DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-007, January 25, 2009 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1444 Mon 0600 WRMI 9955 Mon 1630 WRMI 9955 [new] Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed Jan 19] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0600 WRMI 9955 [or new 1445] Wed 1630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1445] WBCQ is also airing new or archive editions of WOR M-F 2000 on 7415 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 or http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org 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://podcast.worldofradio.org or http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. Re 9-002, 9-003, R. Afghanistan: The item included in Contact was one of three different letters received and typed on an aerogramme size 6 ½ x 10 ½ inches. All three worded slightly differently and with different print type and I guess they probably were originally from a stencil or duplicated onto the aerogramme. It's difficult to make out the postmark, but it looks like 1974 or 1976 on the copy used in Contact. Another aerogramme looks like it is also dated 1976 and at the bottom on the page with the article on says Kabul 1974. The third aerogramme says Kabul 197_ and unreadable postmark. "In answer to Glenn Hauser, 15195 kHz was direct from Afghanistan and English was transmitted between 1130-1200 UT. "As Wolfgang says, 15195 kHz noon service was used by R. Afghanistan approx. 1973 till 1979. After that I think programmes were relayed via the USSR if I remember correctly. "According to a tourist brochure, Afghanistan was declared a republic on July 17th, 1973. With the overthrow of the Monarchy the founder of the Republic of Afghanistan, Mohammed Daud promised sweeping reforms in all fields of life. "QSL Cards: I've four in my collection. One for Sept' 17th 1975 for a report on 15195 kHz 1130-1200. Second card is for 30th Aug' 1976 also on 15195 1130-1200. third card is also for a report 5 dec 1976 on 15195 kHz between 1130-1200. Fourth card is for a report on 15230 kHz 1130-1200 on 2 July 1977. "The 1st, 3rd and 4th cards have schedules printed on them and they were crossed out but readable and list frequencies as 15265 and 11785 kHz with German between 1730-1800 and English 1800-1830. All sent as postcards with Afghan stamps on them. All the stamps have dates on them as issued in 1969, 1964, 1973, 1977 (Edwin Southwell, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) The Feb 1969 issue of Contact, DX News reported that: Radio Kabul in Afghanistan was now using 21605 and 15270 for local languages at 1200- 1300; English was 1800-1830 on 9510 and 11970 (World DX Club Contact, Feb 2009, via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. I am slated to go to Kandahar Air Base as early as next week for a short time, so I may finally be able to track down the 6700 R. Solh transmissions, at least from that base. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 26, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. KBRW-680 ALERT --- audible here with amazing signal at this moment 1800 UT. 73 (Christoph Mayer, Neustrelitz, Germany, jo63ni, perseus+rw, Jan 23, MWC via DXLD) KBRW audible here to rising through 675 splatter every so often. (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, 1808 UT, ibid.) At its strongest at the moment - Perseus reads -92 db (Paul, 1855 UT, ibid.) Amazingly I have an audible carrier on 680 kHz at 1558 UT (Steve Whitt, near York, UK, 1900 UT Jan 23, ibid.) So did he mean to say 1858 UT? (gh) At this moment it is -100 db (CW mode, 680 kHz, 22Hz Bandwith, RMS S- MTR); it was gone completely 20 minutes ago. Max. strength here was around -95 db one hour ago. Thanks for the info. 73 (Christoph, 1901 UT, ibid.) Just peaked at -98 here. Plenty enough for audio, splatter permitting. The main problem has been Spain on 684. Holland is not so much the problem it was in early December as I was pointing to Alaska then. Whatever you win one way you lose in another. Anyway, just heard some nice solo flute music and a phone-in show in // KBRW's web stream. My third logging of KBRW from home! Good DX! (John Faulkner, Sutton-in- Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, 1908 UT, Perseus SDR & ewe antenna, ibid.) WOW !!!!!! It's in here too ... playing Hey Jude by the Beatles, 1910 UT (Mark Hattam, Gerrards Cross, Bucks., ibid.) Strongest I've heard this. Oldies: Beatles & Don McLean heard. -98 dBm (John Faulkner, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, 1924 UT, Perseus SDR & ewe antenna, ibid.) Yep - amazing !! No idea what the next male vocal record was though, or the current female one. It's up and down a lot too. Back in Dec I could only hear the carrier. Today seems best in LSB rather than USB (less splash). (Mark Hattam, 1932 UT, ibid.) Prior to start of Hey Jude, talk was in native language although KBRW.org was mentioned (Paul Crankshaw, 1935 UT, ibid.) I got traces of music at 1937 UT despite intense splatter from 666, 693 and 684 kHz. Amazing (Steve Whitt, ibid.) Not surprisingly Greenland has clear-ish audio on 570.05 kHz. But I failed to get any more out of KBRW. 73 (Steve Whitt, 1947 UT, ibid.) Greenland is a long way from Barrow, so not sure there is much correlation (gh, DXLD) The band was open to Alaska and west coast North America at 1200 UT. 680 KBRW noted following prompts from the e-List, and still going strong at 1927 currently -50 dBm! 780, KNOM, Nome AK; “KNOM Nome, it’s 3 o’clock” W/F 1200 23/1 mah 970, KFBX, Fairbanks AK; “Coast to Coast AM on News Radio 9-70 KFBX” W 1200 23/1 mah 1080, KUDO, Anchorage AK; “This is Alaska’s Progressive Voice, News Talk 10-80 KUDO Anchorage, streaming online at kudo1080.com” W 1200 23/1 mah 680, KBRW, Barrow AK; local music, announcements, references to Barrow; -65 dBm, punching through the splatter from adjacent stations Gpks 1827 23/1 mah 680, KBRW still here, F in splatter, at 2205 with Alaska wx. -55 dBm. 680, KBRW Barrow AK; pop mx, OM/YL ID “From the top of the world you`re listening to KBRW broadcasting KBRW 6-80 AM … Barrow”, NPR News F/G 1500 24/1 mah 73s (Martin A Hall, Clashmore, Scotland. Perseus SDR, NRD-545, RPA-1 preamp, MFJ-1026 phaser (modified), beverages: 490m at 233 degrees, unterminated; 500m at 279 degrees, terminated; 545m at 338 degrees, terminated; 50m at 321 degrees, unterminated. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clashmoreradio/ Jan 23-24, MWC via DXLD) There followed several other logs of KBRW in UK and continental Europe on Jan 24-25, but not so good as previous days. As the farthest one from the Lower 48, this seems exotic to us, but it is one of the nearer ones to Europe (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. AM 890 Homer Alaska. Where the Sound Meets The Sea It's Friday at KBBI --- KBBI Transmitter at Reduced Strength Hello dear friends, As of 4:45 Wednesday afternoon KBBI is still at 2,000 watts for a while longer. Continuous troubleshooting of the transmitter Wednesday afternoon has turned a couple new areas of concern and intermittent operation that will require more parts. The order has been placed and we hope to have those Thursday afternoon. The engineer is with us for at least Friday morning, if not longer. We will continue to operate at 2 kW until the problems are resolved, or inclement weather forces us to power off to safeguard the transmitter. We continue to appreciate your patience and understanding as we work towards a solution. Thanks. Sincerely, Dave Anderson, KBBI General Manager Note - Subscribers to KBBI's E-Newsletters are receiving advisories. Please consider subscribing today (from http://www.kbbi.org Jan 23 via DXLD) Apparently ``Wednesday`` means Jan 21, tho it`s always risky to assume that anything on a website without a real date stated, be current. Normal power is 10000 watts day and night, non-direxional, so should get out well. Now maybe something else can be heard on 890. Webcast via http://radio.secretnation.org:8000/listen16k.mp3.m3u is mono, rather lofi with a hum on it; AM off-air pickup? I was checking to see what ``Slack Tide`` was about, Friday 1800+ UT; just some pop/folk music, I assume not axually correlating with the tides which do not follow a regular weekly schedule. Another show with an intriguing title is East of Adak, Saturdays 2130- 2300 UT. KBBI is mostly NPR network programming, but it looks like there are mostly locally-originated music shows in the local evenings. Check out the full UT -9 program schedule from this station at the end of the road (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The KBBI website gets updated daily, as needed. I've been getting these email updates as well. The webstream is an off air pickup from a radio to a computer at the house of a KBBI employee and they haven't resolved the 60 Hz hum yet (Paul Walker, Ord NE, Jan 23, ibid.) ** ANGUILLA [and non]. The PMS station, a.k.a. Caribbean Beacon, but never giving any local IDs as such, continues to be irregular on SW. Jan 22 at 0626 check, not heard on 6090 where it normally inbooms; instead a couple weak signals SAHing, maybe including Nigeria. But it was back the next night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1610: see also CANADA; MEXICO 1610, Caribbean Beacon, BWI, Anguilla, 0400 21/01/09. I can hear the voice of Melissa Scott preaching (or should I say 'trying to preach'). Frequency is clear of any noise or IBOC. No sign of the Caribbean Beacon on 690. There is far too much IBOC from WLW. The signal is a S5 on my receiver. Small amount of QSB (DXer: Willis [Monk], QTH: Old Fort, TN, ANTENNA: 149' long wire, RCVR: Drake R-4C, 0916 UT Jan 24, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) So time probably in EST as mainly a domestic DXer, = 0900 UT (gh) What's on 1610? 3½ hours ago, around 06 UT I had strong signal, English. About 0550 very good ID, but I did not listen carefully; I think it was "WWL" or "WWRL", mentioned also New York. Sig, Southern Sweden (Andersson Sigvard, Jan 22, NRC-AM via DXLD) I have a feeling you thought you heard the "WWL" calls mentioned, but it was really WWRL and maybe your radio wasn't actually tuned to 1610... possibility? (Paul Walker, Ord NE, NRC-AM via DXLD) Thanks for the answer. I wonder if it some station in 1610 is relaying WWRL from 1600 or WWL from 870, or if the call is a similar one. (I'm not updated in the X-band). (Sig, ibid.) I found this listing on PastorMelissaScott.com: Daytime Frequency: 11.755 MHz Shortwave Nighttime Frequency: 6.090 MHz Shortwave 24/7: 690 KHz AM 24/7: 1610 KHz AM 24/7: 100.1 MHz FM I don't know when the last time this page was updated though (Paul Walker, Ord NE, NRC-AM via DXLD) Ha, ha any SWL knows the frequency is 11775, but not PMS! (gh, DXLD) There are no full-power stations currently authorized to operate on 1610 KHz in the U.S.. returns 14 records representing four stations in Canada whose existence has been officially notified to the U.S. government. 1610 is a valid channel here but only one U.S. station has ever been assigned to the channel, and it went silent a few years ago. There are quite a few tourist-information stations on 1610. I wonder if some other station (Anguilla, or elsewhere) has joined the list of those relaying WWRV-1330, New York City? Most of the programming on this station would be Spanish-language religion but they would be identifying their two U.S.-based transmitters in English. Haven't they been having trouble with their transmitter on 530 in the Turks & Caicos? Maybe if it's an antenna issue they've found it easier to get back on the air on 1610 instead? Their website doesn't admit to a transmitter on 1610, but it also hasn't been updated since June 2005! (BTW, note that the site cites three additional transmitters on 1330 - two in Ecuador and one in the Dominican Republic - as well as a Dominican transmitter on 660) – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) Doug, thanks for taking your time. When arriving home from work, I had a 1½ hour recording of 1610 from the morning. It was all religious, and no IDs what I could hear (sometimes fading out). I also thought of relay of WWRV, but I saw in the AM log that it should be Spanish. I'm quite sure of the "WW..". And we know how the ionosphere can spoil and change sound, words and letters, so the ID might have been WWRV, and maybe, they also have EE. Conclusion: It might be Anguilla. I'm listening to 1610 right now, still religious and I'm waiting for an ID. And the TA conditions are still very good. I've lived at this QTH for 30 years and listen for MW in North America; the conditions have never before been so good for so long time as this Winter. Best regards, (Sig, Norrköping, Sweden, ibid.) WWRV/Radio Vision Cristiana is only assigned 530 in the Turks & Caicos; they also have 1570 but have never used it. I recent check shows no activity at the 530 site on South Caicos. They lost their 480 foot tower in the hurricane last September. At present RVR is simulcast on 660 in Santiago and 1330 in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, they are fed via a SPSC satellite channel. 1610 has not been on in some time. The Caribbean Beacon is operating 690 normally which simulcast on 1610 in recent years. The dream of Dr. Scott is slowly fading (Jerry Kiefer, NM, ibid.) I guess what I'm wondering is if the 530 station has been resurrected on a different frequency (i.e., 1610). The higher frequency would make it easier to erect a temporary antenna (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) Propagation for the AM band has been so good lately, that after several years, Anguilla 1610 was heard again Jan. 23 and 24 at 0300 with Pastoriza Melissa // 6090. BTW I got my QSL from former Caribbean Beacon 1610 in the mid 1980s. In the absence of DGS Anguilla on 11775, Sat. 24 Jan, AIR in Nepali was coming weak after 1400. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Caribbean Beacon reactivated on 1610 kHz, as widely reported. There is also speculation that some other gospel huxter in English is now on 1610, but I doubt it. At least what I heard was Defunct Gene Scott, immediately parallelable to 6090, Jan 25 at 0716. At night, another // is WWCR 5935; anyone wondering about what`s on 1610 should check those (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 11710.8, RAE, General Pacheco, heard at 0855-0915, Jan 15, IS, Japanese program with the Argentine tango, 35333, but the transmission was unstable and on Jan 16, same time, there was no sounds heard and no modulation (Tomoaki Wagai, Wakayama, Japan, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Re 9-006: ``IRAN [and non]. I was just listening to Bjarne Mjelde`s Kongsford recordings (Jan 9th 2009) and I noticed: 1728.000 kHz, IRIB (2 x 864.000) 1900 UT. I also *think I hear a "Govorit Bulgaria" ID on 1728 underneath IRIB; I'm not even sure if that`s a legitimate ID for Bulgaria but that`s what it sounded like. There`s quite a few other carriers on 1728 (Tim Bucknall, England, Jan 20, harmonics yg via DXLD)`` I think 864/1728 kHz has TWR via Armenia in Kurdish. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) Thanks, Mauno; I guess I can't recognise Kurdish. I don't think I've heard it before (Bucknall, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. RA, 6020, good signal during discussion of poetry, UT Fri Jan 23 at 1352, but chopped program off before it finished at 1358 for one minute of RA IS, and off at 1359* Grrrrrr!!!! Standard rant about RA among other stations chopping off programs before they finish. This was All in the Mind, which we are glad to see has survived the latest dumbing-down cuts at ABC Radio National, so we can still go back and get it via: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/default.htm Or did it? This and other recent shows turn out to be reruns from last year, like April; so are any new ones being produced? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Re: [dxld] Austria in English again --- A full data QSL card was received by me yesterday. In the letter dated 12.Jan.09 it is stated that "Only 5 minutes short news in English during the "O1 Morgenjournal" at 8.00 am MEZ will remain for the frequencies for Europe" (Jose Jacob, Hyderabad, India, Jan 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. 0708:30-0712 UT on 6155, but that still doesn`t address exactly when it is on non-European frequencies (gh, DXLD) ** BAHRAIN. 9744.88, R Bahrain, Ras Hayan, 1310, Jan 15, news in Arabic, some music and IDs ("Izaat Mamlakate Bahrain"), good, only little QRM from the Chinese station on 9745, 34444 (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) 6010 R. Bahrain at 2041 UT. Slow, soulful vocal ballads apparently all from the same album segued till 2100 UT, when man gave very brief announcement (something about "Bahrain Broadcast[ing]"). Woman with UK accent took over and delivered the news, mentioning Gaza and Palestine; man said "brought to you by Bahrain Islamic Bank" at 2104 UT, then woman continued with news. Back to music at 2105 UT with bass-heavy rock number. Weak, but would have been far more readable if not for a persistent subaudible het (Belarus?) that created an unpleasant washboard effect. First time I've ever been able to log this one after many, many tries (Bob Hill, MA-USA, DXplorer Jan 21 via BC-DX Jan 25 via DXLD) ** BAHRAIN. PAY ROW DENIED BY RADIO STATION --- ALLEGATIONS that dozens of staff at Radio Bahrain had not been paid for nearly eight weeks were denied by the station yesterday. The station's English language service head Salah Al Khalid insisted all full-time staff were paid by the Finance Ministry on the 26th of every month without delay. However, employees were adamant yesterday that salary delays were common - adding that they should actually be paid on the 14th or 15th. Mr Al Khalid's comments came after the GDN reported on Thursday that staff were considering industrial action, claiming they had not been paid for almost two months. Sources said most English and Arabic speaking workers were still waiting for December's salary and had been enduring late payments for up to nine months. They said among the action being considered was going on air, but not speaking, in a bid to force the management to sort out the problem. . . http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=240832&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=31309 (via Dale Park, HI, Jan 23, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. 7250, Bangladesh Betar (Dhakah), 1228-1238, 1/23/2009, English. Flute IS at 1228. Time pips at 1230 followed by announcements by man. News by woman at 1232. More flute music at 1237, then announcements by man. Poor signal, but in the clear except for some ARO interference. Audio was very poor for announcements by man, but much better for news and flute music. My previous (and only) log was in 1987. SINPO 23222 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BARBADOS. The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation are moving their medium wave antennas from Black Rock where they have been for 45 years to the Belle (plantation) which should be completed by early next year, as the University of the West Indies need the land for development. The university will bear the cost of the new antenna. ("The Nation" via Winston Lashley via NZDXT via IRCA’s "soft" DX Monitor 46/16 via ARC CENTRAL AMERICAN NEWS DESK Jan 2009, Tore Larsson, ed., via DXLD) So 900 kHz could be off the air for a while; I assume this was originally published last year (gh, DXLD) ** BELARUS. 6115, Belarusian Radio, Minsk, 0720-0745, Jan 24, local pop music. Announcements in listed Belarusian. Weak. Poor with co-channel QRM. Much better on // 7170 - fair signal. Very weak on // 7110. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7180, BELARUS, BR1, heard at 1740 on 24 Jan with BY talk by man and woman. Sounded like they were really having a good time with lots of laughter, etc. Some show tune type music as well. Sigs surprisingly good and beamed at eastern Europe (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Re 9-006, is R. Kawsachun Coca active on 6075, or not? HK tror att det betyder att man verkligen ligger ute och kör vid denna tid. Till skillnad mot vad man skulle kunna tro är mottagningsförhållandena i tropikerna varierande i gryningen och vid solnedgången, ibland bra, ibland "out of skip". Henrik Klemetz thinks that they really are broadcasting at this time. Unlike what you could believe the reception in the tropical areas will vary a lot at dawn and at sunset, sometimes good, sometimes "out of skip" (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, SW Bulletin Jan 25l, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 6105.5, R Panamericana, La Paz, is off the 49 meterband. [ergo off SW completely, I assume, and has been for some time --- gh] 6165, R. Logos (presumed), Santa Cruz de la Sierra, heard all day with HCJB Voice Global programs (Arnaldo L. Slaen, Buenos Aires/Villa Giardino, Córdoba, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 5990, Radio Senado, Brasilia DF, *0857-0915, Jan 23, sign on with Portuguese ballad. Opening Portuguese announcements at 0900 & into Portuguese pop ballads. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9819.4, R 9 de Julho, São Paulo, SP, on the air only in local mornings! (Arnaldo L. Slaen, Buenos Aires/Villa Giardino, Córdoba, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) Not exactly: 9820, 25/01 1820-1827, Rádio 9 de Julho, SP. Programação de música jovem guarda apresentada por om. ID sem referência à emissão nesta QRG. Ouvida das 1820 às 1827 com boa recepção. Após as 1830 forte batimento na QRG. A intensidade do sinal foi diminuindo até tornar-se inaudível a partir das 1845. 55455. audio file: http://rapidshare.com/files/189319426/Radio_9_de_Julho_SP_BRASIL_9820_KHz_25012009.rar Rec: DEGEN 1103 Antenna: Single dipole for 80 meter (Rio de Janeiro - RJ Brasil, Jricardo, HCDX via DXLD) ** BURMA [non]. 9415, CLANDESTINE, (ARMENIA), Dem. V. of Burma heard at 1455 on 25 Jan in Burmese with telephone interviews. Distorted audio from telephone but signal very strong and otherwise clean with no jamming. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. RCI, 9755.04 at 0109 with news. Unusual to be off frequency. 25 Jan (Liz Cameron, MARE DXpedition, MI, maybe fifty feet of wire and used the NRD-525, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) English? ** CANADA. CBCNQ, 9625, in trouble again, Jan 25 at 1507 in Sunday Edition, distorted modulation, but still on frequency and no upperside spurs audible yet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Last night I caught something interesting on 1610 - it was late - a tad after midnight AST - a woman speaking in English - but other than recognizing an isolated word here or there I have no idea what the programming was. 1610 CHHA "Voices Latina" in Toronto ON is mainly Spanish, but they do have some English programming from time to time. And CHHA, while targeting the Latin community in the GTA [greater Toronto area] has strong church ties as it is the "baby" of Fr. Hernan Astudillo. If there was any preaching on CHHA, I would expect it to be very moderate and tolerant. Thus, it should be easy to rule CHHA out if the preaching was coming on too strong. Here is a link for the San Lorenzo Community Centre, the San Lorenzo parish and of course, CHHA http://www.sanlorenzo.ca/english/home.html (Phil Rafuse, Stratford PEI Canada, Jan 23, ABDX via DXLD) ** CANADA. The move of CJOY-1460 Guelph ON to FM has been denied by the CRTC, along with applications for new FM stations by other parties: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2009/2009-31.htm Proposed conversion of CJOY to FM 12. The Commission notes that the proposed conversion of the existing AM station CJOY to the FM band would have a minimal impact on the Guelph radio market, given 591989’s presence as the sole commercial radio operator in the market. Further, 591989 made a commitment to maintain CJOY’s current Gold/Oldies music format on the new FM station. 13. The Commission also notes, however, that 591989’s application for the proposed conversion was based, in part, on the expectation that the Commission would license one or more new radio stations on the FM band in Guelph as a result of the call. Since the Commission has decided not to issue a new licence to serve the Guelph radio audience, the Commission is therefore of the view that 591989’s proposed conversion is not warranted at this time. 73, (via Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9635 CNR1, 2225-2231, escuchada el 22 de marzo en chino, emisión no listada culla finalidad es la de interferir a Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH vía Taiwán que emite desde las 2200 a 2300 UT en Chino, la emisión en paralelo por Internet a través de: mms://211.89. 225.101/live1 --- también por 9655 vía Lingshi 725, listado de 1955 a 2400 UT, también en 9655 listado en Aoki cómo CNR 5 de 2200 a 0005 vía Beijing. El canal por Internet de CNR 5 está roto o no funciona, mms://mms.cnr. cn/live5, SINPO 55555 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. On Chinese (Lunar) New Year's Eve I observed the following with random listening, 1320-1440, Jan 25. 3900, PBS Hulun Buir with CNR-1 programming (//4750, 4800, 5030 and the other usual CNR-1 frequencies). Live coverage of a typical Chinese variety show. Wide range of entertainment (long comedy segments, traditional Chinese music and singing, etc.) with a lot of clapping and laughing from the audience. 4830, CHBC also carrying CNR-1 programming. 4900 // 4940 // 5050, Voice of Strait also carrying CNR-1 programming. 3280 // 4950 // 5075, Voice of Pujiang heard with their own programming (not // CNR-1), radio comedy with the sound of the audience laughing. 6065 // 6155, CNR-2/China Business Radio heard at 1315 in English with the usual "English Evening" program (rather boring - nothing very special for a New Years Eve program!) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Xinjiang, probably, in Mongolian with agriculture program with mooing and other specific animal and byrds sounds 0630-0700 UT on 7230 and 9510 kHz (Jan 16) and in Uighur dominating over RTI via France(?) in Russian on 6120 kHz from 1700 UT. Also in Uighur at 1400 UT on 3990 \\ 4980 \\ 6120 \\ 7195 kHz. (Jan 14) - all heard (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 22, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 26 via DXLD) ** CHINA. 7335, CNR2/CRI --- CNR2 heard at 1545 on 25 Jan with M[andarin, I guess, rather than Male --- gh] programming. Listed CRI was tuning up on frequency with the typical 1 kHz tone every 10 secs or so, completely ruining CNR2's signal. Not only is this unprofessional, but it's really uncool as well. I think this is real proof that the Chicoms don't care about who is listening to what, it's all about frequency occupation. When CRI finally s/on at 1600 in M, their occupied bandwidth was over 20 kHz. These jokers even jam and QRM each other. Here's the kicker --- after about twenty secs of CRI programming, there was an audio hiccough and it morphed into Firedrake! [I think things are mixed up here: Russian/CIS sites do the tones every 10 sex before transmissions; not China? Reason for the Firedrake on 7335 is BBC Uzbek via Moscow at 117 degrees, 1600-1630 --- gh] 8400 CHINA, For whatever reason, I've got Firedrake here at 1518 on 25 Jan. Never noticed them here before in the middle of the maritime mobile band. Not a harmonic or image and too clean to be a spur, so must be real. WTF? Fair to good sigs. Wonder what they're jamming? [I have reported this numerous times, but not Jan 25 around 1445 check; the assumption is, Sound of Hope, which has jumped around to numerous, usually `even` channels in the 8.0-9.2 MHz range --- gh] 9000 CHINA, Firedrake jammer going full-tilt-boogie against Sound of Hope at 1514 on 25 Jan, but SOH booming in lima charlie [= loud and clear] on 9450, at least until sked'ed 1600 s/off. Why are the Chicoms so scared of Falun Gong anyway? It's not like they're scientologists or anything... [also heard 9000 FD around 1445 Jan 25. 9450 SOH is a big Taiwan transmitter, not the little annoyances out-of-band to tie up jammers - -- gh, OK] 9450, CLANDESTINE, (TAIWAN), Sound of Hope, heard at 1440 on 25 Jan with a radio play and assorted music. Program in Mandarin. Entertaining even if I had no idea what they were saying. One character in English on the radio play was looking for an international basketball team. Lots of audience laughter. Good sigs with no jamming. Maybe the fiscal crunch finally hit the ROC's jamming facilities. [you mean PRC`s --- gh] Well, this seemed to have been an evening for Firedrake and clandestines / religious stations. The Chicom jamming seemed to be rather prolific last evening, even to the point where they jammed themselves as in 7335 above. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. GIRA DE DELEGACIÓN DE CRI POR MÉXICO, COSTA RICA Y PANAMÁ Del 28 de diciembre pasado al 6 de enero, una delegación de Radio Internacional de China (CRI, por sus siglas en inglés), encabezada por su vicepresidenta, Wang Dongmei, e integrada por Xing Bo, subdirectora de la Oficina de Políticas Editoriales, Sun Jingli, subdirector del Centro de Emisiones para Europa Occidental y América Latina, Hu Min, director del Departamento de Español y Wei Lijun, locutora y productora de este departamento, realizó una visita de trabajo a México, Costa Rica y Panamá. Cabe destacar que ésta fue la primera visita de trabajo de una delegación de CRI a Costa Rica, país que estableció relaciones diplomáticas con China el primero de junio de 2007 y a Panamá, que aún no tiene relaciones oficiales con este país asiático. . . http://espanol.cri.cn/161/2009/01/23/1s171669.htm (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, Jan 23, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) Esto me recuerda aquella visita fantasma de la delegación de CRI a España, creo que fue por septiembre-octubre del 2007. Estuvimos algún tiempo intentando contactar con la emisora para que nos dieran datos de días, lugar de encuentro, etc. Sin respuesta por supuesto. Que yo sepa nadie los vio y sin embargo aparecieron en su Web comentarios e imágenes de oyentes (¿Seleccionados?) y lo bien que se lo pasaron, jaja, no me lo creí entonces y no me lo creo ahora. Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, logsderadio yg via DXLD) see also RUSSIA Geez, don`t you believe CRI even about visits to listeners abroad (gh) ** CONGO. Re 6115, Brazzaville reactivated? Noted 3 tips of French station close to 6116 kHz recently (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 26 via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. 5066.32, R Télé Candip, Bunia, 1611-1632*, Jan 14, talk in Vernacular, closing ann in French, 22332 (Patrick Robic, Leibnitz, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. 6210.01, R Kahuzi, Bukavu, 1840, Jan 09, talks in French, clear, 24333 (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** CUBA. 890, Jan 18, 1059-1100; heard unmistakable interval signal of R. Havana Cuba under WLS (Jerry Coatsworth, Merlin Ont., MARE Tipsheet Jan 23 via DXLD ) [Probably a relay from one of the Radio Progreso stations.] {Comment of editor Harold Frodge?} ** CUBA [and non]. Late UT Jan 22 tuned around the RHC frequencies to see what SNAFUs I could report. Both colliders 11690 and 9600 were in middle of Spanish programming at 2314, on much earlier than claimed; 11690 quite strong, and DW Rwanda somewhat audible underneath; 9600 relatively weak and colliding with even weaker Vatican Radio IS, direct to Vietnam. At 2322 found the RHC IS on 6000, except the transmitter was cutting off and on every few seconds, never allowing a single iteration of the IS to play thru. A test? Still doing that at 2328. By 2330 that was done and instead we heard R. Praga in Spanish as usual on 6000. RHC`s 9820 was not on the air at first check 2322, but it was with OC at 2327, NA at 2329 and opening just before 2330 introduced as a program about the new social security law in Cuba, but then immediately into a 5-heroes promo. Claimed also to be on 6000. 9820 was not // the RHC programming on 11690 and 9600. 9820 is designated as the Mesa Redonda (roundtable) show, but that was not mentioned (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See VENEZUELA [non] ** DEUTSCHES REICH [and non]. ALAN ROE writes: THE GLEIWITZ INCIDENT. The latest issue of the After The Battle magazine (issue 142) tells how on the night of August 31/September 1, 1939, the German Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service) staged a series of fake border incidents along the German-Polish frontier in Upper Silesia designed to give Nazi Germany an excuse for invading Poland. The most prominent of these provocations was the seizure of the German radio station in the town of Gleiwitz. This is an excellent 21 page illustrated article, and highly recommended. After the Battle is available via http://www.afterthebattle.com or from After the Battle, The Mews, Hobbs Cross House, Hobbs Cross, Old Harlow, Essex, CM17 0NN, England. Telephone: 01279 418 833 Cost for the single issue is £3.95 plus £0.80 post and packing (UK) (or £1.70 in EU). (Check for post costs for more than 1 copy, or for non UK/EU orders). (By the way, I found copies of issue 142 on sale in the Kingston branch of W. H. Smith.) Many thanks to Graeme Stevenson in the swgold yahoo group mail list for the tip. By the way, all past issue of After the Battle remain in print. Two in particular are of note, and have been mentioned previously in Contact Magazine. Issue 75 of After the Battle includes a 24 page illustrated article entitled: BLACK PROPAGANDA - Mark Kenyon describes the secret goings-on at Milton Bryan in Bedfordshire from where Britain broadcast propaganda to Germany. Issue 136 of After the Battle includes a 19 page illustrated article entitled: THE CAPTURE OF WILLIAM JOYCE - William Joyce became notorious during the war as propaganda broadcaster in English for the Nazi-German radio, and is generally judged one of the worst traitors in British history. After the Battle Editor, Karel Margry, tells the fascinating story of his capture by two British officers near Flensburg (Alan Roe, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, Radio Djibouti, 2050-2102*, Jan 24, Arabic announcements. Horn of Africa music. Sign off with National Anthem at 2101. Weak. Poor with strong CODAR QRM. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Hola gente! Colegas de la Lista DXplorer han reportado el retorno a la OC de Radio Pueblo, República Dominicana en 5009.8v. ¿Alguien sabe algo? 73 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Jan 20, condiglist yg via DXLD) Estimado Arnaldo, complaciendo tu pregunta, te anexo la respuesta de su propietario, Don Dario Badia quienes retransmiten nuestro espacio semanal "Frecuencia Al Día" 73 (Dino Bloise, FL, Jan 21, ibid.) Viz.: Hola Dino, La emisión de HIBL Radio Pueblo, en los Horarios que salimos al aire, en HIMI Radio Cristal International - RCI- desde hace un tiempo es en transmisión simultánea. En la primera semana del presente mes de Enero apagamos el TX de OC por una avería [breakdown] y no sé si te enteraste que nuestro ing. Hilario Mejía - que nos asistía - falleció en 22 de Dic. pasado; fue un destacado radioaficionado. Trataremos de que se corrija la avería en la OC en lo que resta de Enero. Saludos, 73, Dario (via Dino, ibid.) So SW broke down and is off the air, and the engineer who assisted them died in December, but they will try to get it back on the air this month. Remember that when on, they always signed off around 0000 UT (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola Dino!!!! Mil gracias!!! Muy amable!!! Tal vez está ya haciendo algún tipo de pruebas. Desde Villa Giardino no la puedo captar y ya no la volví a ver reportada por otro colega. Habrá que estar en la frecuencia testeando! (Arnaldo Slaen, Jan 22, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 6250, R. Nacional, Malabo. January 24, Spanish, 0516 eclectic selections like a Hi Life music, 0517 Spanish romantic music, YL "están en sintonía de R. Nacional, R. Malabo..", returning African music, another at 0528 but sung in Spanish, English Hip Hop and a English romantic music till 0538. At tune-in 44333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6250, Radio Nacional, Malabo, 0509-0600, Jan 24, Afro-pop music. US & Euro-pop music. Spanish talk. Radio Nacional & Radio Malabo IDs. Fair to good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also audible here around that time, as well as Jan 25 at 0652 music with severe ute QRM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** ERITREA [and non]. ETHIOPIA. 7165, Voice of Peace & Democracy, via Ethiopia transmitter, *0358-0433*, Jan 23, sign on with Horn of Africa music. Opening ID announcements in Tigrinya & talk. Local drums. Some Horn of Africa music. Fair but some adjacent channel splatter. Poor on // 9559.54v - drifting between 9559.38 - 9559.67. Listed for Mon, Wed, Fri only. Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea appeared on 7165 at 0433 & was hit with a jammer at approximately 0437 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. ETIOPÍA, 9560, Voice of Democratic Alliance, Addis Ababa-Gedaja, 1530-1540, escuchada el 22 de enero posiblemente en Kunama, comienza emisión con música de sintonía, locutor y locutora con comentarios, emisión de música folklórica local, emisión en paralelo por 7165, SINPO 23342 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 6890.0, Radio Fana, 0410-0430, Jan 23, Amharic talk. Horn of Africa music. Weak but readable. Only a threshold signal before 0410. Stronger on // 6110 - but with co-channel QRM. 6890.0, Radio Fana, 2025-2059*, Jan 24, Amharic talk. Horn of Africa music. Fair. Stronger on // 6110 - but with co-channel QRM (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 9559.97, R Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (tent.!), 1610, Jan 08, FS in English, news about Indian-Pakistani relations, etc, 55555(!) - or even Indian or Pakistani???? (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Re 9-006: 9610, R Bilal, via Samara, Russia (250 kW / 188 degrees), *1700-1733, Jan 18, ID which sounded phonetically like "Here Radio Bilal" repeated 7 times, followed by chant "Allahu akhbar" and announce of the transmitting schedule. Until 1710 religious chantings with short announcement in between. From 1710 on, reports with mention of Washington, Canada, Democracy. Annnouncement of a postal address in Washington, DC, 34433 (Patrick Robic, Leibnitz, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 15195, Addis Dimts R, via Samara, 1618-1700*, Jan 11, spirited talks in Amharic language including interviews with several people via telephone connections, ID 1659, fair. They verified an electronic report in just 13 minutes from v/s Abebe, Host and Producer who responded via his iPhone. E-mail address is: abelewd @ yahoo.com (Richard D’Angelo/NASWA, Wyomissing, PA, U.S.A., DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** EUROPE. PIRATA, 6870, Playback International, 2201-2215, escuchada el 23 de enero en inglés a locutor con comentarios, emisión de música rock, pop melódico y country, SINPO 24322 6870, Playback Int., 0720-0740, escuchada el 24 de enero en inglés a locutor con comentarios presentando temas musicales, SINPO 34433 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) EURO-PIRATE. 6870, Radio Playback Int, 0225-0235, Jan 25, Tentative. Pop music & talk. Threshold signal. Just too weak to catch an ID, but I see European dxers heard this station on this frequency (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FAROE ISLANDS. 531 kHz, Kringvarp Foroya Utvarpid, Akraberg, Jan 22 2055-2200 UT - Strong, alone most of the time, dominant the entire 65 minutes with news and long (43 minute) interview in Faroese; occasional pop tune, one in English called "Thinking of You;" Top-of- hour IDs recorded at 2100 and 2200; Medium Wave Country #100 heard from Cape Cod; A BIG thanks to Bjarne Mjelde, the world's northernmost DXer in Arctic Norway for confirming my audio clips via Real DX (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass., NRC-AM via DXLD) They have been dominating the channel since 2055 with news and lengthy discussions in Faroese interspersed with US and non-US pop music. Overall quality quite good with only a few bursts of Iran with Arabic chanting and some SS from Madeira poking through from time to time. Right now (2139) woman is in discussion with man in Faroese at arm- chair quality (Chris Black, Cape Cod, wtfda-am vi DXLD) i.e.: Faroe Islands on the Cape --- 531, FAROE ISLANDS (DENMARK), Kringvarp Føroya, Akraberg, 22Jan09 2159 - Musical theme ending previous interview segment then 3 short pips and another 3 short pips and time check. Then man with news in Faroese, a language related to Icelandic. - Recorded - Fair, verified by Bjarne Mjelde via RealDX (Chris Black, N1CP, Cape Cod, MA, Icom 756 Pro II, 35' x90' flag, ABDX via DXLD) Nice catch, Chris. If Faroese is similar to Icelandic, it must be extremely rough and guttural. The two languages hardest on my ears (while in Iceland) were Icelandic & Norse (Don Kaskey, CA, ibid.) 531, Faroe Islands with pop/rock music, 2300 TOH ID; well over Spain. New country! I'll upload an audio clip to dxclipjoint when I get a chance over the weekend (Bruce Conti, Nashua NH, http://www.bamlog.com 2314 UT Jan 22, mwdx yg via DXLD) Perseus recording on 338 degree beverage 1200, 23 Jan 09; 531 kHz Faroes splatter raising the noise floor up to at least 750 kHz 1200 23/1 (Martin A Hall, Clashmore, Scotland. Perseus SDR, NRD-545, RPA-1 preamp, MFJ-1026 phaser (modified), beverages: 490m at 233 degrees, unterminated; 500m at 279 degrees, terminated; 545m at 338 degrees, terminated; 50m at 321 degrees, unterminated. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/clashmoreradio/ Jan 23, MWC via DXLD) See also ALASKA Faroes-531, Here we go again --- Faroe Islands-531 in already 2050 UT with English pop tune & man in Faroese. A second TA mixing with Faroes, probably Spain, spoiling the t-o-h- Announcement at 2100. Now at 2102 Faroes regaining dominance with pop music After a long fade, Faroes back on top 2152-2155 UT with Traveling Wilburys "Handle Me With Care." 3 minutes earlier, Algeria was alone with Arabic chanting.? Crazy stuff!!!! (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass., Jan 24, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) I`m surprised this isn`t reported more from northeast America; I gather that in Europe it is a pest with spurs way beyond 531 (gh) ** FRANCE. EINSTELLUNG DES DEUTSCHEN DIENSTES VON RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONAL Leider hat die Direktion von RFI an ihrer Entscheidung, die deutsche Redaktion zu schließen, festgehalten. Die Sendungen werden voraussichtlich Ende April oder Mai eingestellt. Alle Proteste, Initiativen und Petitionen waren umsonst. Wir möchten Ihnen aber herzlich für Ihre aktive Unterstützung danken. Zumindest hatten wir das Gefühl, dass wir nicht allein waren und unsere Arbeit geschätzt wird. --- Die deutsche Redaktion von RFI Malheureusement, la Direction de RFI a maintenu sa décision de fermer la rédaction allemande. Les émissions seront probablement arrêtées fin avril/mai. Toutes les protestations, pétitions et soutiens n'ont servi à rien. Nous tenons à vous remercier vivement de votre soutien actif. Au moins nous avions le sentiment que nous n'étions pas tout seuls et que notre travail est apprécié. --- La rédaction allemande de RFI Cécile Balaÿ, Secrétariat, Rédaction allemande Site internet : http://www.rfi.fr/deutsch RFI T : 01 56 40 48 61 F : 01 56 40 47 63 (Jan 21, via Juliane Stansch, Germany, via Volker Willschrey, Germany, Jan 22, via Drita Çiço, Albania, DXLD) Three days ago the office of RFI's German service sent out the enclosed [above] mail. Translation: "Unfortunately the management of RFI hold to its decision to close the German service. Presumably the broadcasts will cease at the end of April or in May. All protests, initiatives and petitions were futile. Still we would like to thank you for your active support. At least we got the impression that we were not alone and enjoy an appreciation of our work." Statement from RFI director Alain de Pouzilhac: http://www.rfi.fr/actude/articles/109/article_1060.asp Translation (disclaimer: this is the second step, from the translation into German on the referenced page): "I think it is in the first place a geopolitical change. When the Berlin wall still existed, but this was already 20 years ago, it was indispensable for our station to talk in German to the Germans of the East. Today there is a development of democracy in Europe, in Poland, in Germany, in such languages. To me it appears to be entirely normal that this results in a decline of listener numbers because there is less demand for a free world because the world has become more free and democratic. And from this moment on the audience becomes infinitely small and one has to further develop. This is a simple development." The referenced RFI page also contains a comment from the editors: They repeatedly told the management that the target audience was neither limited to East Germans nor to those with a democracy deficit; instead the programs are meant to all German-speaking people interested in France. They consider themselves as a future-orientated platform for the German-French dialogue but certainly not as a relic of the Cold War. Deutschlandradio Kultur interview with Jürgen Ritte from the Sorbonne university in Paris: http://www.dradio.de/dkultur/sendungen/thema/908431/ He said that the service was not that expensive, "most freelancers were already paid very poorly". Thus such cost saving measures are "hysteric instead of well-considered". The closure is a "political signal that causes great damage". The remainder of the interview puts the closure in a context with cuts done elsewhere on institutions that deal with the French-German relationships. Concerning the payments: A website with anonymous postings about the royalties German radio stations pay for one standard report specified for the now defunct BBC-RFI (small office in Leipzig, infrastructure like playout from RFI headquarters in Paris) as 70 Euro. This figure is of course gross, before everything, and covers everything (time to go to the scene etc.). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. 9494.77, Abkhaz State R, Soxum, 1302, Jan 15, modern chanson type songs, but obviously faulty transmitter, as often interrupted, 35433 (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE DIRECTOR GENERAL ADVOCATES A ‘MEDIA ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS’ --- Press Releases | 20.01.2009 http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3961616,00.html Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Erik Bettermann, Deutsche Welle Director General / Erik Bettermann speaks at a podium discussion with Herta Däubler-Gmelin and Amnesty International Secretary General Barbara Lochbihler. [caption] Deutsche Welle Director General Erik Bettermann advocated an “international media alliance for human rights” at an event in Bonn yesterday. He said that the media, and especially independent international broadcasters are “an important factor in emphasizing the importance of human rights and the adoption of standards among even more countries throughout the world”. He went on to say that based on their shared values and worldwide presence, created through decades of hard work around the world, broadcasters like Deutsche Welle, BBC World Service and Radio France Internationale are “powerful instruments in giving human rights a voice”. He pointed out that their importance in transmitting information about human rights is often underestimated in Germany. Bettermann said the prerequisites for the acceptance of these broadcasters /media services are credibility of the country they represent, as well as the credibility of the broadcaster itself. “Nothing is more damaging than double standards, disinterest or imbalanced reports,” said Bettermann. “In this regard, the media also has to report about the beneficiaries of human rights abuses – even when the chain of beneficiaries continues to our front door.” Bettermann announced that he would campaign for human rights along with the West’s leading international broadcasters. He went on to say that this also includes more clarification and presentation of correlations here at home. The podium discussion, entitled “More Wrong than Human Rights”, took place on January 19, 2009 and included Herta Däubler-Gmelin, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee from the German Parliament, and Barbara Lochbihler, Secretary General from Amnesty International. January 20, 2009 (via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, Germany, Jan 22, DXLD) Beware, this is a poor translation of an already poor German original, posted at http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3960061,00.html >> Deutsche Welle Director General Erik Bettermann advocated an “international media alliance for human rights” at an event in Bonn yesterday. << --- The German original says that he demanded it. However, the wording of the English text fits better here. >> He said that the media, and especially independent international broadcasters are “an important factor in emphasizing the importance of human rights and the adoption of standards among even more countries throughout the world”. << --- Nothing about the adoption of standards in the German original, instead he refers to efforts to lay stress upon human rights and push them through. >> He went on to say that based on their shared values and worldwide presence, created through decades of hard work around the world << --- He said rather that they are established worldwide and called their work "reliable". >> disinterest << --- This is no suitable translation for "falsche Rücksichtnahme". This is German saying that describes a practice to overlook some problem out of considerateness when this problem is just too severe and must be addressed. It has nothing to do with a lack of interest in the subject. >> More Wrong than Human Rights << --- A pointless translation attempt, since "Mehr schlecht als menschenrecht" is a play upon words. It combines the German saying "mehr schlecht als recht" = "rather poor" with "Menschenrechte" = "human rights", thus refers to a rather poor situation for the human rights. Probably it should be also mentioned what kind of podium discussion this actually was. Here is the invitation: http://bonner-wirtschaftsgespraeche.de/index.php/2009/01/07/bonn-bonner-plattform-internationale-zusammenarbeit-untersucht-die-medien-als-mittler-von-menschenrechten/ So this was an event of a so-called "Bonn platform for international cooperation", run by Deutsche Welle and the foreign aid department of the state bank KfW (infamous as "Germany's most stupid bank" since they burned about 350,000 Euro by transferring them to the already bankrupt Lehman Brothers), and it took place in DW's Bonn premises. In other words, it was basically an own event of DW. On the subject itself I agree with the comments from Kim Andrew Elliott, as posted at http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=5712 [radio stations should be journalists, not advocates, no matter how worthy the cause --- gh`s synopsis] The German TV news anchor Hans-Joachim Friedrichs once said that "a journalist should not associate himself with anything, also not with good things". Hereby he said it all. Concerning the "beneficiaries" Kim finds confusing: Acc. the German original of the press release Erik Bettermann indeed spoke about those who benefit from human rights violations. This is a cryptic reference and one can only guess what he referred to. What first comes to mind are all the good businesses with China. And here DW should certainly first make shure that they are no longer the Bonn office of Xinhua. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. DW DRM via Sines, Portugal January 23, 2009, 0929- 1000* UT, 9605-9610-9615 kHz. Overall, excellent audio. Very few audio dropouts. Here are DReaM screen shots of DW DRM reception http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/DW-1.jpg http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/DW-2.jpg http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/DW-3.jpg Here is a recording of the DRM reception (converted from wav to mp3 so I could upload) http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/DW.mp3 (Kraig, KG4LAC Krist, Manassas, VA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Radio Gloria International this Sunday: Date 25th January 2009, Time 1300 to 1400 UT, Channel 6140 kHz, The transmissions of Radio Gloria will be broadcast over the transmitting station Wertachtal in Germany. The transmitter power will be 100 000 Watts, and we will be using a non-directional antenna system (Quadrant antenna). Good listening and a Happy New Year 73s Tom Taylor (via Mike Terry, in advance on the dxldyg, via DXLD) ** GREECE. B-08 for Voice of Greece in Greek: 2300-0600 7475 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg *12105 AVL 250 kW / 226 deg [sic; R. Filia is at 06-10 -- gh] 0600-1000 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg 12105 AVL 100 kW / 002 deg [* R. Filia really here – gh] 15630 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 1100-1600 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg #9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg 15650 AVL 250 kW / 105 deg, co-ch Miraya FM R. 1500-1600 1600-1700 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg #9935 AVL 100 kW / 285 deg 15630 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 1700-2000 #7450 AVL 100 kW / 323 deg 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg, co-ch Christian Voice in English 15630 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 2000-2300 #7450 AVL 100 kW / 323 deg 7475 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg, co-ch Christian Voice in English * Radio Filia in Albanian/English/French/Spanish [see above] # Radiophonikos Stathmos Makedonias in Greek (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 25 via DXLD) ** GREENLAND. An unidentified station in a Scandinavian language was received in Sofia at 21 hours on 3815 kHz. Most likely this is Kalaalit Nunaata Radioa with a schedule from 15 to 1614 hours and from 20 to 2115 hours on 3815 kHz USB. The address is: KNR, P.O.Box 1007, 3900 Nuuk, Grenlandia via Denmark (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX posted Jan 19 via DXLD) Depending on how old this reception was, never dated, the sked has changed to one UT hour later, but would still be on at 2100 on old or new timing. A distance record for this so far if true? (gh, DXLD) 3815 USB, KNR, recently sent me a nice QSL and info direct from Aasiaat/Tasiilaq! (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** GREENLAND. 570.05, Nuuk, JAN 23 0013-0038 - Presumed to be the station often heard here slightly high in frequency. This station is in parallel with 720, suggesting both stations are in Greenland. Language sounds like the Inuit-type language heard on CBC Northern Service on SW. Man in long commentary, 0013-0030, several songs sung by a man, 0030-0038 tune out. Interference from CFCB and R. Reloj Cuba (Osborne, Newfoundland, NRC IDXD via DXLD) 720, KNR Simiutaq, JAN 14, 2200 - Interval signal into news which sounded like Danish; a little into the mix of other stations. JAN 19 2125 - Fair; talking in unknown language and at 2130 sound of a flute, over five pips for Canary Islands (Roy Barstow, Cape Cod MA, MA, NRC IDXD via DXLD) JAN 19 2131-2207 - Fair, mostly alone on channel with two men and one woman in presumed Inuit language. Seemed to be a newscast and took a phone call from a man (field reporter?) at 2134. At 2147 a music flourish and announcement. Signal faded at 2149 but returned at 2158 with rap music. At 2159 a recorded countdown to top-of-hour by woman followed at 2200 by time pips, announcement, and into news in Danish until 2207 fade-out. Country #99 heard from Cape Cod and a big thrill here! (Marc DeLorenzo, MA, ibid.) JAN 23 0013-0038 - Presumed to be the station with the same programming listed above on 570.05 kHz. Heavy interference from adjacent local 710 CKVO, 3 km away, across the bay in Clarenville. When the stations on 570.05 and 720 are both heard at the same time, 720 is usually stronger (Jerry Osborne, VO1GO, Elliott's Cove NL; Kenwood TS140S transceiver with 20-m/40-m dipole, Panasonic portable, RF-B45, when nulling is needed, NRC IDXD via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3339.96, Radio Misiones Internacionales, 0552-0620, Jan 23, LA music. Spanish announcements. IDs at 0604 and 0616. Fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3340, 24.1 0818, Tentative, R. Misiones Int. med typisk religös musik och prat på spanska. Styrka 1-2 och den försvann i bruset efter c:a 20 min. Detta var den enda stationen som hördes på 90mb förutom CHU på 3330 (Olle Bjurström, Sweden? SW Bulletin Jan 25 via DXLD) Yes, I was also hearing it on tuneby Jan 25 around 0645 (gh, OK, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. SANI RADIO, [off the air for many years – historical]: ROBIN TANCOO provides the text of a letter sent some time ago as an acknowledgement to a reception report sent to the following address which was written by Edward A Pfister, Program Manager for the International Rescue Committee who may or may not still be in office. COMITE INTERNACIONAL DE RESCATE Apdo, Postal No. 113, La Ceiba, Atlántida. Honduras, Centro América Our frequency is 4755 kHz as licensed with the government of Honduras at geographical coordinates of 15 decrees 16 minutes north and 83 degrees 46 minutes west in the town of Puerto Lempira, Gracias a Dios. Our call letters are HRRI and we are called "SANI RADIO" (which some listeners have confused as "FAMILY RADIO"). Our administrative and operations centre is in the coastal town of La Ceiba, Honduras. Puerto Lempira with a population of some 2000 and in La Ceiba with a population of around 60,000 are the departmental capitals of Gracias a Dios and Atlántida. The name Sani comes from a Miskito Indian word for the "majoa" vine which is native to the area and is an important source of string. Many years ago the children of the area invented a game to imitate the missionary radio services whereby they have made their own "radios" by connecting two dried coconut halves with stretched piece of sani string. These were the first "sani radios" and since then the phrase has evolved into a slang expression for oral transmission of information like the English expression of "through the grapevine". Our purpose is to provide bilingual, Spanish/Miskito educational and public service broadcasts to the Miskito Indian population of the area. Our transmitter is a Sintronic SI-A-10 with 10 kW of power and we use a simple 30 metre long dipole antenna at a height of 15 meters which is probably around 20 meters above sea level. Presently we are financed by funds from the United States Agency for International Development. The International Rescue Committee was founded in 1933 during the rise of fascism in Germany. Since then the IRC has been dedicated to assisting refugee and needy populations through educational and health programs around the world. The grand opening of "Sani Radio" was on August 25, 1986, which went over very well, was broadcast live and was attended by more than 200 persons as well as guests from the Honduran Ministry of Education, Ministry of the Interior and the United States AID Mission. We hope to commercialise the station to some extent in order to cover basic costs as well as possibly enter into a cooperative agreement for national educational broadcasting and will seek funding from private and public sectors both nationally and internationally. We are expressly prohibited from transmitting partisan political or religious programs. We have a staff of some 30 persons including scriptwriters, producers, announcers, studio operators and administrative personnel. Programming is in Spanish, Miskito and Sumo languages but occasionally we have English transmissions in the evenings after normal sign-off. Hours of transmission in indigenous languages are from 0600 to 1000 and 1600 to 2000 hours local time [UT -6]. Every Thursday evening from 1800 to 1900 hours we read international letters over the air and we have received letters from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, EI Salvador England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Guinea, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Wales to date. The letter is stamped with a SANI RADIO rubber stamp, and signed Edward A Pfister, and has the following footer: Sede 386 Park Avenue South - New York, New York 10016- Tel. (212) 679- 0010. Cable: Interescue, New York - Telex: 237611 (via Robin Tancoo, Trinidad, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) It`s a shame this station doing such good work seems to have disappeared. Or does it survive on AM or FM? Scanning the MW listings in WRTH 2009, I don`t find it, and the FM listings are quite incomplete (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR REPUBLIC DAY BROADCASTS ON JANUARY 25, 26 , 2009 --- India is celebrating its Republic Day on 26th January 2009. Several special broadcasts are scheduled for this occasion. Indian President's address to the nation is scheduled at 1330 UT on 25th January. Specially look out for broadcasts via AIR Kohima on 4850 then. This 50 kW station is heard lately only on special occasions like this. The schedule is: 4850 : 0000-0415 1000-1600/1630/1700 (Irregular) 6065 : 0430-0510 0700-0900 Dates to watch are January 25 & 26, 2009. On 26th January from 0350 UT Running commentary of Republic Day parade is scheduled on Delhi 6030 6155 9595 9810 11585 15020 etc. Bengaluru 15050 Aligarh 11620 So regional AIR stations on 6 & 7 MHz will start broadcasts on their daytime frequencies around 0330 UT. Look out especially 6085 Gangtok. Reception reports may be sent to spectrum-manager@air.org.in 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio http://www.niar.org dx_india via DXLD) 4850, AIR Kohima; 1355-1434*, Jan 25; am glad to have caught this rare broadcast from Kohima; a major speech delivered in English by the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil (first woman to be elected President of India) for tomorrow`s 60th Republic Day; Anthem played after the speech; into vernacular; ID "This is A.I.R. Kohima" followed by the news in English, started with local news and went into news about India (Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh successfully underwent heart bypass surgery, mentions A.I.R. schedule for the coverage of the president's speech, parts of India will see the partial solar eclipse, etc.) This was the best reception on 60m for AIR. The speech was parallel with 4760, 4775, 4880, 4970, 4990, 5010 and 5040; believe most of the stations went back to their own programming after the speech (e.g., 4970). Speech is at http://presidentofindia.nic.in/sp250109.html (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was able to hear AIR Kohima 4850 with the Indian President's address beginning at 1331 in Hindi, then later in English. Very weak signal here, parallel with 9870, 9425. Kohima lost in the noise shortly after the President switched to English about 1351 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, IBID.) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. "I've been using a thumb-size gadget that is a riveting example of how the Internet has turned our vast planet into a small village. Plug the USB Internet Radio Jukebox into your PC (Windows only) and a world of sound and opinion awaits. Sure, you can use your browser to find the Web sites from public and private radio stations from Australia to Zimbabwe, but that's quite a task if you don't know the call letters. Aluratek's USB radio is a tuner that uncovers these gems. It claims access to more than 13,000 stations --- all for $39, money well spent for an audio world tour. ... I've enjoyed world tunes from Sky.FM, classical music from Spain and folk from Canada's CBC. Some stations have failed to connect at times, but that's been rare." Eric Benderoff, Chicago Tribune, 22 January 2009. (kimandrewelliott.com 22 January via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Streaming urls die, change and appear more often than the frequencies of those wacky SW stations. How does this or any other internet radio external device handle that? 73, (Terry Wilson, MI, ibid.) This is how it's done Terry --- Maintaining the station directory and maintaining the databases is a massive undertaking but the work is made lighter by many hands and cool technology. There are a few directory projects - the most open is the Reciva directory group which I am very active in. This group maintains the station directory for the Sanyo, Sangean, Roberts, Aldi and many other brands of radios. First a little bit of background --- The Reciva database currently (as of this hour!) has 15,490 stations in the radio menu, and another 21,242 on demand radio programs (Glenn's World of Radio on demand being one of them). As of this hour the database has 38,615 URLs that report as not working (broken) or needing some type of investigation. Regular users can not see this broken list - only the teams maintaining the system have access to broken links. So in total there is a potential of 54,105 URLs (stations) however some of the broken URLs are duplications, typos, stations that have closed etc. or maybe just today the station stream is down temporarily. OK, so now how are all these stations managed? --- Each day Reciva's stream-test servers in the USA and Europe test each station URL to ensure they connect. If a station fails then it is noted. If a station fails for 3 days in a row then it is removed from the station directory that appears on the screen of the radio. The complete database is continuously tested, so if a station that had failed for some time all of a suddenly returns, then it once again becomes active on the radios. At least once a day every Reciva radio downloads the latest version of the active station directory. So today my radio has 15,490 stations available, tomorrow the number will be slightly different. Each day around 50 brand new stations are added so it's an amazing "organic" system that now breaths and grows. Can you imagine if every day your shortwave radio had 50 new stations open on it! Well in internet radio thats what currently happens everyday as more and more broadcasters commence broadcasting on the net. Today Norea Radio in Denmark joined, as has 105.3 KOOL-FM along with 34 other new stations - today is a bit of a light day for new additions! Cheers, (Mark Fahey, NSW, ibid.) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. South Herts Radio will be testing with Windows Media from 1600 UT today and most of tomorrow from 1200 UT with DX programmes including World of Radio 1444. We expect some small short breaks in the stream during the tests. Our sustaining player takes care of business when there are failures. I hope you can join us. http://www.southhertsradio.com (Gary Drew, SHR, Jan 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WOR started about 1637, but everything stopped at 1700 before it was over, and player would not restart altho claimed to be `ready` (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN. VIRI Russian, Jan 24 at 1519 had good signal on 9575, but low modulation also cutting out occasionally; tho signal was weaker on // 9735, I could tell the modulation was much better. Sites are Sirjan and Ahwaz, respectively. You may have a bunch of 500 kW transmitters, but if you can`t modulate them properly, what`s the point? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND [non]. RTE will carry out a test transmission on 28th January [Wed] at 1930-2030 UT on 6220 kHz and seeks reports from listeners in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. These should be sent to freqdept @ wrn.org (WRN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY [non]. 9510, [Sat] 17.1, 0900, IRRS med ett DX-block (WoR, DXPL samt 39 Dover Street). Sänds varje lördag vid denna tid. 2-4 - mycket fading denna dag. CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin Jan 25 via DXLD) But not Feb 7 when Joystick occupy the hour, first- Saturdayly (gh, DXLD) ** JORDAN. Jan 24, R Jordan in Arabic. 9830 at 2045z. Man & woman in discussion. 500 kW at 300 with CW or teletype underneath. How does R Jordan pick utility station channels? (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR. 6110, INDIA, AIR Srinagar, heard at 0647 on 23 Jan in Hindi with subcontinental music, IDs and talk. Good signal for mid- morning reception. No real time for DXing this Friday. Hopefully there will be some time this weekend! 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 7530, CLANDESTINE, (UZBEKISTAN), V. of Free Radio, heard at 1617 on 24 Jan in Korean talk and some slow pop music. According to WRTH 2009 this is a religious clandestine. Strange name for all that. Very poor signals, but may have been due to overall conditions. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. Sulaibiyah. Radio Kuwait, 11990 kHz, 22 Jan 09 at 1759 GMT --- English service opens with 20 minutes of "Under the Umbrella of Islam," followed by Western pop and finally news in English. Very tinny sound, for some reason. Audio (59 minutes): http://www.mediafire.com/?wgo3g1jmqdm (Terry Wilson, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) But best I`ve `heard` it in a long time (gh) Radio Kuwait, From the Archives. Edwin Southwell forwards the following info from his archives - received in April 1992, and copied from the back of a QSL Card: Radio Kuwait started its service with a 0.5 kilowatt (kW) shortwave transmitter in 1951. Two 1 kW transmitters, a shortwave (SW) and a mediumwave (MW) were added in the same year. In 1960, four new transmitters were installed - a 10 kW SW, a 10 kW MW, a 100 kW MW and a 50 kW SW to reach listeners in a wider area. In 1966, an additional 100kW MW transmitter was added to work in parallel with the earlier transmitters. In 1978, four 250 kW SW transmitters with directional beams were installed to reach the distant target in the Arab world, the Middle East, Europe and East and South East Asia. In 1970, a 5 kW FM transmitter started operation and in 1978 it was replaced by a 50 kW transmitter, but the former started again in 1981. In 1971 three 750 kW MW transmitters with directional aerials were installed. Two more 500 kW SW transmitters and one 750 kW MW transmitter started operation towards the end of 1981. Radio Kuwait has achieved remarkable progress over the last 36 years. At the beginning transmission lasted only 3 ½ hours a day. Now a total of 62 hours of programmes are transmitted each day on eight channels, four of which are in languages other than Arabic. The eight programmes presented by Radio Kuwait, which provide a comprehensive servcie are: The Main Programme (in Arabic) is broadcast for 20 hours a day; The Second Programme (also in Arabic) is transmitted for 6 hours a day; The Urdu Programme (2 hours a day); the F.M. Programmes (18 hours a day); The Persian Programme (2 hours a day); The Holy Qur`an Programme (8 hours a day); as A Special Programme Directed to Europe. The Main Programme is also broadcast by an FM transmitter for local listeners. The opening announcement is: "HUNA AL-KUWAIT", in Arabic, "THIS IS RADIO KUWAIT", in English, "YEH RADIO KUWAIT HAI", in Urdu and "INJA RADIO KUWAIT" in Persian (via Edwin Southwell, England, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. 6070, ELWA (Monrovia), 2255-2303*, 1/23/2009, English. Mixing with Radio Romania under a very strong CFRX until Romania signed off at 2257. Then heard slow contemporary religious song by a man. Closing announcements by man at 2300 followed by anthem to 2303*. Poor signal. Switching from long random wire to attic Eavesdropper helped peak ELWA and limit CFRX. SINPO 22322 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. Alô GLenn, Você tem informações sobre a Rádio Veritas (3450 kHz e 5470 kHz), da Libéria? Existe um boato que eles transferiram o transmissor (10 kW) para Monróvia, e estão emitindo com potência de 6 kW. Isso é realmente verdade? Você tem alguma informação se eles estão ativos ou sabe o esquema de emissões deles? Um abraço, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena MG, Brasil, Jan 23, via DXLD) Aló Adalberto, Acho que não são ativos, sem informes de captação há alguns anos. 3450? Além de 5470, a outra frequencia foi 6090. ``Transferir`` para Monrovia? Sempre estão em Monrovia. Não confundir com a emissora filipina, distinta, ainda as duas católicas. Em WRTH 2009 dizem que estão inativos mas planejam voltar ao ar. Em BDXC-UK, http://www.users.waitrose.com/~bdxc/africa.pdf ::: ``RADIO VERITAS --- took to the air in October 1997 on 3450/5470 kHz, as well as FM. The Liberian government of the time immediately started a campaign to get the radio station closed down and there followed spells when they either had their broadcast time severely curtailed or were not on the air at all. The station was partially destroyed by fighting in July 2003. Radio Veritas was reactivated on SW in June 2005 but was again off-air by early 2008 due to a transmitter problem. They were also reportedly in the process of moving to a new site in Monrovia in 2008. Address: Radio Veritas, Catholic Media Centre, PO Box 3569, Monrovia, Liberia. Web: http://www.radioveritas.org Email: radioveritas @ hotmail.com (subject to confirmation). Transmitter Site: Monrovia - 10 kW (currently at approx. 6 kW).`` Isto quer dizer que tanto o velho como o novo sitio estão em Monrovia, e que quando ativos funcionaram com uns 6 kW. Mas WRTH não alista 3450, e acho que deixaram essa freqüência quando ativos, em favor de 6090. Mas a frecuencia mais captada pelos dexistas foi 5470. Não inclusive eu. Horário foi: 0445-0900 6090, 1745-2300v 5470. Abraço, (Glenn to Adalberto, via DXLD) Grato amigo Glenn, Eu estou fazendo uma relação das emissoras de Ondas Tropicais Africanas, tendo como base os dados da relação de Ondas Curtas Africanas do British DX Clube, de janeiro de 2009, mas mesmo lá as informações sobre a Radio Veritas estão meio confusas. No site da emissora as informações me pareceram ser muito desatualidas, e assim, as tuas informações que você me forneceu, foram a melhor fonte que consegui até agora. Na dúvida, não vou incluir ela nesta relação, pois me parece estar realmente inativa. Muito obrigado e um abraço, (Adalberto, ibid.) ** LIBYA. V of Africa, 11965 at 1906 in Hausa. Good signal. // 11860 fair. 24 Jan (Liz Cameron, MARE DXpedition, MI, maybe fifty feet of wire and used the NRD-525, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Africa (Sabratha). Freq: 21695/17725. *1400-1420. 02 Aug 08. Received a p/d card in 184 days for submitting the logging form sent by the station. The card was entirely in Arabic. It featured the Sabratah Theater on the front. Station addy: English Service, Voice of Africa, P. O. Box 4677, Soug al Jama, Tripoli, Libya. This is the second card I have received from Voice of Africa. Both of them were entirely in Arabic. It makes country #82 for me (Joe Wood, Greenback TN, MARE Tipsheet Jan 23 via DXLD) Or axually the first card made #82, no? (gh, DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. Heard on 5009.94 at 1850, Jan 07, French programming, good quality, up to 45544! (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) And heard with all night programs 2005-0155, Jan 19 and 20, Malagasy radioplay, nondescript music and possibly some talk, 35333, but AIR 5010 signing on at *0013 causing heterodyne (Richard D’Angelo/NASWA, Wyomissing, PA, U.S.A., and Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 6044.93, XEXQ, R Universidad (p), 0056-0100*, Jan 11 and 17, Spanish. They sign-off early on the weekend (Ron Howard, Monterey/ Asilomar Beach, CA, U.S.A., DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) 6185 QRM: see SERBIA ** MEXICO. 9600, R UNAM. QSL-card with all details, several CDs and brochures received after follow-up, v/s Teofilo Huerta Moreno, Dpto. de Planeación; very pleased with it! (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) But no hint of reactivation ** MEXICO [and non]. Re 9-006: I'm hearing what I assume is the [Caribbean] Beacon [Anguilla [q.v.]] on 1610. There is chanting, which sounds middle eastern with an English language announcer. The announcer mike is very low, can't pull him out to get positive ID. Listening in USB with narrow filtering due to KOKE Austin on 1600. Using AR 7030plus with Quantum Loop V2.0 plus. 8:40 CST. Can any confirm this is the Beacon? They used to be regular in Houston during the late 80s (Alan Furst, Round Rock Tx, Jan 21, ABDX via DXLD) I can`t imagine the so-called University Network playing ME chanting (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) XEUACH, Chapingo, playing Middle-Eastern/gypsy type chanting now, Spanish M & W announcers, mixing with two English men with Caribbean accent(?) talking about religion! (Steven Wiseblood, Boca Chica Beach, TX, 0248 UT Jan 22, ABDX via DXLD) That must be it. I've logged them here. Just can't dig it out to get understandable ID. Thanks (Alan Furst, ibid.) 1610 XEUACH MEXICO, Edo. de MEXICO, Chapingo; 2104 apparent school song "bim-boom-bah" 2107 MEXICO orchestral National anthem then s/off still with open carrier 2111. 1610 ANGUILLA "The Hill" Caribbean BEACON; 2117 Pastor Melissa Scott talking religion "God is not an option..." // 6090 (Steven Wiseblood, Boca Chica Beach TX ibid.) CST = 0304, 0307, 0311, 0317 UT Jan 22 (gh) 1610 right now --- Fun stuff! XEUACH, Radio Chapingo dominant on channel with what can best be described as "Cuban techno" music but it can be easily nulled for Anguilla, with Mrs. Scott rambling on about the "auxiliary functions of the church" or whatever. I suspect the Caribbean Beacon should be as widely heard as it was in the late 1980s when it was a winter regular at my QTH in San Diego. Go get 'em, campers! (Harry Helms, W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, 0034 UT Jan 23, ABDX via DXLD) See also CANADA ** MEXICO [and non]. A proposito dell'ascolto di Radio Mil dell'11 gennaio su 6010 dal Messico, non so se qualcuno ha detto in lista o pensato a La Voz de tu Conciencia come ipotesi più probabile, poiché non ho ancora letto la posta dell'ultima settimana. Bene, anzi male, la volta scorsa mi sono dimenticato di aggiungere due annotazioni: la prima è che l'emittente della Colombia non si sentiva e, quindi, poteva anche non essere attiva, la seconda è che la distinzione tra gli stili delle due latino-americane l'avevo già fatta in un ascolto precedente, quando entrambe erano accese, una con un sermone da parte di una donna (LV de tu Conciencia) e l'altra con una selezione di musica romantica messicana alternata ad annunci maschili preregistrati (Radio Mil). L'11 gennaio, in ogni caso, dalle 0805 erano presenti solo Messico e Bielorussia, poi aumentando l'esposizione solare la Bielorussia scompariva e verso le 0830 dominava il Messico, anche se pure esso in fade out (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XE1A was interviewed during the entire 25-minute Amigos de la Onda Corta on REE, heard on webcast UT Sat Jan 24 at 0505, about his new webcasting initiative, Radio México Internacional. Among other things he said the streaming service located in Houston, has been contracted for the rest of the year. Sometimes it has been inaccessible because of problems with the redirecting URL being down, but there are multiple ways to get to it, as previously publicized. By March he hopes to have built up a program schedule from various contributors for the official launch. Nothing was ever mentioned about broadcasting in any languages other than Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Hola a todos, Les comento que el servicio privado de streaming, está con intermitencias, por lo que no se puede sintonizar a Radio México Internacional, adecuadamente de momento por la página oficial, por lo que de nuevo he reactivado el servicio anterior, y este esta funcionando correctamente; de momento RMI está emitiendo a ambos servidores, por lo que les agradeceré momitorear la señal de ambos y reportar sus comentarios. En cuanto se reestablezca apropiadamente el servicio en el servidor de la página oficial, detendré el envío al servicio anterior, por lo que de momento pueden escuchar en: http://rmi.es.mn http://pepina.listen2myradio.com Gracias a todos por el apoyo. Saludos Fraternos (Ing. José Antonio Martínez Sánchez, XE1A, Jan 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Spongebob Squarepants dubbed in Spanish on channel 3 before and after 1630 UT Sunday Jan 25. Hits color burst now and then; not sure how well the lips synch. How do you say Spongebob Squarepants in Spanish? Sure nice to see some analog Es. Those lucky Mexicans getting SBSP OTA without subscribing to cable. Es kept on for hours, in and out, but at 2145 it was stronger with CCI on 3, 4 and 5. So I checked FM; all I heard around 2155 was Spanish variety/talk show on 87.75 MHz, channel 6 audio. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, WTFDA via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Spongebob Squarepants is Bob Esponja in Spanish. Simply, "Bob (the) Sponge" (Aaron Reed, from Brockton, MA, (21 miles south of Boston), WTFDA via DXLD) Cada día se entera de algo gracias al diexismo! (gh) ** MONGOLIA [non]. Voice of Mongolia via Voice of Russia WS in Russian, also in Russian after DX Club program by Mr. Vadim Alexeev at *1347-1357* UT on 11630 (here with muslim sermon) and 13600 kHz with terrible sound. On Jan 14 with literature-cultural program and on Jan 21st with news bulletin only (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 22 wwdxc BC- DX TopNews Jan 26 via DXLD) Days of week?? Who cares? Wednesdays (gh, DXLD) ** NEPAL. Re 9-006, 5005: When monitored here in Denmark on a clear channel from 2300, Jan 18, till 0045, Jan 19, not even a carrier was noticed. Indian regional stations were strong (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) I am also getting carriers on 5005 occasionally. During my last month trip to Delhi in Alokesh Gupta's house also we noticed it and we were sayng that it might be Nepal (Jose Jacob, Hyderabad, India, 1745 UT Jan 22, DX LISTENING DIGST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Re 9-006, ZLXA, 3935: I suggested a last special broadcast on a Fri or Sat at 1700-1800 when the path is in darkness to Europe (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) That won`t do for North America at all! Some time around 0600-0700 would work for both NAm and Eu. Or we could exclude Europe by advocating circa 1100-1200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. QSL: 15120, Voice of Nigeria. Oversized "Zuma Rock" card with frequency and date (wrong date) in 91 days for $1 via PMB 40003, Lagos. Nice gorilla stamps on envelope. Requested site but it was not given - presume Ikorodu (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R- 8, 100-foot RW, Jan 23, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** NORTHERN MARIANA ISL. 5810, Radio Free Asia, Tinian, 2115-2135, Jan 24, local Far East style music. Mandarin talk. Weak but readable. // 7355 - via Taiwan with fair to good signal. // 9875 - via Palau with a very weak signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Pakistan Pushto Service 4845 kHz 1300-1325 UT --- Hi, Glenn, Hope you are fine. Radio Pakistan Pushto broadcast for Afghanistan was monitored in Lahore on January 21, 2009 at 4845 kHz from 1300 to 1325 UT. The transmitter was the buzzy API-3. The SINPO rating was 22232. The programme contents were Kor'an recitation, Pushto naat (religious poetry) and relay of Pushto news bulletin from Radio Pakistan Home service. It was followed by Pushto songs. This service is being run on a shoestring budget. They cannot afford a separate news bulletin for external services. Previously they used to have announcers to announce the names of singers before playing a song. But now they have resorted to back to back Pushto songs without any intervening announcement of station ID or the names of singers. Even the same songs are played every second day despite the fact that there is no dearth of Pushto singers. I simply cannot help wondering at continuation of such a useless broadcast. The timing of this service has been changed three times since its commencement. The programme content is very poor and reception is worthless. In the given circumstances, the chances of this service ever developing any listenership are remote, despite the fact that Afghanistan is one of those last few countries where shortwave listening is still alive (Aslam Javaid, Lahore Pakistan, Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325.0, 0750-0815 01.12.08, Wantok Radio Light, Port Moresby, English, 24422 (Jean-Pierre Penaud, France, AOR7030, HF- 1000, ETON E1 2x15m Dipole, Jan-Feb DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) Sorry, any program content info whatsoever is banned from this log listing confined to one-liners, rarely two if the station name is too long (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See TESTIMONIALS too ** PERU. Here`s an English version of the previous report: 6536, R. Nueva Súper Sensación, Huancabamba, ex R Comercial La Voz del Rondero, 2230-0100, Jan 10, folkmusic, 2245 Spanish phone-in asking listeners: "...Cuéntanos dónde estás escuchando a Radio Super Nueva Sensación por AM, FM u onda corta??...", more music and greeting: "..somos la radio internacional, Nueva Súper Sensación de Huancabamba y con Federico Ibáñez, el internacional... cruzando fronteras, Nueva Súper Sensación transmitiendo desde Huancabamba, Calle Pueblo Nuevo No. 303, Huancabamba, Piura...". Mentioned Tel. no. (51+74) 473707 and cellular 969017147; some airport QRM. In 1998, on 6618.2 operated a transmitter with the same name and from the same city, but with Sr. Justo Emilio Carrasco Moreno as manager; in 1999 it moved to 6675v and then renamed R Andina during the years 2000 and 2001. In 2002 it reappeared again with the name R Sensación, and operated on 6673v. Since then, I have not heard of activity from this transmitter. But now the name is used by Federico Ibáñez M. who has operated several stations from Huancabamba like: R Difusora Huancabamba, R San Miguel, R La Poderosa, R Estación 2, R Comercial Huancabamba, R Comercial La Voz del Rondero. This person has been a candidate to the City Council of Huancabamba on various occasions, but has always lost; then the microphones were used against the winners. None of the stations, that I have written to, have replied and I do not have knowledge of any DX-er who has received a verification either. The above mentioned telephone numbers and address were also heard from La Voz del Rondero. So it is possible that in a few months or maybe a year, the station again will be renamed (Rafael Rodríguez R., Bogotá, Colombia, DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) Perhaps translated by editor Anker Petersen? ** PHILIPPINES. Classical piano music on 9570, Sat Jan 24 at 1550, fair signal. PWBR says it`s Radio Veritas Asia, in Russian, but at 1555 English ID and sign-off, IS and cut carrier at 1555:40. This is daily from 1500. RVA has no real English broadcasts on schedule in WRTH 2009, but uses English as continuity language; that`s something (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. 7105, Polish Radio heard at 1630 on 25 Jan in German with news, commentary and interviews. Severely beaten about the head and shoulders by China National Radio on 7110 who was splattering, rendering Polskie R.'s signal almost useless. To central Europe. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/ Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via Wertachtal, non-direxional (gh) ** PORTUGAL. RDPi - Radio Portugal will start broadcasting on DRM According to a info. available (only in Portuguese) at http://ww1.rtp.pt/programas/index.php?article=2382&visual=4 RDPi Radio Portugal will start experimental DRM broadcasts. Starting on 31st January, Deutsche Welle's SW facilities in Sines, Portugal, (which are also used by RDP), will broadcast RDPi on week-ends (Saturday & Sunday), 0930-1100 UT, targeting Central Europe. Although not officially confirmed - at least as far as RDPi's website is concerned, they'll use the frequency 9815 kHz, replacing the currently (scheduled) analog broadcast with the new digital one... Anyway, within the above referred time period (0930-1100), analog shortwave broadcast to Europe will remain on 12020 kHz (0800-1200, via RDP's main HF Center - S. Gabriel, near Lisboa). I should remind that all other scheduled (B08) frequencies/timetables should remain operational. Well, I wonder how many Portuguese immigrants (and "Luso"- descendants) living in countries like France, Switzerland, among others, will enjoy the new technology --- assuming they will be able to buy an affordable DRM receiver. Needless to say, this is a rhetorical question. 73 & good DX! (Luís Carvalho, Portugal, Jan 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also GERMANY Good way to cut listening numbers and reduce revenue (Dennis Smith, M1DLG, ibid.) It would be a very bad advice to suggest this. Instead all they have to do is point a satellite dish at 13 degrees East. And of course RDP radio is available online around the clock. It should be considered that RDP gets this limited amount of airtime on the Sines transmitters free of charge, by way of the agreements about the operation of this Deutsche Welle station (for legal reasons through a DW-owned company called Pro-Funk). Probably DW's transmission management department is the driving force behind using this airtime for DRM, as part of their attempts to push the system. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Kai Ludwig: In fact, the contract signed between the Portuguese State and DW implies that DW must supply its transmitters to the Portuguese radio, for a certain (agreed) number of hours, letting RDPi broadcast on shortwave from Sines, targeting central Europe. Nonetheless, RDPi always used CEOC (S. Gabriel), near Lisbon, as main SW centre. Actually, almost all the transmissions came from CEOC, except the few scheduled frequencies from Sines. Well, I guess that in ProFunk GmbH/DW's point of view, had better use DRM, as they may reduce transmitter power, less KiloWatts and saving many Euros! So, as they are forced to supply their services to RDP, Profunk GmbH does't care whether Digital transmission will get audience. For RDP, using an English-translated proverb (if I'm not mistaken), "never look a gift horse in the mouth" --- if you know what I mean. I wonder how many broadcasters have the possibility (I would call it privilege) to have "cost zero" (free) shortwave transmissions? ProFunk pays (transmitter maintenance, electricity, etc.), and RDP (which belongs to DRM Consortium ) takes advantage of this situation. Anyway, during DRM broadcasts listeners will be able to listen to RDPi on analog SW (via 12020 kHz), although they lose one frequency (9815 kHz). 73 & good DX! (Luís Carvalho, Portugal, ibid.) Very good point. 90 kW vs. 250 kW on a transmission that does not get paid. Yes, this makes sense! I know perfectly what you mean, the saying "einem geschenkten Gaul schaut man nicht ins Maul" even appears to originate from German, at least here it rhymes. Who gets free shortwave transmissions: I'm not aware about the conditions in these cases, but the transmitter carrying Radio Rwanda on 6055 is located on the DW site. And the IBB provides airtime to Radio Thailand and Radio Pilipinas. The same took place in Greece and Morocco until the IBB facilities there had been shut down (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** QATAR. Qatar Revamps MW Station --- Qatar Radio & TV Corporation (QRTC) is enhancing its medium wave broadcast service with a new omnidirectional antenna system from Thomson. The 220m guyed, grounded mast with center fed broadband cage is designed with a minimum of guy insulation, thus increasing the security against electrostatic interferences like lightning, etc. The scope of supply includes matching unit and 50 ohm 9” rigid feeder lines. The new antenna will go on air at the QRTC station Al Arish in northern Qatar in 2010 and will secure the important national radio broadcast coverage (Radio News, WINTER 2009, Published by Thomson Broadcast & Multimedia, Issue 32, via Rachel Baughn, MT, DXLD) WTFK? There are four MW transmitters here; WRTH 2009 matches that site with the sesquimegawatt on 954 kHz, and BTW still identifies the organization as QBS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Re 0-006, DRM: Moscow, January, 20./PRIME-TASS/. The state commission on radio frequencies /GKRCh/ Today has resolved realization in skilled zones of tests technologists digital Broadcastings DRM in a range 3.95-26.1 MHz. About it has informed journalists Chairman GKRCh Minister of Communications and mass communications Igor ShChegolev. The head of Federal service on supervision in sphere of communication (connection), information Technologies and mass communications, Sergey Sitnikov has explained, that creation Skilled zones of technology DRM it was begun by Open Society " Russian telebroadcasting Network "/RTS/in 2006 --- however then these works were stopped. Today's Decision GKRCh authorizes for continuation of researches in skilled zones DRM. http://www.bit.prime-tass.ru/news/show.asp?id=62843 (Viktor Rutkovskiy, Ekaterinburg / "open_dx") [Thank you, computer gh] On an official site of the newspaper " Komsomolskaya Pravda" http://www.kp.ru the reference on on-line translation of radio " KP " has appeared (Sergey Shohin, Moskovskaya oblast / "MEDIA-DX") (both via RusDX Jan 25 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 6240.8 kHz, V of Russia French service spurious, Moscow Lesnoy site. Ja, dieses Phaenomen wurde schon vor einiger Zeit beobachtet. Es ging wohl auch schon eine Anfrage nach Moskau raus. Erstaunlich das es wieder auftaucht (Ralf Ladusch, Germany, Jan 24, A- DX Jan 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) Re VoR 6240.8 kHz. Mit schauriger und keinem sichtbaren Gesetz gehorchenden Frequenz-Instabilitaet, so ca. 70 Hz/Minute. In Franzoesisch. Wohl eine gemeine Nebenaussendung, oder so. SIO 242 bis 344 (Nils Schiffhauer, Germany, Jan 24, DK8OK, ibid.) Dear xxxxx, another spurious tonight, mentioned in Austrian A-DX list log. Fundamental 6130 kHz Voice of Russia French noted here at 2020- 2030 UT January 24, on two spurs 6239.67 ... wandering to 6239.59 - and symmetrical 6020.41 kHz too (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) What about Grigoriopol on 6240? (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Re CHINA, visit to listeners in Mexico, CAm: Bueno, recuerdo que hace unos meses La Voz de Rusia estuvo en España; se pusieron en contacto conmigo para asistir a la reunión de Madrid, incluso para recojer el Diploma que nos concedieron a los integrantes de Programas DX, pues no pude ir a Madrid y lo recogió Pedro Sedano. Luego unos días despues, en la web de la VOR mencionaban la reunión que tuvieron con los oyentes de Valencia y Madrid; estuvieron en Valencia, con oyentes y no nos enteramos nadie, siempre nos remitían a ir a Madrid. Descoordinación. El malogrado Pancho, no pudo venir y la información de que disponía era mínima (José Miguel Romero2, Spain, logsderadio yg via DXLD) ** RWANDA. Checking again today, Thursday, January 22, no English noted at 2000 from Radio Rwanda, 6055, or Radio Tanzania Zanzibar, 11735 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) With dull sound and speech in French, Radio Rwanda was heard in Sofia at 1745 hours on 6055 kHz. The station has registered this frequency for the time period from 03 to 21 hours with programs in the Kinyarwanda, Swahili and French languages. Broadcasts in English are announced from 0515 and from 1830 hours with news and a survey program Thursday from 20 to 2045 hours, but these programs haven’t been received in Sofia. The address is: R.R.R., B.P. 83, Kigali, Rwanda. However, for receiving a QSL it’s more reliable to listen to the emissions from the local transmitting center near Kigali of Deutsche Welle, Germany (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX posted Jan 19, via DXLD) What`s a `survey program`? (gh, DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. A notable station from the Middle East which I heard for the first time here in San José, Antique central Philippines for the first time last December 24, 2008 at 1200 UT in the frequency of 15250 kHz is Radio Jeddah from K.S.A. in English of the Broadcasting Service of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I understand that the broadcast intended to Liberia and Zambia but the S-I-O Rating is quite good of 3-2-3 to 3-3-3. Maybe the transmission is what they called "OFF THE BACK OF THE BEAM" (Henry Umadhay, Jan 23, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Lucky you; this sole intentional English broadcast from SA is rarely heard in NAm, tho I think there may be a webcast if we really want to get it. Or is it sole? I see that EiBi has both these: 1000 1230 ARS BSKSA Riad E WAf 15250 1000 1300 ARS BSKSA Riad E WAf 15470 We suspect despite duplicated registrations, only one of these is axually extant, i.e. 15250 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also YEMEN ** SERBIA [non]. Log: New 6185.0, 0150-0205, BIH, 01.01.09 International Radio of Serbia, Bjelina [sic], English + Serbian, 33443, KBJ-DNK International Radio Serbia, Stubline was heard on 1/1 from 0150 to 0205 in Serbian (?) to 0200 followed by English on new 6185 ex- 6190. The time has obviously been changed from 0000-0100 to 0100- (Kaj Bredahl Jørgensen, Denmark, Kenwood R-5000, R-390 A 30 m Alpha Delta DX, Jan-Feb DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) Seems undecided about site. It`s Bijeljina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Serbia [non]. The time already changed one UT hour later as usual from the last Sunday in October. Last summer we suggested that IRS should move to 6190 in order not to collide with Mexico, and perhaps Brasil, on 6185. Dragan Lekic got them to do it and then IRS was in the clear on 6190. Apparently that idea expired with 2008, or someone looked at their online schedule, which was never updated, and figured ``gee, we are supposed to be on 6185``, so back they went! And now indeed at 0137 check Jan 24, I hear nice Mexican music on 6185 with something barely audible underneath, and nothing on 6190. This would include English at 0100 and 0200, the former except UT Sundays. IRS must have a death-wish, but at least we got it resurrected for a semiyear. You`re welcome (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Did you ever monitor the 0100-0130 or 0200-0230 English language broadcasts of IRS (International Radio Serbia) on 6190 kHz this year? The reason I ask, is because I did listen to the 0100-0130 and the 0200-0230 English language broadcasts of IRS on UT Friday, 1/23/09 and I believe my receiver was tuned to 6190 kHz (not 6185 kHz). I will attempt to check this during their next scheduled English language broadcast to North America. Incidentally, the IRS website http://glassrbije.org/E/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=21&Itemid=34 currently lists 6190 kHz (not 6185 kHz) as the frequency for these broadcasts. True, their website may still be reflecting old 2008 frequencies instead of updated 2009 frequencies. IRS reception was good here on 1/23/09 for both the 0100 and 0200 broadcasts. [Later:] I monitored the Serbian language broadcast of IRS (International Radio Serbia) from 0055 to 0130 on a frequency of 6190 kHz on UT Sunday, 1/25/09. As the schedule posted at the IRS website indicates, the 0100-0130 English language broadcast only occurs Monday-Saturday. I also received the 0200-0230 English language broadcast of IRS on 6190 on 1/25/09. IS from 0158-0159, ID at 0200, news from 0200-0211, musical selections from 0211-0227, ID and contact info at 0227, IS from 0228-0229, signoff at 0229. IRS reception was good here from 0055-0130 and fair (some noise & mild fading) from 0158-0229. I received no IRS signal on 6185 kHz from 0055-0230 on 1/25/09. Perhaps 6190 kHz is alive and well (Bill Hodges, Atlanta, GA; Kenwood R-2000, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) More than perhaps: never mind my previous report. No, I hadn`t heard IRS for sure on either frequency lately. Perhaps the 6185 report on 1/1 was an aberration. And when I did find them missing the night before during 0130-0200, that was because they are in a semi-hour break between the English transmissions. I was thinking they would be on in Serbian at that time without checking the schedule. Tnx for clearing this up (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Son of a gun. Here's 6190, 23 Jan 09, 0158-0245 GMT: http://www.mediafire.com/?hck0mj0rftx I think it's IRS, but the static is a bit raw and my tuning is a few cycles off for ECSS (Terry Wilson, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA via AIR Thiruvanthapuram --- While tuning across on last Sunday I heard a Christian program in my mother tongue Malayalam on AIR Thiruvanthapuram on 5010 at 1130-1200 UT. The Post Box no. given was of FEBA Bangalore. In response to their announced SMS number, a lady contacted me and she clarified that it was indeed FEBA and they were on air for about one and half years now like this. She was also happy to hear from a far away listener! The programs are also broadcast simultaneously on MW 1161 Thiruvanthapuram, 576 Alappuzha and 1584 Kavaratti. Sponsored Christian progarms are occasionly heard via some AIR stations, e.g. AIR Hyderabad Sundays 1200-1230 English 101.9 (FM Rainbow & 102.8 MHz (Vividh Bharati) separate programs of Joyce Meyer Ministries http://www.jmmindia.org/JMMSITE/jmm/ministries/broadcast/radio_listings1.asp 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad 500082, India, http://www.niar.org dx_india yg via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. 9445 with Spanish program about Christmas trees --- isn`t it a bit late for Xmas programming, Jan 24 at 1553? What station is this? PWBR `2009` lists BOTH RSI and R. Prague in Spanish at 1530-1600 on 9445, in the W season! But it`s really RSI as per 1556 sign-off, without ID but with IS, and off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA [and non]. RTI to close today Sunday, January 25, 2009 This just in from "tesug" at 10:27 on the Radio Anoraks UK group RadioAnoraksUk@yahoogroups.com Per http://www.rti.fm (and much more on the website): "The final hour of the International Service of Radio Tatras International will commence at 23.00 CET, 10.00 pm UK, 25 January 2009. RTI will close its international service at midnight or 11.00 pm 25 January 2009. This web site will list a range of alternative quality listening to assist listeners in the coming days. The list will include fun programming stations in the UK, Slovakia and Europe and in SK the best place to hear quality Slovak music. You will be able to chat live to RTI during the final hour" The station advertises frequencies as: Sky Digital 0195 UK - Around The World Digitally - 94.2/94.8FM Slovakia (At present the station is online but just continuous music and jingles heard). (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Radio Tatras International final hour Sunday 25 January at 2200 UT The final hour of the International Service of Radio Tatras International will commence at 2200 UT on 25 January 2009. The RTI website will list suggest alternative listening for its international audience in the UK, Slovakia and Europe in the coming days. You will be able to chat live to RTI during the final hour. RTI has been forced off the air due to the Slovak regulator banning English shows. A full explanation can be found on the station’s website. http://radiotatrasinternational.blogspot.com/ (January 24th, 2009 - 11:23 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Yes, on the website they have a long indictment of the corruption in Slovak government, blocking their attempts to get decent FM frequency; I`ve long wondered why RTI has been so bent on operating in a country where they obviously are not wanted. Try another. IIRC, they once had some SW broadcasts, and since those were abandoned, rather lost interest in them. And who cares about all that pop music, whether it is in Slovak or not? Another issue was their being banned from broadcasting in English, even a little music, just Slovak (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) These were via Ulbroka on 9290. One took place for the launch on April 9 2005 from 1730 to 2300, another one four days later. But they did not become a regular feature. Instead on July 20 2005 a relay via the Kuldiga mediumwave transmitter on 1350 started. It was apparently // Poprad 94.2 and Kosice 94.8, during daytime containing programming in Slovak. At this time the Slovak operators also held a 51 percent share in a company called Krebs TV that hold the licences for both 1350 and 9290. But later they withdrew from all these activities in Latvia and the Kuldiga transmitter had been shut down on July 6 2006 at local midnight (2100 UT). Other relays on 9290 ceased as well and did not come back before Dec 23 2006, now handled by the Latvian airtime broker alone (see WRTH, page 448 in 2009 edition). Now somebody should check what happens at 2200 UT to the satellite signal on Eurobird 1 (12.523 GHz h). In theory it could continue with programming in Slovak, // FM Poprad/Kosice (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I like World Pop. I sure don't listen to SW for the endless government and religious propaganda. 73, (Terry Wilson, MI, ibid.) You must be right Glenn, It seemed stupid pop music to me, with all due respect to whoever likes it. After all it doesn't seem we're losing something really interesting, unless it would be special English, if practicing the language is the issue, for the DJ altho clear, is speaking rather fast. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) I listened to the final quarter hour too. Webcast launched automatically from website whether you wanted it or not. How rude! But in this case I did want it. It was Eric Wiltsher, apparently the driving force behind RTI all along, tho his name is hard to find on the site. He has a pronounced regional English accent, which perhaps a native could identify for us. Feed went dead at 2300, but then came back with periodic ID loop. Well, we could only hear RTI on webcast anyway, so apparently there is no loss that way (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Me just annoying once again. The inconvenience of using abbreviations from the first posting, one tends to believe a different thing. In this case I was thinking about Radio Taiwan International when I read RTI instead of Radio Tatras International. This goes the same when we tale for granted if we mention RRI for Radio Republic Indonesia that works the same for Radio Rumania International. Someone has to get out with a better idea to identify radio services with the same initials. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DXLD) Yes, upstarts like Tatras really should defer to established major broadcasters and their abbrs., like R. Taiwan International; but which is more major, RRI or RRI? Well, Indonesia was first with the abbr. by sesquidecades. Some but not al ex-Commie countries wanted to distance themselves from the past by replacing capital city-named external services: Radio Bucharest, Radio Warsaw, Radio Belgrade, Radio Sofia, Radio Moscow, Radio Kiev, Radio Budapest, Radio Ulan Bator, Radio Yerevan. But not: Radio Vilnius, Radio Tirana, Radio Prague (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9541.54, SIBC, Honiara, heard 0730-0740, Jan 10, talks, songs, but heavy splash from 9545 later on, best 24333 (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) Only a weak carrier on 9541.54 with no audio was heard in Denmark on Jan 15 at 0740. It had faded out at 0930 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, ibid.) But heard again 0955-0959, Jan 03-05, Vernacular and English talks, not heard for QRM from Deutsche Welle on 9545 (s/off at 0955*) and DRM from *0959. Not heard on Jan 08 (Alexander Beryozkin, St. Petersburg DX Club, St. Petersburg, Russia, ibid.) It was also received well by Japanese DXers. Web site: http://www.sibconline.com.sb/Programmes.htm giving frequency 9545 (Tomoaki Wagai, Wakayama, Japan, Jan 9, ibid.) 9541.54, Getting quite good reception tonight of SIBS at 0736 UT tune- in with modern pop music (Walt Salmaniw, BC, Jan 22, DXplorer via BC- DX Jan 26 via DXLD) I listen SLBC from Villa Giardino, from 790 km to Buenos Aires in 9541v kHz with nice signal at 0800 UT Jan 22 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Rather surprised to hear Oprah on 9385, WWRB, Jan 22 at 1436, interviewing a Rev. Bacon who maintained that being gay is a gift from God. Is this really the Overcomer Ministry? Yes, // WINB 9265v as usual. Ahá, she is chopped off at 1440 so that Brother Scare can blast her and any such ideas as being Sodom-and-Gomorrah- ish, a major abomination, says the know-it-all-even-the-future who himself was jailed for heterosexual misdeeds (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [and non]. Información del programa Amigos de la Onda Corta de este fin de semana: Cambios de horario en la emisión de "Amigos de la Onda Corta". Hasta el 1 de febrero transmitimos por onda corta, satélite e Internet, con arreglo a los siguientes días: Los viernes, a las 0930 UT, para Europa, por 13720 y 15585 kHz. Para Oriente Medio, también a esa misma hora, por 21610 kHz. Y para la zona de África Ecuatorial, a las 0930 UT, por 21540 kHz. Los sábados "Amigos de la Onda Corta" se emite a las 0505 UT, para América del Norte, por 6055 y desde el Centro Emisor de Cariari, en Costa Rica, por 9675 kHz. Para América del Sur, utilizando el transmisor de Cariari, y a las 0505, por 5965 kHz y para América Central por 3350 kHz. Por último, para Oriente Medio, a esa misma hora, 0505, por 11895 kHz. Les informamos que a partir del 1 de febrero habrá dos emisiones de "Amigos de la Onda Corta". Los sábados, a las 0505, transmitimos hacia Europa por 11920 y 12035 kHz, en DRM por 9775-9780-9785. Para Oriente Medio por 11890. Hacia América, emitimos los sábados, a las 0505, hacia América del Norte por 9630. Para América Central por 3350 y para América del Sur y costa oeste por 5965. Y los domingos, a las 1105 UT, para Europa por 15585, Europa del Norte por 13720, África Ecuatorial por 21540, y Oriente Próximo por 21610. También les comunicamos que se ha producido una variación en nuestras emisiones vía satélite. Dejamos de transmitir a través del "Hot Bird- 2" para hacerlo a través del "Hot-Bird-8". Les recordamos que mediante este satélite la señal de Radio Exterior de España se extiende por Europa, Canarias, Norte de África y Oriente Próximo y Medio. Vamos a dar una serie de datos técnicos que posibilitan la captación en buenas condiciones de nuestra sintonía mediante el "Hot Bird-8". Posición orbital 13º Este. Frecuencia 11.727 MHz. Polarización vertical. Velocidad de transmisión 27.500 Bits/seg. Norma de Audio MPEG Layer2. PID:2960. Aprovechamos esta noticia para decir que REE también emite a través del satélite Hispasat para América, Asiasat 2 para Asia y Australia, NSS-803 para África, oriente Medio y parte de Europa, y TELSTAR-7, para América del Norte y Hawai. http://www.rtve.es/programas/amigosdelaondacorta http://es.geocities.com/programasdx/amigosondacorta.htm (via José Bueno, Spain, Jan 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. BOTSWANA, 9380, Affia Darfur, Selebi-Phikwe, 1904- 1907, escuchada el 21 de enero en árabe a locutor y locutora con noticias, conexión con corresponsal, referencias a “Darfur, Obama, Sudania y Amerikilla,”, cuña de ID “Affia Darfur”, SINPO 45444. SAO TOMÉ, 4960, Affia Darfur, Pinheira, 1826-1830, escuchada el 21 de enero en árabe a locutor y locutora con comentarios, SINPO 34332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. via Madagascar, 13800, Radio Dabanga, 0515-0527*, Jan 24, Arabic talk. ID jingles. Fair. // 7315 - via Germany- poor due to strong tone on frequency (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. SIRIA, 9330, Radio Damasco, Adra, 1900-1904, escuchada el 21 de enero en francés a locutora con presentación “redacción grancesa”, comentarios acompañada de música; se aprecia en colisión con WBCQ Kennebunk [sic] en inglés, se sigue apreciando un nivel de audio bajo, SINPO 44433 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. 3406 LSB, Damascus HS-1, was not audible here in Denmark Jan 17 at 1800-2140 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. R Thailand, 9535 at 2030 with eerie chimes, ID, news. Good signal. 24 Jan (Liz Cameron, MARE DXpedition, MI, maybe fifty feet of wire and used the NRD-525, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. VOT again evaded the question of what to do about giving proper credit to DX news items on its DX Corner, Jan 24, by doing nothing but reading reception reports again; yawn (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. 4750.07, Dunamis Broadcasting, Mukono, 1845, Jan 09, (religious) choir singing and talks, 24322 (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) I received a nice colorful QSL-card from this 1 kW station via High Adventure Gospel Communications Ministries, http://www.biblevoice.org e-mail: dunamis4.750 @ hotmail.com (Torre Ekblom, Helsinki/ Riistina, Finland, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. (BBC Persian Service) Glenn, I read the Iranian official's comments (reported in DXLD dated 21 January) with great interest. Last year I was a mature student at Birkbeck College, part of the University of London, where I wrote a 15,000-word dissertation on the history of the BBC Persian Service, based on my research at the BBC Written Archives Centre, the National Archives and (for the period prior to 1948) the India Office Records at the British Library, which contain a great deal of material on Iran. I can confirm that the Iranian official is substantially correct in his comments about the BBC Persian broadcasts. They were without question used for propagandistic purposes, first in 1941 when Britain and the Soviet Union jointly invaded Iran and, secondly, when following the invasion the British forced the abdication of Reza Shah. In addition, the BBC played an equally propagandistic role in the early 1950s, when Premier Mossadegh nationalised the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, and in the Anglo-American coup that eventually ousted him. It is a matter of record that the BBC on at least one occasion broadcast a coded message on behalf of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) to the plotters (see the declassified CIA file available on the internet and the autobiography of former MI6 agent Monty Woodhouse) It also broadcast slanted commentaries that, on the admission of Foreign Office documents at the National Archives, intended at one stage to discredit Mossadegh by sowing the erroneous suspicion that he was really a British agent. Finally, it is true that the last Shah, deposed in 1979, also fell out with the BBC. Moreover, the Shah's last ambassador to London admitted in his memoirs that he had suggested that the Iranian Navy be sent to sabotage the BBC relay station at Masirah and that the action (which was never implemented) should be blamed on the Marxist South Yemenis. Anyone who would like to read my study on the BBC Persian Service, which includes all relevant references, should contact me at rogertidy @ yahoo.com (Roger Tidy, UK, Jan 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. 9630, BBC, 1916-1923, escuchada el 21 de enero en inglés a locutores con noticias; me llama la atención el acento africano de uno de ellos, noticias sobre África, ¿nueva frecuencia? No la encuentro listada ni en EiBi ni en Aoki, SINPO 45554. Según la web. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/schedules/internet/800/radio_frequencies_west_africa.shtml Emisiones diarias de 1800 a 2100 UT (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Skelton, 180 degrees, not new (gh) ** U K [non]. Additional transmissions of BBC in Azerbaijani to CeAs: 0300-0315 on 5915 SKN 300 kW / 090 deg Mon-Fri 6085 RMP 500 kW / 095 deg 7105 RMP 500 kW / 080 deg 1600-1630 on 6010 CYP 250 kW / 064 deg Daily 9450 SKN 300 kW / 090 deg 11690 WOF 250 kW / 082 deg (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 25 via DXLD) Frequency change of BBC WS in English to SEAs: 1600-1800 NF 7355 SNG 100 kW / 320 deg, ex 7270 to avoid VOR in Turkish/Kurdish (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 25 via DXLD) ** U K. BBC UNDER FIRE OVER GAZA CHARITY APPEAL --- The British government today urged the BBC to drop its refusal to broadcast a humanitarian appeal for victims of the war in Gaza. The BBC said the appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), a coalition of 13 aid agencies, would compromise the impartiality of its coverage. “The most important thing we can do for the people who are suffering is carrying on reporting it and we’ve done exemplary work in reporting the suffering of the people of Gaza,” Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson said. “If we lose the trust of the audience by appearing…to support one side rather than another, then we will have lost it for the charities themselves as well as everyone else.” ITV and Channel 4 said they would show it, but satellite broadcaster Sky said it had yet to reach a formal decision. But most attention focussed on the stance of the BBC, which as the national public broadcaster is funded by a licence fee. International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the British public could distinguish between support for humanitarian aid and perceived partiality in a conflict. “I really struggle to see in the face of the immense human suffering of people in Gaza at the moment that this is in any way a credible argument,” he said. The BBC has argued that aid access to Gaza is in any case restricted, but Alexander said supplies and personnel had managed to get through on Friday. “I do not think the fact that limited access is available at the moment is itself an adequate reason not to broadcast an appeal to try and address what is still a dire humanitarian situation,” Alexander told BBC radio. Politicians and aid groups have written to the BBC to try to persuade it to reconsider its decision, while hundreds of people demonstrated outside one of the broadcaster’s London television centres. About 1,300 Palestinians were killed and more than 5,000 were injured during Israel’s 22-day offensive in the Gaza Strip, launched in an attempt to stop rocket attacks on its territory by Hamas militants. Thirteen Israelis died. (Source: Reuters) Andy Sennitt comments: I am astonished by the BBC’s stubborness over this issue. I watched a TV interview with Caroline Thomson last night, and she was totally unconvincing. The (BBC) interviewer pointed out that the Corporation has broadcast appeals for other humanitarian causes in the past, and asked why this one should be any different. He also pointed out that the BBC’s argument that it could be seen as support for Hamas was disingenous, given that refusal to air the appeal could equally be seen as support for Israel. Whatever the real reason behind the BBC’s position - and I am convinced it is not telling the whole truth about its refusal to air the appeal - I find the suggestion that the British public cannot tell the difference between news reporting and a purely humanitarian appeal patronising beyond belief (January 24th, 2009 - 17:30 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Lots more press re, if you search (gh) ** U K. COMEDIAN CHALLENGES BBC OVER RELIGIOUS BROADCASTS LONDON (AP) -- An atheist comedy writer presented Britain's first nonreligious alternative to the country's long-running series of theological broadcasts on Saturday. BBC Radio 4's "Thought For The Day" runs five days a week with commentary from a range of religious speakers -- including Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu scholars. Ariane Sherine on Saturday presented the first "Thought For the Afternoon" broadcast, offering a nonreligious -- or humanist -- message. The 28-year-old hopes to persuade the BBC to include atheist commentators in the "Thought For The Day" slot, which is broadcast during the organization's flagship daily news program "Today." The slot, or similar predecessors, have been broadcast by the BBC since 1939. Sherine is behind a poster campaign that has seen an atheist message displayed on 800 British buses and London's subway network. The posters read: "There's probably no God, now stop worrying and enjoy your life." "My theme was freedom of belief," Sherine told the AP in an interview before the broadcast. "It's all about how we all deserve our beliefs to be heard." However, the comedian's hopes of persuading the BBC to expand the remit of the traditionally religious broadcast appear slim. Mark Damazer, the controller Radio 4, said in a statement that he believes the slot should remain the preserve of religious commentators. "The slot offers a brief, uninterrupted interlude of spiritual reflection," Damazer said. "We believe that broadening the brief would detract from the distinctiveness of the slot." (AP Jan 10 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. Re: Prison radio to cost taxpayers £2million --- Of course the Telegraph and the Sun only tell you part of the story together with a kneejerk reaction from a rent-a-quote politician. The only person who has dubbed the station Con Air is Sun journalist John Kay who has also written a supposed schedule for the station including shows by Rose West, lotto rapist Iorwarth Hoare, the Suffolk Strangler etc., etc. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2150289.ece?OTC-RSS&ATTR=News A fuller statement from the Ministry of Justice is: The Ministry of Justice said the go-ahead for the operation was given after it was found keeping inmates locked up for longer each day was saving £17 million a year. Running costs will come from existing budgets, the ministry says, with help also coming from the Prison Radio Association charity. A Justice Ministry spokesman said: "The new prison core day, which saves the prison service £17 million a year, means prisoners spend more time in their cells. "The prison service national radio service will allow us to communicate messages and educational programmes to them during this time, and while they are working in the prison. It can also be used to communicate to prisoners in the event of an incident. (Source: Ananova.com) Any reasoned debate about how prison inmates should be treated and what the purpose of prison time is seems to be beyond the scope of The Sun in particular and the Conservatives, having appointed Andy Coulson, former editor of the News of the World who was forced to resign after his royal editor, Clive Goodman, was jailed for conspiracy to intercept messages to senior members of the royal family, and their servants, as their chief spin doctor are happy to go along with this (Mike Barraclough, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. Not only does the jailed Tony Alámo continue broadcasting on R. Africa and WWCR, but also on WINB, as heard Jan 22 at 2316 tuneby 9265v, when he conveniently referred to himself in the third person, about visiting some guy running for president (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KJES, at The Lord`s Ranch near Vado NM, not heard in a long time, so one wonders if they have been more or less inactive. But there it was Jan 24 at 1516, YL with religious lesson in English, modulation very low on fair 11715 signal. I see in WRTH 2009 that besides the main 50 kW transmitter, they have a 5 kW backup, so that may explain poor signals and/or modulation at times. US SW stations are supposed to use 50 kW at least, but if you`re on the backup of necessity, that is a legitimate excuse. This station has always stayed on-message, never straying, never selling any airtime to outsiders in order to finance its own output or obviously needed upkeep. KJES, 11715, heard again Sunday Jan 25 at 1449, VG carrier level, but low modulation, with hum and call-and-response in English. BTW, sporadic E is in play with Mexico [q.v.] in on channel 3 around 1630 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KJES, 15385.03 at 1910 with Robo kids. 24 Jan (Liz Cameron, MARE DXpedition, MI, maybe fifty feet of wire and used the NRD-525, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. As others have noted, the best chance to hear DXing With Cumbre has been deleted by World Harvest Radio, replaced by yet another gospel huxter: Saturday 1530 on WHRI 11785, as happened again Jan 24, following the Hmong sesquihour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 6414.42, WWCR Spur, 0235-0305+, Jan 25, unusual spur from 3215.00 with English religious programming. Weak but readable with occasional peaks up to a fair level. I can not figure out how this spur is being produced. No other spurs heard. Heard on several receivers including the TenTec RX-340 & the Eton E1 on an indoor wire antenna. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, there have been spurs close to 3215, so maybe this was a harmonic of one of them, on 3207.21? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENIG DIGEST) 3215 / 6430. Noted harmonic on 6430 kHz here in southern Germany by Juergen DF5TY around 08-10 UT on two RXs like NRD545 and Elektor-SDR. Noted sermon in American accented English, gospel songs, and from 1000 UT Blues and Rock-n'roll. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Bin zufällig auf dieser Frequenz auf ein AM-Signal gestoßen. Vor 09 UTC eine Predigt in amerikanischem Englisch, danach Gospelgesang. Um 10 UTC Ansage, aber keine id herausgehört. Danach spiel(t)en sie hauptsächlich uralten Blues und Rock-n'Roll. Dachte zuerst an ein Mischprodukt im, aber ein NRD 545 bringt den Sender auch (A-DX, Jan 25) (via Büschel, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. RUSSIA [and non]. B-08 YFR Family Radio via TRW=TV Radio Waves: 1800-1900 on 5820 TAC 200 kW / 311 deg to WeEu Polish 1400-1700 on 5865 DB 100 kW / 135 deg to SoAs Hindi 1100-1200 on 5900 IRK 250 kW / 152 deg to SEAs Tagalog 1200-1300 on 5910 VLD 250 kW / 220 deg to SEAs Tagalog 1400-1500 on 5970 SAM 250 kW / 140 deg to SoAs Kannada 1100-1400 on 5995 P.K 250 kW / 244 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 5995 P.K 250 kW / 244 deg to EaAs English 1900-2000 on 6000 MSK 250 kW / 240 deg to SoEu Italian 1200-1300 on 6005 K/A 250 kW / 213 deg to EaAs Korean 1400-1500 on 6020 SAM 250 kW / 140 deg to SoAs Telugu 1600-1700 on 6070 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs Punjabi 1400-1600 on 6090 ARM 200 kW / 104 deg to SoAs Punjabi 1100-1400 on 6115 IRK 100 kW / 110 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 6115 IRK 100 kW / 110 deg to EaAs English 1400-1600 on 6150 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs Urdu 1400-1500 on 6225 TAC 200 kW / 131 deg to SEAs English 2000-2200 on 6240 KCH 300 kW / 309 deg to WeEu English 1000-1100 on 7150 NVS 250 kW / 085 deg to EaAs Japanese 1100-1400 on 7165 P.K 250 kW / 263 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 7165 P.K 250 kW / 263 deg to EaAs English 1200-1400 on 7175 IRK 250 kW / 180 deg to SEAs Vietnamese/English 1600-1700 on 7295 NVS 250 kW / 195 deg to SoAs Urdu 1900-2100 on 7300 ARM 250 kW / 290 deg to WeEu French 1400-1600 on 7340 IRK 250 kW / 224 deg to SoAs Nepali/Marathi 1800-2000 on 7345 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to WeAs Arabic/English 1700-1900 on 7435 TAC 200 kW / 311 deg to RUSS Russian 1400-1500 on 7475 DB 100 kW / 137 deg to SoAs Tamil 1600-1800 on 7485 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Persian 1800-2000 on 7490 ERV 300 kW / 305 deg to WeEu German 1300-1400 on 7535 A-A 500 kW / 094 deg to EaAs Chinese 1400-1500 on 7535 A-A 500 kW / 094 deg to EaAs English 1200-1400 on 7560 A-A 200 kW / 132 deg to SEAs Vietnamese/English 1400-1500 on 7560 A-A 500 kW / 121 deg to SEAs English 1400-1600 on 7565 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to SoAs Bengali 1300-1400 on 9310 A-A 200 kW / 132 deg to SEAs Burmese 1400-1500 on 9355 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to SoAs Nepali 1100-1200 on 9365 DB 100 kW / 071 deg to EaAs English 1200-1300 on 9365 DB 100 kW / 024 deg to RUSS Russian 1200-1300 on 9450 NVS 250 kW / 155 deg to SEAs Lao 0900-1100 on 9460 IRK 250 kW / 110 deg to EaAs English 1100-1200 on 9460 IRK 250 kW / 110 deg to EaAs Korean 1200-1400 on 9485 IRK 500 kW / 180 deg to SEAs Indonesian 1400-1500 on 9485 IRK 500 kW / 180 deg to SEAs English 1100-1200 on 11510 A-A 200 kW / 132 deg to SEAs Tagalog 1100-1300 on 12150 A-A 500 kW / 094 deg to EaAs Chinese (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 25 via DXLD) ** U S A. WRMI, 9955, Fri Jan 23 at 0600 with Frecuencia al Día DX program, starting off with the Univisión/Televisa story; no jamming audible for a change. This time is not on the latest publicity distributed by José Bueno, altho that has finally been updated. It does appear on the latest WRMI sked revision dated Jan 17 at http://www.wrmi.net/program.php?id=94 for Friday 1 am, which is in EST, UT-5. This schedule now has more detail of the DX and other program content in several time blox, but still not including M-F 1530-1700 UT (10:30 am - noon EST). On Fri Jan 23 I found Frecuencia al Día again, ending at 1700 on webcast. I have compiled all the times shown for the DX and some other programs in a separate item for next DXLD 9-007 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. DX and other selected programs on WRMI 9955, and webcast http://68.142.10.147:8000/listen.pls from schedule dated Jan 17 – strictly UT days and times here [NOTE: this version does not include additional repeats mainly of DX programs in the M-F 1530-1700 sesquihour, including WORLD OF RADIO Mon, Tue, Wed and Thu at 1630] WORLD OF RADIO: Wed 0600, Thu 0630, Fri 0200, Fri 1230, Sat 0900, Sun 0900, Sun 1615, Mon 0600, Tue 1200 Wavescan: Tue 0630, Tue 1230, Wed 1230, Sat 0230, Sat 0830, Sun 0930 QSO with Ted Randall: Sun 0600-0800 DX Partyline: Sat 1100, Sun 0500, Sun 1130, Sun 1600, Tue 0115, Thu 0115, Thu 0200, Sat 0115 Aventura Diexista: Sat 1145, Sun 0515, Sun 1145, Sun 2215, Wed 0115, Thu 0215, Fri 0115 Frecuencia al Día: Mon 0500, 1230, Wed 0630, 1200, Thu 1200, Fri 0230, 0600, 1200, Sat 0800, Sat 2100 [also heard Fri 1630] La Rosa de Tokio: Tue 0200, Sat 0600, Sun 0800 [60 min] Studio DX [Italian]: Mon 0630, Wed 0200 Viva Miami - English: Tue-Sat 0107-0114 Viva Miami - Spanish: Tue-Sat 0152-0159 Radio Vaticano [Spanish]: Mon 1200, Tue 0600, Thu 0600, Thu 1230, Fri 0630, Sat 0930 Radio Praga: Daily 0530, 0730 [exc Sun], 1030; Tue-Sat 0330; Sun 0000 Radio Prague: Mon-Sat 0700, Daily 1000, Daily 1500, Tue-Sat 0300 World Radio Network: M-F 1700-2200 [1700 New Zealand, 1715 Vatican, 1730 Slovakia, 1800 Poland, 1830 Netherlands, 1900 Ireland, 1930 Prague, 2000 Sweden, 2030 Australia, 2100 Poland, 2130 South Korea] Radio República: M-F 0800-1000, M-F 1100-1200, M-F 2200-0100 Tue-Sat Radio Cuba Libre: Tue-Sat 0400-0530, Daily 1300-1500 These are the major, by amount of airtime, Cuban exile programs; there are many others on sked at: http://www.wrmi.net/program.php?id=94 where you will also find misc. other programs such as World Baseball Today, Acontecer Venezolano, gospel huxters, infomercials (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. "The head of Miami-based Radio and TV Martí will stay on in his post -- at least temporarily -- despite an administration change in Washington that was expected to result in a resignation for the political appointee. Pedro Roig, director of the U.S. Office of Cuba Broadcasting, was asked to stay on by the federal agency that controls Radio and TV Martí, and is traveling to Washington, D.C., on Monday to meet with the officials who oversee his operation. 'Roig was asked to stay on by the board in consultation with the [President Barack] Obama team,' said Tish King, a spokeswoman for the Broadcasting Board of Governors." Miami Herald, 22 January 2009 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) I thought the point of the International Broadcasting Act of 1994 is for senior appointments to be made by the firewall Broadcasting Board of Governors rather than by the president. If new senior managers, such as the director of Radio/TV Martí and the director of Voice of America, are named by, or because of, the new administration, this would be an indication that U.S. international broadcasting lacks the independence necessary to achieve the credibility that is required for success in international broadcasting. It would also beg the question: why does the BBG exist? (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) ** U S A. For the past eight years there has been an ``Acting Presidential Radio Address``, since Bush and his cronies stole two elexions. Now there is a real Presidential Radio Address, so I am removing the `Acting` from entries in my Monitoring Reminders Calendar. Presumably the original airing is still Saturdays at 1506 UT, availablized on many radio networks but carriage depends on each station: it would have been interesting to compare which ones added or subtracted it following The Transition. Even in Bush territory it was hard to find, with most stations preoccupied with their own formats and why give away 4 valuable minutes of airtime which could be crammed with commercials instead? There is no such thing as a public service requirement. The Address is also scheduled on AFRTS, so I reconfirmed that it is still running, with Pres. Obama heard Saturday Jan 24 at 1730 on 12133.5-USB. Scheduled repeat is 0230 UT Sundays, and presumably on most if not all the other AFRTS SSB frequencies from Florida and other sites. And each followed by the Republican response, which I did not bother to keep listening for. The two are also scheduled each Saturday on C-SPAN 1, but that programming is so flexible, that you can never depend on their following through. In the last few years there was a fairly reliable slot around 2322 UT Saturdays, just before their quasi-DX program, The Communicators, which almost always starts a few minutes before 2330; but that seems no longer to be the case. The online C-SPAN schedule for Jan 24 as consulted at 1740 UT, showed the Presidential Radio Address (no mention of Republican response, but surely that is understood) at: 1942 UT Saturday; 0048 and 0739 UT Sunday. Of course now there is video to go with Obama, tnx to his use of YouTube, which already started months ago in the campaign; that also means it is ondemand and you don`t have to try to catch it on scheduled AFRTS, C-SPAN or other broadcasts. [Later: it did appear at 1942 on C-SPAN; now called Weekly Presidential Address, with `radio` removed for obvious reasons. IIRC, as an old radio hand, Reagan started this, altho he also had some background in visual media. The Republican response by Boehner, no umlauts there, was still avisual; how long can that last? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NIPR SEEKS TO SELL CLASSICAL STATIONS --- LISTENERS WILL THEN NEED DIGITAL RECEIVERS http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090123/BUSINESS/901230314&template=printart If Northeast Indiana Public Radio can’t sell its classical-music radio stations, it will face $220,000 a year in higher payments on the purchase of 94.1-FM, the highest-power frequency of the three that broadcast classical. That could be a budget-breaking burden for a nonprofit that operates on about $1.3 million per year, explained Joan Baumgartner Brown, NIPR’s president and general manager. When the classical-music stations, broadcasting at frequencies of 94.1-FM, 88.7-FM and 91.3-FM, are sold – a process that Brown says could take a long time – area classical-music listeners will have to buy digital-radio receivers to hear broadcasts of NIPR’s classical programming. Until the stations are sold, broadcasts and programming will continue in the current format, she said. After the sale, listeners who don’t have digital radio receivers will still be able to listen to streaming audio from http://www.nipr.fm The board of NIPR voted this week to sell all three frequencies, even though only the purchase of 94.1-FM in 2007 carries the debt that is due to become a much heavier load this summer. Brown said that until now, the station was paying only interest on the $2 million purchase of the station. Beginning this summer, NIPR must meet principal payments of $55,000 quarterly. Interest and principal together will amount to about $350,000 per year. Brown, who joined the station in 2008, said NIPR staged a long fundraising campaign to pay for 94.1-FM, but it was only “moderately successful.” Money raised paid the interest, but made no dent in the $2 million principal. NIPR is exploring several approaches to getting more digital receivers in listeners’ hands. Brown said it is working on discounts on radios at local retailers. Digital radios might be used more often as gifts during the stations’ pledge drives. Or NIPR might provide discount coupons to help station members buy the radios. There’s some good news for classical listeners in Fort Wayne: Brown said local hosts of shows on WBNI are all interested in continuing their work, no matter how NIPR gets classical music to its listeners. (Article published Jan 23, 2009 via Kevin Redding, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Received an email QSL today from WOON, 1240, Woonsocket, RI, for their DX Test on January 18, 2009. Letter from Dave Richards, President/GM, states in part, "I believe yours was WOON's first reported reception from the state of Michigan, where my daughter attends college in Grand Rapids." (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, Jan 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 9-006, WXME off-frequency: Well, they're getting closer: today I measured the carrier frequency as 779.895. At least, I assume it was them - the carrier disappeared on schedule at 1615 EST (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, Jan 21, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. I noticed KVLE/610 in Vail CO on the FCC silent stations list. I did some followup and found that they actually have an STA for being off the air. From the STA request: ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 1, 2008, A CONCRETE TRUCK BACKED UP INTO ONE OF THE GUYED WIRES SUPPORTING THE TOWER BROADCASTING THE OPERATIONS OF LICENSEE'S STATION KVLE (AM), VAIL, COLORADO (FCC FACILITY ID NO. 16272). AS A RESULT, THE BROADCAST TOWER COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND AND THE STATION WENT SILENT. LICENSEE ORDERED A REPLACEMENT TOWER AND POURED NEW CONCRETE FOOTERS FOR THE TOWER BASE. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT TOWER HAS NOT YET ARRIVED. ALSO, WITH THE ONSET OF INCLEMENT WEATHER DUE TO THE WINTER SEASON, LICENSEE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ERECT THE REPLACEMENT TOWER UNTIL WARMER WEATHER IN THE SPRING. THEREFORE, LICENSEE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE COMMISSION GRANT TEMPORARY SILENT AUTHORITY FOR ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS (180) FROM THE SUBMISSION OF THIS REQUEST. It makes me wonder why the operator would not come up with a temporary solution to get the station back on the air even if it meant with limited coverage. There are a number of temporary solutions that are readily available such as a temporary long wire antenna or rental of a skirt fed tower on a trailer which is available from several sources. And especially in a place like Vail where they are off the air during all of the winter ski season which must be their most lucrative months. And being off the air for so long will surely result in a loss of listenership that will never be regained (Patrick Griffith, CBT CBNT CRO, Westminster CO http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ NRC-AM via DXLD) Pat, this situation boggles my mind, and maybe someone else involved in broadcasting can enlighten us as to why an otherwise-profitable station would want to go silent (assuming that a station in this area would indeed be profitable). After all, billing stops when the carrier goes dead! While I was at KVOE-1400 [Emporia KS], the tower was replaced. I don't believe we lost a minute of airtime, as they strung a longwire directly over the station building. We had to record spots after the station went off the air at 11 pm because of all the RF, which showed up in the Spotmasters' recording circuits and lit all the fluorescent bulbs, and probably made us all sterile (okay, maybe not that!). On the other hand, after I left KUDL-1380, Starr Broadcasting (wholly owned by William F. Buckley, Jr.) sold the land where the building and five-tower array stood, and it's now a multi-million-dollar office building complex; I can't even identify where the studio once stood (close to 87th and I-35, if anyone in the Kansas City area cares). Maybe the KVLE owners are getting ready for a big sale? (Paul Swearingen, Topeka KS, ibid.) ** U S A. Oops, they did it again --- The calls WJTJ have been assigned to a non-commercial FM station in Cameron, Missouri. This might not have been a particularly large breach of policy if Cameron were near the Mississippi River and the station might potentially have moved from the Illinois side. But Cameron is near Kansas City - nowhere near the river (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Jan 24, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, I much enjoyed the debates over the future of radio in DXLD 9-006. On that subject, I highly recommend reading Torey Malatia's article in Current about his station WBEW-FM Chesterton, IN (known as :Vocalo). http://www.current.org/radio/radio0708malatia.shtml WBEW is a bold departure from public radio as typically practiced. The station has no news, no shows, no pledge drives and does not use the word "public radio". An extended version of that article is at this link: http://www.current.org/radio/radio0708vocalo-extended.pdf That extended piece is one of the best things I have ever read about broadcasting and the FCC. The station's website is: http://vocalo.org "We had no basis for planning public-service radio for new audiences until we had ruthlessly questioned the service we provide now," Malatia wrote. "This is why we didn’t restyle our present content with a 'young sound' to attract new audiences, or set out to promote it better, or developed new shows for specific groups --- Asian-Americans, Latinos, African-Americans and so on. The challenges require building from the ground up, learning broadcasting all over again." Not everybody loves :Vocalo. While the chairman of Chicago Public Radio called it "the boldest experiment in public radio to date," commenters have called it "worse than college radio", a "cruel joke" and "an utterly failed and poorly thought out vanity project" http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/hottype/080717/ I like it and I think we could use more such reinvention (Benn Kobb, DC, Jan 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WDCN-LP Washington, DC --- Just for the record, WDCN-LP, Channel 6, Fairfax, VA, is broadcasting as an FM radio station in FM stereo very much like WNYZ-LP in New York City. WDCN-LP's format is pop music in Spanish. Their signal is quite strong in Arlington, VA where I believe they are based. I saw no sign of any video carrier or picture on my mini-TV in this area on Channel 6. Where I was staying in Arlington, the local full-power TV stations delivered huge signal strengths, especially WRC NBC Channel 4 (Karl Zuk N2KZ, Jan 22, WTFDA via DXLD) I can pick up on WDCN-LP on 87.7, but it sounds like they are a TV station with clipped/distorted mono audio, as if their audio frequency is between 87.7 and 87.8 (maybe 87.75?) Are you hearing stereo sound on WDCN while tuned in with a TV? I'm unable to check on my TV at the moment. This is the first time I am hearing of this station being WDCN-LP with an FM-only signal. I have it logged on 4/29/07 as W06CJ Fairfax, VA operating as a TV station with the "Unison" network. When did they decide to go all FM and change the calls? Also, since this station is now technically an FM signal (unless it has a blank TV signal), would you count it in your FM log or TV log since its in the TV band? Thanks, (David P., http://home.comcast.net/~dlp85x/ Woodbridge, VA ibid.) I've been picking it up since the summer (at least) with stereo on one of my radios. On that unit I can tune to 87.75 and it tunes without distortion and clean stereo. My XDR-F1HD tunes it with distortion, as does my car stereo. I think they picked up the WDCN calls around October (Claudio Leite, KB3RMJ | Washington, DC (FM18mv), ibid.) Huh --- I guess I heard them for the first time today, I had lunch at Lamb's Gap, about 1000 ft up, and heard Spanish drifting in/out, thought I had NYC. Usually if anything, I'd hear Ch6 Philly's audio. Thanks for the post! Duh---It'd be helpful if I told you all that Lamb's Gap is outside Mechanicsburg, PA, about 7 miles west of Harrisburg.? I think there's at least one FM translator up there. You know, I'm a little surprised Uncle Charlie hasn't frowned on this. I bet if it wasn't for fear of Hispanic backlash, they would've stopped NYC 87.7 in its tracks. Just like the widely heard Lubavitcher pirate in NYC and the Boston Haitian pirates on 1710 AM, they seem to misplace their gonadz when it's convenient. 73 (Bruce Collier, York, PA 722ft ASL, FM19px, TV/FM setup: TV=Sanyo HT32477 32" HD/Analog, FM=Pioneer SX750 Rcvr Antennas=Antennacraft CCS1843 V/U/F at 20 feet AGL, Channel Master 4228 8-bay UHF at 25 ft into CM7778 preamp, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC ENFORCEMENT WATCH - SELECTED ITEMS --- CGC has seen a number of Public File issues raised by the Commission lately and some predict that PF discrepancies will generate considerable revenue for the Commission in the years to come. In the old days, field inspectors went out and uncovered violations; in the new era (started some years ago), the FCC is issuing "armchair citations" by sifting through documents prepared by licensees, discovering rule violations (including failure to renew licenses on time), then issuing hefty fines. The following cases show how armchair citations work -- and the Enforcement Bureau has reportedly been hiring a number of attorneys to polish and propagate the practice: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-140A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-142A1.doc (CGC Communicator Jan 25, via Kevin Redding, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. OBAMA NAMES ACTING FCC CHAIR InformationWeek, By W. David Gardner, January 23, 2009 http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212902158 Michael J. Copps has been selected by President Obama as acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. An FCC commissioner since 2001, Copps acknowledged his transitional role Thursday, stating: "I pledge every effort I am capable of to help steer the commission through its current transition to new leadership." A Democrat, Copps is likely to step aside when a permanent chairman is named to head the FCC. Its most previous chairman, Kevin Martin, a Republican, resigned early this week to take a position at think tank Aspen Institute. Julius Genachowski, a former FCC legal counsel and member of Obama's transition team, has been widely rumored to be the President's choice to head the FCC, but Genachowski has been busy with his work on the transition team. Obama made technology advancement a key part of his campaign and Genachowski has had a role in formulating the new administration's technology philosophy. When his work on the transition team is completed, Genachowski would presumably be available for the FCC post. Copps held positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce before he joined the FCC. He had also served as chief of staff for a dozen years for Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C. The other Democrat on the FCC is Jonathan Adelstein, who serves alongside the only Republican on the FCC, Robert McDowell. In addition to a new chairman, Obama will have another position to fill on the FCC. Big things are likely to be in store for Genachowski in the Obama administration and the FCC chairmanship would qualify for that. In addition to his service as legal counsel for ex-FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, Genachowski was a classmate of Obama's at Harvard Law School. Genachowski also worked as a venture capitalist and at various technology companies including Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp. (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. CLEAR CHANNEL JOB CUTS TAKE EFFECT Radio World 23 January 2009 Clear Channel Communications said this week it's cutting about 9% of its workforce in its radio, corporate and outdoor businesses "to succeed in this unprecedented downturn," as Chief Executive Mark Mays wrote in a letter to employees. Mays said cuts represent about 1,850 positions in Clear Channel's work force and span all departments. A spokesman declined to detail exactly how many workers were laid off, including how many of those were engineers. . . Clear Channel has about 800 stations as well as about 164,000 advertising displays and what it calls "a major presence" in 42 U.S. markets. http://www.radioworld.com/article/73346 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) I have seen other stories remark that CC has 1200 stations; not any more. Update! (gh, DXLD) Seems somehow very unfair and evident of a very real imbalance in the broadcast and satellite radio sectors when day to day regular employees at a Clear Channel or Sirius/XM have to sacrifice their jobs (and shareholders their dividends) so people like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Howard Stern and Mike "Mad Dog" Russo can continue to reap an inordinate share of the revenues from what are obviously very poorly managed and planned businesses (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, dxldyg via DXLD) I agree John but the "talent" was always going to be protected by virtue of their contracts and the advertising revenue they bring in. It's of some minor comfort that the execs are at least giving up something (Rob de Santos, ibid.) ** U S A. YOUR LOCAL DJ - A FEW TIME ZONES AWAY --- Radio stations are axing staff and subbing in syndicated hosts to cut costs. By Randy Dotinga | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor You could call it the culling of the heard. In Boston, a popular AM station has stopped broadcasting live overnight for the first time since 1952. In San Diego, the nation's ninth-largest city, just two major local talk-show hosts remain on the air after cutbacks. And across the country, stations are banishing local disc jockeys to the unemployment line in favor of nationally syndicated hosts like Ryan Seacrest and John Tesh. There's a common theme here: With all of its costs, live and local radio programming is in decline. In essence, many in the radio industry are concluding that it doesn't matter if the voice introducing the next "seven-song rock bloc" is in the same time zone. But observers fear radio is dooming itself to irrelevance in a world full of rivals like satellite radio and iPods. Local programming is the only thing that sets radio stations apart, says radio consultant Donna Halper, an assistant professor at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. "I want something I can't get anywhere else," she says. . . http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0123/p13s01-algn.html (The Christian Science Monitor Online, from the January 23, 2009 edition, via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VATICAN [non]. This morning (22 January) I was checking 5985 for Myanmar and at 1212 I'm certain that I was hearing the Vatican Radio interval signal up to about 1215. Signal was very weak. Checking Aoki and EiBi I see that Vatican Radio does indeed use 5985 1230-1315 though I don't recall hearing them there at that time. Any idea what they might be doing there at around 1215? At any rate, I'll be checking 5985 again tomorrow (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via Novosibirsk Russia. 12:30 13:12 CINESE 100 kW AM 5985 HR 1/4/1 65deg Novosibirsk (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Yes, I'm aware of that. My question is: Why was the interval signal being played up to 1215? What came after that? (Steve LARE, ibid.) Probably a programme feed error, not there today. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Jan 24, ibid.) ** VENEZUELA [non]. After sporadic appearances on previous January Sundays, no sign of Aló, Presidente Jan 25: at 1447, nothing on usual frequencies 11690, 11875, 13750, 17750, and the fifth one, 13680 was occupied by mainstream RHC programming // 12000, 11760, while 13760 was open carrier; also RHC at 1452 check on 15370, 15360, missing from 15120; after 1500, RHC Esperanto on anechoic 11760. Without embargo, the RNV CI service missing during the 1500 UT hour from 11680, as necessary Sundays when there really is an A,P program; despite plenty of transmitters being available on this occasion. One more check at 1719 in case of a late start for A,P? No (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. 9839.91, VOV, 2349, 1/23/09. Suddenly rose up from noise to almost good. Vietnamese vocals. Best in LSB. Timing of peak here about 10 minutes after Hanoi sunrise. Declined just as quickly. YL closing comments to audio out at 2356 (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, JRC NRD-545, AOR AR7030 Plus, Wellbrook ALA-100 Loop, http://www.radiodx.net/wordpress/ Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Dear Glenn, For the next issue of DXLD: I logged Radio Nacional de la República Árabe Saharaui Democrática, as per my report below, and received this response today from them. Though not a verification per se, it appears that the Director of the clandestine station is referring to the use of shortwave radio to reach the refugee camp. Please clarify, since my understanding of Spanish is too elementary and I will not do the translation justice. Many thanks, (Ed Insinger, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From: rasdradio @ yahoo.es Sent: 1/22/2009 6:16:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: Re: Reception Report To Radio Nacional dear sear yes to have the wave for radio national sahraui in the campement refugies sahraui in rabuni state tindouf. director radio sahraui [sic] (via Insinger, DXLD) ** YEMEN. 9780, Rep. of Yemen R, San'a, 1800-1859, Jan 11, 12 and 15, English programs again! 1855 news headlines, very weak under strong unknown station (Roland Schulze, Stuttgart, Germany, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) R Liberty scheduled here from Biblis in Georgian (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, ibid.) Jan 24, R. Yemen in English, 9780.1 at 1845z. Male & Female announcers, western music, news before English close at 1859z. Farewell included contact info including telephone number in Sana. Aoki lists 50 kW ND. [and non]. Thinking Jeddah should be audible also (I've never logged it although it's slightly closer, with the same path and power as Yemen) I sat on 9580 for about an hour hoping that Africa Number One would fade enough to log Jeddah. No such luck. The other station on 9580 was R Australia, seldom heard here at midday on 31m. Today it was audible until close at 20 hrs (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: "YEMEN. 9780, Republic of Yemen Radio... their English service are increasingly rare (gh, DXLD)..." Dear Glenn, If you want to listen to the English (or French) program from Yemen, you can tune in to Radio Aden on their website at: http://www.adenradio.net Radio Aden is the Radio of the former socialist South Yemen Republic and now the second program of Yemen Radio (Radio Sana'a being the first program). The audio recording of the English and French program is on the right side of the site under the titles "This is Yemen" and "Ici le Yemen". More news about Radio Damascus, Syria, will follow soon. Greetings (Kris Janssen, Belgium, Jan 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. Checking again today, Thursday, January 22, no English noted at 2000 from Radio Rwanda, 6055, or Radio Tanzania Zanzibar, 11735 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dole. Voice of Tanzania, Zanzibar, 11735 kHz, 22 Jan 09 at 2050 GMT. Impressively garbled and hideous signal. Hard to tell what the hell language is being spoken, but I don't think it's English. Audio (in AM, not off-freq SSB, believe it or not): http://www.mediafire.com/?1okjzdokzjk (Terry Wilson, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar, 1800-1810, Jan 23, still here with distorted, wobbly English news. Spice FM IDs (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6074, the one-minute V/CQ marker back in synch, starting just after the late timesignal finalizing the emissions of R. Rossii, 6075 until 1400 Jan 23. It was quite weak, and too much splash from CFRX to be certain the ID sent at the end of the message this time was 8GAL. Occasionally in the past a different tactical call has been sent tho probably from same transmitter whose exact location remains unknown, tho probably in eastern Russia. Only a few weeks ago one could hardly have imagined there would be enough signal from CFRX 6070 be a problem (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 11435.0, big open carrier with fading at 0555 Jan 23. Finally at 0603 a brief burst of some kind of digital data and back to OC; digital bursts again at 0607. At this time S America was inbooming on 25m, 11805 Chile, e.g. A search of the 19,454 posts so far in the UDXF yg gets only one hit on this frequency: ``11435.0 --- : Enigma's S06 05:30 J3E/USB Russian Female voice call up adjiem sjet tri into repeated 5F msg ending 00000 (02/Jul/2008) (Peter Poelstra, The Netherlands, NRD 545 / ALA 1530 loop / HOKA code 300-32 / CWget / PC-HFDL)`` ``adjiem`` must mean what in standard Russian would be `odin`, so was it some other Slavic language? Unseems likely what I heard, no voice, would be propagating from Europe, and this was full carrier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn, Thanks for help with the 3905/3235 Papua issue. Interesting to see how much info there is out in the bushes and also how important it is with groups like DXLD & HCDX when issues like this emerge. I have sent a mail to the NBC webmaster regarding the reversed stations on 3235 and 3905. He replied via mail that the info was forwarded to the person responsible to take necessary actions. But nothing changed yet on their website yet. Regards (Thomas Nilsson, SWB, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glen[n]: PLEASE do not change anything in regards to your comments! I have been an SWL since the 50’s enjoy reading your comments very much! (Steve Foisey, Jan 22) Glenn, I have been enjoying DXLD for many years now, so this contribution is long overdue. Cheers, (Mark Fahey, MediaExplorer, Australia, with a donation via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ El 15 Encuentro Nacional (e Internacional) de Radioescuchas y Diexistas de la Onda Corta ---- 15th National and International Meeting of DXers and Shortwave Listeners in Mexico Estimados Amigos: Les comunico que el sitio web: http://dx15mexico.super-red.es/cuernavaca2009.htm Será cancelado a partir del mes de febrero 2009, así que ahora tenemos una nueva dirección: http://www.gratisweb.com/dxmexico/cuernavaca2009.htm Esto se debe a que Lycos cierra su servicio de hospedaje de páginas web gratuitas. Y he aprovechado para hacerle unas mejoras en cuanto a su presentación. Gracias por su comprensión y, ¡Nos vemos en Cuernavaca 2009! Atentamente, Magdiel Cruz Rodríguez, Organizador Blog: http://entre-ondas.blogspot.com Dear Friends: I must inform you that the website: http://cuernavaca2009.mi-website.es/15dxmeeting.htm Will be canceled from the month of February, so now we have a new address: http://www.gratisweb.com/dxmexico/cuernavaca2009.htm And from here, go to "English" (english.htm) The new website is updated and improved. This is because Lycos closes free hosting service. Thank you for your understanding and see you in Cuernavaca 2009. Please, send this message to your friends. Greetings, (Magdiel Cruz Rodriguez, Organizer, Blog: http://entre-ondas.blogspot.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) MUSEA +++++ PIRATES OF THE IRISH SEA EXHIBITION EXTENDED Andy Wint reports that The 'Pirates Of The Irish Sea' exhibition at The House of Manannan in Peel, mentioned in recent editions of Contact, has now been extended from the end of March to the end of this Summer. The exact date has not been announced yet. He comments; "I know many people from off-Island wanted to see it again and this should provide ample opportunity whilst the Steam Packet boats are running a summer timetable to UK, Eire and Ulster. It will also mean that the many thousands of TT 2009 visitors will get the opportunity to absorb the 'Caroline North' experience and spread the word across the globe. Matthew Richardson at Manx National Heritage continues to keep the Caroline North flame alight and is delighted that MNH is the only heritage organisation in the world to have an museum-standard archive on offshore radio. He and I are very happy to receive information enquiries and memories to add to the record." (via Mike Barraclough, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) QATARI MUSEUM GETS RARE RADIO DEVICES FROM AL JAZEERA Web posted at: 1/25/2009 3:38:4 Source ::: The PENINSULA/ DOHA: Al Jazeera Children’s Channel presented Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) 34 rare radio devices manufactured and used in the 1950’s through to the 1970’s. Conserved in Doha, these devices are highly functioning, and some of them date back to the introduction of stereo radio broadcasting. . . http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=January2009&file=Local_News200901253384.xml (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) SENDER & FREQUENZEN 2009 von Michael Schmitz und Wolf Siebel http://www.vth.de/fileadmin/user/shop_downloads/nt-01-2009.pdf Hier is de nachtrag van sender und freq gratis te downloaden Met vriendelijke groeten (Han Hardonk, BDX via DXLD) Contains schedules by time of SW broadcasts in German and English, also via satellite. But beware: treats non-existent stations such as KAIJ, KTMI and WJIE as if they were axually on the air! Later on there is general SW DX news by country. It looks as if they have trolled DXLD and other sources, REMOVED ALL THE CREDITS, and put this together. For instance, mentions MW harmonics from Afghanistan, which we know have been reported only by Al Muick. We are not amused by this ripoff publication. Why should other editors such as myself be doing their work for them without even a thank you? Or without even knowing it if this had not happened to come to my attention? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: GERMANY; PORTUGAL; RUSSIA; SOLOMON ISLANDS ++++++++++++++++++++ SENATE EXPECTED TO PASS DIGITAL TV DELAY TO JUNE 12 By Fawn Johnson Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES, Jan 22 http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090122-718836.html?mod=dist_smartbrief WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Senate is on the verge of passing a bill that would delay until June the date when television stations must broadcast in all-digital format, the measure's top Democratic and Republican negotiators told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday. Without congressional action, all TV stations by law must stop broadcasting their programs in analog format Feb. 17. That means that people who rely on over-the-air TV won't receive signals unless they buy a digital television, a converter box, or subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and committee ranking Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas said their staffs are drafting a few changes to Rockefeller's proposal to postpone the digital switch until June 12. Once those changes are incorporated, the Senate is expected to pass the bill on a unanimous voice vote. Hutchison said she changed the bill so that the June 12 date will be "an option, not a mandate" for broadcasters. "If the broadcaster has invested in the equipment, they can go ahead after Feb. 17 so they don't have to do both, because that could be very expensive," Hutchison said. The digital TV transition hit a snag earlier this month when the U.S. Commerce Department was forced to set up a waiting list for people applying for $40 coupons to offset the cost of converter boxes. According to the Commerce Department, the waiting list had more than 2.5 million coupons requested by 1.4 million households as of Wednesday at midnight. Using money freed up from unredeemed coupons, the agency has sent out more than a million coupons since it created the waiting list Jan. 4. Hutchison has added language to Rockefeller's bill saying people who previously applied for coupons and didn't use them can reapply. Currently, the coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed, and people can't reapply if their coupons go unused. Rockefeller said he agreed to the changes to win Hutchison's support. "There are 16 million people out there where it's going to go black, their TV sets," Rockefeller said. "I don't want that to happen." The advocacy group Consumers Union says that as of October, 19 million Americans were living in households that were completely unprepared for the transition. Consumers Union asked for the digital TV delay once it became clear most of the unprepared households wouldn't receive converter box coupons until after Feb. 17. In the House, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D- Calif., has introduced his own bill that would put off the digital TV transition until June 12. Waxman's bill also would extend the expiration date for all outstanding or not-yet-issued converter box coupons to Sept. 15. People who previously ordered coupons and didn't redeem them would be allowed to reapply. Waxman said Thursday that he is waiting to see what the Senate does before moving forward with his bill. The committee was scheduled to vote on it Wednesday, but Waxman postponed the meeting because it was unclear whether Rockefeller's measure would be blocked in the Senate. Senate Republicans last week put a stop to a voice vote on Rockefeller's proposal in part because they wanted time to review it. With Hutchison's blessing, however, the bill is likely to win easy Senate approval on a second try. House Republicans have voiced more strenuous opposition to moving the digital TV transition, noting the cost to broadcasters and the confusion to consumers who have been bombarded with public service announcements about the Feb. 17 digital switch. Another version: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012203850.html (both via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) If the DTV date is extended til June, wouldn't that mean there would be some low-band analogs still on that would likely have their own special transition-preparation screen possibly showing their logo or calls?? That would make for some rather easy last-minute catches when skip starts in May, assuming it's extended. Personally, I hope it is, but ONLY for the chance at a month of unique program-less summer skip (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., WTFDA via DXLD) Here's how things are shaping up at the moment in Washington: The Senate is expected to pass a bill early this week that would extend the deadline for analog shutoff to June 12. The betting right now is that the House will follow suit quickly, and the new deadline could be signed into law by the end of the week. While the legislation doesn't specifically say so, I'd expect that the "Analog Nightlight Act" - the separate legislation that became law in January, allowing some analog signals to stay on the air for 30 days after the analog shutoff deadline - will likely be extended also, providing 30 days of additional analog service (June 12-July 11) that should be perfect for DXers, since it will hit at the height of Es season and since the "nightlight" programming will consist largely of stills with big station logos. Here's the catch: there's no way yet of knowing how many stations will still be on the air in analog by that point. The new legislation makes the June 12 extension entirely optional - stations can still pull the plug on analog on Feb. 17 if they want, or at any time thereafter. So while some of us could lose local pests early on, it may also mean that potential targets will be long gone by the time the season gets rolling, too. Interesting days ahead... s (Scott Fybush, NY, Jan 25, IRCA via WTFDA via DXLD) The other thing that's going to come out of this is that under existing rules, stations that wished to close their analog facilities early - i.e., before February 17th - were required to air crawls informing their viewers of that decision, beginning 30 days before their scheduled off-air date. Some stations believe if a new date of June 12th is set, the 30-day notice will be required of any station that desires to silence its analog before *that* date. Of course, there's already less than 30 days before February 17th; but you might expect to see a fair number of stations running additional crawls warning of the pending disappearance of their analog signals. As Scott says, I would imagine the Analog Nightlight bill will be amended to give an extra 30 days after June 12th - but I also imagine fewer stations will participate than would have if the February 17th date had stood. – (Doug Smith W9WI. Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ WORLD'S LARGEST AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNA DEPLOYED ON 160M AT OH8X Jarmo, OH2BN, reports: "With the aim of pushing the always challenging Northern envelope on low bands and verifying their own engineering skills, the group at Radio Arcala will hit 160M with a 39-ton (80.000 lbs) 3-element full-size monster during the week of January 19, culminating with the CQWW 160M Contest. OH8X is to be manned by OH2IW and OH6KN, still in a limited capacity while valuable data will be gathered in this first assault. Their partners for measurement purposes will be the sister station CU2X operated by OH2BH/CU2KG and, in close proximity, by the associate stations OH0E operated by OH2MM, and OG2P by OH2PM. You may catch all these stations during the coming week. Radio Arcala is co-operating with the University of Oulu in several areas of HF propagation study. They also welcome and acknowledge field reports at You may read about details of the monster construction at http://www.helsinki.fi/~korpela/PU/PU.html and study the overall mission at http://www.radioarcala.com QSL for OH8X via OH2UA, CU2X via OH2BH, OG2P via OH2PM and OH0E via OH2MM." To see pictures of this antenna, go to: http://tinyurl.com/8g5m7e (The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster, DX Bulletin No. 893 January 26, 2009, Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW, Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio), via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) FIM DAS ONDAS CURTAS E A INTERNET Escrevi uma cronica a respeito do encerramento das transmissoes em OC e sua substituição pelo rádio na Internet. Um texto bem leve e irreverente porém mostra o outro lado da moeda em termos de matriz energética (Sarmento Campos, Brasil, Jan 25, radioescutas yg via DXLD) O rádio é ecologicamente correto, já a Internet… A imprensa mundial ainda que timidamente, está mostrando os efeitos do homem no meio ambiente. Efeito estufa, aquecimento global, buraco na camada de ozônio, o fim próximo das reservas de combustíveis fósseis, enfim, uma variedade grande de problemas que afetam invariavelmente a vida de todos que moram neste pequeno planeta azul. Mas onde está a ecologia nesta história? E o nosso amigo rádio? É simples : tenho lido em algumas publicações que um motivador adicional à tendência de encerramento das transmissões internacionais de radiodifusão seria as emissões de carbono geradas pelos grandes grupos transmissores. E simultaneamente, os arautos do apocalipse que profetizam que a rede mundial de computadores – Internet – é um verdadeiro buraco negro e que irá sugar também o papel do rádio, corroboram esta idéia. Enfim, um erro grosseiro! Classicamente, grandes parques transmissores estão localizados em regiões com potencial hídrico suficiente para produzir eletricidade, e assim, não há queima de combustíveis e não há produção nem lançamento de carbono na atmosfera. E mesmo os transmissores que são alimentados através de energia nuclear, ainda assim são muito mais eficientes do que se pode imaginar. . . [muito mais] http://blog.sarmento.eng.br/internet/ (via radioescutas yg via DXLD) I haven`t read this all the way thru yet, but I think his point is that running all those computers and everything that feeds them to listen to `radio` adds up to a much bigger carbon footprint than all the SW transmitters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ FCC REPORTS DECLINE IN BPL CUSTOMERS http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2009/decline_in_bpl_customers.htm On January 16, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission released data, as of December 31, 2007, on the services used for high-speed Internet access in the United States. According to the data collected by the FCC, as of that date there were 121.2 million high-speed lines (including wireless), a 20 percent increase in just six months. In sharp contrast to the rapid growth in mobile wireless, cable modem, ADSL and fiber as delivery mechanisms to subscribers, Broadband over Power Line (BPL) utilization apparently declined during the period. According to the FCC figures, the category "Power Line and Other" dropped from 5420 lines in June 2007 to just 5274 six months later. It is not known how many of these are "Power Line" and how many are "Other." "Despite the enormous and unwarranted hype given to BPL by the FCC under Chairmen Powell and Martin, the message from the marketplace is clear: BPL is going nowhere as a means of delivering broadband connectivity to consumers," observed ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "Still, the FCC has unfinished business with respect to BPL. It has been nine months since the federal Court of Appeals ordered the Commission to correct the errors it committed in adopting rules that inadequately protect licensed radio services from BPL interference, yet the FCC has made no effort to comply. With the change at the FCC helm that is about to take place, we hope the foot-dragging will come to an end and the Commission will fulfill its obligations to the Court as well as to its licensees." Source: The American Radio Relay League via Southgate (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) I was surprised to read there are any BPL customers in the US. Given how the subsequent HF interference in the UK and Japan has been well-documented on sites such as Youtube, I would have expected a US counterpart. No US Hams or SWListeners in areas with BPL? (Terry Wilson, MI, ibid.) BPL's big problem was that it was launched long after other broadband alternatives --- DSL, cable, and satellite internet --- were well established in the market. Outside of a handful of "test bed" markets where BPL was heavily subsidized (like the Manassas, VA, operation) there has been zero implementation of BPL in the US and that situation isn't going to change (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX, ibid.) COMTREND POWERLINE ADAPTORS INTERFERENCE The UKQRM group have managed to get the following article published in the widely read internet technology site The Register: "Campaigners complaining about interference generated by BT's Vision product have financed independent tests to show that the kit BT is pushing fails to conform to the appropriate EU standards, prompting a complaint to trading standards officers. Shortwave radio users have been complaining for a while about interference generated by networking over mains wiring, with BT taking the majority of the flak, but until now the protestors have been complaining to Ofcom on the basis of illegal broadcasting. By demonstrating that retailers are selling kit that fails to meet EU standards the protestors could prevent its sale, not to mention the possibility of fines for those manufacturing or importing the kit. The kit provided by BT utilises powerline telecommunications (PLT) to connect components over mains wiring, but mains wiring is unshielded and therefore the house electrical system acts as a huge antenna generating radio signals that can interfere with low-frequency radio users nearby. Radio hams have set up a protest group to argue against the technology, and provide videos demonstrating the extent of the problem. The only recourse for the aggrieved ham is reporting to Ofcom, who reckon they've received around 40 such complaints while estimating that 500,000 PLT devices are in operation in the UK. Ofcom also 'points out that they are powerless to act as long as the kit conforms to the appropriate standards and carries CE Mark attesting to that conformance. But several members of the protest group, UKQRM, have now lodged complaints with Trading Standards on the basis of independent tests carried out by Hursley EMC. These show that devices manufactured by Comtrend, and supplied by BT, do not conform to EN55022 - the standard to which conformance is required. Given the test results it would appear that the equipment could only be used if reserved frequencies were avoided - a process known as "notching" - but as UKQRM explains, the number of notches needed would reduce the bandwidth available over main wiring enough to make the technology uncompetitive. But that's not relevant to Trading Standards, who will only be interested to know if someone is importing kit bearing a CE Mark that doesn't conform to the appropriate regulations. We contacted BT and Comtrend for comment, but BT just told us that it ensures goods bear the appropriate marks, while Comtrend haven't got back to us." They have also obtained the following information from Ofcom as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request: Thank you for your request for information headed "Re: Testing of equipment for EMC compliance", "Number of PLT interference complaints" which Ofcom received on 25 November 2008 and was considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the FoIA). I have set out my response to your questions below, including your submitted questions for clarity. 1. In the last four years, how many EMC compliance tests has Ofcom requested be undertaken by EMC testing laboratories? In the last four years Ofcom has sent 107 pieces of equipment for EMC compliance testing by laboratories. Of the 107 tested, 3 were PLT devices. 2. How many interference complaints have been received by Ofcom that relate to PLT equipment? To date, Ofcom has received 61 complaints relating to PLT equipment. These complaints have been handled by our interference team. 3. What is the average time between the initial complaint to Ofcom and the complainant being fully satisfied that the interference has been resolved? The average number of days between the receipt of the complaint into Ofcom and closure of the case by our staff is 54 days. This includes administrative tasks such as case creation, case handling, customer liaison and technical investigation. 4. How many PLT interference complaints have not been resolved to the full satisfaction of the complainant? Currently we have 22 unresolved cases relating to PLT interference. These cases are still in the investigation and resolution process. 5. What are the ages of the oldest five unresolved PLT interference complaints? The five oldest unresolved cases relating to PLT are in chronological order 60, 70, 82, 94 and 126 days. These were cases more complex in nature. 6. What has been the cost of investigating PLT interference complaints? The estimated cost of investigating the on site cases reported relating to PLT interference is approximately £166 per case. This amount is derived from a 10% sample of cases showing an average of 3.4 hours on site @ the Ofcom consultancy fee rate of £42.55 plus VAT (currently 15%). Three members of the group were due to meet with Ofcom officials at the end of last month (via Mike Barraclough, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ METEOR SCATTER ON 5 MEGAHERTZ An interesting email about possible meteor scatter communications on 60 meters arrived from Larry Jones, K5ZRK who operates next to Tallahalla Swamp in Sandersville, which is in southern Mississippi, about 31.78 degrees north latitude. Larry wrote, "I operate only 60 meters and only operate QRP! I do a LOT of operating and run a lot of skeds, therefore propagation is VERY important. I use a quarter-wave vertical antenna insulated from ground, with 120 quarter wavelength radials, and all those are tied into a 1.6 acre chain link fence surrounding my property. I also use a 60 meter inverted-V on transmit when I am working close in stations. I use a LOW 60 meter inverted-V on receive so that I can reduce the noise and the preamp on my Icom 703." Larry continues, "Frequently during skeds at night I hear what seems to be meteor burst. I also hear these early in the morning when working the gray line. This is not always the case so that makes me wonder if there are meteor bursts on 60 meters." He goes on to say, "I was an avid meteor scatter operator back in the early 90s with my old call WB5KYK and I ran on 6, 2 and 432 but I sit there for hours listening to this when running skeds on 60 meters. I can remember on 6 meters I would get upset when there was E-skip during a meteor shower because the E-skip would ruin the shower, I would be working E-skip instead of meteor scatter. The propagation on this band is fascinating to me, the gray line is phenomenal on this band and running QRP (10 watts on SSB) I have worked into Hawaii, and California is not hard. Skeds are so interesting on this band but this phenomenon I am observing has me puzzled because it sounds like meteor scatter. If it isn't, then what is it? This can be a useful tool if I can just figure out what it is AND to further give you something to think about. I observe this even more so during meteor showers and during the early morning hours (1100-1239z which is when meteors are prevalent)." Interesting information, and it makes sense that ionized trails from meteors could provide a sporadic-E like propagation path, even on 60 meters. Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA commented that meteor scatter has been detected at 2 MHz, and pointed out a PhD thesis titled "Medium Frequency Radar Studies of Meteors," by Stephen I. Grant, July 2003 at the University Of Adelaide Department Of Physics that describes this. In a subsequent email, K5ZRK wrote, "Next month there will be two showers that are classed as medium showers. I HOPE to set up some skeds for both. I think one of the things that is interesting about meteor scatter on 60 meters is the antenna issue. What would be the best antenna for meteor scatter on this band? I feel this is something we will learn by experience and this band is not old enough yet for us to know what is going to work best, especially when it comes to propagation. It seems it would be somewhere between the propagation on 80 and 40 meters, but I have found this band to be a totally different creature!" (QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 4 ARLP004, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA January 23, 2009 To all radio amateurs, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ``60 meters`` to hams means a semidozen discrete frequencies available around the middle of the 5 MHz range, more like 56-57m (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ECLIPSES AFFECTING RADIO PROPAGATION One can understand why long range radio propagation might be affected during a solar eclipse, because the ionizing radiation of the sun is temporarily intercepted by the moon. There is no such obvious explanation for radio propagation problems during lunar eclipses. Nevertheless, we have the following observation by L.M. Nash: "During 1978/79, I was stationed on Diego Garcia (U.S. Naval base in the Indian Ocean). I was an amateur radio operator then, and one night there was a total (or near total) eclipse of the moon. I was in contact with a station in Utah, on the 15 meter (21.0 to 21.45 MHz) band. When the eclipse started, the Utah station faded out, and all I heard was a sizzling, crackling noise across the entire 15-meter band. This started and ceased within the duration of the eclipse. I then reestablished contact with the Utah station, who was still on the same frequency talking to a friend of his. When I asked him what happened, he stated that my signal had just disappeared." (Nash, Lemuel M.; personal communication, May 12, 1990. From Science Frontiers #71, SEP- OCT 1990. ) (AFP Paris, via yahoonews via Mike Terry, DXLD) Above about a lunar eclipse, appended to a report about the current annular eclipse was not really pertinent, but set off this thread (gh) HOW on Earth could this possibly be??? During any Solar Eclipse, the Sun is only blocked for six or seven minutes at best, over a relatively minuscule point of the Earth's surface; one sees only a few square miles of Solar blockage at any given point in time during the course of any eclipse. The Ionosphere is a planet-wide entity; whatever the layers are doing to your reception is NOT localized to your immediate area of only a few square miles! During the 1991 Solar Eclipse, the period of totality reached 6 minutes, 51 seconds at San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico, where I was standing with a GE Superradio next to me, tuned most of the time to 900 kHz. At NO time was there any noted enhancement whatsoever, to what was an extremely weak signal from XEW, about 300 - 350 miles away with 250 kW, and also in the Totality zone, running just a few minutes behind the Solar disc blackout where I stood. I listened up for it all, during totality in Mexico City as well as on the Nayarit coast; again no variations whatsoever. And don't try to tell me the shorter wavelengths of higher frequencies will make any difference at all in the model. Any ionospherically delivered signal by definition has to originate from far enough away NOT to be by way of Groundwave --- which, also by definition, means nowhere near any zone of eclipse-related solar blockage. What a load of crap! (GREG HARDISON, CA, ibid.) Contrary to your observations, there was definitely a change in propagation during the total eclipse that happened in Melbourne in October 1979. MW Broadcast signals came out of the mud to over s9+++ even though I was 300 miles away from the total eclipse. We had 75% cover. Signals as high as 3.5 MHz were affected. I listened to as long as I could before having to tear away for a best friend`s nuptials. I think others would have experienced likewise (Robin VK7RH Harwood, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, ibid.) OK, then this could indicate the possibility of a "thrown-wedge" effect of a total eclipse. In other words, the creation of a "wedge"- like area (or more likely, areas), located at random distance(s) and angle(s) away from a totality zone, resulting as a sort of shadow- effect of the momentary occlusion of the solar disc. This would be similar on a map, to what we see with meteor scatter and VHF, with affected receptions occurring not at all necessarily anywhere near areas experiencing the greatest "overhead" visibility of the phenomenon in question. Such an occurrence would in turn randomly affect signals both sent and received within several hundred miles, without necessarily any patterns of predictability. (I should clarify, my Mexico test involved a receiver operating at optimum condition, that for the most part was tuned to 900 kHz. I did three or four quick scans up and down the MW dial centering at 900 kHz during totality and just after; there was no variation noted with regular simple daytime reception patterns.) It would take several receivers located within an as-yet-unknown distance of a zone of totality, all tuning at the same time to test this theory...and even then, the question of whether any or all of our noble experimenters are located within affected "wedge" zones, is purely a roll of the dice until we know more (GREG HARDISON, ibid.) The same during the 1999 eclipse in Europe. In a hurry I found this, better kept and indexed archives certainly hold more detailled reports: http://kimelli.nfshost.com/cw/cw_19990814.html Btw, the original news item is misleading: During an annular eclipse the sun's corona is *not* visible, because on such a event the moon not fully obscures the sun (precisely: the photosphere), thus it still outshines anything else. As people have been advised in 1999: 98 percent are nothing, you have to go to the totality path for the real show (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Enhanced MW propagation along the path of a total eclipse is well- established and thoroughly documented. I experienced it myself during the March, 1970 total solar eclipse which was visible from New England to Georgia. The path of totality --- the moon's umbra --- is not the only factor. The path of the partial eclipse --- the moon's penumbra - -- can cause the D layer of the ionosphere to disappear within a radius of a couple of hundred miles of the path of totality. This is similar to what happens on some winter days when the D layer is missing or too weak to absorb MW signals, allowing stations from hundreds of miles away to be heard well before sunset. Here are two starter references: http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0627161 http://www.xs4all.nl/~misan/eclipse.htm There are several other papers on this topic available through IEEE, but you have to be a member to access them on-line. I also believe the National Radio Club has some reprints available of observations made during the March, 1970 eclipse (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17 http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ ibid.) Some more, the last two ones in German but perhaps you can still make out something: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/topics/research/rcru/project48/final_report/introduction.htm http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-eclipse-d-layer.htm http://www.uni-leipzig.de/~jacobi/collm/results/sofi/ http://www.vfo-magazin.de/index.pl/high_noon_und_sonnenfinsternis_-_die_mittelwelle_am_mittag__09/1999 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) These data must exist somewhere, then, even if I have never seen them. If so, then my "thrown-wedge" theory is supported. My own test on the coast of Mexico started with a logged, IDed reception of XEBCS/1050, over a several-hundred mile long water-path from La Paz, BCS. I then confirmed I could hear XEWA/540; thus I knew the Radio was in fine working order. The very weak signal heard from XEW/900 never once grew in strength during or after the eclipse. Longest noted totality of the event was in the water between Baja California and the Mexican "mainland", at 6 minutes, 56 seconds. As I stated, the totality at my location was around 6:51 or 6:52. The D-layer "disappearance" within "the radius of a couple of hundred miles of the path of totality" would seem to support the meteor- scatter model, with the solar-blocking effects of a total eclipse being distributed in such a similar manner (such as, when a meteor streaking across the sky above Nebraska causes Illinois FM stations to be heard in Wyoming). I also would think the effects would be much less pronounced during an annular event (GREG HARDISON, ibid.) TROPOSPHERIC DX MAX & MIN USABLE FREQUENCIES When signals get trapped in a tropo duct, is it just VHF/UHF signals? Will frequencies above 800 MHz into microwave get trapped and travel through the duct? How low can it go? SW, AM, or LW? I'm guessing that lower frequencies won't fit in a tropo duct (Wallace Dickson, WTFDA via DXLD) I've wondered this before. If I remember correctly tropo is observed as low as the CB radio band (27 MHz), perhaps even lower. Microwave frequencies can indeed propagate via tropo. See this PDF file for a CQ VHF article on attempting to make a tropo contact on 10 GHz between California and Hawaii: http://www.cq-vhf.com/CalifornGordo%20Sum05.pdf (This message courtesy of Jacob Norlund Ham Radio ---- KC?LTV Latitude ---- 46.8N Grid Square -- EN36US Longitude --- 92.3W TV and FM DX from Northern Minnesota Interweb site under Construction at http://www.geocities.com/tvdxer ibid.) On the top end, absolutely. http://www.cq-vhf.com/Sum07The10GHzCalifornia.html The California<=>Hawaii tropo duct has been worked as high as 5600 MHz (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) As you can see from this chart, the physical size of a duct does indeed limit what size waves can be propagated by it... http://www.dxinfocentre.com/propagation/luf.htm Can't remember where I got this from, an old textbook I think - forgot to bibli. the source. Sorry. (Bill Hepburn, Ont., ibid.) TROPOSHERIC DUCTING ---> Information on the trans-Atlantic tropospheric ducting attempt between Namibia (V5/N7BHC) and Brazil (ZY6Y and PT1A) can be found at http://transatlantic.japydx.org and http://tinyurl.com/v51-n7bhc [TNX PY2ZX] (425 DX News 17 January 2009 A.R.I. DX Bulletin No 924 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ###