DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-025, February 24, 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 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1396 Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 7385 Wed 1230 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 ** ALASKA. KFAR IN FAIRBANKS OFF AIR DUE TO FIRE AT TRANSMITTER SITE KFAR [660 kHz], the dominant local talk radio station in Fairbanks, Alaska, is off the air after a fire on Thursday morning crippled its transmitter. Bad weather has delayed the delivery of a replacement part, KFAR General Manager Perry Walley said. The part is expected to arrive on Monday and Walley hopes to be transmitting by that evening, but it’s dead air until then, he said. “We are completely off the air and there is nothing we can do about it,” he said. The station manager blamed a mechanical problem for the fire. The station’s transmitter sits in a small wooden structure. KFAR, the oldest radio station in Fairbanks, has been on the air since 1939. (Source: newsminer.com)(February 23rd, 2008 - 11:43 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) The station website http://www.kfar660.com/ has: KFAR ON-AIR BROADCAST DOWN Due to a fire at the KFAR transmitter site, KFAR is having technical difficulties and will be off air until at least Monday afternoon. Please stand by, we will update the Web site as soon as the broadcast is back on-air (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Re: [IRCA] Why you aren`t hearing KFAR 660 Thanks, Glenn, for the info on KFAR. Sadly I'm afraid that's not the ONLY reason I'm not hearing them anymore :-) --- Some of the other reasons are the 24/7 operations of KTNN/KXOR/KGDP/CFFR/KAPS, et al. 73 (Don Kaskey, SF CA, IRCA via DXLD) ** ALASKA. CLASSICAL MUSIC SHOWS STRENGTH ON ANCHORAGE RADIO AIRWAVES By MIKE DUNHAM (02/24/08 01:59:05) Copies of the fall 2007 ratings for 22 local commercial radio stations have made it to our desk and show a remarkable thing: KLEF (98.1 FM), the city's only classical music station and one of few full-time classical stations remaining in the U.S., tied for second place among listeners (6 a.m. to midnight, Monday to Sunday, "average persons") ages 12 and over with a 5.9 share of the demographic -- about 2,400 people. Country KASH is first, and K-Bear, also country, is the station tied with KLEF for second. Talk stations KFQD and KENI tie for the slots just below. Even more eye-catching for those interested in, say, buying political ads in hopes of reaching likely voters, KLEF tied with KFQD and KASH for top spot among adults 25 to 54. Most impressive of all, the station has the No. 1 position all to itself for adults 35 and older, a spectacular 8.2 share (followed by the above-named country and news/talk stations). KLEF general manager Rick Goodfellow voiced the same suspicions regarding the station's "good book" that most broadcast veterans share: It's normal to wonder about inexplicable slumps or spikes. But the Arbitron company's reporting methodology has been consistent for long enough that its numbers are widely regarded as being good ballpark estimates, and KLEF previously has been a regular contender, with good ratings in the demographics in question. Goodfellow studied the happy results a little more and found that, while his Anchorage metro numbers are strong, the geographic subdivision that really put his station over the top was the Mat-Su. Perhaps it's time to reassess the big-city stereotype of Valley folk as uncultured (source? probably Anchorage Daily News, via Kevin Redding, Feb 24, ABDX via DXLD) Can anyone name two markets where the KLEF callsign previously applied to classical stations? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ALBANIA. 7430, Radio Tirana. Feb. 18 at 2059(IS)-2115 in English. SINPO 35333-33332. Radio Liberty sign-on at 2100 on 7425 and caused severe QRM. IS till 2100, then opening music and ID. News followed (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium Feb 22 via DXLD) Tirana of course is not intended for Japan at all, but 300 degrees toward UK and NAm; still, too bad, as 7425 R. Liberty is via Kuwait 250 kW, 46 degrees, so more or less also onward to Japan (gh, DXLD) ** ANGOLA. Re 8-024: see LANGUAGE LESSONS ** ARGENTINA. FEEDER, 15820-LSB, LS4, Radio Continental, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, // 590 kHz, 1045-1052, February 24, Spanish, announcement and ID as: "...seguimos en esta mañana por Continental...", local ads, movie talk, 34443 Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Groundwave for him? (gh) ** BANGLADESH. 7250, R Bangladesh (presumed), 1231, 02/21/08. On about a minute late, audible only as a strong hum with occasional weak audio of speech making it through, ham QRM near/atop 7250 especially strong. Poor (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN. 6035, *0025-0100 18+22-02, Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Sangaygang. Dzongkha announcement, intoning Buddhist monks, talks - seems to have severe modulation problems with this noisy transmitter 24331 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Good reception from Radio Bhutan [sic], Thimpu, 6035, 0021 UT with monks holy songs, 33333 Gr (Maurits from Belgium Driessche, Feb 24, HCDX via DXLD) Radio Bhutan, Thimpu. Was vannacht weer sterk op de 6035 kHz om 0021 UT px met monks singing holy songs. Good reception, 33333. Gr (Maurits van Driessche, Belgium, BDX via DXLD) Jammer, dat had ik eerder moeten weten: normaal lig ik dan al lang op een oor, maar gisteren kwam ik toen net thuis (een kwartiertje later zelfs nog), dus dat had ik mooi even mee kunnen pikken.... Maar na een hele avond muziek op een festival had ik op dat moment meer behoefte aan slaap dan zingende monniken, dus heb (bijna tegen gewoonte in!) de ontvanger(s) niet meer aangezet. Toch spijtig, want ik heb in al die jaren Bhutan nog nooit gehoord (omroep tenminste, amateurs wél). Overigens lijkt mijn e-mail weer normaal te werken na enige storingen vorig weekend. Groeten, (Jan Reint, Netherlands, Feb 24, BDX via DXLD) Jan, ze zijn nog niet zolang weer in de lucht. Na een maand of zo. Gr (Maurits, ibid.) I figured that `jammer` doesn`t mean something that jams, in Dutch, but maybe ``however``. However, Google translation funxion assures us that it does mean: ``jammer`` in English! (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BHUTAN. BHUTAN RADIO GOES ONLINE Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union 22 February, 2008 http://www.abu.org.my/public/dsp_page.cfm?articleid=3411&urlsectionid=1061&specialsection=ART_FULL&pageid=247&PSID=3372 The Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), the country's national broadcaster, has launched an online radio service. BBS Radio introduced the Internet service yesterday to mark the 28th birthday of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The online service is available for 15 hours a day, from 1200 to 0300 GMT. It can be accessed via the BBS website: http://www.bbs.com.bt/ Launched in 1973, BBS Radio broadcasts on FM in the national language, Dzongkha, as well as Sharchop, Lhotsham and English. Its shortwave service can be heard as far afield as Europe and New Zealand (on 6035 kHz). BBS also runs a television service, introduced in 1999, which broadcasts for four hours daily in Dzongkha and English in the capital, Thimphu. It reaches other urban areas through cable services. BBS has been a member of the ABU's daily news exchange, Asiavision, since January 2006 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Hi Glenn, 1200–0300 GMT? The BBS schedule online is 0600 to 2020, which is the local time in Thimphu (0000–1420 UT). 1420 would be the start of their last program and I believe they are actually scheduled for sign-off at 1500 UT, so they should be available online from 0000 to 1500 UT. Listening to their audio streaming after 0915 UT, they went into their call in show after the news, corresponding to their Feb 24 schedule (1515 Thimphu time). The audio streaming worked well for me, with no interruptions. Nice! (Ron Howard, CA, ibid.) So real UT should be 0000-1500, but not on SW quite as early as 0000; see above (gh, DXLD) I still can't get http://www.bbs.com.bt to open, as of 2000 UT on 24 February (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Andy Sennitt comments: The live stream was working fine when I checked at 1200 UTC. It’s only 32 kbps, so not extremely high quality, but bearing in mind that not so many years ago this station was considered an exotic catch on shortwave, it’s amazing to think that it can now be heard at the click of a mouse anywhere in the world. 5 comments so far: 1 Dave Kernick Feb 24, 2008 at 2:59 pm: BBS has actually been available online before, on a feed provided by local ISP Druknet if I recall correctly - however this disappeared about three years ago. A private Bhutanese FM station, Radio Valley, is available on a live stream from its website at www.radiovalley.bt 2 loujosephs Feb 24, 2008 at 5:38 pm: It does run windows media server but the live stream today Sunday the 25th at 1730 kept rebuffering and when I did get audio it sound like a test tone. (server crash I suspect) 3 Andy Feb 24, 2008 at 5:46 pm: Well, it would be a test tone, as they are not broadcasting anything between 1500 and 2400 UT 4 Dave Kernick Feb 24, 2008 at 7:48 pm: Indeed, I heard it close at 1500 today with no ceremony whatsoever - merely a \’\ 5 Dave Kernick Feb 24, 2008 at 7:50 pm Andy: the word represented above by \’\ is ‘goodbye’ (Media Network blog via DXLD) Why? Hi Glenn, In response to my email alerting him of the error in the BBS story, I received the following: Hi Ron, Thanks for your e-mail. You're absolutely correct - BBS Radio's audio streaming is available from 0000 to 1500 GMT. I stupidly miscalculated that Thimpu was six hours behind GMT instead of six hours ahead. I'll correct the story on our website. Thanks a million for spotting the error and letting me know about it. Best wishes Alan [Williams] Managing Editor, Asiavision Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Kuala Lumpur 22 February, 2008 http://www.abu.org.my/public/dsp_page.cfm?articleid=3411&urlsectionid=1061&specialsection=ART_FULL&pageid=247&PSID=3372 (Ron Howard, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 6025, R. Patria Nueva (tentative), La Paz, 02/24, Spanish, 0010 studio and outside reportage about donations campaign for inundated victims, male and female "estamos con ustedes con la solidaridad en todos los rincones del país, toda la gente, todo el pueblo boliviano... solidaridad, amor y cariño en la campaña de la solidaridad...", 0015 local pop music, 0033 "...La Voz del Estado Boliviano...", Andean music. Almost readable 33333. [A.k.a. and originally R. Illimani; ever ID that way now? --- gh] 4699, R. San Miguel, Riberalta, 02/23, Spanish, 2306-2333 message program, male "visitan [sic] siete de la noche... atención para Miriam... apresar lo dinero porque tengo enfermo con gravidad... para los hermanos no ha ocorrido nada... situación ahora está algo enfermo... atención, mensaje para Norton...", announcer made some long breaks, it seems for check something around or in the script. CODAR QRM from 2326, 32322. Short audio file of R San Miguel, but at 01/23: http://geocities.yahoo.com.br/eefibra/r.sanmiguel4699khz0050utc230108.mp3 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40, dipole 18m, 32m, Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4699.32, Radio San Miguel, 1015-1030 Feb 23. Noted Spanish comments from a male during period with ID as "Radio San Miguel", mentioned often. When not talking, music is presented. Signal comes up slightly to a fair level at 1024 UT, but generally it's poor. 4716.51, Radio Yura, 1025-1035 Feb 23. At tune-in noted traditional local music. The music had a lot of flutes playing. It was so mundane that I thought at times the music could be a weird signal causing QRM. Every once in awhile a fellow would give out a yell. That made the difference, it seemed. The signal was poor (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4732, Radio Universitaria, Cobija: Not heard this one for several days 6105.31, Radio Panaméricana, La Paz 1050 to 1110, using very narrow filter, weak and difficult to tune. 17 Feb [sic]. VIVA BOLIVIA --- 24 February 2008 from South Florida ====== ====== ======= ======= ======= Bolivia Philately: The Ortiz-Patiño Collection of Bolivia - March 5, 2008 --- The Ortiz-Patiño Collection of Bolivian Stamps and Postal History is, without question, the finest and most comprehensive collection ever formed: http://stampauctionnetwork.com/f/f100.cfm Más Música http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFz__zKQ32E and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PudyB3vhcHg ======= ======== ======== ======= ======= ======= Best of 73s de Bob (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, South Florida, US, Feb 24, NRD 535D, 746 Pro, R75,R7, R8, Sony 2010XA, Elliptic Low Pass Audio Filters, On the front lawn antenna, Noise reducing antenna, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Rádio Aparecida está fazendo uma grande manutenção em seu parque técnica, incluindo troca de válvulas, limpeza e pintura nas antenas, etc. Pode ocorrer que para a realização desse trabalho, o qual não tenho condições de informar quando estará encerrado, a emissora precise diminuir potência (Cassiano Macedo, Programa Encontro DX, Feb 24, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. 7230, Radio Burkina, *0805-0840, Feb 23, abrupt sign on with vernacular talk. Off the air at 0807. Back on the air at 0819 with vernacular talk. Local tribal music. French talk. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. A belated thanks to Brian, the ODXA, and CHWO management & staff. I received my special verification earlier this week, and it's pretty impressive. I especially like the transmitter pictures (they get 50,000 watts out of *that*?, looks puny!). And the CBC signs on the transmitter building! (yes, there are two of them - I'm betting the smaller one was painted in the sixties(grin)!) (Doug Smith, W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, NRC-AM via DXLD) Thanks, Doug, for helping us celebrate. It's funny, with the old transmitters you couldn't swing a cat in there (sorry to cat lovers; I have one myself). You have four of the big Continentals there (1 main and 1 backup for CHWO and CJBC.) Now with the new ones, you can ballroom dance in there. Before the solid state unit, much of the original paint and floor was still there. With the new transmitter came a complete reno inside, nice and clean. Still have the old bomb shelter studio downstairs so it's not all gone (Brian Smith, Ont., ibid.) ** CANADA. ONLY GOVERNMENT COULD MAKE RADIO THIS BORING Robert Remington, Calgary Herald, Friday, February 22, 2008 It should come as no surprise that the dullest station on the local radio dial is run by the government, and we're not referring here to the CBC. In what may be called the height of monotony, the City of Calgary has launched a new traffic radio station at 106.5 FM. It's not much different from the old traffic station the city ran as a test project in south Calgary at 97.5 FM, except that it is now available citywide and the computer-generated female voice has been replaced by that of a male. At a cost of $100,000 a year -- or roughly the amount of money collected in property taxes from 50 average Calgary homeowners -- the station features a robotic voice lulling motorists to sleep with information on road repairs, lane closures, traffic tie-ups and collisions. The computer-generated male host -- let's call him Chip, as in micro -- is an improvement on the computerized female voice previously used, which was akin to that of a pull-string doll. Except for a telltale waver similar to that of someone experiencing on-air nervousness, Chip sounds almost real. Dreadfully dull, mind you, but then when did we ever expect anyone in government to have personality? While the concept is a laudable attempt at providing commuters with the latest traffic information, only government could come up with something as wasteful and unnecessary as its own traffic radio station. Calgary's competitive radio market has been doing a better job of it for years, and in a far more entertaining fashion. Last year, for instance, when a busload of prisoners en route to the courthouse got into a morning rush-hour accident, radio traffic reporters gleefully unleashed an avalanche of puns about "tie-ups" in the area and motorists being "handcuffed" trying to get to work. "It's a good thing they didn't hit a cement truck or there would have been a lot of hardened criminals in the area," one clever morning host said at the time. While it's true that private radio garners much of its information from city sources, is there really any need for the city to scoop other stations out there in radio-land? Competitive local stations have traffic updates every 10 minutes, all at varying times. By flipping between pre-set stations, motorists can practically get a running traffic commentary any rush hour. Thanks to tips from listeners, private radio also alerts motorists to speed traps, errant sheets of plywood that have fallen off trucks and warnings on the latest monster potholes. On Tuesday, the first day of the city's new service, a private station passed along a tip about a woman who was screaming at her teenage son in the middle of Crowchild after he called her to help him with his stalled car. Private stations also use helicopters to advise motorists on traffic flows. During Thursday evening's rush hour, reporters in choppers advised motorists of alternate routes to avoid a collision in the south, while cyber-Chip was simply giving us the location. Unlike Chip, real humans can also ease road rage with an occasional sense of humour. Don McSweeney, the former CBC radio traffic guy, used to refer to Deerfoot as "a parking lot," and I believe he coined the term "the Glenmore Squeeze" for the notorious lane reduction around Glenmore reservoir. The City Hall traffic station has no personality whatsoever. For our $100,000, the least they could do is give us WKRP in Cincinnati's Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap, or maybe Venus Speedtrap. Fat chance. For that, you'll have to turn to the entertaining radio pros elsewhere on the dial. © The Calgary Herald 2008 (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Boredom is a small price to pay for no commercials (gh, DXLD) Probably about as inspiring as 93.9 Confederation Bridge Radio! (Phil Rafuse, PEI, ABDX via DXLD) ** CHAD. 4904.97, RNT, 2100-2131*, Feb 22, French talk. Afro-pop music. Sign off with National Anthem. Fair to good signal. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD. Re. DXLD 8-022: The Reuters item about the destroyed archive contains three photos, still available at http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1945716520080219 I already feared this when reading about the looting. Equipment can be replaced, studios can be rebuilt, but destroyed archives are lost for good (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Some locations for the Xinjiang PBS MW transmitters: Uigur 558 - Hutubi, Kashgar, Pishan, Yutian 846 - Hotan 855 - Urumqi 1044 - Yining, Tacheng, Aksu, Turfan, Yiwu, Korla 1413 - Hami, Shache, Xinyuan, Kuche, Ruoqiang, Bortala Kazakh 963 - Yining [Gulja], Tacheng [Qoqek], Mulei [Mori], Habahe [Kaba], Fuyun [Koktokay] 972 - Altay 1044 - Urumqi 1107 - Hutubi, Balikun [Barkol] 1233 - Bole [Bortala], Zhaosu, Xinyuan [Kunes] Mongolian 909 - Bole [Bortala], Zhaosu, Hebukesai'er [Hoboksar] 1233 - Urumqi 1593 - Korla Chinese 675 - Altay 684 - Hotan 738 - Urumqi, Hutubi, Shihezi, Kashgar, Balikun [Barkol], Pishan, [Guma], Yutian [Keriya] 999 - Hami, Shache, Zhaosu, Xinyuan, Kuche, Ruoqiang, Bortala 1494 - Yining [Gulja], Tacheng [Qoqek], Aksu, Turfan, Yiwu, Korla, Mulei [Mori], Habahe [Kaba], Fuyun [Koktokay] Here Urumqi is a local station for metropolitan Urumqi with 10 kW and Hutubi (NW of Urumqi) is the highpowered station for provincial coverage using 100 or 120 kW. (Compiled by Alan Davies from web sources, ARC Information Desk 18 Feb 2008 via editor Olle Alm, DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. 5954.11, unidentified "ELCOR transmitter", 2312-2348 21 February, 2008. Cycling the same Spanish pop vocal after a few seconds gap between, until the last play ended at 2331, then open carrier through tune-out. Best in USB today, and quite strong despite big signals on both sides, though still a messy place to be. If this is a new transmitter (Radio Casino was 1 kW), why would the new one be on virtually the same off-frequency channel as Casino was? Shades of 1980's Central America (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Previous story implied that the rights to the 5954 frequency were transferred to some new entity. Apparently it was 5954 on the official records and so it stays. Raúl, any progress on fully identifying this? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hi Terry. Test transmissions from this still mystery broadcaster on 5954 are running now for the last three weeks from 2230 to 2330. Seem to me I have seen some early reports on that same frequency you mention. As I pointed out some weeks ago this tests are more likely coming from a political than a religious group, otherwise they won't be playing day after day after day the same Mexican band Maná and Shakira songs. Now comes the same question, why this new reportedly 40 kW unit installed in Guápiles (Cantón de Pococí, Provincia de Limón) by now free lancer former ELCOR engineer Jorge Cuadra, is using 5954 remains unknown. Only thing I learnt is that TIQ Radio Casino owner, Luis Grau got rid off it. Incredible as this may sound, a friend of mine at Control Nacional de Radio told me they don't even know what this is all about. So, go figure what kind of "control" that is. Could be a "despiste" as we call it Spanish, making people abroad believe that is TIQ planning to go back on the air on short wave. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Feb 24, ibid.) despiste = disinformation ** COSTA RICA [and non]. REE relay, Cariari de Pococí, nominal 5965, axually on 5964.0 putting a big het on Vatican Radio 5965.0, with which it normally mixes a few Hz apart, Feb 24 at 0620. I had first noticed the het a couple nights earlier but at first assumed one of them was running a tone test instead. So this collision has gone from bad to worse (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Vatican Radio was off air today on 5965 at 0750 (the WRTH says Arabic is daily, but not on air today the 24th). One kHz lower at 5964.00, REE via Costa Rica was audible at fair strength in parallel with 12035 in Spanish of course (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. The DentroCuban Jamming Command continues to pollute the bands with totally unnecessary jamming. Dirty noise pulses at the rate of exactly two per second have been noted on frequencies which at completely different but limited hours are used by Radios República and Martí. Perhaps the DCJC in its paranoia thinx that with the self-demotion of Fidel from CEJ to a mere Comrade, and the fueracubans` stepped-up salivation for The End of Communism, such stations are liable to expand their broadcasts on known frequencies. Unlikely, I say, as they are locked into well-established schedules, but if they do, jamming could be quickly expanded to match. Until then, leave the poor frequencies and their other innocent occupants and neighbors alone! Specifically, UT Feb 23, the 2/second noise pulses as monitored [along with the real times that opposition stations are on]: At 0712 on 6100, very strong [RR was reported back here in DXLD 8-024 by Ron Howard in the 0300 UT hour, but Feb 24 at 0225 check I find it still on 6185, nothing on 6100; they are now switching from 6185 to 6100 at 0300; announcement heard at 0259 Feb 24 on 6185, said at 9 pm (really 10 pm EST!) they were moving from 6185 to 6100, and so they did after a break of 10 or 12 seconds. I guess this means 6185 is in use by RR only at 0200-0300, ruining XEPPM one hour less] At 0713 on 7365, weaker, unseems exactly synchronized with 6100, but hard to tell with this kind of programming [0000-0400 RM] At 0721 on 6155, same but weaker, vs Austria, and bothering CBC on 6160 [0000-0200 RR] At 0730 on 9825; still/again at 1431 check [0000-0300 RM] At 1417 on 6030 [2200-1200 RM] You might think that these noise pulses of two per second are not like the heavy Cuban jamming normally heard on RM, RR and WRMI frequencies. But the frequency matchups cannot be coincidental. I think this is because we are only hearing a single transmitter rather than the usual multiple overlapping transmitters to form a `noise wall` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {Or, perhaps this is a ``standby- mode``, but if so, no signals at all should be radiating} ** CUBA [and non]. Trying to sort out the RHC and RNV relay frequencies was more confusing than ever Feb 24, since RHC extended transmission to carry the who-will-succeed-Fidel parliamentary session. I am too busy monitoring other stuff on Sunday mornings to devote undivided and prolonged attention to this, but here are my notes as far as they go: 1435 UT, 11875 with Hugo speaking, mixing about 4 Hz apart with choral music // 7540, so the collision at 14-15 with WEWN has resumed. Hugo // weak 11670, no 11680. But at 1441 recheck 11670 // 11875 program identified as ``Entre Cubanos``, presumably one of the run-up fillers before Aló, Presidente. 1438, RHC programming on 13680, 13760, 11760. Did not check again until 1531, when RHC was still on, prolonged schedule, // 11760 and 15370 VG, weaker 11805, 12000, 13760. I suspect the Esperanto show at 1500-1530 was pre-empted from 11760, but failed to check then. 1534, 17750 with Fidel speaking but not // RHC frequencies above, so this must have been within the Aló, Presidente service. Since both Fidel and Hugo may be heard at times on both services, you can`t rely on voice identification to distinguish them (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: ** CUBA. TRANSMISIÓN ESPECIAL DE RADIO HABANA CUBA --- Transmitirá Radio Habana Cuba este domingo en vivo, incidencias acerca de elección de la presidencia de la Asamblea Nacional y el Consejo de Estado La Habana 23 feb (RHC) Radio Habana Cuba transmitirá ESTE domingo, a partir de las 10 de la mañana hora local [1500 UT], en programación especial, las incidencias acerca de la elección de la presidencia de la Asamblea Nacional y el Consejo de Estado. La sesión constitutiva del Parlamento cubano tendrá lugar en el Palacio de las Convenciones de La Habana con la participación de los 614 diputados que integran ese órgano, y las ondas internacionales de ésta emisora ofrecerá a sus oyentes los detalles del importante acontecimiento, hasta su conclusión. Esas transmisiones se realizarán por las bandas y frecuencias habituales de la programación matutina. Fuentes: RHC, AIN, GRANMA, TRABAJADORES, JUVENTUD REBELDE, PL, REUTER, EFE, IPS, ANSA, AFP, XINHUA, TASS, DPA, AP (via Arnaldo Slaen, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CUBA. More defects Feb 24 at RHC: at 2305 found 17705 in French; at 2323 also in French on 13760, but NOT // --- was one of them Creole? No, listened carefully: regular French. Then I realized that I was hearing the same interview, two speakers on both frequencies, but not synchronized. Focusing on a key word, I found that 13760 was running 28 seconds behind 17705. But what is supposed to be on these frequencies during this semihour? Per confusingly laid-out currently- dated schedule at http://www.rhc.cu/espanol/frecuencia/frecuencias-espanol.htm both are supposed to be in Portuguese! Then at 2329 I am tuned to 5965, and hear RHC ID in Esperanto and 2330 opening program with usual list of times and frequencies for this weekly broadcast: UT Sunday 0700 on 6000, 1500 & 1900 on 11760; 2330 on 6140 & 9600 --- omitting the very frequency I was listening to, 5965, which had a VG signal! It`s supposed to be in Creole. Esperanto also audible on 6140, but barely, in the skirts of the DCJC and R. República on 6135, so a good thing it was also on 5965; and Esperanto heard on 9600, but bad het from XEYU, and did not notice Vatican Vietnamese at this time. RHC on 6000 had special coverage, presumably replay of the earlier National Assembly session designating Raúl Castro as leader, but underneath R. Praga via Canadá with weather in Spanish at 2332, a perpetual collision. The 6000 special, which on a weekday would be Mesa Redonda, was found // 9820 and Rebelde 5025. At 2338 this paused to play the national anthem. A woman had been speaking, and then she introduced another woman, the youngest deputy of all, an 18-year-old who swore in the 500+ delegates, who had racked up a 97% attendance quorum. I wonder how many of them dared to vote against Raúl? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. LOOKING FOR MUSIC, BUT NOT 'CELEBRATION,' TO REMEMBER CASTRO? PUT THE RADIO ON --- New York Times, By Peter Applebome, February 24, 2008 Somewhere between Bobby Lee Trammell's "Arkansas Twist" and Lula Reed and Freddie King's "Do the President Twist"; between the Elite's "One Potato" and its flip side, "Two Potato"; between Slim Gaillard's "Atomic Cocktail" and spoken clips from "Dragnet," "The Nutty Professor" and Phyllis Diller, Dave the Spazz really pulled one out of his hat on Thursday night. "I've been waiting 50 years to play that one," Dave, known outside the studio as Dave Abramson, told his listeners on WFMU radio. That one was Jay Chevalier's "Castro Rock" from 1960: Down in Cuba where they raise sugar cane Got a brand new dance, it's a crazy thing Named after a man by the name of Fidel Just stand in one spot and shake like ... wellll It's the Castro Rock, it's the Castro Rock If you ever go to Cuba better learn to do the Castro Rock. If any place was going to mark Fidel Castro's role in history by unearthing Jay Chevalier, it figured to be WFMU-FM (91.1), which went on the air the year before he came to power in 1959. The station, which is independent and noncommercial, is celebrating its 50th birthday this week during its annual as-brief-as-possible beg-athon, but if Mr. Castro has his spot in history, remarkably, WFMU does too. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/nyregion/24towns.html?_r=1&ex=1361595600&en=106ec869be0f0b1f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin (via Mike Terry, DXLD yg via DXLD) Linx to some WFMU mp3 clips (gh) ** CUBA. Three new Cubans Feb 17 this week for a Cuban total of 68. They were 3 kW 1230 CMGJ Radio Veinte Seis, Union de Reyes MA parallel 1060; 1110 CMKO Radio Angulo, which finally peaked over WBT on the hour with a good ID; and 1000 Radio Granma, Manzanillo, at 6 a.m. local (one of my few morning DX sessions) with Bruce Conti's often reported rooster crowings! Also, Radio Victoria continues to dominate 1050 at times, and the 840, 1280, and 1590 parallel Radio Revoluciónes were heard again (Doug Allen, K4LY, Inman SC; Kenwood TS-850, Flag antennas, 53-ft vertical, 80 meter dipole, 130-ft inverted V, 90-ft east Kaz antenna, NRC IDXD Feb 22 via DXLD) ** CUBA. 790, Radio Reloj, unidentified site; 0224-0228 24 February, 2008. An out-of-sync minute sounders and Morse "R R" noted fair, but much weaker than the presumed Pinar del Río powerhouse atop it. Previously, my document listed only one Cuba entry on 790 kHz, the Pinar del Río Reloj outlet. 99.9 MHz, Radio Cadena Habana, Marianao, Ciudad de la Habana (presumed site); 1738-1739 23 February, 2008. After hearing the Key Largo Hispanic on 102.1 MHz (see USA separate log), I began checking 96.7 (Rebelde) and this channel, the two being the best shot at Cuba on tropo openings. After about 15 minutes, this popped up briefly and in glorious stereo with the conclusion of a Spanish vocal, then male announcer ID. Nothing Cuba came up on 96.7 MHz during my checks. The first Cuba FM reception for me from Pinellas County since mid-2006, if I recall correctly. Logged on the 2007 Hyundai Sonata stock crappy car radio in St. Petersburg, FL (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DUCIE ISLAND. Had been looking around for the VP6DX Pedition in the 160 and 80m DX windows, but not heard it, and not researched the exact frequencies it is supposed to be using. So I was quite pleased to run across it on 15m, Feb 24. In fact, it was the only signal audible on the band in several sweeps from one end to the other! This was Feb 24 at 2312 on 21305-USB as the op was just giving callsign over and over phonetically, usually Victor Papa Six Delta X-ray, but sometimes David instead of Delta. Sounded like an American accent, altho possibly handed off to a different op later who used David. No QRZ? No CQ DX. Just the callsign, but that`s a lot better than some DX ops who only give their callsign occasionally when working a string of contacts, assuming everyone knows whom they are talking to. At 2313 worked W9HLA, unheard here. Signs of VP6DX for about 5 more minutes. Checking 13m, HCJB was making it on 21455-USB, but nothing else (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn-- If you weren't already aware of it, this is a handy website to use for tracking down DXpeditions and other amateur radio DX: http://www.dxfuncluster.com/ (In fact, as I write this, most of the latest reports on the main page are various VP6DX frequencies.) (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, UT Feb 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. R. Cairo, or if you prefer, ERTU, General Arabic service to NAm, is still overlapping ABS and ABZ transmitter sites on 6290 around 0000. Tuned in Feb 24 at 2351 and heard Arabic talk with a quick echo/reverb, along with fast subaudible heterodyne estimated around 15 Hz. Previously, the transmitter supposedly starting at 0000 would come on much earlier without modulation, but the echo now makes me think it was also running modulation, slightly out-of-synch. The original program might also have had some reverb on it, making matters worse. At 2355 YL talk in Arabic mentioned HIV/AIDS. 2356 into music. One transmitter went off at 2400* sharp, leaving the other with unechoey audio but as always now, much more distorted than its predecessor. I see that Aoki now lists Abis both before and after 0000 on 6290 tho switching from 315 to 325 degrees. EiBi says it`s Abu Zabaal until 2400, then Abis (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 6250, Radio Nacional-Malabo, 0550-0625, Feb 23, Afro-pop music. Radio Malabo IDs at 0600, 0602, 0603. Spanish talk. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7110, R. Ethiopia, 0238, 2/22/08. OM with extended talk in vernacular. Storm static crashes did not detract from nice S6 signal. Best in a long time (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, Perseus SDR, 70' Inverted L, Wellbrook 330S Loop, http://www.radiodx.net/wordpress/ Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 9560.04V, R. Ethiopia, Feb 06, 1403-1433, 33443-43443, Arabic, News and Ethiopian pops, ID at 1411 and 1412. 9560.05, R. Ethiopia, Feb 11, 1357-1406, 34333-33333, Afar? and Arabic, Ethiopian pops music, IS at 1359, 1400 Three gongs, News. 9560.18, V. of Democratic Alliance via R. Ethiopia, Feb 11, *1500- 1510, 34433, Arabic, 1500 IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk. 9560.18, V. of Democratic Alliance via R. Ethiopia, Feb 11, 1530-1536, 34433, Vernacular, 1530 IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium Feb 22 via DXLD) ** FAROE ISLANDS. Catches last night on the SRF-39FP Ultralight barefoot --- Transatlantics were pretty decent again last night. Feb 22/08 - 2343 UT - 531 kHz, Utvarp Foroya, Akraberg with country type song by woman , mostly continual songs for long periods, commentary and language distinctly different, definitely not Spanish or French; broadcast similarities mentioned in past logs of others; good (Allen Willie, VO1-001-SWL, St. John's, Newfoundland, IRCA via DXLD) ** FINLAND. See SOUTH CAROLINA [non] ** FRANCE. 1593, Littoral AM to start tests in February. "1593 is the frequency for Littoral AM appointed by ITU in the region of Bretagne at St Goueno near Lamballe (002W33 48N18). Spain refused that they shall use 936 kHz as planned. 1593 kHz will of course create problems with Germany. I know the staff of Littoral AM and they have planned to start tests in mid-February. The temporary authorization from CSA will end April 30th, 2008. Considering the high cost of running the AM transmitter they will test with a rented transmitter of lower power. According to ITU it will be 5 kW." (Thierry Vignaud 27.1.2008 via Bengt Ericson, ARC Information Desk 18 Feb 2008 via editor Olle Alm, DXLD) 1593 (additional info), Littoral AM tells me that they are waiting for a transmitter coming from Germany around 10th of February. They now confirm 1593 kHz with only 10 kW omnidirectionnal for the tests. The transmitter comes from TRANSRADIO, model TRAM25 (25 kW). They will use DRM with this mode: AAC SBR stereo 23.6 kbps. Littoral will open a new web site concerning the tests, early February at this link: http://www.broadcast-transradio.com/html/am.html (Thierry Vignaud 29.1.2008 via Bengt Ericson, ibid.) On air since Feb 21, 1700 UT: http://littoralinfo.over-blog.com/article-16951586.html More photos of the transmitter site: http://pagesperso-orange.fr/tvignaud/galerie/am/22stgoueno.htm http://www.radionumerique-bretagne.com/indexgalerie.php Note the coordinated powers for 1593, as given by Thierry Vignaud: 50 Kw day and 5 kW night. This means that at night the transmitter would have to be run at about 1 kW only. I understand that they leave the DRM signal on air with 10 kW throughout the night, or do they turn it off? If not this is a violation like running full day power at night in AM, since only a power level 7 db below the coordinated AM carrier power may be used in DRM mode. Perhaps the permission for this DRM test expires on April 30 for this very reason? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Double DRM on 1593 --- Another station on 1593 khz is using DRM. Besides the DRM transmissions from the German WDR, now also the French Littoral AM started DRM on the same frequency with 10 kW. Source : ADX list and http://littoralinfo.over-blog.com/ Happily this new DRM transmission is not destroying another clear frequency on MW. Maybe it is interesting to know how two DRM transmitters on the same frequency do influence reception (Max van Arnhem, Netherlands, MWC via DXLD) “They” should put them all on 1593 then they can all interfere with each other. They might understand the concept of interference more clearly then! J (Andrew Brade, UK, ibid.) Hoi Max, The due date of FM Littoral's licence is April 30, 2008 --- http://www.csa.fr/actualite/decisions/decisions_detail.php?id=125873 Vy 73+55, (Michael Wlochinski, QTH: Mönchengladbach, Germany, ibid.) ** GABON. 7270, Radio Gabon, *0759-0820, Feb 23, sign on with French talk. ID. Weak (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Transradio has posted photos of their recent longwave symposium: http://www.transradio.de/html/fotogalerie.html The first two apparently feature the assembly of TRAM series transmitters in their workshop. In the transmitter hall photos you can see the large 177 kHz transmitter and in the background the 603 kHz unit. Note also the round, green speaker on the wall: That's an East German one for 100 volts distribution, presumably left over from gone installations. Above it the former control balcony where still an old Geithain studio monitor (i.e. large loudspeaker) sits, unless it had been taken away in the last four years (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. 3340, HRMI/R Misiones Intl, 0855, 2/20/08, English / Spanish. Male preacher delivering an English-language sermon with running translation into Spanish by a woman, continued through top of hour without pause. Fair (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 5050, *0025-0045 21+22-02, AIR Aizawl. This very rare station was heard very weak, but fading in and out under WWRB (playing swinging music) and Guangxi FBS (Vietnamese talk // 9820, fading out) Hindi/English news 0035 definitely // AIR Shillong 4970 and AIR Thiruvananthapuram 5010), thanks to tips from Victor Goonetilleke. Not propagating 23-02 12111 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 7289.84, RRI-Nabire, Feb 16, 0752-0832, 33443-34443, Indonesian, Music, 0758 RPK, 0800 Jakarta news realy, 0829 SNSB, ID at 0830, Talk. Also Feb 19, 0814-0836, 35343, Indonesian, Jakarta news relay, 0829 SNSB, ID at 0830, Music (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium Feb 22 via DXLD) SNSB? ** IRAN [non]. 4365.80, V. of Iranian Revolution Feb 11 *1426-1440 25342-24442 Kurdish, 1426 sign on with IS and ID repetition, 1431 ID, Opening music, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium Feb 22 via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Re: ``Christian station Spirit has been licensed to use the former RTE channel of 612 kHz. There has been some conflicting info as to whether they will use Athlone or will have to build their own transmission facilities.`` This is evidence of them building a new site: http://lists.radiolists.net/pipermail/broadcast/2007-November/063584.html Various discussions indicate that the former RTÉ mediumwave site in Athlone, shut down in 2004, will be demolished for development. Here are some photos of this station: http://homepage.eircom.net/~totalbroadcast/athlone2.html All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Israel Radio shortwave --- I don't see anything in online newspapers at this point, but I have received the following information: 'At a meeting held at the Knesset on February 20 the IBA was told by the government that it must continue to broadcast on SW. Its Chairman Moshe Gavish protested that it has no budget for it but there were strong speeches stating the importance of reaching overseas and particularly in Persian. People who were there said that no proper conclusion was reached but the government side just took no notice of the IBA's arguments and ordered it to carry on.' (Doni Rosenzweig, Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. On 2/23 I tuned into an unID station on 6973 kHz from 2335 to 0130 UT. Their modulation just wasn't quite enough to punch through the electrical noise here, but the signal was fair. The only listing I've found so far for this frequency is Galei Zahal (Israel) broadcasting in Hebrew to Europe. Very tentatively I suppose this may have been them. I've tuned this particular frequency range pretty regularly lately and have never heard even a carrier on this frequency. Anyone else hearing this station? (Kirk Allen, Ponca City OK, ptsw yg via DXLD) Sure, why not? E.g.: 6973, Galei Zahal, 2326, 2/23/08. OM & YL conversation. Pop music at 2327. S4 signal (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, Perseus SDR, 70' Inverted L, Wellbrook 330S Loop, http://www.radiodx.net/wordpress/ Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9630, North Korea Reform R., Feb 06 *1200-1210 35433 Korean, 1200 sign on with opening music, ID, Opening announce, Talk. Also Feb 07 *1200-1210 34433-44433; Feb 08 *1200-1210 44444- 43443; Feb 12 *1200-1210 34433; Feb 19 *1200-1211 43443-44444. 9950, R. Free Chosun, Feb 12, *1200-1212 45444-45333 Korean, 1200 sign on with opening music, ID, Opening announce, Talk. Also Feb 19 *1200- 1212 45444 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium Feb 22 via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, R Madagascar, 0155-0340+, 02/19/08, French / vernacular. Apparently on all night again in reduced-carrier USB with Afropop, radio dramas, news, more programming, occasional ID jingles interspersed, but no obvious ID break at the hour. Strong, clear signal. Very good (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5010, R. TV Malagasy, Antananarivo, 02/23, Malagasy, 2257-2300, maybe ID by male and female, slow pop music, abruptly s/off. 32433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40, dipole 18m, 32m, Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA/SARAWAK. 7130, Sarawak FM via RTM, Kuching, 1537-1600, Feb 23, assume in Malay, pop songs, several distinctive singing "Radio Sarawak" jingles (different from the "Sarawak FM" jingles I have heard in the past), almost fair, // 5030 (poor, under strong CNR-1), some QRM from CNR-1 and under that possibly CNR-2/CBR (very weak). Seemed that Sarawak signed-off at 1600, at which time it sounded like the Firedrake/jamming started, assume against Taiwan, which I believe would be a change in schedule. Sarawak held up well against the QRM, as their format is pop songs, opposed to CNR-1's mostly talking. Very good day for Asia: Myanmar on 5770 had decent signal at their 1529 sign-off and Laos was doing well on 6130 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. 9635, RTVM, Bamako, *0800-0840, Feb 23, opening French ID announcements & local string music. Vernacular talk at 0802. Local string music & other exotic local music after 0814. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 4845, R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, 02/21, Arabic, 0816- 0826 male talks, presumed news alternating short music. 33433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40, dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) New [sic] 4845.0, 2325-0100* 21 and 23-02, R. Mauritania, Nouakchott, Arabic. Back on the air after being off some weeks, talks, heterodyne from Brazil 4845.2 53444 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) 4845 on the air again Feb 23 at 0709 check in Arabic talk, low modulation level (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. [XERTA] seems absent from 4800 and old frequency of 4810.- 0900 to 1230; 20 to 22 February (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, South Florida, US NRD 535D, 746 Pro, R75,R7, R8, Sony 2010XA, Elliptic Low Pass Audio Filters, On the front lawn antenna, Noise reducing antenna, HCDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Dear Mr. Hauser; I have always thought that REE played the best classical music that could be heard on shortwave. After the last several days of hearing Radio Unam, I have changed my opinion. Radio Unam on 9600 has been, for the last several days, broadcasting outstandingly good programming. I would say that it surpasses anything I have heard on shortwave, and is on par with the offerings heard on US National Public Radio. 9600, XEYU Radio Unam (Mexico City). 0520-0647+. 23 Feb 08. Spanish. This was an exceptional program of classical music that featured compositions from Strauss, Brahms, Bach, Haydn, and others. The Stuttgart Symphony performed the music. The reception was in all aspects superlative. The only slight drawback was a little QRM from Radio Bulgaria (presumably) from 0520 to 0530 with an occasional snippet of VOX in German well under the signal. OM announcer with a play list, ID containing both the call sign of “XEYU,” and “Radio Unam” at the TOH along with frequency, location, and website. S9/G-VG. 73 (Joe Wood, Greenback, Tennessee, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Agreed; XEYU does a fine job. REE is good too, tho so formatted that one rarely hears entire classical works, which XEYU can play, being a relay of a domestic service (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re 8-024, 1560 kHz: Named for the lagarto, a lizard fish. Se refiere a un tipo de pescado muy finito que vive en la area de Chapas. Ubicada en las cercanías del Cañón del Sumidero, Radio Lagarto debe su nombre a la gran cantidad de lagartos que habitan a las orillas del rio Grijalva (from website via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) It`s XECHZ, 20000/150 watts, per 2002 IRCA Mexican list and WRTH 2008 (gh, DXLD) ** MONTENEGRO. 882, Radio Podgorica is still on the air according to a report from Svetomir Cuckovic in Belgrade (Bengt Ericson, ARC Information Desk 18 Feb 2008 via editor Olle Alm, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. We were wondering whether RN is really running two DRM transmitters at once now from Bonaire, as in the DRM DX schedule, for Sat/Sun 1700-1857 UT: Yes, Sat Feb 23 at 1745 there was 17600-17605-17610 to NAm, and barely audible 17695-17700-17705 to SAm. At 1850, 15310-15315-15320 to NAm quite strong and 17600-17605-17610 to SAm. First hour in Spanish, second in English. BTW, the 17605 at 1700 in Spanish is explicitly for Brasil, a slight mismatch in target and language. Are there any other Spanish broadcasts to Brasil in particular? You might say, ``close enough``, but RN does have a Portuguese sexion which has not been on SW for years and Brazilians should not be expected to settle for Spanish; this would seem to be the time to bring back RN Portuguese on SW, at least these two hours a week. BTW2, it seems the manufacturer, source of these two new DRM-capable transmitters is still confidential; why? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. The last two days, I’ve been listening to an unusual program called Matinee Idle on Radio New Zealand National. Wow is it a blast. Radio NZ’s website describes the show, but doesn’t do it justice. “Weekdays from 12:35 pm. Phil O’Brien and Simon Morris present an afternoon of summer music and entertainment, including a selection of Classic Concerts each afternoon at 3.06 pm.” This is perhaps the quirkiest, most enjoyable show I have heard in some time. As I understand it, its a summer fill-in show (after all its summer in NZ) which is too bad because its got me hooked. They play some great tunes…and some that would make Mrs. Miller cringe. They have found some of the most bizarre tunes on the planet, and played them. Most are unintentionally funny. I’m going to miss this show after its last airing on Thursday night (Friday afternoon in NZ). Phil and Simon have way more fun than a human being should be allowed to have. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/matineeidle 12:35 pm in Wellington, NZ corresponds to 6:35pm EST the day before. (Fred Waterer, undated, http://www.doghousecharlie.com/radio via DXLD) And what about UT? = 2335 UT while DST reign (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA [and non]. VON' hidden big one? Aoki let us know VON is 250 kW on 15120, but regarding their everyday signal, I have my doubts they use the same unit, or running up to 100 kW. One of three possibilities are happening lately: 1. VON English service on 15120 was off Sat. 22. No signal heard in Tiquicia near closing time 2100 at all. 2. The strong signal I'm listening this Sun. 23 at 2030 is more likely of 250 kW, while they're are presenting a local contemporary music contest. 3. The propagation is so crazy, but why is BBCWS 15400 giving me the same usual fair to poor signal here, while usually strong Kuwait 11990 in English at 2030 is coming on weak today. So, it's not a propagation issue. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. New 4835, 1610-1758*, 22-02, R. Pakistan, Islamabad, English/ Farsi (presumed [you mean Urdu?]) news about the political situation in Pakistan, talks, 1700 Vernacular, probably Farsi, very strong signal, but terrible voice modulation 45342 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** PERU. F.A.R. INSTALARÁ RADIO EN PUNO PARA PROPALAR IDEOLOGIA http://www.pachamamaradio.org.pe/dispnotis.php?numnt=5242 Pachamama/Feb 23: El líder del Frente Andino Revolucionario (FAR) y hermano del presidente regional, Isauro Fuentes Guzmán, reveló que en los próximos meses lanzará una radio emisora de cobertura regional, para difundir la ideología del su agrupación política. El hermano del presidente regional, dio a conocer que viene gestionando la licencia de funcionamiento del medio de comunicación ante el Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones, dejando entrever que la radio empezará a emitir su señal de todas maneras en el presentes año. Isauro Fuentes Guzmán, enfatizó que su medio de comunicación radial tendrá una orientación popular y su financiamiento lo asumirán todos los partidarios del Frente Andino Revolucionario (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) WTFK?! If not authorized, will they go clandestine? (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. 4826.48, Radio Sicuani, 1105-1120 Feb 23. At first with a male in steady Spanish comments. This station is always covered with interference from CODAR, the Brazilian and just noise. To get some details from this weak signal, the following settings were needed on the NRD545: Noise Reduction, Notch, LSB Narrow, PBS +70 KHz [Hz?]. The ECSS was tried, but the above settings resulted in the better signal intelligence. Overall the signal was poor. 4834.93, Radio Marañón, 1116-1130 Feb 23 with music. At 1117 canned promos and ads which included an ID at 1120 as, "Radio Marañón..." Signal was fair this morning (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Wishing to purchase Amperex tubes --- Pastor Leoncio Paco of Radio Manantial in Perú, recently logged on 4991, realizes that the station is 6 kHz off their assigned frequency of 4985. He wishes to get in contact with manufacturers of crystals and Amperex tubes as can be seen from this letter: [sic] Hno: Hernrik klemetz. te saluda e Pastor Leoncio Paco Gerente Administrativo de Radio Manantial, nuestra señal sale en 2 frecuencias, -Radio Manantial 960. AM. -Radio Mnantial 4985. KHZ. Onda Corta Tropical. Tenemos un gran deficutad de Cristal, porque en el Perú no hay para comprar Cristal de cuarzo 4985. para Onda Corta, y otro cristal de 960 Para Ampletud Modulada. - Hemos tratado de centrar la señal, quieremos de su nueva información, por favor Hno:: Hernrik. Puede hacerme contacto con una casa que fabrican de cristales, y tubos, los tubos son 4-400C Amperex o fabricación Americana. - su modalidad de esta emisora es EDUCATIVA. También Hno: Hernrik. te agradezco gracias. Pastor Leoncio Paco Conce. Bendicones. --- Anyone wishing to channel his request to someone? I´m in Europe, not the USA. His address is leonciopacoministro @ hotmail.com (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. This is old news, but one continues to be amazed at how long RRI is willing to funxion with such degraded equipment, especially as they are supposedly about to finish upgrading to brand- new transmitters. Feb 24 at 2335, 6115 in English talking about something Romanian, continuous roar mixing with the undermodulated audio. The roaring sound varies slightly, rather like a howling wind, or waves crashing on a beach, but never stops (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Tonight I finally got around to check out the new Bro.S. relays via Pori [FINLAND]: Strong signal after 1900 sign on for 6060, became weaker until 1930 to an extent that it no longer overrides co-channel VOR, turning the frequency into a mess. It appears that the audio processing has somewhat changed, I think it has more bass than in the YLE days now. And that's about all I'm able to find interesting in this matter (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. I checked 783 last night to find out about the off-frequency Tartus transmitter: Still a 1 kHz het on this frequency (rendering Wiederau reception unlistenable), and sure enough it originated from a carrier on 782 as precise as I can tell, i.e. within less than +/- 30 Hz (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I wonder if 782 is simply a faulty transmitter? It will probably be receiving interference as well as causing it, especially in adjacent countries. 73 from (Noel R. Green, England, ibid.) Since it is exactly, or within 30 Hz, of 1 kHz off, it is more likely to be deliberate than a drift (gh, DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. 4930, 0220-0230, 21-02, Türkmen R, Asgabat. By accident they did transmit both HS-1 (woman talking // 5015) and HS-2 (man talking) in AM/LSB on this channel 33333 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. More funding for AM Networks in Ukraine has resulted in the re-activation of several AM transmitters: - 549 Mykolaiv/Lviv?/Vinnitsya UR2 - 657 Chernivtsi UR3 - 675 Uzhhorod UR1 - 711 Dokuchaievsk - 810 Lutsk - 837 Kharkiv - 936 Starobilsk - 972 Mykolaiv - 1134 Luhansk - 1242 Dokuchaievsk/Oktiabrske - 1377 Chernivtsi - 1557 Putila (Mauno Ritola, Finland, 9 Januari 2008, ARC Information Desk Jan 2008 via editor Olle Alm, Feb 23, DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Re. DXLD 8-024: According to drm-dx.de and other reports, the [BBCWS English] morning transmission from Kvitsøy [NORWAY], moved from 5895/5875 to 6195, is still on air until 0800 UT. Is any real reason for this move obvious, other than a rude PR stunt, not caring about this irrelevant station on 6190? [see also unID] Re. DXLD 8-022: I think all the attention for this rather minor reduction of shortwave services (the BBC transmissions to Europe had been considerably cut back already three years ago and in last year further reduced to the few remains, officially meant for holidaymakers in southern Europe, they now eliminated as well) is due to the symbolic value of the event. I tried to pull at least the sexy story "the BBC shuts down 9410 kHz after using it for so many decades" out of this, only to discover that it's still around (0300-0700 via Cyprus), just like 6195 and 12095. So what, when not having a bearing on the BBC World Service? And I would go even further: Why still maintaining a European program version of BBC World Service at all? Other means of distribution offer BBC radio in its entirety. Who needs a program once meant for shortwave distribution when shortwave is eliminated and Radio 1, Radio 4 etc. are available as well? We are supposed to understand English anyway; people who do not are for the BBC of no relevance whatsoever since 1999 (from a German point of view, of course). There is even a precedence for such a scenario: NPR is on air as a voice of America in Berlin now. Why not put Radio 4 on 90.2 and have done with it? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only reason I can think of is that it is a long-standing BBC frequency (in-band) [6195] and they want to hang on to it. We have already heard what sort of consideration other DRMers give to adjacent AM stations (and hams using 7 MHz), so what's different this time? (Noel Green, England, ibid.) That's what I mean with "PR stunt", which is an allusion I should explain: Remember "all Jonathan all the time"? See under Netherlands at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1089.txt http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1090.txt http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1091.txt If I'm not terribly wrong the BBC back then indeed bothered to give a comment on this "mere PR stunt". Here the point is that it's just meaningless. A DRM set hardly shows frequencies at all, so "6195" is of no particular meaning for transmissions in this mode. The result is just that any previous listener, not aware of the cancellation, will now be greeted with a roaring hiss. And perhaps it is this very effect they want to achieve (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** U S A. As BBG chairman from 2002 to 2007, Tomlinson did not speak out (at least publicly) for the reform of U.S. international broadcasting. USIB is a confederacy of entities with overlapping output, competing with each other for budget, talent, and audience. A rationalization would allow the budget of USIB to be reduced to that of BBC World Service. The resulting concentration of resources could enable USIB to increase its audience to that of BBC World Service. The present ungainly structure of USIB is due, in part, to expansion during the Reagan Administration. Posted: 24 Feb 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, more: http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3399 via DXLD) ** U S A. As I was tuning down the 19 MHz band to check for Gabon 19160 harmonic just in case, I encountered instead a rather strong signal from WEWN with a prayer in English at 2307 UT Feb 24 on 19950! Quickly confirmed as 2 x 9975, which was extremely strong as usual. But 19950 was fading in and out and soon was gone. I think this was really propagating, thanks to some sporadic E, a lucky catch, as 20 MHz would normally skip way over OK from AL by regular F2 skip if the MUF were that high. The TV-FM Skip log http://dxworld.com/tvfmlog.html does contain one sporadic-E report reaching channel 2 video, a bit later at 2452 from NW Florida (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. In X-band scan around 2245 UT Feb 23, 1700 kHz bore ``We Will Rock You,`` constantly. Per Doc Tom Gruis on several MW lists, this is KBGG Des Moines, stunting in preparation for a new format. Clearly its run as a great Spanish station has become domitable (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBIX-1060 DX Test --- I got it here in Southern Sweden, at home in spite of all that QRM in our living area! I've never heard it before, not even in Northernmost Sweden, where I've been for 50 DXpeditions through the years. Went up 06.40 (Swedish time), checked the band and found that it was very good towards North America. (I should have been at our DX-club house this morning; it's just 15 km away. There we have longer antennas and less QRM!). However I put my SDR-14 for recording 1020 - 1200 kHz. Afterwards, when listening to the recording, I had ID of 11 stations at TOH, among them WBIX on 1060 with a "WBIX"-ID at 0559.40 UT. The test explains why I could hear WBIX. But I did not know about the test till now when I opened my mailbox to write in our Swedish DX-list about the nice catch, when I found all these messages about WBIX testing. The normal nite pattern is not favorable for us in Northern Europe. I also had two other stations in 1060, beside WBIX. One with nonstop music (probably Latin America) and one talking (I guess KYW, not much power in my direction according to the Pattern Book, but I guess that with 50,000 watts enough power goes here to be heard here at good conditions. Otherwise, 1060 is a difficult frequency; I've identified just 3 stations before, at my DXpeditions, Alberta, S Dakota and Hawaii. Massachusetts is now my 4th one. Best 73 (Sigvard Abdersson, Norrköping, Sweden, Feb 24, NRC-AM via DXLD) This letter from Sigvard, and others from across the Atlantic, make my day. I am a recent addition to the cross-club DX test committee, trying to get some Canadian tests happening (CFFX so far, which made it to Scotland). I'd really like to see more overseas and South/Central American loggings of North American tests. And vice- versa, for people in N.A. to log outside the continent. I'd also like to see how we might improve the notification system so DXers in Europe, Asia, Down Under, Latin America, etc... find out about N. American tests, and so we can collaborate more. DX tests surely needn't be North American-centred. I loved the comment from one U.K. Dxer that Italy 1062 was the biggest impediment to reception of WBIX! That is soooo cool! (Saul Chernos, Ont., IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. 102.1 MHz, FLORIDA, WKLG, Rock Harbor, Key Largo; 1710-1725 23 February, 2008. While sitting in the car at Banana's Records in St. Petersburg, FL waiting for the deluge of rain to let up so I could go to their second store across the street, I thought I'd make a quick FM bandscan to kill time. Stumbled upon this with Spanish contemporary vocals, two Spanish male DJ's, phone number in Spanish (306-1549 -- not sure if the station line or something else), another vocal, then uncopied phone numbers, a lady caller (who said she was originally from the Dominican Republic), mention of "padrón Miami" followed by live read slogan "Estrella 102 punto 1" into a long commercial break for stores in Miami and Hialeah. Stereo and strong, except for a couple of brief fade-outs (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WFMU 50th anniversary story with clips: see CUBA [non] ** U S A. First time I have heard an Emergency Action Message (EAM). Feb 23, noted on 4724 in USB from 1442 to 1450*, off with "end of message … Andrews out". They are probably common, but this is a first for me. EAM's consists of a phonetic alpha-numeric string (zulu, tango, sierra, india, 5, bravo, etc.). http://jitc.fhu.disa.mil/ot&e/eam.htm Suppose one could keep tabs to see if there is any increase in US military activity by checking the frequency of these EAM's? (Ron Howard, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) are highly structured, authenticated messages primarily used in the command and control of nuclear forces. EAMs are disseminated over numerous survivable and non-survivable communication systems including terrestrial and space systems. The current backbone for pre-attack EAM dissemination is the Automatic Digital Network (AUTODIN) and associated DTHs. A post-DTH EAM Hybrid Solution has been endorsed by the U.S. Military Communications- Electronics Board (MCEB) and approved by the EAM Board of Directors at their 5 October 2001 meeting. The EAM Hybrid Solution is comprised of the Air Force’s existing Defense Improved Emergency Messaging and Transmission System (IEMATS) Replacement Command and Control Terminal (DIRECT), the Air Force’s expanded Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS), expansion of the Navy’s Nova (not an acronym) AUTODIN bypass network, Defense Messaging System (DMS), and the Pentagon Telecommunications Service Center (PTSC). This EAM Hybrid Solution uses several new and/or modified system interfaces that will eliminate the DTHs, while retaining a highly structured architecture that will continue to meet Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) requirements. JITC is the Lead Operational Test Agency (OTA) for the Operational Test (JITC 24 Oct 2002 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn: LYQ Aircraft Non Directional Beacon (NDB) is now testing with voice and CW. Airline Transport is developing AWOS equipment so they are testing various types of weather sensors. The LYQ beacon is co-located with WWRB shortwave transmitter facility right next to our new runway. We have posted pictures of the LYQ beacon on the WWRB website photo gallery http://www.wwrb.org The beacon is on 529 kHz, 24/7. We will QSL the beacon with reports via the web page contact (Dave Frantz, Feb 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 529 kHz, LYQ Beacon, Manchester, Tenn., 2/23, 06:00 to 06:15 CST [1200-1215 UT]. Heard well with new format. Morse Code "LYQ" followed by male voice announcement mentioning complete location, FAA ID, followed by local weather conditions (Ceiling, Wind Speed, Wind Direction and altimeter reading) but no data follows. The announcement mentions "Missing" after each category. Taped loop lasting about 24 seconds. Are they still testing this format? Heard with near perfect copy, suspect either very good DX conditions yesterday morning or they have raised power levels? Previous format was Morse Code with a pause repeated about every 8 seconds. As usual you need careful tuning due to close proximity with several [broadcast] stations on 530 kHz. Appears to be best before sunrise here in Midwest (Tom Jasinski, R8A & Quantum Loop, Shorewood, IL, IRCA via DXLD) Hi Glenn: We got the report: LYQ beacon ground system has been finished. It's very extensive so as a result the antenna is very efficient. Most NDB beacons` ground systems are poor at best! a few radial wires less than 100 feet long plus a ground rod or two (Dave Frantz, LYQ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) They were utterly destroying Cuba/Turks & Caicos/Canada on 530 as early as 11 pm Central time Saturday night [0500 UT Sunday]; like Tom says, they're now running both voice and Morse IDs, but all actual weather data is "missing." (Randy Stewart Springfield MO, Feb 24, NRC- AM via DXLD) ** VATICAN CITY. 4004.65v, Vatican Radio, 0559, 02/23/08, English. Vatican Radio IS, to ID and program of theological discussion w/male and female presenter. Frequency a little approximate, tough to pin down under relentless RTTY QRM, but was definitely below 4005. Seemed to perhaps be running reduced-carrier USB like Madagascar, no signal noted on LSB side. Poor (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN [non]. Attention, those compiling lists of broadcasts in English: Vatican Radio has a very brief one of about 3 minutes at 2311-2314 UT, heard several times on 9600, such as again Feb 23 from abrupt *2311 until IS at 2314, and into Vietnamese at 2315. VG signal in CNAm, overriding XEYU`s classical music on 9599.3, which remains only as a het. It`s hard to believe VR has this on the correct antenna 72 degrees towards Vietnam instead of toward North America. Fortunately, VR is finished by 2400, but then XEYU has Cuba to contend with. English topic today was ``Christian archaeology`` presented with an American accent. But there is no English broadcast on the VR schedule at this time on any frequency --- except in DRM to NAm on 7365-7370- 7375, supposedly lasting a half-hour per DRM DX, or a half-sesquihour, per EiBi, not a quarter-hour. It always comes up on 9600 for three minutes until saying goodbye at 2314; very sloppy switching at SMG. Maybe on the program feed line for the Asian service they stick in an English broadcast, just to keep the circuit occupied, and/or on the satellite, between the end of Mandarin at 2245 (?) and the start of Vietnamese? Both are // 7300, but transmitter sites change in the meantime: Mandarin from 2200 on 9600 Khabarovsk and 7300 SMG; Vietnamese 2315 on 9600 SMG and 7300 Novosibirsk (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also COSTA RICA [and non] ** VENEZUELA. (( HISTORIAS DE RADIO )) Daniel Camporini Bienvenidos a "Historias de Radio", un programa donde el pasado y el presente de la radio se dan la mano. Una idea y producción de Daniel Camporini. Realizado, íntegramente, en el estudio de diexismo y comunicación, Munro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. El programa de esta semana está dedicado a "La Radio en Venezuela", en él tendremos la oportunidad de conocer más sobre la historia de la radiodifusión de este país. Desde la ciudad de Barcelona, en el Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela, nuestro amigo José Elías Díaz Gómez, enlazará con el programa para contarnos los pormenores del origen de la radiodifusión venezolana. No se pierdan las históricas grabaciones que complementan este espacio, amenizado con música de Venezuela. Si quiere estar informado sobre la historia de la radiodifusión mundial, este es su programa, no se pierdan cada sábado este fenomenal espacio. Si desean ponerse en contacto con el programa se pueden dirigir a: historiasderadio @ hotmail.com Pueden escucharlo, a partir del sábado, en su página: http://es.geocities.com/programas_dx/historiasderadio.htm También en Programas DX: http://es.geocities.com/programasdx/ Cordiales 73 (José Bueno, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 6300, Algeria, Nat. R. of Sahara Arab D Rep. (tentative), Rabouni, 02/23, Arabic, 0711-0718 male reciting, short Arabic music, male talks. 23232 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40, dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) La Voz de la República Árabe Saharahui Democrática, Polisario clandestine via Tindouf, Algeria, 6300, best heard in some time, Feb 23 at 0715 with emphatic Arabic speech mentioning Allah and shariya; more pleasant in hauntingly beautiful music at 0738 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. V. of Zimbabwe, 4828 at 1755 in English. Excellent signal with enjoyable South African chorus. 73 (Ferdy, HB9DSP – Icom 756PROIII Loop K9AY [Switzerland], dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Yesterday I heard a very nice program at 5837 kHz on 1015 UT. My WRTH is showing me BBG Radio Free Europe. Can anyone share more details regarding this program? Where is it being aired etc. Luigi, San Juan (Héctor E. Pérez, NP4FW, PR, Feb 24, HCDX via DXLD) Luigi/Héctor, 1) Surely you mean 5835? 2) My WRTH 2008 frequency list does not show RFE on 5835, but RFA, VOA, and Deewa Radio. 3) However, currently the only station scheduled on 5835 at this hour is WHRI. Somehow WRTH missed listing WHRI on 5835, where it has been for some time. 4) Per WHR online sked, the Saturday 1000-1030 slot is occupied by Radio Weather, a pseudo-DX, pseudo-scientific, stealth-evangelism show, which I do not find ``very nice`` at all... 5) If you really meant some frequency other than 5835, disregard. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 8-024: 6074, 8GAL heard here this morning (23 February) at 1400. No errors noted today. I did check again at 1500 as I sometimes do to see if anything might be heard, but nothing today either due to propagation or just simply no activity. Definitely seems to be sent manually with a straight key, and reminds me of monitoring the Russian 'Bears' aircraft as they transited to and from Cuba many years ago. I'm still surprised that the 'ute' crowd hasn't seemed to give this a closer look (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Which station is causing the heterodyne on about 6144.5 at around 0800? It's regularly heard but too weak to copy here. I have been hearing NHK using 6145, although their signal has now faded down, but this het continues. I would guess that it originates from west of my location (Noel R. Green (NW England), Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Surprised to hear NHK ID in French and then off the air at 0725 Feb 23; I think it was 6195 but could have been 6190; I was tuning by feel and reluctant to open my eyes and look at the dial. Not scheduled there, altho as from January, Bonaire relays NHK on 6195 at 0400-0430 and 0500-0530 in Spanish, per Aoki. 6195 is supposed to be center frequency for BBCWS DRM via Norway now at 0500-0800. Mode and source switching error maybe at Kvitsøy? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U K [non] Maybe Re-Tuning procedure ON AIR on satellite link at GUF? - NHK is on 6195 at 0900-1000 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn! AM IBOC is an assault on my sanity! Please make it go away!!! Chuck Ermatinger, with a donation via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Thank you, Chuck. Only wish I could. Hope that it will self-destruct eventually (Glenn) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see also FRANCE; NETHERLANDS; UK; VATICAN; ++++++++++++++++++++ UNIDENTIFIED 6195 DRM IS DEAD For an English report about the opinions on DRM voiced at the HFCC conference see http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2008/02/news-from-european-gospel-radio.html A rough translation of the "DRM is dead" article by Michiel Schaaij; cf. DXLD 8-024 or original at http://kortegolf.web-log.nl/kortegolf_radio/2008/02/drm-is-dood.html DRM on shortwave has been declared as dead although no official report is in sight. The delegations on the HFCC conference shared the opinion that the system will not proceed beyond the current experimental phase. Notes about substantial amounts of money being invested in purchasing DRM transmitters and problems related to subsidies I can't make out in detail. Note that the EGR report says that the lack of receivers is the main problem. This means that DRM on medium- and longwave is just as dead as well (provided that one agrees with this assessment for the shortwave side of course). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UPDATE OF DRM RECEPTION BY HIMALAYA DRM 2009 IN NEW YORK CITY Greetings from snow-covered New York City! Just thought that people might be interested to know some update on DRM receiption by Himalaya DRM 2009 in New York City. As a signficant change from last week, RCI's evening (EST time) broadcast of TDP, Radio Sweden and CRI are now receivable in New York City (numbers below). I wrote an email to RCI about their evening reception, and they quickly responded by forwarding the message to their technical team. That seemed to resolve the problem. I am ecstatic. Here is a summary: Radio Netherlands Worldwide 6130 0500 UT: close 100% reception. This is one of my favorite stations since the 80's. Radio Vaticana 7370 2300 UT: 100% reception and still not even a second of interruption. Radia Canada Interational 9800 1605 UT: 99% reception. Radio Sweden International 9800 2330 UT: 95% reception. TDP 9800 0000 UT: 99% reception. This is stereo! I am deeply impressed. China Radio International 6080 0100 80% reception started this Thursday after email to RCI. In my apartment, there is no significant difference between using the telescopic antenna and Wellbrook ALA330S hooked up with RF System AA- 1 antenna adaptor. Best Regards (David de NYC, Feb 23, DRMNA yg via DXLD) David, Walt here from Victoria, BC on the west coast. What's very interesting is that I'm hearing the same stations on the west coast. I'm relatively new to DRM although have been a DXer/SWL for 40 years. I'm using the Perseus SDR and DREAM software. My initial impressions have been lukewarm at best. Where are all the stations??? There are so few broadcasting, despite DRM being around for quite a few years now. Enough of my commentary. Here are my observations: Radio Netherlands: I agree. Close to 100 % copy and very enjoyable programming. Problem is that their analog transmission on 6165 is equally good sounding and always has been. Not much of a gain, therefore. Radio Vaticana: Not audible here as it's still broad daylight on the west coast. RCI: I'm hearing anywhere from 75% to 95% on the various relays from Sackville on 9800. The TDP I guess is just a demonstration program as there's never any speech --- just non-stop music, and not my genre, technomusic mostly. CRI: I'm listening to it right now with 99% copy. Otherwise, I also hear RNZI commonly on 17675 and 15720 usually with 100% copy. Another favourite of mine. Once again, though, where are all the stations on SW? Most of the skimpy schedule on line are for local Euro stations. I was really hoping for far more to choose from. Perhaps with the upcoming solar cycle and improved MUF, I suspect DRM will be quite viable for worldwide multiple hop reception. For now, I'm happy I haven't shelled out $$$ for stand alone receivers or the DRM software, rather than the free DREAM software (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria BC Feb 23, DRMNA yg via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ DEGENS, DRM, etc. Hola: He leido su post en DXLD, parece que tiene intención de comprar un receptor, yo compré un Degen-Kaito 1103 un modelo similar al 1102, yo estoy muy satisfecto de sus prestaciones teniendo en cuenta su precio (99 euros). Aunque también le digo que ya que ambos disponemos de un SONY 7600GR, podrá comprobar que el Sony es mejor (también más caro). sobre todo por la detección sincrona, dónde el Degen tiene grandes dificultades con las señales adyacente el Sony resuelve bien. En cuanto a su comentario sobre si el DRM tiene algún futuro en la onda corta, mi opinión es que no, me gustaría saber realmente los indices de audiencia de las transmisiones en test DRM de las diversas emisoras. Disculpe este mail no solicitado, le saludo muy cordialmente (Tomás Méndez, Spain, via Saavedra, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Pierda cuidado y saludos, amigo Tomás. He dejado la pregunta pendiente para recibir comentarios aún en nuestro idioma. Como propietarios del Sony, como sucede en la página del 7600GR con un señor Alessandrini (tiene 5) lo defendemos a ultranza, en cuenta porque sabemos que Sony no puede fabricar chatarra siquiera a bajo precio. Y si me embarqué ya hace tres años en este Sony fue cabalmente por su detección sincrona sobre el carente Grundig YB400. Lo que ocurre, Tomás, es que la correntada del Kaito ha venido arrastrando muchas piedras, especialmente en cuanto a sensitividad y mejor sonido, que ya es demasidado pedir en un juguete de menos de $100. Claro que más me gustaría algo de primera división como ya tuve en el Sony 2010, y parece que el sucesor es el Etón E1. En realidad no me quita el sueño lo de la DRM. Lo curioso es por qué tantos radiodifusores se la han pasado invirtiendo recursos haciendo pruebas en algo que ellos mismos no parecen estar plenemente convencidos y en detrimento de nosotros los fiebres que vemos invadidas las bandas tradicionales, con la incompresible anuencia de la ITU, como si no hubieran suficiente espacio en el espectro para su bulla. Además los fabricantes como que se mantienen al margen de esto, no apoyándolos con receptores adecuados. Entonces hermano, como que ya somos dos más en ese mismo tren, casi contestándonos la pregunta sobre cuánta audiencia de DRM si ni siquiera hay radios, por lo menos en el mercado. 73 y buena escucha (¡mientras se pueda!) (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) GO FOR TRANSCEIVERS, IGNORE THE TRANS- My interests was aroused to do a little research on why shortwave HF radio receivers are steadily going off the market. The only new receivers coming on the market these days with upmarket features are the computer based SDR's (Software Defined Radio). Many of us don't like computer SDR receivers, but prefer the traditional radio with lots of knobs and buttons. OTOH ham transceivers continue to sell like hot cross buns at Easter with new and advanced models coming out all the time. Mainly the ham transceivers also represent good value for money, even for listeners only. So listeners wanting the latest technology are moving forward in two directions; some are migrating to the new computer SDR receivers and some,like me, have migrated to using the latest ham transceivers. To get a feeling for this I referred to the popular eHam website reviews, that has hundreds of reviews of both receivers and transceivers. http://www.eham.net/reviews/ When looking at the number of reviews I quote below, consider that they are a reflection of what sales are like for the various radios. When I was at marketing/advertising school years ago, I was taught that for everyone who wrote in, some many more didn't. If I remember rightly the figure was about 25:1, so for everyone who wrote a review there are about another 25 who didn't, and that is why I believe the figures for the number of reviews gives some indication of the sales volumes and popularity for each radio. Number of reviews = R (receivers vs. transceivers) Drake R8/A/B - R33 vs. Icom 746PRO series - R241 Icom R75 - R62 vs. Icom 718 - R301 AOR7030 - R17 vs. Kenwood TS-2000 - R370 Yaesu FRG100 - R14 vs. compact transceivers - R643 JR NRD545 - R10 vs. Icom 756PRO series - R449 Ten Tec RX340 - R12 of which there is no such expensive transceiver, but it may interest you that the coming Icom 7700 has attracted over 40,000 views on the You Tube website, an enormous response and interest! This top end transceiver will sell at $6300. Other popular transceivers in the $2000/3000 category that reviewed well: Yaesu FT-1000 - R440 Yaesu FT-2000 - R136 Elecraft K2/3 series - R229 So the conclusion to be drawn is that ham transceivers are hugely popular and attractive for manufacturers who can turn them out in good volumes, whereas even the most popular receivers have very limited popularity and there manufacture cannot be very profitable or economical. I wonder therefore if Mr. Thorpe will be allowed to make another high end replacement receiver for the AOR7030, or if AOR UK will find the prospect unattractive commercially? John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods Drake SW8 & ERGO software Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100 BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A. Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270 Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx (John Plimmer, MONTAGU, South Africa, Feb 23, dxing.info via DXLD) SHORTWAVE NO MORE OLD-FASHIONED THAN FM I don’t see what’s ‘retro’ or ‘old-fashioned’ about short wave. No-one would say that international voice calls are out of date simply because the telephone wasn’t invented yesterday. Even FM dates back to the 1940s, and that certainly won’t be switched off for quite a while! When travelling, I want to stay in touch, and short wave radio is often the only practical way to do this: local TV news is often parochial or tabloid, and imported newspapers are dated or unavailable. However, my Etón E5 slips happily into a jacket pocket, works everywhere and its 4 AAA rechargeable cells cost virtually nothing to run. But the bean counters expect me to lug around an expensive, power- hungry laptop and pay for an expensive mobile data subscription, or to use a transportable satellite receiver which is even more impractical. With synthesiser tuning and hundreds of presets, today’s affordable hi-tech radios make SW easier to receive than ever before; it’s no longer the preserve of anoraks. The BBC World Service and similar outlets should be actively promoted, e.g. at airports, not deliberately run down. Why should almost every English language SW broadcast turn out to be China R. International? (Gerry, Feb 24, 2008 at 3:34 pm, Media Network blog via DXLD) THE "VALCOM" ANTENNA Glenn, I sent this to our Navy clients but thought you and perhaps the DXLD readers might like to see it too. This action was taken by the Fuzzy Confusion Commissariat on Friday. Here are the url's for the FCC's approval of the Valcom antenna as meeting the minimum efficiency rule for 1200 kHz and above, based on measurements analyzed by Ron Rackley. FCC Public Notice: Rackley's report: Efficiency table from RAckley report: Note figures 10-12 which give details of the mechanical situation. Figure 12 shows the 120 radial 120 foot radius ground system used for the tests leading to the reported data. Valcom's web site is: http://www.valcom-guelph.com/HTML/products/lowfreq/default.html Like most antenna vendors, they have a tendency toward snake oil. But the antennas do work. We have one in service at the Los Angeles Airport TIS on 530 kHz (Ben Dawson, WA, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ ACCESS TO GLENN HAUSER`S LOG REPORTS, 1997-1998 For interesting pieces of broadcasting history go to http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&q=+site:www.hard-core-dx.com+%22Glenn+Hauser%27s+SW/DX%22 This brings up Glenn's reports from 1997 and 1998, back then posted to HCDX (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) NUEVO LISTADO DE ITU, Nº 316, ENERO 2008 Saludos cordiales, ya está disponible un listado de monitoreo por parte de la ITU, boletín correspondiente al 1 de octubre 2007 al 31 de diciembre del 2007. http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/monitoring/files/pdffiles/316.pdf 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Feb 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 224 pages, rather tedious to look thru, but one may find hidden gems to help with unIDs, broadcast or utility. Four of these come out a year, with the usual delays (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ THE PORTUGUESE OF ANGOLA, DEFINITELY NOT Carlos, Fiz as correções em meu site http://www.romais.jor.br levando em consideração o que foi esclarecido pelo colega Fernando de Souza Ribeiro, conforme cópia abaixo. Na realidade, como menciona o Fernando, o locutor pareceu mencionar "d'Angola". 73s, (Célio Romais to Carlos Gonçalves, via DXLD) Viz.: Prezado Célio Romais, Venho escrever-lhe por causa do seu último apontamento escrito a respeito de uma escuta, feita pelo amigo, da Rádio Nacional de Angola. Nesse apontamento, o amigo escreve, nomeadamente: «O sinal da Rádio Nacional da Angola (e não "de Angola"!) (...)». Já estive am Angola, os melhores amigos que tive em toda a minha vida eram angolanos, continuo a conviver com angolanos e garanto-lhe que nunca ouvi nenhum angolano dizer «na Angola» ou «da Angola», mas sim «em Angola» e «de Angola». Ou então «d'Angola», que deve ter sido o que o amigo ouviu. Não me leve a mal, por favor, mas antes atente no próprio cabeçalho do site da RNA http://www.rna.ao/ que diz, sem deixar margem para quaisquer dúvidas: "Rádio Nacional de Angola". Espero que não fique melindrado com este meu reparo, caro Célio. Ele foi escrito de boa fé. Desejo-lhe sinceramente as melhores felicidades. 73 Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, Porto, Portugal /////////////////////////////////// Kimbote(*), prezado Célio Ainda a propósito da forma como a língua portuguesa é usada em Angola, permito-me dizer-lhe o seguinte: Em rigor, só há dois países lusófonos no mundo: o Brasil e Portugal. Todos os outros países ditos "de língua portuguesa" não o são verdadeiramente, porque a maioria das suas populações não têm o português como língua materna. No entanto, o português é extremamente importante para esses países, porque permite que compatriotas que falam línguas diferentes possam comunicar entre si e possam também comunicar com o mundo exterior. O português é para eles um factor de coesão nacional e de afirmação internacional. Tal é o caso de Angola que, de todos os países africanos de língua oficial portuguesa, é aquele em que o português está mais disseminado. Quase não existe nenhum angolano, seja ele de que etnia for, que não saiba exprimir-se minimamente em português, ainda que muitas vezes o faça com alguma dificuldade e com bastantes erros. Nas ruas de Luanda já só se ouve falar português. Nunca em 500 anos de colonização se falou tanto português em Angola como agora, 32 anos depois da independência. Os angolanos encaram o português como sendo uma língua sua, que eles acarinham. Orgulham-se dos seus poetas e escritores, que em português escreveram os poemas, as canções e as estórias que os impulsionaram para a libertação do jugo colonial. O português foi para eles a língua dos seus escravizadores, é verdade, mas também foi a língua da sua libertação. Por isso lhe querem bem. O padrão linguístico oficialmente seguido por Angola é o do português de Portugal. As razões são várias e entre elas contam-se as seguintes: a colonização só acabou em 1975, muitos dos membros da elite angolana estudaram em Portugal e é no português lusitano que se exprime a minoria que tem a nossa língua como língua materna (quase todos os angolanos brancos, muitos mestiços e um número cada vez maior de negros). Mas, mais tarde ou mais cedo, Angola irá definir um padrão linguístico próprio para o português, a par dos padrões já existentes no Brasil e em Portugal. Acredito que vai ser inevitável, mas não devemos ficar preocupados. No fundo, a língua vai continuar a ser a mesma, enriquecendo-se com as contribuições provenientes de três continentes. Como o padrão linguístico em Angola ainda é o de Portugal, quase todos os locutores das rádios angolanas falam como se tivessem nascido em terras lusitanas e não em terras africanas. Certamente o Célio já reparou na diferença que existe entre a pronúncia dos locutores, por um lado, e a dos ouvintes que telefonam para as rádios, por outro. No dia em que Angola tiver definido um padrão linguístico próprio, esta diferença irá certamente desaparecer ou, pelo menos, irá esbater-se bastante. Muito mais poderia eu dizer-lhe a respeito da realidade linguística em Angola, mas é melhor ficar-me agora por aqui. Um forte kandandu(**) (*) - Saudação em quicongo, a língua do antigo reino do Congo. A palavra "kimbote" significa "bem". Ao dizê-la, desejamos ao nosso interlocutor que esteja tudo bem com ele. (**) - Pronuncia-se "candando". Esta palavra significa "abraço" em quimbundo, a língua falada na região que se estende de Luanda para Este, numa extensão superior a 500 km. (Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, all via Célio Romais, Brasil, DXLD) Caro Célio: Ah, então o que escreveu foi meramente baseado no que escutou - confirma a minha suspeita! Como sabe, tais preposições - de, da, do - mudam consoante o nome do país; se fosse, por exemplo, "Rádio Nacional *de* Guiné", estaria totalmente errado, porque o correcto é "RNac. *da* Guiné." Coisas do português, como sabe tão bem quanto eu. Contràriamente ao rádio-escuta Fernando Ribeiro, olhe, eu não só estive também em Angola, como - sendo sou português, de pais aqui da Europa - acabei por nascer mesmo lá, tal como muitos de nós! Melhores cumprimentos (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ And now amigos, as always at the end of the show, when I am here in Havana, and can make both the optical and radio observations of solar activity and its incidence on the Earth´s ionosphere, here is ARNIE CORO´S EXCLUSIVE AND NOT COPYRIGHTED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Solar flux continues at bottom low levels, with the daily solar sunspot count at ZERO for many, many days now. Solar scientists have issued, once again, a so called solar quiet alert, something that is done to help researchers, so that they will perform certain experiments that should be done when a totally quiet Sun is keeping both the solar flux and the solar wind speed at very low levels. Despite this end of solar cycle 23 very low activity, radio amateurs continue to report some rare openings of the 10 meters band, that seem to defy theoretical analysis that exclude such openings when solar flux stay around 70 units for many days. February is coming to an end now, and with it, the transition from winter to spring propagation conditions, so be prepared for the much better equinoctial propagation that should be starting to be felt by the second week of March. In the meantime everyone is still waiting for yet another sunspot group from new solar cycle 24 to show up, something that according to several of my friends that study the Sun for a living, should have happened several weeks ago. So, we must continue to wait and in the meantime the best periods for low frequency DXing continue to be from about an hour before local sunset to between one and two hours after the Sun sets at your location, and you may also pick up some DX stations on frequencies below 10 megaHertz around midnight your local time, when stations located East of you will be seeing the Sun rise. I hope to be able to work some of Dxers Unlimited´s listeners that are also amateur radio operators on 40 meters during my now almost daily operation on 40 meters using PSK31 and MFSK16 digital modes. See you around 7035 and 7070 kiloHertz, amigos !!! (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###