DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-061, May 18, 2008 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1408 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular, time varies] Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 Wed 2300 WBCQ 15420-CUSB 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 EDITOR`S NOTE: It`s been 6 days since the previous issue, which means that far too much material has piled up. This issue does not cover everything to the usual depth; we shall try to catch up on some of the pending items in the next issue(s). ** AFGHANISTAN. NEW VOA DOCUMENTARY ON AFGHANISTAN'S DRUG TRADE PREMIERES --- 'A Fateful Harvest' explores the industry from the growing of poppies to efforts to stop international trafficking Washington, DC, May 14, 2008 - A Fateful Harvest, a compelling Voice of America (VOA) documentary on the effects of the drug trade on Afghanistan's people, economy and society, premiered today in a special screening at the news organization's headquarters. The 52-minute documentary, produced by VOA's Afghanistan Service, looks at the narcotics industry through the eyes of different individuals. Filmed mostly on location in Afghanistan, A Fateful Harvest reveals the devastation wrought by opium, including the tragedy of children provided with the drug. It explores the industry from the growing of poppies to efforts to stop international trafficking. The film - which is being televised across Afghanistan - examines how the country's struggle to establish democracy and rule of law is affected by the drug trade. The documentary will be aired repeatedly inside Afghanistan in Dari and Pashto on Radio Television Afghanistan, a VOA affiliate as well as by satellite. Audiences in that country will also hear the story on VOA's Radio Ashna, which broadcasts on shortwave, medium-wave and FM 12 hours a day in Dari and Pashto. VOA will make the film available to all its 45 language services, and distribute it online at http://www.voanews.com The Department of State helped provide funds for the documentary (VOA Press Release May 14 via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. REINO UNIDO, 17700, Radio Solh, 1340-1346, escuchada el 9 de mayo en idioma afgano a locutor con noticias, referencias a Sudán, conexión con corresponsal, comentarios, emisión de música folklórica local, SINPO 45454 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tuned out just before sticking CD, tsk R. Solh, 17700 via Rampisham UK, finally audible here again May 13 after a long absence due to poor propagation. Only poor to fair signal with occasional peaks, and lots of fades, from tune-in 1332 with music; 1344-1346 talk, 1346-1349 the sticking CD, so quickly confirming they are STILL playing exactly the same defective recording as they have done every day since at least last fall! 1359-1400 a pause in modulation but no carrier break, 1400-1404 talk, but can it be news or just the same old propaganda announcements also duplicated daily? 1419 into familiar music I have recorded and uploaded before. Still trace of it at 1600 recheck, but quite poor. Can its reappearance be accounted for by SWPC numbers? Not really: for May 12, solar flux was 68; at 1200 May 13, K=1; at 1500, K=2. Repeat performance May 14 at 1332+ (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA [and non]. Here are some photos from the "demolition" phase of KUSW/KTBN Shortwave, taken a couple of weeks ago. I understand that the equipment is going to a "shortwave broadcaster on a tiny island in the Caribbean", where they already have "several radio stations, AM, FM, and shortwave". I suspect this is part of the Caribbean Beacon rehab plan (Pastor Melissa Scott). Note the ship cargo container logo, which is "Aliança", a Brazilian freight forwarding company (Ken W. English, Salt Lake City, UT, May 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The photos will be in the DXLD yg ** AUSTRALIA. 15400, HCJB Kununurra, 1134-1208, May 12, listed Fujian/English. M with talk and ballads; filler music from 1155 to 1203 when English service crash-started with no discernible ID noted; program appeared to be a language lesson; poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R8, R75, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Since Pacific broadcast stations were incoming up to 15515, May 15 at 0600, I tuned around lower frequencies, and soon found some VOLMET in SSB English on about 11385, by robotic YL voice. Hard to copy the localities featured, but one of them was Adelaide, and each had an item called QNH with a figure slightly above 1000 --- I assume that is barometric pressure in millibars? A.k.a. ``altimeter``, but what does QNH stand for? Went off at 0605 before I had a chance to pinpoint the frequency on the FRG-7. Per Larry Van Horn, in a Jan 10, 2008 UDXF yg post, this VOLMET frequency is really 11387, with Sydney on the hour and half-hour, followed in order by Kolkata, Krung Thep, Karachi, Singapore, Mumbai; also on 2965 and 6676 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 4910, ABC, Tennant Creek, 0942-1005 May 15. Noted a program of English language comments and features. They are on late this morning (here)/night (there). The latest schedule in EIBI says 0830 UT is the end of sked. Still on the air after 1003 with a program of music. Signal was poor however (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4910, ABC Tennant Creek/VL8T -- Someone forget to change the frequency at 0830?? 15 May, 0920 Program feature by M and W in English. 0929 W ID for 105.7 ABC Darwin and 783 Alice Springs, then music bridge, and another ID by M at 0930. Into news by same W. Much better by 1000. Noisy conditions though. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) 4910, ABC Tennant Creek/VL8T. On at this time again, 0933 17 May. 2310 and 2485 were there. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. There`s a new Greek-language station on 2368 kHz, may be 24 hours, in progress at 1523 UT May 18. This was first reported by Richard Jary (Chris Hambly, Vic., via gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Recall that there were plans/applications for this frequency in Australia, perhaps to become DRM. Further details awaited. Can it make it to Europe, North America? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think so. An extremely weak signal with music heard on 2368.47 kHz at 1950 May 18, but faded away by 2030. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here are previous items on this subject in DXLD from 2005y, 2007y: Domestic HF --- Came across this on the ACMA database... He has 5 licences for Domestic HF Broadcasting from different capital cities all on 2368.5 kHz. Anyone have any idea what this is about? Actually I see a few others have licences on this frequency as well (Richard Jary, Dec 15, ARDXC via DXLD 5-215, Dec 15, 2005) As I recall this came up a few years ago, and the assumption was that this is a foot-in-the-door for some possible digital broadcasting. Altho the emission designation on these is 6K00A3E. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Re 5-215, 2368 kHz licenses: G'Day, Yes it's Peter Tait here on the Gold Coast. He intends to put them on and I quote: "when funds permit" !! i.e. sometime in the never never. Peter Tait is a regular contributor with postings to the news group: 'aus.radio.broadcast'. Anyway isn't he a member of ARDXC?? Isn't he on this list also?? Come out Pete wherever you are. Cheers (Chris Martin, ARDXC via DXLD 5-216, Dec 17, 2005) Hi Glenn, Regarding Chris Martin's comment about 2368, Peter Tate, I last talked to Peter about 2 years ago. He was indeed hell bent on transmitting on 2368 from the Gold coast in the hinterland from Coolangatta, QLD. He was driving a taxi to make ends meet. He had HOT FM on 1692 kHz as well. He did so well as a supposed to be community (non commercially station) that he was killing the commercials, hence he was shut down, or rather he closed the station. He was a member of the ARDXC to about June 30th 2002. Anyway it would be great if Peter had the funds for the antenna. I think he has the transmitter. I have Peter's phone number somewhere so I will ring him when I find out what`s happening and let everyone know. Cheers and Merry Xmas to all. Regards (Johno Wright, ARDXC Sydney Australia, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-217, Dec 19, 2005) Double V Shortwave Australia is studying the feasibility of using 2368.5 kHz from Fairfield NSW and Darwin with 1 kW in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Samoan, Punjabi, Arabic, Indian, Greek, Italian, Urdu, Cambodian, Lao, Thai, Indonesian, Turkish, Assyrian, Tagalog and Vietnamese. The station will be operated by Vale Vision, a print handicapped service, that has a website at: http://www.radio2doublev.org/ Currently licensed on 2368.5: Radio Symban PEAKHURST, NSW Narrowcast - Greek Station X SOUTHPORT, QLD Narrowcast - Music from the 1960s to today Craig Allen GLENMORE PARK, NSW FANNIE BAY, NT TOWNSVILLE, QLD CRAIGIEBURN, VIC WEST SWAN, WA PARALOWIE, SA We are interested in obtaining from the ACMA two shortwave broadcasting licences to broadcast 24/7 one to cover Sydney and the other Darwin and if possible some of Timor, Indonesia and PNG. The 4 transmitters will be from http://www.transmitter.be/hcj-tb1000.html A weekly DX Show is proposed. Studios are in Canley Vale NSW (australia.radio.broadcast.moderated, via Nov Australian DX News via DXLD) Hi, This organization has asked some questions about shortwave details. http://www.talkaboutradio.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/messages/578305.html Regards, (Wayne Bastow Wyoming, NSW, Australia, ARDXC via DXLD) viz: Double V Shortwave Australia here Can anyone here tell me please what they get on 2368.5 at the moment? What is that in meters? Our Organisation is Vale Vision and we are a print handicapped service in many languages Our website is at http://www.radio2doublev.org/ I`m planning to use it from Fairfield NSW and Darwin NT Australia with 1 kw in English Mandarin Cantonese Samoan Punjabi Arabic Indian Greek Italian Urdu Cambodian Lao Thai Indonesian Turkish Assyrian Tagalog and Vietnamese. But will anyone hear it? These are the only private ones that exist now and they are all on 2368.5. But do not transmit. How can the ACMA put them all on the same frequency? Won`t we need the best chance frequencies of our own? Here is what is licenced at the moment: (kHz) Station Location Content Reception Apx Distance km 2368.5 Radio Symban PEAKHURST, NSW Narrowcast - Greek Nil 1200 2368.5 Station X SOUTHPORT, QLD Narrowcast - Music from the 1960s to today Nil 1900 2368.5 Craig Allen GLENMORE PARK, NSW, FANNIE BAY, NT Nil TOWNSVILLE, QLD Nil CRAIGIEBURN, VIC Nil WEST SWAN, WA Nil PARALOWIE, SA Maybe you or some of your members can help. We are interested in obtaining from the ACMA two shortwave broadcasting licences to broadcast 24/7 one to cover sydney and the other Darwin and if possible some of Timor, Indonesia and PNG. Our Organisation is Vale Vision and we are a print handicapped service in many languages. Our website is at http://www.radio2doublev.org/ We will need to pay technicians or organisations to install and maintain the sites to use a site in Sydney and Darwin and the best option up there is AARDS? The 4 transmitters will be from http://www.transmitter.be/hcj-tb1000.html Are they good units? If you have any ideas or can suggest anything that will help we would be grateful. By way of return we will have a weekly DX Show. Our Studio is at Canley Vale N. What Frequency? What Power? Please contact us if you want to help. Double V Shortwave Australia. Kind Regards, Keith [from above link; reply:] The 2368.5 kHz Frequency is in the 120 Metre "Tropical Band" and at 1 kW is simply used for Local Region Broadcasting which can often run 24/7. http://groups.google.com/group/shortwave-listener-qsl-reports/msg/de1e56cc1=504085a Were we in California -USA- may have Noise all over the Band at that UT. They may be in a Quiet Period in Australia. Plus even on a Noisy Band -if- you are 'close enough' {in Country} 1 kW will get through. READ - "Tropical Band DXing" -by- Don Moore http://donmoore.tripod.com/genbroad/tropical.htm The Where, When, Why, What, and How of Tropical Band DXing Check-Out - "Tropical Band Loggings" -source- NASWA Journal http://www.naswa.net/journal/bycolumn/tropical-loggings/ (rhf, ibid.) . . . I think they will be disappointed if they actually try to broadcast in Australia with 1 kW on 120m (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-134, Nov 6, 2007) ** BANGLADESH. Bangladesh Betar New SW Frequency Schedule Home Service Bengali 0000 0405 4750 (New) Bengali 0830 1810 4750 (ex 1200-1600) [but see below!] External Service English (GOS) 1230 1300 7250 South & South-East Asia Nepalese Service 1315 1345 7250 Nepal Urdu Service 1400 1430 7250 Pakistan Hindi Service 1515 1545 7250 India Arabic Service 1600 1630 7250 Middle East Bengali Service 1630 1730 7250 Middle East (ex 7250, 9550) English (VOI) 1745 1815 7250 Europe (ex 7250, 9550) English (GOS) 1815 1900 7250 Europe (ex 7250, 9550) Bengali Service 1915 2000 7250 Europe (ex 7250, 9550) GOS - General Overseas Service VOI - Voice of Islam (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, May 16, dxldyg via DXLD) Or you meant -1710? At least today 1709. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Bangladesh 4750 sign-off has been around 1710 for at least a year or so. And still seems to be the same. 73, (Jari Savolainen, ibid.) Yet we had another recent report that -1710 was an extension (gh, DXLD) ** BELARUS. 7360, Radio Belarus, 2150-2200, May 16, English programming with local pop music program. Into listed Russian at 2200. Fair to good signal but audio somewhat muffled as usual. Much weaker on // 7390 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BENIN. 1566, TWR Africa's program schedules changed on Sunday 30.3.2008. New schedule: 0200-0435 & 1600-2045 UT. Website: http://www.twrafrica.org/Programmes-2/benin.asp (TWR Web site; via ARC MV-Eko Apr 28 via BC-DX May 15 via DXLD) Meanwhile we already had a report that this schedule is mislabeled UTC+1 while it is really UT, so I suspect it is still signing on at 0300 UT, not 0200, right? A lot of other stuff has been added to website including photos of the Benin station: http://www.twrafrica.org/Gallery/benin-project.asp --- make that the surroundings of the Benin station (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL, 4854.9 [sic; must mean 4754.9 as below and listed], Radio Inmaculada Conceiçao, Campo Grande, 0535-06010, 17-05, programa religioso en portugués, se identifica como "Radio Maria", "2 horas 40 minutos, horário de Brasília, Rádio Maria". Direcciones y teléfonos de São Paulo, "A Igreja de Cristo", canciones religiosas. Buena señal. 35433 pasando más tarde a 25432 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escucha realizada en casco urbano de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 8 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4754.9, Rádio Imaculada Conceição (Campo Grande), 0418-0433, 5/16/2008, Portuguese. Religious call-in program. Talk, a short prayer, and a few bars of music for each caller. Longer musical selection at 0430. Moderate signal with static from local storms (SINPO 34232). Announcements by man and woman at 0433 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, TenTec RX-340, Drake R8B, RF Space SDR-14, 90' Random Wire, Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4805: see PERU ** BRAZIL. 5997.6, R. Senado (tentative), 0939 17 May, end of Portuguese talk by M, then brief music bridge and more talk. Fading and getting horrible QRM from Australia 5995. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) Senado nominal 5990; don`t recall any others reports of their being so far off (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Re 8-060, CRI relay on 9665: Thanks. And they also have the break 0200-0300 as listed. 314 beam at 0300 is good for you, much better than 215 at 0100 (Mauno Ritola, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Instead of 314, I previously said 250 degrees by mistake, reading the power listing (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Firedrake check, May 14 1314 found lots of regulars such as 15285, also some I had not noticed before, 15330, 15795 and even propagating on 17565, long path? Despite usual poor signals overall on 16m. Aoki has the answers: 15330 is BBC Uzbek via Cyprus during this semihour only. 15795 is All India Radio, Chinese via Bangalore at 1145-1315. 17565, however, is unaccounted for not only in Aoki, but Eibi, HFCC, and WRTH, so bears further investigation [see below]. Firedrake was also audible before 1300 on 14410 vs Sound of Hope (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also HAWAII 6010, Firedrake/music jamming, 1012, May 15, Colombia and Mexico do not have a chance against this jamming, still on at 1048, against ? (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looking around for Firedrake jamming on different frequencies than heard before: May 15 until 1300* on 15470. No target in Aoki to account for that, but see SAUDI ARABIA. Firedrake also good but fluttery on 14410 at 1333, vs Sound of Hope, inaudible, and presumably one of their little 1 kW transmitters, but worth jamming with 100 kW or more. At 1342, FD also on 17575, but not 17565 where heard the day before around the same time. Again, nothing in Aoki to explain it other than this, which I think does jump around to avoid jamming, all daily, 100 kW, 131 degrees from Tashkent UZB 6909E4113N VOTi a08: 17557*VOICE OF TIBET 1045-1145 Chinese (17610 [alternate or ex?]) 17557*VOICE OF TIBET 1145-1215 Tibetan 17557*VOICE OF TIBET 1215-1245 Chinese 17557*VOICE OF TIBET 1330-1400 Tibetan The morning of May 17, Firedrake musical jamming was all over the place, so I checked some of them out, here arranged in frequency rather than logging time order. Victims looked up in Aoki: 17565, the Firedrake jammer against variable V. of Tibet via Uzbekistan was on here until 1400* and did not return later. The day before yesterday was on 17575, the day before that on 17565. 15285, FD very good mixing with BBCWS Chinese ID (via Singapore) at 1359. This one produces an interesting effect by tuning to 15280 or 15290 during the high-audio-frequency segments, which I have not noticed on other FD outlets. Sort of like listening to a different version of the music. With BFO on, no spurious carriers on the sidebands, however. 14410, FD as Sound of Hope jammer at 1411. SOH not audible. 13830, FD audible at 1350, vs inaudible RFA Tibetan via Tajikistan. 13365, first one checked, FD at 1349 // 11990 and all the others. 13365 presumably against one of the inaudible low-power Sound of Hope transmitters. Rather than turning off at hourtop for monitoring check, 13365 was in open carrier at 1402, resuming music at 1404:30. 12040, FD very good at 1412, but with SAH of about 5 Hz and victim audible under, VOA Chinese via Philippines. 11990 at 1349, FD vs inaudible VOA Chinese via Novosibirsk. 11965 at 1417, weak FD vs inaudible VOA Chinese via Tinang. 11805 at 1415, FD overriding RHC Spanish, not usually the case. Commies vs Commies! Vs. inaudible VOA Chinese via Tinian. 11665 at 1413 FD; vs inaudible RTI Chinese. 11510 at 1413 FD mixing with something, i.e. VOA Tibetan via Sri Lanka. 9845 at 1421, FD, SAH and co-channel audible from victim, VOA Chinese via Tinang 9605 at 1420, FD mixing with Chinese, BBCWS via Singapore. 9450 at 1418, FD against a hi-power Taiwan Sound of Hope, with SAH. These are just the tip of the Firedrake iceberg, against many more victims if I had kept digging or FE propagation were even better. How can China expect any respect from the nations whose broadcasts it tries to block, let alone from the world at large? Firedrake musical jamming check Sunday May 18, noting some differences from the day before: 17565, poor at 1336, so must be the current jumpy frequency of V. of Tibet via Uzbekistan? Not 17557 as in Aoki, but probably lands there upon occasion. Ends at 1400. 17550, FD at 1406, no doubt vs V. of Tibet via Madagascar, which I believe does not jump around or vary. Starts at 1400. 14410 and 13345, FD at 1411, both against low-power Sounds of Hopes. 14410 had quite a good signal but with flutter. The 13345 transmitter was on 13365 the day before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Sichuan PBS (SCBS) Minority Service-Chengdu off air --- I can't receive SCBS-Chengdu on 7225 kHz from the evening (local time) of May 12; may be damage for Wenchuan-Sichuan Earthquake. 6060 kHz-Xichang continues giving a service (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC- HQ, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6060, Sichuan PBS-2, 1331-1404, May 13, in Chinese, not the usual music programming due to the devastating earthquake in that area, mostly just man and woman having conversation, some Chinese ballads. Even with the quake this is still on the air. For the last few weeks has been heard with above average reception, fair to almost good (Ron Howard, Carmel, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Some CNR-1`s start broadcast for 24 hours on SW and MW. I confirmed that CNR-1 was done Service of to May 13 after 1735 UT on 13840 kHz- Nanning. And 4820, 6200 kHz of Tibet PBS-XZDT Lhasa relay CNR-1. 4820 XZDT-Chinese until 1800, after CNR-1. 6200 XZDT-Tibetan until 1805, after CNR-1. I can receive CNR-1 MW on 981, 1359, 1593 kHz after 1800; location is unidentified. I seem to be the relations of Wenchuan-Sichuan Earthquake. http://www.cnr.cn/tupian/200805/t20080513_504787294.html de Hiroshi (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, May 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Sei-ichi, thank you, yes at 1750 13840 kHz is // 6200 kHz, but not 4820 kHz. Chinese DX-page suggested AM: 1134 639 747 909 1035 756 1008 1359 HF: 5935 6200 7125 7230 7275 13840 15380, but I couldn't hear others than 13840 kHz (Mauno Ritola, Finland, May 14, BC-DX via DXLD) CNR TEMPORARY INCREASE SERVICE FOR EARTHQUAKE AREAS IN SICHUAN according to CNR-1 May 15. 1134 1100-0100 5935 1100-0100 6200 1100-0100 7125 24 hrs 7230 0000-1500 7275 1100-2300 13840 0100-1500 15380 2300-1100 http://www.cnr.cn/2008zt/scdz/zxbd/200805/t20080515_504789779.html (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, May 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6060, Sichuan PBS-2, 1315-1355, May 15, in Chinese, BoH into program of on-air phone calls about the quake (some emotional - one woman crying), parallel 7225 has resumed broadcasting, clearly heard under VOA in Korean (slight gap from 1359:35* when they change from Thailand to Tinian *1400:10). After 1355 started to fade out. Also heard Myanmar (5985) and Laos (6130) with fair reception today (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6060, Sichuan PBS-2, 1231-1300*, May 17, assume in Yui (per Aoki, 1230-1300), clearly not Chinese, ToH transmitter briefly off, *1300 into Chinese programming. At 1313 noted // 9740. 7225 very poor, far under VOA. 9740, Sichuan PBS-1 (presumed), 1225-1230, May 17, thanks again for another timely tip from S. Hasegawa, heard in Chinese, relay of CNR-1 (// 5030), under BBC in English. Assume relay of CNR-1 only till BoH, as at 1238 was not // to 5030. At 1313 noted // 6060. So they only relay other programming? (Ron Howard, Monterey/Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13840 CNR Sichuan PBS: Monitored 2200-2215 carrying DIFFERENT programming compared to 9740. Steady signal but side QRM from WWCR [13845] - 43343. Reception on 9740 weaker than my last posting but still fair signal. 73's (Dan Goldfarb, Brentwood, England, May 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Because they are different stations. CNR is the nationwide broadcaster at Beijing, which produces a special service for Sichuan, and that's what 13840 carries. PBS Sichuan is the Sichuan province station at Chengdu, and its first program (otherwise FM/MW only) is at present relayed on 9740, perhaps from different sites day and night. See earlier messages here for more details (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 17, ibid.) I can receive Sichuan PBS(SCBS)-1 in Chinese on 9740 kHz, now operating 24 hrs. Usually MW and FM only. Unknown transmitter site. QRM'ed by BBC-Kranji at 0900-1600 and 2200-0200. de Hiroshi (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, May 17, ibid.) Good reception here in the UK on 9740 kHz at 1745 UT on 17 May 2008, parallel to the online stream from Sichuan iRadio 95.5 FM (through Reciva on my Logik IR100) (Tony Rogers, Birmingham, UK, AOR 7030+ / LW, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Monitoring of temporary service CNR-1 and Sichuan PBS, Monitoring at May 12 to 18. CNR-1 Zhong guo zhi sheng-V. of China in Chinese: 24 hrs 5930, 6200, 7125kHz (Unknown TX site) 7230 (Xian 594) 7275 (1100-2300) / 15380 (2300-1100) (Beijing 572) 13840 (Nanning 954) 4825 (Unknown site) May 12 and 13 only. Sichuan PBS-Sichuan Regional service: Sichuan PBS-1 in Chinese 9740 kHz 24 hrs Audio file; May 17 at 1653-1701 UT de S.Aoki http://ndxc.org/aoki/binews/ab/scbs_1-20080517-1653_9740.mp3 Sichuan PBS-2 Minority service in Chinese, Tibetan and Yui: 6060 kHz 24hrs 7225 kHz 2130-1515 (NDXC-HQ, S. Hasegawa, Japan, ibid.) CNR 1 on new A-08 frequency of 13840 is interfering with RNZI as heard here between 2300 and 0158 UT, May 17 and 18. RNZI switch to DRM at 0200, May 17 blocked CNR but CNR strong after 0200 May 18. Listed on Aoki and Nagoya websites as on 24 hours a day from May 13 and transmitter site Nanning. Media Network reports RNW having to move Dutch, 1600 to 1700, from 13840 to 13740 because of CNR interference. [see also NETHERLANDS]. Wonder if RNZI will have to do likewise [see also NEW ZEALAND] (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. BD5RV sent a note on QRZ.com and requested two frequencies be kept cleared for emergency work in the quake area. They are: 7050 and 7060. Chinese linguists might be able to listen and pick up other frequencies. 73 (Ray, W5XE, May 12 UDXF yg via DXLD) Hi, Glenn. Would you consider posting a request to stay off the 40M and 80M frequencies being used by Chinese hams to support disaster recovery in the areas hit by that 7.8 quake Monday? These frequencies may be of interest to hams and the SWL community for reception attempts, as the requests to keep them clear are world-wide. The freqs are 7.05 MHz, 7.06 MHz, and 14.270 MHz. [7050, 7060, 14270 kHz] Supporting info is at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/13/10095/?nc=1 and Thanks, and very 73, de – (Mike Andrews, W5EGO, mikea@mikea.ath.cx Tired old sysadmin May 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Re 8-060, Easy FM's "China Drive" on CRI's SW frequencies. This programme is indeed intended mainly for the domestic audience but it is relayed daily for listeners abroad on CRI frequencies and has been ever since it started a year or two ago. I think the confusion arises because the presenters at various times refer to their station as "Easy FM" and at others as "China Radio International". By the way, there are two editions of the programme, i.e. morning and evening. As far as I know, only the morning edition is relayed to listeners abroad. The female co-presenter on the morning programme has poor diction and is often difficult to understand. Her Canadian male presenter also needs to brush up his diction, in my opinion at least (Roger Tidy, UK, May 13, WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. 6210, Radio Kahuzi, 1740 May 16, Unshackled program in English. 1749 ID in English by Richard McDonald (I recognized his voice.) One song. 1753 French. 1759 another ID by Richard and into VOA in English at 1800 (Remote receiver [where??] via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CONGO DR [non]. SUDAFRICA, 11890, Radio Okapi, 1652-1659, escuchada el 13 de mayo en Lingala a locutor con comentarios acompañado de música de fondo, despedida con referencia al Lingala; desde las 1654 locutor en francés con comentarios, referencias a la “escolarización”, locutor y locutora en francés con despedida referencia al Congo, SINPO 45433 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [and non]. TIRWR, 11870, May 16 at 1313, with a wavering het. This one has been off-frequency before, and now I expect it is this transmitter with is somewhat unstable compared to another 11870 station, which would be IBB Tinang, Philippines; after 1330, however, RVA Palauig, Philippines takes over, and it too could be unstable/off frequency. In any event, unlistenable due to WYFR 11865 splatter. Checked again May 17 at 1342, Defunct Gene Scott with same warbling het, but now it`s against RVA, so the same thing happens against two different 11870 stations, further confirming the problem is at Cahuita, which is slightly on the low side. BTW, TIRWR has not been heard at all on 9725 mornings or evenings for a good many days (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [non]. via Germany, 9470, Voice of Croatia, 0600-0603, May 16, short English news bulletin to 0603. ID. Instrumental music at 0604. Weak but readable. Very weak on // 6165-via Croatia. Via Germany, 9925, Voice of Croatia, 0200-0215, May 16, English "Croatia Today" program with news, sports & weather. Very good, strong signal. Still announcing they are on both 7285 & 9925 until May 15, but 7285 not heard. Heard // 3984.81-via Croatia-weak but readable (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) When the 25mb is mostly silent around 0700, with the exception of that small but powerful 10 kW Radio Australia 12080 Brandon and CVC 11665 in Spanish, Croatian Radio 11690 is practically a local here. Dominant and very strong signal (should be delightful for classical music!) Yes, I must be right in the middle of those 270º from Nauen. Fading takes place around 0830. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica. Sony ICF7600GRA + short INV "V", May 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. RHC anomaly report: May 17 at various chex between 1325 and 1414, 11760 was just open unmodulated carrier. 11805 was modulated, but under Firedrake at 1415 --- Commies vs Commies! 12000 also had co- channel QRM, from VOR Chinese via Khabarovsk (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. I tuned past 6000 kHz at 0330 UTC 05/16, and just by chance caught the start of a 5-minute "special news bulletin" presented by Arnie Coro, summarizing a roundtable discussion that was apparently held in Havana on the topic of anti-Castro broadcasts from the US to Cuba over the years (or as he put it, "the United States of America's radio and television aggression against the Cuban nation"). He briefly covered everything from Radio Swan to the current airborne broadcasts, and needless to say it was a bit of a shock hear Arnie talking about Radio Marti and the like. I'm not familiar enough with RHC's schedule to know if it might repeat later in the evening, but if so it's definitely worth a check (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Evening repeat cycle of RHC English is 2-hourly, so should show again at 0530. I recorded it at 0530 but 6000 was too weak to overcome local noise well, and it is not very intelligible; could not use 6180 because of VOA QRM, and 6060 was no good either. Did anyone get a decent recording? Or perhaps Arnie will post his script for this like he does for DXUL. Strangely enough, intelligibility greatly improved at 0535 with the non-processed announcers. Maybe that needs some rethinking (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn-- I wasn't around at 0530 but left recording software running on my computer, and it looks like I got a reasonable-quality recording of it here from 6000 kHz. I'll post the segment in the files section of the group (Mark Schiefelbein, ibid.) Tnx, Mark; there was really nothing new in it, well-known info about such operations. This had been the subject of the day`s roundtable. They may well have pulled the background/history off the internet. BTW, these ``news updates`` on the half-hour, tho read by Arnie, are attributed to some other writer. Strangely enough such things are called ``anti-Cuban`` even tho they were carried out by Cubans (exiles, that is). Are the wormy exiles any less Cuban? For the dentroCubans, there is no gray area. Patria o suerte, ¡Pensaremos! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECHIA. Radio Prague - special programme and QSL card today (Sunday) This weekend we celebrate what is for all of us here at Vinohradská 12 a rather important birthday. May 18 was the day back in 1923 when Czechoslovakia began its first regular radio broadcasts. To mark the event we shall be bringing you a special programme on Sunday, looking back to those pioneering days. Here is a quick foretaste of what we have in store. It all started exactly 85 years ago at 8.30 pm on May 18 1923, and the opening announcement went like this: "This is the broadcasting station Radiojournal in Kbely near Prague. We are broadcasting on the frequency 1150 metres." The announcer was Míla Kocová - who in those pioneering days also doubled as the radio company Radiojournal's secretary! At the time it was a private company - the state didn't acquire a majority stake until a couple of years later - and at the beginning radio was still very much a toy for the rich. This was to change very fast indeed and by 1938 there were well over a million radio licence holders in Czechoslovakia. As far as the content is concerned, in the pioneering days they would only broadcast in the evening - with music, sports news and weather forecasts from the Meteorological Office. There were no news bulletins and the nearest they came to news was a quick glance in the papers, which Míla Kocová would buy on the way to work. Radiojournal did not move to our current headquarters until the mid 1930s. In fact the first studio was a canvas tent, set up next to the transmitter in Kbely on the eastern edge of Prague. In Sunday's programme we shall be hearing an archive recording of Radiojournal's very first sound engineer recalling how they used to have to chase stray dogs away - and when the wind got up they would retreat into the wooden shack by the transmitter. We shall also have an early recording of President Tomás Masaryk, reminding a group of 1920s schoolchildren to wash and exercise regularly, and the head of Radiojournal's music department in the mid 20s warning listeners of the dangers to the nervous system presented by casual listening to the radio. And a highlight will be a rare recording of the great German writer Thomas Mann, in exile in Czechoslovakia 1936, calling for radio to be used as a tool to enlighten the masses. His message has a particular poignancy given that this was a time when Goebbels was using radio propaganda to do just the opposite. http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104115 (programme available online) It was previously reported that there will be a special QSL issued to verify radio reports (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) I haven`t heard anything from R. Slovakia International about this anniversary! Aren`t they equally heirs to it as part of Czechoslovakia then, or were and are the Czechs more equal than the Slovax? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tuned in today to Radio Prague 13580 at 1300 to hear their 85th Anniversary Program. One of my first QSL's is from Radio Prague back in 1967 and I certainly recall listening to them back in 1968. Brought back some memories of my early days with shortwave listening with a Knight-Kit Star Roamer (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, May 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) For special QSL purposes, how do R. Prague define ``May 18`` -- ending at 2200 UT = midnight local? Ending at 2400 UT? Or do the evening repeats to NAm the next UT day qualify? And what about the WRMI, Sackville relays sites? (gh, DXLD) Good question! As I suggested to someone else earlier today it might be best to listen to one of their broadcasts prior to 0000 today. Having said that, they may not be to strict on the time realizing that the broadcasts go out at different times around the world and some might not be cognizant about dates and times as we might be. (Steve Lare, ibid.) It's the local date in the target area. The broadcast day for each language is clearly indicated on the website. For English it starts at 0700 and ends at 0357 (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) You would think so, but since they make such a point of reporting on one and only one day, they should make it explicit along with the QSL offer (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, RTD, *0300-0315, May 13, Arabic. Sign-on with NA; announcer with sign-on announcement followed by Call to Prayer at 0302; ancr from 0311 thru tune-out when signal had slipped under band noise; poor-fair (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R8, R75, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [and non]. Finally had a chance to check out HCJB`s ham- transmitter on 21455, supposedly USB but recently reported as LSB. May 16 around 1830 a weak signal, but it was in German and equally LSB/USB --- that`s WYFR to Europe, weak enough to be HCJB but which uses this frequency 1600-1945, with HCJB before and after. At 2038 in Spanish, now it`s really HCJB and yes, reduced carrier plus USB, not LSB, very weak. So there (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9250, R Nile / Cairo, 2012 May 17 with signal of S7 over a S3 noise background with 10 db preamplifer but just only a carrier with sporadic programming. ID at 2021 by woman but then seemed again a vacant carrier (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Radio Africa. In a follow up email to Albert Asante (agent for R. Africa in Ghana), I asked if they listened to just SW or did they also have local AM-FM stations carrying R. Africa programming. He responded: "We in Ghana listen to Radio Africa only on the shortwave radio" (Ron Howard, CA, May 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. BELGIUM(non) New additional station via TDP: Addis Dimts Radio in Amharic: 1600-1700 on 17875 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Sun (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. ALEMANIA, 11640, Radio Xorillo Ogadenia, 1645-1650, escuchada el 13 de mayo en idioma somalí a locutor con comentarios presentando segmento musical, música folklórica local, cánticos con coros y música instrumental, SINPO 55444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Or rather Xoriyo without Castilian influence ** FRANCE. RFI's English broadcast announced today the launch of http://rfienglish.com -- which takes users to a home page at http://rfi.fr with news stories in English. Pages listing daily programs and shortwave frequencies have been updated, though there is no mention of the availability of English-language broadcasts via satellite. Two of RFI's English broadcasts can be heard daily on Ku- band MPEG satellite in the U.S., as well as on other satellites around the world (Mike Cooper, GA, May 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Linx to program schedule http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/001/article_1.asp which does not mention Club 9516, unless it`s just one of the unspecified `daily features`. Exists-it still? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: You're right -- Club 9516 is not mentioned, but neither are feature programs that run during the latter part of the broadcasts during the week. Club 9516 still airs on Sundays -- in fact, I got mentioned again this week for having submitted a correct entry to the weekly News Quiz. David Page read details from my postcard in which I mentioned meeting Atlanta-based RFI correspondent Anne Toulouse at a news event I was covering for the Voice of America, which he described as "another radio network" instead of mentioning VOA by name (Mike Cooper, May 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. TRUCKRADIO GONE FROM MEDIUMWAVE The commercial German station Truckradio ceased to transmit on mediumwave this week. Jülich 702, Nordkirchen 855 and presumably also Hirschlanden 738 were switched off on Monday or Tuesday, and today Burg 531 has been turned off as well. At present the web stream and the fully subsidized DAB relays at Halle/Saale and Magdeburg (local 1.5 GHz ensembles only) are still on but with music only, and today nobody could be reached at Truckradio anymore, so it's not even sure if this continued playout is intended at all. Those who can point a satellite dish at 23.5 deg. East could check if the Astra 3A transmission on 11.515 GHz h is still on. This is or was a 64 kbps mono signal, merely meant as feed to the mediumwave transmitters. A peculiarity of Truckradio was or perhaps still is that they had live relays of Deutsche Welle German for TOH news. Gossip has it that Truckradio could do these rebroadcasts free of charge, but details of this arrangement are unknown. The problem is here that companies like dpa-RUFA (audio service of Deutsche Presseagentur) and BLR/Radiodienst offer news for commercial stations (including RTL Radio in German; this "national station for Germany" has not even an own news department), so one could argue that this arrangement deprived either company from attracting Truckradio as a customer (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) What means ``Truck`` in English, and rhymes it with Druck? (gh) ** GERMANY [and non]. We have our transmitter active on 6005 kHz from 8h00 to 20h00 UT so we don't interfere with your signal on 6005 in the evening. If you are interested in seeing some pictures of our transmittersite you can have a quick look here: http://www.classicbroadcast.de Best regards from hot Euskirchen (Christian Milling, Radio 700, Germany, May 13, to and via Drita Çiço, R. Tirana Monitoring, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tirana being on 6005 at 2030-2200. So far I`ve seen reports of this only from Europe, including from Fransson, Sweden as early as 0525. Ascension is scheduled on 6005 until the odd hour of 0710, but that`s pretty late in summer for Radio 700 to possibly propagate to NAm. If the sked maintains, maybe we shall have a chance later in summer or fall (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Christian Milling contact: Radio 700 on 6005 kHz, 1 kW, from Kall Krekel near German-LUX border at present on the air daily 0800-2000 (rather -2007 UT when DLF news ends) UT. http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=50.477837&lon=6.522951&z=17.8&r=0&src=msl N o t Wertachtal 100 kW! (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, May 17, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. Frequency change of Deutsche Welle in Arabic: 1700-2000 NF 15445 KIG 250 kW / 325 deg, ex 15420 (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) so clear for WBCQ, q.v. USA ** HAWAII. 10320-USB, AFN, May 15 at 0610 with NPR news items from Myanmar, Chengdu, US politix; weak but readable. Yes, per http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/AFNRadio.aspx which is in UT -7, NPR news is scheduled at 0608-0613 UT, so it`s delayed 7 minutes. NPR news only appears at a few other times on the sked, always at H+:08: 0508, 1208, 1408; but Morning Edition runs at 10-12, and ATC at 21-2230. Night frequency for the Pearl Harbor transmitter is 6350, but 0610 is apparently not ``night`` yet tho it`s 2010 local HST, well after dark. Full AFN SW Sked: http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/ShortWave.aspx (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. Glenn: You might be interested in the fact that the North Korean Broadcasts and some of the other WHR broadcasts which elicited jamming from either the North Korean or Chinese governments seem to have disappeared from the WHR schedules. I tried to find them today in their Angel 3 schedule and they have vanished. I guess in this case the jamming won out! Hope you’re doing well --- you surely are doing a fine job with the SW/DX News. Keep up the good work! Sincerely, (Dan Henderson, Laurel, Maryland 20723-1136 USA, May 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But Sound of Hope is still on the 9930 sked M-F 14-17, a big jamming target. I also see: 1200-1300 Wed Hoa-Mai Radio Nguyen Cong-Bang 12130 But I don`t suppose that is jammed (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I was specifically talking about the North Korean transmissions that were on 9930 previously, and were jammed. They are no longer on the sked. The Hoa-Mai transmission is not jammed as far as I can tell. I'll check out the Sound of Hope myself later on if I can (Dan Henderson, ibid.) [Later:] Glenn: Boy, was I wrong about the Sound of Hope -- Firedrake jamming all over it. I just think it was interesting that 3 months ago WHR had at least 2 different '[Korean] Cultural programming' slots --- and jammers were immense during several hours. It seems to be cut down to just the Sound of Hope, which is only Chinese oriented (Falun Gong). I had wondered myself why a western religious-oriented station was getting into politics with some of the programming they were transmitting from Hawaii. It seems as if they have stopped that for Korea. I do note that CVC Darwin has picked up some of it, however (Dan Henderson, May 15, ibid.) ** INDIA. 9425, AIR at 1930-1940 with News in English. Very good with polar flutter, May 17/08. Signal at 1945 to weak, direction change? (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, AB, Icom R71A, 7-30 MHz Log Periodic (stuck at 0 degrees), DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, supposedly stays at 18 degrees from Bangalore all the way from 1320 to 2440 (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA. For some days the AIR National channel on 9470 via Aligarh at 1320-0043 was not heard. Instead some spurious signals were noted around 9510. This was informed to the concerned officials yesterday and since yesterday (12 May 08) 9470 was found OK. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9525.97, V. of Indonesia, 1259-1306 May 13. Japanese closing with web/e-mail addresses given; English ID at 1301 was followed by Korean with web info given again, then into talk by OM. Strong here, S9+20 dB (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. VOI has been pretty regular on 9526 lately, best before 1400, but May 17 at 1419 must have been off, as CRI Russian had no het at all to 9525. But May 18 at 1419, they were both on with the usual 1-kHz het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Not sucking enough bandwidth? Try LiveNewsCameras.com. "LiveNewsCameras, currently in beta version, a site that attempts to collect, organize and feature a maximum of live video streams from news sites in the US and abroad. 'LiveNewsCameras.com brings together the resources of journalists around the world and makes live streaming video easy to find and use on your computer,' says the site in its 'About' section. The site's sources are mostly US-based so far, but it aims to gain international reach, already including feeds from broadcasters such as BBC World and Al Jazeera." The Editors Weblog, 14 May 2008. (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) At http://www.LiveNewsCameras.com the home page links to several U.S. television stations. As befits the URL, some are the stations' live webcams, but others are newscasts and new reports from the stations. For persons outside the United States who have English, this is a good way to get a sense of life in America. Go to the World link, and you might think you have transported to international television heaven. The links to CCTV9, France 24 (in English, French, and Arabic), BBC World, Pakistan's Dawn TV, the Pentagon Channel, Iran's Press TV, RAInews 24 (in Italian), Ireland's RTÉ.ie, Sky Italy, and Sky UK all produced video. Most seem to be live feeds, but the BBC World link always started at the beginning of a newscast. The links to Aljazeera (unsure whether English or Arabic), NHK-TV, Russia Today, and Sky Australia did not work when I tried at 1800 UT. There is no link to EuroNews. A live feed from the bustling LiveNewsCamercas.com control room starts automatically in the upper right corner, with an employee offering advice on use of the site. It's annoying, but easily clicked off. Posted: 15 May 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) ** IRAN [non]. Re 8-060: "Now that Morocco is no longer involved, Farda is a lot harder to hear in CNAm. Any suggestions about best frequencies here or in ENAm?" I have found 7280 to be reasonably reliable for receiving Radio Farda here in suburban Cleveland during local evenings (0200-0400 UT). Other frequencies have not been heard. I have not tried at other times. Radios used: Sony 2010, Sony ICF SW7600, Grundig YB400. Antenna is approx. 35 feet of wire between house and garage aimed east/west (Greg Neide, Euclid, OH, May 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s Wertachtal at 105 degrees, starting at 0030 (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. 15785.0, Galei Zahal, 2130-2145, May 16, Hebrew talk. Local pop music. Techno-pop dance music. Phone talk. // 6973.0. Both frequencies fair to good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [and non]. NHK Warido R. Japan via Sackville, 11705, May 17 at 1423 during World Interactive also had a weak pre-echo, indicating another transmitter site also on 11705. In fact, we found it odd that in A-08, Yamata is also registered to 11705 at 1315-1430, 235 degrees in various languages, and indeed we heard it earlier at 1315, but it`s normally inaudible, and I thought it really went off at 1400, but the current schedule http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/radio/shortwave/all.pdf does show 11705 as in English at 1400-1430 to SE Asia, following Indonesian at 1315. This was an above-average ``FE morning``, cf all the Firedrakes, CHINA. Good signal with music on 13630, May 18 at 1413 initially seemed Solh- like, but not when the Japanese lyrix came thru. And yes, // but not synch with NHK 11705 via Canada. 13630 is Skelton at 70 degrees, but I suppose might be useful in NE America, too close to Sackville for the 1400-1430 English broadcast. 11815 in Japanese at 1417 had annoying het from REE Costa Rica, still off-frequency 11814. This is a problem only on Sundays as Cariari does not start `11815` until 1800 on weekdays, 1600 on Saturdays, but 1200 on Sundays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [and non]. NHK Warido is adding 15650 at 1300-1515 in Bengali and other languages, eastward via Wertachtal, despite the fact that DW is already using 15650 at 1400-1457 for Amharic via Rwanda. NHK first picked 15630, apparently not realizing that Greece was axually using that frequency and not the alternate 15650. Another frequency for the NHK broadcast is 15215, also Wertachtal. Possibly this will really be on only one or the other (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. VOK, 11710 in English to NAm, May 14 at 1322 was somewhat distorted and just strong enough to carry along with it the more distorted spur, which this time was centered between 11645 and 11646. VOK, 11710, English to NAm running long until 1356 then open carrier until 1400 IS and opening French, but then marred by NHKWRJ Sackville 11705 splatter. Not enough signal for the 11645v spur to make it thru today May 15 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. U.K.(non) Some changes of VT Communications relays: Radio Free Chosun in Korean to North Korea 1200-1300 on 11540 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg, additional frequency 1200-1300 NF 12125 ERV 300 kW / 065 deg, ex 15755 North Korea Reform Radio in Korean to North Korea 1300-1330 NF 9950 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg, ex 9940 to avoid VOIROI Dari 1330-1400 on 9585 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg, additional transmission Voice of Wilderness in Korean to North Korea 1300-1400 NF 11570*ERV 300 kW / 065 deg, ex 15710 to avoid Cairo, WHRA 1300-1400 on 11640 IRK 250 kW / 155 deg, additional frequency * co-ch KTWR and Radio Pakistan Free North Korea Radio in Korean to North Korea 1400-1600 on 11560#DB 300 kW / 070 deg, ex 1330-1530 via ERV/DB 1900-2100 on 7530 DB 300 kW / 070 deg, additional txion # co-ch WYFR in English/Hindi Voice of Free Radio in Korean to North Korea, new station 1600-1630 NF 11640 ERV 300 kW / 065 deg, ex 1100-1130 on 15755 (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DXLD) ** LAOS. via DX Tuner Hong Kong: 6130, Lao National Radio (presumed), no gongs at 1200 May 13, but a nice signal with what sounded like news, mentions of Myanmar. I tried to find the regional station at Sam Neua checking 4648, 4678, and 4695, but no joy (Hans Johnson, FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Hans: Sometimes Sam Neua can be heard as early as 1100 and usually right around 4678-4679. How do you like the new Global Tuner system compared to the old DX Tuner operation? I haven’t had much chance to do anything with DX the last several weeks and haven’t used Global Tuners that much thus far (Bruce Churchill, CA, ibid.) Thanks, it is OK; they have a lot less rigs (Hans Johnson, ibid.) ** LAOS [non]. Hmong Lao Radio via WHRI, Sat May 17 at 1330, talk and bits of traditional music, no rap, thank a god. Altho a good signal, this is no longer the super-signal it used to be from 250 kW Angel 2. It has been demoted to 100 kW Angel 6, as implied but not stated in the WHR online schedules, and confirmed in registrations as 100 kW now while in B-07 this was 250 kW, still at 315 degrees toward Hminnesota. IBB Udorn at 30 degrees toward us + Firedrake still audible underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. I sent off a very detailed reception report on 4-7 for the Voice of Africa. I was amazed when I open my mail box today to find an envelope from the Voice of Africa. The envelope has three very nice stamps on it. When I opened the envelope, much to my dismay, there was no QSL card enclosed. The envelope contain three nice cards each with a photo of ancient ruins and on the reverse side was a caption for the photo in Arabic and English and a lot of printing in Arabic as well as a logo that is related to the Voice of Africa but nothing written by hand or typed. In addition there was a preprinted reception report form as well. So no QSL card or any form of confirmation that I see. Has anyone else had this experience with them? I have read that they seldom verify but I assumed that meant they just did not respond to reception reports. I sent my report to an address in Libya and to an address in Malta; the Malta mailing came back as undeliverable. Thanks, (Mike Rohde, May 17, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. 9875, Radio Vilnius, 2332-2359*, May 16, English news. Features on local school & local resort town. IDs. Sign off with local music. Booming in with a very good signal. In the clear without any sign of Chinese music jammer. 11690, Radio Vilnius, *0000-0100*, May 17, Sign on with local music & programming in Lithuanian. English at 0029-0100 with news at 0031 and repeat of 2330 broadcast. Just like the 9875 frequency they were booming in with a very good signal. In the clear without any sign of Chinese music jammer (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 7270, Wai FM via RTM (presumed), 1405-1428, May 13, in vernacular, woman DJ with EZL pop songs and ballads, phone conversations, doing better than co-channel PBS Nei Menggu (Ron Howard, Carmel, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 15295, Voice of Malaysia (Kajang) (presumed), 1206-1212, 5/17/2008, Chinese. Talk by man followed by local pop music at 1210. Poor signal (SINPO 24222), but best reception on this frequency in years. Usually have local noise here, but barely audible below VoM this morning. Parallel with similar signal noted on 11884.7 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, TenTec RX-340, Drake R8B, RF Space SDR-14, 90' Random Wire, Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MALI. 9635, RTVM, Bamako, *0800-0820, May 16, Sign on with French ID announcements along with tune on local instrument. French and vernacular talk after 0801. Some indigenous music at 0804. Weak but readable (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOLDOVA. 9665, Voice of Russia in English at 0300 with an interesting program of classical music called Music and Musicians, although this program featured a Russian orchestra conductor. 0430 UT with Kaleidoscope. S/off at 0459 UT. Very strong May 18/08 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, AB, Sangean (Emerson) ATS-803a portable with whip, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So you had no problem with CRI via Brasília at 03-04 as I do? (gh, OK, ibid.) ** MOROCCO. Re this from Wolfgang: ``The station had previously a warm-up start from 0845/0850 UT, so is still a puzzle, I'll check the 10 to 11 UT slot tomorrow. Acc to Noel's check I guess switch-on time at Nador is about 1045 UT warm-up now?`` and Kai: ``Also for 15340, and let's say as real operational parameters? WRTH specifies the target of this frequency as Europe. If it is really run with an antenna aiming at 110 deg. the weak signal would of course be no surprise, and of course this would in reality not be a service for Europe!`` I monitored 15340 from about 0855 on May 13, and I could hear a carrier in severe side-splash from CRI Russian on 15335. RTM - or should we now call it Radio Marocaine (or SNRT to save so much typing!) - started with programming at 0900 UT. The signal is peaking to 9+ and dropping back to near zero at times on the meter. And modulation continues to be very low. It probably is back radiation that is reaching me, and the rest is meant for elsewhere in Africa. Briech was the one really meant for Europe, and probably it was thought that the two adjacent signals (15335 and 15340) would not interfere with each other in their respective target areas. Looking at Wolfy's map, 110 degrees seems to be a very strange azimuth to use, and not to where most Arabic speaking people live. 73 (Noel R. Green (NW England), May 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Morocco 15340 was on today already at 0930, so the sign-on seems to be irregular. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Came home late, so, 1028 UT RTM Nador program was still in progress. May 13, S=5-7 fades jumping. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Hi Wolfy, BTW just curious; where do you get the official current data for Nador 15340 or do you refer to 9575 kHz with: "Official data says 110 degr from Nador" 73, (Mauno Ritola, via Büschel, ibid.) Never reached first class info the western DX scene about Nador facilities. 110 degrees is old info from a RTM letter some 10-15 years ago. Also Friedewald had this azimuth on 15340/15345 channels. But latter could be wrong info. Nador 15 MHz was NEVER strong here in Germany!!! Only sidelobe! I measured the G.E. imagery two years ago too, in July 2006. The upper, easterly corner masts are left 31 mb double-row dipoles [95 meters wide], right 19 mb double-row dipoles [56 meters wide]. in 128 / 308 degrees direction. 128 degr = Algeria, Niger, Chad, CAR, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar 308 degr = Algarve, Lisbon, New Brunswick, Chicago. Equal array on the southern corner at 30 / 210 degrees. 30 degr = Andorra, Toulouse, LUX/Frankfurt, Baltic sea, Helsinki. 210 degr = Mauritania, Guinea, Liberia, Malvinas, east of Argentina 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** MOROCCO [and non]. 15345, May 16 at 2038 had Arabic dominating in poor signal, but with a very fast SAH estimated around 25-30 Hz. With BFO on, it was obvious there were two carriers offset, as two hets at once could be heard by sidetuning slightly, the other being of course Argentina (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. RNW Media Network Returns! --- as a podcast! Well, it's a start--a very nice nine minute discussion about RNW and its distribution strategy. If this is trend (the podcast), then it's a good one and one to be encouraged (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon NY, May 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: FIRST MEDIA NETWORK PODCAST RELEASED TODAY I’m pleased to announce that the first of our trial podcasts is now available. In this edition, which runs for 9 minutes, I talk to Rocus de Joode of our programme distribution department about how the role of the department, and RNW’s use of shortwave, have both changed in the last two decades. To access the podcast, go to this page on our website. http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/media/media-network-podcast In the course of next week, we will add the facility to subscribe to future editions. We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions for future topics via the form at the bottom of the page. (May 15th, 2008 - 15:02 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via Figliozzi, DXLD) The last item on the new Media Network podcast #1 takes up the issue someone brought up ---- hmm, must have been I --- of lack of music on RNW. Yes, they may have 50% music (pop) on their one-hop truckers service in Dutch. Big deal. Bonaire may take two hops to parts of America, but its signal is still plenty good for some music, even half an hour a week presenting serious Dutch music, or Dutch performances of the classix. I still think they aren`t facing up to the issue. However, my original complaint was that their extensive Dutch-language SW broadcasts are always yak when I encounter them. They would serve some additional purpose for Dutch-non-understanders if some time were devoted to the Universal Language, which in fact does figure on the non-SW portions of their broadcasts (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As for music, we're considering asking our newsreaders to sing the news calypso-style for Glenn's benefit :-) (Andy Sennitt, RNW, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. It`s always something department: RNW plans to use 15420 on certain dates starting June 9, and every day starting June 21 for Dutch due south via Issoudun, France at 18-21. That`s the frequency just vacated by DW in deference to WBCQ and currently clear for the Maine station during those hours. What`s this, cycling or something? RNW also plans to use // 15485. First choice was 15445 till they realized that is now occupied by DW Rwanda. But there`s still time to find something other than 15420 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also UNIDENTIFIED 15540 ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Hallo Wolfgang, ich höre momentan RNW auf 13740 mit 35543. In keiner Liste finde ich diese QRG, parallel zu 5955. Kennst Du den Senderstandort? (Rudolf Krumm, May 16 to Wolfgang Büschel, via dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hallo Rudolf, 13740 sind 2 Stunden Japanisch von NHK über UAE um 17-19 UT, jetzt um 1850 UT sehr schönes Signal hier in Stuttgart. Aber Du hast ja um 1600-1700 UT gehört. Da ist bisher nichts registriert. Aber um 15-17 UT ist RNW über TDF Issoudun Frankreich auf 2 x Sender 13700 kHz für Nahost und NordWestafrika/Kanaren registriert. mhg Wolfgang [später]: MADAGASCAR, 13740, New RNW MDG outlet in Dutch, 1600-1700 UT, 250 kW for all over Africa 359 degrees, from May 15th. Zones 38, 39, 48 38 Libya, Egypt 39 Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,Israel, Jordan, Arabian Penins. 48 East Africa ex-13840 MDG, now 100 kHz down. see Aoki: 13840 CNR 1 0850-2000 1234567 Chinese 150 155 Nanning 954 CHN 10811E2247 CNR1 a08 May 13- (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) More under CHINA and ** NEW ZEALAND. Cf CHINA: Hi Glenn, Yes I am aware of co-channel on 13840. I have been in the Cook Islands this past week and heard it for myself. Rgds (Adrian Sainsbury, May 19, RNZI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So I expect a QSY will be forthcoming unless China quits 13840 (gh) ** NEW ZEALAND. Log via remote receiver in Australia: 3935, Radio Reading Service 0945 May 13 with program on history of tram services in New Zealand. 1001 ID as above and reading from newspaper. Fair signal, but much better than I usually have heard them from the remote receivers here (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [and non]. NIGERIA CITES FOREIGN COMPETITION IN IMPROVING ITS DOMESTIC RADIO. The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria will receive a 200 kW medium wave transmitter from Japan and "temporarily fixed its old Short Wave channel on the 49 Metre Band. Karama FM, the call sign of the new FM station, and the SW station would both continue to carry the quality programmes of Radio Nigeria's famous Hausa Service. ... 'The collaboration with Japan through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), would enable Radio Nigeria boost its Hausa and Educational Services in the face of competition from foreign broadcasters such as the BBC, VOA and China Hausa Services'" Leadership (Abuja), 15 May 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Interesting that China Radio International Hausa is mentioned alongside BBC and VOA. Perhaps the CRI Hausa broadcasts via a shortwave relay in Mali (and maybe other relay sites) are beginning to develop an audience in Nigeria. Posted: 15 May 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) ** NIGERIA. RADIO NIGERIA ACQUIRES NEW TRANSMITTERS Developments at Nigeria’s premier radio corporation, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), are fast transforming the staid image of Africa’s largest radio network. In the past one year, Radio Nigeria has been quietly transforming itself with improved signals, captivating programming, web audio streaming, and, the latest, brand new transmitters at Kaduna and Enugu to be dedicated to the Educational Service. When completely installed in December 2008, the 200 kW mediumwave transmitter in Jaji, Kaduna, will be one of the most powerful radio transmitters in Africa, and, in combination with the 100KW transmitter planned for Enugu in 2009, the whole country and much of Africa will receive the signals. The transmitters, a grant from the Japanese Government, will be digital ready. The process of dismantling the gigantic, obsolete transmitter and its antennae component and installing the new one will take six months. To keep its Hausa language listeners during this transition, Radio Nigeria Kaduna recently commissioned a new Hausa language FM station in Kaduna. It also temporarily fixed its old shortwave channel [6090 kHz] on the 49 metre band. Karama FM, the call sign of the new FM station, and the shortwave station will both continue to carry Radio Nigeria’s Hausa Service (May 15th, 2008 - 11:22 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Since KOSU`s drastic format change from predominantly classical to predominately talk on its main service, the previously promoted KOSU-2 HD service has been downplayed. It`s still streamed separately, but on website there is contradictory info about its content, which was originally counterprogrammed with some of the talk shows that are now on KOSU-1. Apparently KOSU-2 is now 24/7, Classical 24 from MPR as on http://www.kosu.org/programs.html I listened to the stream for a while [not IBOC direct tho I might be able get it with big antenna at this distance and an HD receiver] and did hear local KOSU promos and IDs, not as KOSU-2 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. KOMA REGAINS TOP SPOT ON CITY'S WINTER RADIO RANKINGS By Mel Bracht Staff Writer Fri May 16, 2008 http://newsok.com/article/3244036/?print=1 Classic hits station KOMA-FM 92.5 is back on top as Oklahoma City's most popular radio station for listeners 12 and older in the winter Arbitron ratings. Country station KTST-FM 101.9, which had been No. 1 in the fall, slipped to second place. KOMA ranked No. 2 in all day parts, with Danny Williams and Lisa Sykes in the morning, Ronnie Kaye in midday, Dave Martin in afternoon drive and Fred Hendrickson in evening. Program director Kent Jones' 9 to 11 a.m. show straddles morning drive and midday. Williams, who turned 81 last month, shows no signs of wanting to hang up his microphone. "He's like the Energizer bunny,” said Don Pollnow, Renda Broadcasting market manager. KTST ranked No. 1 in morning drive with Joe Friday and Kathi Yeager and afternoon drive with Craig Buffington. KTOK-AM 1000 was No. 1 in midday with syndicated commentators Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, and KJYO-FM 102.7's Frito led the way in the evenings. Among the big gainers were KTOK, which got a boost from the election campaign, and KHBZ-FM 94.7, which switched from alternative to active/ modern rock in January. The new format includes 1980s music, including Metallica and AC/DC. The big losers included classic rock KRXO-FM 107.7 and contemporary hits KKWD-FM 104.9. In the 25 to 54 age demographic coveted by advertisers, adult contemporary KMGL-FM 104.1 was No. 1, followed by KOMA, KTST, rock station KATT-FM 100.5 and KRXO. KMGL ranked No. 1 in two day parts with the morning show of Steve O'Brien, Shawn Carey and "Magic Man” Jeff Roberts, and Larry Grant in midday. New additions Public radio station KGOU-FM 106.3/KROU-FM 105.7 appeared in the 12- plus rankings for the first time at No. 15. The ratings were released through the Radio Research Consortium, which recently reached an agreement to sublicense Arbitron ratings for noncommercial stations. The station, owned by the University of Oklahoma, provides news/talk programming most of the day. Its musical offerings include "Jazz With Bob Parlocha” from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. weeknights, "Weekend Blues With ‘Hardluck' Jim Johnson” from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and a variety of world music from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. [what about KOSU? gh] KOCD-FM 103.7, which broadcasts syndicated jazz, debuted in the ratings with an 0.7. The 100,000-watt station, which launched in September, covers parts of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas through its tower near Wewoka. The station sponsored a Wayman Tisdale concert last month (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. New show on WRMI, M-F 2100-2400 UT, originates in Oklahoma City --- looks like Art Bell wannabees (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Overnight AM --- Host: Lan Lamphere Press Release: May 15, 2008: E-mail: lamphereprod@gmail.com http://overnight.am HollowFX Digital Talk Radio Network has been picked up by one of the most popular shortwave radio stations on the planet. WRMI in Miami Florida will be airing Overnight AM from 5:00 to 8:00 pm Eastern Time (2100-0000 UTC) Monday through Friday on 9.955 MHz. That’s shortwave radio for all of you Internet listeners. WRMI Miami is a 50,000 watt station broadcasting to Central and North America. Anyone with a decent shortwave radio will be able to enjoy Overnight AM in its full radio glory. To us there is nothing like hearing the heterodyne of radio propagation inside a broadcast. It just makes it real… We hope you’ll tune in to 9.955 in the 31 meter band to catch the best radio program probing everything from politics to the paranormal on the HollowFX - The next generation of talk! English WRMI Programs The original press release at the overnight.am website is worded slightly differently: Press Release: May 15, 2008: HollowFX Digital Talk Radio Network has been picked up by one of the most popular and powerful radio stations on the planet. WRMI in Miami Florida will be airing Overnight AM from 5:00 to 8:00 pm EST [sic] - Monday through Friday on 9.955 Mhz. That’s shortwave radio for all of you Internet listeners… WRMI Miami is a powerhouse 50,000 watt station broadcasting to Central and North America. Anyone with a half decent shortwave radio will be able to enjoy Overnight AM in it’s full radio glory. To us there is nothing like hearing the heterodyne of radio propagation inside a broadcast. It just makes it real… We hope you’ll tune in to 9.955 inside the 31 meter band to catch the best radio program probing everything from politics to the paranormal on the HollowFX - The next generation of talk! (via gh, DXLD) See also USA: WRMI for more on this ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. The NBC 100 kW SW transmitter on 4890 / 9675 kHz in Port Moresby is still out of order. (Which only operated at 50 kW anyway). AusAid are now proposing replacing the transmision unit with two 25 kW SW transmitters. If this happens; I wouldn't expect it to happen until much later in the year or perhaps not until 2009 (Ian Baxter, Australia, Swsites yg May 12 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3345, R. Northern, 1102-1131 May 12. News by YL in English; at 1106 she proclaimed "This news is coming to you from NBC Popondetta" (a Radio Northern ID was heard earlier); 1109-1130 announcements in Pidgin interspersed with short bursts of island music; tuned out at 1130, spot-checking occasionally - still going good at 1215 with island music; fair at 1240 (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, CO, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. New? 4805, R. San Juan, (San Juan Bautista, Ayacucho, Ayacucho?), 0055-0140, May 14, IDs OM, Peruvian music vals, huayno, ads Colegio San Juan, fair to good signal (Rogildo Fontenelle Aragão, Quillacollo, Bolivia, 17º 23' 00. 65" S, 66º 15' 49. 60" W, raragaodx@yahoo.com.br raragao@bolivia.com Sony ICF-2001D / Lowe HF- 225E, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked 4805 between 1000 to 1010 May 15 and heard only Brazilian station working there (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4805, Brasil, Rádio Difusora do Amazonas, Manáus, Amazonas is heard on a daily basis in South Florida and Cedar Key, Florida. 0100 and 0900 on 15 May. Charles Bolland log is correct! 73s and friendship (Robert Wilkner, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4826.49, Radio Sicuani, 0245-0304*, May 16, Peruvian music. Spanish announcements. ID. Abrupt sign off. Weak but readable. Reception better than usual but still with CODAR QRM (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Radio Victoria usually heard in Tiquicia almost anytime on 9720, was detectable for the first time on weaker // 6020 at 0800 when no other South American station was listenable. Fair to poor signal, clear audio with long talks about the International Commerce Meeting in Lima, so different from the usual distorted daytime praying and preaching transmissions. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica. Sony ICF7600GR+ short INV "V", May 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Surprised you haven`t heard 6020v before; its het is a constant here every night, and finally in the clear after 0557* CRI Sackville. 9720v is not so reliable here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** POLAND. CLOSURE ALERT NOW SOUNDED BY POLSKIE RADIO FOREIGN SERVICE See the enclosed message. In the referenced programme a listeners letter about the recent closures had been used as occasion to point out that the foreign service of Polskie Radio has no certain future either. The whole thing is just a small part of a much bigger story. At present drastic changes for Polskie Radio are under discussion, in particular an abolishment of the licence fee and putting Polskie Radio under the supervision of some authority, turning it into a state broadcaster. Already for months Polskie Radio has no council anymore. Critics fear that Polskie Radio could be marginalized, with market shares plummeting from 40 to 10...8 percent and such a development finally culminating in a complete elimination of the public broadcaster (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) External Services of Polish Radio in danger In the German mailbag program of May 15th listeners were told that the Polish Government wants to abolish the media fee. As a result Polish Radio would have to finance itself totally by advertising. This would result in severe cuts in domestic programs and in the end of the external programs. Is the WWDXC planning a campaign to support Polish Radio? If so, how can listeners take part in it? (Udo Jackenkroll, 59457 Werl, May 17, via Ludwig, DXLD) This should be illustrative in regard to the magnitue of these developments: Out of protest Telewizja Polska, the TV counterpart to Polskie Radio, recently took all Sejm [Polish parliament] coverage off air. After being approached that they are obliged to broadcast this stuff they restored it --- at the fringe of the program schedules, i.e. late into the night. http://www.polskieradio.pl/nachrichten/politik/?id=82557 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. Frequency changes of Radio Romania International in Serbian 1930-1956: NF 6130 TIG 050 kW / 282 deg, ex 6065 to avoid R. Sweden Russian NF 7215 TIG 250 kW / 277 deg, ex 7140 to avoid BBC in Arabic (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 15170 sick transmitter --- What the heck is going on with 15170? I'm listening at 0311 UT 16 May with just a very strong loud buzzing sound. No audio otherwise heard. Is this the BSKSA? Anyone else hearing the same thing? (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Canada, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, that`s it; see DXLD 8-055: [from March with an observed schedule by Rumen Pankov for these including 0300-0550 on 15170.] It`s certainly defective transmitter from BSKSA, as noted numerous times here and by Wolfy, not jamming. Been that way for years. Sure, they could afford to fix it, but why bother? (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Thanks, Glenn. I thought I remembered that post. In any case, it's still there very strong at 0443 with Arabic audio buried in the noise. Did hear the Qur`an at 0334 as well, so it is them. Man, they'd have a killer signal if it was in the clear! (Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) Walt, It used to be clear on 15170 two or three years ago. I enjoyed dozing off to that `music` in the summers. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Before it was politically incorrect to say nice things about the Qur`an, I used to absolutely enjoy the chants, followed by the English translations that one would hear on Radio Kuwait, and several other stations in the Middle East. They were much more interesting than the bible thumping US broadcasters! "In the name of God the Almighty, etc". Always sounded very exotic to me! (Walt Salmaniw, ibid.) Shouldn't it be a very urgent reason for a fix that this fault drowns out the muezzin? Just noted such a situation on 11915. It's really bad, and apparently the loud buzz is already produced by the exciter. There is no real carrier on 11915, so presumably the exciter feeds the transmitter with this buzzing signal spectrum instead. Here it gets amplitude-modulated with the program audio (like the singing muezzin who was on while I checked it out) which thus can still be faintly heard (Kai Ludwig, May 16, ibid.) ``Allah`ll get `em for that!`` (gh) ** SAUDI ARABIA. In futile check of Aoki for target of Firedrake heard on 15470 until 1300* (see CHINA), I noticed this entry, which would be a new frequency for BSKSA English: anyone hearing it really? Does it replace 15250, still listed, or in addition? 15470 R. RIYADH 1000-1255 1234567 English 500 250 Riyadh ARS 4623E 2430N BSKSA a08 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 1025 check: On 15470 a very faint carrier. On 15250 an equal mixture of two somewhat stronger signals, with fast SAH rendering all program audio unrecognizable. And The Buzz is active on 11935 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SAUDI ARABIA/RUSSIA: 15470 Unfortunately co-channel VOR Irkutsk is on top at my place, 0900-1400 UT registered, but seems only 1000-1100 UT on air. Noted VOR's Korean program with Russian pop music at 1040 UT with S=6 6.3uV. Maybe better chance in Iberia and Canaries ? Or in 1100-1255 UT slot? (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) At 1101 recheck nothing at all on both 15250 and 15470, at least no signals that would be strong enough for being spotted here. And home of The Buzz as well as other BSKSA shortwave outlets is a huge site of about 2.5 x 3 km in the northeastern outskirts of Riyadh: http://maps.google.de/?ie=UTF8&ll=24.826391,46.868191&spn=0.056788,0.080338&t=k&z=14 http://www.tdp.info/ars.html states that it opened in 1973 with four transmitters, had been expanded around 1990 with a further six transmitters and finally got another delivery of two ones as recently as in 1999. Strangely the antenna facility shows no sign of a later expansion, it looks like being built at once. This configuration of an antenna star with three strictly straight arms is quite unusual, they must use slewing (which compromises the efficiency of an antenna quite considerably) almost always. The huge station area also houses two mediumwave complexes, probably one with the 1200 kW on 585 and the other with the modest power (10...20 kW) transmitters for city area coverage on 684, 936 and 1422. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) 15470 is empty at 1100 UT. But ARS BSKSA Riyad's English service is still on 15250 kHz again, as registered at 1000-1230 UT in A-08. Noted very hot western rap pop music till 1120 UT, after that a prominent soap about Jackson pop family like in the YELLOW press. S=7 steady signal, much better than in winter season. See also WRTH Update under Saudi Arabia (Wolfgang Büschel, May 17, ibid.) A reminder of this recent item, Rumen reporting that English started an hour earlier at 0859, and it seems the ending has always been variable? (gh, ibid.) Viz.: SAUDI ARABIA. 15250, BSKSA, Riyadh. In English to Africa with sign- on at 0859 and 1125* and till 1000 almost in full covered by Olympic firedrake; maybe here is Taiwan or RFA? 28/4 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Sony 2001D, Folded Marconi 16 meters, May Australian DX News via DXLD) English, large signal 1152, talk about Islamic/Christian relations historically. Bad transmitter hum, 23/4 (Craig Seager, DX-Pedition Tuckers Rocks, near Urunga NSW, May Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 17660, May 18 at 1406 with Qur`an, 1407 talk in French, very poor signal but better than usual. This is the BSKSA 14- 16 French service of R. Riyadh, aimed due west. At first I was thinking this should be V. of Africa, Libya, in English, during the same bihour, but that is now on 17725 aimed due south, unheard (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. New transmissions of NEXUS IBA IRRS Shortwave in English from May 5: 0430-0530 on 5990 RSO 150 kW / non-dir to Eu/ME/NoAf Mon- Thu (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) So what program? EGR? ** SOMALIA [non]. U.K.(non) Some changes of VT Communications relay: Radio Mustaqbal in Somali to Somalia, all cancelled 0545-0615 on 15215 MEY 250 kW / 032 deg Mon-Wed 0545-0615 on 15215 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg Sat 0620-0650 on 17590 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg Mon/Tue/Sat 0730-0800 on 15440 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg Mon-Wed/Sat 0805-0835 on 15200 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg Mon/Tue/Sat 1130-1200 on 15160 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg Mon-Wed/Sat 1205-1235 on 15140 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg Mon/Tue/Sat (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) Above was the ``INTERACTIVE RADIO PROGRAMME FOR SOMALIS (IRIS)`` sked in 8-056 from WRTH Update which we queried, Mustaqbal never mentioned there (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA [non]. Some changes of VT Communications relays: IRIN Radio (Integrated Regional Information Network) in Somali to EaAf 1730-1745 NF 7290 MEY 100 kW / 020 deg, ex 9735, re-ex 9665 (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) IRIN Radio for Somalia to change transmission services from Meyerton on 7290 kHz to Abu Dhabi on 13685 kHz from 0830 to 0845 UT, according to Louise Tunbridge of IRIN Radio (Dan Henderson-USA, DXplorer May 13 via BC-DX via DXLD) Again! Where and when next? (gh) ** SPAIN. RTVE PREVÉ EMITIR LOS CONTENIDOS DE RADIO EXTERIOR A TRAVÉS DE INTERNET [translation below] Noticias EUROPAPRESS | 14/05/2008|18:49h http://www.hoytecnologia.com/noticias/RTVE-preve-emitir-contenidos/57938 Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) prevé emitir los contenidos de Radio Exterior de España a través de Internet, en un plazo aún sin determinar, y, de esta manera, abandonar "paulatinamente" sus emisiones en onda corta para otros países, según confirmaron en fuentes del consejo a Europa Press. Estas mismas fuentes explicaron que el servicio de este órgano dependiente de RNE "cada vez tenderá más" a ofrecer sus servicios a través de la Red. No obstante, afirmó que estos contenidos no podrán dejarse de emitir "repentinamente" a través de onda corta, debido a la vigencia de las concesiones con otros países. RTVE considera que el papel de Radio Exterior tendrá que ser "autónomo" de RNE y, por lo tanto, tendrá "contenidos propios" y no se "nutrirá" de otras informaciones. Sin embargo, incidirá en la necesidad de "coordinar" los contenidos de ambas emisoras. Por otra parte, RTVE estima que a finales de este mes el nuevo portal de la cadena abandonará su fase de pruebas para comenzar una emisión "todavía sujeta a cambios". El pasado lunes RTVE lanzó la web 'www.beta.rtve.es' dentro de su propio portal, que incluye acceso a contenidos on-line de programas históricos y actuales. El consejo alabó este nuevo portal y aseguró que se trataba de un sitio web "moderno" que permite un acceso "operativo" a todos los contenidos de la cadena pública. Asimismo, solicitó a la defensora del espectador, el oyente y el usuario de medios interactivos de RTVE, Elena Sánchez, actuar de una manera "independiente y crítica" en relación a los contenidos de la cadena (via José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via DXLD) REE TO PHASE OUT SW IN FAVOR OF INTERNET --- (note that REE is a subsidiary of RNE which is a subsidiary of RTVE). RTVE foresees transmitting R. Exterior content via Internet, by an undetermined date, and thus abandon gradually its SW transmissions to other countries. This part of RNE will extend its service on internet, but this content cannot be taken off SW abruptly due to agreements with other countries [as in relay exchanges with China?]. RTVE considers that the role of REE must be autonomous from RNE, and thus have its own content, not sucking info from elsewhere, but the content of the two stations will still have to be coordinated. RTVE estimates that by the end of May, the new network portal will finish its test phase, and begin a service still subject to change. Last Monday, RTE launched http://www.beta.rtve.es within its own portal, which includes online access to historical and current programs (summary translation by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Glenn, Noticing REE in English at 2050 May 16 on 11620 over AIR also in English. Cannot get a good null with the log [periodic] as it is sick and we are having strong winds again here it keeps shifting directions. Did a Google search and did not find a mention of this frequency use in 2008. Sign-off announcement 2055 does mention this frequency. Carrier off at 2056 leaving AIR alone until REE sign-on at 2100 in Portuguese? Suffering splatter from REE on 11625 in Spanish I believe. What a mess! 73 (Mick Delmage, Sherwood Park, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mick, As discussed in DXLD recently, Spain just moved yesterday from 11625 to 11620. Until then, both REE and Vatican had been on 11625 in English to Africa at 2000. Vatican finishes at 2100. REE overlooked the fact that 11620 would collide with India, hardly an improvement. You are saying that REE was still on 11620 at 2100 in Portuguese? That transmission is supposed to be on 17595 only. Maybe a mistake or an overrun. Did you notice how long that lasted? 73, (Glenn to Mick, via DXLD) Only a few minutes as AIR was in the clear after that. As I mentioned, it was hard to tell as the log is spinning in the wind. One minute REE was alone, the next AIR was alone then both. A real pain in the ass. These winds are supposed to subside by Saturday. It is very hot (30C) and tinder dry. Several brush fires around the city and for us that live in the bush, it is always a worry at this time if year. No home lost yet, just a few out building and vehicles. A long weekend here in Canada and the first big weekend for campers so fire bans have gone into effect. I have tied the Log to 0 degrees (now only plus/minus 20 degrees in the wind) with bungie cords. Conditions are really good. Bulgaria booming in on 11700 at 2300 UT. Have a great weekend and I try a report any goodies I hear between out door chores. Sorry I missed the REE info on DXLD. Usually Google finds the latest info from DXLD first but not this time. 73 (Mick Delmage, ibid.) ** SUDAN [non]. U.K.(non) Some changes of VT Communications relay: Southern Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction, EAf in English new sked: 0600-0630 NF 15215 DHA 250 kW / 240 deg Mon-Fri, ex 15440 0600-0630 NF 15750 MEY 250 kW / 005 deg Mon-Fri, ex 13620 SIN 250 kW / 144 deg 0630-0700 NF 11905 KIG 250 kW / non-dir Mon-Fri, ex 11945 0630-0700 NF 15760 SKN 300 kW / 140 deg Mon-Fri, additional freq. 0630-0700 NF 15530 DHA 250 kW / 240 deg Mon/Wed/Fri, ex 15440 0630-0700 on 15660 MEY 250 kW / 007 deg Mon/Wed/Fri 1300-1330 NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 005 deg Mon/Wed/Fri, ex 15325 1300-1330 NF 15390 MEY 250 kW / 007 deg Mon/Wed/Fri, additional freq. 1300-1330 NF 15485 MEY 250 kW / 005 deg Mon/Wed/Fri, additional freq. 1400-1430 on 11750 KIG 250 kW / non-dir Tue/Thu/Sat, deleted (DX Mix News, May 13 via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DXLD) 15325 was OK here (gh) ** SURINAME. 4990, R. Apintie, Seemed like they fixed their modulation. 17 May, 0920 W talking or maybe even religious preaching. 0922 outro by M and ad block. Mention of "The Queen of the Jungle Amazonica" at 0927 by M. Many "Guten Morgen" (yes German, not Dutch!! Does Sranan Tongo use some German??). Good signal (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4990, R Apintie. Thanks Dave Valko's tip. Presumed, tuning in May 18 at 1005 to an advertisement in Dutch for "Digicell." 1010 Christian program in English. (Not sure if this is just Sundays or something daily.) Still with the same program in English when I tuned out at 1020 (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, ibid.) ** SWEDEN. Frequency change of Radio Sweden International in Russian from May 1: 1400-1430 NF 12085 HB 500 kW / 070 deg, ex 11590* *to avoid AIR in Sindhi on 11585 and RFA in Cantonese on 11595 (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. 9805, Radio Thailand in English at 1400 with National News and weather, international news and feature local and tourist programming. Another Cyclone is brewing in the Andaman Sea! Off in mid sentence at 1430. Very Good May 17/08 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, AB, Icom R71A, 7-30 MHz Log Periodic (stuck at 0 degrees), DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. CHINA. 6200, PBS-XZDT, Lhasa, 1341-1351, May 15, continues with relay of CNR-1 (// 5030), in Chinese (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Frequency change for BBC in Arabic: 0300-0400 NF 9915 CYP 250 kW / 101 deg, ex 6015 (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBC Mundo Radio, via WHRI 9410, Wed May 14 at 1230 with Efemérides, a neat little show with clips from the BBC archives, this time about the 60th anniversary of Israel, the Spice Girls, the tragic downfall of Winnie Mandela, i.a., until 1234 when the classical music fill was introduced as ``Los Compositores e Intérpretes de Siempre --- paréntesis musical, Los Clásicos``, then a Puccini aria for starters from Madame Butterfly, as always, unannounced. Usual excellent signal. Exactly same music started 48 hours later, and probably 48 hours earlier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA; UNIDENTIFIED 9840 ** U S A [and non]. VOA to Africa via Thailand? I caught VOA English to Africa this morning (local) on 17530 at 1445z, fair signal until carrier off at 14:59:30z. EiBi shows Greenville until 1430z and Thailand until 1500z. 17530 1400 1430 46-48,52,53,57 GB 250 94 17530 1430 1500 46-48,52,53,57 UDO 250 276 The short path to me from THA is 22 degrees so the beam is 106 degrees off. I'm surprised this made it and I wonder if it's a test to compare the sites? (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I pointed out this strange pair some weeks ago, and the fact that GB sign-off takes it until 1431, likely overlapping in the target (gh) Lack of budget? - or lack of equipment now ? Nooo, that's the consequence of the stupid decision to put high value IBB Briech Morocco site [10 x 500 kWs worth 280 Mill $?] into dustbin from March 30. Shame on Bush government once again. On peak program time IBB is short of own equipment and rents transmitter time on foreign Wertachtal, Juelich, Bonaire, Finland-not yet, Mongolia, South Africa, UAE, Ascension, CIS, Taiwan, Russia, Madagascar, Lithuania. GB to AF about 6000 miles ... UDO to AF about 7000 miles ... Briech AF about 2500 miles ... (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes of IBB: 0330-0500 NF 17650 UDO 250 kW / 296 deg, ex 17575 R. Farda in Farsi 0500-0600 NF 21715 UDO 250 kW / 296 deg, ex 17575 R. Farda in Farsi 1600-1700 NF 7340 WER 250 kW / 105 deg, ex 9770 R. Farda in Farsi 1500-1530 NF 15455 IRA 250 kW / 348 deg, ex 11780 VOA in Uzbek 1700-1800 NF 5995 LAM 100 kW / 055 deg, ex 6110 VOA Russian/English 1800-1900 NF 9820 BIB 100 kW / 055 deg, ex 6110 VOA Russian/English 1900-2030 NF 7440 IRA 250 kW / 299 deg, ex 7455 VOA in Farsi 2200-2300 NF 5895 PHT 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 6105 VOA in English 2300-2400 NF 5895 UDO 250 kW / 018 deg, ex 6105 VOA in English (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) So already updates the R. Farda sked in 8-060 under IRAN [non] VOA Changes frequency for Asia in English. Sat, 17 May 2008 Effective 19th May VOA changes frequency for Asia in English: 9345 kHz 1400-1530 from Philippines 9345 kHz 1530-1600 from Sri Lanka This replaces 15185 kHz at 1400-1500 and 13735 kHz at 1500-1600. (Alok Dasgupta via http://www.dxasia.info via Alokesh Gupta, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. WBCQ, which was still on 17495 May 12, was trying 15420 again May 13, first detected at 1408 underneath DW Russian via Rampisham, with distinctive monotonous intonations of New Mexico preacher which occupies great gobs of time on this transmitter, whatever the frequency. However, could no longer detect it by 1414, either off or losing the relative strength battle. Meanwhile, many other 19mb frequencies were open, including 15590, ex-KTBN, which is being reserved for the perpetually ``mañana`` WRNO reactivation. Rechecked 15420 at 1559 after DW had finished, and weak WBCQ in the clear. BBC Seychelles is listed on 15420 still during this hour until 1700 at 280 degrees, but no sign of it here, which is normal. Probably in Europe it is dominating rather than WBCQ. Just like on 17495 the day before, flanking reduced carrier was USB modulation, but also some on LSB, not completely suppressed, in about the same proportion. BTW, per HFCC, all WBCQ frequencies are on antenna azimuth of 245 degrees toward Laredo, make that Nuevo Laredo (not Tijuana as I first said), but not all are 50 kW --- 9330 shows as 100 kW. Like most SW stations, actual transmitter power in use is probably considerably less than nominal, and actual antenna lobes may differ considerably. 245 degree azimuth carries on just south of Invercargill, so the heirs of Arthur Cushen should have a good shot at hearing WBCQ. Here`s the entry on the annotated WBCQ program schedule: ``Program IDs as "The Lord of the Spirit Radio Broadcast". Female speaker notable for monotone delivery of scriptural material. Usually six half-hour programs in three hours.(6/6/03) Sunday, May 29, 2005, 1946: Global Spirit Proclamation, sio 444. Finally got an address and e-mail contact for this show: HR60, Box 11, Sence Lake, NM 87315, e-mail prophet@hubwest.com`` As a little googling quickly shows, it`s FENCE LAKE, a very remote place in Cíbola county south of Gallup and Zuñi Pueblo, SW of El Morro, NW of Quemado and Pie Town, where state highway 36 makes a right angle. I believe I have driven thru there at least once without knowing it was the home of a major evangelical organization! Furthermore, the annotated ``17495`` sked shows this not starting until 1700, 7 days a week until 2100, and not even on the air before then except on Sundays from 1300 for The Zeph Report, so that is obviously outdated. The question is now, whether WBCQ will stay on 15420 at 1400 (1300?)- 2300 daily, perhaps later on Wednesdays and Fridays, and live with the QRM until 1600, as long as the prophet is paying for the extra time -- - and how is reception in Fence Lake, anyway? Checked again May 14: no trace of WBCQ or anything on 15420 before 1400, when BBC Russian via Rampisham came on. BBC Seychelles is on there before 1400 but not audible here. Listening carefully with BFO until 1417, could not detect WBCQ underneath, nor on 17495. Another check after 1500: still no sign of WBCQ on either frequency, despite BBC becoming much weaker on 15420 with switch to UAE site. Second-nearest SW station to WBCQ, Sackville was as usual inbooming on 15220 before and after 1500 and also on 15240 after 1430. Nearest SW station to WBCQ, WHRA, is scheduled on 15 and 17 MHz as follows, for comparison: 12-14 15710, 14-16 15195, 16-18 17520, 18-20 17690. Per WHR website, these all appear to be 7 days a week now. But no sign of 15195 at 1510 check! I think it`s really only Sat & Sun. We`ll see if WBCQ appears on 15420 later in the day, perhaps including WORLD OF RADIO at 2300 Wednesday (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 13 May follow. Solar flux 68 and mid- latitude A-index 7. The mid-latitude K-index at 1500 UTC on 14 May was 2 (11 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SWPC via DXLD) Altho not audible in the morning of May 14 on 15420, WBCQ could be heard at 1910 with the New Mexico prophet, averaging S9+10, but to the ear only fair at peaks between complete fadeouts below noise level. No comparison to S9+25 strength of neighbor VOA-Greenville off the back on 15410, which also interfered with modulation spikes even in talk; if WBCQ were full carrier it would have a better chance of fending off such interference. Seemed there was a pause at 1948-1950, perhaps changing tapes. Never heard any WBCQ IDs. Recheck at 2036, still audible and now without VOA 15410. DW Arabic via Rwanda meanwhile was on its new frequency 15445. Recheck at 2216, WBCQ had built up to S9+20 and still QRM-free, now with music, presumably GFRN. With this amount of carrier reduction, music sounds distorted, and to get it marginally listenable, BFO must be precisely zero-beat and not drifting. Hope it holds up until 2330 to include WORLD OF RADIO at 2300. [Later:] dumped out of Good Friends and started the new WOR 1408 at 2300 sharp for its first SW airing. However, this may not be possible on weeks when I produce WOR on Wednesday evening instead of Tuesday. I usually do it on Tuesdays now. Looking for WBCQ the next morning, May 15, at 1530, could not hear it on 15420 or 17495; a weak carrier from something on 15420 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Allan, Checked several times this Thursday morning and afternoon, but could not hear WBCQ at all on 15420 or 17495. Were you on? What`s next? It was nice to be able to hear the new WOR on 15420 Wednesday evening. 73, (Glenn to Allan, May 15, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, 15420 transmitter was down all day yesterday (15th) due to a power supply fault. Up all day today. Will be boosting power this week on 15420 after mods on the power amplifier. Cheers, (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, May 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looking for WBCQ-4 (should we call it that?), not heard at all May 15, or morning of May 16 but finally just barely audible at 1705 May 16 on 15420-CUSB, with New Mexico prophet intoning. Poor at peaks, between fadeouts. Also around 1945 recheck. Hard to believe this is 50 kW, even PEP, aimed toward TX if not OK. Allan Weiner later confirmed they were off the air May 15, back May 16, and working on raising the power. May 17 at 1308 could only hear DW Russian via Rampisham. The hours WBCQ is active on 15420 are quite unclear and variable. See also next WHRA item (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now RNW plans to collide with WBCQ on 15420: see NETHERLANDS ** U S A. Altho the WHR online schedule for Angel 5 at http://www.whr.org/customcf/dsp_schedule_read.cfm?Search=Angel5 claims it is on 15710 until 1400, then 15195 seven days a week, I have not been hearing it on weekdays. On Sat May 17 at 1359-1400 they were inbooming at the QSY time. These are of interest only to compare with the other Maine station on 19m, WBCQ 15420-CUSB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. See UNIDENTIFIED 9840 below. Andy Sennitt says the live sports broadcast I heard Saturday morning on 9840 coincided with BBCWS coverage of the FA Cup Final at Wembley, live at 1400-1550 UT. I checked 24 hours later, May 18 at 1358 and heard WHRI as scheduled, with long-version in-your-face, Moslems, ``Onward Christian Soldiers`` theme, which I must admit is a stirring piece of music, and continuing with gospel huxter in English, rechecked at 1420. Not a very good signal here as aimed 25 degrees. (BTW, Aoki lists this as ``Furman-Noblesville``. Please! Noblesville, Indiana is nowhere near Furman, South Carolina, and Noblesville has been kaput as a SW site ever since WHRI bought WSHB years ago! Drive a stake through it. HQ of WHR is still in South Bend, Indiana, which is NOT next to Noblesville either, an Indianapolis suburb.) Anyhow, my theory now is, since WHRI is also scheduled on 9840 on Saturdays at this time, but was not heard, instead BBC, and this was a Very Important Sporting Event, and BBC still has a relay relationship with WHR (Spanish at 12-13 on 9410), that this was a one-off special BBC relay via WHRI that they didn`t bother to tell us about. How many silly ballgame fanatix did not know about it either? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Please note that we have some major program changes taking place at WRMI as of tomorrow -- Friday, May 16, 2008. These changes are necessary because we have just sold three hours of airtime from 2100 to 0000 UT Monday-Friday to a new program, so we have to move some other programs around. As of Friday, May 16, we will be airing a new program called "Overnight AM" Monday-Friday from 2100 to 0000 UT on 9955 kHz. See news release about this program at http://www.wrmi.net/program.php?id=92 To make room for this program, we are ending our relay of World Radio Network one hour earlier -- at 2100 UT instead of 2200. And we are moving the programs which have been at 2200-0000 three hours later from 0100 to 0300 UT Tuesday-Saturday. The new program lineup from 0100 to 0300 will be as follows: UT Tuesday 0100-0200 La Rosa de Tokio 0200-0230 Radio Prague (English) 0230-0300 Radio Praga (Spanish) UT Wednesday 0100-0130 Studio DX (Italian) 0130-0145 World Baseball Today 0145-0200 Acontecer Venezolano 0200-0230 Radio Prague (English) 0230-0300 Radio Praga (Spanish) UT Thursday 0100-0115 DX Party Line 0115-0130 Aventura Diexista 0130-0145 Maravillosas Palabras de Vida 0145-0200 Spotlight 0200-0230 Radio Prague (English) 0230-0300 Radio Praga (Spanish) UT Friday 0100-0130 World of Radio 0130-0200 Frecuencia al Dia 0200-0230 Radio Prague (English) 0230-0300 Radio Praga (Spanish) UT Saturday 0100-0130 Maestro de Zion 0130-0200 Wavescan 0200-0230 Radio Prague (English) 0230-0300 Radio Praga (Spanish) These programs from 0100 to 0300 UT will replace the former programming from Christian Media Network. So far, no changes 0600-0900 from the present schedule. [repeating the shows that have moved] All programming on WRMI is now on 9955 kHz (Jeff White, radiomiami9 @ cs.com May 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The WRN website has been simplified; now we in the Central zone are out of luck, as program schedule cannot be customized, just stationary with times in UTC and EDT only. The WRN stations losing out in the 21- 22 UT hour to Overnight AM --- what a strange name for a show in the afternoon --- are Ireland and Romania: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/schedules/schedule.php?ScheduleID=2 Now we get a show, yes, discussing UFOs, as checked on its WRMI début, webcast, May 16 at 2130 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also OKLAHOMA [non] ** U S A. WWCR OVERTAKES WJIE ON 7490; UNIVERSE ROCKED Effective Friday May 16, 2008: WWCR-3 will operate on 7490 from the hours of 6:00 to 11:00 AM US Central Time, 1100 to 1600 UT (WWCR website via DXLD) That replaces 7465 on transmitter 3, which was working perfectly well, but some ute or military must have objected; 7465 remains on schedule at 2100-0200, transmitter 1. In order to accomplish this, WJIE had to relinquish its wooden claim to 7490 during those hours. A significant program affected is Rock the Universe, Saturdays 1205-1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Anyway, Glenn, WWCR-3 remaining in the 41mb won't get any improvement here in Tiquicia. What must be good for North American listeners, they screwed up for Costa Ricans like me leaving 9985, where I used to have S=5 reception from one of my favorites. One more reason why, many people are obliged to switch to the Internet to obtain a nearly hi-fi audio. And I have to admit, a one-of-a-kind show listenable on short wave, Rock The Universe. Why I say this? Simply because most oldies shows just play the same recipe of R'n'R hits. OTH, you can bet Rick Adcock makes things sound different. Same goes for A Different Kind of Oldies Show with Steve Cole at the rescue of some forgotten and obscure songs. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5470, WWCR. Apparent spur here at 0926, 17 May. Noted the night before as well. 4915 is a real mess too. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) The four WWCR SW transmitters on the air at this hour are: 9980, 5935, 5890 and 5070, none of which will produce a mix on 5470. Instead, it`s the co-located WNQM 1300: 5070 + 1300 = 5470. As for 4915, = 9985 minus 5070 during this hour only (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 17775, KVOH *1500 May 11 fair signal, but fading down to nothing by 1800. Checked at 2100 and they were back to a fair level (Hans Johnson, Naples, Florida, Kaito KA-1102, Cumbre DX via DXLD KVOH, 17775, Los Ángeles, was also in well, May 13 at 2104 giving local P O Box address and introducing some música al estilo norteño and seemingly secular (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WEWN, 17595, inbooming May 13 at 2108 with two OM discussing their joint lady, in English, with litely squealing transmitter. Not a trace of Spain`s Brazilian service underneath, unlike log a few days ago. WEWN was benefiting from sporadic E, as 15 and evenmoreso 17 MHz are normally in skipzone here only one megameter away. Yes, at 2117 Es started to show up on ch 2 TV, more than 3 times WEWN`s frequency, 55250 kHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 25950 FM, KOA-Denver (studio link), 05/16/08, 1925 UTC. Rush Limbaugh interviewing a guest about sports (not politics!), then break for ads from John Deere, BMW, etc., "Newsradio 850 KOA Timesaver Traffic", weather, and back to Rush. Long deep fades typical of sporadic-E propagation; WWV 20 mHz is also coming in fairly well (a rarity here these days). Fair (Mark Schiefelbein, Springfield MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Ice and Wind Storm Damage WMLK 9265 Antenna, illustrated: http://wmlkradio.net/antenna_update.htm SW still off, but live streaming autolaunches embeddedly: http://wmlkradio.net/wmlk_radio_streaming.htm (Via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. Re 8-057; typo in frequency: should be 4440 as in original report, errored by gh in retyping as ``4430``: 4440, WSRC, Fair Bluff NC, 0350-0555 April 3, strong spur in English of their 1480 signal with very enjoyable old time radio dramas; heard The Shadow, complete with original Lipton Tea spots; Johnny Dollar; ads for Story from the Story Lady; Princess & the Pea, various others. M announced WSRC 1480 ID at 0420, 0452, and 0555; Into The Blue, bluegrass music program at 0457; only traces of their fundamental were audible here as I don`t have a MW loop to reject QRM. I planned on doing a bit more DXing but couldn`t stop listening to this station. For me, it just doesn`t get any better than old time radio dramas and bluegrass music! Outstanding signal, 70 dB and full quieting at times (Richard Parker, Pennsburg PA, Collins 51S-1, 51-X, R390A, SE3, antenna farm, Tropical Band Logs, May NASWA Journal via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DXLD) Quite a signal for a third harmonic (gh, DXLD) ** VATICAN. Reports: ACQUITTALS OVERTURNED IN VATICAN RADIO CASE http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gAwJlp45ECyhaYxqp6JfVLW5Pp7gD90L0OA83 ROME (AP) — Italy's top criminal court overturned the acquittals of a Vatican cardinal and another top churchman accused of environmental pollution involving a Vatican Radio transmission tower near Rome, news reports said Tuesday night. The Court of Cassation ordered a new appeals trial for Cardinal Roberto Tucci, formerly head of the radio's management committee, and the Rev. Pasquale Borgomeo, its former director general, the ANSA and Apcom news agencies said. Calls to lawyers and to Vatican Radio were not answered late Tuesday. The two churchmen were acquitted last year after in an appeal of their 2005 conviction in a lower court, which sided with consumer groups representing people living near the tower who claimed its electromagnetic emissions were a health hazard and violated environmental limits. The lower court had sentenced the two each to 10 days in jail, but sentences were immediately suspended during their appeals. It was not known when the new appeals trial would take place, as the Court of Cassation must first publish its reasoning for the decision. A Vatican-Italian government commission was set up as part of a 2001 agreement between both sides to monitor tower emissions. The Vatican has said that measurements show it has respected limits since signing the agreement. ITALIAN COURT REVIVES CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST VATICAN RADIO EXECUTIVES http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=58431 Rome, May. 14, 2008 (CWNews.com) - A criminal case against the top executives of Vatican Radio, charging them with environmental pollution, has been revived by Italy's top court. The Court of Cassation re-opened the case against Cardinal Roberto Tucci and Father Pasquale Borgomeo, the former chairman and former director, respectively, of Vatican Radio. The two prelates were found guilty in 2005 of violating Italy's tough standards for emission of electromagnetic waves, but that conviction was reversed on appeal in June 2007. The Court of Cassation has not yet explained its rationale for reviving the case, nor has any date been set for trial. The legal battle began in 2001, when local authorities in the area of Santa Maria in Galeria, on the outskirts of Rome, charged that electromagnetic impulses from the main Vatican Radio broadcasting antenna there were causing an elevated incidence of leukemia in the neighborhood. Although authorities could not demonstrate any scientific link between the disease and the radio transmissions, prosecutors charged that Vatican Radio was exceeding the legal limits for electromagnetic emissions. In their defense, Vatican Radio officials pointed out that their broadcasts adhered to the more liberal limits on electromagnetic emissions set by the European community. In 2001, Vatican officials and Italian authorities established a joint commission to set new standards for the radio broadcasts. In 2005, Italian authorities confirmed that Vatican Radio was now broadcasting at acceptable levels under the terms set by that commission, and the dispute was thus resolved. After their original conviction in 2005 the two clerics had been given suspended sentences, in an apparent recognition that Vatican Radio was working with Italian authorities to resolve the dispute over the radio broadcast (both via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Did Italian legal views about health effects of shortwave transmissions have something to do with RAI's abrupt elimination of shortwave in October 2007? Posted: 15 May 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Sunday May 18 check of Aló, Presidente service via Cuba: at 1408, 17750 was audible, contrary to usual situation, but much better on // 13750, and also // poor 11875 which had co-channel, which per EiBi and Aoki could only be Taiwan in Indonesian. 1409 starting Mundo 7 runup program produced by RHC, with Entre Cubanos to follow later. Also audible at 1416 on 11670, which made an echo with 13750 due to different transmitter site and/or program feed routing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. ZNBC "Network News" at 1807 May 16 on both 5915 and 6165. News ended at 1818. It was sponsored by Celltel which ran an ID at this time about big savings on sending SMS messages (Remote receiver [where??] via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar, 1800-1810, May 17, English news to 1810. "Spice FM" IDs. Swahili talk at 1810. Weak in noisy conditions. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. TORTURED AND MURDERED BECAUSE YOU OWN A RADIO. Human Rights Watch --- End Violence Before June Runoff --- Six Presumed Opposition Supporters Die Under Torture During ‘Re-Education’ Meeting (Johannesburg, May 16, 2008) – Supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party in Zimbabwe tortured more than 70 people, including six men to death, in a “re-education” meeting on May 5, 2008 in Mashonaland Central, Human Rights Watch said today. The government’s campaign of organized terror and violence against the political opposition is continuing despite agreement to hold a presidential runoff election. “Political compromise over the runoff election has not reduced government atrocities against the opposition,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “With the setting of a June 27 runoff, concerned governments have a greater obligation than ever to press the government to bring the violence to a halt.” Human Rights Watch field investigations confirmed the deaths from torture of six men punished for their real or presumed support for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), and the torture of more than 70 others on May 5. Many were MDC supporters, but one who died was tortured because he owned a radio, which raised his attackers’ suspicions. Retired Major Cairo Mhandu with ZANU-PF youths, members of a youth militia and “war veterans,” held a “re-education” meeting in Chaona primary school in Mashonaland Central in which some 300 villagers from Chiweshe and three neighboring villages were forced to attend. Eyewitnesses told Human Rights Watch that Mhandu addressed the meeting saying, “This community needs to be taught a lesson. It needs re-education. We want people to come forward and confess about their links with the MDC and surrender to ZANU-PF.” When no one came forward, a ZANU-PF youth grabbed a 76-year-old woman and forced her to lie on her stomach in front of the crowd and started beating her buttocks with logs. After a few minutes, three men intervened, saying they were MDC, to stop the beating. Mhandu encouraged more to come forward, saying, “This is what we want.” Participants at the meeting said the organizers had drawn up a long list of suspected MDC activists, 20 of whom were singled out for torture. As they were beaten, the abusers taunted each to reveal names of at least five other activists. Some of the victims shouted out names of people, who were then beaten. Eyewitnesses said the torture continued throughout the day. The ZANU- PF youth and “war veterans” would beat three or four people at one time. Legs tied and handcuffed, women were stripped naked or down to their underwear and forced to lie on their stomachs together with men. Their mouths were bound to prevent them from screaming. Standing on either side of each victim, three youths with thick sticks took turns to beat them on the legs, back and buttocks. Some men also had wire tied around their genitals and suffered severe damage. More than 70 people were beaten and some 30 hospitalized, many requiring skin grafts. Human Rights Watch has confirmed that two men died on the spot, one died at home of injuries, and three others died later at the hospital. Three of those who died had severely mutilated genitals and one had crushed testicles. Medical reports confirm the deaths were a direct result of the injuries sustained under torture. The authorities have not arrested anyone for these criminal acts. These ‘re-education’ meetings are still taking place. In March 2008, the MDC decisively defeated the ruling ZANU-PF in the parliamentary elections. The MDC also won the presidential elections, but the official results did not give MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai an absolute majority, necessitating a runoff election. On May 16, the date of the runoff was set for June 27, 2008. In the wake of the elections, ZANU-PF and its allies set up torture camps in opposition strongholds and areas where the opposition has gained significant support On May 7, the Zimbabwean army acknowledged the existence of torture camps and has tried to distance itself from any responsibility. Shortly after, the police stated their intention to dismantle them. The government, however, has taken no action against any perpetrators, but has merely sought to portray without any evidence that responsibility for the torture camps also resides with the MDC. Human Rights Watch called upon the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to take all available measures to provide for the protection of all Zimbabweans in the period before the runoff. Should SADC be unable to fulfill this role, the African Union should do so. “For any runoff to have credibility, this escalating government- sponsored violence must stop, investigations must lead to the arrest of key suspected perpetrators and human rights monitors must be deployed throughout Zimbabwe,” Gagnon said. “African election observers are desperately needed, but they will accomplish little if the rampant violence continues.” Many more articles here, some bearing on broadcasting: http://www1.zimbabwesituation.com/index.html http://www1.zimbabwesituation.com/may17b_2008.html such as ``Heads Roll at ZBC``, in this case, I suppose, figuratively (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 4828, ZBC (tentative), A massive humming carrier here at 1825 May 16, but no programming (Remote receiver [where??] via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. From SOUTH AFRICA to ZIMBABWE, 4880, SW Radio Africa, 1820 May 16, talk about Zimbabwe in English and vernaculars. Asking the question of what expats can do to help those still in the country. Started news in English at 1824. No sign of any jamming (Remote receiver [where??] via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Some changes of VT Communications relays: SW Radio Africa in English to SoAf: 1700-1900 on 12035 RMP 500 kW / 140 deg, ex KVI 500 kW / 155 deg (DX Mix News Bulgaria, May 13 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 3175.16, Maybe Bob Wilkner`s LA harmonic. A signal here 17 May at 0950. May have been a little audio. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6104.6, 1150-1202, 5/17/2008. Extremely weak signal with still weaker audio. Slow instrumental with lots of drums at 1150, talk by man in unidentified language at 1158. Music with drums at 1200 followed by what appeared to be pop music (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, TenTec RX-340, Drake R8B, RF Space SDR-14, 90' Random Wire, Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Super-enthusiastic sports coverage in English, Sat May 17 at 1421 on 9840. I figured it must be BBCWS so tried to // it to 21470-Ascension, which was just barely audible. I think it was // but less certain once I look up 9840 and do not find BBC there. WHRI is normally dominating 9840; the online WHR sked, however shows Angel 2 during that hour only on Sat and Sun, and this nevertheless was Sat (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This would have been the FA Cup Final at Wembley, live at 1400-1550 UT, which I have just watched on TV. BBCWS has commentary rights. The result was Portsmouth 1, Cardiff City 0 for those of you who are interested in silly ball games :-) (Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So see follow-up above under USA: WHRI UNIDENTIFIED. The oscillating jammer again heard spreading to both 11635 and 11640, May 14 at 1324 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Found a good carrier on 15540, May 15 at 1328 so stayed tuned. 1329 joined some music in progress, 1330 talk in Dutch, mentioned ``Radio Een`` which is the Radio One ID of VRT Belgium --- but it is certainly not scheduled here, and off abruptly at 1331* Now, 15540 is a RNW Dutch frequency via Bonaire only at 22-23, and from the strength I would have guessed Bonaire, not somewhere in Russia or UK whence VRT is relayed at other times. What`s going on here? Bonaire testing a VRT relay? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If Bonaire an even more likely candidate would be the Radio 1 of the public broadcasting system of the Netherlands. At this time the scheduled programme was Wat nu...? --- Achtergrondenmagazine waarin de eigen keuze uit het nieuws centraal staat. It seems this could fit? On special occasions like sports coverage I already found RNW relaying Radio 1, so they could have it on the audio distribution at Hilversum anyway (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) O yes, I see that NPS in Netherlands also numbers its networks so also has a Radio Een; altho I think I did hear Flanders mentioned in the brief time it was audible, this is inconclusive. It seems both countries exhibit a certain lack of imagination and originality in naming their networks. If you have say, 5 numbered networks, why not make them Radio 26 thru 30 or something else more distinctive? Especially if the country next door in the same language is doing the same numbering (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Correction: NPS does not "have a Radio Een'. Radio 1 is a national network of Netherlands Public Broadcasting (NPO), and NPS is one of the broadcasters that contributes programmes to it. Information in English is available at http://www.omroep.nl/nps/html/aboutnps.html You probably heard Flanders mentioned because it's a big issue in the Netherlands after right-wing MP Geert Wilders (he of Fitna fame) suggested that the Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium should join the Netherlands. Most Flemish people in Belgium would prefer an independent state of their own, but some Flemish politicians have been suggesting closer cooperation with the Netherlands. Finally, your point about network names is well taken, but the Dutch in particular like naming radio and TV networks with numbers, as do local US TV stations, which use their analogue channel numbers as identification more than their call letters. Having spent a lot of time in Philly, I can't imagine it without Channels 3, 6 and 10. Does anyone know what will happen when the analogue signals are turned off? Will the stations re-brand, or carry on regardless using their familiar idents. Here in the Netherlands, as you know we have Radio 538, the commercial market leader, which is actually an FM station, and the name is the old wavelength in meters of Radio Veronica when it was an offshore station. But it seems to work for them :-) (Andy Sennitt, RNW, ibid.) It seems that the DTV system in the US is set up such that channels will continue to be known, or rather branded, by their original analog channel, whatever RF channel their DTV is axually on. Unless of course they don`t want to be but that is unlikely (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE TINY TRAP +++++++++++++ QATAR, declared to be Tiny, by David Brancaccio, opening this week`s NOW show on PBS (Clara Listensprechen, May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sigh; according to Almanaque Mundial, 1987, which I have handy, the area of Qatar (yes, spelt with a Q tho some Spanish references insist on making it a K; why not a C, to make it really Spanish-friendly??), the area is 11,437 square km. This is approximately six thousand times the area of Monaco, 1.9 sq km, which is truly tiny (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ DAYTON HAMVENTION LIVE Get ready. We are just hours before we start out convoy to the Dayton Hamvention. You may have watched us the past couple years. We broadcast live streaming video and audio of the world`s largest hamradio convention. It is the Dayton Hamvention in Dayton , Ohio. Hams from all over the world come to this each year. We have been viewed in over 150 countries. The site is active now and you may check it out. The address is http://wa5kub.com or http://w5kub.com When we start our convoy to hamvention we will switch over to live broadcast. Also please note that our broadcast begins 2 days earlier than the hamvention. We actually broadcast our drive in the car LIVE for the 550 miles that we drive from Memphis, Tennessee to Dayton, Ohio. We also have a "helmet cam" that we wear every where we go. That means you see us when we go to eat, when we stop for gas or just about everything. The broadcast is live 24 hours a day at hamvention as we set up outside in the fleamarket. If you can`t go, have your ham friends come by our spaces 3350-3351 and wave back to you. It will be fun. We have also added APRS so you now have gps tracking of our position. If you look at the bottom of our webpage below the video and chat you will see a map which auto updates our position. Please spread the word to everyone. Here is our schedule: Begin the convoy to hamvention on Wednesday May 14 at 1300 gmt or 0800 AM Central time. It is a 10 hour drive. We set up our fleamarket spaces at hamvention on Thursday May 15 at approx 1400 GMT. The hamvention begins on Friday morning May 16, We drive back to Memphis after hamvention ends on Sunday May 18. Remember you can go to http://wa5kub.com or http://w5kub.com right now and chat with other hams around the world and watch some recorded videos of hamfest. Also see lots of ham radio pictures at http://tmedlin.com/dayton.html I hope to see you at hamvention. 73, Tom W5KUB --- (via Lynn Hollerman, Lafayette, LA, May 13, IRCA via DXLD) DAYTON HAMVENTION ACTIVITIES http://www.southgatearc.org/news/may2008/hamvention_activities.htm (Southgate via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see also AUSTRALIA; CHINA ++++++++++++++++++++ Re: Will the redesigned DRM website help bring us DRM receivers? ``That statement is not correct. Analog Devices is a world leader in DSP ICs, and has developed a multimode tuner IC that can be programmed for AM, FM, and DSP-based technologies such as DAB, IBOC, and DRM, but it is NOT developing DRM receivers or DRM-specific ICs`` This photo of an Analog Devices Blackfin-based DRM receiver development board prototyped by Jasmin Infotech shows ADI's logo on its boards and components. http://klixie.textdriven.com/26mhz/images/jasmin_adi.jpg Analog Devices is a chip manufacturer. I don't expect to see its logo on finished consumer products, if that is what Harry is concerned about. The company's interest in DRM is evident from its membership in the DRM consortium (Benn Kobb, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DTV AS DX OPENING PILOTS, BEACONS Last week's bulletin lamented the transition from analog television on Channel 2, because signals on that frequency have been a popular indicator for 6 meter DX. Several readers wrote in about the low TV Channels 2-6, and mentioned possibilities for continuing to use broadcast transmitters there for propagation beacons. There are also examples of digital TV being received a long distance from the transmitter site. Patrick Dyer, WA5IYX of San Antonio, Texas sent in a number of useful links, and mentioned a pilot carrier 310 KHz above the bottom of each DTV channel, useful for detecting skip signals. For Channels 2-6, you can plug these frequencies into your scanner: 54.31 MHz, 60.31 MHz, 66.31 MHz, 76.31 MHz and 82.31 MHz. Of course, you would want to skip any frequencies that are used locally. He sent a link to http://tinyurl.com/5qpykr showing low band DTV station info. The site http://tinyurl.com/5z2ocb links to an article about a Channel 2 DTV signal from Florida received over 1,000 miles away in New England. From http://tinyurl.com/6jxet4 you can download a PowerPoint file with info on using pilot signals to detect a DTV station below the level that enables a usable DTV service. If you don't have Microsoft PowerPoint, you can download a free PowerPoint viewer from http://tinyurl.com/y5c796 Pat is an avid TV/FM DXer, and has a web page devoted to his interests at, http://home.swbell.net/pjdyer/index.html (QST de W1AW, Propagation Forecast Bulletin 21 ARLP021, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA May 16, 2008, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels on 05 May. Activity increased to active levels on 06 May. Activity decreased to quiet levels during 07 - 11 May. ACE solar wind measurements indicated a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream was in progress at the start of the summary period. Solar wind velocities reached a peak of 670 km/sec at 05/2319 UTC, then gradually decreased during the rest of the period (minimum velocity 318 km/sec at 11/2355 UTC). IMF Bt increased to a maximum of 6 nT at 05/0135 UTC, then ranged from 01 - 05 nT during the rest of the period. IMF Bz was variable in the + 05 nT range. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 14 MAY - 09 JUNE 2008 Solar activity is expected to be very low. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 21 - 28 May and 01 - 09 June. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels during 14 - 19 May. Activity is expected to increase to minor storm levels on 20 May with major storm levels possible at high latitudes due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to active levels on 21 May as high- speed stream effects begin to subside. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected during 22 May - 02 June. Quiet conditions are expected during 03 - 09 June. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 May 13 1923 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 May 13 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 May 14 70 5 2 2008 May 15 70 5 2 2008 May 16 70 5 2 2008 May 17 70 5 2 2008 May 18 70 5 2 2008 May 19 70 5 2 2008 May 20 70 30 5 2008 May 21 70 15 4 2008 May 22 70 10 3 2008 May 23 70 10 3 2008 May 24 68 10 3 2008 May 25 68 10 3 2008 May 26 68 10 3 2008 May 27 68 10 3 2008 May 28 68 10 3 2008 May 29 68 12 3 2008 May 30 68 12 3 2008 May 31 68 10 3 2008 Jun 01 68 10 3 2008 Jun 02 68 10 3 2008 Jun 03 68 5 2 2008 Jun 04 68 5 2 2008 Jun 05 68 5 2 2008 Jun 06 68 5 2 2008 Jun 07 68 5 2 2008 Jun 08 68 5 2 2008 Jun 09 70 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1408, DXLD) ###