DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-030, March 5, 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1398 Thu 0630 WRMI 9955 Thu 1530 WRMI 7385 Thu 2300 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0900 WRMI 9955 Fri 2130 WWCR1 15825 Fri 2330 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 [DST starts here, one UT hour earlier:] Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular] Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 7385 Wed 1130 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 ** ALBANIA. 6135, 1950 UT 25/2, R. Tirana, Shijak, Albanian Press Review about Kosovo, ID, bad audio // better 7465, English, 44432 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Re 8-029, Buenos Aires to Tokyo: DX Atlas shows 278 deg 18303 kilometers long path westwards 98 deg 21701 kilometers short path eastwards (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Which means the two cities are near-antipodal (the antipodes of Tokyo is east of BA out in the Atlantic). If they were truly antipodal, any and all azimuths would converge on the target. It would still be better to avoid polar routes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RAE Japanese program is rather meant for huge Japanese nationality in Latin and North America??? (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Time change for the Japanese service of RAE. It is the most difficult station to hear in Japan. The station changed its broadcast hour from the end of the last year. [DST started at end of Dec but due to end in a couple weeks --- gh]. Now they broadcast from 0900 to 1100 UT, one hour earlier than before, on 11710. This gives us more chances to hear this station, because of less interference around 0900 (Toshi Ohtake, Kamakura, March NASWA Journal via WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DXLD) I said it was five hours a week; make that ten, as it`s two hours each weekday. My impression the largest Japanese community by far in the WHem is in Brasil, but would they really be interested in listening to Argentina on SW? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. VUELVE LA ROSA DE TOKIO --- Según nos informaba el amigo Arnaldo Slaen, este mes de marzo regresa LA ROSA DE TOKIO, con nuevos programas dedicados a los medios de comunicación y a la radio. Vuelve al aire de Radio Provincia AM1270 de Buenos Aires. El programa presentará muchas novedades, con columnistas fijos y rotativos, entrevistas y muchos audios. En concreto este primer programa se emitirá el sábado 15 de marzo a las 23:00 hora argentina y estará dedicado a la República de Serbia. NOVEDAD - A todos los que reporten la recepción de LA ROSA DE TOKIO ya sea por internet, por 1270 kHz o las emisoras que la retransmiten, dispondrán de una QSL conmemorativa de los 70 años de Radio Provincia. Seguiremos informando. http://es.geocities.com/programasdx/larosa.htm Un cordial saludo (José Bueno, Spain, March 5, dxldyg via DXLD) So 23:00 LU time on the last day expected of DST = 0100 UT Sunday. Thereafter at 0200 UT Sundays. So we shall move the placeholder at previous time of 1603 UT Sundays from MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR. And the LS11 audio link has also changed to: http://www.amprovincia.com.ar/transmision/am.asp (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA [and non]. "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts to Armenia are off the air since Saturday midnight and its Internet site has been blocked in a blackout on independent news, imposed as part of a state of emergency that went into effect on March 2." RFE/RL press release, 3 March 2008. No replacement shortwave frequencies listed at the RFE/RL website, yet. See also Committee to Protect Journalists, 3 March 2008. Posted: 04 Mar 2008 http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3456 for 3 linx (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) BBG STATEMENT ON CLOSURE OF INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN ARMENIA The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has issued a statement strongly objecting to the blackout of independent media in Armenia. Under the state of emergency rules that went into effect on March 2, media were ordered to cite only official sources when covering national news, and the Voice of America’s (VOA) Armenian-language TV programme and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Armenian- language radio programmes are no longer being broadcast through local affiliated stations. In addition, Internet access has been curtailed as part of the government efforts to control news and information as the political crisis has deepened since the disputed February 19 elections. “Censorship and harassment of the media are the antithesis of democracy,” said James K Glassman, Chairman of the BBG. “Our broadcasters wish to serve the audience in Armenia by providing reliable news and information at this critical juncture. Unfortunately, that is not an option at the moment, unless you are a patient and resourceful Internet user.” In the course of the violence over the weekend, a driver for RFE/RL was beaten by police in Yerevan, despite being identified as a representative of the media, and another RFE/RL correspondent in the town of Gumri, covering a similar demonstration, was manhandled and threatened by Interior Ministry troops. (Source: Broadcasting Board of Governors)(March 5th, 2008 - 17:21 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO AUSTRALIA SUGGESTIONS Counterpoint is a commentary program which examines a range of social, economic and cultural issues in Australian life. It challenges some widely-held assumptions, and introduces some new and some seldom-heard commentators. Not all of the topics are specific to Australia; a recent edition featured a segment on United States politics exploring the role of race and racial identity through the lens of Senator Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign. As is the case for most ABC programming, the past four editions of Counterpoint can be downloaded, podcast or streamed online; the program’s website is http://www.abc.net.au/rn/counterpoint/ Shortwave listeners are, unfortunately, out of luck, as Counterpoint is not on the current schedule. The program airs on the domestic Radio National service Mondays 0505 and Tuesdays 1505 UT. Verbatim is a weekly series that charts the history of 20th Century Australia through the oral histories and memories of Australians. An ongoing series includes features on Australia’s politics of the 1920s and 1930s. Another recent program focused on the reminisces of Louise Mack, an Australian journalist who reported from the front lines of World War One (not two). Verbatim airs on shortwave Saturdays 1035 UT; Radio Australia’s live stream also features Verbatim at that time. The program’s website: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/verbatim/ Talking Point consists of interviews excerpted from the daily Breakfast program airing domestically on Radio National. On shortwave, Talking Point airs at approximately 0615 UT weekdays, plus Fridays at 2330 and Saturdays at 1020. The live web stream includes these times plus Sundays 0230 and 0530 (when Grandstand airs on shortwave). If you’d rather select your own interviews, visit the Breakfast website at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/breakfast/ You can listen to the entire program and then “fast forward” to specific segments as you wish. Another of my favorites is Lingua Franca, continues to examine all aspects of language, including cross-cultural communication, literacy, language policy, multilingualism, neologisms, alphabets, prayers and maledictions, sledging, swearing and flattery, the language of public debate, as well as endangered, secret and even invented languages. 2008 is the International Year of Languages, in case you were curious. Alas, this program isn’t on the current shortwave schedule either; you can stream, podcast or download the series at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/linguafranca/ See you at the Fest! 73 DE Richard (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, March NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Update on the JCI transmissions via CVC Darwin: 1500-1530 on 11795 ex-11650 to CIRAF 44NE [KOREA NORTH], 250 kW, 3 degrees; and starting in A-08, planned to move again, to 11690. so what is being heard now during this semihour on 11795 if not 11650? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. 6090, 2103 UT 19/2, R. Belarus, Kalodziscy, ID "Radiostation Belarus", news review // 7360 & 7390, English, 44433 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Lista Brasileira de emissoras do DX Clube do PR - versão 20080301 --- Saiu a ultima versão da lista de emissoras brasileiras de OM/OT/OC em formato Excel bem como a atualização do banco de dados on- line. http://www.dxclube.com.br/arquivos_lista_br.html Versão DB on line: http://www.dxclube.com.br/db/LISTA_RESUMIDA_list.asp - lista resumida on-line http://www.dxclube.com.br/db/login.asp - versão full (requer cadastro) Excluída as frequencias: 9725 e 11935 da Rádio Clube Paranaense (Rede Eldorado) por estarem difinitivamente fora do ar. . . Um grande abraço a todos (Marcelo Bedene, EQUIPE DO DX CLUBE DO PARANÁ (playdxyg via DXLD) ** CANADA. The move of CHNC-610 New Carlisle and its relay CHGM-1150 Gaspé, Québec has been approved by the CRTC. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2008/db2008-51.htm Five FM transmitters are required to duplicate the coverage of the two AM transmitters: The station (New Carlisle) will operate at 107.1 MHz (channel 296B1) with an average effective radiated power of 3,800 watts. The transmitter in Carleton will operate at 99.1 MHz (channel 256B1) with an average effective radiated power of 480 watts. The transmitter in Chandler will operate at 98.3 MHz (channel 252A) with an average effective radiated power of 870 watts. The transmitter in Gaspé will operate at 99.3 MHz (channel 257A) with an average effective radiated power of 257 watts. The transmitter in Percé will operate at 107.3 MHz (channel 297B1) with an average effective radiated power of 426 watts. The station is requesting a six month simulcast period (longer than the normal three months) after which the AM licenses would be revoked. CHNC New Carlisle and its transmitter CHGM Gaspé – Conversion to the FM band and addition of FM transmitters in Carleton, Chandler and Percé. The Commission approves the application by Radio CHNC ltée for a broadcasting licence to operate a French-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking in New Carlisle, Quebec and to add new FM transmitters in Carleton, Chandler, Gaspé and Percé, Quebec. The new FM station at New Carlisle and the FM transmitter in Gaspé are to replace the AM station CHNC New Carlisle and its AM transmitter CHGM Gaspé. ------------------------------------------- CHNC-610 went on the air in 1933, and I believe was the first station in the Gaspé region of Québec. 73, (Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, March 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Despite the very Anglo-Scottish name, New Carlisle is the hometown of the late Quebec separatist leader (and former Radio-Canada newscaster) Rene Levesque. 73 (Mike Brooker Toronto, ON, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Then why don`t they call it Nouvelle-Carlîle or is it masculine? (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. CHOU-1450 Montreal Quebec has applied to the CRTC to increase its power from 1kW-U to 2kW-U: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2008/pb2008-17.htm#3 3. Montréal, Quebec Application No. 2008-0197-9 Application by 9015-2018 Québec inc. relating to the licence of the commercial ethnic AM radio programming undertaking CHOU Montréal, Quebec. The licensee proposes to change the authorized contours by increasing the day-time and night-time transmitter power from 1,000 watts to 2,000 watts. The licensee advises that the proposed changes will improve the reception of its signal downtown Montréal as well as on the south shore where their signal is almost non-existent. ----------------------------------------------------- Interesting to see this in light of my comments last week about there only being two graveyarders left in Canada that operate above 1 kW :) 73, (Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, ibid.) I suppose their logo is a cabbage ** CHINA [and non]. Mr. Hiroshi (member of NDXC) confirmed! Jamming to VOA-Chinese is changed in minority program of the regional station and CNR-1 by Firedrake and CNR-1. VOA Chinese Jamming: XJBS Uighur 11665 - 9530 - 6040 kHz NMBS Mongolian 13650 - 6160 - 11995 kHz cf. DXLD 8-026, 8-027, UNIDENTIFED on 11995 kHz Audio file: 11995 kHz on Mar. 5 at 1319UT L-ch 11995 kHz, R-ch 7270 kHz Hohhot. http://www.ric.hi-ho.ne.jp/in_hiroshi/k/voa-nmbs-20080305-2219.mp3 de Mr. Hiroshi. Thank you Mr. Mauno for information (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, March 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see LANGUAGE LESSONS ** CONGO DR [non]. 9635, Radio Okapi via Meyerton, 0408-0427 & 0518- 0525, March 5, in French and vernacular, singing "Okapi" jingle, fair to good reception (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. 3984.86, Croatian Radio - Voice of Croatia, 2315-2330, March 2, English "Croatia Today" program with news, sports & weather. IDs & schedule at 2321. Local pop music at 2323. Very weak. Much better on // 7285 - via Germany (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. As previously reported, RHC found on new unlisted 11680 during the 0000 UT hour March 1. Did not get around to checking it again until UT March 5 at 0010 --- yes, still there in Spanish and nothing on 11875 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. 5815, Kiss R, via WMR, Ilskov near Karup, 0925, Sunday Feb 17, soul music, ID’s and email address. S 3-4. They verified by e-mail in two days from kissradio48 @ gmail.com with a full data ”Red-Lips- Kiss-QSL” (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy and Björn Fransson, Sweden, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) 5815, R. Spaceshuttle, via World Music R, Ilskov near Karup, *1000, Sunday Feb 17, starting with horrible Finnish echo announcement, impossible to hear what they said. Later some good old time music and even after 1300 with terrible space music. S 4 (Björn Fransson, ibid.) Also heard same day at 2220 with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, "Peggie Sue," "He Kissed Me," other oldies; giving Herten postal address and radiospaceshuttle @ hotmail.com for e-mails. Quick e-mail reply from operator, who remembered me "from the good times when 22 and 19 mb went overseas" (I heard them on 15810 in 2003). Good signal strength, but heavy QRN and very noisy band conditions (Jerry Berg, Lexington MA, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. DRM tests: see CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES ** FALKLAND ISLANDS. RADIO NOSTALGIA: ONLINE RECORDINGS OF FALKLAND ISLANDS BROADCASTING STATION IN 1982 My RNW colleague Ehard Goddijn has drawn my attention to two long audio files (almost one hour each) on the website of Dutch public broadcaster VPRO featuring good quality recordings of the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station on the night of 1/2 April 1982, as Argentine troops invaded the islands. It sounds to my ears as if these recordings were made from the shortwave frequency. It’s quite eerie to hear the calm voice of Patrick Watts MBE, the station manager who stayed on the air all night, over 25 years after the event. Calm he remained, but also increasingly emotional as the realisation dawned that life on the islands might never be the same again. This is real human drama, as it happened. The story was covered in considerable detail at the time by Media Network, but this is the first time I have heard the complete (airchecked) broadcast. Patrick still lives on the islands, where he is a tour guide. http://www.visitorfalklands.com/content/view/167/145/ VPRO History: 25 years after the Falklands War http://geschiedenis.vpro.nl/artikelen/33516474/ (March 5th, 2008 - 16:30 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** FRANCE. FRANCE MONDE: OCKRENT: KOUCHNER N'EXCLUT PAS DE DÉMISSIONNER - L'Express Bernard Kouchner a qualifié la nomination de sa compagne Christine Ockrent à la direction de l'audiovisuel public extérieur de "bon choix" et a laissé entendre qu'il pourrait démissionner en cas de conflit d'intérêts. . . http://www.lexpress.fr/info/quotidien/actu.asp?id=467332 (via Dan Say, C-B, DXLD) see also LANGUAGE LESSONS ** GERMANY [non]. DW B07 Frequency Changes w.e.f. March 7th 2008 HINDI 1500-1530 UT 9650 kHz (ex 9585 kHz) BENGALI 1530-1558 UT 9650 kHz (ex 9585 kHz) (Alokesh Gupta New Delhi, March 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Concuso semanal de La Voz de Alemania (DW-World). Participe; es fácil, siga las instrucciones --- Juegue a MEMOCLICK: ¿Qué pasó en la semana? Responda cada semana a una nueva pregunta y gane interesantes premios: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evxt1hI45g88g5I7 (via Santiago San Gil, Venezuela, DXLD) Mensual? Are they also doing this in English, other languages? What`s the link? (gh, DXLD) see also LANGUAGE LESSONS ** GHANA. 8903/USB, Accra Radio ATC, Ghana; 2232, 1-Mar; aircraft calling Kinshasa for weather info -- called many times; also called Luanda and Kano -- nobody answered; finally Accra came on to help (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts DXpedition, Brighton MI, Drake R8B + 500' NE unterminated bev, 65' TTFD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Radio Buenas Nuevas, 4800, through the CODAR QRM, 1205 March 5 with charming-but-amateurish Spanish choral music (I'd bet this was local talent), into male speaker 1215, "programa especial de Radio Buenas Nuevas." more talk to 1220 tune out. Fair to good signal strength and no trace of XERTA. I've noted TGMI on several occasions around this time since the first of the year but never XERTA, so I'd be skeptical of any XERTA log on this frequency without a firm ID. Used my bedside Etón E5 and its telescoping whip antenna for this one (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUIANA FRENCH. TDF Montsinéry to SWL Fest [Re 8-029] There's a bit of a difference between Dousson, France (I might've misspelled that) (which is the transmitter site for 3965) and Montsinéry, French Guyana - just south of the Caribbean on the northern South American Atlantic coast, where Jacques is. Reception is usually quite excellent from Montsinéry to anywhere in at least the contiguous US and lower Canada. That said, I have no objection to having primarily French programming - RFI doesn't have that much time set aside for English broadcasting, last I checked. What I WOULD like to see, or rather, HEAR, is TDF Montsinéry running a multiplex DRM signal, with one channel being RFO and the other, RFI. Based on the first broadcasts, TDF MSY doesn't need to make it really robust, because they're strong enough. We were getting the RFO broadcasts loud and strong, whether Atlanta or in Seattle. :) (And I live a few hundred miles south of Seattle, so.. :) ) Ideally, I'd suggest a 15 MHz frequency from local dusk to dawn (or nearest half- hour)- You'd get a solid shot into the entire US, even Pennsylvania. :) Would welcome a return of RFO Guyane to DRM, even though in French, because of the FANTASTIC music and utter listenability even the DJ patter has, even if I only get a few words at a time. :) ) My 2 US cents' worth. :) d.m.f. (Which probably isn't much.) (Dennis M. Falk, Humboldt Bay CA, March 4, drmna yg via DXLD) Hello All! Please find hereafter info on DRM transmissions to be done from TDF Montsinéry (French Guiana) on the occasion of SWL Fest in Kulpsville: DRM transmission by TDF from French Guiana to SWL Fest 17840 kHz _ 1330-2000 UT 07 & 08 March 08 11605 kHz _ 0100-0200 UT 08 March 08. Audio program will be RFO Guyane with some exotic music. Sorry, we can't manage with two programs at the same time (good idea but lack of time for preparation). Power: 150 kW DRM, antenna: 4/4/.5 at 325 (not too good for Brendan, sorry!), 64 QAM, r= 0.5, 17 kbs audio bit-rate (we could go up to 21 kbs if you report of strong SNR), parametric stereo. From my simulations, 17 MHz or even 21 MHz at the end of the long transmission seems to be better than 15 MHz. Our usual 17875 kHz HFCC co-ordinated frequency seems to be used by an other station from scan on RMS Monitoring Station in Washington DC: any info? So we will use 17840 kHz if clear, please have a look. Regarding 3965 kHz from Issoudun (France Mainland), nothing new for the moment, I will come back to you later. Regards / 73 (Jacques Gruson F6AJW, TDF, Mar 5, drmna yg via DXLD) see DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** HONDURAS. 3250, Radio Luz y Vida, 0217-0222 2 March, rustic guitar/vocal religious music, then announcement about this being the end of the Celebremos al Señor program. Then into another program, although I couldn't understand the name with all the reverb. Fair. 3340, Radio Misiones Internacional[es?]. 0055-0115 2 March, presumed with alternating OM reading sentence of sermon and YL translating to Spanish. A very good translator to be able to do it so well so quickly. Fair (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONG KONG [non]. There was a typo in the yacht race weather report frequencies previously: the backup is 2638, not 2368 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. 3975, Kossuth Radio, 2250-2258* 1 March. Hungarian music, announcements, English ID before going off at 2258. Fair (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, MI, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA [and non]. Patty and I are at the Krishnendu ayurveda hospital, Chingoli, Alappuzha district, National Highway 47 about 2 hours south of Cochin airport, where we will then be in a couple of days. I am on my roadrunner webmail now, at the little internet kiosk they have set up in the lobby, much easier than using the blackberry. This is far from a DXer paradise. Overnight there is just one "usable" MW signal, that is the Nat'l Programme from Nagpur on 1566 which actually has a pretty crappy signal in the far south, with a lot of fading, but some interesting music. There is just one local daytime signal on 576, quite loud but all in Malayalam; I can hear Thrissur on 630 as well. The DW 1548 is pretty good at night and also what I think is AWR [TWR Sri Lanka] on 882 but never heard any English. The Indian regionals between 4700 and 5050, etc., are all present and good signals, but very little English. There was some English coverage during the cricket match with Australia, just ended with an India victory. At night on the 6, 7 and 9 mc bands the dial is filled with Chinese; there were a half dozen Chinese signals with good level on the 6 mc range alone. I heard just a single English signal, VOA on 7125 and I have no idea where from, no other English [at 14-16 VOA 7125 site is Thailand --- gh]. The Chinese are winning the radio war hands down. Its about 85 and sunny. When I come back it will be the rainy season but they say it's "cool" then". 73, (Bob Foxworth, Kerala, March 5, ABDX via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Serui, weer tamelijk goed tenemen op 4604.98 kHz met muziek en ID in het engels, 2125 UT. Gr (Maurits van Driessche, Belgium, UT March 5, bdx mailing list via DXLD) ID in English?! ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. SHORTWAVE PAST AND PRESENT On ACB Radio Interactive on Tuesday 4 March, starting at 2100 UT in the programme Chrissie on Air, there will be a discussion on Short- Wave radio, past and present. Participants are welcome by visiting the Politics Room at HTTP://OURPLACE.ACBRADIO.ORG FIRST-TIME USERS MAY BE ASKED TO DOWNLOAD A SMALL PROGRAM FIRST, WHICH IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO DOWNLOAD (Paul David, Wembley Park, UK, Skype name: hairy.ape March 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. 6516/USB, Southbound Net (pleasure craft on Mexican west coast); 0211-0233+, 2-Mar; Manana AAK234 control calling for check-ins with weather reports, QSOs & passenger lists; craft checking in included; MOEB, Cat's Meow near Cabo San Lucas, Dark Side WDD5430, Emily B, Acapela, Pelican WBW7694, Southwind, Emerald Star WDD2948, Don Clay WDC9322, Summer Passage, Hiatus in Santiago Bay, Sailor's Run. Most easily heard. One, Adagio, not heard and apparently weak to everyone (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts DXpedition, Brighton MI, Drake R8B + 500' NE unterminated bev, 65' TTFD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. 6067.03v, VOIRI, Sirjan, 2125-2130, March 3, Arabic talk. Sirjan transmitter still unstable, constantly varying 20-30 hertz (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. 13801.4, 1135 1/3 IRIB Teheran, male talk, Arabic. Off frequency and drifting. Good. 73, (Michele IZ2EAS d`Amico, Milano, - Receivers: Modern: Drake R8E, Icom IC-R72 and DE1103; Vintage: BC348R, Satellit 210; Antenna: just a random peice of wire, 7 metres long, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Scheduled on 13800 all the way from 0430 to 1430, Zahedan, 500 kW, 289 degrees (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. via LITHUANIA. 7565, IRIB, Sitkunai, 1945-2029*, March 5, tune-in to English news. Talk about Clinton-Obama primaries at 2000. News at 1922. Schedule at 1925. Fair. // 6010, 7320, 11695 - via Iran. via LITHUANIA. 6055, IRIB, Sitkunai, *2029-2130*, March 5, lite instrumental music. National Anthem at 2030 and into Spanish programming. Koran at 2031. Spanish talk at 2034. Very weak, mixing with a presumed Radio Rwanda. Weak but readable at 2100 when Rwanda signs off. Much better on // 7130, 7350-via Iran (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [and non]. It has been an interesting month, especially in terms of “gifts” from our international friends at the radio stations. I continue to hear from the people in George W. Bush’s least favourite countries, Cuba, Iran and North Korea. From Radio Havana, I got the usual pocket calendar and schedules, but Iranian Radio was rather interesting, for lack of a better word. I received – and I didn’t send off a reception report! – a Christmas gift. There was a letter bearing greetings on the occasion of the birth of Jesus, accompanied by a hardcover desk calendar with pictures, really nice ones, and writings in Arabic and English translations of Ayatollah Khomeini (Sue Hickey, Grand Falls-Windsor, NF A2A 1K2, CIDX Forum, March CIDX Messenger via DXLD) How did they know you are Christian, if you are? (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 7470, 1733 UT 28/2, RUSSIA, R. Democracy Shorayee, Samara. Talks about Iran, patriotic song, ID "Di-Sedaye Democracye Shorayee ..." Farsi, 45333 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv- L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Automatic translations can be interesting. I'll have to go over this later, but you can get the gist. This is from Feb 28 from the IBA Spokesperson page. http://www.iba.org.il/spokesman/index.asp?classto=DoverInnerYedia&entity_code=265610 The committee {and until} of the manager of authority {permission} {possession} of the broadcast ordered/parent to the chairman of the authority {permission} {possession} and to the general manager of the authority {permission} {possession} to arrive Lsicomim final in the thing {word} of application {implementation} of program of the reform until {by} {up to} to the day 31.3.08 and will not be adopted unprecedented steps The committee {and until} of the manager of authority {permission} {possession} of the broadcast discusses {judges} the paper that put down in his face chairman of the authority {permission} {possession} and he {it} is a teacher to the chairman of the authority {permission} {possession} and to the general manager to arrive at summarizations final in the thing {word} of application {implementation} of program of the reform in the authority {permission} {possession}, as approved by means of institutions of authority {permission} {possession} of the broadcast, by means of the government and by the committees of the monies and the economy of the Knesset, as follows : 1. until {by} {up to} to the day 31.3.08, will be signed agreements with the organizations Hitsigim of the workers in each the contiguous to the cutback a condition of the manpower in the authority {permission} {possession} of the broadcast ; number that leave ; condition {term} of the retirement ; rhythm of the retirement and ways {roads} of a determination {fixation} of the list of the workers that {they} will construe. 2. until {by} {up to} to the day 30.4.08 will be signed agreements in each the contiguous to the agreements of the work {labor} that are new in the authority {permission} {possession} ; frames {frameworks} of the deal ; ladders {scales} of wage are new and ideals of the management. 3. in case {accidentally} of non one salty standing {conforming} of the times as mentioned, on the chairman and the general manager to work {to act} as follows : 3.1 beginning of methods of work {labor} are new, and in them the limitation of the overtime significantly, a signature of ecard twice on day, the accommodation of procedural the work {labor} to the technological changes and cancellation of exception that they don't have approval as judgement. 3.2 application {implementation} of program is dismissive making efficient and cutback. 3.3 cancellation of the collective agreements that exist. 3.4 serving of the request of freezing of proceedings to the court and application {implementation} of program of convalescence in her frame. 4. the committee {and until} of the manager registered before him because/that was placed all the judicial infrastructure to the application {implementation} of the steps as mentioned, and instructed the chairman and the general manager to finish {to fulfill} the preparations to the execution {performance} until {by} {up to} to the day 20.3.08. 5. the to the chairman and to the general manager Hokno all the authorities to the execution {performance} as mentioned, and only that will be given all the approvals that pledge according to every judgement, and subject to the report is fluent to summon the manager on the actions Hnnktot. 28.02.2008 10:21 (via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) Wow, already used up my ration of braces (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Re: As of April 1, you can continue to listen to Israel Radio live and on-demand (recordings maintained for 24 hours) at another website, which doesn't yet exist: http://www.intkolisrael.com Try instead http://www.int.kolisrael.com 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, March 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) They have it in print now: http://www.iba.org.il/reka/index.asp?classto=RekaInner&entity_code=266638&lang=English KOL YISRAEL PHASES OUT SHORTWAVE BROADCASTS On March 31, 2008, Kol Yisrael will cease all shortwave broadcasts abroad. From April 1, 2008, listeners can continue to hear our programs on the Web at: http://www.intkolisrael.com In addition to real-time listening, previously broadcast programs will be accessible over a 24-hour period. Kol Yisrael's broadcasts can also be heard on the Web site: http://www.iba.org.il/reka [dzr- which is the same as reka.iba.org.il] 04.03.2008 10:47 ====== Note that http://www.int.kolisrael.com --- as opposed to http://www.intkolisrael.com --- is the same website as http://www.kolisrael.com which is just someone who collected a bunch of Israeli media sources and put them on a website. It isn't an IBA website. The IBA webmaster confirmed that the real website won`t be available until the beginning of April (Doni Rosenzweig, March 4-5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6958, Kol Israel, 1842-1845, Mar 02, news in English, announcement of cancellation of all programmes on shortwaves, as of Mar 31. They continue though at http://www.int.kolisrael.com 44444 (Krzysztof Rybus, Warsaw, Poland, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) 6958?? That`s 6985, and BTW a US station is ready to glom onto that frequency as Israel exits (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** JAMAICA. 700, Nationwide Radio, Hague, Jamaica; chat-style programme with break for programme info “this Friday at 1 pm here on Nationwide Radio, a revolution in media”” F/G 0130 15/2 PC (Paul Crankshaw, UK, March MWN via DXLD) 700, Nationwide News Network, Hague, Trelawny, MAR 3, 0300 - Fair through WLW; telephone talk in Caribbean-accented English. 720, Nationwide News Network, Innswood, St. Catherine (18 00'N 76 47'W), MAR 3, 0400 - Good; telephone talk in Caribbean-accented English through the top of the hour, talking about relationships and fear of getting hurt, parallel 700 kHz. 0500, end of talk program, "Stay with Nationwide Radio, a revolution in media," and Eric Clapton "Wonderful Tonight." (Bruce Conti, Nashua NH; SDR IQ, WR-CMC-30, MWDX- 5, 15 x 23-m SuperLoop, antennas east with remote variable termination and south 1150-[garble --- feet?] terminated. http://members.aol.com/baconti/bamlog.htm MWDX yg via DXLD) ** JAPAN. Radio Japan plans to drop its Bengali, Hindi and Urdu afternoon transmissions to South Asia for A08. Cuts back 15 minutes of transmission time for all the three languages. NHK Radio Japan new times wef 30th March (Sun) Bengali: 1300-1345 UT (Freq not known) (ex 0630-0700 & 1230-1300 UT) Hindi : 1345-1430 UT on 17595 (ex 0700-0730 & 1300-1330 UT) Urdu : 1330-1415 UT (Freq not known) (ex 0730-0800 & 1330-1400 UT) (Alokesh Gupta, Mar 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also LANGUAGE LESSONS ** JORDAN. 9830, 1919 UT 27/2, R. Jordan, Al Karanah. Talks, ID “Huna Amman“ at 1920, Arab music, Arabic, 35444 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. From the Voice of Korea. I had mailed a reception report. I didn’t get a QSL back but I did get a pretty little calendar with holograms as well as a letter inviting me to participate in a contest. It is an example of just how insane the hermit kingdom is. They really have no idea of what goes on outside the workers’ paradise! Here’s some of the text of the letter: “You’ve always shared feelings of Voice of Korea, regarding as a companion in your life. Greeting the hopeful New Year 2008, we inform you of a news. This year 2008 marks the significant 60th founding anniversary of our fatherland DPRK, the most precious legacy of the great leader Kim Il Sung. “This year Voice of Korea organizes a writing competition on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the birth anniversary of the great leader Kim Il Sung, and the birth anniversary of the great leader Kim Jong Il in February.” (Keep in mind that Kim Junior and me share the same birthday, Feb. 16.) The letter goes on to invite me to enter a competition to write an essay for broadcast, where I am told “you can write about your feelings of reverence for the great leader Kim Il Sung.” Pushy, aren’t they? My spouse continues to tell me that CSIS agents (for our American friends, they’re Canada’s spy agency and secret service) are going to be knocking on my door any day now, along with the CIA! Ooh, I’m quivering in my space boots (Sue Hickey, Grand Falls-Windsor, NF A2A 1K2, CIDX Forum, March CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. More exact translation of RFA Korean website http://www.rfa.org/korean/rfa_medium_wave/ mentioning the mediumwave broadcasting is as follows; cf. DXLD 8-029 Radio Free Asia begins AM broadcast --- From upcoming March Radio Free Asia will broadcast also on AM (mediumwave) to make you listen more conveniently to this Radio Free Asia broadcast. Medium Wave 1350 kHz (from March) Short Wave 5870 7210 11660 kHz (night) 7460 9385 12075 kHz (morning) internet http://www.rfa.org/korean/cheongchui/ Tuning to RFA mediumwave frequency on your ordinary AM receiver, you can listen to the broadcast with clearer and richer audio quality than that of shortwave which you are now using. Of course shortwave broadcasting will be kept as it is, and you can also listen via internet (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, March 6, DX LISITENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 7510, 2106 UT 28/2, ARMENIA, Open Radio For North Korea, Gavar. Music, talks about Pyongyang, frequency, news including English headlines, no (understandable) ID, Korean, 35433 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) JCI: see AUSTRALIA ** KOREA NORTH [non]. JAPAN'S RADIO PLEAS TO NORTH KOREA http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7275598.stm North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s continues to sour relations between them. The BBC's Chris Hogg meets the Japanese who still pursue the truth about their loved ones. The radio programme is put together in a tiny booth [caption] For those who suspect their relatives were among the men, women and children snatched by North Korea to train their spies, this issue is much more than just a diplomatic hurdle. It is an unsolved crime that has continues to cause deep distress to hundreds of Japanese families. Every day a shortwave radio programme broadcast from Tokyo highlights the plight of those who were kidnapped. It is compiled in a small booth in an office owned by a group which campaigns to keep the issue in the public eye and supports the families of those abducted. JSR Shiokaze radio is broadcast once in the morning, once in the evening for 30 minutes. There are editions in Japanese, Korean, English and Chinese, rotated on a regular basis. It includes the latest news about the abduction issue, messages to those abducted and appeals for help in finding them. 'Overwhelming emotion' Shigeo Iizuka, an elderly man dressed in a smart suit, has come in to record a message to his sister. He believes she was taken by North Korean agents almost 30 years ago. Mr Iizuka campaigns tirelessly for Pyongyang to resolve the issue. He goes into the booth and once he gets the signal from the programme director he starts to read his message. As long as we can tell others that North Korea is a terrorist nation, I don't think people will help them Shigeo Iizuka [caption] Abductions hamper Japan Programme director Kenji Murao explains that for many relatives it is an emotional experience to reach out like this over the airwaves. "Most people cry," he says. "A lot cannot speak because they are so overwhelmed, so they write a letter and ask us to read it." Mr Iizuka maintains his composure throughout the recording. Afterwards he says it is hard for anyone to understand how the families of the abductees feel. "Family is the starting point for everything," he says. "The fact that members of our families have been abducted makes us angry." He points out that "the victims of this crime" are stuck in a country where there is such poverty they may not have proper heating in winter, or enough food. "My sister was 22 when she was taken there. She will be 51 this year," he says. "We will do everything we can to get our relatives back. Some of us have been waiting more than 30 years." No Pyongyang deals Japan's government recognises officially just eight men and nine women as having been abducted. These are the cases they feel they have enough evidence to prove beyond doubt. North Korea has admitted abducting just 13. It returned five to Japan but said the others were dead. It is believed that some younger victims were taken to teach Japanese language and culture in North Korean spy schools. Older victims may have been abducted so that their identities could have been used by spies. Some think it is more likely that they were killed immediately. Mr Iizuka says his group will continue to do all it can to keep the issue in the public eye and to keep up the pressure on North Korea. "As long as we can tell others that North Korea is a terrorist nation, I don't think people will help them," he says. He opposes any suggestion that Japan should provide financial aid to North Korea as part of a future denuclearisation deal, unless the abduction issue has been resolved first. On a poster behind Mr Iizuka are the faces of the many Japanese whose relatives believe are abductees. Many of the pictures are very old - a reminder that this is a struggle the families have been involved in for decades. "These were my sister's most precious years," Mr Iizuka says, describing the time she has spent in North Korea. For him, and for the others whose messages are broadcast each day, the loss of that time spent with family members is a crime that cannot be ignored (BBC News via Media Network via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. DID YOU WATCH THAT CONCERT? http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/2008/02/the_ombudsmans_mailbag_16.html Allow me, please, a slight detour to lodge a personal complaint about not being able to view on PBS here in Washington, D.C., the extraordinary and historic concert by the New York Philharmonic orchestra in North Korea on Tuesday, Feb. 26. If you live in New York, you could have watched and listened to a tape-delayed (to allow for time differences) presentation of the concert on a special, two-hour edition of “Great Performances” on Thirteen/WNET from 8 to10 that evening. Or, if you live in North Korea and have a TV set, you could have watched it live on national television there. It was also broadcast live in South Korea, China, France, Germany and other European countries. But no other PBS station in this country carried it at the time. WNET, which is the producing station for the “Great Performances” series, had an exclusive on this one. They made the arrangements, wanted to capitalize on the “live” nature of the concert and broadcast, and of course operate in the city that is home to the orchestra. Officials at the station said the Tuesday night broadcast achieved very high ratings, with some 230,000 local viewers tuned in, easily double what other classical concerts might attract, even with a prominent performer. And, they explained, setting up the concert and telecast was a complicated process that didn’t get settled until early this year, a much shorter lead-time than the months of advance notice that stations usually need for program scheduling and production of published viewer guides. PBS is making the concert program available for broadcast nationally on Thursday evening, Feb. 28, and some stations undoubtedly will be showing it. But if you live in the Washington area, home to thousands of diplomats and tens of thousands of Asian-Americans — not to mention foreign policy wonks and music lovers — you will have to wait until April to see it on WETA, or May if you watch KCET in Los Angeles or KQED in San Francisco, for example. I’m sure there are good and complicated reasons and explanations for the way this unfolded. Indeed, KCET executives laid out their scheduling dilemma very well in this Los Angeles Times article today. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-kcet27feb27,1,2143460.story But it seems to me that, even though all PBS affiliated stations are independent, this is a big dropped ball by PBS as the mother-ship that is supposed to look out for all viewers. This concert was news, but not exactly breaking news. It wasn’t a secret. It was known about several weeks in advance. It was historic, the biggest contingent of Americans in North Korea since the Korean War more than 50 years ago. It was dramatic and emotional, on the front pages of many newspapers. It was high-quality entertainment. It was controversial. It was the kind of event that public broadcasting is uniquely suited to broadcast. Somebody should have thought about all the viewers of public television and worked harder to make sure it had the best possible chance to be seen promptly and broadly around the country (Michael Getler, PBS Ombudsman, Feb 27 via DXLD) There was no great delay in getting it on the radio, but hey, what`s radio to PBS? We already linked to the audio broadcast (gh, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 7540, 1745 UT 27/2, MOLDOVA, Voice Of Mesopotamya, Grigoriopol-Maiac. Continuous Kurdish music, talks, “Dengé Mesopotamya“ ID at 1818, Kurdish, 45433 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 7540 fuerte jamming, sin rastro [sic] de Dengue Mezopotamya. Saludos cordiales, hoy 4 de marzo a las 1935 se aprecia una fuerte señal probablemente de jamming en la frecuencia de 7540 kHz; se intuye de fondo una emisión musical, probablemente Dengue Mezopotamya. No recuerdo haber escuchado nunca una señal de interferencia contra ésta emisora; sin embargo ya se escuchó a las 1415 UT una emisora musical en francés sin identificar. ¿Se trató de un nuevo servicio o por el contrario es una emisión para interferir? Cabe recordar que se están llevando acciones militares contra los kurdos. ¿Se trata pues de una ofensiva en todos los frentes? (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11530 Dengue Mezopotamya, emitiendo sin problemas. Saludos cordiales. UCRANIA, 11530 Dengue Mezopotamya, 1350-1410, escuchada el 5 de marzo en idioma kurdo a locutor con comentarios, entrevista a invitado, conexión telefónica con oyentes, referencias al Kurdistán, segmento música folklórica, emisión en paralelo con el audio en Internet desde su página web, SINPO 44343. Sin rastro de la extraña emisora musical en francés que estuvo emitiendo el 4 de marzo, se identificaba como “Radio de Bell o de Bem”. ¿Emisión accidental, pirata, test, intento de interferencia? ¿procedencia? (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), Spain, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, YAESU FRG-7700, WRTH 2008, Passport 2008, Klingenfuss 2007-2008, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGST) See also UNIDENTIFIED 11530 ** KUWAIT. 9855, 1924 UT 28/2, R. Kuwait, Kabd. Instrumental Arab music, phone conversations about Iraq and Turkey, ID, Arabic, 35333 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. IBB MEDIUMWAVE STATION IN KUWAIT TO GET NEW ANTENNA ARRAY The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), intends to negotiate a competitive contract for the construction of three equipment shelters, installation of Radio Frequency (RF) transmission line, and related tasks for a new mediumwave three-tower antenna array at the IBB transmitting station in Kuwait. The transmitter site is located 40 km NW of Kuwait City. Full details at FBODaily.com http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2008/03-March/06-Mar-2008/FBO-01522950.htm (March 5th, 2008 - 10:23 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LIBYA. 11965, 1755 UT 28/2, Voice Of Africa, Sabrata. Talks about development in Africa, African music, Hausa program at 1900, ID "Murya Africa ..." Arabic, 35444. 73 and good DX, (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA [and non]. I monitored the frequency and transmission on 6055, 2200 until 2300. Reception poor and mainly unintelligible. Some speech and music heard in the clear but very noisy. Frequency seemed clear of other stations apart from a constant background mush and splatter from adjacent signals until 2257 when a French speaking transmission started over the top with marker tune 2257 and ID at 2300. Can anyone ID the French language station for me as Passport does not indicate a transmitter at this time in French as far as I can see in the blue pages. Winradio G313i receiver and Datong AD370 active vertical aerial (David Towers, G8SZX, Glenfield, Leicester, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Look in the various frequencies lists (hfcc, Aoki): SPAIN 6055 2300- 2400 zones 4,6-11 Noblejas 250 kW 290 degrees towards Americas FRENCH REE. KBC - program is not my personal music preference. 6055 signal S=9 ... S=9+10 dB here in Stuttgart. Main lobe is 259 degrees, UK&IRL about 280 degrees. Much better signal here in CeEUR. 259 degrees towards Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, Bretagne, Atlantic. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) As Wolfgang Büschel pointed out, it`s Spain in French at 2300 on 6055. Axually, this is in PWBR 2008; the French bars look a lot like the Spanish bars. I figured there would be an overlap, but KBC was pressed for a clear frequency and shifting to 22-23 still on 6055 seemed the best option (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6055, The Mighty KBC, Sitkunai, 2200-2215+, March 5, pop music. IDs. Jingles. Ads for KBC Imports. Poor to fair in noisy conditions. Best in ECSS-USB to avoid splatter from 6050 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, RTV Malagasy, 2215-2310+, March 5, running late again with lite pop music, ballads. Local pop music. Malagasy talk. Fair to good. Reduced carrier USB (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. 9635, R. Mali, Kati, Bamako, 0820-1020 fade out, Feb 19, vernacular talks and African folkmusic, ID 0932: "Radio Mali, Bamako", 24433 (Zacharias Liangas, Greece and Roland Schulze, Germany, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) Also heard 1730-1757*, Feb 18 and 19, vernacular talks mentioning various African countries, ID 1757, closed with IS and change to 5995, moderate reception (Roland Schulze, Stuttgart, Germany, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 9599.27, Radio UNAM, 0657-0732 1 March. Non-stop classical music entire time. Finally IDed by Ken Zichi at 0800. Fair (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. The condition was very bad, but was able to barely confirm VOA and RFA in Korean on 1350 kHz. I received domestic service-Mongoliin R. on 1350 kHz at +1000-1200 UT // 4895 kHz before VOA Korean at 1200. audio file: VOA-Korean at 1255 on Mar. 2 http://bcl.up.seesaa.net/sound/20080302-2155-1350khz.wma de Mr. Miyara/Okinawa, Japan Mongoliin R. at 1130 on Mar. 3. http://yuu-chan.cocolog-nifty.com/log/files/13503.03@20F30.mp3 de Mr. Umemura/Toyama (Sei-ichi Hasegawa, Japan, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Second link doesn`t work with unknown Japanese characters? (gh, DXLD) ** MOROCCO. 9575, 2037 UT 25/2, Médi 1, Nador. Leonard Cohen, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder songs, comments, Médi 1 ID and news, commercial, Arabic, 45444 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** MYANMAR/BURMA [and non]. 5985.83, Myanma Radio, 1430-1450, March 3, 4 & 5, Shiokaze is now jammed with a pulsating noise (assume from N. Korea), which does not stop at 1430, but continues on after Shiokaze is off the air, totally covering Myanma Radio. An unfortunate development, as March 3 reception would have been fair except for the jamming (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. The Mighty KBC Radio: see LITHUANIA ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. -------------- HIFER BEACONS ------------------ USA 3450 OK 0107 CW ID repeated. Fair. (01 Mar) 4077 MO 0109 CW ID repeated. Poor. (01 Mar) 4079 TMP 0625 CW ID repeated. Poor. (01 mar) 4094 PA 0111 CW ID repeated. Poor. (01 Mar) 4112 FL 0113 CW ID repeated. Vpr. (01 Mar) (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. 3450.1/CW, OK, hifer beacon from Oklahoma; 0104, 0323, 1-Mar 4076.3-.7/CW, MO, hifer beacon from Oklahoma; 0105, 0304, 0618, 1-Mar 4079.1/CW, Mojave Desert temperature beacon; 0621, 1-Mar; TMP55 4093.6/CW, PA, hifer beacon; 0106, 0302, 1-Mar 4112.2/CW, FL, hifer beacon; 0107, 0625, 1-Mar (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts DXpedition, Brighton MI, Drake R8B + 500' NE unterminated bev, 65' TTFD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OK, MO, PA and FL are the CW callsigns sent. Is MO really in OK? (gh) ** OMAN. 7105, BBC, via Aseela, verified direct with a full data letter from v/s Afrah Al Orimi in 145 days for a report sent to VT Merlin Communications at Aseela, Oman. The letter indicated that the transmitter power was 250 kW, modulation type: AMC, and the antenna: HRS4/4/.5 – Bearing 60 (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) 15140, R. Sultanate of Oman, Thumrait, *1358-1500*, Feb 19, 20 and Mar 01, English, pop music with English text, 1430 Time announcement, gongs, ID, news headlines, news with short music bridges, weather forecast, ID: "This was the newscast from Radio Sultanate of Oman, international music, when best: 35433 (Roland Schulze, Stuttgart, Germany and Arnaldo Slaen, Buenos Aires, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) ** PERU. Re 8-029, R. La Hora currently inactive? 4857, Perú, Radio La Hora, Cusco; 4 March, Spanish, 0019 ID by male "desde Cusco para todo el país, Radio La Hora", local pop selections, 0025 abruptly signed off. 32323 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40, dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) With a name like that, do they give any more timechex than usual? (gh, DXLD) ** PRIDNESTROVYE. 6240, Radio PMR, Kishinev, *2303-2315, March 3, abrupt sign on with English news in progress. Commentary about the local conflict. Talk about local history. ID & contact information at 2313. French at 2315. Very good signal. 7370, Radio PMR, Kishinev, *1800-1815, March 3, opening English ID announcements and into news about Moldova. Talk about local history. ID and contact information at 1813. French at 1815. Poor to fair in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. Wed March 5 around 1330 on 15105, undermodulated, but not distorted or roaring, I came across an RRI Encyclopaedia program about local radio stations. Conveniently, text of such is on their website: http://www.rri.ro/art.shtml?lang=1&sec=170&art=9821 [Once again they make no attempt to include Romanian accents, so I won`t either] THE FIRST BROADCASTS OF THE REGIONAL RADIO STATIONS --- 01/03/2008 Romanian radio will celebrate its 80th birthday in November of 2008. Shortly after the first national transmission, local radio stations appeared as well. The first experimental radio transmission was a half hour broadcast, that took place in the city of Craiova, in the last Sunday of September 1926. In the years before World War One, radio broadcasts expanded throughout the country. In 1938, a local station was established in Chisinau, which was part of Greater Romania at the time. After the Soviet Union took over Besserabia on June 22nd 1940, the station was shut down. Another local radio station was established in the city of Iasi in 1941, and functioned as part of the Romanian Radio Society until 1956, when it became an independent institution. One of the station’s managers during the Second World War was philosopher Ion Petrovici, who acknowledged the nationalist propaganda that was spread through radio: “I must say I feel extremely honored to be the head of the Radio Society during this historic moment when the city of Iasi is given its own radio station... Powerful radio waves will spread throughout the land from here, and sweep the silence of the night, over the Prut and Nistru rivers, reaching so many disoriented souls and filling them with the nationalist Romanian spirit.” By the time the war ended, six local radio stations were already functioning throughout Romania: Iasi, Craiova, Timisoara, Cluj, Targu Mures and Constanta. The crisis in the 80’s caused the number of broadcast hours for both radio and television to be drastically reduced. Furthermore, between 1985 and December the 22nd of 1989, transmissions from local radio stations were completely suspended by Ceausescu’s regime. This year, Radio Targu Mures celebrates 50 years since its first broadcast, on March 2nd, 1958. The local station was initially meant to reach the Hungarian people that represented a majority in the counties of Mures, Harghita and Covasna. This region held a special legal status during the 50’s, and was known as the Autonomous Hungarian Province. Public radio in Targu Mures began the same day local elections for the Greater National Assembly were being held. The first words disseminated over the radio were: “This is Targu Mures, wavelengths 261 and 330. Good morning, dear listeners! As our first show begins, we bid you the most heartfelt greetings.” The supposed enthusiasm of attending the polls was captured and broadcast in both Romanian and Hungarian, with primitive equipment and a limited schedule. In time, the station began to evolve from its initial, very short and fragmented program. It began to take on a more personal image, which was closer to the listener and their need for information and culture, but with some discrepancy from the Communist ideology at the time. Radio Targu Mures started doing live shows, with people from both urban and rural areas. One notable show in the 70’s was “Apel 33069”, where live phone calls were taken in the studio from various people. Also, Radio Targu Mures created an important source of professional information for the people, called Radio Library, including regular features made by famous Transylvanian writers and scientists of the time. The area where the station left its biggest mark was the Mures region itself. Nevertheless, Radio Targu Mures broadened its horizon by collaborating with fellow studios in Cluj, Iasi and Bucharest. In March of 1990, the Romanian-Hungarian conflict threatened the fragile, newly-instituted national democracy, and also affected relations within the Radio Targu Mures team. Today, this anniversary is a mark of reconciliation and mutual respect between the two ethnic groups, and the road traveled from 1990 to 2008 has been a successful one. (Steliu Lambru)(RRI via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 6075, R. Rossii via Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka, 0530-0546, March 5, Russian songs sung by children, IDs "Radio Rossii", good, // 5935 via Magadan, poor-fair mixing with WWCR; 7320 via Magadan, fair. Is it my imagination or has 7200 (Yakutsk) recently been off the air or is it just conditions? (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA [non]. 6100, 2105 UT 20/2, BIH, R. Serbia International, Bijeljina, Nachrichten, Presseschau über Kosovo, Radio Serbien ID, German, 54444 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv- L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA [and non]. 6120, Channel Africa, 0321-0400*, March 5, African singing, in vernacular, good reception, off with loop of English & French IDs, along with instrumental IS and bird calls, ToH 5+1 pips. Exceptional night for southern Africa reception. Noted about 0325: 3320 was booming in, 3200 fair, not // 3240 fair, 3255 almost fair, 3345 poor, after 0400 heard 3200 // with 4775 good. Noticeable absent in all this was Zambia on 5915. Not often I hear all these so well (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 6060, 2020 UT 20/2, FINLAND, The Overcomer Ministry, Pori, Brother Stair about US financial situation, Overcomer Ministry ID, SC address, Open Forum program at 2048 with sudden sign- off at 2100. New transmission, English, 44433 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) Open Forum is a WYFR program; does B.S. have one by that name too? (gh, DXLD) Re 8-029, for Kai Ludwig, Brother `Scare` via Pori: The Aoki B07 listings show 9595 at 15-17 as Feb. 20-29 only; guess that might be the case for 5990/6120 too, so perhaps the Pori tests have ended (Joe Hanlon, NJ, March 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 11905, SLBC, Ekala, 1445-1530*, Feb 26, almost non-stop soft Hindi music and songs, few Hindi ID's, s/off with National Anthem. Surprisingly good reception 35444 (Kaj Bredahl Jorgensen, Greve, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. 5965, 1706 UT 27/2, BBC Darfur Salaam, Rampisham, ME music, repeated tape with ID including “BBC“ & “Darfur“ // 9760 - Arabic - 44433 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv- L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. 9825, 1716 UT 26/2, SLOVAKIA, R. Miraya FM, Rimavská Sobota, talks about Darfur, Radio Miraya ID at 1727, Arabic, 25322 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA-modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Message from: Paula Chao, English Service, Radio Taiwan International: Dear all: The English service has a new show called the "Hakka Files." It's a program that is aimed at introducing Taiwan's Hakka community to the rest of the world. We have already introduced education, music, architecture and other topics. We love to hear your comments and suggestions about this new program. Please email me if you have any thoughts about the show. You can also visit our website and click the icon "Hakka:" to tune into the programs that were aired before. Paula Chao English Service – (via Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. Radio Taiwan International B07 Frequency Change wef 3rd March: English to South Asia 1600-1700 UT on 11995 (ex 9785) // 11550 (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, March 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via Issoudun: FRANCE/TAIWAN, 1600-1700 daily SeA 9785 kHz (10/28-3/2); 11995 (3/3-3/30). Issoudun 500 11995 1600-1700 zones 41,49 ISS 500 kW 85 degrees (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) see also LANGUAGE LESSONS ** TRINIDAD. 6577, Piarco Radio, 0310 Traffic. Good. (01 Mar) 10096, Piarco Radio, 2036 Traffic. Fair. (01 Mar) (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. VOT still doesn`t have its act together on how to handle the Live from Turkey anomalies twice a week. I listened to the Tuesday March 4 edition on webcast at 1950-2020 UT (no callers, lots of music, gab about Turkey/US/Kurdistan relations, etc.), and checked the 2300 UT webcast too: The opening program summary admitted it was a replay of the 1930 UT broadcast, and said Live from Turkey would ensue. But at 2323 --- no Live from Turkey! Switched around this time to alternate programming, presumably duplicating the 1330 UT transmission with Economic Weekly show instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Ripresa la trasmissione in italiano della Voce della Turchia --- La trasmissione in lingua italiana della Vode della Turchia è nuovamente in onda sulla consueta frequenza dei 6185 kHz. Immutato anche l'orario, a partire dalle 1730 UT per 30 minuti. Il segmento in italiano, sospeso a metà dello scorso anno, era comunque regolarmente riportato nella schedule dell'emittente di Ankara (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, March 4, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) 6185, Voice of Turkey, *1730, Mar 04, Italian program again. It was 7 months ago, since they suspended their daily broadcast due to changes in the Italian section. Very good signal here in Florence (Luigi Cobisi, Italy, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) ** U K. Coming up in March, the BBC World Service airs a promising four-part special series, How Iraq’s War Shaped Our World, in which four leading voices of the BBC’s coverage in the last five years give their varying assessments of how the Iraq invasion and subsequent insurgency developed. They chart the missed opportunities and faulty assessments of the Coalition and explore the murderous exploitation of Iraq’s post-war frailty by Saddam loyalists and foreign Islamists. This series is in the Monday Documentary time slot; shortwave air times to Africa include Mondays at 1406 and 2106, plus Sundays 1306. Listeners to the live webcast – this is the European stream – can listen Mondays at 0906 at 1206 and 2006, plus Tuesdays 0006 and Saturdays 0906 (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, March NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** U K. BBC ARABIC TELEVISION NEWS CHANNEL LAUNCHES NEXT WEEK BBC strengthens its multimedia news services for the Arab world by launching a TV news channel alongside its existing radio and online offer. BBC Arabic television - the BBC’s news and information channel in the Arabic language - launches on Tuesday, 11 March at 10.00 GMT, it was announced today (Monday, 3 March 2008). Initially broadcast for 12 hours a day, the television channel is part of the BBC’s integrated multimedia news service for the Arab world. It will move to 24/7 in the summer and is the BBC’s first publicly funded international television service. BBC Arabic is already available on air and on demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week on radio, on the internet through bbcarabic.com, on mobiles and on handheld computers - in whatever way best suits the audience. BBC Arabic television will be freely available to everyone with a satellite or cable connection in the region, whether they are in North Africa, the Middle East or the Gulf. BBC Arabic television is distributed on the Arabsat, Eutelsat and Nilesat satellite systems. The TV channel’s schedule includes news headlines every 15 minutes and a full news summary every 30 minutes. BBC Arabic will draw on the BBC’s extensive newsgathering operation, harnessing the BBC’s resources of over 250 correspondents reporting from 72 bureaux around the world – the biggest newsgathering team in the world. Additional on-the-spot reporting and regional expertise comes from a vast network of local reporters and correspondents throughout the Arab world and beyond. The channel also features news and current affairs programmes such as the twice-daily Newshour which highlights news, analysis, key interviews and debate on the top events making the news in the region and around the world that day. It also features the pioneering live multimedia interactive debating forum Nuqtat Hewar, already popular on radio and online, three days a week. A showcase of the best BBC documentaries, and specially produced in-depth reports from the Arab world will reinforce the TV schedule. Its presenters will include Rania Al Alattar; Fida Bassil; Tony El- Khoury; Dalia Mohamed; Osman Ayfarah; Hasan Muawad; Lina Musharbash; and Dina Waqqaf. BBC World Service Director Nigel Chapman says: “BBC Arabic is renowned for broadcasting impartial and accurate news and information which is strong on analysis and expertise. This enhanced multimedia service meets the needs of an audience with a very strong appetite for news and debate. We will be contemporary in style; and independent and incisive in our journalism.” BBC Arabic multimedia The TV channel launch will be accompanied by a major re-launch of bbcarabic.com to include embedded video and a new media player. The radio schedule has been extensively refreshed to reflect the new multimedia approach. Currently over 13 million people listen to BBC Arabic each week while its website bbcarabic.com receives over 21 million page impressions and has over one million unique users each month Trust Nigel Chapman says: “We are encouraged that independent research consistently shows an appetite for a BBC Arabic television channel. The main reason people give is quite simple – it is because they believe the BBC will provide an independent news service they could trust.” Independent research over recent years consistently shows that existing Arab audiences to the BBC regard it as the most trusted, impartial and objective international radio news provider in the Arab world, with an established reputation for quality. BBC Arabic’s award-winning 24/7 online news and information service also enjoys high levels of trust in its content. A broader agenda Head of BBC Arabic, Hosam El Sokkari says: “BBC Arabic is already renowned for reporting more than just conflict and politics. BBC Arabic aims to continue to broaden the news agenda for audiences in the region. It will reflect the breadth of the Arab audience’s interests.” “The BBC is the largest newsgathering organisation in the world,” he says. “Only it can make the unique offer to Arab audiences: it can be their ears and eyes. Not just in the countries where people live; but throughout the region and around the rest of the world. “The BBC is uniquely experienced in bringing the key stories of the region and the world to Arab audiences. Because BBC World Service has a genuinely international perspective, it is also best placed to take the views, key issues and real lives of our Arab audiences to a wider global audience. No one else has our multimedia strength; on television, on radio, on line and on any multimedia device people want their news delivered. “We will offer comprehensive multimedia news reporting and analysis to audiences and, in turn, involve Arab audiences in an authentic dialogue on the issues that reflect their lives,” he says. The full press pack can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/03_march/03/arabic.shtml Ends For further information: BBC World Service Press Office Telephone: + 44 (0) 207 557 2941 http://www.bbc.co.uk (via Mukesh Kumar, The Cosmos Club, Muzaffarpur, INDIA, dxldyg via DXLD) BBC SET TO OPEN ITS NEW ARAB WORLD TV CHANNEL http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/world/middleeast/04bbc.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print (New York Times via Mike Cooper, DXLD) MUCH more: http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3469 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. New Frequency for VOA English --- VOA in English is changing one frequency at 0100-0200 from 9865 to 9740 kHz effective 05 March 2008 from their Thailand relay station. Parallel channels at this time are 7205 and 11705 kHz (Alok Dasgupta, http://www.dxasia.info via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) ** U S A. 5070, WWCR, 2207 Jan 19, M with full ID ``KLBJ right here in Texas``; talk about world news headlines; inflation; world dollar to replace US dollar; Mexican interference in US elexion; in the clear (Jay Golden, Rochester NY, March NASWA Journal via DXLD) Alex Jones program via 590AM-KLBJ (Scott Barbour, ed., ibid.) Originates there? ** U S A. 4440, WSPY, 2345-0002 29 Feb, Geneva IL. Nostalgia music, ads, ID at hour. 3x harmonic. Very poor. Tnx Harold Frodge for finding this (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SLAUGHTER AT WLS CUTS NEWS FROM 'NEWS/TALK' March 4, 2008 BY ROBERT FEDER Sun-Times Columnist The idiots and incompetents who've been destroying radio struck again Friday. In this case, their targets were legendary major-market stations that until recently were owned by ABC -- including Chicago's news/talk WLS-AM (890) and oldies WZZN-FM (94.7). The villain this time was Citadel Broadcasting Corp. CEO Farid Suleman, who made a lousy deal to buy the stations and now appears determined to wreck them in order to save face and pay down his crushing debt. Before he blundered into Citadel, Suleman used to be a bean counter and hatchet man for Mel Karmazin at the former Infinity Broadcasting. Suleman obviously learned little from his mentor, who appreciated the value of talented personalities to a successful radio product. Go to link for the complete article: http://www.suntimes.com/business/feder/823545,CST-FIN-feder04.article (via Pete Kemp, NRC-AM via WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DXLD) Yes, Feder uses those words (gh) ** U S A. USA: Mystik Radio, WAVS and WSRF LACK OF ADS SINKS CARIBBEAN RADIO STATION IN BROWARD By Georgia East | South Florida Sun-Sentinel http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flrndradio0304sbmar04,0,2365344.story Listeners called in to the 24-hour Caribbean radio station all day Monday to find out if Mystik Radio, a source of news along with reggae, r&b and soca, was off the airwaves for good. Radio officials confirmed it. Mystik Radio, whose broadcast at 1400 on the AM band was limited to Broward county, aired its last show Friday night. General manager Lynda Hudson said the station had difficulty getting steady advertisers, because many wanted to reach into Palm Beach and Miami Dade counties as well. "This market is so large and so spread out," Hudson said Monday. "In order for us to be successful we need to be on FM." But at a time when the number of people from the Caribbean is growing in South Florida, many say they don't understand why radio stations targeting that audience are shrinking. There are about 220,000 West Indians in Broward County alone, according to census data. Three AM radio stations target the English speaking Caribbean audience. "We`re going in the wrong direction," said attorney Marlon Hill, chairman of the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board for the Southern United States. "A community can only mature if it has the right tools of communication." Mystik was known not only for music, news and commentary but for inviting Caribbean officials to their studio to address their audience during patriotic holidays and for advertising goodwill events. Founded in 1999, Mystik originally aired on 1580 AM and had developed a strong audience. Its owners, Urban Radio of Florida, sold the station in 2005 to Niche Radio, a Miami company run by brothers Jean and Manny Cherubin. Niche Radio also owns the Caribbean radio station WAVS, AM 1170, in Davie. As a result of the sale Mystik temporarily went on a hiatus, but returned to the air under new ownership at 1400 AM in June. Some said the break hurt Mystik. Unlike WAVS and WSRF, AM 1580, which sold blocks of time directly to producers who found their own sponsors, Mystik had a more conventional set up. The station hired the hosts and sold the advertising for all programs. Jean Jabouin, the general manager at AM 1580 and former host of South Florida Speak Out on Mystik, said the broker system has less overhead and is more cost effective. Still, Jabouin said, it's sad to see Mystik call it quits. "They were the first station to signal the change in the demographics," Jabouin said. "They brought to everyone's attention to the possibility that Caribbean Americans and other minority groups here matter." Albert Lettman, president of the Greater Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce, often tuned to Mystik for the latest news. He said he's not surprised to hear about the problems the station had attracting advertisers. "There's fierce competition for the Caribbean dollar, especially from the Caribbean newspapers," Lettman said. "But it's sad to see them go. We need different perspectives of the Caribbean community to have a voice." (via Dino Bloise, FL, dxldyg via DXLD) Does this mean the transmitter on 1400 has closed down completely, or is it now carrying something else, and become a nonentity as far as the Caribs are concerned? (gh, ibid.) Hi, Glenn: At 1700 UT, 1400 is on the air carrying Espn radio. 73 (Dino Bloise, FL, ibid.) ** U S A. Hi Glenn: Can you hear LYQ beacon? It now has Aviation Weather Voice for our private Airport Roseanne- Co - located with the WWRB shortwave transmitter facility. The Format is : Wind direction : Wind Speed : Visibility : Sky conditions : Temp : Dewpoint : Altimeter : Remarks then LYQ in MCW Morse code. We will QSL the NDB Beacon. Pictures of the NDB Beacon on our web site http://www.wwrb.org (Dave Frantz, LYQ 529 kHz, March 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not yet (gh) ** U S A. AFTER A BIG SCORE, DEALS SOUR AND UTAH STATION PULLS BACK Originally published in Current, March 3, 2008. By Karen Everhart A small-town Utah public-radio outfit that expanded into Salt Lake City thanks to its founders’ deal-making acumen—and stirred controversy over their compensation — is now pulling back, planning to sell both the Salt Lake station and its costly AM booster. Community Wireless of Park City Inc. will shrink back to its hometown, the Sundance-and-ski resort of Park City, Utah (see map above), where it operates the sole NPR News outlet, KPCW. Neither the Salt Lake station nor its AM booster was as financially beneficial as the sweet deal that partially financed the expansion of Community Wireless. In 2001, the licensee sold a commercial FM license in Coalville, a valley town east of Salt Lake, for nearly $3.6 million — a whopping return on its $18,812 purchase price a decade earlier. The 2001 sale and subsequent bond-financed AM purchase in Salt Lake were negotiated and engineered by Community Wireless co-founders Blair and Susan Feulner, who in the 1980s began building a community- licensed Utah pubradio empire with entrepreneurial flair and competitiveness uncommon among public broadcasters. . . [much more] http://www.current.org/radio/radio0804utah.shtml (Current, via DXLD) ** VATICAN STATE. 1611 MW, Radyo Filipino ng Vaticano, Santa Maria di Galeria, 2015-2056*, Fri Feb 22, New program Fridays in English and Tagalog, news and reports of the Philippines, religious program, closing announcement: "Maraming Salamat po sa inyongtahat" (Many thanks to you all). "You are listening to Radyo Filipino ng Vaticano. For feedback and suggestions you may reach us by phone 3906 4872046 (repeated) or by e-mail pinoyradyo @ yahoo.com at the website. Mabulay ang Filipino." (Long live the Philippines). Postal address: Radio Filipino Ng Vaticano, Sentro Pilipine compound, Via Urbano 1600, Roma, Italy. Program Director: Ermie de la Cruz. S/off with IS of Vatican R, S9+10/20 dB. My Philippine wife will enjoy this program (Roland Schulze, Stuttgart, Germany, DSWCI DX Window March 5 via DXLD) see also CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES ** VENEZUELA. 5100, YVTO, 0621-0623 1 March. Time pips and ID. Also heard on 5000 (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5100/AM, YVTO Caracas, Venezuela time station; 0615, 1-Mar; in the clear and also on 5000. Not there at 1150, 2-Mar (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts DXpedition, Brighton MI, Drake R8B + 500' NE unterminated bev, 65' TTFD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. 6060, R. Nacional de Venezuela via Cuba, *1100- 1136, March 5, no English today, in Spanish, talking of course about Colombia and Ecuador, many RNV IDs, poor-fair. Checked 6180, but was just RHC, // 6000 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6180 carries RNV an hour earlier (gh) ** VIETNAM [non]. Greetings all. Does anyone here know the addresses for V. of Vietnam's Letterbox program? For the past two weeks (0100, 6175 kHz [via CANADA]), I've only been able to get a tentative address along the lines of englishsection @ vov.vn no thanks to QRM from nearby RHC [6180] (Jon Pukila, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, March 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Jon, Your question was timely, as I listened to the Letter Box program on March 6, via VOV-6, at 0245 UT, online at http://www.vovnews.vn/?page=165&rid=6 They read postal letters and emails from around the world. Email address is: englishsection [at] vov.org.vn Hope this helps you (Ron Howard, CA, ibid.) ** YEMEN. 9780, 1805 UT 21/2, R. Yemen, San'a, End of the news, western music, poor reception because of low modulation and heavy fading, no definite ID so tentative, English, 35322 (DXA30 Marc Vissers, Borsbeek, Belgium (N51º11'/E04º29'), JRC NRD-525 (ESKA- modified), 15m lw + MLB, 13m inv-L + Yaesu FRT-7700, HCDX via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 4965, CVC, 0448 1 March. Local music, English ID. Good (Don Moore, MARE DXpedition at Brighton State Recreation Area near Brighton, Michigan, Etón E-1 receiver with various wire antennas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If `local` music, then not out of Queensland? (gh) ** ZAMBIA. 13650, Christian Voice, Lusaka, 1610-1706*, March 3, "The Planet" English program. Pop music countdown program. CVC promos. Pop music news & interviews. Australia address. CVC news headlnes at 1635. "Mailtime" at 1646 acknowledging listeners` letters. News at 1701. Abruptly pulled plug during newscast, switching to 13590. Fair signal. 13590, Christian Voice, Lusaka, *1706-1715+, March 3, sign on with English news in progress. Pop music. "Scope" news program. Talk about working women in Pakistan. Fair to good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4604/USB, Indiana Net; 0002, 1-Mar; Red Bar 42 asking for IL, WI & MI check-ins; heard Red Robin 5 from MI, Blue Lake 8 & Red Fire 24. (Civil Air Patrol maybe?) (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts DXpedition, Brighton MI, Drake R8B + 500' NE unterminated bev, 65' TTFD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Saludos cordiales, hoy 4 de marzo a las 1420 se escucha en 11530 una emisora sin identificar con emisión de música pop, en un principio pensé que pudiera tratarse de Dengue Mezopotamya, sin embargo a las 1422 puedo escuchar a una locutora en francés presentando otro tema musical. Escucho ID "Radio Le Belle"??? (José Miguel Romero2, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing such listed; feed mixup? More at KURDISTAN [non] (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ GRANTED, THERE IS SOMETHING ALLURING ABOUT YELLOW BUSES "He started listening to the French service of Voice of America radio and was amazed to learn that elementary and secondary education in America is free. 'On top of that they have yellow buses that pick them up and take them to school all the time. The place I grew up, I had to walk for two hours to get to school. So I say that's (America is) a heaven for me,' Baba Moussa said. He decided to come to the United States to get an education in economics but first needed to learn English. He knew French and five Benin languages, and later learned German. He saved money for many weeks to buy an English newspaper. He taped the English version of the news off the Voice of America and would listen to his tapes over and over, picking out words and then finding them in the newspaper and a dictionary to learn their meanings." http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/BIZ/956848305/1001 (Wenatchee (WA) World, 3 March 2008. Posted: 04 Mar 2008, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS – NOBODY CARES, I GUESS… My request for suggestions regarding language lessons via shortwave garnered only one suggestion from a NASWA member --- guess this must not be a category of programming that shortwave enthusiasts spend much time with. One of the challenges with language lessons is that one has to listen regularly as vocabulary is built and grammar rules are established. In the old days, the only way you could keep up with language lessons if you missed a week is if the station sent you a lesson plan / workbook that you could follow along with at home. Nowadays, that has become much easier – any collateral material is simply posted at the broadcaster’s website, where you can download it lesson-by-lesson. Another capability most broadcasters incorporate into their websites is the option to listen to any language lesson in a series, in case you missed it when it was on the radio. One of the more comprehensive language lesson services available from an international broadcaster is – surprise! – from Radio France International, at http://www.rfi.fr/lfen/statiques/accueil.asp In addition to three multipart series – a crime drama, an adventure series, and a series set in a business, there are two daily 10-minute newscasts in “simple French” – RFI’s answer to the Voice of America’s “Special English” capabilities. The crime drama – Mission Europe – is actually a collaboration between RFI and Deutsche Welle and Polskie Radio – lessons are provided for English speakers to help them learn French, German and Polish. The French lessons also air during the English language broadcasts at 1210, 1432, and 1632 UT (special thanks to John Figliozzi). China Radio International offers its “Chinese Studio” including multimedia Chinese lessons at http://english.cri.cn/chinese/ Generally speaking, the language lessons are the last five minutes of CRI’s typical hour-long broadcast. There are extensive audio archives at the URL shown above. Radio Taiwan International offers its own version of Chinese via a language lesson program called Chinese to Go. The program airs from 20 minutes to 30 minutes after the hour on UTC Tuesday programming to North America, plus 50 minutes to the program end on UTC Fridays to North America; North American targeted air times include 0200, 0300 and 0700. Deutsche Welle has an extensive online inventory of German language lesson capabilities; visit the main DW website, http://www.dw-world.de then click in the left-side banner, in the section labeled Germany Info. You’ll then be given choices of e-learning, adventure (the same Mission: Europe mentioned under RFI) and the beginners’ course, Radio D. You might also remember the series that was on DW radio for a while, Deutsch – Warum nicht?; yep, that’s available, too. There is also a daily nine-minute newscast intended as a language lesson --- the speaker’s pace again is evocative of the VOA’s Special English. Radio Japan no longer airs Japanese language lessons in its English language service, since the daily broadcasts were cut back to 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the edition. However, there’s a deep archive of Japanese language lessons available at the NHK webiste, http://www.nhk.or.jp/english/ just click on the link for along the top of the web page. There are two series – Basic Japanese For You – the audio for lessons 62 through 92 is available on the website – and Brush Up Your Japanese, with the audio for lessons 32 through 46 available. For lessons earlier than these, the text transcript is available (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, March NASWA Journal via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ CORDLESS PHONES ON SHORTWAVE Another SW interference bug that I caught by accident of late was with one of the older "Cordless Phone Jack's" on 3310 KHz. Heard a dial up modem sound followed by a constant data steam (FM mode?). After some research these operate in the 3300 to 8200 kHz areas? I do know that these (some?) types of devices sold today are using much higher frequencies. But are these older ones that use SW still being sold in stores today?? Regards, (David Zantow, WI, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REGULATORS FIGHTING EACH OTHER [UK] This computer news site reports that OfCom (with T-Mobile) is taking its fight with the Information Commissioner over the disclosure of mobile phone mast sites to the High Court: see here - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/03/lapdog_ofcom/ You'd have thought they had better things to do (Dennis Pepler, UK, Mar 3, monitoringmonthly yg via DXLD) You can understand the reluctance of telco's to reveal the precise location of their sites. When they did they were subject to Direct Action campaigns against the sites. Electro Magnetic Radiation, specifically the word "Radiation" raises considerable fears in the minds of the General Public I remember a TV report on I think Meridian with an "Anti-Mast" campaigner who was visiferous [sic] in condeming mobile phone masts as a health hazard. The report contained a clip of her daughter coming out of school, clasped to her right ear was a mobile phone paid for by her mother - a case I think of double standards. Someone ought to pass a law banning the sun. It addition to causing global warming it emits more dangerous radition that any other source! Ofcom today released the statement below (Trevor M5AKA, ibid.) Viz.: Ofcom - Updated information on the Sitefinder website Ofcom today confirmed that information has been updated on the Sitefinder website. The Sitefinder website shows the location and characteristics of mobile phone base stations that use the GSM, TETRA and UMTS technologies. This follows constructive discussions with mobile network operators (MNOs) and others to resume voluntary provision of this data to Ofcom to ensure that the website can continue to be a useful source of information. 3, O2, Orange, Vodafone, Airwave and Network Rail all supply data to Ofcom at approximately three month intervals. [1] Sitefinder is an important public resource; Ofcom is fully committed to supporting it on behalf of the Government and the general public. On 4 September 2007, following a Freedom of Information request, the Information Tribunal upheld a decision by the Information Commissioner that Ofcom must supply the full Sitefinder dataset to parties who request it, including the names of operators, locations and power levels of all mobile base stations. Ofcom has decided to appeal this decision and a further hearing in the High Court is anticipated. Background The 2000 Stewart Report recommended that a national database should be established giving details of all mobile phone base stations, making it easy for the public to identify all base stations in a defined area. The Government asked the Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom) to set up the database, known as Sitefinder, and the MNOs agreed to provide the necessary data voluntarily. http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/ [1] T-Mobile has declined to provide updated data since August 2005. (via Trevor, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ EARLY TV QSL ON EBAY Hello Glenn, Found this on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-1933-Purdue-U-experimental-television-QSL-card_W0QQitemZ290210995779QQihZ019QQcategoryZ38031QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Looks like a fellow in Missouri caught the signal of an experimental broadcast of W9XG, Purdue University's station. The QSL says they were on 2800 kHz, with a max of 1500 watts, and broadcast no sound. Would this have been the equivalent of Slow Scan TV? Take care, (Eric Loy, Champaign, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Eric, Not exactly. Like it says at the lower left, ``single spiral disc`` --- this was mechanical scanning, quite different from electronic scanning, slow or fast that we have today. 73, (Glenn to Eric, via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM [see also CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES below; GUIANA FRENCH] Re 8-029: Replies to Arnie Coro`s comments, QUIT DRM TILL THERE IS AN AUDIENCE [headline by gh]: Richard Marlowe March 4th, 2008 - 6:45 UTC Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich’s comment is interesting. Personally I think that a lot of energy could be saved by the closure of radio stations transmitting endless back-to-back music, political propaganda or no worthy editorial. These days the consumer has a wide choice of technology for music - these pointless ‘pop and prattle’ stations hold no value whatsoever. Governments and regulators should look closely in their own back yards and review the extremely large number of pointless broadcast licences that are issued monthly of stations who merely want to replicate an Mp3 player. By removing these stations which occupy valuable transmission allocation and (according to Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich) cause so much environmental damage will create the scope for new exciting broadcast developments like DRM. 4 Roy Sandgren March 4th, 2008 - 11:36 UTC Freedom is to broadcast on all bands in all modes, like am fm dab drm even on shortwave 5 Anthony March 4th, 2008 - 13:11 UTC What’s global warming and energy waste got to do with Digital Radio Mondiale broadcasting on mediumwave longwave and shortwave? DRM transmitters use less energy than is required for analogue AM. Analogue AM transmitters use ERPs of 150 kW and even more for large national analogue AM transmitters to provide national coverage for a large national station (or European coverage for MW stations at night) whereas a 50-100 kW DRM SW/MW transmitter station with a large omnidirectional beam could easily serve a whole country using less power. 6 Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich March 5th, 2008 - 14:56 UTC Anthony’s comment saying that global warning and enery waste has nothing to do with Digital Radio Mondiale is a very short sighted analysis. It doesn´t matter that a DRM transmitter is more efficient than an analogue AM or FM transmitter. The reason is that it doesn´t matter is that the DRM transmitter is using electrical energy that produces no practical useful results --- for the one solid reason that the number or radio receivers presently in actual service for picking up any DRM broadcast service is ZERO. YES!!! for all practical purposes, I can assure you as a mass communications researcher that the number of DRM capable receivers is insignificantly small, as compared to the number of analogue receivers in service around the world. I am in favor of cancelling ALL DRM broadcasts on short wave at the present time, for the one solid reason that NOBODY IS LISTENING TO THEM --- AND THOSE BROADCASTS ARE USING ENERGY - no matter how efficient they may be --- THAT IS WASTED, BECAUSE NO ONE IS LISTENING TO THEM. DRM broadcasts should be started only to areas of coverage where there are a minimum of receivers !!! Comments invited to : coro at enet.cu 7 Anthony March 5th, 2008 - 15:13 UTC But SW broadcasters the world over have faith in DRM, analog SW is reducing in popularity due to quality and reception issues in favour of Digital Radio Mondiale with its better quality, improved reception and robustness to propagation fading and interference and BBC WS is slowly getting rid of SW transmissions around the world; Europe has just lost its SW service from the BBC and DeutscheWelle is going to do the same along with other broadcasters. The broadcasters using DRM already on MW/LW/SW and those who are changing to DRM on MW/LW/SW are NOT going to listen to what you have to say in the name of progress and stop DRM MW/DRM LW and DRM SW broadcasts as you want. [In case there be further comments in this thread, see] http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/drm-chairman-to-receive-abu-lifetime-achievement-award#comments (Media Network blog via DXLD) I am restraining myself from mentioning the J-word (gh, DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ So far, these are the DRM transmissions to the Winter SWL Fest... Station, Site, UT, UT Dates, kHz, kW [see also GUIANA FRENCH] TDF, Montsinéry, 0100-0200, 8 Mar, 11605, 150 HCJB, Pifo, 0100-0400, 5-9 Mar, 9735, 4 Vatican Radio, Santa Maria di Galeria, 1300-1400, 6-8 Mar, 15515, ?> TDF, Montsinéry, 1330-2000, 7-8 Mar, 17840, 150 HCJB, Pifo, 1400-2100, 5-8 Mar, 15275, 4 The 1400-2100 HCJB transmission might change to 15370 (Kim Elliott, March 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I heard it this morning March 5 at 1446 on 15270-15275-15280; why change? Someone on the drmna forum reported an AM station in French QRMing HCJB; time? None such here. BTW, Cuba is on 15370 with monster AM signal until 1500v. And also the midday R. Rebelde has been on 15370, tho haven`t reconfirmed it lately, 1700-1830 or more (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Area 51 Schedule WBCQ 5110, Monday-Saturday 5-7 pm Eastern time (2200-0000 UT) WBCQ 5110, Sunday 5-6 pm Eastern time (2200-2300 UT) (**New Time**) webcast http://johnlightning.com:8024 Reception reports, requests, submissions, e-mail radio at zappahead.net or timtron at hotmail.com All programming is subject to change at a moment's notice, but we try to keep this schedule updated throughout the week to keep you informed! [...] Thursday 3/6/08 2200 Live from the SWL Winterfest (Larry Will, March 5, WBCQ broadcasters forum via DXLD) I suppose they may do the same on Fri, Sat; but what about WOR, Friday at 2330? I also suppose there will be some Fest broadcasts on 7415 from WBCQ, e.g. Allan Weiner Worldwide, UT Sat 0100, if not also Jen`s show in the previous hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels during 25 - 27 February. By early on 28 February, activity increased to unsettled to active levels with isolated minor storm periods observed at middle latitudes, while minor to major storm periods were observed at high latitudes. This activity persisted through midday on 01 March and was due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. ACE solar wind measurements peaked at 837 km/s at 01/0603 UTC) while density peaked at 24 p/cc at 27/1541 UTC. Significant changes in the IMF were observed from late on 27 February through midday on 28 February including increased Bt (peak 11 nT at 27/1651 UTC) and intermittent periods of southward Bz (minimum -11 nT at 27/1651 UTC). The high- speed stream began decaying early on 02 March and ended the summary period with velocities near 575 km/s. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 05 - 31 MARCH 2008 Solar activity is expected to be very low. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on all days of the forecast period except 26 March. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled on 05 - 07 March. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels during 08 - 13 March with minor to major storm periods possible at high latitudes due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected during 14 - 24 March as the high-speed stream subsides. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to active levels during 25 - 28 March with minor to major storm periods possible at high latitudes due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected during 29 - 31 March as the high-speed stream subsides. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Mar 04 2253 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2008 Mar 04 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Mar 05 70 5 2 2008 Mar 06 70 5 2 2008 Mar 07 70 5 2 2008 Mar 08 70 15 4 2008 Mar 09 70 15 4 2008 Mar 10 70 10 3 2008 Mar 11 70 10 3 2008 Mar 12 70 15 4 2008 Mar 13 70 10 3 2008 Mar 14 70 8 3 2008 Mar 15 70 5 2 2008 Mar 16 70 10 3 2008 Mar 17 70 10 3 2008 Mar 18 70 8 3 2008 Mar 19 70 8 3 2008 Mar 20 70 5 2 2008 Mar 21 70 5 2 2008 Mar 22 70 5 2 2008 Mar 23 70 5 2 2008 Mar 24 70 5 2 2008 Mar 25 70 10 3 2008 Mar 26 70 20 5 2008 Mar 27 70 25 6 2008 Mar 28 70 20 5 2008 Mar 29 70 8 3 2008 Mar 30 70 5 2 2008 Mar 31 70 5 2 (from http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/weekly/27DO.txt via WORLD OF RADIO 1398, DXLD) ###