattle-washington-dx.html Good luck to everyone in hearing this most exciting test (Jim Pogue, IRCA/NRC Joint Broadcast Test Committee Coordinator, Memphis, TN, Jan 9, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO TOWER TO RISE AGAIN NEAR FULLERTON AIRPORT --- LA MIRADA CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES KFI ANTENNA TO RISE 684 FEET. By ERIC CARPENTER The Orange County Register Tuesday, January 8, 2008 LA MIRADA - The La Mirada City Council late Tuesday unanimously approved a much-debated plan to rebuild a radio fdown three years ago when a plane crashed into it, killing the pilot and his wife. Clear Channel Communications, which operates KFI radio, will erect a 684-foot tower at 16608 Trojan Way in La Mirada, less than two miles northwest of the Fullerton Municipal Airport. The previous tower, built in 1948, was 76 feet taller. Officials with KFI said a rebuilt tower will help boost the station's radio signal again, helping it reach an area that covers 11 million people across Southern California. Since the tower was knocked down, the radio station has broadcast from a temporary 200-foot tower that reaches about 6 million people. KFI serves as an emergency-alert station in the case of a major earthquake or other natural disaster. Fullerton city and airport officials fought the proposal to re-build a taller tower since it was introduced shortly after the December 2004 crash. They contended that anything taller than 500 feet would continue to pose a serious hazard to local air traffic. Fullerton pilots said the old tower was the most dangerous obstacle when flying near the airport and sometimes surprised even the most experienced pilots when landing because of "ground clutter," meaning that the tower was sometimes hard to spot on approach among the rows of business parks and homes on the ground. "If you were starting fresh, you could not find a worse place to put a tower," Fullerton Airport Manger Rod Propst told La Mirada council members, reminding them that another pilot died when he collided with the tower in 1970. "If the tower was not there, three people would still be alive," he said. La Mirada officials said they studied the issue for more than two years and leaned heavily on the opinions of aviation experts, including the Federal Aviation Administration, which ruled that the tower would not pose a serious risk to air traffic. "I know this is a very delicate situation and it's not something that we take lightly," said Councilman Hal Malkin. "The FAA and all kinds of experts say it's an obstacle, but not a hazard…And it's something worthwhile for the public good." Before the vote Tuesday, council members asked Propst back to the speaker's podium and challenged his assertion that rebuilding the tower would be bad land-use planning. Two council members argued that Fullerton should consider its own land-use decisions and consider whether to close the airport. "I'm not sure the airport is the best use of land," Malkin said. Then citing Fullerton Airport crash statistics since it opened in 1927, he added: "I could argue that if the airport had not been there, 38 people would be alive." Propst defended Fullerton airport's safety record and said there is no talk of closing the airport. La Mirada Mayor Steve Jones tried to calm the debate, saying both the airport and the radio tower are valuable to the community. Officials with KFI said they looked for other locations for the radio tower, but could not find an adequate alternate location. They said that they volunteered to conduct a full environmental impact report to ensure experts reviewed all safety issues. "We are all excited that the tower will soon be back at full strength," said Greg Ashlock, market president for Clear Channel. Once construction begins, the tower will take about a month to erect. That could be as early as this summer, Ashlock said (Orange County Register via Erik Swanson Jan 10, via Ben Dawson, DXLD) ** U S A. KOOP RADIO PRESIDENT OFFERS REWARD TO NAB ARSON SUSPECT Posted: Jan 8, 2008 02:58 AM Updated: Jan 9, 2008 09:17 PM http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7591028&nav=0s3dDJGv Investigators: KOOP Fire Was Arson [caption; includes video link] The weekend blaze was KOOP's third fire since 2006. [caption] The Austin [TX] Fire Department has announced that the blaze at KOOP radio is being investigated as arson, and the station's president has offered a reward for help in finding who started it. KOOP suffered more than $300,000 in damages to its studio in the 3800 block of Airport Boulevard when a fire broke out over the weekend. Kim McCarson, executive president of KOOP, said she hopes to be back on the air in two to three weeks. Andrew Dickens, president of KOOP, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of an arson suspect. People with information may call the state arson hotline at (877) 434-7345. "The possibility that someone would want to cause harm to this community radio station is disturbing," McCarson said. "In my opinion, the reason KOOP radio keeps burning down is their own bad karma," said Jim Ellinger, founder and former on-air personality. "They treat people really bad, myself included." Ellinger was fired from the station in 1999. KOOP would not comment on his remarks. The station said it plans to move forward from this fire and will be back on the air soon. The station has had its share of problems with fire. Almost two years ago, a fire caused by a lit cigarette knocked the radio station off the air for a week. Less than a month later, a huge downtown blaze in a neighboring dance club destroyed the radio station's equipment and offices, forcing KOOP to move to the Airport Boulevard studio (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Strange QSL report --- I just received a F/D QSL letter confirming my February 28, 2004 reception of KRZI / 1580 in Waco TX. I sent a cassette recording of my reception with the original report and I sent a followup report during the 4th quarter of 2004. Of course the KRZI calls are now on 1660 in Waco and 1580 no longer exists. What's even more strange is that the QSL letter was dated 2006 and outdated items mentioned in the letter seem to indicate that it was indeed written in 2006. But the envelope it arrived in was postmarked 01/05/08. Strange! QSL report..... 1580 KRZI TX Waco. F/D V/L in 3 years and 11 months for a report with a cassette recording and a followup letter in late 2004. Of course 1580 no longer exists in Waco and the KRZI call is now on 1660 there. The QSL is dated 2006 and includes outdated information that seems to indicate that it was written in 2006. It also contains an apology for the delay in responding. The envelope was metered with current US postage date stamped 2008. Very strange! They also returned my original and followup reports. V/S Jcole McClellan, Technician. Add: 220 S. 2nd Street, Suite 2B2, Waco TX 76701. (Patrick Griffith, CBT CBNT CRO, Westminster CO http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. Frequencies used by R. Tashkent until its demise some three years ago, are again being coordinated for the A-08 season, such as 17775, 15295, 11905, 9715, 9540, 7285. Could this augur its axual revival? Or just wishful thinking? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. 11735, RT Zanzibar surprised to find this on Jan 4 at 1518 tune, expecting to find little or nothing as has been typical at my QTH in past years. Signal was marginal at first but continuously recorded from 1518 to 1900 and again from 1939 to s/off at 2100. By 1600 the signal had improved to nearly S3 and on its way up. I was able to hear the IS of drums at 1759.5-1800 and Spice FM En news by a man at 1800-1809.5 at a nice S3 level. News summary at beginning and end of this program. Signal peaked from 1800-1900. Drum IS again at 1859.5-1900 and into another news broadcast in vernacular. At 1939 re-tune a man reading/singing Kor`an with transition into a man singing with drums. Woman at 2000.5-2006 followed by vocal/instrumental Arabic music to end of program. Ended with woman announcer and s/off at 2058-58.5, band with national anthem 2058.5-59.5, carrier off at 2100:40. In years past (pre-Chinese transmitter upgrade) this station would be barely audible at 1500 and by 1545 or so would be gone for good amongst heavy co-channel QRM. Deep QSB (S1 to S7 on the meter) but no QRM. Average SINPO of 35433 (Bruce W. Churchill, Fallbrook CA, DXplorer Jan 7 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. CLANDESTINE SITES to SOUTH AFRICA. 7125, SW Radio Africa, 1704 Jan 9. Heard via DX Tuner Sweden with English announcement giving their email address. Co-channel interference with SW Radio Africa often in the background, but I could not hear any jamming (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I checked this morning at 1400 and did catch the CW on 6075, it's either 8GAL or 8GAR, unsure here. One thing I did notice was that there seemed to be either CW or other time pips at about 1359 + 15 seconds. Either something else there off time, or just part of the 8GAx preamble? (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Jan 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales, se da por hecho que el sistema Morse utilizado sea el occidental, pero y si no lo fuera??, supongamos que sea CW en Ruso, quizás saldría otra cosa, la cuestión es que no aparece nada cómo en 8GAL y 8 GAR. Lo único parecido que e encontrado es un beacon checo "8BL", probablemente militar. 73 JM (José Miguel Romero, Spain, ibid.) Hi Glenn, I was unable to hear 8GAL, 6075 this morning at 1400 Jan 10, nor did I note any off time pips (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The 6075 CW marker: Did not manage to check at 1400 UT Jan 9 or 10, but on Jan 10 I tuned in earlier at 1320. At that time there was RTTY running, over Radio Rossii, and the RTTY was centered on the low side, about 6074. I suspect this is the same station, 8GAL, but I am not equipped to copy RTTY. BTW at 1326 I also noticed continuous ``dithering`` like RTTY but with no variations, around 6087, possibly as jamming, still there at 1435, and I also sat on 6074 at 1435-1445 but no CW or RTTY heard then (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6128 bubble jamming? Bubble jammer - or maybe faulty transmitter from somewhere in Europe or NE/ME/NoAF, still on air in 49 mb around 6128 kHz, 12 kHz wide. Assume ETH ... 1740 UT - Jan 9th. [Later:] ?? Iranian bubble jamming against Coalition Maritime Service from Manama Bahrain. Reported a year ago on 6125 kHz. Arabic/English. Sabre-rattling between Iranian and US marine yesterday on Persian Gulf - seen on German TV. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, WORLD OF RADIO 1390, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGSET) UNIDENTIFIED. NUMBERS: Tuned across 9152 kHz at 1315 UT January 9 to find a real mess. There was a CW "cut numbers" station on approximately 9152 and a second CW "cut numbers" station with a very harsh, buzzing tone spread across the spectrum from about 9145 to 9165 kHz! Both stations used the letters A, N, D, U, W, R, I, G, M, and T. They were sending different five-letter groups separated by "AR AR AR" and the break (dahdidididah) signal twice. Signals on both were strong, and I originally thought the second station was jamming the first. Frequencies approximate to the nearest kHz because I was using the Eton E5. Tuned out at 1328 with both signals still going strong. If this follows the usual practice with numbers stations from Cuba, it should be again active around this frequency next week (January 16) at about the same time (Harry Helms, W5HLH Smithville, TX EL19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2008 WINTER SWL FEST Registration Season has opened for the 21st (!?) SWL Winterfest (or Winter SWL Fest) in beautiful and scenic Kulpsville, PA! For more information, check out http://swlfest.com and http://swlfest.blogspot.com/ Both sites have links to discussion lists and contact addresses for more information about the Fest. Hope to see many folks there (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Jan 10, swprograms [not a yg] via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ ``ONDA CORTA`` On this page you will find an interesting translation from Spanish "Onda Corta" to English... http://www.radiorebelde.com.cu/programacion_ing.htm (From the world's northernmost DXer, Bjarne Mjelde http://www.kongsfjord.no weblog: http://arcticdx.blogspot.com dxing.info via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ ONE REASON PEOPLE MIGHT BE GETTING TIRED OF LISTENING TO RADIO. "I do subscribe to your podcasts feeds. However, I rarely listen to the podcasts. I am quite sensitive to the clipping and compression artefacts that are so evident in low-bitrate audio files like podcasts. I would much rather listen to a shortwave broadcast with some whistles and fading than to listen to a highly compressed audio file." Robert Sillett, writing to Radio Netherlands, 7 January 2008. (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) A shortwave broadcast, even if it experiences some fading or interference, is nevertheless an uncompressed, analog, double- sideband, amplitude modulated signal. The fatigue brought on by listening to compressed digital audio probably deserves more attention. Posted: 08 Jan 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) TWR FIXED-TUNED MW ANTENNAS In an article [Nov Monitoring Times] by Ernie Franke, who is the chief engineer for Trans World Radio, details are given of an antenna that TWR is sending out to listeners through the post. This antenna is electronically tuned to a particular mediumwave station and it is posted out in a large sized envelope. The listener places this antenna close to his radio receiver, and according to listener reports, the signal strength is significantly enhanced (Adrian Peterson, AWR Wavescan Dec 30 via DXLD) FUTURE OF ETON E1 / GRUNDIG-USA G1: It looks like the E1 is being discontinued, and the fate of the "virtually identical Grundig G1" is uncertain. See http://www.passband.com/category/receivernews/ Tnx to Paul McDonough of the Boston Area DXers for the alert. (Jerry Berg-USA, DXplorer Jan 10) Infos on http://www.passband.com/2008/01/ (Reinhold Schuttkowski, Germany, A-DX Jan 10, all via BC DX via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ NPR, HARRIS CORPORATION AND TOWSON UNIVERSITY LAUNCH GLOBAL EFFORT TO MAKE RADIO ACCESSIBLE TO HEARING AND SIGHT IMPAIRED First Over-The-Air Transmission From Special CES Station [WX3NPR] LAS VEGAS, January 8, 2008 — (LVCC S227) — NPR, Harris Corporation and Towson University today announced a new initiative to make radio more accessible to the hundreds of millions of hearing and visually impaired people around the world. At a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the three organizations announced the global accessible radio technology initiative and provided the first live demonstration of the accessible radio technology. The group also announced a new research center for developing future technologies on the campus of Towson University near Baltimore, MD. Additional plans call for the establishment of an international consortium of equipment manufacturers, broadcasters and other organizations to help foster broad adoption of the initiative. The initiative will be spearheaded by the three founding organizations and will leverage cutting-edge HD Radio™ technology to enable hearing- impaired people to “see” live radio content on specially equipped receivers by applying television closed-captioning processes to radio broadcasts. . . http://www.harris.com/view_pressrelease.asp?act=lookup&pr_id=2315 (via Benn Kobb, DXLD) DRM AS SEEN BY THE ECONOMIST Glenn, in an uncharacteristically partial story, The Economist endorses using DRM as an alternative to FM in wide coverage broadcasts. Not a single word on "minor" hurdles such as actually finding stand-alone receivers in adequate volumes on the market, after 5 years of "testing". It's nice to know that "DRM provides the same range as [...] traditional AM transmissions without the interference — on the face of things, the best of both worlds. It is also cheap. It can be broadcast by modifying existing AM equipment and does not use as much electricity as an equivalent AM service." (I can't recall reading such a press release jargon in an otherwise proverbially ironic publication). And what about electricity burned by the PCs people are forced to rely upon in order to be able to - not so easily - decode it? (Andrea Lawendel, Italy, Jan 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: DIGITAL RADIO --- STAY TUNED Jan 8th 2008 How broadcasters plan to hop, skip and jump around the world with long-range digital radio . . . http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10490842 (via Lawendel, DXLD) Including: ``Reinhold Böhm, a senior research engineer at Dolby, a big audio company that is part of the DRM consortium, says that in one test a signal transmitted from Europe was received well in Australia with only two "hops" along the skywave.`` You mean how many "hops" a SW signal takes depends on the type of modulation used?? Wow, it's only 9:48 am here and I've already learned something new today!! (Harry Helms, W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE IN THE NEWS. "Unlike FM and existing digital- radio services (which also use VHF) they do not need transmitters every few kilometres. Indeed, some AM broadcasts, especially on shortwave, bounce between the ionosphere and the ground in a way that allows them to travel huge distances—sometimes halfway round the world. This phenomenon, known as skywave, is particularly powerful at night. DRM provides the same range as these traditional AM transmissions without the interference—on the face of things, the best of both worlds. It is also cheap. It can be broadcast by modifying existing AM equipment and does not use as much electricity as an equivalent AM service." Economist, 8 January 2008. [as above, via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Some problems even within this one passage: 1) Americans will be confused by the phrase "AM broadcasts, especially on shortwave," given that "AM" and "SW" are separate bands on most American multi-band radios. It should have been explained more clearly that the longwave, medium wave (America's "AM"), and shortwave broadcasts bands all employ amplitude modulation (AM). 2) "Skywave is particularly powerful at night." Well, on shortwave, it is also "powerful" during the day, generally above 12 MHz. 3) "DRM provides the same range as these traditional AM transmissions without the interference." Actually, no. DRM is much more sensitive to interference and reduced signal strength, and completely drops out if vexed by one or both, whereas analog shortwave may still be intelligible, even if there is low signal strength or some interference on or near the channel. For this reason, DRM may be more useful for short- and medium-range transmissions, while keeping analog for long-haul circuits and adverse conditions such as jamming. Posted: 10 Jan 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) DRM: see AUSTRALIA; GERMANY; LUXEMBOURG; NETHERLANDS; SERBIA PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ARNIE CORO’S DXERS UNLIMITED HF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Solar activity is once again is expected to be between low and very low for the next several days of this week. Solar flux is now near 80 units, and the A index was at a rather high 16 on Monday due to the effects of a high speed solar wind. No sporadic E events expected to occur in the Northern Hemisphere, but good chances of nice E skip openings do appear to be possible South of the Equator. Best bands for daytime short wave broadcast listening are the 25, 19 and 16 meter bands, and nighttime reception will be best on 49 and 31 meters, with 25 meters also good on North to South propagation paths (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Jan 8, HCDX via DXLD) The geomagnetic field was at quiet levels through 04 January. For the remainder of the summary period (05 - 06 January), quiet to active levels were observed at middle latitudes, while high latitudes experienced unsettled to minor storm levels with an isolated major storm period. ACE solar wind measurements indicated a recurrent co-rotating interaction region (CIR) late on 04 January followed by the onset of a recurrent high speed stream. The CIR was associated with increased densities, velocities, and interplanetary magnetic field. Densities increased to a peak of 31 p/cc at 05/0610 UTC. CIR-associated IMF changes included increased Bt (peak 18 nT at 05/0645 UTC) and intermittent periods of increased southward Bz (minimum -14 nT at 05/0712 UTC). Velocities increased during 05 - 06 January. and reached a peak of 705 km/sec at 06/0007 UTC. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 09 JAN - 04 FEB 2008 Solar activity is expected to be very low. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 09 - 11 January, 14 - 27 January, and 02 - 04 February. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels during 09 - 12 January. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels during 13 - 18 January due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to mostly quiet levels during 19 January - 01 February. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels during 02 - 04 February due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Jan 08 2024 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2008 Jan 08 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Jan 09 80 5 2 2008 Jan 10 75 5 2 2008 Jan 11 75 5 2 2008 Jan 12 70 5 2 2008 Jan 13 70 15 4 2008 Jan 14 70 15 4 2008 Jan 15 70 10 3 2008 Jan 16 70 10 3 2008 Jan 17 70 10 3 2008 Jan 18 70 10 3 2008 Jan 19 70 8 3 2008 Jan 20 70 5 2 2008 Jan 21 70 5 2 2008 Jan 22 70 5 2 2008 Jan 23 70 5 2 2008 Jan 24 70 5 2 2008 Jan 25 70 5 2 2008 Jan 26 75 5 2 2008 Jan 27 75 5 2 2008 Jan 28 80 5 2 2008 Jan 29 80 5 2 2008 Jan 30 80 5 2 2008 Jan 31 80 5 2 2008 Feb 01 80 5 2 2008 Feb 02 80 10 4 2008 Feb 03 80 10 3 2008 Feb 04 80 10 3 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1390, DXLD) THOMAS GIELLA`S PROPAGATION FORECASTS MOVE TO FRIDAY ISSUANCE Hello to all of the new subscribers. As of 1930 UTC today Thursday January 10, 2008 we have 10,261 subscribers!!! Just a note, I'm changing the day that my forecast is issued. In the past I issued my forecast at 2200 UTC on Thursday and the forecast covered Friday 0000 UTC through Thursday 2359 UTC. I will begin issuing my forecast on Friday at 2200 UTC and it will cover Saturday 0000 UTC through Friday 2359 UTC. The reason for the change is so that contesters will have a more timely forecast for the beginning of most contests. So look for my propagation forecast #2008-02 at 2200 UTC on Friday January 11, 2008 and it will be valid for Saturday 0000 UTC January 12, 2008 through Friday January 18, 2008. 73, (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Lakeland, FL, Jan 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###