DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-131, December 24, 2008 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1440 Wed 2200 WBCQ 15420-CUSB Thu 0630 WRMI 9955 Thu 1530 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0200 WRMI 9955 Fri 0900 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 Fri 2130 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51 [or 0030?] Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed December 22] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1441] Wed 1230 WRMI 9955 [or new 1441] WBCQ is also airing recent archive editions of WOR M-F 2000 on 7415; except on Wednesday or Thursday this should be the latest edition. 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 DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD, which seems to be coming out less frequently? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. United Kingdom (Presumed) 5925, Radio Solh Presumed), 0200-0232+, I was listening to Deutsche Welle in Russian on this frequency prior to 0200. When DW ceased transmitting immediately at 0159, the freq was clear of any signals; however, at 0200 a station started broadcasting Middle Eastern type music. It was very weak! This lasted only for a minute then the music stopped. From that point on, I couldn't hear anything except the carrier which remained audible for the entire period mentioned above. Sometimes I thought I heard comments, but that may have been "wishful" listening? The Aoki database list Radio Solh on this frequency from 0200 to 0400. I couldn't find Solh here in any other source (Chuck Bolland, December 23, 2008, WinRadio G305e/PD, Clewiston, Florida, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The public HFCC document has a VTC registration for 5925, registered by the US administration, 0200-0300 from Dhabbya [UAE], 250 kW at 45 degrees to Zones 40, 41NW which fits Radio Solh (Mike Barraclough, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 5925, R Solh, US station via VTC Al Dhabbaya UAE, 0200-0300 UT, 500 kW, 45 degrees in Dari (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, HCDX via DXLD) Altho I haven`t log-reported it lately, I continue to enjoy R. Solh music in the mornings here when I can force myself to suspend the usual bandscanning. One piece they always play at 1420-1426 on 13830 via UK, as heard again Dec 24, is especially captivating, and I wonder what the lyrix are saying. Does it have a political message, or just entertainment? Perhaps Aslam Javaid or Al Muick can enlighten us. I can only hope the psyopped Afghans are appreciating Radio Solh as much as we taxpayers do (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. Most days KNLS is inaudible or beneath adjacent channel signals, but Dec 22 at 1452 it was coming in well, tho with some deep fades, on 6150 toward end of English program. Unfortunately that was a Creation Moment, favorite mini-show of the gospel huxters dedicated to debunking Evolution. This anti-intellexual nonsense makes me want to puke. 1454 outro with times and frequencies of the four English broadcasts, credit list including Rob Stewart who produces them (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. I was ready with pen in hand when a very big carrier appeared on 7465 KHZ at around 1940 UTC. The signal was peaking to a mighty 30dB over 9, with occasional fades down to 10 over. Now that is an improvement over what has been heard previously. And the signal was remarkably steady, with out the fading that seems to occur when using the Rreth. In SINPO I estimate 55544. The lady announcer sounded to be in a rush when she finally started 25 seconds late - but the AUDIO QUALITY still leaves very much to be desired. However, let us be thankful for S-8. There was no signal at all audible to me on 11645 KHZ - I wonder if this one is still reaching into N America? I believe that I did see a recent report about it. [Dec 24 at 1945 on portable: weak carrier on 11645, slightly stronger one on 7465 --- gh] 6155 KHZ - our Russian friends didn't hang about tonight, and had switched off their carrier by the time Italian commenced around 2001UTC. I was somewhat disappointed with this signal - via 300deg - which was only peaking to about 10dB over 9. I wonder why? Could it be that via 6 MHZ that the antenna becomes more directional? But, the signal was better than of late, and with no interference at all. There was something on 6160 but much too weak to copy what it was. Romania began their Interval Signal on 6155 before the half hour, but just about managed to avoid a collision. It sounded Serbian, so must be a new frequency x 5970. The Shijak signal was estimated at 45544, and again much less prone to fading than previously. 7465 KHZ - Another great big signal appeared here prior to commencing German at 2031 UTC. Signal strength was peaking 30+dB over 9, with occasional fades down to 10 over, but generally a steady signal. I estimate SINPO 55544. The only fault I could find was with the poor quality audio, but at least this was now intelligible in German. 7435 KHZ - It was about 2150 UTC when I tuned this one, and found a good 20dB over 9 signal on frequency without any interference. There was a carrier audible on 7440 KHZ which announced as Voice of America - via Udorn I see - and was then swamped by Chinese CNR multi-jammers at 2200. This combination was not sufficiently strong to cause harmful interference to 7435 - and shouldn't so do in N America anyway. In SINPO I estimate 4+5544. By contrast, 6005 was not very good at all, and with co-channel interference. Signal strength about 7 and estimated SINPO 33533. So, I think we have a positive result, and a definite improvement in overall reception at these times/frequencies. I didn't stay up late enough to hear 7425 at 0000 UT, but hopefully Glenn will tell us what he heard - and hopefully the results will be as good as my own. Greetings from a dark and dull Blackpool from (Noel Green, England, Dec 23, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Tirana finally made frequency/antenna adjustments to B08 schedule on Dec 22. Back on 7425 to NAm, which it had used in previous seasons and would have used from the start of this season if Russia hadn`t made a wooden registration for it. At 0001 UT Dec 23, 7425 with sign- on in Albanian giving schedule with several kHz mentions, audio lofi but modulation fairly good. Some adjacent interference from 7420, Prague via Ascension to S America, another recent change, but only until 0030 and can be avoided here by side-tuning slightly. Tirana // 6110, also lo-fi audio but no QRM and less fading. Both read S9+20 on the meter but 6110 definitely sounded better than 7425; SINPO 45544 and 44433 respectively. By 0120, 7425 had faded down considerably and little of it left for English at 0130-0145, but certainly has a better chance over winter night path at solar min than ex-9345. I was out and could not check the other significant change yet, 7435 ex-9345 in Albanian at 2130-2300 to W Europe, C&E NAm (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Frequency change of Radio Tirana in Albanian from Dec. 22: 2130-2300 NF 7435 SHI 100 kW / 310 deg to NoAm, ex 9345 \\ 6005 to WeEu (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 23 via DXLD) R. Tirana, 13720, carrier on as early as 1525 Dec 23, then IS from 1528, opening English to NAm at 1530 with full English schedule, including updated 7425 at 0130; she says broadcasts to North America are Monday to Sunday --- but that means from 1525 Monday to 0457 UT Sunday; it`s still six days a week except local Sundays (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. Re DXLD 8-129: 15476, 2016, LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, At 2100 closedown, carrier when on and off repeatedly for a few seconds, almost as though they were sending some CW. Listed weekdays only. 28/11 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE, E and SE, plus various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD)`` Altho it took weeks for the above report to reach us, I meant to outpoint with this item that as previously reported, I was hearing exactly the same carrier interruptions on the same date (gh, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. 14243 kHz USB 0136z: "KC4AAA" (Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station) working "KC4USV" (McMurdo Station, Ross Land). (24/Dec / 2008). Note: Comms were quite strong for about 20 minutes on my DX-394 using my Solarcon Antron A-99 vertical (AL STERN, Satellite Beach FL, ODXA yg via DXLD) OK, but currently we are preoccupied with the North Pole where even now it is probably warmer than the South Pole (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 11710.8, R. Nacional, General Pacheco, 0015-0030, 24 Dec, f/ball match report Argent. vs. Chile or so it seemed; 35432 but still a little bit worse than Brazil's 11765 observed. at the same time (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) q.v. ** AUSTRALIA. 8176 kHz USB, VMC, Charleville Australia, 0737 UT tune in to marine weather by a man, break at 0754 and then 0755 nice ID with frequencies for VMC and VMW. Strong signal with some noise (Martin Foltz, Mission Viejo CA, Dec 22, ABDX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 2310 kHz alle 2000 UT, data 23.12.08, VL8A Alice Springs - S4 I4 N4 P4 O4 alle 2000 ID- good signal. 2324.7 kHz, alle 2020, data 23.12.08, VL8T Tennant Creek - S2 I3 N2 P2 O2, voice by ANN spoken word, rock music (De Berti, Paolo, Switzerland, Aor 7030 - Long wire 45m, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Don`t recall ever seeing this one reported off frequency before (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. ORF confirms 1476 c/d, closes DAB, too In a press release sent out today ORF confirms that the transmissions on 1476, in the headline of this release declared as "tests" (this would be a "test" that lasted 11 years), will cease as of New Year's Day. As remaining border-crossing services they refer to shortwave and the unencrypted satellite transmissions of the ORF 2 TV network (in fact all ORF radio transmissions via satellite are FTA, too). Beyond that the press release reveals that DAB will be closed down as well. No commercial broadcasters participate in this DAB service, thus hereby DAB will be shut down in Austria altogether. The press section at orf.at is password-protected (I can't remember any other organization hiding its press releases from ordinary people), so I have to refer to a third-party service here: http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung.php?schluessel=OTS_20081223_OTS0164&ch=medien (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I see a lot of press releases accompanied by ``confidentiality`` boilerplate on the e-mail! (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 0000 to 0010 logged in southeast Florida, 23 December 4409.86, Radio Eco, Reyes 5580.2, Radio San José, San José de Chiquitos. 73s, (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Flórida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also PERU ** BOLIVIA. ONDAS TROPICAIS - Estudo e Pesquisa --- Nesta seção o “Navegando Ondas Tropicais”, efetua um trabalho de pesquisa e estudo de técnicas, visando desenvolver maneiras de realizar um trabalho melhor nas captações em Ondas Tropicais. Analisando um LOG. O LOG que analisaremos hoje, é um registro muito rico em informações e por isso nos fornecerá boas dicas quando realizamos o planejamento de escutas. A emissora: Não existem muitas informações sobre esta emissora, mas podemos dizer sobre ela que no seu identify, costuma falar: “Radio Virgen de Remedios, frecuencia modulada... onda corta, la voz católica en su casa...”. O Santuário da Virgem de Remédios está localizado em Villa Montes. E esta igreja possui um serviço de rádio e televisão. Ela transmite localmente, em paralelo, em FM, na freqüência de 89.5 MHz. O endereço postal da emissora é: Casilla 198, Tupiza, Departamento de Potosi, Bolívia Endereço da localização física da emissora é: Paróquia Nuestra Señora de La Candelária, Tupiza, Departamento de Potosi, Bolívia. O E-mail da emissora é: radiovirgenderemedios @ hotmail.com A pessoa responsável pela e missora é: Padre Estanislao Odroniec. O País: A Bolívia (em espanhol Bolivia; em quíchua Buliwya; em aimará Wuliwya) é um país da América do Sul, limitado a norte e a leste pelo Brasil, a sul pelo Paraguai e pela Argentina e a oeste pelo Chile e pelo Peru. Tem como capitais, Sucre, jurídica, e La Paz, administrativa. É um país que perdeu a saída para o litoral em decorrência da Guerra do Pacífico, considerado de grande pobreza e baixos índices sociais. A região é estratégica na América do Sul porque possui a segunda maior reserva de gás natural do continente, apenas superada pela Venezuela. A Bolívia foi sede de grandes civilizações indígenas, a mais importante das quais foi a civilização de Tiahuanaco, precursora de inúmeras técnicas adotadas posteriormente pela civilização Inca, império do qual tomou parte sob a denominação de Collasuyu, no século XV. Quando os espanhóis chegaram no século XVI, a Bolívia, rica em depósitos de ouro e prata, foi incorporada ao vice-reino do Peru, com sede em Lima, e mais tarde ao de La Plata, com sede em Buenos Aires. A luta pela independência começou em 1809, mas permaneceu parte da Espanha até 1825, quando foi libertada por Simón Bolívar, a quem o país deve o seu nome. Tupiza: “La Joya bella”, ou seja a bela jóia da Bolívia, essa é a forma como os locais chamam sua cidade. Podemos dizer é um tesouro escondido, à charmosa vila de Tupiza está definitivamente fora de estrada. Com seu clima ensolarado mediterrâneo, as suas gentes, e seu folclore.é o local onde o congelamento das noites frias nas proximidades de Salar de Uyuni (lagos de sal ), ou para fazer grandes passeios nos arredores espetaculares. O LOG: 4555, Bolivia, R Virgen de Remedios (pres.), Tupiza. December-14 SS 2354 religious talks “tenemos en Cristo un solo cuerpo...”, 2358-0010 religious music with that reverb from inside a Church alternating talks, mentioning “Cochabamba”. Partially readable 22322 (lob-B).Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec - Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m – Via lista Radioescutas. A primeira coisa que levamos em conta neste LOG é a freqüência da escuta, pois esta emissora, é mais uma daquelas emissoras Andinas de Ondas Tropicais, que tem a particularidade de viver “bailando na banda”, apresentando uma freqüência de emissão diferente de tempos em tempos. Podemos citar, diversas captações desta emissora, em freqüências diferentes, conforme detalhamos em seguida. Ela foi ouvida em 5500 kHz, no dia 29/05/2004, pelo Rogildo Fontanelle Aragão – Quillacollo – Bolívia, também foi ouvida em 3335.7 e 3336.2 kHz, no dia 20/06/2005, pelo Arnaldo Slaen – Buenos Aires – Argentina, sendo ainda captada pelo mesmo Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, de Embu-SP, em 4005 kHz no dia 05/06/2008, em 4555 kHz no dia 07/09/2008 e em 4111 kHz no dia 10/09/2008. Por este “baila comigo” típico desta emissora, um planejamento de escuta da mesma deverá levar esta variação em consideração, pois a freqüência onde iremos procurá-la, poderá não ser a freqüência onde ela está transmitindo naquele momento. Além deste problema de variar a freqüência, a transmissão desta emissora, que já tive a alegria de captar, apresenta, desde mais de dois anos, algumas deficiências na emissão, que é marcada por alguns cortes súbitos, retornando com o áudio saturado e o mesmo vai se normalizando com o passar do tempo, até que ocorra o próximo corte na emissão. Em se tratando de emissoras andinas, verifica-se que os melhores horários para se tentar as escutas das mesmas, são sempre sem a presença do Sol, e de preferência após as 20 horas de Brasília ( vemos que no LOG mencionado a escuta foi feita ás 21:58 horas de Brasília). Isso ocorre por serem transmissões de baixa potência, as quais necessitam de reflexão ionosférica para alcançarem grandes distâncias e isso somente ocorre após a dissolução da camada “D”, o que somente ocorre totalmente, algum tempo após o por do Sol (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo - Barbacena – MG, Navegando Ondas Tropicais, @titivade DX Dec 21 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Rádio Cultura de São Paulo, voltou a ser captada em 9615 kHz, após estar inativa e fora de frequência por alguns meses. Aqui em Novo Hamburgo (Grande Porto Alegre), o sinal é de intensidade regular, porém perfeitamente audível (Édison Bocorny Jr, Dec 22, radioescutas yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) A Rádio Cultura Brasil, de São Paulo (SP), voltou a ser ouvida, com sinal “perfeitamente audível”, em 9615 kHz, em 31 metros. Quem primeiramente notou a emissora foi o Édison Bocorny Júnior, em Novo Hamburgo (RS), em 22 de dezembro. BRASIL – A Rádio Globo, de São Paulo (SP), foi multada em R$ 867 por descumprir normas técnicas inseridas no regulamento do serviço de radiodifusão. A multa saiu no Diário Oficial, conforme constatou, em Brasília (DF), o Lucio Haeser. Ao que tudo indica a emissora teve a multa por desvio de freqüência da onda portadora (Célio Romais, Panorama, @titivade DX Dec 21 via DXLD) Amigos Saiu no Diário Oficial de hoje uma multa à OC da Rádio Globo de São Paulo por infringir normas técnicas. Alguém andou notando algo nos últimos tempos na OC da Globo São Paulo. PORTARIA Nº. 224 Data: D.O.U.: Nº. Processo: 30/09/2008 22/12/2008 5300005514606 Denominação/Razão Social: RADIO GLOBO DE SAO PAULO LTDA Localidade: Serviço: Finalidade: SAO PAULO - SP OC COMERCIAL Observação: A DIRETORA DO DEPARTAMENTO DE ACOMPANHAMENTO E AVALIAÇÃO DE SERVIÇOS DE COMUNICAÇÃO ELETRÔNICA DO MINISTÉRIO DAS COMUNICAÇÕES, RESOLVE APLICAR À EMISSORA, A PENA DE MULTA NO VALOR DE R$ 867,70 (OITOCENTOS E SESSENTA E SETE REAIS E SETENTA CENTAVOS), POR CONTRARIAR O DISPOSTO NO ITEM 3.4 DA NORMA 02/83 DA NORMA TÉCNICA PARA EMISSORAS DE RADIODIFUSÃO SONORA EM ONDAS DECAMÉTRICAS E ARTIGO 122, ITEM 34 DO REGULAMENTO DO SERVIÇO DE RADIODIFUSÃO (via Lucio Haeser, Brasília, Dec 22, radioescutas yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) Seria por isso? 3.4 TOLERÂNCIA DE DESVIO DE FREQÜÊNCIA O desvio de freqüência da onda portadora não deverá ultrapassar o valor de 10 Hz [sic, garbled], para cada MHz da freqüência portadora, sob quaisquer condições de funcionamento da emissora. De qualquer modo, a tolerância máxima fica limitada a 100 Hz (Célio Romais, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Amigo Célio, e demais amigos da lista, Eu também fui verificar a quantas se referia este artrigo da autuação e constatei que foi isso mesmo "devio de frequência", ou seja, emitir fora da frequência para a qual foi ortogada, ou emitir numa banda maior que 100 Hz. Não que eu queira defender a Radio Globo, mas, existem outras com o mesmo problema e não foram autuadas. Um abraço a todos, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena - MG - Brasil, ibid.) Colegas, O valor da multa é simplismente ridículo. Já está completando um 6 meses que a Globo vem causando uma grande interferência em outras emissoras principalmente nos 25 metros, o valor dessa multa é uma piada e tenho certeza que o problema ainda não será resolvido. 73 (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana Bahia, ibid.) Caros colegas, Na freqüência de 11805 (25m) fica um pastor com uma voz horrível apelando por todos os santos do mundo, que vc não chega a entender, não veja nenhuma decência naqueles discursos. SDS (Virgilio Pinto Neto, 1028 UT Dec 23, ibid.) Wait a minute: the ridiculously small fine amounting toi USD 366.12 was for R. Globo São Paulo, which is supposed to be on 6120, not R. Globo do Rio, 11805vvv (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9565, R. Tupi, Curitiba PR, 0012-, 24 Dec, religious propaganda program; 23431, adjacent QRM. \\ scarcely reported and seemingly rarely active 11765. 11765, R. Tupi, Curitiba PR, 0011-0024, 24 Dec, religious propaganda program; 35422; \\ 9565 worse (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: A Rádio Tupi de Curitiba, voltou a ser captada aqui em Novo Hamburgo- RS nos 11765 kHz após vários meses. O sinal era de intensidade razoável, devido a proximidade com esta cidade, (característica dos 25 metros), além da propagação que anda apenas razoável, mas perfeitamente audível (Édison Bocorny, Jr., Brasil, 1554 UT Dec 24, radioescutas yg via DXLD) More exposure for David Miranda; terrific (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Re 8-130, CINA: New ethnic format X-bander licensed to Mississauga, ON noted testing today with non-stop Hindi Bollywood songs, "Seena Radio 1650" jingles, and announcements, with calls pronounced "Seena": "Seena radio... for thinking people who are proud to be South Asians... you are listening to a test broadcast of CINA radio, broadcasting on a frequency of 1650 kilohertz as authorized by the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission. If you are experiencing any difficulty with out signal please call 416-777- 1660...on 1650 AM dial, this is Seena radio..." Not a great signal in mid-town Toronto, weaker than CHHA-1610 or CHTO- 1690. Easily nulled with WHKT's Disney under them. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, Dec 21, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) Pretty sure I had this one last night (12/21) at about 2130 with Eastern/Ethnic music, but no IDable material heard, mixing with the Radio Disney pest in Portsmouth VA (John Cereghin, Smyrna DE, ibid.) Note that there's also Montreal on 1650 Radio Shalom which could have Hebrew mx. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) Easily heard from across the lake in Holley NY, Asian music, "Seena" ID at 10:57 AM EST (Jim Renfrew, Dec 22, ibid.) 20 miles west of Jim, it's all WHKT Disney here at 1409 EST; not even an audible trace of CINA underneath. I wonder if CINA's operating fulltime yet? s (Scott Fybush, Rochester, ibid.) Hello Mike, Do they have a web site or an address? (Barry Davies, UK, ibid.) No web site that I could find via google, but address is 1515 Britannia Road East, Mississauga, ON L4W 4K1 Telephone : 905-795-8050 Toronto now has three x-band stations..(CHHA-1610, CINA-1650, CHTO- 1690), as does Montreal (CJWI-1610, CJRS-1650, CJLO-1690) while AM is being killed off in the rest of Canada. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, ibid.) Hoorde vanmorgen 90% CINA New Toronto in Canada. Met Asian songs and E. talks, IDs like "Seena". 0405-0700+ UT. 1 Kwatt transmitter! Frequentie is ook bezet door andre TA stations. In bijlage opname van het nieuwe station CINA, radio New Toronto Canada 1650 kHz, 0447 UT. Met Asian mx. Ik neem dit op 90% daar ik geen ID heb gehoord. Daar ik eerder al doorgemaild heb, klonk het in Schotland het zelfde maar met ID (betere ontvangst) Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, Dec 24, bdx mailing list via DXLD) Vanmorgen tussen 0530 en 0600 UT, 1650 CINA met ID en mx. Net verstaanbaar (Max van Arnhem, Netherlands, Dec 24, bdx mailing list via DXLD) CJRS 1650 Montreal no problem for CINA in Europe? (gh) ** CANADA. Hi folks. Looks and sounds like CFRX is working properly with the new (fixed) transmitter. As to the problem that developed, here's Ian's explanation to me: "the engineer from Armstrong said that the coax used between each PA module and the combiner should have been able to handle 1500 watts obviously, it did not, since one had a hole burned through it, and we were no where near 1500 watts running. Likely some SWR caused the voltage to go up....hence the problem". All fixed! I'm so glad I can hear it in Burlington now, which wasn't possible before the fix. Considering my antenna stinks, that says something about the signal. The audio sounds nice too, something I was told would happen with the new unit and it'll have more of a punch than the old transmitter audio. Enjoy listening when you can, and don't forget to go to: http://www.cfrb.com to get up-to-date program information. Cheers (Steve Canney, VA3SC, Dec 17, CFRX yg via DXLD) Hello Jim and group, I think I have come up with a Holiday Challenge. Boxing day my Wife and I are leaving for San Juan Puerto Rico and then embarking on a cruise. Stopping at St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. Including Puerto Rico, six islands. I'm going to take my little handheld SW radio (a $10 Mark's Workwearhouse cheapie) and attempt to copy CFRX on 6070 on each of the islands. CFRX just installed a new 1000 watt transmitter and I think this might be a good test to see how it's getting out. What do you think? Cheers! (Doug VE3GHQ/VA30005SWL Chlan, ibid.) An excellent challenge for sure, and while you're enjoying the heat, how about sending us a few degrees of heat to melt some of the snow! Over the last 17 years, I use to receive regular reports from the captain of a Canadian ship that was frequently down the eastern coast of the U.S. and into the Caribbean waters, which was cool. Generally, and from what I gather from all the reports I've seen over the years, it would appear that early morning reception of CFRX is best in that part of the world. Think of us often while we huddle to keep warm! (Steve Canney, VA3SC, ibid.) I don't remember ever hearing CFRX at 0400 UT, because of other broadcasters. But tonight, it's blasting in here with a +10 signal! (Mark, N8PEP, S. Crabtree, Dec 18, ibid.) CFRX sounding good in Eastern Ontario --- Hey folks. First time post from me. CFRX is loud and clear S9+ here in Belleville (only about 200 km east of Toronto) so getting this via groundwave, although a water path is likely over Lake Ontario to our part of the province. After sundown it gets wiped out by German language program on 6075. Listening on a Yaesu FT-897 with a windom antenna. I fondly remember the days when CFRX broadcast a twice-hourly special ID identifying itself and giving the ODXA's address for reception reports. The ID wasn't very discriminating; it went off whenever the timer told it to, right over top of whatever was on air at the time, news, announcer chatter, commercials --- not overly smooth, but at least it was an ID! Also recall when the station was acknowledged over both CFRB & CFRX just prior to the 8 am news daily. Now-a-days, I image few of the on air staff there even realizes their voices are also radiating on the shortwaves! 73 (from Eastern Ontario, Greg Schatzmann, VE3GJS, Dec 22, ibid.) Yeah, I remember when I used to listen as a kid back in the early '60s, the ID would come on right over top of the other programming. I even memorized the words because I thought the announcer sounded really neat for some reason, and I wanted to be an announcer some day. "You are tuned to CFRX, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, transmitting in the 49 meter band on the assigned frequency of six thousand seventy kilocycles. CFRX broadcasts the regular program schedule of CFRB, Toronto." That was it, over top of anything and everything! (I never became an announcer, though.) BTW, CFRX has been booming in here all day long today--+10 to +20 (Mark, N8PEP, S. Crabtree, ibid.) Does anyone remember who the announcer was back then? (Brian Smith, ODXA, ibid.) Not sure about back then but I know Ed Needham was the CFRX ID man for quite some time. After Ed, I was the ID guy, but nobody will remember that! Actually, I was asked to do it again. I haven't been down to the main studios in years and have been promised a tour of the new digs so maybe studio time can be found to make the new ID. Hopefully an early 2009 project. The big thing that needs doing is getting Industry Canada to type approve the transmitter now that it`s running properly. From the few reports coming in, CFRX is doing a great job. No major DX reports yet, but give it time (Steve Canney, ibid.) Sorta OT: CFRX. I ran into CFRX while tuning the 49 meter shortwave band today. Apparently it's just come back on recently, I thought the gang would want to know of it (Curtis Sadowski, IL, Dec 21, WTFDA via DXLD) A co-incidence, I came across it today too. Odd hearing traffic reports for Toronto on shortwave. wrh (Bill Hepburn, Ont., ibid.) Hi Bill, I was glad it came back; during the 90's I listened to it daily. I understand CFRB had a shortwave relay so the owner could hear the station at his summer home. Whatever the reason was, I've always enjoyed listening to it (Curtis Sadowksi, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) 6070 CFRX, 6070, still holding up with good signal and modulation; Dec 24 at 1336 ad for smart dishwashing machines at Home Depot. Still seems odd to hear a genuine (very) commercial North American station on SW, with lots of spots. CFRB ought to charge a premium on its ad rates now as long as SW is on the air, funxioning properly, and not subject to random overrides for SW IDs. But they would be laughed out of the ad agencies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC NQ 9625 transmitter at Sackville out of whack again, Dec 22 at 1510 when extremely distorted talk in English(?) was centered about 9645 and covering at least 9640-9650 with no detectable carrier. Still the same at 1540. RCI Russian on 9610 was OK. On 9625 only heard two other weak stations mixing, presumably BBC and Channel Africa. The same thing was happening Dec 21 at 0600, but not at 1410. This time I notified Sackville and Montréal (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also NEWFOUNDLAND Further chex of the defective CBCNQ transmitter: Dec 24 at 0555, funxioning normally and nominally on 9625. But at 1318 it was acting up again: distorted Inuk(?) talk on 9625, ``Gloria`` carol, with spurs at modulation peaks audible as high as 9670 but worst around 9640- 9645. Doesn`t seem to do it on the lower side. No replies received from Sackville or Montréal, to my recent notification about this problem (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re 8-129, RCI QSLs: Dear Glenn, I must say that lately RCI is a good verifier as far as I am concerned. After a gap of several years I started sending reception reports to RCI this year. I have received very quick replies by email and post for my email reports sent to info @ rcinet.ca I have verified many RCI relay sites this year. The full data qsls are signed by Bill Westenhaver, Audience Relations. Maybe the listener`s location counts for sending of QSL cards. Merry Xmas! Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, India, Dec 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. One of CANADA's most important broadcasting sites is under attack by the neighbors. For well over half a century, Mont-Royal has been the home for almost all of Montreal's TV and FM signals, and with good reason - rising some 700 feet above (and just north of) downtown Montreal, surrounded by city neighborhoods on all sides, the mountain is the only spot that provides an unshadowed signal into the entire city. But it's also a public park, and one that was recently designated an "historic and natural" area. So with Radio-Canada/CBC's ten-year lease of the tower site up for renewal, neighbors came looking for some changes. Last week, a city review committee recommended that the lease be renewed for just five years (at a starting cost of C$500,000 a year), with a five-year extension contingent on the release of three studies on the possibility of camouflaging or even relocating the tower. Would Montreal's TV and FM dial really be compelled to move somewhere else? It seems unlikely --- but we'll be following this story closely, just in case (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Dec 22 via DXLD) ** CANADA. CJCA-930 Edmonton AB has been given approval by the CRTC to move their transmitter site a considerable distance (about 15 miles) to the SW, to a location south of the town of Devon: item 24, Antenna and Transmitter Site Coordinates Present 53 23’ 00” N.113 28’ 36” W. New 53 18’ 24” N.113 43’ 00” W. Patterns remain unchanged but of course the coverage area moves a bit to the SW. 73, (Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, Dec 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. The application of CKBA-850 Athabasca AB to move to FM (94.1 MHz, 9 kW) has been approved by the CRTC. Here in Calgary AB this is a tough station to log due to KOA but I do have them in the log (using a old Hallicrafters S-118 receiver barefoot of all things early one evening a few years ago) CKBA Athabasca - Conversion to FM band 1. The Commission approves the application by 3937844 Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Newcap Inc., for a broadcasting licence to operate a new English-language FM radio programming undertaking in Athabasca, Alberta to replace its AM station CKBA. There were no interventions to this application. The terms and conditions of licence for the new station are set out in the appendix to this decision. The implementation of the station is subject to the notification by the Department of Industry discussed in the appendix. Simulcast period and revocation of AM licence 6. As set out in the appendix to this decision, the applicant is authorized to simulcast the programming of the new FM station on CKBA Athabasca for a transition period of three months following the commencement of operations of the FM station. Pursuant to sections 9(1)(e) and 24(1) of the Broadcasting Act, and consistent with the licensee’s request, the Commission revokes the licence for CKBA effective at the end of the simulcast period. The station will operate at 94.1 MHz (channel 231B1) with an effective radiated power of 9,000 watts (via Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, Dec 23, DXLD) ** CHAD, 6165, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne, 2226-2233*, 22 Dec, Hi-life music with no announcements except at closing. Closing ID as "Ici N'djamena. La Radiodifusion Télévision du Tchad." Anthem by brass band and audio cut at 2233. Good and loud (Paul Brouillette, Geneva, IL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Paul Brouillette, in IL, reported to DXLD hearing RNT on 6165 until 2233* Dec 22, so I was wondering if they had moved all transmissions back to 6165 after a brief revival on 4905? No, in the morning, Dec 24 at 0601, heard only Croatia on 6165, and good signal from Chad on 4905 with music; 0603 non-French announcement, more music, then YL talking in non-French until 0613 more music, 0615 drumming and 0616 into OM speaking Arabic. Lite CODAR QRM thruout, which would have been worse without the strength of the Chad signal to diminish it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4905, Rdif. Nat. Tchadienne, Gredia, N'Djaména, 1609-2231*, Dec 09, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18 and 19. Back from 6165, but on Dec 22 back on 6165! (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, summarizing several reports, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** CHINA. 8400 still with Firedrake after a couple of weeks, so Sound of Hope must be sticking here too, Dec 24 at 1347 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9820, Dec 22 at 2352 with open carrier, and het, weak audio which I finally decided was Vietnamese. I first figured the open carrier was Habana, but no audio from it developed; the Mesa Redonda show is quite irregular. If that had been on, nothing of this would have been possible. 0000 heard music, IS of chimes, electronic instrument, IDs in Chinese and Vietnamese but missed the key words. Aoki shows: 9820 CNR 2 2100-0100 1234567 Chinese 150 290 Baoji-Xinjie CHN 10710E 3430N CNR2=11845 b08 9820 GUANGXI FOREIGN BS 2300-0100 1234567 Vietnamese 15 225 Nanning CHN 10811E 2247N GUANG 9820 R.HABANA CUBA 2300-0100 .23456. Mesa Redonda 50 230 La Habana CUB 08223W 2256N RHC b07 To further confuse matters, WRTH 2009 in the domestic sexion page 153 shows nothing but Xi`an on 9820 with CNR2 until 2400. In the international sexion, page 439, there is Guanxi FBS, Nanning on 9820 with Vietnamese at 2300-0100 // 5050 in winter sked. So looks like I had Guangxi for sure, and not bad for 15 kW as Aoki and WRTH agree, aimed oppositely; unlikely the Chicom would really run Baoji-Xinjie on same frequency at same time. EiBi doesn`t get into details such as powers and azimuths but does show both Xian CNR2 and Nanning with Guangxi FBS between 2300 and 0100. This time I check PWBR `2009` last rather than first. It shows both Xian and Nanning on 9820 at 0000, with 50 kW for the latter, which I am afraid is more likely than 15 as well I was getting it. Had to be Nanning as I definitely heard Vietnamese. The het was probably R. Nove de Julho, Brasil, always reported off- frequency on low side (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 8-130, e-mail address for Guangxi 5050: Hi Glenn, LOL, PWBR strikes out again. The email was returned as below: ``: 202.108.33.44 does not like recipient. Remote host said: 550 #5.1.0 Address rejected service@gxradio.com Giving up on 202.108.33.44.`` I guess I'll DHL a report with $10 or so. That should get their attention. Thanks again for the help! You were the only person who could be bothered to reply (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Re 8-130: 5050, Guangxi FBS, 1551-1601*, Dec 24, mostly in Vietnamese, frequent short segments in English with professor (Australian accent?) who teaches at a Chinese college talking about his experiences in China ("Travel in China by train is great, as it's a good opportunity to meet people", etc.), Vietnamese instrumental music till off, fair with very faint QRM from Voice of Strait. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is contiguous to Vietnam, hence they broadcast a lot in Vietnamese (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. 6210, R Kahuzi, Bukavu, 1840-2004*, Dec 10, French ID's, conversations, mentioning many African countries, with short musical interludes in between, closing announcement and short hymn, at best 24332 (Roland Schulze, Stuttgart, Germany, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC 9550 transmitter is becoming unstable, showing a slight warble at 2350 Dec 22 in English. This is apparent with BFO on, slightly off-tuned, compared to off-tuning other nearby frequencies. The DentroCuban Jamming Command continues to ruin many other frequencies besides the ones they need to. If you`re going to jam, do it responsibly, only against your enemies! That is, only on enemy frequencies, only when they are axually in use, and in Spanish. Incidentally, this would make your operation more efficient and effective against the real targets, without making more enemies! Dec 24 at 1324, I found the pulses centered on 11930 against R. Martí were extending plus/minus 25 kHz, and thus also marring R. Romania International`s music on 11940. Also similar pulsing heard on 11490- 11495 against nothing at 1326, further spur? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECHIA. REPÚBLICA CHECA – Para o próximo ano, o Departamento Ibero-Americano da Rádio Praga escolheu fotos de locomotivas à vapor antigas para ilustrar a série anual de cartões de confirmação QSL. Será uma serie de oito cartões. A 1ª retratará uma locomotiva de 1920. As informações são do Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, de Barbacena (MG). (Célio Romais, Panorama, @titivade DX Dec 21 via DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH. Re 8-130, the note on Charlie and His Orchestra: There is a mystery concerning the Nazis' jazz propaganda that is not discussed in the book 'Hitler's Airwaves', namely that before the band announced as Charlie and His Orchestra hit the airwaves there was a band called The Bremen Boys broadcasting the same sort of music with propagandistic lyrics to North America and Britain. Also, towards the end of the war, there was a band using the name 'Bruno and the Flying Tigers' that broadcast over the German station 'Jerry's Front Radio' to British and American troops (The 'Flying Tigers' was probably inspired by the Germans' famous Tiger tanks). These last two 'bands' have been overlooked by historians and I think it is likely that they were just different names for Charlie and His Orchestra. For anyone living within visiting distance of the Imperial War Museum in London, there are many recordings of 'Charlie' in its Department of Recorded Sound, including an old BBC Radio 4 documentary on the subject. There was also a new documentary on 'Charlie' on BBC Radio 2 a couple of years ago (Roger Tidy, London, UK, Dec 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This orchestra was be based at Doeberitz, west of Berlin, - also location of the Olympic Games village in 1936. (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR, 6050, HCJB, 2304-2330, 22 Dec, News program "El Atardecer" with man and woman hosts. Domestic news til :15, then a long interview with Israeli ambassador to Ecuador. Good (Paul Brouillette, Geneva, IL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 15710 with constant tone test, Dec 24 at 1406 and for next few minutes. Presumably R. Cairo after closing Indonesian service until 1400, as they habitually run tone afterwards for reasons unknown --- maybe it`s just occupying the audio feed channel and they don`t get around to turning off the transmitter promptly. Would that the clarity of the programming, normally extremely distorted, approached the purity of this tone! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. Further to my report kindly onpassed by Dave Kenny, and Jari's note, an Amharic-speaker has translated the announcement that is being repeated on the new 6090 station. It says the tests are from Amhara Regional State radio. The following schedule is announced: 0300-0600, 0900-1100 and 1400-1700 GMT. I have confirmed these times to be correct. It is announcing three frequencies: 6090, 7264 (sic) and 9740. I have only heard 6090, which has good signal strength. I've also heard the email address of AMMAwebmaster @ yahoo.com being announced on 6090. Or it could be ammawebmaster @ yahoo.com [case doesn`t matter in e-mail addresses --- gh] The tests on 6090 are NOT in parallel with Amhara State radio which is heard on the listed 801 MW. I can hear a total of 11 SW transmitters from Ethiopia at present: -- 5990v/7110/9704 Radio Ethiopia National Service. -- 7165/9560v Radio Ethiopia External Service (and anti-Eritrea clandestines). -- 6110/6890 Radio Fana (also heard on 1080 MW). -- 5950/5980 V. of Tigray Revolution (5980 is only heard for the early morning transmission, closing at 0530). Note: 5950 is much stronger than 5980, but has telephone-quality audio, supporting the theory that 5980 is from Mekele (where the studio is) but 5950 is from Addis Ababa. -- 6030 R. Oromia (also heard on 1035 MW). -- 6090 The new Amhara State radio. There are also unidentified Ethiopian MW stations on 684 and 1044. These are not in parallel with the National Service on 594/828/855/873/972 (Chris (listening in Siaya District, western Kenya) Greenway, Dec 23, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chris, thanks for info. I wonder what they call the station? [6090] Is it "Amhara Kilil Radio" or something related, as it sounds like that. Merry Xmas, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Media Broadcast changes, posted Dec 17 http://www.media-broadcast.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/B08_operational_171208.pdf New schedule for two clannies to Ethiopia I'm not able to identify further (since I simply have lost track on all the organizations bombarding this region with shortwave broadcasts): Something dubbed "Ethiopians for democracy" on Wed, Fri and Sun (perhaps a.k.a. "Voice of Ethiopian Unity"?) and a certain "ELF" on Wed, both 1700-1758 via Nauen (running 125 kW) on 11835. Voice of Oromo Liberation (if it's them) Thu, Tue, Sun 1600-1700 via Jülich has been moved to 11760 as of Dec 4 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. BELGIUM (non) Some TDP changes: Ginbot 7 Radio in Amharic from Dec. 2: 1700-1730 NF 9880 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Tue/Thu/Sun, ex 12120 1700-1730 NF 11530 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Tue/Thu/Sun, ex 15350 Radio Xoriyo Ogadenia in Somali from Dec. 10: 1700-1730 NF 9485 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Wed/Fri 1700-1730 NF 11720 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Wed/Fri 1400-1430 on 21585 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Tue/Sat, cancelled (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) ** EUROPE. The NETHERLANDS / LITHUANIA --- Schedule for FRS-Holland (Free Radio Service-Holland) special broadcast on Dec 28 [Sunday]: 0800-1300 on 6220 (via unknown location), 0800-2200 on 6400 (a few hundred watts via unknown location) and 1430-1530 on 9700 (alternative 9710) via Sitkunai, Lithuania (100 kW), possibly repeating the DX Show. Correct reception reports are verified with our QSL-card. Address: P. O. Box 2702, NL-6049 ZG Herten, The Netherlands. At least one IRC to cover the QSL postage will be appreciated (Peter Verbruggen, Herten, The Netherlands, DSWCI DX Window Dec 14 via DXLD) ** FALKLAND ISLANDS. FALKLAND ISLANDS RADIO SERVICE STARTS INTERNET STREAMING I just saw this message from “rob4aluk”on the Digital Spy website: “A friend from the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic emailed me to say that the Falkland Islands Radio Service (FIRS) has started to broadcast on the Internet for 6 hours per day (from 1000 GMT). Their stream URL is: http://asx.abacast.com/falkland_islands_radio-live-24.asx I’ve been told that it`s a direct linkup with their 530 kHz mediumwave signal so the audio is not that hot but might be of interest to those who would like to listen to a local service in a UK overseas territory.” Indeed, I am listening to it as I type this, and it appears to be an off-air relay with some fading. To my ears, it sounds like one of the FM transmitters rather than mediumwave. The stream is only 32 kbps, but the audio quality is quite good. The schedule through 8 January 2009 is available on the FIRS website. According to the Falklands Government website, the streaming service commenced in early November via the station’s website, but I cannot find a link there. Penguin News says that in the near future, podcasts of a wide range of FIRS programmes will be available to download. Station Manager Corina Bishop said Synergy Information Systems has been instrumental in ensuring that the streaming could go ahead, adding that it could not have happened without the support and sponsorship of Cable and Wireless. Although Falklands Radio will initially not be online after the Lifestyles Programme finishes each weekday, the plan is to extend the hours in the near future (December 23rd, 2008 - 13:01 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) 9 comments so far: 1 Dave Kernick December 23rd, 2008 - 13:28 UTC Interesting, I’ve been looking out for this, but even if I’d checked this morning I wouldn’t have found anything as there doesn’t seem to be a link on the website itself. By the way, the stream URL given above is incomplete so won’t connect; in full it’s http://asx.abacast.com/falkland_islands_radio-live-24.asx Happy Christmas to you Andy, and to all our readers! 2 Andy Sennitt December 23rd, 2008 - 13:30 UTC Thanks Dave. I don’t know what happened - the original link given in Digital Spy worked fine. I have corrected it. I think it happened when I changed the font in the quoted message to italics - probably another bug 3 lou josephs December 23rd, 2008 - 18:35 UTC FYI the link works but the stream is down as of 1834 UT Tuesday 4 Robert Wilson December 23rd, 2008 - 19:29 UTC Hi guys, I am a ‘rob4aluk’ as mentioned above. You have to register at the FIRS website then after you log in there is a ‘listen live’ link along with broadcasting times. My friend in the Falklands is a farmer living in West Falkland and does not get FM only FIRS and BFBS Radio 2 on medium wave hence how he must have thought that it was a relay of the MW signal. Merry Christmas and happy listening, Rob. 5 Andy Sennitt December 23rd, 2008 - 20:43 UTC Thanks Rob. I did actually register with the site ages ago, but I can’t remember what password I used, But I’d suggest that they put a note on the Home Page stating that if you register you can access the audio stream. It will be great for the Falklanders in the UK and elsewhere who want to keep in touch with events in the Islands 6 Dave Kernick December 24th, 2008 - 11:08 UTC The stream was observed going offline yesterday promptly at 1600 UT. Today the stream was already there with a BBCWS relay when I tuned in at 0956, which was followed at 1000 by IRN News. Their own programming commenced after the news with this ID: “This is F.I.R.S., 88.3 FM or 530 mediumwave. Voice of the Falklands”. An audio clip of this can be heard on Interval Signals Online - http://www.intervalsignals.net Amusing to note that their weather forecasts always include the “sheep chill factor”! :- 7 Andy Sennitt December 24th, 2008 - 11:20 UTC Yes, apparently it’s sheep shearing season in the Falklands, and newly shorn sheep are understandably susceptible to the cold. I noted the daytime high was 18C or 19C, but I imagine with the winds they get there it feels a lot cooler. 8 Jonathan Marks December 24th, 2008 - 18:55 UTC Been listening today and it seems the island council has decided that digital TV will come to the islands in the form of simple set-top boxes, and radio coverage is to be enhanced, with new MW transmitters for FIRS and BFBS-2, as well as FM transmitters. 9 Andy Sennitt December 24th, 2008 - 19:18 UTC That’s interesting, as I saw reports in the UK a few weeks ago suggesting that BFBS-2 might be closed to save money. Hopefully that means it won’t be. (ibid.) ** FINLAND. Scandinavian Weekend R, Virrat, again this year plans a Christmas program on Dec 25 from 0700 to 1900. Schedule: 49 mb: 0700-1500 on 5980, 1500-1700 on 6170 and 1700-1900 on 5980. 25 mb: 0700-0800 on 11690, 0800-1400 on 11720, 1400-1700 on 11690 and 1700-1900 on 11720. As mentioned in DX-Window no 365, the best reception in Denmark is 1200-1400 on 5980 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 14 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Heard Radio France International 7315 at 0415-0430 GMT. Some info on people immigrating to Europe illegally and how much trouble it is to get to Europe. At 0429 a little bit of Elvis doing his rendition of "Here Comes Santa Claus. Cut off at 0431 (Richard Lewis, Forest, MS, G4000A (received off internal antenna), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. Radio Muza, Georgia, seems to be missing from your listings. Classical. This started a couple years ago and I thought you already added it. http://www.radiomuza.ge/index.php (Glenn Hauser, Dec 21, to Kevin Kelly, via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) R Muza's site and stream were down for a while after the Russia / Georgia conflict in August. It looked like the site had been attacked by Russian hackers. But if it's OK now, I'll reactivate the listing. Was this site working for you last night? I find it down at the moment. Thanks. Enjoy your holiday listening (Kevin A. Kelly, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA, 1102 UT Dec 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Kevin, Yes, I was looking at the Muza site and listening to it for a while last night. Your link is working for me now, and last night I found the English version which is also working now: http://www.radiomuza.ge/?setlang=en& And I am listening to it now at the audio bookmark I had saved from before. http://shoutcast.omroep.nl:8166/listen.pls So it`s still coming out of Netherlands. Website says they are now operating directly from Georgia after training from Neth experts. 73, (Glenn, 1636 UT Dec 22, ibid.) R Muza web site and stream are both working for me now, except that I find that the omroep.nl stream is now 8164 not the former 8166. (8166 has classical too but it's one of ConcertZender's streams, "Dutch Music Media.") By the way, if you want to play Dutch stream roulette, you can replace that number with nearly any even number in the range 8000 to 8250 (Kevin A. Kelly, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA, publicradiofan.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. Re 8-097, QSLing DW relay sites: Yes, I have Taipei [June 25, 2005 2200-2250 11965] and Simferopol [November 28, 2007 1400-1430 9380]. Monitoring DW on one day or two before or after confirmed date in 2nd QSL, my local friend received QSL indicating Lvov instead of Simferopol site. It is also interesting to recall the remarkable conversation in 7-137 November 15, 2007 (Tony Ashar, West Java – Indonesia, Dec 24, 2008, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Media Broadcast changes, posted Dec 17 http://www.media-broadcast.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/B08_operational_171208.pdf Family Radio now uses Wertachtal on 75 metres with 250 kW, 1800-2000 on 3975, starting Dec 16. Thus HCJB German 1800-1900 on 3955 had to be moved to Jülich. Hereby both sites are again on air in the 75 mB simultaneously for the first time in two years, and for the first time in AM mode for at least four years. VOA Persian 1700-1829 on 9540 has on Nov 25 been moved from Jülich to Nauen, running 125 kW (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ETHIOPIA [non] ** GERMANY. Germany LW 177 in DRM --- At 0135 UT, there's a strong and definite signal in DRM from Deutschlandradio Kultur 177 in their digital segment. It's even blasting over Morocco 171 USB. This is the first time I'm noticing a TA DRM broadcast. Gosh, this is even wider than IBOC! The strange thing is that propagation is so average that from 0140 up until now (0145), the band went completely dead (Sylvain Naud, Portneuf, QC, Canada, UT Dec 22, mwdx yg via DXLD) Yes, DRM obliterates everything on the channel ... +/- 4 or 5 kHz filling what would otherwise be the audio sideband space with digital shash. There's no "AM compatible" mode. I've lost several channels to DRM noise ... 1593, 1575, 999 (Mark Hattam, UK, ibid.) Now, could Sylvain or anyone over here with DRM receiver get `perfect` reception from 172-177-182 kHz? (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Radio 700 from Germany will go on air 25.12.2008 from 0800 to 1100 hours UT on 6005 kHz with 100 kW with a Christmas Special. You can send your greetings to: info @ radio700.eu or live by telephone +49(2251)921300. Greetings (Peter Vaegler, Germany, Dec 21, bclnews.it yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) 6005, R 700, via Wertachtal (100 kW), will bring a special program in German for the housewives called "Weihnachten in aller Welt" on Dec 25 at 0800-1100. It can also be heard on internet (Christian Milling/ R 700, Euskirchen, Germany, Dec 20, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) How do you make it a program for housewives in particular? (gh, DXLD) ** GREENLAND. 3815 USB, KNR, Tasiilaq, 2105-2214*, Dec 16, 17, 19, 21 and 22, Greenlandic announcements, songs, 2200 jingle, news in Danish (presumed), song at close with no closing announcement Back on ordinary schedule! 23322 - 12231, deep fades and CWQRM. Heard best in the most narrow bandwidth. The latest news in Danish can also be heard at http://www.knr.gl/index.php?id=1855 which sounds like the same newsreader (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** GUINEA. Golpe de estado en Guinea Conakry --- Hola a todos. Leo en la prensa que ha muerto el Jefe del Estado y que algunos militares han disuelto el gobierno y suspendido la Constitución. Aquí es posible oír emisoras de Guinea, en francés. Radio Rurale de Labé, MW 1386 khz, estaba activa últimamente. Radio Nacional, SW 7125 kHz, muy irregular, con mejor recepción antes del amanecer en Europa. Saludos (Juan Anotnio Arranz, Dec 23, playdx yg via DXLD) MILITARY SAYS IT’S IN CHARGE OF GUINEA FOLLOWING DEATH OF PRESIDENT A few hours after the announcement of the death of Guinean President Lansana Conté, the army has announced the dissolution of the national constitution. At around 0730 UT this morning, about 100 soldiers arrived at the national radio station and took it over. Captain Moussa Dadis Camara made a statement on the air, in which he said that the country was in a state of “deep despair” and it was vital that there was an upturn in the economy and more was done to combat corruption. Update 1715 UT: The chief of the country’s armed forces, General Diarra Camara, has told French TV station France 24 that “I think they are in the minority … they are not the majority in the army.” Officials said negotiations were being held at the main Alpha Yaya Diallo military base in Conakry’s suburbs, between soldiers and officers who supported the coup and those who wanted to stay loyal to constitutional procedure. Listen to the radio statement (RFI recording) [see http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/military-assume-power-in-guinea-following-death-of-president for audio link] (December 23rd, 2008 - 10:32 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) See RUSSIA: no sign of 7125 post-coup(?) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 7125, R. Conakry was off at 0650-0730 in December 24. 73 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Brasil, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here`s a story in French about RTG returning to the air the morning of Dec 23 with military music, but not about SW specifically: http://www.guineenews.org/articles/article.asp?num=2008122391634 and some other stories mentioning RTG http://www.guineenews.org/articles/article.asp?num=20081223114350 http://www.guineenews.org/articles/article.asp?num=2008122463252 (Guineenews via DXLD) English version and comments: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/guinean-soldiers-said-to-have-ransacked-national-broadcasters-offices (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** HAWAII. 570, (KQNG), Lihu’e, 12/19 1923 [EDT] noted off the air instead of carrying Kim Komando (normally nearly // KAOI-1110). Noted later at 2205 with weak signal, maybe around 500 or 600 watts. Per station spokeswoman, the station (she did not specify the office building or tower) was struck by lightning twice during a winter storm that hit Kaua’i and O’ahu the past two days. Station engineer has not replied to my inquiry about when KQNG will return to full power. (5P- HI) (Dale Park, HI, IRCA DX Monitor Dec 27 via DXLD) ** ICELAND. 207 kHz, RÚV, Eiðar, 2342-2358, 23 Dec, talks including references to many places & names; 23441, QRM de Germany (mainly) + Morocco. Very good on // 189 Gufuskálar just like today, 2237 with Xmas inspired tunes (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Re: ``3960.4 Distorted signal here, and 3959.76 kHz weak but definitely a stn here as well at 1150 UT. Suspect 3960.4 kHz is KCBS Pyongyang because of the distortion. Could 3959.76 kHz be RRI Palu?? 5 Dec (Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec, Brazil, dxldyg via DXLD)`` This could well be! In 1995 when I lived in Bandung, Indonesia, I logged it several times (also once in the city of Palu itself), always slightly below 3960 kHz, on 3959.8, also 3959.7 kHz, while KCBS was then well above, on 3960.7 (Rx NRD-525), but Palu audio was always distorted (Gerhard Werdin, Germany, Dec 17, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 25 via DXLD) See also 7235 below ** INDONESIA. 3995.03, RRI Kendari, 1459-1503 Dec 21. Rayuan Pulau Kelapa (Song of the Coconut Isles), then Jak relay at 1500. Fair but on the way downhill (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Re 8-130: 7235.00, RRI Palu (tentative), *0000-0045 fade out, Dec 21, local songs, talks in UNID language, choir singing, 0030 metallic IS, native songs and instrumental music, 24232 adjacent QRM on both sides 24232 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Here noted Jakarta Cimanggis on 9525.877 kHz at 1315 UT, and drifted to .881 kHz at 1457 UT. At latter CRI Kashi-CHN started 500 kW powerhouse in Englisch on even 9525.00 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, A-DX Dec 21 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, 0800-0820, Dec 24 (Wed.), "Kang Guru Indonesia" program in English, scheduled for Wed. and Fri., talking about their KGI magazine and what sections their readers like the most, ask listeners to call or write for their free copy, several "KGI" IDs, poor with adjacent QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. 2008 CLANDESTINE ACTIVITY SURVEY During the year 2008 the activity of political clandestine stations broadcasting on shortwave has dropped by 5.3 % to 1251 Weekly Broadcasting Hours (WBHs). This is the result of the latest Clandestine Activity Survey, which has been published annually since 1986. The activity of clandestine stations broadcasting to target areas on the Asian continent has decreased by 2.6 % to 915 WBHs. Activity to target areas on the American continent has remained unchanged at 215 WBHs. The activity to target areas on the African continent, where volatility has always been very high in recent years, has decreased by 27.5 % to 121 WBHs. The most active target area worldwide is now - for the first time in the history of the CAS - North Korea with 245 WBHs (+49 when compared with last year), followed by China P.R. with 224 WBHs (-16) and Cuba with 215 WBHs (unchanged). The number of different target areas active worldwide has decreased from 18 to 17, with Senegal dropping from the list of active targets. On the other hand, no new or reactivated target areas have been reported over the past 12 months (Mathias Kropf, Germany, Dec 21, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 25 via DXLD) Was West Africa Democracy Radio, for Senegal et al., really clandestine? Wait a week; we still have 7 days left in 2008 (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL. SEASONAL PROGRAMMING UPDATES http://www.doghousecharlie.com/seasonal-programs-2008/ This will be my third annual listing of interesting programming from around the world, of a seasonal nature. It is by no means complete or comprehensive. The web page may be down periodically tonite, Christmas Eve as I scramble to get as much advance info for Christmas Day and Boxing Day listed. I had hoped to have more up by now, but I've been doing the Niagara Health System Mambo all week, family responsibilities keeping me away from all the "fun stuff". Comments, criticisms, corrections and of course contributions of information are welcome. You can use the contact page on the website or my email... programming_matters at yahoo dot ca (ca for canada not .com) Finally to all of you receiving this message, please allow me to wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009. Good listening, 73 and Good DX, and solid internet connections to all. :-) To those of you who seek lost objects of history, I wish you the best of luck. They're out there, and they're whispering. - Clive Cussler http://www.doghousecharlie.com (Fred Waterer, Ont., 2112 UT Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) He includes BBC Radio 2, but let me add Radio 3, which as usual i.a. is repeating some Proms Concerts from last summer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/christmas2008.shtml This and much more has been added to our Holiday Specials linx at http://www.worldofradio.com/calendar.html#holiday If you sift thru it all, you will find some unique programming in addition to all the multiple-station network annuals (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. NACE RADIO TRIBUNAL INTERNACIONAL, UNA EMISORA SOBRE LA INFANCIA AFECTADA POR LA GUERRA Y LA POBREZA España, 22/12/08 - En el 60 aniversario de la Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos, el Tribunal Internacional sobre la Infancia afectada por la Guerra y la Pobreza, de la Misión Diplomática Internacional Humanitaria RWANDA 1994, ha comunicado el lanzamiento de Radio Tribunal Internacional, “una emisora contra los crímenes contra la humanidad y el genocidio sobre la infancia”. Radio Tribunal Internacional, que transmite vía Internet y Podcast en español en http://www.tribunalinternacional.tk busca denunciar internacionalmente estos hechos desde una perspectiva de los derechos humanos y el Derecho Internacional Humanitario, observando el desarrollo de la situación de la infancia afectada por la Guerra en África, Colombia y Asia. Para ello, se desarrollará una programación semanal sobre la situación de las violaciones a los derechos humanos, el Derecho Internacional Humanitario, con entrevistas a juristas internacionales y defensores de derechos humanos, testimonios de niños y madres victimas de la guerra. (Redacción/agencias) Fuente: Glocalia.com http://www.glocalia.com/detalle_noticia.php?id=200812220121513272fb0ef6941a45821ff9f9b6f2de20 (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, Dec 22 http://yimber.blogspot.com DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Twitter has become such a phenomenon that I looked into it. Eventually I decided I would not sign up. I operate this website that answers the question, "what is happening in international broadcasting and public diplomacy?" Twitter asks the question, "what are *you* doing?" From me, the answer would usually be: nothing that would be of any interest to anyone. Posted: 24 Dec 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Me, too (gh) ** IRAN. 6120, V. of Justice – Kamalabad, 0130, 12/15. Music, presumed NA. YL English ID and opening announcement. Prayers, OM message, more prayers. 0142 other music. Fair-Poor. 7160, V. of Justice – Kamalabad, 0130, 11/28. Music-IS or NA, YL English 'This is the Voice of Justice,` music, prayers. // 6120 weak. 0135 YL mentioned Tehran, Kamalabad and Sirjan. 0150 QRN plus (Jerry Ervine, Clarksville TN, SONY 2010 with AOR -LA380 LOOP, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ITALY. Ham Roberto, I2VRN inbooming on SSB 7162 Dec 23 around 0700, working US hams in English. Not too surprising as Vatican Radio is a regular on 7250, but with somewhat more power and he was rivalling it. QRZ.com says he is: ROBERTO VERANI, VIA PAGLIARI BIVIO 6, I-26049 STAGNO LOMBARDO, CREMONA, ITALY (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. Re two Nikkei transmitter sites on 3925: Jari's conclusion is true. Hokkaido Relay Station of Radio Nikkei (former NSB) was constructed in August 1961 at Sapporo [43 06 37 N, 141 21 44 E] with the call sign JOZ4 to avoid the skip phenomenon on 3925 kHz in Hokkaido Area. The transmitter site was moved to Memuro [43 19 25 N, 145 34 30 E] in October 1995. JOZ4 is now over NEC HFB-7840 transmitter with 10 kW, transmitting simultaneously with JOZ (50 kW) at Nagara site on 3925 (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Dec 19, wwdxc BC- DX TopNews Dec 25 via DXLD) So, 'simultaneously' is the key word (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. CLANDESTINE - 3912, V. of the People, 1412-1500+ Dec 21. Presumed with assorted talks by male & female announcers; occasional selection of vocal music. Good signal and // to 6517.98 and 6599.98, both good as well. All frequencies still good at 1503 re- check. CLANDESTINE - 9690, Nippon no Kaze via Darwin, 1509-1539* Dec 21. Presumed with talks in Korean; long closing routine at 1525, including usual e-mail address info@rachi.go.jp and website http://www.rachi.go.jp Carrier off at 1530:10. Good signal (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) More than presumed, I`d think (gh) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 7540, Dec 23 at 1455 with rather repetitive chanting, fair, continuing after 1500 with weaker talk; hmmm, what is this? Is PWBR any help? Of course not! Nothing listed on 7540 at this time. O yes, it`s Voice of Mesopotamia = Denge Mezopotamya in Kurdish as in Aoki, 1400-1800, 500 kW at 129 degrees via Ukraine, but this scheduling is to expire at yearend, with 11530 extended another hour until 1500. We usually hear it better on 11530 until 1400*, but only after WYFR closes at 1345 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. 5860, R. Farda relay, heard at 1355 (actually "seen" before heard) on 22 Dec. with pop Farsi music and big UGLY carrier with 20 kHz + occupied bandwidth. This was splattered far and wide, making the spectral display resemble a public toilet. They ought to fire the engineer responsible for this (sorry, professional pride getting in the way here). Thankfully, they left the air at 1358, just a couple of minutes before their scheduled sign-off at 1400. Best 73 de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200 m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN [and non]. BBC RETURNS TO THE AIR IN KYRGYZSTAN; NOT SO RFE/RL (updated). "The BBC has resumed local language broadcasts in Kyrgyzstan two weeks after having its programming pulled off the air over an alleged breach of contractual obligations, the British station said Wednesday. ... Melis Eshimkanov, who heads the state broadcaster, says the BBC has failed to live up to a pledge to install four relay stations across the country. He also said the only two relay stations built so far are near the border with authoritarian Uzbekistan, where the BBC is banned from operating. Government critics accuse Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan of coordinating efforts to clamp down on independent media in the region." AP, 17 December 2008. "The U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty condemned as 'unacceptable' conditions set by authorities in Kyrgyzstan for the network to resume broadcasting in the post-Soviet republic. The network said in a statement that its Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, will not be allowed to broadcast unless its programming is first submitted to the government for approval, or guarantees it will not be offensive." AP, 16 December 2008. Reporters sans frontières "deplores the Kyrgyz government’s refusal to resume local retransmission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz service unless it submits programmes for prior approval." RSF, 17 December 2008. "When faced with an ailing and deeply corrupt economy and countrywide power cuts, the best the Kyrgyzstani government can do is crack down on one of the most reliable, independent sources of information in the country." Freedom House, 17 December 2008. Update: "The NTRK chief took a softer line in an interview in which he and Azattyk director Tynchtybek Chorotegin both participated. In the interview, published on the BBC Kyrgyz Service’s website on December 18, Eshimkanov made it clear that NTRK wanted to know the content of programmes in advance, but not to listen to them. He said that after a new law on TV and radio was passed in June making broadcasting companies answerable for all their content, he had asked RFE/RL to agree to a contractual change under which it would assume responsibility for any defamatory statements. He said RFE/RL refused to accept these terms. For his part, Chorotegin insisted that Azattyk sought to maintain balance in its output. 'Each of our programmes has to have a representative of the government or a minister present,' he said. 'If senior officials don’t have the time, we invite people who support the authorities’ position.'" Anara Yusupova, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, 22 December 2008. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 23 Dec 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com, see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=5471 for linx, via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) ** LIBERIA. 6070, 24/12 2001, MONROVIA, R ELWA, presumida, o idioma não era o inglês conforme as listas, mas sim um idioma ou dialeto africano, OM Talks com interlúdio de mx africana, das 2016 as 2020 ficou sem audio e volta as 2020 em inglês com um sermão religioso, é uma emissora cristã, o sinal cai a partir das 2015, segundo o site http://www.christianradio.org.uk/news/2008/10/elwa-now-on-6070khz.html [Oct 5] é uma nova freq com um novo transmissor de 5 kW. Gravado com a tx em inglês, 34333. As escutas listadas como "gravado" podem ser ouvidas no site http://www.ipernity.com/doc/75006/home?t=74925&c=6&s=uploaded 73 (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana Bahia, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W, HCDX via DXLD) ** LIBYA. V. of Africa, 17725, 1442 Dec 24 with a bit of its habitual produxion music, probably off some American service years ago as it sounds familiar, then talking in English about Qaddafi with even more familiar Beethoven`s Ninth in the background. They never seem to tire of this subject; wonder why? Do not conclude that Ludwig would endorse Muammar. Look what he did to Napoleon (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 5964.91, Klasik Nasional FM via RTM, 1701-1712, Dec 24, in vernacular, short segment of "RTM Kuala Lumpur" news, singing "Klasik Nasional" jingles, series of ads, pop music, fair- good. Before 1700 covered in strong QRM (DW – Sri Lanka). 6049.60, Suara Islam/Voice of Islam via RTM, 1650-1700*, Dec 24, in vernacular, pop songs, on-air call, "Suara Islam" IDs, choral Anthem at sign-off, fair-good (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA (?). 6049.6, RTM (?), Kajang, 0009-0020, 21 Dec, Malay (?) (it did seem like it), chanting, talks; 23441, adjacent QRM. It appears they're aren't supposed to be on the air at this time though (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MARSHALL ISLANDS. 1098 kHz, Marshall one of the loudest non-Hawaii on the band. Will get a notebook today at an ABC store and take some notes. Lots of MP3 recorded last night. Highly recommend this QTH for Pacific DXing. Very quiet. http://tinyurl.com/marshalls-eton100-slider-kona (Colin Newell, Victoria, British Columbia - Radio VA7WWV, visiting Hawaii, IRCA via DXLD) Viz.: Marshall Islands 1098 from Kona, Hawaii. Description: Another great sound track of the Pacific on the Eton E00 slider - courtesy of Gary DeBock. http://www.dxer.ca/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,196/Itemid,77/ (via DXLD) Clip is just music, rather muffled. This one is usually nothing but a carrier if heard in mainland NAm (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Fantastic reception, Colin. How can you not think of gently swaying palms, with the ocean gently lapping at your toes. Sigh! (Walt Salmaniw, BC, IRCA via DXLD) ** MAURITANIA. 7245, Radio Mauritanie, 0902-0935, Dec 18, man with long Arabic language talk followed by another man and a woman with more talk. Eventually joined by various men and woman for a group discussion. Fair but beginning to fade around 0930 (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing, PA 19610, U.S.A. Equipment: Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Lowe HF-150, Eton E5; Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini- Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEXQ barely confirmed on 6045, Dec 22 at 1459 with traces of classical music, Pachelbel? Traces of Spanish announcement at 1500; heard a couple numbers, as in telephone? And right back to music. Helped that China on 6040 was weaker than usual (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XEXQ, 6045, less classical and more exmassy, Dec 24 at 1332 with vocal group, 1333 YL solo ``Let it Snow``, 1335 ``Ave María`` --- maybe a medley moving right along. As usual, quite weak signal, and presumed. This led me to wonder if it ever snows on San Luís Potosí? Searching on its clima I kept getting current and predicted weather pages rather than long-term climate data! Latitude is +22º 16, so snow not very likely, but altitude is 1903m, and at one point the cota de nieve was shown at 3500m, so mountains around may certainly get whitened, and SLP`s own low temp is soon to be 4 degrees; a bit colder and snow is possible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6044.93, XEXQ (presumed), 0235-0241, Dec 24, program of jazz vocals, + 0314 classical orchestra music, weak but clear (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Looking for XEQMaya, Dec 24 around 1330 could only hear a weak het on low side of 6105 against FE stations, and no het at all after 1400 with VOA Chinese (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSL is shown at http://entre-ondas.blogspot.com/2008/12/qsl-desde-xemq-6105-khz-mrida-yucatn.html (Magdiel Cruz, Mexico, in PLAYDX via DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Arizona MW - DX logs PHX AZ - times local Mountain Standard. 1700, XEKTT, Cerro Jaramillo y Tijuana, Baja Norte, heard with local quality at 1030; news recap, local traffic and weather and ID by YL wtih "San Diego 1700" slogan. 12/23 (Rick Barton, Hammarlund HQ-140-X, outdoorwire, indoor wire, indoor Palomar loop, ABDX via DXLD) FYI, "San Diego's 1700" is still IDing as XEPE. They have not reverted to their old XEKTT calls in their "legal" IDs. Perhaps a clerical error at the SCT has made its way onto some websites? 73 (Tim Hall, CA, ibid.) He's right. the BOH ID is by slogan only, and I recalled the old call letters and added them. Appreciate Tim noticing and pointing that out (Rick Barton, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS. PROGRAMACIÓN ESPECIAL, SEMANA 52 DE RADIO NEDERLAND: http://www.informarn.nl/programas/programacionespecial2008-2009/programacion-semana52 (via Tomás Méndez, Spain, logsderadio yg via DXLD) Started Dec 22. I don`t see an equivalent page at the English site http://www.radionetherlands.nl/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. CANADA, 6160, CKZN, 2240-2242, 22 Dec, CBC programming about Toyota's first financial loss ever. This station is a regular here in late afternoons the past couple of months. Is always weak, but audible (Paul Brouillette, Geneva, IL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 9655, R New Zealand International, Rangitaiki. I got the special 60th anniversary QSL from RNZI. Here is the link for to see that card: http://dxersguide.blogspot.com/2008/12/rnzi-60th-annivarsary-qsl-2008.html (Jaisakthivel, India, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) Same one I did get less than four sesquidecades ago (gh, DXLD) ** NICARAGUA. 540, YNOW, R. Corporación, Managua, DEC 17 0328 – lively studio talk program, including one high pitched guy with goofy laugh. A few clear Radio Corporación ID's at the bottom of the hour into what sounded like a string of program promos, including clear mentions of Pancho Madrigal, a program I have heard on this station a few times in the past. Station faded back down at 0335 and then another strong peak at 0350 with ballads and a male announcer with time checks and a mention of Managua between 2 songs (Brandon Jordan, Memphis, TN, USA (GC= 35.083 N/ 89.866 W), Receiver: Eton E-100 “Slider”: modified with tunable 7.5” ferrite rod antenna, IRCA DX Monitor Dec 27 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA, 4770, R. Nigeria Kaduna, 2225-2240, 23 Dec, US pop tunes with long pauses between. No announcements noted. Quite strong and well modulated. Had not heard them here in a long time (Paul Brouillette, Geneva, IL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 0000 to 0010 logged in southeast Florida, 23 December 5460.1, Radio Bolívar, Cd. Bolívar 5486.7, Radio Reyna de la Selva, Chachapoyas 6047.15, Radio Santa Rosa, Lima 73s, (Robert Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Flórida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BOLIVIA ** PERU. 4790.1, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, 0924-0933, 23-12, programa religioso, español, locutor, comentarios. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Spain DX LISTENING DIGEST) Have also been hearing presumed this around 0600, also quite weak with CODAR. Had been off for a while? (gh, DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI has made another change, concerning English at 0630- 0700 via Galbeni, 300 kW, 100 degrees to Australia: 15560 ex-15135. I regularly hear this on 7180, Tiganesti, 300 kW at 307 degrees (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Frequency changes of Radio Romania International: 0630-0656 NF 15560 GAL 300 kW / 100 deg to AUS, ex 15135#English 2030-2056 NF 6155 TIG 100 kW / 282 deg to SER, ex 5970 Serbian #to avoid China Radio International in Spanish (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 6075, "Radio Rossii Kamchatka", via Petropavlovsk- Kamchatka, 0825-0843, Dec 24 (scheduled for 0810-0900), local/regional programming, interview, BoH "This is Kamchatka", into local news with many mentions of Kamchatka, several "Radio Rossii Kamchatka" IDs, fair. [see also UNIDENTIFIED 6074] 6085, GTRK Krasnoyarsk, at 0244, Dec 24, in Russian, perhaps local programming as was clearly not parallel to the usual Radio Rossii programming, but too weak to ID programming, 0300 pips, into R. Rossii programming, news, after ToH // 5935, 6075, 7200, 7320 and 7345. 7320, GTRK Magadan, 0210-0300, Dec 24; local/regional programming; ID "Govorit Magadan" ("Magadan speaking"), at BoH I have been hearing a short jingle followed by what sounds like an ID as "Magadan Radio", followed by series of ads with local phone numbers, some Russian songs, 1950s pop song in English, classical music, ends local programming at 0300, pips, "Programa Radio Rossii" ID and news, fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. Looking for anything from GUINEA`s only SW frequency, 7125, tuned in Dec 24 at 0600 only to hear Golos Rossii, Novosti opening, but cut off the air at 0600:20, unconvering absolutely nothing. Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Brasil, was still hearing nothing from Guinea at 0650-0730. Russian International Radio, in Russian to NAm, is designed to occupy the 6 hours per night when Guinea is not scheduled on 7125, i.e. 0000- 0600; HFCC and EiBi say site is ``Armavir`` but Aoki, PWBR and WRTH say Moldova = Grigoriopol = Pridnestrovye (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RWANDA. 6055, Radio Rwanda 1955+ Local pop/rap music with excited W DJ, mentions of Rwanda, to 2100. Then on past usual s/off time with Xamas hymns/carols by choir, M announcer in French, 'Radio Rwanda' IDs. In recent years has been on to 2300 or so each 12/24, with a radio Xmas party, 'baby Jesus' crying at local midnight, Xmas greetings in several languages. Good level now (2110) in N.E. USA. (Steve George, MA USA, 12/24, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SAINT HELENA. I read in The Times that the people of Saint Helena are devastated that the UK government has suspended funding for their new airport due to the financial crisis. At least most of them are - a minority are opposed to the airport as they think tourists will ruin the island. I fear they may be right, but they need more employment to keep the young people from heading off to the UK. Now, when we will able to listen to RSH worldwide on the Web? (Andy Sennitt, Dec 24, Media Network blog via DXLD) cf FALKLANDS ** SERBIA [non]. Glenn, International Radio Serbia, 0100-still listening to Violin Concerto, 6190, presumed from Bosnia site. You probably already know, but.... Regards, (Richard L. Mitchell (Rich), NC?, UT Dec 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Should have been opening English by then (gh) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9541, SIBC, Honiara. December 22, English, 0712- 0736 OM and dominant YL talks segment, talks on music, short English pop music, solo male choir Pacific style music. Some het, 33433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5020: I listened over the weekend but didn't hear them, so I think they are still off (Dec 21/22). It is 0852 UT on 24 December, and there is no sign of the SIBC on 5020 kHz. I won't comment about the gospel huckster programme I'm hearing! on 9541 kHz (Gordon Brown, UK, NWDXC in downunder Dec 24, BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) ** SUDAN. SOUTHERN SUDAN: NEW RADIO STATION TO BE LAUNCHED EARLY 2009 A group of private investors with close links to the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) have invested in a new radio station that will have wider reach than the existing broadcasters. Based in Juba, the new Voice of the People (VoP) will, according to its proprietors, deal mainly with developmental issues. “It will be the voice of the people of Southern Sudan and will mainly focus on the developmental challenges facing the Southern Sudanese people and ways of overcoming this. As a result, we shall be hiring professionals from all walks of life from Africa, but mainly from Southern Sudan,” says 31 year old, Benjamin Bol Yei, a shareholder of the soon to be launched station. Cyprien Hiniolwa, an engineer who works for the United Nations and who is in charge of setting up VoP, says that the new radio station will be able to relay its content to a radius of 360 kilometres in Southern Sudan. “There is no other indigenous radio station that currently has this reach. All the radio stations currently on air serve small radiuses of about five kilometers and that is mainly in the towns of Rumbek and Juba,” he says, adding that having its content available online will enable VoP to reach an even larger audience. VoP also plans to set up a TV station. Currently, the only Southern Sudanese TV Station, Southern Sudan TV (SSTV), is wholly owned by the government and is yet to become fully operational. Although already on air, it is currently just replaying advertisements telling what it will offer. Read the full report from Ratio Magazine, Kenya http://www.ratio-magazine.com/20081223355/EAC-Regional/Southern-Sudan-New-Radio-Station-to-be-Launched-in-Early-2009.html (December 23rd, 2008 - 10:46 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) So how will it achieve a 360 km radius?? Hi-power MW? FM? Multiple relay transmitters? SW from transmitter abroad? Don`t we have enough radio stations named `Voice of the People` already??? (gh, DXLD) ** SWEDEN [and non]. Re Earthquake as previously discussed: Scandinavia seldomly is hit by perceptible earthquakes. However, along the socalled Sorgenfrei-Tornquist Zone passing northernmost Jutland in Denmark and the provinces Halland and Scania in Sweden and continuing to the Carpathians, occasional minor earthquakes occur. This happens when the tectonial Baltica Plate (covering the area north-east of the Zone) slowly rotates anticlockwise towards the eastern end of the Avalonia Plate (covering Western Europe and the British Isles). On December 16 at 0620 local time, I was awake and reading in my bed, when the bed suddenly began shaking strongly for a few seconds. It appeared to be the biggest earthquake measured in Denmark, since such seismic measurements began in 1926. It had a strength of 4.8 on the Richter Scale and the epicenter was about 80 km from my home in Skovlunde, 40 km east of Malmoe, Sweden. No serious damage has occurred in Denmark or Sweden. This was the first time in my life, I experienced an earthquake here in Denmark (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 1557 kHz, Family Radio, Kouhu, heard at 1430 on 22 Dec. with English program "Open Forum" with the older fellow, who was getting a real earful from some of the listeners that called in. Co- channel Iran was off for some reason (probably transmitter issues as a dead carrier came on now and again) and everything underneath could be heard. WYFR had some severe fades that lasted minutes but always came back up with fair signals, along with some of the regional Chinese stations that are normally blocked. Air distance between Kabul and Taipei is 3171 miles. Nice catch for me, even at 300 kW. This furthers my disbelief in the 1500 kW rumor of Qatar on 954. Best 73 de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200 m Longwire / Randomwire, Palstar MW-550P Mediumwave Preselector, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. Cambio de una frecuencia de R.T.I. en español a las 0200-0300 UT para Sudamérica a partir del 1 de enero. Se utilizará 7570 kHz sustituyendo a 15215 (continúa también en 9840). Tomado de la web de la emisora: http://spanish.rti.org.tw/Content/WhatsNewSingle.aspx?ContentID=67107&BlockID=30 El anterior enlace contiene el esquema completo. Lo he comunicado al equipo de redacción de ADXB que procederá, en unos minutos, a actualizar la lista de emisiones en español en: http://www.mundodx.net/portada_lista.asp Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, Spain, Dec 23, logsderadio yg via DXLD) 7570 is via WYFR; 9840 is via GUIANA FRENCH (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** TIBET. 6200, Xizang PBS - Lhasa, 1630-1700, Dec 24, "Holy Tibet" English program, news (item about 10% growth for Tibet, etc.), usual canned ad for the medical massage clinics in Lhasa, segment "Tourism of Tibet", Tibetan chanting/singing, fair, // 4905, 4920 and 5240, all fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Re: BBC already decided who it wants as new BBCWS director? Update: "The BBC has been forced to back down over its decision to allow only internal candidates to apply for the £300,000 post of director of the World Service. The policy reversal was announced after a number of key figures associated with the World Service including Sir John Tusa, a former director, wrote to the Daily Telegraph to object. ... The BBC in a statement said: 'The position of Director, BBC World Service will be advertised externally in January following the degree of interest in the post. The closing date will be extended to Monday 26 January, 2009.'" The Telegraph, 23 December 2008. "It is clear from even the most cursory comparison of broadcasting schedules that the claims by the minister and Nigel Chapman, the outgoing director, about 'increased cultural output' are empty; all longer features about literature, history and British culture are to be axed. ... To maintain the BBC World Service’s reputation, the new managing director must be chosen through a fully open selection process. In addition, a new managing director must be authoritative in news and current affairs, capable of resisting pressure from all governments and should not believe that the World Service can be founded on the perceived importance of marketing." Letter signed by Robert Chander, John Tusa, and others to The Telegraph, 22 December 2008. Posted: 24 Dec 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U K [non]. Add another fragmented BBCWS transmission inadvertently making it well to NAm: 9570 at 2300-2400. Dec 22 at 2351 heard surprisingly good signal, no QRM, in interview about Georgia, then Somalia. 2359 closing The World Today, cut off at 2359:30* This is via Thailand, 250 kW at 20 degrees, thus favoring us far beyond the nominal targets of NE China and N Korea (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7135 with weak B-B-C chimes, Dec 24 at 1343, poor with QRhaM. At this odd hour figured it must be the Burmese service about to open with that wacky timesignal. Sure enough, 1344:30 began some music, 1345 timesignal which was one second late compared to CHU 7335. Standard complaint about inaccurate timesignals. And then into Burmese. This transmission is a semisesquihour at 340 degrees from Singapore (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suspect the time signal was right on when it was generated at Bush House. The satellite distribution system introduces encoding and decoding delays at the uplink and downlink. Also, the distance involved in one or more hops from ground to satellite and back to ground again would add to the delay (about 250ms per hop). Singapore is 103 degrees from Greenwich, Depending on the satellite position more than one hop may be required (Jerry Lenamon, TX, ABDX via DXLD) Yup, and so timesignals should not even be attempted unless they are accurately sent out from the ultimate transmitter site (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. [and non] Winter B-08 for Voice of America: Afaan Oromoo 1730-1800 on 9320 9485 9860 11675 11905 Mon-Fri Albanian 0600-0630 on 6035 1700-1730 on 7235 1930-2000 on 7455 Amharic 1800-1900 on 9320 9485 9860 11675 11905 Arabic-R.SAWA 0400-1645 on 990 1170 1548 1645-0400 on 990 1170 1431 1548 Arabic-Sudan 0300-0330 on 4960 9845 11855 Hello Darfur 1800-1830 on 4960 5880 9380 1900-1930 on 5880 9380 Azerbaijani 1830-1900 on 9625 9805 12025 Bangla 0130-0200 on 11500 15205 1600-1700 on 1575 7435 11500 Burmese 0000-0030 on 1575 7430 9325 12120 0130-0300 on 12110 15115 17780 1130-1230 on 11965 15550 17850 1430-1500 on 1575 9325 11965 12120 1500-1530 on 9325 11965 12120 Sat/Sun 1500-1530 on 1575 1530-1600 on 1575 9355 11560 1600-1630 on 9355 11560 2300-2400 on 7430 9325 12120 Cantonese 1300-1500 on 1170 7390 9705 Creole 1230-1300 on 11890 15390 Mon-Fri 1730-1800 on 15390 17565 2200-2230 on 11895 13725 15390 Croatian 0530-0600 on 6035 1930-1945 on 6135 7465 Dari-R.ASHNA 0130-0230 on 1296 7595 9335 1530-1630 on 1296 9335 9770 11575 1730-1800 on 1296 9335 9445 9770 1800-1830 on 1296 7595 9335 9445 1930-2030 on 1296 5750 7595 English to 0100-0130 on 1593 Eu, ME, NoAf 1400-1500 on 9480 15205 1500-1600 on 9685 11765 English to 0300-0400 on 909 1530 4930 6080 9885 15580 Africa 0400-0430 on 909 1530 4930 4960 6080 9885 15580 0430-0500 on 909 4930 4960 6080 9885 15580 0500-0600 on 909 4930 6080 9885 15580 0600-0700 on 909 1530 6080 9885 15580 1400-1500 on 4930 6080 15580 17715 17750 1500-1600 on 4930 6080 15580 17715 17895 1600-1700 on 909 1530 4930 6080 15580 17715 17895 1700-1800 on 6080 13710 15580 1700-1800 on 909 17895 Sat/Sun 1800-1830 on 6080 11975 13710 15580 17895 1800-1830 on 909 4930 Sat/Sun 1830-1900 on 909 4930 6080 11975 13710 15580 17895 1900-2000 on 909 4930 4940 6080 11975 13710 15580 17895 2000-2030 on 909 1530 4930 4940 6080 11975 13710 2030-2100 on 909 1530 4930 6080 11975 13710 2030-2100 on 4940 Sat/Sun 2100-2200 on 1530 6080 15580 English ZMW 1730-1800 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Mon-Fri English AFG 2030-2130 on 1296 7595 2130-0030 on 1296 7405 English to 0100-0200 on 7325 9435 11705 FE, SoAs, Oce 1100-1130 on 1575 Sat/Sun 1130-1200 on 1575 1200-1300 on 1170 9345 9640 11705 11730 15190 1300-1400 on 9345 9640 9760 11705 [9345: see below!] 1400-1500 on 7125 9760 11885 12150 1500-1600 on 7125 9590 11525 12150 13735 2200-2300 on 5910 6105 7220 7425 7480 9490 11610 2230-2400 on 1575 Fri/Sat 2300-2400 on 6105 7220 7265 7480 9490 11610 English 0000-0030 on 1593 Special 0030-0100 on 1575 1593 7405 9325 9620 9715 11695 12005 15185 15205 15290 0130-0200 on 1593 5960 7405 Tue-Sat 1500-1600 on 6140 7520 9760 15460 1600-1700 on 9345 13600 15445 1600-1700 on 1170 Mon-Fri 1900-2000 on 9785 12020 2230-2300 on 7230 9780 15445 2300-2330 on 1593 6180 7460 11840 2330-2400 on 1593 6180 7460 11655 11840 13640 French to 0530-0600 on 1530 4960 6020 7265 9480 9505 Mon-Fri Africa 0600-0630 on 4960 6020 7265 9480 9505 Mon-Fri 1830-1900 on 1530 9815 15225 17580 1900-2000 on 1530 15225 17580 2000-2030 on 9780 9815 12080 13735 15225 2030-2100 on 6040 9780 9815 12080 15225 Sat/Sun 2100-2130 on 9435 9680 9780 9815 Mon-Fri Georgian 1530-1600 on 9465 11790 1600-1630 on 11525 11885 1700-1800 on 12025 12120 Hausa 0500-0530 on 1530 4960 6045 9600 0700-0730 on 4960 11985 13775 1500-1530 on 7155 9450 11705 2030-2100 on 4940 6040 9780 12080 15185 Mon-Fri Indonesian 0000-0030 on 9620 11805 15205 1130-1230 on 7255 9725 15165 1400-1500 on 11985 13605 Thu-Sat 2200-2400 on 9620 11805 15205 Khmer 1330-1430 on 1575 9325 11965 2200-2230 on 1575 6060 7260 13640 Kinyarwanda 0330-0430 on 7340 9540 11915 Kirundi 1600-1630 on 11750 12010 17785 Sat Korean 1200-1500 on 1350 5890 7235 9555 1900-2100 on 648 6060 7135 7360 Kurdish 0500-0600 on 5945 9690 15225 1300-1400 on 11805 15530 17750 1400-1500 on 1593 11805 13740 15530 1700-1800 on 7550 9650 9815 2000-2100 on 1593 Lao 1230-1300 on 1575 9835 11930 Mandarin 0000-0200 on 7495 9545 11925 15385 17645 21580 0200-0300 on 11925 15385 17645 21580 0700-0800 on 9845 11855 11965 13650 13765 15515 0800-0900 on 9845 11665 11855 11965 13650 13765 15515 0900-1030 on 9845 9855 11665 11855 11965 13650 13765 15515 1030-1100 on 9845 9855 11665 11700 11965 13650 13765 15515 1100-1200 on 1170 6160 9530 9805 11665 12040 15515 1200-1300 on 6040 6160 9530 9680 11920 12040 1300-1400 on 6040 6160 7295 9680 11920 11995 12040 1400-1500 on 6040 6105 7295 7525 9680 9825 2200-2300 on 6045 7440 9545 9755 9875 11655 Ndebele 1800-1830 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Mon-Fri Pashto-RADIO 0030-0130 on 1296 7595 9335 ASHNA 1430-1530 on 1296 9335 11840 12140 1630-1730 on 1296 9335 9770 11575 1830-1930 on 1296 5750 7595 Pashto-DEEWA 1300-1500 on 7455 7495 9370 9565 1500-1900 on 5835 7455 7495 9370 Persian 0230-0330 on 7205 9495 9820 1530-1630 on 1593 9320 11705 11775 1630-1730 on 1593 5850 9320 9540 1730-1800 on 1593 5850 9495 9540 1800-1830 on 648 1593 5850 9495 9540 1830-1900 on 648 5850 9680 9960 1900-1930 on 5850 9680 9960 1930-2030 on 5860 9680 9925 Portuguese to 1000-1030 on 17740 21590 Sat/Sun Africa 1700-1730 on 1530 11775 15545 21495 1730-1800 on 1530 9435 9805 11775 21495 1800-1830 on 1530 5825 9805 21495 Mon-Fri Shona 1700-1730 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Mon-Fri Somali 1300-1400 on 13580 15620 1600-1630 on 1431 13580 15620 1630-1800 on 13580 15620 Spanish 0000-0100 on 5890 5940 9885 1230-1300 on 9885 13715 15590 Mon-Fri 1300-1400 on 9885 13715 15590 Swahili 0300-0330 on 7340 9440 Mon-Fri 1630-1730 on 9565 13870 15730 Tibetan 0000-0100 on 7255 7480 9645 0300-0400 on 15545 17860 21570 0400-0600 on 15545 17860 1400-1500 on 7255 9670 12105 1600-1700 on 7280 7560 11920 Tigrigna 1900-1930 on 9320 9485 9860 11675 11905 Mon-Fri Turkish 0430-0500 on 7295 Mon-Fri 1145-1200 on 9555 15205 Mon-Fri 1930-2000 on 7235 9490 Mon-Fri Ukrainian 2100-2115 on 5895 9715 2115-2130 on 5895 9715 Mon-Fri Urdu-RADIO 0100-0200 on 972 1539 9520 9820 AAP KI DUNYAA 1400-1500 on 972 1539 7440 9390 1500-0100 on 972 1539 Uzbek 1500-1530 on 801 6105 9530 11550 11695 Vietnamese 1300-1330 on 1575 9325 11695 1500-1600 on 1170 5955 9485 9725 2230-2330 on 6060 13640 Merry Christmas and A Happy New 2009 Year! 73, (Ivo Ivanov, DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 22-23 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. VOA news in English, surprised to hear good signal on 7575, Dec 24 at 1338 as announcer stumbled, blowing pronunciation of Guantánamo. What does PWBR `2009` say? Nothing! No listings at all for this frequency. WRTH, Eibi and Aoki don`t have it either as this is a late IBB change. 7575 just started Dec 21: 12-13 Sri Lanka at 33 degrees, 13-14 Tinian at 279 degrees ex-Tinang 9345 at 21 degrees which was good for NAm; 14-16 Thailand at 280 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOA on Christmas Day: While sunset is upon Tikizia, 2330 UT, VOA 9490 is saluting the Pacific surroundings with Christmas classics from Roy Orbison to Ray Charles and Sinatra. Keep enjoying your Happy Holidays wherever you are (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re: ``Larry Will tells me that because of a download problem, WORLD OF RADIO 1439 will be airing at 0030 UT Saturday on Area 51 via WBCQ 5110 and webcast, instead of at scheduled 0000 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` This is actually an improvement! I'm not sure from this note if this is a one-time change, but I wish that it would be permanent! Here in the Midwest, that initial half-hour on 5110 kHz is actually far inferior in reception quality to the second half-hour. I had been thinking about lobbying Allan Weiner to make this change, and then heard on Friday's Allan Weiner WorldWide that he claims NO control over or authority to determine the content on that "Area 51" timeslot on 5110. Everything is up to Larry Will regarding that. So, Larry, please KEEP World of Radio as the 0030 UT content on Fridays; you can air "International Radio Report" as the first half- hour, so we can hear it if propagation allows, but we're more likely to hear WoR understandably. I myself did hear WoR #1439 fairly clearly that day, but the preceding half-hour was basically unreadable. Happy Holidays to all! 73, (Will Martin, St Louis MO, Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 13600, Dec 24 at 1456 with instrumental version of ``Away in the Manger``, QRMing CODAR. Does PWBR have it? Of course not! 1458 into YFR theme music, as per EiBi it`s Uzbek at 14-15 via Wertachtal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. ESTADOS UNIDOS VIA CHILE – Para quem acompanha a programação em língua portuguesa da CVC – A Sua Voz, a dica é navegar no Blog criado pela emissora. Vídeos, notícias e fotos dos apresentadores podem ser conferidos em http://cvcasuavoz.blogspot.com (Célio Romais, Panorama, @titivade DX Dec 21 via DXLD) ** U S A. Dave Frantz`s home-made WWRB transmitter may have oomph of S9+22, but it has some defects (I toned that down), as evidenced Dec 22 at 1508 when Alex Scourby and then Brother Scare were splattering 9350 to 9420 from the 9385 unit, QRMing several stations, the worst victim being WTJC 9370, which also goes haywire at times. Not surprising, as Dave told me WTJC stole the plans from him at WGTG. Still the same at 1540 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LYQ-529 and SWBC Station WWRB plus photos --- In some convoluted manner, I received a message that was posted on rec.radio.shortwave regarding the NDB LYQ, 529 kHz, in Morrison, TN. However, the apparent poster was shortwave station WWRB. In part, the post stated, "By the way try hearing our Aircraft Non Directional Beacon (NDB) LYQ 530 (sic-MH) khz see if you can hear the Morse Code.... LYQ ....... repeating every 8 seconds.... try on your car radio during your commute to work." The link to the original posting is http://tinyurl.com/7wt2h9 (Mike Hardester, NC, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. WOON 1240 DX test --- Dave & I apologize. I just found out that due to a scheduling error the DX test did NOT run yesterday morning. We're sorry that it happened that way and he's ready to run another test whenever you (the plural tense) want. It can be THIS Sunday or maybe one in January. Again, sorry this happened or didn't happen as is the case. Does this upcoming Sunday work or maybe one in January? (Jay, Dec 22, ABDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) I bet someone was confused about which day it *really* was shortly after midnight, but several reporters concluded WOON was not even on the air at that time. NRC AM Log 2008-2009 does say it`s normally 24 hours like almost all graveyard stations now (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. WVKO LOSING LIBERAL TALK --- Sunday, December 21, 2008 http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2008/12/wvko-losing-liberal-talk.html Just a couple of weeks after Bernard Radio liberal talk WVKO/1580 Columbus celebrated its first anniversary, the format is about to go away. Those associated with the current format, operated in a local marketing agreement by Gary Richards' Cowtown Communications, are announcing that the liberal talk format's last day will be Monday, December 22nd. From the station's website: WVKO AM will be changing format from “Progressive Talk” to “Religious” before the year is over. The station has been purchased, and the new owner will air Catholic Programming instead of Progressive Talk. That "Catholic Programming" link leads you to the website of St. Gabriel Radio, the group which already owns two Catholic-themed radio stations in Ohio - including WUCO/1270 Marysville, which is being operated out of St. Gabriel's Columbus studios. (WFOT/89.5 Lexington, near Mansfield, is the other station.) WUCO is something of a rimshot as far as Columbus is concerned. The apparent pending purchase of WVKO, which hasn't yet made it to the FCC website, would give the group an in-market signal. But it displaces the "progressive talk" format in Columbus for a second time. The format was resurrected by Mr. Richards and company on WVKO just over a year ago, some time after Clear Channel flipped liberal talker WTPG/1230 to conservative talk "Talk 1230" WYTS...which also carries Premiere Radio sports talk mainstay Jim Rome. As those associated with the about-to-die left-leaning talk format on WVKO start soaking in the news, the station's local programming has turned into something of a wake/goodbye. The Saturday "Blue State Diner" show with news director Michael Alwood featured talk about the station's impending demise, with Mr. Richards himself talking about it via a call-in. Richards told the show that they're trying to return the format "in some form" in the Columbus market, but didn't have a lot of specifics. But, a followup call from a man claiming to be a long-time attorney of the WVKO general manager said Richards' company is "in talks with" WVKO owner Bernard Radio - over the possibility of purchasing the company's other Columbus market station, WVKO-FM/103.1 Johnstown. Whether Mr. Richards can do that, financially, is anyone's guess. The current WVKO(AM) LMA operation has operated, by his own admission, as a "below shoestring operation", and he and others associated with the operation knew that Bernard Radio was actively shopping both stations. To refresh a little history here, Bernard Radio is the operating arm of the D.B. Zwirn investment fund, which took over the former Stop 26- Riverbend stations out of bankruptcy. It, like other similar groups, are likely operating stations like these solely to keep their value for an eventual sale to another company or companies. Of course, the radio sales market has basically cratered due to the economy and continuing credit crunch. St. Gabriel Radio has been doing its own fundraising to get the money to buy stations like WVKO. Can Gary Richards find a path back to the radio dial on the FM side? Who knows? WVKO-FM - which has been running a Spanish-language music format - is probably the worst FM rimshot in the Columbus market, which is full of them. It is a class A signal from far northeast of Columbus, near its city of license (Johnstown). Maybe that helps keep down the price. We haven't driven the Columbus market recently to check out the signal, but 103.1's signal would appear to be but a rumor for the southern and western parts of Franklin County - even if the flutter could be reduced by turning off the FM stereo pilot in a talk format. But...Richards and his Cowtown Communications are about to have no radio signal at all, as of Tuesday. The station's final day of programming will feature what all involved say will be "an extended" edition of Dr. Bob Fitrakis' "Fight Back" show on Monday afternoon. For the moment, at least, the WVKO website will continue. It's actually been under the administration of the Ohio Majority Radio folks, who have already put up another online petition to return the format to the Columbus airwaves. The site says it'll also still offer up a progressive talk webstream featuring many of the station's current syndicated talk stars... Posted by Ohio Media Watch at 7:40 AM (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) This is the very last show from "Progressive Talk" WVKO-AM 1580. Click here to download this two hour show: http://www.wvko1580.com/mp3/fightback-20081222.mp3 Most of the WVKO-AM staff says goodbye to "Progressive Talk" radio and why "Progressive Talk" is leaving the 1580 frequency. BTW, This Radio- Info thread is given FULL credit for breaking the news of the sale and LMA of the station to the Catholics radio organization (Artie Bigley, OH, WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 8-130: MPBN Threatens Service Cuts Public radio listeners in northern and eastern MAINE are about to lose service, if MPBN (Maine Public Broadcasting Network) follows through on its threat to close its transmitter sites in Calais and Fort Kent to help balance a budget that's battered by funding cuts and the overall economic malaise. In what it says is an attempt to balance harsh financial realities with the need to continue to produce local programming, MPBN announced last week that it plans to cut $900,000 from its budget over the remainder of this fiscal year, eliminating eight jobs (out of a total employment of 86), signing off its TV network during overnight hours - and taking WMEF (106.5 Fort Kent), WMED (89.7 Calais) and WMED-DT (Channel 10) in Calais silent until at least the start of the next fiscal year on July 1. If the transmitters are shut down, MPBN will lose coverage of some of the most remote parts of the state, the far north and Down East areas that already live at a huge remove from the state's centers of population, finance and government to the south. Fort Kent listeners will still have a fringe signal from MPBN's powerful Presque Isle transmitter, WMEM (106.1) - but in Calais, two hours east of Bangor, the only access to MPBN signals will be via streaming audio for radio and cable or satellite for TV. (There's an impact on emergency communications, too, since MPBN's radio network is the state's primary EAS backbone.) Predictably, the move has prompted an outcry from listeners and viewers complaining that they're being sacrificed for the benefit of southern Maine. And even more predictably, the state's politicians quickly began weighing in. "We can’t be leaving out any part of Maine in terms of access to this source of news, entertainment, and communications,” governor John Baldacci told the network's news department on Friday, promising to try to find "a strategy" to save the service to Calais and Fort Kent. (And leading NERW to wonder if that wasn't part of MPBN's own strategy all along...) (Scott Fybush, NY, NE Radio Watch Dec 22 via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) ** U S A. All Hanukkah format! The following unique message is appearing on the WHAT AM-1340 Philadelphia webpage. http://www.am1340what.com/ AM1340 WHAT has been playing all-holiday music, The Greatest Christmas Music of All Time since before Thanksgiving. We are demonstrating our commitment to the entire community with the following program. Sunday December 21st through Sunday December 28th tune into AM 1340 WHAT for our special 8 nights of Hanukkah Program!! Great Music as you enjoy the special holiday of lights with your family. The Hanukkah Show December 21st through the 28th from 4:30 to 5:00 pm. Brought to you by Goldstein, Rosenberg's, Raphael-Sacks Funeral Home, Temple Beth Ami, The Kaiserman J C C, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and AM 1340 WHAT. (Sheldon Harvey, Radio H.F. - Canada`s specialist in radio communications http://www.radiohf.ca --- Editor & Publisher, Radio HF Internet Newsletter http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hfnewsletter Dec 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WHAT? All-Hanukkah, that is, for a semi-hour around each sundown; I happened to open this message during that, Wednesday 2130-2200 UT, and one may Listen Live if the player cooperate (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 6125, SODRE, Montevideo, 1200, Dec 13, carrier here under heavy QRN at my location, with weak modulation. It relays R Uruguay on 1050 MW. So, this is active again and appears to be the only SW working from Uruguay. As I have been told, the plans to keep the SW outlets from SODRE continue. But improved results are still not evident. Nothing heard on 9620 (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, in DXplorer via DSWCI DX Window Dec 24 via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, Zambia, Zambia NBC (presumed), Lusaka. December-24 Vern. 0340-0402 Hi-Life selections, tribal music, short OM talks between and sometimes on music, 0400 OM talks many mentions of "Zambia". Some distorted 44333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. 4965, R. Christian Voice/CVC, 0341-0413, Dec 24, bible story in English, religious songs, after ToH into vernacular and high- life songs, several clear IDs in English: "Radio Christian Voice", fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. 3396, R. Zimbabwe, 0300-0316, Dec 24, usual canned ID (African drums, "Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Zimbabwe", drums again, long list of cities with FM frequencies and detailed schedule for SW), some Christmas songs in English, back to high-life music and DJ in vernacular, also heard high-life songs on 4828 (not //) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Hi All, I am picking up a radio station which I can not ID. It is playing Spanish speaking music and talk. I can barely copy the signal during the night time. Does anyone have info on 1710 kHz and where it can be located? Cheers and Happy Holidays to All, (Bob in Utica NY FN23jc Zyskowski, Dec 21 ptsw [sic] yg via DXLD) Hello Bob in Utica. I listened and heard nothing today on that frequency but did find a station in WRTH(2008) which may be your UNID. It is R. Estudio ESBA, Capital Federal in Argentina. They did not list the station's power and it would be a good distance from you but a good DX catch all the same (Rick in Sherbrooke Quebec Tribble, ibid.) Far more likely it is a New England pirate. This and a lot more was in DX Listening Digest http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld8126.txt --- ``1710, [Spanish Pirate] R. Celestial, Boston area, MA 03Dec08 0026 - Man in SS preaching with ID "Radio Celestial" - Recorded - Good. Best de (Chris Black, Cape Cod, N1CP, NRD-515 circa 1982, ABDX via DXLD)`` (via gh, ptsw yg) And it should also be easy to rule one or the other in or out by taking a bearing, quite different angles from Utica (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 6074, checking for 8GAL, Dec 24 at 1400, after 5-second- late-compared-to-CHU R. Rossii timesignal, open carrier stayed on 6075 and no CW heard --- until 1401-1402, very weak and could barely make out 8GAL ID (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. UNKNOWN Country, Unknown Station, 9480, 0005, Arabic, 444, Dec 18, OM with Kor`an vocals. Then YL and OM with comments 0010. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL of MY hobby radio Friends Worldwide and a Happy New Year 2009. Good Listening and DX!! (Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Huntington Beach, California, USA, "World Friendship Through Shortwave Radio Where Culture and Language Come Alive", Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) All I find listed there is Beijing in Tibetan. Only a very weak carrier audible here at 0008 UT Dec 25 (gh, OK, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Intruder watch: more Spanish 2-way SSB, on approx. 9482, Dec 24 at 1350 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 10960-10990, Dec 24 at 1436 with rapid pulsing we think is over-the-horizon radar, centred on 10975. A great place for it, far away from any broadcasters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13665 with strong tone test, Dec 24 at 1433-1437*. At first it was constant, 1 kHz? But then began stepping up and down, not sweeping, to the point of inaudibility, as if a transmitter were going thru a proof-of-performance on its modulation range. Nothing scheduled on 13665 at this time. After it cut off, I started scanning the 11 MHz band and found the same kind of thing happening until 1443* on 11785: that frequency is currently registered, but not used on weekdays by WHRI, so suspect World Harvest Radio was also the source on 13665. I then quickly scanned the 15, 9, 7 and 6 MHz bands but found no more tone tests (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for 2008, 128 issues of DXLD so far this year is really great. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009! 73's (Tore Larsson, Sweden, Arctic Radio Club, Dec 19) Hello Glenn, All the best wishes for Christmas and the new year to come. Thanks for your great work with and for the DX hobby. Best 73 (Ydun Ritz, Denmark, showing Danish Xmas postage stamps with birds even tho it`s e-mail) Glenn, this is to express my sincere gratitude for all your efforts to this DX community. Let me throw some Christmas flowers upon you. As we say in Costa Rica "Usted está solo" meaning with that "You are alone on this" in the sense "YOU ARE STILL #1". So may the Good Lord keep you healthy all next year long. ¡¡¡73 y Felices Fiestas!!! (Raúl Saavedra, dxldyg) Hi Glenn, Happy holidays, and prosperity and health to you in the new year! Thanks very much for all you do for the DX / SWL community. As we seem in some ways more marginalized by technological improvements (some of which aren't....) and by more than a few broadcasters, those of us who still like to dig into the static and get all those other stories that are out there owe a great debt to you for keeping DXLD and this list going (Paul Brouillette, Geneva, IL, Dec 24) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ FMEDIA Hi, I wanted to inform you of our new FMedia website: http://www.fmedianews.com It includes some information from my dad's old site, which no longer exists since AOL discontinued its hosting. Also, we are now offering the option of receiving the newsletter by regular mail or by e-mail (in PDF format). Best wishes for the holidays, (Kristine Stuart, Dec 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A sample in PDF of 6/08 issue is there RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ GRUNDIG LAYS OFF 423 EMPLOYEES The electronics manufacturer Grundig is to lay off every forth [sic] employee. The company names the current economic crisis as reason for the layoffs. OEM The Turkey based Koc Group, which has bought Grundig, has explained that 432 employees will be affected by the measures. Declining demand at home and abroad was given as reason for the layoffs. Grundig plans to increase production of modern LCD TVs. http://www.evertiq.com/news/read.do?news=13071 (via Kevin Redding, Dec 23, ABDX via DXLD) Does this Grundig still have anything at all to do with the Grundig- branded products we buy in the US, which I believe are just rebranded Chinese-made radios using the name under license to Eton Corp? s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) No (Kevin in Upstate SC, KJ4HYD, ibid.) Notice it mentioned TV's. That was the OLD remnants of European Grundig stuff (Powell E Way, III, SC, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ PROGRAMMED RECORDING THROUGH CONVERTER...? I'm noticing a potential downfall to converter boxes. I'm at work all evening and night when all my TV shows are on. Once February comes and there is no more analog, it'll be impossible to record TV shows on different channels. Because my box is set to operate on Channel 4, I can only set the VCR to record Channel 4, which is whatever the box is set to (whichever local channel I set up when I leave home). But if there is a show on, let's say, Ch 5 at 8pm and then Ch 9 at 10pm and I'm gone from 4pm to 12am... there is no way to make the box itself change channels at a set time, which leaves me only able to record ONE of those programs. This isn't cool. I'm starting to see why some people were ditching their analog TVs. I like mine. It works. I'm keeping it. But in the meantime, does anyone have any (low-cost) suggestions on how to bypass this problem so I don't miss my shows?? I have about no money to spare. Digital TV, you're not my friend today (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., Dec 24, WTFDA via DXLD) Find 3 friends and have them apply for the $40 DTV converter coupons. Then you buy 3 boxes, one for each local DTV you want to record. Set the output of one box to CH3, one to CH4 and one to use the RCA's. Set your VCR to record on CH3, CH4 or Line In. OK, so your VCR has to be able to record line in, but this might just work. Total cost ~ $20/converter box BN (Bill N., ibid.) And most VCRs have two line-ins (gh, DXLD) That's one way to do it - though by the time you've dropped the $60+tax on those three boxes (plus whatever cables, combiners, etc. you need to hook it all up), you may as well go to WalMart and drop the $129 or so for one of their Magnavox-branded DVD recorders with ATSC tuner built in. That's what I use these days when I'm traveling, and it works like a charm. Plus, the picture is much better than VHS and the blank DVDs are both cheaper and (now) more widely available than tapes. s (Scott Fybush, NY, WTFDA Tvfmdx mailing list via DXLD) FCC'S BEEN BUSY! I wasn't expecting much to happen at the FCC today. I was wrong... 1. The "Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act" ("SAFER Act") has passed the House and been signed by President Bush. This is the law that requires the FCC to allow analog broadcasts to continue for 30 days past February 17 but only to broadcast emergency and DTV transition information. The FCC today proposed rules to implement the Act. Because of the rapid approach of February 17th, only five days have been provided after publication in the Federal Register for public comment. A spreadsheet has been released listing 310 stations automatically eligible to participate. Additional stations may be eligible, if they file for an Engineering STA (I believe the 310-station list is very incomplete. I cannot think of a reason why the station I work for should not be on the list, but it isn't...). Again, only emergency and DTV transition information could be broadcast, and no commercials will be allowed. 2. A new "Replacement Digital Low Power Television Translator Service" has been proposed. These stations would be technically identical to digital translators, but would only allowed to fill in areas covered by a station's analog transmitter and not by its permanent DTV facility. In return, these stations would receive priority processing; they could bump anything except a LPTV displaced from its channel. 3. The Commission has released two reports showing the difference in coverage between each full-power station's analog signal and its post-transition digital signal. I would suggest these reports are somewhat optimistic. (I also note that the report for WNPX, Cookeville TN indicates the station's digital facility completely fails to cover its city of license! I strongly suspect there are other examples...) All of these reports can be viewed on http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Digest/2008/dd081224.html Scroll to the bottom... There will (should...) also be links to these reports on my website early tomorrow. (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Dec 24, WTFDA via DXLD) What you and others describe, and to some extent what I'm experiencing here with digital signals in Toronto, suggests that the FCC (and CRTC) haven't been busy enough (Saul Chernos, Ont., ibid.) ANOTHER BLIGHT ON THE AM LANDSCAPE A lump of West Virginia coal in your Christmas stocking, courtesy of the folks at Clear Channel --- yep, WWVA-1170 in Wheeling is now running IBOC. Another Class A station spewing kilowatts of noise on the adjacent channels. Ugh. When are they going to wise up to the fact that this was a terrible idea? (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, IRCA via DXLD) Well, in some small way it's payback for WHAM-1180. Let them hiss each other into oblivion. Fortunately I never listen to either, and those channels aren't all that useful around here (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, ibid.) IBOC is dying a slow, painful death, so why would another 50 kW station start it up? I read the Usenet group rec.radio.shortwave daily. Two of IBOC's biggest supporters post there, and people are constantly telling them what a joke it is. Somebody went to Circuit City and couldn't find a single radio in the place that was IBOC compatible. Ibiquity is losing money hand over fist. The FCC is about to be overhauled for shady dealings. Certainly this IBOC scam is part of it. The best thing that could happen is that it is declared illegal, as it should be, and shut down forever. If not, it is dying anyway. In two years or so, it will be a part of history (Leonard Hyde, Weed, CA, Realistic DX-440, 6 foot shielded loop, ibid.) DRM ON PERSEUS / DREAM SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO [see also GERMANY: LW] BULGARIA 11900 Bulgarian R Sofia not decodable, signal too low. 4.1 dB SNR at 1113 UT, snatches of Bulgarian language program, 8.2 dB signal to noise ratio is the break point to Dream decode positively, for steady decoding needs 12.8 dB SNR. FRANCE 6015 TDP Radio via Issoudun France on Mon 22 Dec at 0810 UT. 15 to max. 20.3 dB SNR fadend, with dropouts in between. ID E06021. S=9+40dB SNR signal noise ratio. Pop mx type -- nerving in my ears. My taste of music is totally different ... GERMANY 6085 BR Munich Ismaning, level too low, in peaks only 3.4 dB SNR. S=9+10dB at 0925 UT Dec 22. Same low level at 1118 UT. LUXEMBOURG 6095 RTL program not decodable at 0920 UT, some peaks of approx. 8.5 dB signal noise ratio. Same low level at 1120 UT. Frustrating. NEW ZEALAND 9870 RNZi Rangitaiki, SNR 11 dB, unfortunately too low for Dream decode. PORTUGAL 9610 BBC/DWL Sines-POR in English, 10.3 to 17.4 dB signal noise ratio varied. News from DWL Bonn at 0900 UT, Dec 22. 13810 BBC/DWL Sines-POR, at 0905 UT Dec 22, 23 dB SNR, S=9+20dB, act of violence in Athens Greece. 11810 BBC/DWL Sines-POR, at 1108 UT on Dec 22, S=9+30dB, SNR 20.7 in peaks. RUSSIA 13760 VoRUS Moscow in English at 0910 UT Dec 22, in peaks 8-9 dB. Only fragments decoded, many dropouts. Moscow DRM signal was much better in summer and autumn. UK 9545 BBC/DWL Woofferton in English at 1050 UT Dec 22. Report from Banda Aceh Indonesia. SNR 27.9 dB. 3995 BBC/DWL Skelton program, dropouts in between, though strong signal 19.8 to 21.7 dB SNR high level. DWL Woofferton ueber German Christmas markets 21.4 dB SNR, S=9+30dB. Dec 21, 1130 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 22 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ DXING ON A CARIBBEAN CRUISE SHIP? I've been very fortunate to DX AM from a variety of US Warships in my 22 year career in the Navy. To quote President Reagan, "It reminds me of the time when...." back in the early 80s my shipmates on the USS Conserver (ARS-39) would marvel at my ability to listen to Honolulu's "98 Rock" simulcast on 1040 KPOI, a 10 kW NDA facility during the day, at about 940 miles out from Pearl Harbor on our way to the Philippines. I loved testing the limits of Daytime AM Saltwater path signals. I used a Panasonic RF 1150 portable multiband radio. AM/FM/SW/MB/CB, with its externally mounted gyrating ferrite rod antenna that looked like a handle to some, relative signal strength and battery meter, BFO, fine tuning, jacks and terminals for MPX, line out, earphone and AM and FM antenna connection. It had superb sound and separate bass and treble controls. The sensitivity was pretty decent. The radio across a couple of decades took on a lot of salt air and salt water mist, diesel smoke, bumpy rides in rickety vehicles overseas, but served me well. I'd forgotten it was in tucked away in an old car of mine when I gave it away to another sailor who retired the vehicle to farm service only. I wouldn't mind coming across another radio of that model; it was a gem in my eyes. It was bought around 1977 at the Parris Island Marine Corps Base Exchange for $110 by a cousin of mine. On the trusty AM Stereo/FM Stereo Sony SRF A1 Walkman, I could get WDHP 1620 Frederiksted, US Virgin Islands during the DAY while moored at the harbor in Aruba. On the USS Doyle, the rear flight deck's railings were tubular steel or aluminum rectangles that folded out toward the water during flight ops. They seemed to work to a degree as an inductive antenna with the walkman and my R/S DX 398. My captain had two nicknames for me, first was "Gitch" which most everyone uses, and the other one was "Radio Free Gitschier" as I would always be seen making airchecks, recording station IDs or just plain DXing with my WRTH in hand when I found time to "hit the (weather) decks" with my radios. The time spent DXing, etc., grew as I accumulated rank. I had a good group of supervisors who let me do what I wanted and subordinates who carried out their responsibilities very well, so I didn't have to micromanage my shop. There was a good amount of trust all the way around, and I capitalized on it for the sake of DX. Who knows if I was ever to pass this way again, was my feeling (and a Seals and Crofts song). My primary disappointment was while in the southernmost Caribbean or in the Eastern Pacific doing drug operations between Ecuador and the Galápagos, when conditions were such I'd get US stations - and they were only the Spanish Language stations; but that wasn't the rule. Just kind of a funny situation. Then on the AM band sailing along off China heading for the Korean Airliner 007 that was shot down, when I lost ICRT in Taiwan (lots of American Top 40 music all the time at 10 kW) all I had for English or close to EE was a Chinese cover of Elvis' "Don't Be Cruel"; that was it. In the Mediterranean Sea there would be numerous stations to choose from for US Music. And then there was Radio Luxembourg at night on 1440 AM at about a megawatt. And for a number hours a Saudi station would fire up the same amount or more power to do their Middle Eastern religious programming and blot it out; only for Luxy to come back for the wee hours entertainment. VOA in Cyprus with a monster signal was a welcome source for news during the Gulf War at night. My fun was seeing how well I could get hometown WBZ (against its pattern) across the pond when transiting toward Gibraltar from the US. And there was explicit Rap Music played in the 90s on AM stations in Tunisia. I was surprised to hear such expletives on the air, and from such a culturally conservative country. Apparently no one was 'minding the store' during that era. I do have tapes I'd record in and around Guantánamo of stations I'd hear in Cuba and Haiti, and maybe the notebooks too. Now that I'm a land lubber, retired from the Navy, I can say it was a lot of fun chasing DX and local salt water path AM, and on your cruise you should have a good time with it. Just remember if you have a significant other with you, don't let that be the only shipboard activity, and have a fun time together as well. Best, (Ron Gitschier, Palm Coast, FL, USN, Ret., ABDX via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at mostly quiet levels at all latitudes during the period. Isolated unsettled activity was observed at high latitudes late on 17 December due to a brief excursion of southward Bz (-5 nT at 17/1400 UTC) as measured at ACE. During the summary period, ACE solar wind measurements varied between a high of 377 km/s at 17/0338 UTC to a low of 278 km/s at 21/1833 UTC. The Bz component of the IMF varied between a low of -6.8 nT at 17/0101 UTC to a high of +8.5 nT at 17/0255 UTC. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 24 DEC 2008 - 19 JAN 2009 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. 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 02 - 06 January. Normal levels are expected 24 December - 01 January and again on 07 - 19 January. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels during 24 - 30 December. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 31 December - 02 January due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 03 - 17 January. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 18 - 19 January. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Dec 23 2252 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 Dec 23 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Dec 24 68 5 2 2008 Dec 25 68 5 2 2008 Dec 26 69 5 2 2008 Dec 27 70 5 2 2008 Dec 28 71 5 2 2008 Dec 29 71 5 2 2008 Dec 30 71 5 2 2008 Dec 31 71 8 3 2009 Jan 01 71 10 3 2009 Jan 02 71 10 3 2009 Jan 03 71 5 2 2009 Jan 04 71 5 2 2009 Jan 05 71 5 2 2009 Jan 06 70 5 2 2009 Jan 07 70 5 2 2009 Jan 08 69 5 2 2009 Jan 09 68 5 2 2009 Jan 10 68 5 2 2009 Jan 11 68 5 2 2009 Jan 12 68 5 2 2009 Jan 13 68 5 2 2009 Jan 14 68 5 2 2009 Jan 15 68 5 2 2009 Jan 16 68 5 2 2009 Jan 17 68 5 2 2009 Jan 18 68 10 3 2009 Jan 19 68 8 3 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1440, DXLD) ###