I.e. when evangelizing in Russian to Sibir, DVR. Did KICY no longer want to be 50/50 kW U1, or disallowed? Is this the only CONUS MW station FCC licensed for trans-oceanic international broadcasting? Not counting NAFTA border seepages.

KBRW split 680 ``Barrow`` often makes it into Scotland winters, transpolarly their closest Alaskan; lately even further south into England with superb conditions (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)

0800-0900 NF  9610 NLS 100 kW / 285 deg to EaAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7355
0800-0900 NF  9710 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#1, ex  7370
0900-1000 on  7370 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Russian tx#1 unchanged
0900-1000 NF  9610 NLS 100 kW / 285 deg to EaAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7355
1000-1100 NF  9605 NLS 100 kW / 285 deg to EaAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7355
1000-1100 NF  9710 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#1, ex  7370
1100-1200 on  7320 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Russian tx#1 unchanged
1100-1200 NF 11610 NLS 100 kW / 285 deg to EaAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7355
1200-1300 on  7320 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#1 unchanged
1200-1300 on  7355 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#2 unchanged
1300-1400 NF 11785 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Chinese tx#1, ex  7320
1300-1400 NF 11890 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7560
1400-1500 on  7320 NLS 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs English tx#1 unchanged
1400-1500 NF 11890 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7560
1500-1600 on  7320 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Russian tx#1 unchanged
1500-1600 NF 11890 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7560
1600-1700 on  7370 NLS 100 kW / 315 deg to NEAs Russian tx#1 unchanged
1600-1700 NF 11965 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7340
1700-1800 on  7370 NLS 100 kW / 315 deg to NEAs Russian tx#1 unchanged
1700-1800 NF 11965 NLS 100 kW / 300 deg to NEAs Chinese tx#2, ex  7340
??????????? ?? Observer ? 9:56 AM (via DXLD)

I believe originally in B-18 season, all were on 7 MHz band. Now all the changes concern Chinese, raised to 9 or even 11 MHz band; not Russian; and English only at 0800 & 1000: from 7370 to 9710. Hope the new frequencies have been chosen to avoid colliding with China like some of the old ones did (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KNOM

History

KNOM is the oldest Catholic radio station in the United States, and has been broadcasting in western Alaska for over four decades.

The station was founded by James Poole, S.J. While serving at the Jesuit mission in the village of St. Mary's in 1959, Poole created a makeshift "radio station" by wiring 30 homes with speakers linked to the public address system. He was reassigned to Nome in 1966, with fundraising for the station beginning in December of that year. A young broadcast engineer named Tom Busch moved to Nome in 1970, becoming the chief engineer and eventually the station's general manager (a position he would hold for more than 30 years). After several years of work by volunteers and fundraisers who gathered the money for the equipment, filled out the paperwork with Federal Communications Commission, built the station, and assembled its original broadcasting equipment, KNOM first went on the air on July 14, 1971.

Poole left KNOM and Alaska in 1988 when he was reassigned to work in Tacoma, Washington. (The station's own newsletter suggests he was involved with fundraising[2] into the late 1990s.) In 2004 the first of what would become dozens[3] of allegations began to emerge of Poole's sexual abuse[4] of Alaska Native women during his time in rural Alaska from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Case of Father James Poole

Father James Poole [2] is alleged to have molested countless children, but has never been convicted of a crime because the Jesuits have settled out of court for the silence of the victims. The exact sum of the settlements is unknown because the victims have had to sign confidentiality agreements, but it is known that the total since 2005 is over $5 million. One such payment was for $500,000 for raping a dying woman, to whom he had been summoned perform the last rites.[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_abuse_scandal_in_the_Catholic_diocese_of_Fairbanks

Can anyone find the new story about this? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/sins-of-the-fathers/

So much for "Goodbye, Jesuits" ...
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1351400?eng=y
(old stuff about Radio Vatican from two years ago)
(Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 21, WOR iog via DXLD)
Viz.:  

Dec 15, 2018  
Sins of the fathers
 
Co-produced with PRX Logo
LISTEN: (51:18!)

Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Stitcher Spotify RadioPublic RSS

Listeners should know that this episode looks at how the Catholic Church handled cases of children who were sexually abused by Jesuit priests.

The show includes descriptions of abuse and predatory behavior and is not a story for all listeners.

The host gives a listening advisory at the top of each segment.

In Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, the Catholic Church had a problem with Jesuit priests sexually abusing children. The church’s first solution was to send the priests to remote Native villages, but there, they continued to abuse. So the church tried something else: hiding them in plain sight.

Dig Deeper --- These priests abused in Native villages for years. They retired on Gonzaga’s campus
https://www.revealnews.org/article/these-priests-abused-in-native-villages-for-years-they-retired-on-gonzagas-campus/

Credits

Reported by Emily Schwing at the Northwest News Network, with Reveal’s Michael Corey and Katharine Mieszkowski.

Support for Reveal is provided by the Reva and David Logan Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The John S. And James L. Knight Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation and the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation.

Transcript

Reveal transcripts are produced by a third-party transcription service and may contain errors [like spelling the name of the subject!]. Please be aware that the official record for Reveal's radio stories is the audio.

Al Letson: From the Center For Investigative Reporting and PRX, this is Reveal, I'm Al Letson.

Al Letson: So about this time last year, Emily Shwain of the Northwest News Network told us about this radio station she used to work at. She said it had a lot of skeletons in the closet, and Emily was trying to figure it all out.

Emily Shwain: Yeah, it was in Nome, Alaska. Way out on the Bering Sea coast. And you can only get there by airplane. I used to be the news director at the radio station there, KNOM. And it has this super cheesy endearing sound.

Speaker 3: Yours, [inaudible] in Alaska. KNOM. [aircheck]

Al Letson: I love that. I don't think it's cheesy. I think it's perfect. I'm going to talk to J Breezy about changing the Reveal theme song. Anyway, what did you do out there?

Emily Shwain: I spent most of my time reporting on things like subsistence hunting for bearded seal. The Anupiat people there call it Ugruk. And of course, that 1,000 mile sled dog race, the Iditarod, the finish line is in Nome.

Emily Shwain: A northerly head wind blew between 30 and 40 miles per hour and scoured the barren tundra along the Bering Sea coast as Brent Sas used his ski pole to help his dog team glide across the icy trail Takoiyuk.

Brent Sas: Yeah, I didn't stop kicking or ski poling or kneeling.

Al Letson: Okay so, I've been on a dog sled in Alaska in February and it was so cold. It was thrilling. But you know, I'm a Florida boy. I don't even like to think about it. So Emily, what does all this have to do with the skeletons in the closet?

Emily Shwain: Okay, so it all had to do with this guy who founded KNOM. It's a Catholic radio station, and it was started by a Jesuit priest, James Pool, back in 1971. He used the station as a studio pulpit.

James Pool [sic thruout transcript]: You know, it's not a disgrace to make mistakes and fall. All men and women, old and young, do just that. But after falling, just to lay there and cry, that is a mistake. Rise, start over. This time naked.

Emily Shwain: I heard about James Pool's mistakes while I was working at KNOM. But I was never given any details. A year after I left Nome, I saw this social media post one day and it mentioned something about where the church was hiding him. That kicked off my search through records about Jesuit missions in Alaska. First, I needed to learn more about the Jesuit order. So I called this guy, Patrick Wahl.

Patrick Wahl: Yeah, becoming Jesuit is a very rigorous process. They sometimes are referred to as the you know, storm troopers of the Roman Catholic Church. They answer only to the pope. And they have the most rigorous training program.

Al Letson: So it sounds like Patrick knows a lot about the Catholic Church.

Emily Shwain: He does. And it's from first hand experience. He used to be a Benedictine Monk and an ordained priest. He's no longer with the church, but he knows how to navigate his way though piles of records. Some in Latin.

Emily Shwain: It's really surprising to me how meticulous they are about keeping notes and dating their signatures.

Patrick Wahl: Yep. All you have to do is a little grunt work. That's what I'm saying. This is not rocket science.

Al Letson: Emily did a lot of grunt work. She spent the past year and a half digging through church records and court documents. She tracked down priests and people who knew them, all to find those skeletons in the closet. And what she uncovered is a new chapter in the Catholic Church's continuing story of sexual abuse. It takes us to some of the most isolated corners of the country: native communities in Alaska and the Northwest. We'll hear from the accused and the Jesuit leaders who move them around. Along the way, Emily discovers how the church used a college campus to hide priests including Father Pool, in plain sight. . . [much more] https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/sins-of-the-fathers/ (via DXLD)

An Sendezeit und Frequenz der deutschen Sendung ueber den SWS Kleinsender in der Eifel hat sich auch im Winterhalbjahr nichts geaendert, den aktuellen kompletten Sendeplan der Programme von Radio Tirana drucken wir in dieser Rundbriefausgabe fuer Sie ab.

Hallo, der Rundbrief ist fertig geworden und auch schon verschickt. Im Anhang die pdf fuer unsere Klubseite. Danke fuer's Reinstellen! (Werner Schubert-D to Michael Bethge WWDXC, Dec 12, via BCDX via DXLD)

1610, RADIO SINTONIA (Canning)
1610, RADIO LUZ DEL MUNDO (Rafael Calzada)
1620, RADIO VIDA "Red de Vida" (Monte Grande)
1620, RADIO SENTIRES (Parque San Martín)
1620, RADIO ITALIA (Villa Martelli) - Inactiva
1630, RADIO UNIDAD (Alejandro Korn)
1630, AM RESTAURACIÓN (William C. Morris) - Inactiva
1640, RADIO HOSANNA (Isidro Casanova) - Inactiva
1650, RADIO LAS ESTRELLAS (Longchamps) - Irregular
1650, RADIO EL MENSAJERO (Rafael Castillo) - Inactiva
1650, LRI-227 ANTARES AM 1650 (Pilar)
1660, RADIO REVIVIR (Gregorio de Laferrere)
1680, RADIO BETHEL (Banfield Oeste) - Inactiva
1700, LRI-236 RADIO FANTASTICO (Tigre) - Inactiva
1710, AM SELVA (Ituzaingó)  
(Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Conexion Digital 16
Dec via DXLD)

Apparently AMBA replaces ``GBA`` = Gran Buenos Aires. There could still be (many?) X-band stations elsewhere in country (gh, DXLD)

If you listen on this clip from 17 to 20 seconds you'll hear the voice. Bear in mind there is some splatter and headphones will be required. https://clyp.it/oujaplaa Thank you (Jordan Heyburn, Northern Ireland, Dec 16, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Hi Jordan, Sorry, all I can hear is Don McLean's "American Pie," which has portions that are clearly spoken. From my past observations, I have never heard an ID given during a song, but often heard along with series of commercial announcements. Believe your recording is 100% song. Maybe others hear it differently? Keep trying! Listen especially when 4KZ gives the advertisements (Ron Howard, California, ibid.)

Radio 4KZ 5055 kHz - Log --- Good Afternoon all, Very good condx today (17/12/18) from the remote QTH in Finland loc (KP21RH) to Australia. I have noted ID's, music and local advertisements for the Innisfail area even through out the splatter from China on 5060 kHz. Noted using my personal Perseus SDR & Beverage antenna towards Japan. Best Regards, (Jordan Heyburn, 1336 UT Dec 17, bdxc-news iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

Yes, they have been heard on most afternoons lately, best at our sunset at 1230. On 5055.007 kHz. Best regards, (Mauno Ritola, Eastern Finland, ibid.)

It's great to hear Mauno, Thanks for the offset! When I tune in LSB you can hear a slight hum to indicate it's not bang on 5055 kHz. Best Regards, (Jordan Heyburn, 1403 UT, ibid.)

Seems to be still on at 1450. Transmitter left on by mistake? (Mauno, 1455 UT, ibid.)

I think so! Yesterday during my monitoring I had it still at 1430 UT. Best Regards, (Jordan Heyburn, ibid.)

ABC and SBS are not disrupting commercial media by providing free online news and catch-up TV

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/dec/12/abc-and-sbs-online-news-and-hit-shows-not-hurting-commercial-media-panel-rules?CMP=soc_568

ABC and SBS are not disrupting commercial media by providing free online news and catch-up TV and should be given more long-term funding certainty, an expert panel appointed by the government has found.

The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, established an inquiry into the competitive neutrality of the public broadcasters earlier this year after complaints by News Corp, Fairfax, Foxtel and the commercial broadcasters that they were crowding them out.

The panel not only rejected the complaints from commercial media but recommended that government give the national broadcasters more long-term funding certainty along the lines of the UK funding of the BBC.

The free-to-air broadcasters told the inquiry the SBS unfairly competed with them by buying hit series like The Handmaid’s Tale, Nine’s streaming service Stan was concerned that SBS On Demand undermined its subscription model by providing streaming services for free and Fairfax Media and News Corp Australia were upset about the free news services offered online by SBS and the ABC.

Sign up for Guardian Today Australian edition: 
the stories you need to read, in one handy email.  

But the expert panel of economist Robert Kerr, commercial TV lobbyist Julie Flynn and former ABC TV executive and producer Sandra Levy found that ABC and SBS were not causing “significant distortions to the competitive process beyond the public interest”, in a report handed down on Wednesday.

They said the national broadcasters were established and funded to provide free services, including digital services. “So long as they operate in line with their charters they are operating in the public interest as defined by their statutes,” the report said.

“The national broadcasters have adapted to the challenge of change by extending the range and type of their services, taking full advantage of market developments and technological innovation, to the benefit of the public.

“In order to comply with their charters, the national broadcasters seek to maximise their reach by being significant providers of content across all platforms. Their capacity to do so is limited by their budgets.”

Rupert Murdoch’s Australian outlets had campaigned hard for the inquiry, and were joined by the former Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood in claiming that the ABC and SBS were making it harder for them to make money.

The Australian lined up Australia’s media giants to complain about the ABC cutting their grass by operating in the digital space.

But the panel rejected most of the complaints, finding Google and Facebook were far bigger threats than the ABC and the SBS and recommending that they be more open about their competitive activities.

“The panel considers that the national broadcasters should be able to adapt to new market opportunities in the public interest,” the report said. “However, choice will be limited by a finite budget.

“The panel notes that the amount of money being generated by SBS through advertising revenue represents a small percentage of total television advertising, and therefore, is not considered material.

“Furthermore, following the efficiency review of 2014, the SBS budget was cut and the government stated that SBS should make up part of the shortfall through advertising.”

The inquiry received a total of 6,839 submissions from members of the public, commercial media, industry stakeholders and the national broadcasters themselves.

Champagne and jokes as Fairfax chief hits the long winding road
Amanda Meade [caption, to sidebar?] Read more  

Free TV, the lobby group representing the TV networks, said it was disappointed the panel did not recommend any specific changes and said it did not give “sufficient weight to the evidence provided by the commercial sector”.

Labor’s communications spokeswoman, Michelle Rowland, said the inquiry was just a “fishing expedition” commissioned as part of a backroom deal with Pauline Hanson to pass the media reforms.

“This Liberal fishing expedition splashed half a million dollars of taxpayer funds to establish what the ABC and SBS have said all along: The national broadcasters are operating in a manner consistent with the general principles of competitive neutrality,” Rowland said.

“Australians trust and value the ABC and SBS and should not have to foot the bill for Mitch Fifield and Pauline Hanson’s vendetta against public broadcasting.” (via Tim Gaynor, WOR iog via DXLD)

RTBF 621 kHz - Since this morning 0459z, the following message is broadcast at the end of each hour on 621 kHz:

"À compter du 31 décembre, La Première va cesser d'émettre en ondes moyennes. Pour continuer à nous écouter, basculez votre récepteur radio en FM sur la fréquence de votre ville. Vous pouvez également nous écouter en direct en DAB+, via l'application radio player, ou sur auvio."

"From December the 31st, La Première will cease transmitting on the medium wave. In order to continue listening to us, switch your radio reciever to FM on your city's frequency. You can also listen to us live on DAB+, through radio player app, or auvio."

The message seems to be only broadcast on MW, as it is followed by the end of the advertisement. Curiously, the second sentence is (almost) the same as in Allouis's equivalent announcement in December 2016.

I did not hear any such message on VivaCité (1125 kHz); neither did I find any information about the time of the last transmission, so I can only suppose that La Première will become silent at 1905z (20:5 local) as usual.

RTBF's website mentions the possibility to listen to RTBF
international through Atlantic Bird 3 satellite:
https://www.rtbf.be/entreprise/recevoir-la-rtbf, but wikipedia says
that this satellite should be replaced in 2019.  

73 Vincent F4HPZ (17/12-2018) MediumWave.Info - News (via Mike Terry, WOR iog via DXLD)

RTBF International is indeed available on AB3, on C band, and the Africa beam. Doubt if many people in Europe will use that. The replacement satellite will just have all programmes transferred over, but the footprints could change to narrower beams. Rgds, (Gareth Foster, bdxc-news iog via DXLD)

Another strange one! I am still trying to hear any trace of this station around this frequency; just IRAN in Spanish (gh, DXLD)

6090, Radio Bandeirantes at 0220 in Portuguese with lively dance music and a woman with talk from 0223 with mentions of “Brasil” and “Sao Paulo” - Fair at best with fading Dec 15 (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD)

We never hear this station on any frequency our evenings or overnights (gh, DXLD)

BRASIL: 6180.04, Radio Nacional Amazonia; 2138-2200+, 12/13; Commentarys by M&W in Portuguese with remotes & occasional bumpers; 2159+ “Voz do Brasil”, no mention of Amazonia throughout, but some “Radio Nacional”. SIO=3+53 at tune-in improving to S9; 2158 minor splash QRM from CRI(presumed) in Portuguese via Albania (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time & without the aid of a computer! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

9630.5, Dec 15 at 2345, R. Aparecida is reactivated here, split frequency causing het with stronger 9630.0 Chinese, i.e. CRI Cantonese this hour via Jinhua 831 site (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Enviado por: "Enciclopédia do Rádio" Bom dia Mauro, A Canção Nova já está fora do ar em 9675 há alguns meses... E agora que eles realizaram a migração da AM 1020 de Cachoeira Paulista para o FM, acho bem difícil que voltem a transmitir em OC (Ian José Silva, Fronteiras - Piauí, ibid.)

11600, BULGARIA, The Overcomer Ministry at 1306 // 9330 (Poor via WBCQ) and 9395 (Good via WRMI) with Brother Stair preaching and pontificating – Good Dec 12 – There is quite a difference in the satellite (or terrestrial) feeds between all three stations. Bulgaria is 20 seconds behind WBCQ while it is only about 8 seconds behind WRMI. I can understand the delay between WRMI and Bulgaria and chalk it up to the lag times in the feeds but the delay between the two of them and WBCQ makes me think Allan Weiner wants to air his buddy's program first or vice versa (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD)

– I think someone with Spaceline LTD forgot to kick in the finals in the transmitter at 1300. If you take a 100 watt amateur transceiver and select the 10 watt output you are transmitting without the final tubes (or power transistors) in the circuit. This is what probably happened as the fault could not be blamed solely on band conditions as other, similarly located, stations like Romania and Pridnestrovie were heard with very good signals this morning (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD)

332 kHz, Dec 14 at 0723, beacon QT and dash: 1000 watts from Thunder Bay, Ontario (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Very good signal SINPO = 44444. Could hear Cuba on frequency but much weaker signal and could be mulled by rotating the radio. South Asian music at tune in followed by male announcer in Punjab language? Not 100% sure. More music followed by commercials which I could clearly hear Brampton and Mississauga mention, along with telephone number given with 416 area code. I concluded I was definitely hearing CIAO. Never could hear announcer giving call letters. After commercials more talk and an interview with another male via telephone until fade out at 1150Z. Was hoping to hear announcements at top of hour but no dice (Mike Newland, Morgantown KY, WOR iog via DXLD)

Well-known radio man and radio philatelist as well as involved in education and radio. Congrats OM (Horacio Nigro Geolkiewsky, CX3BZ, Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec 16, wor iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

It will be over a month before I'm able to monitor this situation. If it is CNR1, that will be easy to confirm (Ron Howard, California, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Glenn asked, "we need to know what the Chinese language ID is for CNR3". CNR3 seemed to use ID "yinyue zhi sheng" and "yinyue guangbo" when I checked web recordings. Here's one file with ID's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsqSpkG6i2w 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

6145, Dec 16 at 1437, CNR1 echoing at S9+10, plus fast SAH as it double-jams RTI Chinese at 14-17, stronger than any Asian signal on 49m; // single CNR1 on 6180 also jamming RTI at 10-16; nevermind additional ChiCom stations also sked: 6145 PBS Qinghai; 6180 CNR-17 Kazakh via Lingshi.

6100, Dec 16 at 0009, a whistling song. Probably CRI in Portuguese aimed the long way NW from Beijing site to far Brasil; but CRI in Sinhala via Kunming is also here. HFCC adds Korea South; EiBi and NDXC/Aoki show instead, Korea North (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Well, I suppose those fluent in Esperanto second-language might be better prepared to learn a much more difficult third one (gh, DXLD)

9535, Dec 15 at 2346, Chinese at S5-S9, rather than any trace of
RHCuba in Spanish, supposed to start here at 2200 --- Commies vs
Commies! As CNR1 has to jam RFA Tibetan via Kuwait until 2400 
(and incidentally, CRI English via Kunming also scheduled)
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)  

0100-0900 on 13825 BEI 030 kW / 175 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM mode
0100-0900 on 15250 KUN 030 kW / 032 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM mode
0030-0630 on 17800 QIQ 030 kW / 225 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM mode
0630-0900 on 15735 QIQ 030 kW / 225 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM mode
0900-1200 on  9870 QIQ 030 kW / 203 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM mode
??????????? ?? Observer ? 1:59 PM (via DXLD)

So I decided to go on out a ways onto the various service-road-network on the lakebed playa that are well packed down. I doubled back toward Keeler but out 2 km onto the extremely high ground-conductivity lakebed. I only had with me one of my Sony ICF-SW7600GRs and my (1985) Burhans J-310 based LF-lower-MF active whip that I connected to my mag-mounted 9 foot tall "CB-whip" atop the 4Runner. I only desired to make a long recording of the always interesting very-slow SAH between R. Rebelde and R. Enciclopedia. Both 530 Cubans were very strong by 0250 UT (esp. tuned to 528 kHz to escape some splatter from the 540), and I recorded until a bit past 0305 UT.

R. Enciclopedia was playing soft music as usual and R. Rebelde had a fútbol game on with SS announcer sounding like the usual guy I hear on 5025 frequently -- both about equal strength and a nice mellow and slow SAH of maybe 0.25 to 0.33 Hz between the two.

Hilariously at 0300 UT, a clear "Radio Espiritu Sanctu" ID popped in and then hastily the more audio-bandwidth limited Cuban announcer IDed "Radio Rebelde." I dunno where R. Espiritu Sanctu ("Radio Holy Spirit") was located but I think Rebelde was relaying the game-audio via that station! How hilarious! Shortly after, R. Enciclopedia gave their TOH ID.

When the game resumed, I checked 710 kHz, and under the US pile-up was clearly R. Rebelde with the game // 530 at 0303 UT -- the cheering crowd sounds were very clear. I next tried 1180 and lo and behold under a couple of English stations was the Rebelde complex of stations // 530 and 710 with a "reverb" or fast "echo" (sorta like the CNR echo in China on SW). I guess a whole lot of Radio Rebelde xmtrs. on 1180 were coming in under Montana, etc., hence the reverb effect!

I made a brief 1180 kHz recording enjoying the echoing R. Rebelde stations and then unhooked everything and stowed the receiver and active-whip for the next time. I was very amused at hearing the "slipped-in" "Radio Espiritu Sanctu" ID on Rebelde, hi! I thought they'd gotten religion... "Somethings always hilarious about ..."

[are you sure they were not saying Sancti Spíritus, which remains the name of a Cuban city and province? gh]

I suppose the K-index of 3 was helping the Cuban MF-enhancement. No LWBC TAs noted - not even JBA carriers from 171, 189 or 198, etc. Just a lotta PLCs [powerline communications?] all over between 180 and up beyond 210 kHz. I did park the Sony for a spell on 201 kHz to record 201 IP Mobile, AZ amongst the PLC matrix for some token NDB DXing.

I have been lazy the past couple of weeks by 0400 local (and now too
cold outside) and have not gotten up early for a remote
desert-boondocks BOG DXpedition for Asian TPs as I did a lot in
November, nor any loop-listening at home for TPs. 73 -
(Steve McGreevy -- N6NKS - http://www.auroralchorus.com -- all of my
DXing is done real-time with traditional (non-SDR) receivers --, Dec
12, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)  

Is there anything to explain these on the RHC website schedule? http://www.radiohc.cu/interesantes/frecuencias The slow-loading pdf covering Spanish only, now shows 11840 & 11700 on air until 0600, but both supposed to be in Spanish, for Chile and Buenos Aires, respectively.

Let`s see if from the British-flag page we can get a different frequency schedule? http://www.radiohc.cu/en/interesantes/frecuencias

Yes, this one altho headed in Spanish, covers all the non-Spanish languages, starting with English. Still claims the evening English span is 02-08, instead of reality 01-07 generally, with the extra frequencies starting at 06 instead of 05 when we have been hearing them, just like in the summer. 12000 does not appear on either schedule at any time. It was a Spanish fundamental in A-18. Something`s always wrong at RHC.

15140, Dec 11 at 1506, RHC is suptorted, // much better 15230. Would you believe that the current websked does not show 15230 ever? It`s always on at least in the mornings. There are two suspicious blank spaces under Rio de Janeiro and San Francisco. Something`s always wrong at RHC.

13560, Dec 11 at 1507, big RHC-FM blob right on the central ISM frequency, i.e. separations of about 70-71 kHz from S9+40, 13700-AM. The closer ones are quite readable in FM with the F# tone; further out, only the tone may be detectable, as I then hunt the others and note their strengths, put into order:

13334 trace
13418 S5
13489 S9
13560 S9+10
13630 S9+10
-----  
13770 S9+10
13840 S9
13910 S9
13980 S5
14052 S3
14123 trace

Now that these spread into the 20m hamband, maybe the IARUMS will take notice. However, by 1513, the spurs are diminishing greatly as if someone is turning them down while the fundamental remains strong. Something`s always wrong at RHC.

15370, Dec 11 at 2257, RHC Spanish is S9+25 but suptorted. Something`s always wrong at RHC.

12000, Dec 12 at 0657, JBA music // 6000, i.e. RHC English X 2. Something`s always wrong at RHC.

13764 & 13636, Dec 12 at 1506, RHC-FM spurs out of 13700-AM; also
further pairs weaker outwards, all approx. circa 64 kHz multiples:
13833 & 13572; 13897 & 13505; 13438-trace.  
At 1540 the closest peak is now about 13769, still VG S9+10. 
Something`s always wrong at RHC.

5040, Dec 13 at 0133, RHC is S9+10/20 of dead air 
instead of scheduled French. 
Toujours, quelque chose erroné à RHC.  

6165 undermod // 6000 moremod, Dec 13 at 0134, RHC English already
running presumably from 0100 contrary to *0200 wintersked. 
You never know what the configuration will be later: 
at 0526:  6000 & 6165 English, 
          6060 off, 
          6100 & 5040 & 11840 Spanish; 
         12000 JBA carrier; 
         11700 VP algo.

At 0627: 12000 JBA carrier; 
          6100 poor now in English; 
          6165 better,
          6000 S9+20, 
          5040 all in English; and 
          6060 is still off. 
Something`s always wrong at RHC.

13780, Dec 13 at 1429, RHC open carrier/dead air at S9+10 but flanked
by a panoply of raspy spur peaks approx. plus and minus 3 kHz
multiples between 13753 and 13802.  
No FM spurs out of 13700 at this time. 
Something`s always wrong at RHC
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING  DIGEST)

13765, Dec 14 at 1441, RHC-FM at S9+10, Spanish almost clear with F#
tone, first one found today out of 13700-AM transmitter. 
At 1454 after breakfast I hunt the others, approx.:  
13830, 13892, 13952, 14020-trace, 13636, 13570, 13505, 13442-trace. 
Something`s always wrong at RHC
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

6180even, CRI Chinese from Quivican TITAN San Felipe site, 
S=9+30dB at 0202 UT on Dec 15.  

Bauta 6165 S=9+25, 6060 S=9+15dB, QUI 6000 S=9+25dB at 0207 UT (Wolfgang Bueschel, [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz], df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Viz.:

Today Sunday Dec 16 at 0715 UT checked the SUNDAY ONLY transmission of R Habana Cuba from Bauta site on 6100even kHz channel. Tuned-in at 0715 UT on various remote SDR units in North America. S=8-9 signal strength noted in Detroit MI and Rochester NY state, but also when switched to the 'summit' antenna option like "switch to Perseus ATT 30dB selection" heard proper S=9+30dB, in peaks S=9+40dB or -34dBm signal broadcasts on VE6JY Don's installation at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 0722 UT on Dec 16, till final end program announcement at 0730:06 UT. Female Esperanto language presenter heard. Final announcement presenter both male and female. Everything is well in Bauta Cuba broadcast center - this morning [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] (Wolfgang Bueschel, df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 16, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

15282.985, Dec 16 at 1554, VP S1 scratchy signal with trace of music, likely a spur, but from what? Hardly anything of interest on 19m any more in the propagation doldrums. I soon make a match to 15230 RHC! But no match ~53 kHz below around 15177.

So could it be a spur out of the other RHC on 15140? Yes! There is a match on 14996.930, i.e. ~143 kHz above and below. Both spurs are really wobbly. These compensate nicely for lack of any FM spurs on 13 MHz band today. Something`s always wrong at RHC.

14997 & 15283 approx., Dec 17 at 1515, the RHC JBA spurs are audible again today, plus/minus 143 kHz out of the 15140 transmitter (where BTW, Oman is reported reactivated but blocked by RHC here). Something`s always wrong at RHC, but no 13 MHz FM spurs today (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Full B-18 schedule of R. Habana Cuba start of fundamental 11 Nov 2018.

Updated December 12 by wb, lot of freq/time changes, according recent monitoring reports in past 5 weeks, wb.

0000-0100  6000 QVC 250  010 ENAm Spanish  Mon-Thu "Mesa Redonda"
[I think these should be UT Tue-Fri --- gh]
0000-0500  9640 BEJ 050  110 Antill Spanish
0000-0500 11670 BAU 100  130 SoAm Spanish
0000-0600 11700 QVC 250  160 SoAm Spanish
0000-0100 11950 BAU 100  340 WNAm Spanish  Mon-Thu "Mesa Redonda" irr.
0000-0030 11650 BEJ 050  135 SoAm Creole
0030-0100 11650 BEJ 050  135 SoAm Portuguese
0100-0130 11650 BEJ 050  135 SoAm French  exQuechua 15730 kHz
0100-0600  6060 BAU 100  010 ENAm Spanish
0200-0600  6000 QVC 250  010 ENAm English
0200-0800  6165 BAU 100  340 WNAm English
0600-0800  6000 QVC 250  010 ENAm English
0600-0800  6060 BAU 100  010 ENAm English
0600-0800  6100 BAU 100  310 WNAm English
0800-0830  6100 BAU 100  310 WNAm Esperanto  Sun only irr.

1200-1400  6150 QVC 250  305 NCAm Spanish {ex 12-15 UT, wb.}
probably Quivican antenna HRS4/4/0.9 305degr mainlobe San Francisco CA
1200-1600  9535 BEJ 100  230 CeAm Spanish
1200-1600  9640 BEJ 050  110 Antill Spanish
1200-1600 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Spanish
1200-1400 11950 BAU 100  340 WNAm Spanish
1200-1500 13780 BEJ 050  160 SoAm Spanish
1200-1400 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm Spanish
1200-1600 15230 QVC 250  130 SoAm Spanish
1400-1600 13700 BAU 100  315 WNAm Spanish

1600-1630 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Spanish    Mon-Sat
1600-1630 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Esperanto  Sun only
1600-1900 15140 BAU 100  010 ENAm Spanish [also Sun Esperanto?? gh]
1630-1900 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Spanish

1900-1930 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm Arabic
1930-2000 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm Creole
2000-2100 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm English
2030-2100 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu French
2100-2130  9720 BAU 100  130 SoAf French,    not 2300 UT
2100-2130 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm French
2100-2130 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu Portuguese
2130-2200  9720 BAU 100  130 SoAf Portuguese, not 2330 UT
2130-2200 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu Arabic
2200-0600  9535 BEJ 100  230 CeAm  Spanish
2200-2400  9640 BEJ 050  110 Antill Spanish

2200-2300  9720 BAU 100  130 SoAf English, not 0000-0100 UT,
antenna Bauta #3, HRS4/4/0.8, 160degr minus 30degr slewed, wb.

2200-0300 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm  Spanish
2200-0600 11840 QVC 250  170 Chile Spanish
2200-0500 13740 BAU 100  160 SoAm  Spanish  irr.
2200-2400 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu  Spanish

2300-2400 11700 QVC 250  160 SoAm Portuguese
2330-2400 11650 BEJ 050  135 SoAm French    Mon-Sat ex15730 kHz
2330-2400 11650 BEJ 050  135 SoAM Esperanto  Sun only

83 and 263 degrees CT2/1/0.8
0000-0100  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba English
0100-0130  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba Creole
0130-0200  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba French
0200-0600  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba Spanish
0600-0700  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba English irr.
2200-2400  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba Spanish

Transmitter sites:  
BAU = Bauta
BEJ = Bejucal
QVC = Titan-Quivican San Felipe.

Shortwave schedule of Radio Rebelde
0000-2400  5025 BAU 100  non-dir to Ce&SoAm Spanish

Shortwave schedule of Radio Progreso
0130-0500  4765 BEJ 050  non-dir to Cuba  Caribbean Spanish

(RHC of Nov 6, thanks to Arnaldo Coro-CUB - CO2KK - RHC B-18 sheet file - transformed to pure text file via wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 7, updated Dec 12, via DXLD)

Die sind dort unuebertroffen in ihrer 'gelebten Varianz', oder 'abweichenden Streuen' der Kurzwellenprogramme, wie man es immer ausdruecken will.

Wenn man so viel Musik im Blut hat, kann man/frauinnen sich nicht an die exakten Regeln des Lebens halten. 73 wolfgang

hier anbei der zuletzt monitored Sendeplan vom 13. Dezember:

Full B-18 schedule of R. Habana Cuba start of fundamental 11 Nov 2018.

Updated December 12 by wb, lot of freq/time changes, according recent monitoring reports in past 5 weeks, wb.

0000-0100  6000 QVC 250  010 ENAm Spanish  Mon-Thur "Mesa Redonda"
0000-0500  9640 BEJ 050  110 Antill Spanish
0000-0500 11670 BAU 100  130 SoAm Spanish
0000-0600 11700 QVC 250  160 SoAm Spanish
0000-0100 11950 BAU 100  340 WNAm Spanish  Mon-Thur "Mesa Redonda"
0000-0030 15730 BEJ 050  135 SoAm Creole
0030-0100 15730 BEJ 050  135 SoAm Portuguese
0100-0130 15730 BEJ 050  135 SoAm French  exQuechua
0100-0600  6000 QVC 250  010 ENAm English
0100-0600  6060 BAU 100  010 ENAm Spanish
0100-0700  6165 BAU 100  340 WNAm English
0600-0700  6000 QVC 250  010 ENAm English
0600-0700  6060 BAU 100  010 ENAm English not 6-7
0600-0700  6100 BAU 100  310 WNAm English
0700-0730  6100 BAU 100  310 WNAm Esperanto  Sun only irr.

1200-1400  6150 QVC 250  305 NCAm Spanish {ex 12-15 UT, wb.}
probably Quivican antenna HRS4/4/0.9 305degr mainlobe San Francisco CA
1200-1600  9535 BEJ 100  230 CeAm Spanish
1200-1600  9640 BEJ 050  110 Antill Spanish
1200-1600 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Spanish
1200-1400 11950 BAU 100  340 WNAm Spanish
1200-1500 13780 BEJ 050  160 SoAm Spanish
1200-1600 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm Spanish
1200-1600 15230 QVC 250  130 SoAm Spanish
1400-1600 13700 BAU 100  315 WNAm Spanish and various spurs too

1600-1630 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Spanish    Mon-Sat
1600-1630 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Esperanto  Sun only
1600-1900 15140 BAU 100  010 ENAm Spanish
1630-1900 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm Spanish

1900-1930 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm Arabic
1930-2000 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm Creole
2000-2100 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm English
2030-2100 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu French
2100-2130  9720 BAU 100  130 SoAf French,    not 2300 UT
2100-2130 15140 BAU 100  340 WNAm French
2100-2130 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu Portuguese
2130-2200  9720 BAU 100  130 SoAf Portuguese, not 2330 UT
2130-2200 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu Arabic
2200-0600  9535 BEJ 100  230 CeAm  Spanish
2200-2400  9640 BEJ 050  110 Antill Spanish

2200-2300  9720 BAU 100  130 SoAf English,    not 0000-0100 UT,
antenna Bauta #3, HRS4/4/0.8, 160degr minus 30degr slewed, wb.

2200-0300 11760 BAU 100  n-d NCAm  Spanish
2200-0600 11840 QVC 250  170 Chile Spanish
2200-0500 13740 BAU 100  160 SoAm  Spanish  irr.
2200-2400 15370 BAU 100  010 WeEu  Spanish

2300-2400 11700 QVC 250  160 SoAm Portuguese
2330-2400 15730 BEJ 050  135 SoAm French    Mon-Sat
2330-2400 15730 BEJ 050  135 SoAM Esperanto  Sun only

83 and 263 degrees CT2/1/0.8
0000-0100  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba English
0100-0130  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba Creole
0130-0200  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba French
0200-0600  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba Spanish
0600-0700  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba English
2200-2400  5040 BAU 100  n-d Cuba Spanish

Transmitter sites:  
BAU Bauta
BEJ Bejucal
QVC Titan-Quivican San Felipe.

Shortwave schedule of Radio Rebelde
0000-2400  5025 BAU 100  non-dir to Ce&SoAm Spanish

Shortwave schedule of Radio Progreso
0130-0500  4765 BEJ 050  non-dir to Cuba  Caribbean Spanish

(RHC of Nov 6, thanks to Arnaldo Coro-CUB - CO2KK -
RHC B-18 sheet file - transformed to pure text file via
wb  df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 7, updated Dec 12/13 via DXLD)

1200-1400 6150 QVC 250 kW / 305 deg WNAm Spanish Daily, ex 9600/6000  
0100-0700 6000 QVC 250 kW / 010 deg ENAm English Daily, ex 0200-0800
0100-0700 6165 BAU 100 kW / 340 deg WNAm English Daily, ex 0200-0800
0600-0700 6100 BAU 100 kW / 310 deg WNAm English Daily, ex 0600-0800
0700-0730 6100 BAU 100 kW / 310 deg WNAm Esperanto Sun, ex 0800-0830
??????????? ?? Observer ? 1:21 PM (via DXLD)

0000-0100 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
0000-0100 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
0000-0100 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 225 deg to Cuba Spanish
0100-0200 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
0100-0200 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
0100-0200 on  7365 GB  250 kW / 225 deg to Cuba Spanish
0200-0300 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
0200-0300 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
0200-0300 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 225 deg to Cuba Spanish
0300-0600 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
0300-0600 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
0300-0600 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
0600-0700 on  5980 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
0600-0700 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
0600-0700 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
0700-1000 on  5980 GB  250 kW / 172 deg to Cuba Spanish
0700-1000 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
0700-1000 on  xxxx without 3rd frquency to Cuba Spanish
1000-1200 on  5980 GB  250 kW / 172 deg to Cuba Spanish
1000-1200 on  6030 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
1000-1200 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
1200-1300 on  5980 GB  250 kW / 190 deg to Cuba Spanish
1200-1300 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
1200-1300 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
1300-1400 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
1300-1400 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 205 deg to Cuba Spanish
1300-1400 on 11930 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
1400-2000 on 11860 GB  250 kW / 225 deg to Cuba Spanish [M-F only! gh]
1400-2000 on 11930 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
1400-2000 on 13820 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
2000-2200 on  9565 GB  250 kW / 164 deg to Cuba Spanish
2000-2200 on 11860 GB  250 kW / 225 deg to Cuba Spanish
2000-2200 on 11930 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
2200-2300 on  7375 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
2200-2300 on  9565 GB  250 kW / 164 deg to Cuba Spanish
2200-2300 on  xxxx without 3rd frquency to Cuba Spanish
2300-2400 on  7355 GB  250 kW / 184 deg to Cuba Spanish
2300-2400 on  7435 GB  250 kW / 183 deg to Cuba Spanish
2300-2400 on  9565 GB  250 kW / 164 deg to Cuba Spanish
??????????? ?? Observer ? 9:50 AM (via DXLD)

Ich kann bestätigen, dass es sich um einen vollständig legalen Radiosender handelt. Der Name ist 'Radio OZ-Viola'. Best 73's, (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, ibid.)

Says it`s not a pirate. Accompanying photo of equipment rack is labeled: ``150 wat am 600 w p / p`` (gh, ibid.)

5825, Dec 8, 1410, Radio OZ-Viola with music (Thomas Nilsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 16 via DXLD)

5825, Radio OZ-Viola, new station, test transmission, 1358-1505*, 16-12, here in Lugo very weak signal, barely audible and only on LSB due to dayligh, but via SDR Kiwi North Germany remote receiver, clear signal and fair to strong signal. Non stop instrumental music, identification in English "You are listening to Radio OZ-Viola from Denmark", also identification in Danish. more instrumental music.

website: http://ozviola.dk/
email: jansteendk@hotmail.com 
(Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable
antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)  

Radio OZ-Viola, new test transmissión, 5825 kHz --- Wednesday evening, December 19 at 2000 UT, according to an email received from the station. Will be perfect time to try to hear it in all Europe, due to night time at this hour (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Dec 17, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Mark had set this up as an io group survey, but apparently there was little respons (gh)

Also *0553 (open today later than other days)-0628, 12-12, Spanish, "El panorama social y cultural de Guinea Ecuatorial", "Radio Bata, su compañía", "Cordiales saludos cuando son las siete en punto de la mañana, continuamos con los informativos", "El presidente de la República de Guinea Ecuatorial". 25322 to 15311 at the end (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

7180, Voice of Broad Masses, Asmara, 1631-1650, 11-12, Vernacular comments. 34433. Also 0507-0520, 12-12, vernacular comments. 35433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

I was not expecting to hear it any better this week, so an hour ahead, I reminded members of the WOR, BDXC-UK and HCDX groups:

``Please check 17545, 1500-1600 Saturday only via France, as discovered last week. Little is known about it except it is weekly for Eritrea. What is the ID exactly? How is Alsmood pronounced? Is it definitely in Tigrinya, and/or some other language(s)? Is any contact info announced, website or e-mail? Any further clues to its source? 73, Glenn Hauser``

Thanks to everyone who participated! Their full replies will be rounded up in DXLD 18-51: (gh) Viz.:

A carrier on 17545 was turned on moments before 1500. And this is all that can be confirmed from Central Europe, where it are just barely detectable, scattered signal traces. I also could not find a Kiwi SDR with modulation of this transmission being audible (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1517 UT Dec 15, WOR iog via DXLD)

Re: Mystery Alsmood 17545 imminent --- Hearing a faint signal now, 1503 UT, with a man speaking in unknown language. Signal level is at S5/6 with heavy fades. A few words intelligible at signal peaks (Stephen C Wood, E. Dennis, MA, Perseus SDR, 30 x 15 terminated superloop antenna, hauula7@comcast.net, 1506 UT Sat Dec 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Hello Glenn, I've tuned 17545 at 1515 but only faint traces of something are audible here. I think 17 MHz is much too high for me to hear ISS at this time - most signals from there are usually poor at my location anyway. Hopefully some further south will hear it. 73 (Noel Green, NW England, 1521 UT, WOR iog via DXLD)

It seemed to switch from Tigrinya to Arabic at 1515 gmt. Getting it best via Web SDR in Jo'burg, SA. Also audible (slightly worse) via Northlands, NZ, SDR (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, 1528 UT, WOR iog via DXLD)

I tuned in at 1503 and barely heard male speaking in unknown language followed by some unusual music. Signal then faded away, but music again heard briefly at 1511 & then faded again. I am using an Icom 7200 with a G5RV antenna. 73, (Don W8SWL Hosmer, West Branch MI USA, 1528 UT, WOR iog via DXLD)

Only a weak carrier detected using the U. Twente SDR receiver today (15 December) at 1520 UT. AMSync frequency 17545.000 kHz. Occasional faint audio. Too close to transmitter? Only audible 16m band signal is 17700 kHz, VOA in Hausa from Botswana (-- Richard Langley, NB, 1532 UT, ibid.)

Hi Glenn, Tuned in to 17545 kHz at 1515 UT, male announcer in unidentified language. Just readable, high noise level here in NJ. Music at 1532 after a female announcer heard. No ID possible. 73's (Ed Insinger, 1534 UT, WOR iog via DXLD)

Arabic ID heard in noisy reception but not understood, I'll try to clean up the recording later (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, 1537 UT, WOR iog via DXLD)

Nothing in my QTH and only traces in the SDRs of Pardinho and São Bernardo dos Campos. Inaudible in the Katar SDR. Weak signal but with audio in the Johannesburg SDR. The audio is almost exhausted at 1538, only carrier. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 12°14´S 38° 58´W - Brasil, Tecsun PL-310ET, Antenna Delta Loop 8,5 meters- with screenshot and wav file [2:19 = 3 MB])

I was able to pick up a male announcer mentioning Eritrea at 1556, possibly Arabic. Continued with music and male announcer until abrupt s/off at 1600. Signal peaked at S5 dB on the R8A with PAR EndFed Z EF -SWL (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, 1605 UT, WOR iog via DXLD)

It wasn't audible here but I had a weak to fair signal on an SDR receiver in South Africa from tune-in at 1535. Typical Horn of Africa music, followed by talks in Arabic, including several IDs in Arabic. Time pips at 1555 and what sounds like news headlines in Arabic, over music. Off at 1600.

The IDs sounded like "Huna sawt al samood" or "idaat al samood". Google translates al-samood (or al-smood) as "Stability" so could its translated name perhaps be "Voice of Stability" or something like that? 73s (Dave Kenny, England, 1605 UT, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Recording of three Arabic IDs here: http://www.intervalsignals.net/17545kHz.mp3 Somewhat noisy, the last one is a bit clearer though (David Kernick, Interval Signals Online, 1641 UT Dec 15, WOR iog via DXLD)

I also see it translated into "steadfastness", a variant that looks more apt in this context.

Such a name further raises the question about origin and agenda of these broadcasts, because it suggests something else than yet another project by exiled journalists like Radio Erena and Radio Assenna. And this after the latest developments in Eritrea, with Afwerki having lost the war with Ethiopia as excuse for anything (Kai Ludwig, 1859 UT, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

S. Kitchen not even on SW via WRN via WRMI? Are you sure? (gh, DXLD)

FRANÇA, 7205. 16/12/2018, 2036-2050, Radio France Internationale, Issoudun, em Francês. Uma música-jazz; Locutora faz uma longa entrevista com um musicista, falando em inglês, sobre sua apresentação em Paris e, a execução de músicas do entrevistado; 2046 A entrevista continua. RFI com ótima recepção neste entardecer em Cabedelo, 45554 (José Ronaldo Xavier (JRX) - PR7036SWL, Cabedelo-PB, Brasil, Receptor (es): Degen DE1103, Sony ICF-SW100 e Tecsun S-2000, WOR iog via DXLD) Assume this English segment just a fluke (gh, DXLD)

While regular medium wave broadcasting stopped in Germany, there is a number of low power AM stations coming on the air in Bavaria.

As far as I know, there are now stations in Cham (Oberpfalz), Erlangen-Tennenlohe (Mittelfranken), München (Oberbayern) and Wertingen (Schwaben). People who read German or can figure out what a google translation gives may want to read some info about the stations in Cham (801 kHz) and Munich (1500 kHz) at
https://www.radiomuseum.org/museum/d/das-rundfunkmuseum-cham/

There you will also find a comment on the strange frequency selection for Munich. It is also seen as an example of incompetence on the side of the German frequency regulator - Dr Hansjoerg Biener (16/12-2018) MediumWave.Info - News (via Mike Terry, WOR iog via DXLD)

6070, Channel 292, Rohrbach, *0730-0820 16-12, open today at 0730 with pop songs in English, at 0800 "Superclan Radio", ID "Superclan Radio on 6070 and 7440 kHz short wave, please, send your reception reports to superclanradio@yaoo.com", English, pop songs, "Superclan radio, the station that sounds different". 45444. // 7440 with SINPO 45544.

6190, Hamburger LokalRadio, Goehren, 0700-0805 UT, [Sat] 15-12, program in English, "This is Hamburger LokalRadio..., "In half an hour Glenn Hauser's program World of Radio", but now, "Media Network Plus", at 0730 UT: "That concluded Media Network Plus on HLRadio...", "Glenn Hauser's World of Radio 1960", 0759: ID "Hamburger LokalRadio", German program . 25433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

7440, Atlantic 2000 International, Rohrbach, 0900-0925, 16-12, tuning music, ID in English: "You are listening to Atlantic 2000 International", ID in French, song "You wish you a Merry Christmas", comments in French, "Bon jour, nouvelle fréquence 7440 kHz", pop songs in English. "Atlantic 2000 international, please send your reception reports to atlantic2000intentation@gmail.com". 45444. (Méndez)

7440, Italian Broadcasting Corporation, Rohrbach, 1100-1140, 16-12, ID "This is IBC Radio", program in Italian, comments, 1102 program "Panorama Onda Corte" short wave news, 1117, "This is IBC Italy", program "La Nostra Amica Radio", today about radiotelegraphy. 45444.

7440, Swedish DX Federation, Rohrbach, 1200-1222, 16-12, Swedish, male, ID, frequency, comments, at 1202 song, more comments in Swedish, at 1220 identification in English: "This is a program from the Swedish DX Federation transmitting thanks to Channel 292 in Germany in the 41 meter band, 7440 kHz``, the program is in the Swedish language, more Swedish comments. 35433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

The first two hours is recorded earlier in December and includes musical entertainment (this year from Isabella Rapp and the Lars-Luis Linek band). The second two hours includes a live (I think) religious service. I have heard this annual broadcast frequently over the past few years, and is usually quite a lively and entertaining broadcast.

Frequencies are unconfirmed at present, but Kai advises the following
possible frequencies from 1900-2100 and 2100-2300: 
6080/6145 and 9740/9720 via Nauen;  
9800/9830 and 11650/9590 via Issoudun; 
9570/9650 via Moosbrunn; and 
6030/6155 via Gavar
(Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
See updated info elsewhere:

“Gruss-an-Board” on 24 December. Planned frequencies for Norddeutscher
Rundfunk (NDR) annual Christmas Eve broadcasts on shortwave to German
mariners:
1900-2100 6030-gav 6080-nau 9570-mos 9740-nau 9800-iss 11650-iss
2100-2300 6145-nau 6155-gav 9590-iss 9650-mos 9720-nau  9830-iss
The Gavar (Armenia) frequencies are beamed to Europe.
https://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2015/ndr_kw.html
(Gager Paul, Harald Kuhl, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)

Details for this year are as follows. 
Transmission will run from 1900 to 2300, where two frequencies are 
given they are for 1900-2100 and 2100-2300, respectively.
Nauen:
 6125 / 5930, 125 kW, 250°; to western Europe, northern Atlantic and
Caribbean
 9740 / 9765, 125 kW, 130°; to Indian Ocean
Moosbrunn:
 9790 / 9650, 100 kW, 115°; to southern/southeastern Asia, Australia
Issoudun:
 9800 / 9590, 250 kW, 156°; to eastern/southern Africa, Indian Ocean
11650 / 9830, 250 kW, 195°; to western Africa, southern Atlantic and
South America
Gavar:
 6145 / 6145, 100 kW, 305°; to the whole of Europe  
(Alan Roe, England, Dec 12, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)

I believe the 100-kW-programs on 6070 kHz are coming via Moosbrunn, at least it was announced. vy73 (Harald Kuhl, bdxc-news iog via DXLD)

Atlantic 2000 will be on the air :
- Saturday 15th of December from 0900 to 1000 UTC on 6070 kHz 
  (music and dedications)
- Sunday   16th of December from 0900 to 1000 UTC on 7440 kHz
  (music and radio news)
+ streaming at the same time on our website
 
Good listening! -- Visit our website :
http://radioatlantic2000.free.fr
(via Manuel Mendez, Spain, Dec 12, WOR iog via DXLD)

They generally broadcast in 15 minute segments in a wide range of subcontinental languages. Dan Ferguson's SW Skeds spreadsheet used to list them all but, at 101 different languages and dialects, it was a daunting task to keep up with them all (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD)

Beim ARD-Sender Radio Bremen gibt es wieder Nachrichten auf Latein. Ein knappes Jahr nach Einstellung des Angebots werden die - "Nuntii Latini" neu aufgelegt.

Dies gab der Sender auf seiner Homepage bekannt. Bei Radiosender Bremen Zwei werden sie einmal im Monat am spaeten Abend ausgestrahlt. Die Einstellung der Lateinnachrichten Ende letzten Jahres hatte bundesweit Bedauern und Kritik bei Hoerern und in den Medien ausgeloest, wie der Sender selbst zugab.

Zwischenzeitlich habe europaweit nur noch der finnische Rundfunk ein solches Angebot gehabt. Bei Vatican News finden die Nutzer aktuell einmal in der Woche jeweils ab Dienstagnachmittag die neuesten Nachrichten durch den Theologen und Kirchenrechtler Gero P. Weishaupt

<http://geroweishaupt.com/curriculum-vitae/>

ins Lateinische uebersetzt, allerdings ist aus personellen Gruenden derzeit kein Audio-Service moeglich.

Bis Ende 2017 wurden die Nachrichten bei Radio Bremen in der Sprache Caesars und Ciceros von einem Freiwilligen-Team aus Altphilologen und Lehrern zusammen mit dem ehemaligen Programmleiter des Nordwestradios Joerg-Dieter Kogel erstellt.

Neue Philologen an Bord. Die Einstellung des Programms erfolgte aus Zeitmangel und Altersgruenden. Wie Bremen Zwei mitteilte, habe man wieder Philologen aus Bremen fuer die Arbeit begeistern koennen. Die monatliche Ausgabe der "Nuntii Latini" soll nach Senderangaben jeweils am Ende eines Monats online zu lesen und in den Null-Uhr-Nachrichten zu hoeren sein. Bei der "Nuntii Latini" werden aktuelle deutsche Texte in vermeintlich tote Sprachen uebersetzt.

Die Nachrichten leisten einen Beitrag zur Aktualisierung des
Lateinischen, indem fuer alltaegliche Dinge wie Autos, Handys und
politische Phaenomene lateinische Umschreibungen finden.
(kna/vatican news - hs, Dec 11) 
(BCDX 16 Dec via DXLD)  

Japanese - Towards Japan  
15 Dec 2018 1100-1130 UTC 9910 kHz 50 kW
16 Dec 2018 1245-1315 UTC 7500 khz 50 kw
22 Dec 2018 1100-1130 UTC 9910 kHz 50 kW
23 Dec 2018 1245-1315 UTC 7500 kHz 50 kW
 
English - To South Asia
24 Dec 2018 1245-1315 UTC 9380 kHz 75 kW
25 Dec 2018 1245-1315 UTC 9380 kHz 75 kW
[clever: this fills the 1200-1320 hiatus in AIR usage of 9380 --- gh]
 
English - To ANZ/South Pacific
24 Dec 2018 1030-1100 UTC 11995 kHz 50 kW
25 Dec 2018 1030-1100 UTC 11995 kHz 50 kW

Note : Stereo mode B 64 QAM to Japan/ANZ/SP and 
       mono   mode A 16 QAM to India. ---
(Alokesh Gupta, India, Dec 12. dx_sasia yg 
via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

Radio Verdad Guatemala, 4055 kHz, 0311-0335Z Dec. 13, 2019 --- Much better signal tonight S-7 to S-9. Some fading but signal is fairly steady. SINPO = 34233. Pretty good for 1 KW transmit power.

Instrumental music when I tuned in, Male announcer with Radio Verdad ID in Spanish then more talk in Spanish. Very long song after announcements with male singers in unison. Song has lasted well over 12 minutes. Sounds of train whistle and train locomotive sounds after song finished, then more commentary in Spanish by male announcer -- MN (Mike Newland, Morgantown KY, Icom IC-706 & G5RV up 35 feet, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

No way, this station has been gone for years. WRMI is on 5010 in Spanish until at least 0100. I sent a correxion to NASWA Flashsheet but did not appear in next issue, so here it is (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

See http://shop.elad-usa.com/sdr-radio/fdm-s2/

Antenna: Cardioid pattern SuperLoop: 9m vertical by 20m horizontal (peak 84 deg., null 264 deg.)

See http://www.bamlog.com/superloop.htm for similar antenna type. Dec 11, nrc-am et al. (via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

Anti-government protests filled the streets of Budapest on Sunday Budapest (AFP)

https://www.france24.com/en/20181217-hungarian-public-broadcaster-becomes-focus-wave-protests

The headquarters of Hungary's public broadcaster became the focus of a wave of anti-government protests Monday, with the opposition galvanised by the reaction to a controversial new labour law and more demonstrations expected in the evening.

Two opposition MPs broadcast footage of themselves being thrown out of the MTVA offices in Budapest during the morning, after they asked for access to studios to read out a petition against the government and what they call its "slave" labour law.

MTVA security guards forcibly ejected independent MPs Akos Hadhazy and Bernadett Szel, sparking much criticism online.

Visibly shocked by their treatment, the two MPs immediately filed a complaint with police stationed in front of the building.

They said that as MPs they had a right to be on the premises of a public establishment and to airtime on the public broadcaster.

"This is not a private television station for Fidesz," the party of right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, "but the television of the Hungarian people, financed by the people's taxes," said the MPs, who streamed the altercation live on Facebook.

An anti-government protest on Sunday evening drew 15,000 people, after which Szel and Hadhazy went to the MTVA building among a group of a dozen lawmakers.

The petition they wanted to be broadcast includes a demand to overturn a controversial labour law.

The legislation relaxes restrictions on overtime work. It has sparked almost daily protests -- backed by the opposition -- since it was adopted on Wednesday.

The petition also demands the annulment of another controversial law adopted on the same day, which paves the way for new "administrative courts" to oversee cases concerning matters such as public procurement or electoral disputes.

Justice Minister Laszlo Trocsanyi, a close Orban ally, would oversee the courts. That has prompted warnings the premier could have near-total political influence over the judicial system.

The petition also calls for more independence and objectivity in Hungarian public media, which the opposition derides as "government mouthpieces". It demands that Hungary join an EU public prosecutor's office, a move the government has rejected.

- Fresh protests expected -  

After the TV station refused to broadcast the petition on Sunday evening, some protestors threw smoke bombs at police, who responded with tear gas.

On Monday morning, about ten MPs from various opposition parties said they had managed to evade MTVA's security guards and were still inside the building, pressing staff to read out the petition.

Hadhazy announced that another demonstration would take place at 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT) in front of the MTVA building under the slogan: "If they throw us out the door, we'll come back in through the window".

The wave of anti-government protests in recent days has seen opposition parties from across the spectrum joining forces against Orban's government in a way not seen in recent years in Hungary.

Unions have also backed the demonstrations against the reforms, which hike the annual overtime hours that employers can demand from 250 to 400 hours and allow payment to be delayed by up to three years.

The government says the changes are needed by employers short of manpower and will benefit those wanting to work extra hours.

Over the weekend protestors also gathered in other parts of the
country. In the third-biggest city Szeged the socialist mayor has
called on businesses not to comply with the new overtime law.
(c) 2018 AFP 
(via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)  

Same? story:  
https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/hungary-public-broadcaster-hit-wave-protests-doc-1bo0it4
(via Mike Cooper, DXLD)

Here is a few monitoring observations plus loggings on Regional All
India Radio(AIR) Stations on shortwave which I like to share with you
all. RX Used: Grundig Yacht Boy 400. ANT: Cu WIRE 78' Length 30'
Height With COAX LEADIN  

Geographical Location of Reception Place(Abhayapuri):
Longitude: 26º18´20´´North
Latitude:  90º37´50´´East  

Some Latest Monitoring News:  

1. All India Radio(AIR) Gangtok [SIKKIM] on 4835 is now frequently
heard with severe hum noise, including this morning (December 13,
2018) as observed by me from 0240 to 0332 UT. Here is a link to the
audio recorded of AIR Gangtok today around 0330 UT:
https://app.box.com/s/g8viywevljoha6zguy9hrc3b24r4oqd8  

And AIR-Gangtok was not heard during their day transmission on 6085
(latest on today December 13, 2018) as per my aircheck in the
afternoon also.  

2. AIR North Eastern Service(NES) via Shillong is not also heard here
(including today) for several days on 4970 & 7315 (perhaps off the
air) as per my monitoring.  

3. AIR Aizawl & Kurseong Still Off The Air On Shortwave:
And still no trace of signal of AIR-Aizawl on 5050 & 7295 kHz. And
also AIR-Kurseong is still off the air on both 4895 & 7230 kHz.  

A Few Loggings Of Some Regional All India Radio(AIR) Stations on
December 13, 2018:  

1. AIR Chennai 0326 UT, 7380, Good to Fair Overall Reception with
slight fading. Carnatic Classical Vocal Music by a lady on air
Here is the link to the audio recorded:
https://app.box.com/s/soclkxv23vvt6dqxrm7znlg2y9pxbvmr  

2. AIR Bhopal 0332 to 0341 UT, 7430, Good Signal. News in Hindi Relay
from AIR Delhi, Letter from district Ujjain in Hindi by a lady, 0340
UT Station ID. etc plus sponsored Program in Hindi
Here is the link to the audio recorded around 0340 UT:
https://app.box.com/s/gmzpwflvimmrdm83rj8xdj5dsvd0h7nl  

3. AIR Hyderabad, 0341 UT, 7420, Good To Fair Signal, Slight fading,
Carnatic Classical Instrumental music
Here is the link to the audio recorded:
https://app.box.com/s/hdu6abq8ekc7uelizgaut7cuai3hx1w0  

More updates etc soon. 73s  
(Gautam kumar Sharma (GK), (Abhayapuri)(Assam)(India), 
WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)  

As Cyclone Phethai may hit Andhra Pradesh state, South India tomorrow, All India Radio Stations in Visakhapatnam 927 kHz & Vijayawada 837 kHz (+ 846 kHz DRM) may broadcast continuously tonight also with emergency messages etc. Normally these stations sign off at around 1740 UT (11.10 pm IST). Last night they were noted continuously at night. These transmitters are of 100 kW.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cyclone-phethai-live-updates-meteorological-department-weather-andhra-pradesh-tamil-nadu-5495722/

Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India 1237 UT Dec 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

At least the stream is closing English by 2200, but I suppose SW closed before 2100? Try also at 1300. 73, (Mauno Ritola, ibid.)

I tried this afternoon at 1300 UT, very very poor signal, nothing compared to yesterday which was slightly better. I really should check the stream as well when Mestor is running to give me a good indication. 2100 UT on the dot it closed compared to yesterday`s sign off 2113. The annoying thing is that the signal when I had Mestor running from 2050 was actually SIO 433! Best Regards (Jordan Heyburn, ibid.)

? what`s Mestor? Name goes to Greek mythology, and Dr Who, and?? (gh, DXLD)

At 1005 the stream has English, but 3325 kHz hasn't yet started.
73, 
(Mauno, 1008 Dec 12, bdxc-uk iog via DXLD)  on at 1045
(Mauno, 1048 UT, ibid.)  English now at 1
(Mauno_Ritola, Dec 12, bdxc-news iog via DXLD)

3325, RRI Palangkaraya (relaying Voice of Indonesia) (Last log NOV18)
3345, RRI Ternate (only sporadic) (Last log OCT18)
7290, RRI Nabire (erratic) (Last log OCT18)  
RRI Wamena on 4870 will be deleted, because it has not been reported
heard since MAY17. Best 73,
(Anker Petersen via DXPlorer, via SW Bulletin Dec 16 via DXLD)

The International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1) Monitoring System (IARUMS) reports that Radio Hargeisa in Somaliland has returned to 7120 kHz after a break of several weeks, while Radio Eritrea [sic] has been reported on 7140 and 7180 kHz. Radio Sudan has been transmitting on 7205 kHz with excessive splatter, IARUMS said. German telecommunications authorities have filed official complaints.

The signal of a Russian over-the-horizon radio on 20 meters. 0TB_JwlFR_34XGdc0DrREIpo4SG_D7w3a3D0u347reqTdgRor4EtUOJ00VGS\ 7Qx9QHwV6gUyRKLRT3bAw5ucM3gpQsgy_qlyPHH6kOyZklsxYeMsGg=s0-d-e1-ft.jpg [Photo courtesy of Wolf Hadel, DK2OM]

IARUMS has also reported digital signals attributed to the Israeli Navy on 7107 and 7150 kHz. In addition, a Russian military F1B signal was observed in mid-November on 7179 kHz. A Russian over-the-horizon radar has returned to 20 meters on 14335-14348 kHz. It was monitored on November 22.

Earlier this fall, IARUMS reported digital signals from the Polish military daily on 7001.8 kHz where Amateur Radio has a worldwide primary allocation. Telecommunications officials in Germany filed a complaint.

IARUMS has received reports of short "beeps" exactly 1 second apart, as well as frequency hopping between 10108 and 10115 kHz and 18834 and 18899 kHz. The signals are believed to emanate from a site near Chicago associated with an FCC-licensed experimental operation involved with low-latency exchange trading on HF (see "Experiments Look to Leverage Low-Latency HF to Shave Microseconds off Trade Times").

Although Amateur Radio is secondary on 30 and 17 meters, Experimental licenses may not interfere with Amateur Radio operations (From the ARRL Letter for December 13, 2018 via Jack Amelar, MARE Tipsheet 14 Dec via DXLD)

0224 next check I have one undermodulated S6-S8 signal on 6090.00. I have been trying to match reports of R. Bandeirantes, Brasil being heard on 6090 at 0220 in Portuguese, but if this is it now, should have been audible earlier and likely off-frequency like its former 9645 and 11925 channels (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

NHK, Japan’s national broadcaster, has partnered with Eutelsat Communications to launch the world’s first 8K network: BS8K. The live broadcast took place on 2 December from the Vatican where images were transmitted to Tokyo via the EUTELSAT 12 West B satellite. This momentous event by NHK has broken new ground for 8K contribution via satellite.

On the air today in Japan, BS8K features 8K Ultra HD footage of major cultural and sporting events, museums and natural landscapes, providing viewers with a fully immersive experience which will be broadcast 12 hours a day.

The channel will allow for further experimentation with 8K prior to the large-scale deployment of the format for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics games in 2020.

In early December, BS8K screened a newly scanned version of the cult film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Read more here
https://aib.org.uk/nhk-partners-with-eutelsat-for-the-launch-of-the-worlds-first-8k-channel/ (AIB media industry briefing | December 2018 via DXLD)

Shiokaze/Sea Breeze, via Yamata, Japan, which currently is on 6085 kHz, from 1300 to 1400 UT, will shortly be broadcasting their annual special mini-concert program. The concert will take place in Tokyo, on December 15. The mini-concert will be broadcast via Shiokaze and will often be rebroadcast throughout December and January. It is always timed to coordinate with “North Korean Human Rights Abuses Awareness Week" and the international symposium held by the government of Japan. We can expect a disruption of their schedule of languages, so perhaps Thursdays will not be in English?

https://www.abductees2018.jp/en/

"Part 3 : Mini-Concert

Joint recording of radio programs to North Korea by “Furusato no Kaze (Wind of Home)” and “Shiokaze (Sea of Breeze)” co-hosted by the Secretariat of the Headquartes for the Abduction Issue, and Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to N. Korea. Cast: A gathering to sing “Anata wo Wasurenai (We never forget you)”, Ms. Ayaki Yamaguchi, Ms. Yumiko Usami, Ms. Saya, and students from Tachikawa Daishiti Junior High School." (via Ron Howard, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

?The BBC launched its largest bureau outside the UK in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on 5 November. Around 300 of the 600 BBC journalists working across Africa are based in the new, state-of-the-art facility.

"Our most important investment will be in training the next generation of African reporters and producers to world-class standards," Fran Unsworth, Director of BBC News, said.

The expansion is being funded by $376m (£289m) from the UK government
and the production facilities at the bureau include a TV studio and
two further live broadcast positions, two radio studios, two radio
workspaces and five TV edit suites. Full story here.
https://aib.org.uk/bbc-opens-expanded-nairobi-bureau/
(AIB media industry briefing | December 2018 via DXLD)  

Tim, I suppose you are referring to 2850 kHz? At 1257 UT
(Glenn, ibid.)
Yes, I am referring to 2850
(Tim, ibid.)
see also PROPAGATION  

TAJIKISTAN, Winter B-18 schedule of National Unity Radio via Dushanbe:
https://swldxbulgaria.blogspot.com/2018/12/winter-b-18-schedule-of-national-unity.html
(Ivo Ivanov, SWLDXBulgaria News, Dec.12, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Viz.:  

1100-1300 on 6045*DB  100 kW / 071 deg Korean, ex 1200-1400 on 9885
1800-1900 on 6045*DB  100 kW / 071 deg Korean, ex 1400-1500 on 9885
* co-ch same 6045 HWA 010 kW / 010 deg Korean Voice of Freedom
??????????? ?? Observer ? 9:55 AM (via DXLD)

AFN Yongsan, Seoul 1530  
AFN Osan, Humphreys 1440
AFN Daegu, Carroll 1440
Mujuk 1512
Chinhae 1512
AFN Camp Casey, Casey 1197
Red Cloud 1161
AFN Kunsan, Kunsan 1440

Currently there are three active AFN stations in Korea: AFN Humphreys, AFN Kunsan and AFN Daegu. At 0600-1000 and 1400-1800 each of these stations broadcast their own radioshows. From 1000 to 1400, AFN Humphreys broadcast a Peninsula-wide show that goes out to all the stations (Thomas B. Smith, SSgt, USAF, AFN Pacific-Korea, Camp Humphreys, 3.12.2018 via Jan Oscarsson, Arctic Radio Club mv-eko Dec 17 via DXLD)

By ``active`` does he mean originating programming, or the only ones really transmitting? (gh, DXLD)

Two others are listed at this time, PBS Nei Menggu, Hohhot, I.M., CHINA in Mongolian at 2150-1605; and the one most likely to be off- frequency, R. Kuwait in Arabic at 1100-1600. In fact, that was reported on 9749.8 as long ago as Nov 2, 2017 by Ivo Ivanov.

11629.76, Dec 16 at 1425, R. Kuwait Qur`an, pretty music with no het at S9-S7, always off-frequency yet I see some logs of it as ``11630`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

590, XEPH, La Sabrosita, México DF. DEC 17 0604 - Faded up suddenly over KTIE and XEGTO with Mexican anthem (fast adult choral version) and back to regular tropical format. When I found this on my recording, I went back outside the next hour and caught them //web stream with tropical music. New, DF #23, Mexico #309 from home.

590, XEGTO, Hits 95.9 FM, León GJTO. DEC 17 0559 - End of Suprema Corte program, then straight into Mexican anthem (children`s choral, short version) and back to regular AC format. When I found this on my recording, I went back outside the next hour and caught them //web stream with AC music. New, GJTO #7, Mexico #308 from home. I have been chasing both of these stations since before XEBH left AM several months ago. There seemed to be a third Mexican station in there that I couldn't account for. It wasn't XEE (not //web stream), and that seemingly leaves only XEFD which is fairly far off the beam of this antenna.

I recorded at 0557-0607 and 0657-0707 UT, so hopefully I'll find
something else on these latest recordings. BTW, KDYL-1060 still seems
to be stuck on day rig with Chinese programming. No ID heard, but
presumably them. 73
(Tim Hall, Chula Vista, CA (between San Diego and Tijuana). 
Editor, NRC GY DX Achievements and IRCA Mexican List 2018-2019, 
0736 UT Dec 17, ABDX yg via DXLD)  

Leave it as a BuG :). XEPH is common enough here in IL in semi-AU or greater AUroral cx. XEGTO I have never had. KDYL has been heard here a few times on great SSS nights before they switch. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.)

570 was interesting last night. Mexican anthem sounded like the version I've heard on XEBJB, and I might even hear a "BJB" slogan, but right after that I could almost swear I hear 94.9 FM La Mexicana which would be XEOA-OAX. Oaxaca would be much closer to the beam of this antenna (out to sea off the west coast of Mexico) but XEBJB has been heard before.

XEETCH-700 and XEDKR-700 were both in well last night, with KALL much weaker than usual.

KFIR-720 was audible through KDWN. KVLV-980 signed on at 6 am this morning, but I have no PSRA listed for them. KUKI-1400 was on top of the channel this morning. No sign of KENT-1540 yet. They will be Esne Spanish Catholic // KMBX-700, KURS-1040, XEAAA-1040, KWST-1430, KTYM-1460, KHPY-1670, etc. 73 (Tim Hall, ABDX yg via DXLD)

XEQN is a migrant with a continuity obligation. That is, it's stuck in the combo phase until some other radio station comes along to serve some community that only can receive XEQN. In this case, the communities are in the municipalities of Nazas, Cuencamé and General Simón Bolívar, Durango. (Cuencamé itself has no local stations.)

For some stations, these localities can be quite a ways away. For XEWA/SLP, the localities were in municipalities including Dr. Arroyo, Nuevo León; Peñamiller, Querétaro; Bustamante, Tamaulipas; and Xichú, Guanajuato (Raymie Humbert, AZ, Dec 14, WTFDA Forum via DXLD)

1570, Dec 15 at 2009, once again I am checking for early skywave from XERF, like the past two afternoons, 3+ hours before sunset --- but listening until 2023, it does not emerge from the jumble. Shows how variable conditions can be even for daytime MW DX (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Also 0503-0608*, 12-12, Spanish, comments, songs, at 0602 anthem, id.“1060 AM, medio siglo de acompañar la transformación social, política y cultural de México, 100,000 [sic] watts de potencia, desde la Ciudad de México, Radio Educación, una emisora del Servicio Nacional de Comunicación Cultural, crea, colabora, comparte”, music, at 0607 Radio France International news in Spanish, close at 0608. 25432 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Radio Indígena

La nueva estación de radio en la Ciudad de México, Aire Libre 105.3 de FM, que encabeza Eduardo Henkel Pérez Castro, quiere poner el ejemplo y abrirá un espacio para transmitir contenido de organizaciones indígenas de México.

Será en la tercera semana de enero cuando se transmita un primer programa con contenido de la participación de diversas radios indígenas del País.

Entre las organizaciones que participarán en ese primer programa están Redes por la Diversidad, Equidad y Sustentabilidad AC, que lleva Erick Huerta, y Boca de Polen A.C., liderada por Eugenio Bermejillo, por mencionar algunas.

Se trata de una transmisión de dos horas que servirá como un experimento de apertura de un medio comercial a las comunidades indígenas que tienen casi nula participación fuera de sus lugares de origen.

La idea es que se convierta en un espacio permanente, ya que en la radio comercial prácticamente no existen este tipo de iniciativas, salvo las cápsulas de Mardonio Carballo.

Capitanes  11 Dic. 2018  Diario Reforma  Enviado por: 
(Carlos J. V., radioescucha group via Juan Franco Crespo, Spain, DXLD)

¿Siglas? the 105.3 in CDMX per WTFDA Database is:

``XHINFO-FM 105.3 CD. DE MÉXICO CDMX MEX 2.0 2.0 50.0 50.0 19-22-26 99-06-31 Spanish COMMUNITY RADIO`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

?Erik Montenegro, conductor y ex gerente de Horizonte, ha hecho pública la situación del sistema informativo [caption?]

13/12/2018 | Yanet Aguilar Sosa  El Universal
yanet.aguilar@eluniversal.com.mx

La situación laboral que priva en el IMER, (Instituto Mexicano de la Radio) ha salido de los pasillos de las 17 emisoras (diez permisionadas y siete concesionadas) y ha saltado a las redes sociales, donde ha comenzado a hacerse pública la situación urgente que prevalece en ese sistema informativo público.

Erik Montenegro, conductor y ex gerente de Horizonte, una de las emisoras del IMER, a través de una carta pública publicada en su muro de Facebook, alerta sobre la grave situación laboral. “Con la cancelación de los contratos por honorarios para 2019 es muy probable que estemos en el vórtice del fin de una historia radiofónica maravillosa e increíble”, señala el conductor.

En el mensaje, señala que una Institución como el IMER debe ser analizada con lupa ya que se trata de un caso extraordinario donde la gran mayoría de colaboradores “estamos contratados bajo ese régimen”.

Asegura que: “Al día de hoy no hemos tenido ninguna información sobre el futuro de los programas ni de los contratos. Tampoco hemos recibido información sobre los pagos de noviembre y diciembre de este año. El IMER, con quien firmamos, nos invita a averiguar directamente en Hacienda qué es lo que sucede, deslindándose de cualquier explicación”, afirma.

Montenegro asegura que “estrictamente el 1 de enero, si no sucede algo antes, estaríamos fuera, al menos en Horizonte (y para dar una idea de una sola emisora): La barra de la madrugada”.

Cita por ejemplo los programas de Mariana Pérez Viveros, quien además es programadora de la estación; Alejandra García M. Locutora y Dagmar Ruiz (quien tiene doble turno); así como la barra nocturna, donde están los programas de Oscar Sarquiz Figueroa, Iraida Noriega, Magos Herrera, Hugo Moreno, Luis Sánchez y Raul De la Rosa, entre otros.

“Muchos de los arriba mencionados estamos de acuerdo en que esto es importante que se sepa y que no quede como un daño colateral de un cambio que se llevó entre sus aguas a gente increíblemente creativa y muy trabajadora. No. No nos aferramos a nuestros programas. No son nuestros. Hacemos radio pública y sabemos que el cambio es necesario para una mejor creación y que la verdadera estrella siempre será el contenido. Solo queremos que no nos pase la aplanadora por encima y que nadie, al menos, deje una nota como ésta”, afirma Erik Montenegro.

De paso, el conductor de Horizonte señala que desgraciadamente la gran mayoría de instituciones públicas tienen serios problemas de "aviadores" y contratos apócrifos, y que “la medida tomada por el nuevo gobierno es comprensible, pero difícilmente aplicable de forma contundente a todos por igual. Insisto, el IMER es un caso especial”. nrv [?] Enviado por: Carlos J. V. (via Juan Franco Crespo, Spain, DXLD)

WTFK? Here`s this station in the WTFDA FM Database:

XHIMR-FM 107.9 CD. DE MÉXICO CDMX  
[H & V kW ERP:] 30.0 30.0
[H & V m HAAT:] 478.29 478.29
[Coordinates:] 19-31-57 99-07-49
[Language:] Spanish
[Mode:] HD
[PI Code:] ----
[PS INFO:] ESCUCHA NUESTRA SENAL DIGITAL 107.9 FM CANAL HD 1 "XHIMR"
           HORIZONTE 107.9 FM LA [sic]
[RADIO TEXT:] XHIMR HORIZONTE 107.9 FM INSTITUTO MEXICANO DE LA RADIO
[PTY:] Jazz
[Format:] JAZZ/VARIETY
[Slogan:] HORIZONTE 108
(via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

A high-stakes struggle over the airwaves between a Mexican radio owner and his San Diego-based operator spilled over onto the airwaves today resulting in DJs being yanked off the air and commercials for San Diego businesses not getting aired.

The Max 105.7 disappeared from the San Diego airwaves.

It may not have the drama of the Private Parts movie scene where Howard Stern is yanked off the air. Or the late ‘60s hostile takeover of English pirate radio stations by the British government. But the abrupt squashing of the Max 105.7 FM by its Mexican owner could lead to some big changes in how American broadcasters use Mexican-based radio transmitters owned by Mexican nationals.

Listeners to 80s-based oldies the Max discovered today that San Diego DJs known on-air as “Cha Cha,” “J.J.” and Frank Anthony were no longer announcing the hits by Billy Idol, U2 or Michael Jackson. There were no commercials. No station IDs. No mention at all that you were listening to the station formerly known as the Max.

The station is operated by Broadcast Company of Americas. Its studios in Mira Mesa feed the programming to three different Mexican stations with transmitters in greater Tijuana, including 105.7 XHPRS-FM and two all-sports stations, Mighty 1090 XEPRS-AM and XEPE 1700 AM.

One insider with knowledge of the affairs of the stations say the group has been delinquent in paying its annual transmitter fee to two different Mexican owners.

The owner of XEPRS/1090-AM is Andreas Bichara. The connected insider says Bichara is not happy with his relationship with the operator and has shown interest in finding a new operator that would pay the asking price of $100,000 a month in rent/transmitter fees for Mighty 1090 or who would buy the 50,000-watt sports station station outright for $11-million.

Broadcast Company of America’s other two stations, 105.7-FM and 1700-AM, are owned by Tijuana-born businessman and politician Jaime Bonilla Valdez, who was known to have homes in Chula Vista as well as Baja. Bonilla, a close ally of President Manuel Lopez Obrador, was elected in January as senator representing Baja California. He was on the board of the Otay Mesa Water District until 2012. Bonilla sold San Diego based KURS 1040-AM in 2016.

Attempts to reach Bonilla were not successful. But radio insiders say he was simply no longer interested in continuing to allow Broadcast Company to use his FM station without paying rent. The tipping point came late Wednesday, December 12 when Bonilla pulled the plug just hours before the operator's Christmas party at Solare in Liberty Station. It is not known how much the rent for 105.7 to Bonilla is, but the insider says he was told it was more that Mighty 1090’s $100,000 per month and that 105.7’s may be as much as $135,000 monthly.

Going forward it is not clear that Mexican owners can continue to expect the rental fees they have enjoyed over the years due to decreased overall ad spending on American terrestrial radio.

Ownership of Broadcast Company of Americas has in the past has included former Padres owner John Moores and the Viejas tribe. Currently it is run by general manager Mike Glickenhaus who has been involved in local radio management since the 80s. Glickenhaus did not return a request for comment for this article.

It is assumed that Bonilla would put the Max feed back on his transmitter if the operator gets current. Bonilla opted to replace the Max feed with his own collection of similar sounding 80s oldies usually heard on the Max. The first full day of broadcasting without the Max apparently involved someone in Bonilla’s Tijuana studios playing hit after hit. Listeners were surprised to hear some unusual songs by Erasure and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark that were not big radio hits.

The situation is different for another San Diego broadcast group called Local Media San Diego which just sent out a press release saying that its three key management members were in fact buying Local Media and its three Mexican stations 91-X (XETRA-FM), Magic 92.5 (XHRM-FM) and Z90 (XHTZ-FM) from the Thoma Bravo venture capital firm. General Manager Gregg Wolfson would not divulge the amount of the sale price or any other specifics.

But one well-placed insider says unlike Bonilla’s 105.7, the three Local Media stations are officially owned by a Mexican national who allows the American entity, Local Media, to retain actual ownership. The insider says that the three-station group was put on the market last year for $18 million but that this month was sold to the management group for $12 million.

Wolfson says at this time Local Media San Diego would have no interest in taking over 105.7 FM. Before it was an 80s-skewing hits station, the Max was known as the Walrus, playing 60s and 70s oldies. Nielsen ratings for the Max showed it was in 20th place among all listeners, not as good as oldies-based Sunny (KXSN 98.1 FM) which was in third place but better than 100.7 KFMB-FM.
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2018/dec/14/mexicans-cut-max-1057/# (via Mike Terry, UK, Dec 15, WOR iog via DXLD)

One new callsign today, for a community station in Michoacán. La Voz del Canario, A.C., will go on the air from Tiquicheo, Michoacán as 106.5 XHSCAZ-FM.

Two more came in the next day:

    La Monarca de Contepec, A.C., Contepec, Mich.: 106.7 XHSCAL-FM
    Abel Santiago Miguel, Asunción Nochixtlán, Mich.: 98.1 XHASU-FM

Last edited by Raymie; 12-13-2018 at 01:14 AM (Raymie Humbert, Phœnix AZ, originally Dec 12, WTFDA Forum via DXLD)

More IFT meeting notes, more concession renewals.

In a packed November 14 meeting with many telecom items, the IFT also approved a share transfer (XHEOF-FM) and several renewals.

In radio, XHNC-FM, XEAS-XHAS, XETP-XHTP, XHEMZ-FM, XHMI-FM and two other stations were renewed.

There were eight TV renewals as well, including XHA, XHMZ, XHND, XHQ, XEJ, and XHMH (Raymie, Dec 13, ibid)

To hear it from the CIRT, commercial broadcasters pay too much in too many taxes.

One way that broadcasters must pay up are the renewal fees for radio and TV stations. With most commercial broadcasters having faced concession renewals in the last two to three years, expensive payments have come up.

In broadcasting, unlike in telecommunications, these fees are paid as lump sums for as many as 20 years of broadcasting. Instead of paying (US) $4.1 million per year just for the Las Estrellas network, for instance, Televisa must pay a lump sum of $83.8 million (not to mention its other stations). These are large one-time expenses that can be harder for smaller broadcasters to meet.

CIRT representatives met with Senate president Martí Batres https://www.jornada.com.mx/2018/12/13/politica/019n1pol this week to air their concerns over the lump sum payments and the fact that broadcasters are subject to so many taxes; after a private meeting, CIRT head José Luis Rodríguez Aguirre spoke at a press conference with Batres and other Morena senators, stating that the continued viability of commercial broadcasters "is at risk due to this overregulation on tax issues" and that moving to annualized payments would bring Mexico in line with other countries (Raymie, Dec 14, ibid.)

XHPECD-FM began testing this week, and the Class A social station for Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato also delivered a surprise.

Turns out Ciencia, Comunicación y Tecnología de Irapuato is related to Grupo AWD and its Fundación Nikola Tesla. You know what that means: Magnética FM!
https://www.facebook.com/fergauss.magnetica/videos/2461789623838198/ It's the second Magnética station after XHAWD-FM in San Luis Potosí, which came on the air in March 2005.

The stick is located near a statue of José Alfredo Jiménez west of town. Street View actually went by there in June and July of this year, with the tower being installed in that interval.

Meanwhile, in Puebla, XHRTP-FM San Martín Texmelucan flipped from La Poderosa to Crystal (under Grupo Siete operation). This Puebla rimshot gives Grupo Siete a presence in the only megalopolis area it wasn't in. The group has stations in Mexico City, Coacalco, Toluca, Tenancingo-Malinalco, Pachuca and Cuernavaca (Raymie, Dec 14, ibid.)

The Instituto Mexicano de la Radio could be adversely affected by changes in government payment policy.
https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/mer-k-2/en-incertidumbre-trabajadores-del-imer-por-cancelacion-de-contratos/

Many freelance IMER contributors are paid in contracts stipulating fees. The government is eliminating many of these, and payments for the last two months are slow to come in. That's prompting concerns that many programs and personalities at the IMER stations might be out. One of the reasons why this is an issue is that control of these contracts is being placed in the Secretariat of Finance, away from IMER's orbit. Some employees are bracing for pay cuts or even working without pay (Raymie, Dec 15, ibid.)

Trouble is brewing for one of the American companies operating Mexican radio stations in Tijuana. [see full story above]
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2018/dec/14/mexicans-cut-max-1057/#

That would be Broadcast Company of the Americas, which is apparently behind in rent to both of the owners that together represent the company's three stations.

1700 XEPE-AM and 105.7 XHPRS-FM are owned by Media Sports de México, which is to say, Jaime Bonilla Valdez. Bonilla, who was elected to the Senate earlier this year and now has a position as state-level coordinator of all federal programs in Baja California (one of the new "superdelegates"), pulled the plug on XHPRS 105.7 Max FM and immediately began programming a similar format, probably fed from PSN itself. There are no firm figures available in the article, but XHPRS-FM apparently cost $135,000 or more in rent per month.

The third station is 1090 XEPRS-AM, which is owned by Interamericana de Radio, S.A. de C.V. Interamericana de Radio is owned by the Bichara family (of NRM Monterrey and KVJY-FM). The Bicharas are apparently looking for a new operator for 1090 to the tune of $100,000 a month in rent or $11 million to buy.

The same problem would not afflict Local Media of San Diego (XHITZ,
XETRA-FM and XHRM). That's because Comunicación XERSA, S.A. de C.V.,
has a very different ownership structure. All of the voting shares in
it (51% of the total) are held by Radio XERSA, S.A. de C.V. Holding 49
percent and without voting rights — indicating non-Mexican control 
— is another concern, Controladora Local Media of America, 
S. de R.L. de C.V.  

Big kudos to Ken Leighton of the San Diego Reader — this article is almost completely accurate and the sourcing matches the publicly available ownership descriptions that the IFT makes available in the RPC! (Raymie, Dec 15, ibid.)

An expansion to the story from yesterday on BCA San Diego falling apart as XEPE also was cut off from San Diego.

According to Twitter posts https://twitter.com/carlosgleztj/status/1073821188810432513 and my own listening, it is currently simulcasting XESDD 1030 La Tremenda, the linchpin of PSN's radio operation.

I want to delve into a couple of causes and effects from this collapse between PSN and BCA. First off, BCA did not have a very good last couple of years. The market for sports radio in San Diego suffered greatly when the Chargers left town, and to add insult to relocation, the Padres did just that to Entercom (in a sweetheart deal about which much ink has been spilled) while San Diego State University athletics bolted to KLSD 1360 AM. The loss of the advertising power that the Padres, Chargers and Aztecs allowed BCA to command likely led to a serious downturn in revenue, and with the rent on 1700 being $100,000 a month and 105.7 being more than that, the financial problems likely were amplified. BCA was left running sports radio stations without team rights in a town with a diminished appetite for sports radio.

Another effect is specific to PSN. Remember who owns it: a man who heads the Morena party in Baja California, is the state superdelegate, and is technically all that while on leave from the Senate.
http://www.4vientos.net/2018/08/30/madruguete-de-jaime-bonilla-seleccion-de-candidatos-de-morena-para-2019-en-bc-por-encuesta/

Did I mention Baja California has gubernatorial elections next year? And that one Jaime Bonilla, according to an October poll, led the field of potential Morena gubernatorial candidates?
http://jornadabc.mx/tijuana/29-10-2018/jaime-bonilla-encabeza-las-preferencias-para-la-gubernatura-de-2019

Getting an extra AM station and an FM frequency — despite never having operated it itself — would be a huge boon going into 2019.

Additionally, PSN acquired Tijuana talk station XEC Radio Enciso for a reported (US) $2.5 million in October.

———

There's also another new callsign.

Somos Uno Radio La Voz de la Comunidad, a current pirate 88.7 in Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca, will become XHSOM-FM 106.9.

The callsign assignment is noteworthy — it belonged to a 2000 ghost station in Sombrerete, Zacatecas, on...88.7 MHz. (You can't make this up.) The ghost stations have had protected callsigns all this time. Something must have changed.

The other community station awarded at the same time, XHSCCF-FM 93.3 (Fundación Guish Bac Abriendo los Cielos, A.C.), is now on air on its new and legal frequency. Estéreo Guish Bac had been on 90.7 and 91.7.

Also worth noting: XHSCBU-FM 106.7, the new station for Sueños de Vida Xalatlaquense, A.C. at Xalatlaco, State of Mexico, will be a Class D (Raymie, Dec 17, ibid.)

It is now 1706 UTC Dec. 17, 2018, as I write.

The espn1700.com (stream is now running the Ray Lucia (financial) Show, which will be followed by the Dave Ramsey Show. Yet, XEPE is still announced on-air as ESPN 1700. Go figure.

Overnight the last two nights, I believe the stream was still running sports talk, despite the actual 1700 running SS talk, which Raymie said was //La Tremenda XESDD.

I am not sure if the actual 1700 will *ever* run *any* ESPN stuff anymore. Why should it? They are running off any sports fans. What a way to run a railroad.

Anyway, I was curious, as a DXer. Those of us who frequent online SDR's lately, well, let's say heads have been spinning. At least for me. Certainly an adventure for us in da hobbee! cd (Chris Dunne, Pembroke Pines FL, Dec 17, ibid.)

XEPE has had a block of daytime financial shows for years and ESPN at night, though the station branding never mentioned this. This arrangement made more sense when XEPRS was CBS Sports Radio, but Entercom took that with them too when they lost the Padres. Some of the ESPN shows I believe now air on XEPRS.

I once caught an ad for a mortgage broker with the same voiceover of almost every Mexican government PSA translation the stations produce.

I'd always avoid the financial shows when recording PSA translations off the webstream because ESPN Radio programs had a much more predictable clock hour.

[tagline:] Este programa es público, ajeno a cualquier partido político. Queda prohibido el uso para fines distintos a los establecidos en el programa (Raymie, Dec 17, ibid.)

Voice of America
1200-1500 on  5840 TIN 250 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Korean

Radio Free Asia
0030-0130 on 13735 TIN 250 kW / 289 deg to SEAs Burmese
0030-0130 on 17510 TIN 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs Burmese
0200-0300 on 17525 TIN 250 kW / 295 deg to CeAs Tibetan
0300-0700 on 17660 SAI 100 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Chinese
0600-0700 on 17675 TIN 250 kW / 295 deg to CeAs Tibetan
0600-0700 on 21480 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Mon
0600-0700 on 21490 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Tue
0600-0700 on 21500 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Wed
0600-0700 on 21510 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Thu
0600-0700 on 21530 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Fri
0600-0700 on 21610 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Sat
0600-0700 on 21620 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg to CeAs Tibetan Sun
1000-1100 on  9690 TIN 250 kW / 295 deg to CeAs Tibetan
1100-1200 on 13685 SAI 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs Lao

1230-1330 on  9325 TIN 250 kW / 271 deg to SEAs Khmer
1230-1330 on 11795 TIN 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs Burmese
1230-1330 on 12130 TIN 250 kW / 297 deg to SEAs Burmese
1330-1400 on 13735 TIN 250 kW / 289 deg to SEAs Burmese
1400-1500 on 13810 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Mon
1400-1500 on 13675 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Tue
1400-1500 on 13810 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Wed
1400-1500 on 13675 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Thu
1400-1500 on 13810 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Fri
1400-1500 on 13610 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Sat
1400-1500 on 13645 TIN 250 kW / 287 deg to EaAs Cantonese Sun
1430-1500 on  9720 TIN 250 kW / 270 deg to SEAs Khmer
1430-1500 on 11750 TIN 250 kW / 280 deg to SEAs Khmer
1500-1600 on  7415 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Mon
1500-1600 on  7520 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Tue
1500-1600 on  7415 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Wed
1500-1600 on  7520 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Thu
1500-1600 on  7415 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Fri
1500-1600 on  7520 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Sat
1500-1600 on  7520 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese Sun
1500-1600 on  9315 TIN 250 kW / 288 deg to CeAs Tibetan
1500-1600 on  9790 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese
1500-1600 on 11660 TIN 250 kW / 295 deg to CeAs Tibetan
1500-1700 on  5885 TIN 250 kW / 333 deg to EaAs Korean
1500-1700 on  9590 SAI 100 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Korean
1500-1700 on  9985 TIN 250 kW / 329 deg to EaAs Korean

1600-1700 on  9455 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Mon
1600-1700 on  9720 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Tue
1600-1700 on  9455 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Wed
1600-1700 on  9720 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Thu
1600-1700 on  9455 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Fri
1600-1700 on  9905 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Sat
1600-1700 on  9905 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese Sun
1600-1700 on 11720 TIN 250 kW / 313 deg to CeAs Uyghur
1700-1900 on  5885 TIN 250 kW / 333 deg to EaAs Korean
1700-1900 on  7415 TIN 250 kW / 303 deg to EaAs Chinese
1700-1900 on  9860 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese
1700-1900 on  9985 TIN 250 kW / 329 deg to EaAs Korean
1900-2000 on  9860 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese
2000-2100 on  9410 SAI 100 kW / 300 deg to EaAs Chinese
2000-2100 on  9455 SAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs Chinese
2000-2100 on  9535 TIN 250 kW / 309 deg to EaAs Chinese
2100-2200 on  7485 TIN 250 kW / 329 deg to EaAs Korean
2100-2200 on  9860 TIN 250 kW / 329 deg to EaAs Korean
2100-2200 on  9985 TIN 250 kW / 325 deg to EaAs Korean
??????????? ?? Observer ? 9:51 AM - 73! Ivo Ivanov (via DXLD)

So are you saying that *none* of these SAI/TIN transmissions have been replaced by another site at same time on same frequency? (gh, DXLD)

Trying to pull more of WVAL or somethings in absence of KQCV, but it cuts on at *1415 JIP gospel huxter, as if 1415 were its proper sunrise in December, which is really 1330 UT (Jan: 1345 UT) --- but KQCV is semi-local here day & night, 2500/1000, psra 38 watts (what`s the point of a psra much lower than your night power?) IIRC, KQCV`s pattern is out of whack with an STA.

800, Dec 16 at 1413 UT, gospel-huxter in progress, so KQCV OKC is already running unlike Dec 13 when it cut on at *1415 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

``1210 30.11 1100 KGYN Guymon OK med ID. Har väl slutat med countrymusik - Stefan Wikander, Söråker i stugan på Bjännmyrmon med 2x430 meter staggared beveragearray och flagarray`` (Glenn Hauser, OK DX LISTENING DIGEST)

ALL TIMES AND DATES HERE ARE STRICTLY UT!

Durations not specified, probably mostly 1 hour, some 2 hours

FRI DEC 21 
1600 Center Stage at Wolf Trap with Washington Symphonic Brass
[repeats Dec 25]  

SAT DEC 22 
{1400-1600 Performance Oklahoma: Xmas Vespers 2018 at OCU [sacred]

https://www.kucofm.com/programs/performanceoklahoma/this-week-s-program/
Oklahoma City University has a fine music department --- gh}  

SUN DEC 23 
0300 Holiday Jazz with Dee Alexander  

MON DEC 24 
1500 Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols
2100 Xmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra
2200 Chanticleer Xmas
2300 St. Olaf Xmas Festival  

TUE DEC 25 
1200 All Is Bright
1300 Welcome Xmas
1400 Center Stage at Wolf Trap with Washington Symphonic Brass
1500 St. Olaf Xmas Festival
1700 Winter Holidays Around the World with Bill McGlaughlin
1810-2500 Xmas Day Afternoon: ALL SCHUBERT, Yea!
(Glenn Hauser, Dec 21, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)  

106.3, Dec 13 at 1940 UT, ``The new 106-3, The Wolf, Certified True Country`` and variations on that non-ID. Dec 14 at 1602 legal ID ``KWOF, Waukomis-Enid, the new 106-3, The Wolf, True Country``, etc. This implies that country on parent station 107.1 KNID North Enid is *not* ``true``!

FCC map shows the tower is axually in Waukomis, 36-12-59 N, 97-54-54 W, just west of speedtrap US 81, 6 kW ERP H&V at 100 meters HAAT; and the 60 dbu contour reaches only unto mid-Enid, but it`s a local- quality signal here, blocking a possible FM DX frequency. Original call KWEO probably never made it on air, until they decided how to brand this thing.

97.7, Dec 14 at 1551 UT, ``New classic rock station in town, kicks-ass
97-7, The Hawk``, etc. 1600 UT ``Soaring over Hennessey and Enid, 
97-7 KHRK, The Hawk``.  
Original call for this was KHEO, probably never made it to air. 
This is only 3.9 kW H&V at 100 m HAAT, 36-12-59 N, 97-54-54 W 
--- guess what, exactly the same coordinates as KWOF Waukomis!
60 dbu contour barely covers Enid, but local quality signal here.
Goodbye, any DX on 97.7.

Not sure exactly how long these have been on air, as there has been absolutely no local publicity/advertising/newspaper coverage about them. I expect all are automated out of the KCRC/KNID CTB building on Willow in Enid next to the three 1390 towers in a row. Listening to both the better part of an hour, *no* commercials heard, just music and promotional non-IDs at every break (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Indeed, the transmitter is again in operation, apparently repaired two months after it failed. Carrier on 15140 came on at 1400, after some moments followed by modulation. There is an issue with the program input, seems to be a badly adjusted noise gate that chops off speech. And a pretty weakish signal, not able to really override co-channel Cuba (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1418 UT Dec 15, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

15140, Radio of Sultanate of Oman, Muscat, *1430-1515, 15-12, open
with pop songs in English and English comments, ID at 1445: "Radio
Sultanate of Oman", "Muscat area", "This program,.. the Arab
world...", more comments in English, 1500: "Oman FM..., pop song, at
1504 Arabic comments. 44444
(Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable
antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
So hardly any CubaRM (gh)  

Pakistan's media regulator, PEMRA, issued "show cause" notices to 17 TV channels for broadcasting what it said was false news reports. The channels allegedly covered a meeting between PM Imran Khan and Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau chairman Javed Iqbal.

Reports suggest that included in the 17 channels are Geo News, Dunya News, Aaj News, Express News, Neo News, 24 News, Bol News, 7 News, Metro One, Hum News, ARY News, Samaa, Public News, 92 News, GNN, Channel 5 and K-21 News. The Prime Minister's office denied that the meeting had taken place.

News channels are bound to verify every news item before airing it. "However, it has been observed that news channels in the race to be ahead broadcast breaking news being aired by other news channel[s] without verification," the Pemra statement said.

This is the second time in two weeks that PEMRA has issued "show cause" notices to Pakistan news channels. On 23 November PEMRA said that live coverage by 22 channels of the attacks on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi was in violation of PEMRA regulations. (AIB media industry briefing | December 2018 via DXLD)

And now that the hard part is out of the way, I'll be turning my attentions to putting up web pages of photos to accompany the book and a set of web pages about the radio stations I visited during my travels there last year. http://www.donmooredxer.com/books/peru.html (Don Moore --- donmooredxer@yahoo.com, SW Bulletin Dec 16 via DXLD)

Good health to you Polish Radio. With the onset of winter, there was more time to listen to the radio. Sergey sent a report on listening to the First program of Polish Radio (called “Edinka”, that is, “One”) and the foreign service of Polish Radio with technical details and thanks for the broadcasts. And also a question:

Every day, at noon in Warsaw time, there is some kind of recording on Yedinka, there is an hour-long battle from the beginning, then some steps are heard, some kind of melody plays on the trumpet, then again the steps and the same melody again. Obviously, this record is of great importance for Poland and for Polish culture. Tell me, what is this record? What does it mean for Poland? Thank you.

Dear Sergey! The first program of Polish Radio broadcasts at noon heinal. This word is of Hungarian origin and means "morning" or "wake up". In this case, it is a signal of the exact time, distributed every hour from the tower of the St. Mary's Church in Krakow. In past centuries, starting from the XIV century, it was a signal that sent guard service from the highest tower of the church. Nowadays, continuing the tradition, every hour a trumpeter comes out on the tower of the St. Mary's Church and plays heinal to all sides of the world.

In 1926, microphones were installed on the church tower. And, if every hour the heinal is heard only in Krakow, then at noon it is already heard all over Poland, thanks to the broadcasting of the Polish Radio Unit.

Did you know that the touching legend is connected with the Heinal in Krakow? A long time ago, the trumpeter, seeing an approaching enemy cavalry, began to sound the alarm, but fell, struck down by a Tatar arrow, piercing his throat. The warned citizens managed to repel the attack, but the heinal has since ended on the same note on which the hero’s life ended.

We add that Heinal is one of the symbols of Poland. His melody was blown out by the Polish Hornish Corporal Emil Cech on May 18, 1944 in honor of the victory over the Nazi troops in the battle of Monte Cassino. And on June 11, 2000, the Heinal was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as a melody played simultaneously by 2,000 trumpet players who came to Krakow from around the world. http://radiopolsha.pl/6/249/Artykul/396858 (via Rus-DX Dec 16 via DXLD)

5980, Dec 16 at 0010, poor signal in Spanish about a balneario, so RRI
probably plugging a travel contest. EiBi says this hour is for
Venezuela in particular; whence a lot of subjects would be glad to get
to refuge in Romania
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Viz.:  

Nuevo concurso en RRI: “Govora - turismo de balneario a nivel europeo” --- 2018-12-01 11:09:00

Queridos amigos, les invitamos a participar en un nuevo concurso dotado con premios, “Govora - turismo de balneario a nivel europeo” dedicado al balneario de Govora. http://main2.rri.ro/pages/printeaza/2590325 (via Juan Franco Crespo, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

Presumably available also in English, listeners` contest about a spa (gh)

The presentation of the new Arctic radio station, which will be broadcast on long and short waves, was held in the framework of the international circumpolar media congress “Arctic Media World”. The project aims to revive Russian widescreen broadcasting for residents and workers of the Far North.

Ol`ga Stefanova, director of the radio station “Russian Arctic”, noted that there are several northern radio stations in Russia today, but they all work in the FM band, which means it’s impossible to catch these waves 40-50 km from the broadcasting point. She also noted that today in the Arctic, one can catch signals from Germany, Japan, the Vatican, the USA, Turkey, Italy, the Philippines, India and even from Madagascar, but not from Russia.

Speaking about the importance of the project, Stefanova noted that radio can become not only an important source of information for employees of polar stations, military bases and the entire Northern Sea Route, but also a warning system in case of accidents, emergencies and war. She also mentioned that the creation of such a project can solve the task set by the state to establish a strategic emergency channel with the population, eliminate information inequality and provide the population with high-quality cultural and social content. According to Stefanova, it is planned to create seven reference areas of broadcasting on long and short DRM (digital broadcasting) waves, so that, for example, it will be possible to broadcast from Novosibirsk to Yamal and Taimyr.

The content of the radio station by 40% will consist of conversational programs and by 60% - from musical compositions. The themes include stories about exploration and combat operations in the Arctic, ecology, culinary traditions of the North, news from the Great Earth and much more. The main goal is to revive the prestige of life and work in the Arctic among the population and create a sense of participation in the life of the country of residents of the most remote corners of Russia.
http://radioarctica.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RadioRusskaya-Arktika.pdf https://vk.com/vcfm2014 (via Rus-DX 16 Dec via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

In the Arctic zone of Russia may appear its own radio station. The target audience of the new media is residents of the Arctic regions, polar explorers, oil workers and sailors. This became known at the circumpolar media congress "Arctic media world", which takes place on Monday in Salekhard. “The idea of ??creating such a radio came a long time ago,” said Ol`ga Stefanova, director of the autonomous non-profit organization Radio Russian Arctic, Russia. - I participated in a number of expeditions, and during the wintering at the polar station, we had only the First Channel from all the media, where there were many specific entertainment programs. Because of this, the sensation of information hunger was created.

Thus, the idea of ??creating a radio, which would broadcast throughout the Russian Arctic and create a single information and cultural space, appeared, said Olga Stefanova. - Such a radio could listen to polar explorers, meteorologists, sailors, oil workers and residents of the Arctic. In general, those people who, by virtue of their activities, are deprived of access to the media, said Olga Stefanova. She also reported that the radio station is now engaged in a zero production cycle, preparing various programs, some of which are already on the Internet. This will continue until the appearance of the first transmitter, which will broadcast in the Arctic zone. The project has already received a Presidential grant and was supported by the Association of polar explorers. “We hope that in the near future we will be able to make a report at the scientific expert council of the State Commission for the Development of the Arctic and attract the state to create this media, because without its support the development of such a large-scale project is not possible,” concluded Olga Stefanova. Andrey Toropov, nao24.ru http://onair.ru/main/enews/view_msg/NMID__71621/ (via Rus-DX 16 Dec via DXLD)

You can see it here - 
https://rusdx.blogspot.com/2018/12/n5.html
(via Rus=DX 16 Dec via DXLD)  

20 / November --- The second week I observe just such rubbish on the
49 meter range.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnKPxAJcRn8
Solid interference from 5800 to 6400 kHz. Radar or something local?
Not like impulse noise. Help understand what it is, who is watching
something like that? 
(via Rus-DX 16 Dec via DXLD)  

Pancho Rodríguez de La Voz de Rusia: Se cumplen hoy 10 años de la desaparición física de ese gran locutor y buen amigo. Nació en Chile. Falleció un 11 de diciembre de 2008 en Moscú. Al momento de su muerte, Pancho realizaba varios espacios radiales y noticiosos. Muchos recuerdan su famoso "Frecuencia RM" de La Voz de Rusia. Descansa en paz amigo! (Dino Bloise ? Arnaldo Slaen ? Luis Valderas / https://www.facebook.com/groups/140003342701545/ via Rus-DX 16 Dec via DXLD)

By Joby Warrick and Anton Troianovski,

[This story has been optimized for offline reading on our apps. For a richer experience, you can find the full version of this story here. An Internet connection is required.]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/classic-apps/agents-of-doubt-how-a-powerful-russian-propaganda-machine-chips-away-at-western-notions-of-truth/2018/12/10/b9193942-e2cb-11e8-8f5f-a55347f48762_print.html?noredirect=on

Chris J Ratcliffe AFP/Getty Images CAPTION: 
Police community support officers outside the Salisbury, England,
residence of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, two days after he and his
daughter fell ill from the effects of a nerve agent in March.  

SALISBURY, England -- The initial plan was a Cold War classic -- brutal yet simple. Two Russian agents would slip onto the property of a turncoat spy in Britain and daub his front door with a rare military-grade poison designed to produce an agonizing and untraceable death.

But when the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal was botched, the mission quickly shifted. Within hours, according to British and U.S. officials who closely followed the events, a very different kind of intelligence operation was underway, this one involving scores of operatives and accomplices and a scheme straight out of the Kremlin's 21st-century communications playbook -- the construction of an elaborate fog machine to make the initial crime disappear.

Dozens of false narratives and conspiracy theories began popping up almost immediately, the first of 46 bogus story lines put out by Russian-controlled media and Twitter accounts and even by senior Russian officials, according to a tabulation by The Washington Post -- all of them sowing doubt about Russia's involvement in the March 4 assassination attempt. Ranging from the plausible to the fantastical, the stories blamed a toxic spill, Ukrainian activists, the CIA, British Prime Minister Theresa May and even Skripal himself.

The brazenness of the attempt to kill a Russian defector turned British citizen at his home in southwest England outraged Western governments and led to the expulsion of some 150 Russian diplomats by more than two dozen countries, including the United States. Yet, more than eight months later, analysts see a potential for greater harm in the kind of heavily coordinated propaganda barrage Russia launched after the assassination attempt failed.

CAPTION: A Washington Post video.

Intelligence agencies have tracked at least a half-dozen such distortion campaigns since 2014, each aimed, officials say, at undermining Western and international investigative bodies and making it harder for ordinary citizens to separate fact from falsehood. They say such disinformation operations are now an integral part of Russia's arsenal -- both foreign policy tool and asymmetrical weapon, one that Western institutions and technology companies are struggling to counter.

"Dismissing it as fake news misses the point," said a Western security official who requested anonymity in discussing ongoing investigations into the Russian campaign. "It's about undermining key pillars of democracy and the rule of law."

Variations on the technique existed during the Cold War, when the Soviet Union used propaganda to create alternative realities. In the early years of President Vladimir Putin's rule, Russian officials and state-owned broadcasters promoted false narratives to explain the death of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian security official who died in 2006 after being exposed to a radioactive toxin in London.

But the disinformation campaigns now emanating from Russia are of a different breed, said intelligence officials and analysts. Engineered for the social media age, they fling up swarms of falsehoods, concocted theories and red herrings, intended not so much to persuade people but to bewilder them.

"The mission seems to be to confuse, to muddy the waters," said Peter Pomerantsev, a former Russian-television producer and author of "Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible," a memoir that describes the Kremlin's efforts to manipulate the news. The ultimate aim, he said, is to foster an environment in which "people begin giving up on the facts."

Moscow has repeatedly rejected such accusations, while suggesting that Britain is responsible for any confusion over what happened in the Skripal case. "Nine months has passed and so far we have not been presented with any official results of the investigation," Russia's London Embassy said in a statement to The Post. "The Embassy still has no access to our Russian citizens," a reference to Skripal and his Russian daughter, Yulia Skripal, who was also sickened in the attack.

Yet the same tactics that were observed in the wake of the Skripal poisoning have been employed multiple times since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, in each case following roughly the same script. When pro-Russian separatists shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 passengers and crew members, Russian officials and media outlets sought to pin the blame on the Ukrainian government, suggesting at one point that corpses had been trucked to the crash site to make the death toll appear higher.

State-controlled Russian media unleashed a fusillade of falsehoods after the assassination of reformist politician Boris Nemtsov in Moscow in 2015 and after at least three deadly chemical weapons attacks against civilians by Syria's pro-Russian government.

And apart from these concerted campaigns, there is a daily churn of false or distorted reports that seem designed to exploit the divisions in Western society and politics, especially on issues such as race, violence and sexual rights, and that are pushed by droves of operatives posing as ordinary citizens on social media accounts.

While many of the individual stories are easily debunked, the campaigns have had a discernible impact, as measured by opinion polls and, occasionally, public statements by Western politicians casting doubt on the findings of the intelligence agencies of their own governments. In October 2015, months after U.S. and European investigators concluded that Flight 17 had been brought down by a Russian missile fired by separatists, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump told CNN that the culprit was "probably Russia" but suggested that the truth was unknowable.

"To be honest with you, you'll probably never know for sure," he said.

Results such as these have encouraged what private groups say is a massive and ever-increasing investment by Moscow, which has placed numerous news outlets fully or partly on its payroll and operates at least one troll factory in which scores of employees disseminate pro-Kremlin messages using thousands of fake social media accounts.

The cost of this matrix is about $1.3 billion a year, according to Russian budget documents -- a modest sum, considering the benefits, said Jakub Kalensky, until recently an official with the East StratCom Task Force, a rapid-response team created by the European Union to counter Russian disinformation. Unlike the covert operations used by Russia to influence foreign elections, Russia's distortion campaigns rarely invite retaliation, he said.

"For Russia, they are a cost-effective method for disrupting and undermining us," Kalensky said. "You can have quite a good result for the money spent."

Matt Cardy Getty Images CAPTION: 
A Salisbury housing complex is cordoned off after the death of
44-year-old woman who was exposed to Novichok, the nerve agent that
sickened Sergei Skripal and his daughter.  

A botched `hit'

By any objective measure, the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal was an unalloyed disaster, the kind of intelligence-agency face plant that might have toppled a government if the operation had been carried out by a Western democracy. For the Kremlin, however, the bungled killing was quickly seized on as a public-relations opportunity.

A Russian military intelligence officer who was released to Britain as part of a spy swap in 2010, Skripal was the object of special scorn for Putin, who would publicly deride him as a traitor and a "scumbag." Skripal had been convicted in Russia in 2006 of treason for spying for Britain and was serving a 13-year sentence at the time of the swap.

British investigators say two operatives from the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, were dispatched to Skripal's adopted hometown with a perfume bottle filled with Novichok -- a deadly nerve agent developed by Soviet scientists in the 1980s -- with the aim of quietly poisoning the 67-year-old pensioner.

Almost nothing went according to plan. The operatives came up short in their quest to kill Skripal. He fell gravely ill along with his daughter, but both recovered after being aggressively treated by doctors for exposure to a suspected nerve agent. Moreover, investigators say, the Russian agents compounded their failure with the inadvertent death of a British woman who became ill after her boyfriend stumbled upon a discarded vial of Novichok and gave it to her, thinking it was perfume.

Metropolitan Police AP CAPTION: 
A security-camera image shows the suspect named as Alexander Petrov at
London's Gatwick Airport on March 2.  

Metropolitan Police AP CAPTION: 
The suspect named as Ruslan Boshirov, at Gatwick on March 2.  

British investigators quickly identified the toxin as a Russian nerve agent and then publicly identified the suspected hit men, who were repeatedly caught on camera as they wandered around in Salisbury on March 4. Their cover story -- the two claimed to be tourists visiting the city's 13th-century cathedral -- was riddled with holes.

Surveillance camera footage showed the men walking not toward the cathedral but in the opposite direction, toward the residential neighborhood where Skripal lived. The exiled Russian was poisoned the same day.

"They failed to kill their target, and they failed to be covert," said retired Rear Adm. John Gower, who oversaw nuclear, chemical and biological defense policy for Britain's Defense Ministry. "Because of those failures, Russia had to pivot really quickly."

And so, when the real facts became problematic, Gower said, Russia quickly manufactured new ones. Dozens of them.

A parade of false stories

The Kremlin's propaganda machine swung into action in the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt. Following a playbook already honed in response to events in Syria and Ukraine, Kremlin-controlled outlets produced a plethora of possible explanations. On March 6, two days after the poisoning, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti was already quoting an anesthesiologist saying that the manner of Skripal's poisoning suggested he was a drug addict and had overdosed.

On March 8 alone, pro-Kremlin news outlets published five phony narratives about the events in Salisbury, offering explanations for Skripal's illness that included an attempted suicide by Skripal and his daughter and a chemical-weapons leak at the nearby military laboratory at Porton Down.

Dmitry Kiselyov -- the host of the program "Vesti Nedeli" ("News of the Week") on the Rossiya network and a leading figure in the country's propaganda hierarchy -- picked up the baton on March 11. He said that because Skripal was already "completely wrung out and of little interest" as a source, his poisoning was only advantageous to the British to "nourish their Russophobia" and organize a boycott of the summer's World Cup soccer tournament in Russia.

Then it was the Skripals' pets turn in the spotlight -- two guinea pigs and a fluffy Persian cat named Nesh Van Drake. The lack of information about their condition, Russian officials said in remarks that were broadcast on state TV, showed the British were surely covering something up.

"Where are these pets now?" Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, asked at a Security Council meeting on April 5. "What has happened to them? Why has nobody said anything about them? Their condition is very important evidence."

The theories kept coming: Was it someone from the Baltics? Was Skripal poisoned on MI5-sponsored trips to chemical labs in the Czech Republic and Spain? Could it be a British government plot to distract attention from Brexit -- or even from a pedophilia scandal in the western English town of Telford?

The Skripal affair, RIA Novosti columnist Ivan Danilov wrote, "will continue as long as the government of Theresa May needs it to resolve its own internal problems."

Clive Marshall Press Association/AP CAPTION: 
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, at a roundtable for
international news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg
International Economic Forum in May, rejected Britain's assertion that
a military-grade nerve agent sickened the Skripals.  

Propaganda machine

British officials and experts who studied the events say the false narratives emerged from a Russian information ecosystem in which news outlets and social media networks are increasingly intertwined with the country's intelligence apparatus and official communications organs.

While independent media voices flourished briefly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Putin years have been marked by assassinations of prominent journalists and the silencing or muting of dissent. In recent years, the control over many of the largest news outlets has become nearly absolute, officials and analysts say.

Putin brought Russia's privately owned, freewheeling TV networks to heel in one of his first major moves as president. The Kremlin now controls all of Russia's main national television channels -- and half of all Russians say television is their most trusted source of news. The channels deliver a strident, conspiratorial, pro-Kremlin message in hours of lavishly produced talk shows and newsmagazine programs every night.

That domestic propaganda machine is backed up by state-owned news agencies, RIA Novosti and Tass, and a stable of pro-Kremlin newspapers and websites. The government expects to spend $303 million on state broadcaster VGTRK and $293 million on RT, the international broadcaster, this year, according to the latest official figures.

Although the Internet in Russia is mostly uncensored and reporting critical of Putin is widely available in print, online and on the radio, the government's voice is by far the loudest in Russia's media landscape.

Providing further amplification are social media "troll" factories -- including one in St. Petersburg known as the Internet Research Agency, described in a Justice Department indictment earlier this year -- where hundreds of workers are paid to disseminate false stories on the Internet, under official direction, U.S. officials said. After a crisis, Russia's information network lurches into action, promoting stories and theories favored by the Kremlin, often with remarkable creativity, say officials and analysts.

"Different parts of the system echo each other, so the stories build momentum," said Ben Nimmo, a British-based researcher with the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab, which analyzes government disinformation campaigns.

Russian politicians and diplomats then chime in, often ridiculing any official investigation and denouncing claims of Russian involvement, Nimmo said. Russian diplomats -- and on multiple occasions, Putin himself -- publicly scoffed at Britain's claims that Russian operatives were behind the Skripal poisoning. The Twitter account of the Russian Embassy in London echoed several of the false stories from social media, suggesting that Skripal was a British spy and theorizing that British military scientists had synthesized their own batch of Novichok, with help from a Soviet chemist who defected to the West.

"In absence of evidence, we definitely need Poirot in Salisbury," the embassy tweeted, in an allusion to Hercule Poirot, the fictional detective created by novelist Agatha Christie. Some British officials regard such denials as beyond cynical, as the use of Novichok in the poisoning was widely seen as deliberate -- a subtle, unspoken claim of responsibility intended to warn other dissidents not to cross Moscow.

Some of the attempts to reshape the Skripal narrative backfired. After British officials on Sept. 5 released surveillance photographs of a pair of Russians suspected of carrying out the plot, RT aired an interview in which the two men claimed that they had been mere tourists in Britain. Their story began to unravel days later when a report by the investigative news site Bellingcat assembled compelling evidence that both men were GRU officers.

Metropolitan Police Getty Images CAPTION: 
The suspects in the Skripal attack, named as Ruslan Boshirov, left,
and Alexander Petrov -- identities that British officials said were
aliases -- were captured by a surveillance camera at the Salisbury
train station on March 3.  

The men made no effort in the RT interview to explain the traces of Novichok police discovered in their hotel room and instead made an awkward attempt to explain why they made two quick trips to Salisbury over a wintry March weekend. One of them described a desire to see the Salisbury cathedral's "123-meter spire" and ancient clock, two features that appear on the cathedral's Wikipedia entry.

Pro-Kremlin media also started pushing the story line that the two men might be gay -- and, by implication, could not possibly be part of Russia's military intelligence service. The "Vesti" news show ran a segment depicting Salisbury as imbued with a spirit of "modern European tolerance" and full of gay bars. In fact, a local newspaper said the town's sole gay bar had closed three months before the Skripal poisoning.

Yet, even as the alibi attempt turned into farce, Russia's Foreign Ministry continued to claim that Britain had concocted evidence to frame the men for a crime they could not possibly have committed. "There is no proof," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote in a Facebook posting on Sept. 26, asserting that Britain was seeking to divert the public's attention from the real story of "what happened in Salisbury."

As the false stories began to be picked apart, Russia responded with "a mixture of defiance and desperation," Nimmo said. "You can see the Russian propaganda machine struggling over what to do."

And yet by then, it no longer mattered. By multiple measures, Moscow had mostly succeeded in achieving the outcome it wanted most -- doubt.

A bewildered public

Last month, an independent pollster set out to measure how ordinary Russians viewed the events in Salisbury. The result: Despite lab reports, surveillance photographs and a detailed criminal complaint by British investigators, Russians overwhelmingly rejected the notion that their government was involved in the attack.

Nearly 3 in 10 of the Russians surveyed said they believed Britain was behind the poisoning, while 56 percent agreed with the comment "It could have been anyone," according to the Levada Center poll, conducted during the third week of October. Only 3 percent were willing to attribute the assassination attempt to Russia's intelligence agencies.

Indeed, the Kremlin managed to turn the botched assassination and the ensuing Western uproar to Putin's political advantage. The Russian presidential election was on March 18, and Putin was looking for high voter turnout to legitimize another six-year term. The Skripal affair allowed the Kremlin to turn the public's attention away from domestic problems and back to the confrontation between Russia and the West -- a winning issue for Putin.

By quickly accusing Russia of being behind the poisoning, Britain's May gave Putin a "pre-election present," Gleb Pavlovsky, a former Kremlin adviser turned prominent Putin critic, said at the time. "She angered the voters a little bit and gave him another three to five percentage points of turnout."

Levada sociologist Denis Volkov said the result showed the compelling nature of the us-vs.-them narrative constructed by the Kremlin and state media over the past two decades. In that reality, the West is bent on stopping Russia from returning to great-power status after it brought the country to its knees in the 1990s. The story line builds on many Russians' memories of chaos, violence and poverty in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In focus groups, Volkov said, people sometimes acknowledged the likelihood of Russian involvement in the Skripal poisoning after initially rejecting it. After all, the respondents said, Russia was in a new Cold War with the West, and since the United States and its allies were lying, cheating and killing, Russia had to as well.

"They'll say, `Sure, yeah, we might've done it,' " Volkov said. " `But what's the problem? Everyone's doing it. There's a war going on, even if it's a cold war, between Russia and the West. So it's okay to do it. The main thing is to deny everything.' "

Russia's propaganda organs targeting foreign audiences -- the television network RT and the web of radio stations and websites called Sputnik -- also promote an anti-American narrative. While Russia's domestic messaging builds on Russians' bitterness stemming from the instability after the Soviet collapse, Moscow's foreign propaganda message capitalizes on an aversion to what is seen as U.S. hegemony and hypocrisy in many parts of the world.

Spencer Platt Getty Images CAPTION: 
Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, at a September meeting of
the U.N. Security Council in New York during which Britain announced
its latest findings in the Skripal investigation, pointing to two
Russian suspects.  

It's less clear how effective RT and Sputnik are in pushing Russia's message abroad. In Britain, the Kremlin's version of the events in Salisbury has been widely debunked by independent news media. But in central and eastern Europe, where Russian channels in multiple languages are part of the standard cable-TV lineup, the contradictory claims have left viewers confused and bewildered -- precisely what the designers of the propaganda campaign intended, said Kalensky, the former E.U. investigator.

"The strategy is to spread as many versions of events as possible and don't worry that they sometimes contradict themselves," Kalensky said. "It's not the purpose to persuade someone with one version of events. The goal for Russia is achieve a state in which the average media consumer says, `There are too many versions of events, and I'll never know the truth.' "

Even in the West, government agencies fear that Russia's efforts are contributing to a growing distrust in traditional sources of information and blurring the line between fact and fiction. While RT's viewership is relatively small in the West, its stories are frequently recycled on right-wing websites and media outlets.

Just as often, the stream flows in the opposite direction. False stories that first appear on obscure conservative news sites become fodder for Russian TV talk shows. Since the start of the Trump era, Russian channels regularly echo the U.S. president's allegations about an American "deep state" and his depictions of the mainstream media as "fake news."

The resulting muddle was highlighted by Putin himself, who, while standing next to President Trump during their July summit in Helsinki, seemed to distill the Kremlin's approach to the news while responding to a question about Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"As for who to believe, who you can't believe, can you believe at all?" Putin mused, before answering his own questions: "You can't believe anyone."

Troianovski reported from Moscow. Natalia Abbakumova and Amie
Ferris-Rotman in Moscow contributed to this report. 
(c) The Washington Post Company 
(via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)  

That`s almost 2800 miles, two rather long hops for double, so could even be triple, 931 miles each, ideal single hops (gh, DXLD)

Perhaps the easiest Trans-Atlantic on a 10 kHz multiple channel. 
Super selectivity not needed. So go get 'em!  

There is also the 0300 UT / 10 p.m. EST sign-on though that typically
has more domestic interference (largely WCKY) to battle. That's when
they play the "Yankee Doodle" theme starting around 0259.
https://app.box.com/s/3h5ykp9zxyqd9ta3xkdou8385yemqqvi
(that one from almost a year ago)
(Mark Connelly, WA1ION, South Yarmouth, MA, USA, nrc-am gg via DXLD)  

Something else that might not be hurting reception is that it's omni
at present due to a downed tower from a storm. It's usually pointing
away from 'us' towards Africa
(Bill Whitacre --- don't ask how I know this. ibid.)
Because Bill works for IBB Monitoring?
(gh, DXLD)  

\\ 15489.989 kHz 0900-1157 UT and 
\\ 17805.066 kHz 0900-1157 UT
measured today Dec 11 at 1050 UT.
[selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] 
(wb df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 11)
(Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)  

former 9715v, not 9720v  
(Ivo Ivanov, ibid.)

0000-2400 on 11745 JED or RIY / unknown to N/ME Arabic BSKSA 
                                                Al-Azm Radio
0900-0700 on 11860 JED or RIY / unknown to N/ME Arabic Republic of
                                                Yemen Radio
0900-1200 on 15120 RIY 500 kW / 070 deg to SoAs Bengali Radio Saudi
                                                International
0900-1800 on  9650*RIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran
                                                BSKSA Radio Riyadh
1200-1500 on  7240 RIY 500 kW / 040 deg to WeAs Farsi Radio Saudi
                                                International, BUT
1500-1800 on  7240 RIY 500 kW / 040 deg to WeAs Farsi Radio Saudi Int
                                                is registered!
* former freq 9715vRIY 100 kW / non-dir to N/ME Arabic Holy Quran R.
                                                Riyadh 0300-1000
??????????? ?? Observer ? 9:53 AM (via DXLD)

Also on Dec 1 at 1900 UT on 7700.2 kHz, UnID in vernaculars with news & corresponcies by phone. Warsan Radio there is in Kenya and in Somalia registered - they are two different (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 1, BCDX 16 Dec via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

Thank you Harold! for listening and writing! It seems REE will also be
restoring its much neglected QSL department, so if you wish to receive
one, please send a reception report to the secretaria técnica ree.
Thanks again, Alison 
[No e-mail or PO address was given in the body of
the e-mail, but the message came from english@rtve.es]
(Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet 14 Dec via DXLD)  

9505, Voice of Africa, Al Aitahab, *1630-1748, 11-12, East African songs, French, ID "La Voix de l'Afrique", comments, at 1700 news in French, at 1715 English, ID "Broadcasting to you from Sudan on 9505 kHz, Voice of Africa", news and comments. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Friol, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Voice of Africa -- New French and English Schedule?

Yesterday, 13 December, as noted using the U. Twente SDR receiver, Omdurman signed on just before 1600 UT on 9505.002 kHz in Arabic. The French program ran from about 1630 to 1715 UT and then into English following a time signal at 1715:45 UTC (!). They announced that the English Service, as they call it, runs from seven fifteen to eight pm Sudan local time or 1715 to 1800 UT. Note that this French and English schedule differs from that on the Bulgaria DX site. Reception ranged from poor to fair. Just before 1800, severe QRM begins from TWR Manzini in English. Today (14 December), while the carrier on 9505 kHz is relatively strong (10 over S9 at times), modulation is next to non-existent (-- Richard Langley, NB, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

13 December I observed Voice of Africa too just before and after 1700 UT. The signal was increased a lot - you can see it in my video (second half), looks like TX antenna direction was changed. 1312201829221 SW 9505 kHz - Voice of Africa https://youtu.be/ZG_9dR7ZY_Y (Eduard Korsakov, Moskva, WOR iog via DXLD)

7205, Voice of Africa, Al Aitahab, 1642-1654, 15-12, French, comments, ID "La Voix de l'Afrique", East African songs, Good signal. 45444. Nothing on 9505 kHz. 7205, Voice of Africa, Al Aitahab, signal cut off abruptly at 1658 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Lugo, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

As noted using the U. Twente SDR receiver, 9505 kHz, carrier came on around 1807 but with next to no modulation. Stayed on past 1905 in Arabic (end of recording). -- (Richard Langley, Dec 15, ibid.)

7205, Voice of Africa, Al Aitahab, 1642-1658*, 15-12, French, comments, ID "La Voix de l'Afrique", East African songs, comments about Mali independence, signal cut off abruptly at 1658, Good signal. 45444. Nothing on 9505 kHz. (Méndez)

9505, Voice of Africa, Al Aitahab, 1703-1733, 16-12, East African songs, French, comments, "Bonsoir", "La Voix de l'Afrique", at 1715 English, "This is The Voice of Africa, 9505 kHz, English service of The Voice of Africa", "The news, the headlines". "The news in detail", "This is the Voice of Africa from Sudan, broadcasting to you on 31 meter band, 9505 kHz (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Logs in Lugo, Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

SUDÃO, 7205. 17/12/2018, 1953-2000, Radio Republic of Sudan, Al-Aitahab, em Árabe. Locução masculina, o qual faz menção por várias vezes, a palavra Sudan; 1958 Uma música. Recepção satisfatória em Cabedelo, 45433.

Importante: Às 2000 UTC entra a RFI com seu programa em francês - ID e
"Le Journal" em locuções masculina e feminina, bloqueando, totalmente,
a emissão da emissora do Sudão, nesta mesma frequência
(José Ronaldo Xavier (JRX) - PR7036SWL, Cabedelo-PB, Brasil, Receptor
(es): Degen DE1103, Sony ICF-SW100 e Tecsun S-2000, WOR iog via DXLD)
See FRANCE  

Hello there, AM radio listeners!

I would like to thank you all for the response you have sent me, regarding my radio station Asfalttelegrafen on 1593 kHz. Some people say my station has already made history, not only because I am a private person transmitting on medium wave, but also because of the fact that The National Library of Sweden requires copies of my broadcasts. I think that is kind of cool. :)

The thing is, I had been thinking for a while about developing my interest in medium wave and applying for a temporary broadcast license on the medium wave band. I wanted to start a local radio station and broadcast mainly rock music combined with political messages, in connection with the Swedish general election which took place in September. I wanted to play music that is usually not played on mainstream radio stations. A contemporary version of Radio Luxembourg, Caroline, Seagull, 10 Gold etcetera, if you will. I also wanted to include some Nordic rock that is usually unheard of. I made it happen, and it turns out this project was a success.

Therefore I am happy to inform you that I will broadcast again! Please note, that this time around I will be broadcasting on another frequency, 1476 kHz = 203 meters. I believe that 1476 will be a better frequency because of less interference coming from other radio stations in the EU. When I was transmitting on 1593 kHz, I was "outrivaled" by French and Romanian stations. A listener in southern Sweden suggested that I should consider 1476 kHz for my next broadcast project. I thought that was a good idea so I immediately started to plan for how to optimize my antenna for the new frequency. Although, Egypt and Iran are actually transmitting on 1476 kHz as well...

Anyhow, I once again applied for a new license with the Swedish Press and Broadcasting Authority and The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, and it was recently approved. Here in Sweden it is dual license process for temporary broadcasts.

On December 26th 2018 to January 8th 2019, Asfalttelegrafen is back on air on 1476 kHz with 330 watts with plenty of rock music in a medium wave radio near you! Stay tuned! Best regards, Torleif Roos, Asfalttelegrafen. Boraas Sweden, 1476amsweden@gmail.com(14/12-2018) (via Mike Terry, Dec 16, WOR iog via DXLD)

1200-1230 11674 DB  100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, no signal Dec.11
1300-1305 11651 DB  100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, no signal Dec.11
1305-1330 11646 DB  100 kW / 095 deg to EaAs Chinese, no signal Dec.11
??????????? ?? Observer ? 9:54 AM (via DXLD)

All loggings in English unless otherwise specified. All times and dates in UTC. Wherever possible countries cited are taken from the NASWA country list. Cities cited after the station are for countries with multiple transmitter locations.

9315, TAJIKISTAN, RFA at 1218 in Tibetan with a man with brief talk and then a woman with a report from 1219 with recorded sound bytes of a man to a man with brief talk over music at 1227 then South Asian instrumentals and a definite “This is Radio Free Asia. This program is in Tibetan” at 1230 and a woman with news – Good Dec 12 – Nice to hear this one with a definite ID and in the clear instead of the dreaded CNR jammers.

11555, WEST GERMANY, RFA (Biblis) at 1237 // 9315 (Good via Tajikistan) with a telephone interview between a woman and a man – Poor to Fair Dec 12 Coady-ON - Another one with no CNR jammers! (Mark Coady, Selwyn, Ontario, Kenwood TS440S or Ten-Tec Argonaut II and 40 and 80 meter off centre-fed dipoles, ODXA iog via DXLD)

https://www.republicoftogo.com/Toutes-les-rubriques/Medias/Un-nouveau-son

Un parfum d'Amerique souffle sur le Togo. La Voix de l'Amerique (VOA) emet depuis vendredi en FM (102.3) au Togo.

Le lancement officiel s'est deroule ce matin en presence de David Gilmour, l'ambassadeur des Etats-Unis.

'Depuis mon arrivee au Togo, il y a trois ans, mon reve etait de faire en sorte que la VOA emette sur les ondes togolaises. Aujourd'hui, ce reve est devenu realite', s'est-il felicite.

La radio fournira des informations precises, verifiees, objectives et completes, a assure le diplomate.

VOA diffuse ses programmes en langue franc,aise avec une selection en anglais pour ceux qui veulent se perfectionner.

C'est Radio Lome qui assure le relais technique.

Voice of America est le service de diffusion internationale radio et television du gouvernement americain.

La radio dispose de programmes specifiques destines `a l'Afrique en langue franc,aise (via Mike Cooper, DXLD)

11815.717, Dec 12 at 1543, VOT in Turkish talk, S5-S8 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

12035.019, Dec 16 at 1423, VOT English finishing with IS, measured almost on-frequency just in time before cutoff.

11815.800, Dec 16 at 1423, VOT Turkish is the one way off-frequency here today during commentary with crowd noise, bursts of excitement, perhaps a silly ballgame (aptal top oyunu), or wrestling? Better signal than 12035.019 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

International news network TRT World has unveiled its new studios in Washington, D.C. The network will be broadcasting live news coverage and current affairs programmes from the heart of the US capital.

“The Washington Broadcast Centre is the first in a series of upgrades that TRT World is undertaking for all of its international locations,” said Ibrahim Eren, Director General and Chairman of TRT. “We have always had a broadcast centre in Washington, but the new facility is bigger and technically more advanced. It has simplified the processes for correspondents and editors. We can proudly say that our new facility is now equipped to handle news as a regional hub.”

More on this here.
https://aib.org.uk/trt-world-launches-new-studio-in-washington-d-c/ (AIB media industry briefing | December 2018 via DXLD)

I have started compiling a list of special holiday programming on
Shortwave. Here is my initial list, and I'll update this nearer
to Christmas if more information becomes available. I hope that you
find it useful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
BBC World Service:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/xmas18radio/worldservice
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/search?medium=radio&channel=BBC_WORLD_SERVICE&yearweek=201852&day=&fbclid=IwAR2oUghFxkguGqfXeG_j0_99lYA-wBQt-QcRMRbTvR98jhtDJUnAqOIK1JE
(Alan Roe, England, Dec 12, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

0000-0100 alt 5835 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg to SoAs En World Service 5970
1700-1900 alt 5875 ERV 100 kW / 100 deg to WeAs Dari and Pashto  5910
2200-2400 alt 3960 SNG 250 kW / 000 deg to SEAs En World Service 3915
2200-2400 alt 5845 SNG 250 kW / 013 deg to EaAs En World Service 5890
1500-1600 on  9445 SCB 100 kW / 090 deg to SoAs Urdu till Dec.14 &
deleted
??????????? ?? Observer ? 1:58 PM (via DXLD)

Image 
Roman Mamonov, the anchor of “Current Time America,” Voice of
America’s Russian language broadcast, in the company’s studio this
month in Washington. Credit Jason Andrew for The New York Times  

By Elizabeth Williamson     Dec. 12, 2018

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/us/politics/voice-of-america-trump.html

WASHINGTON — The American government’s broadcast service to the world has a problem: It is becoming the news itself.

TV Martí, which aims broadcasts at Cuba, aired a segment in May that called the financier and Democratic donor George Soros, a longtime opponent of authoritarianism, “a nonbelieving Jew of flexible morals.”

Voice of America, the flagship of American government efforts to promote its values abroad, was rocked in October when 15 of its journalists were fired or disciplined after an internal investigation found they accepted “brown envelopes,” or bribes passed to them by a Nigerian official.

And only weeks later, Voice of America fired the chief of its Mandarin-language section after a billionaire Chinese exile who is championed by some on the American right and is known for making unsubstantiated charges against Beijing was promised a three-hour live broadcast.

Video 1:32 
How an American-Funded Broadcaster Targeted George Soros  

TV Martí, a U.S. government broadcast aimed at Cuba, aired a segment in May that called the financier George Soros “a nonbelieving Jew of flexible morals.” The broadcast included several falsehoods and drew scrutiny. Published On Dec. 12, 2018 Credit Damon Winter/The New York Times

The debacles are the latest problems that for years have plagued the government’s efforts to meld journalism and political messaging across its array of radio and television channels around the world.

And they suggested that under President Trump, the broadcasts are at risk of greater ideological tilt as more political appointees eventually join the organization, the United States Agency for Global Media, formerly known as the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

Mr. Trump’s nominee as chief executive of the global government media agency is Michael Pack, who runs a conservative filmmaking business out of his house in suburban Washington. He declined to be interviewed.

Mr. Pack would join a couple of other Trump loyalists in the operation who some employees say have already shown a clear political tilt in their approach to broadcasting. Among those working in the Cuba office, for example, is Jeffrey Shapiro, a former Breitbart News writer who played a prominent role in a politically charged battle over the agency’s direction this year. Mr. Shapiro, an acolyte of Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s former strategist, did not respond to a request to be interviewed for this article.

Image 
John Lansing, the chief executive of the United States Agency for
Global Media. Credit Jason Andrew for The New York Times  

Mr. Pack, who is awaiting Senate confirmation, has collaborated on films with Mr. Bannon, a former head of Breitbart News, and has asserted that liberal political correctness is stifling the documentary film industry. If confirmed, he would hold considerable power. Recent legislation concentrates authority with the agency’s chief executive, and would replace its current bipartisan board with an advisory council.

The current top managers, appointed in the Obama administration and drawn largely from traditional media backgrounds, expect to lose their jobs if Mr. Pack comes in. They include the agency’s current chief executive, John Lansing, a journalist and former president of Scripps Networks, and Amanda Bennett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist who runs Voice of America. For now, though, they have intensified its efforts to encourage professionalism, reinforce ethical standards and remind staff of safeguards against political interference.

The agency’s work, and the episodes that suggested an ideological shift to the right from some staff members even before Mr. Trump’s team takes full control, have drawn particular scrutiny after signals from the president that he would like to see the government play a bigger role in developing a message separate from the news media.

[sidebar:] Comment of the Moment Mickey Kronley commented December 13 Phoenix Dec. 13 Times Pick

I’ve known Lansing for over thirty years. He was a good journalist, excellent manager, very responsible and collaborative. It’s more than a shame that his tenure here is being upended by Trump and the conspiracy crazies. It’s just one more nail in the coffin of truth and fairness. 1984 is no longer “just around the corner”. It’s here right now.

In a Twitter post last month, Mr. Trump criticized the way CNN portrays the country and raised the possibility of the United States starting “our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!”

A spotlight on the people reshaping our politics. A conversation with voters across the country. And a guiding hand through the endless news cycle, telling you what you really need to know.

Image 
Three Voice of America broadcasts being shown during a tour of the
studios this month in Washington. 
Credit Jason Andrew for The New York Times  

At risk from the recent missteps and the potential for Mr. Trump to impose his own self-interested vision of news, media analysts say, is the agency’s brand as an objective, trusted source of information in nations where freedom of the press is under attack. Reports by the government network’s 3,500 journalists reach more than 345 million people in 100 countries each week.

“What’s at stake here is the credibility of the United States as a beacon of information, free speech and truth,” said Frank Sesno, a former broadcast journalist and the director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. “If we go down the road of turning our international broadcasting into a product that appears to be manipulated or becomes a conspiracy network or an apology network for anyone, we will lose stature and standing as a country.”

The agency’s journalists are legally shielded from political meddling, but it is unclear how those protections would be enforced. For decades, an uneasy mix of politics and journalism have led to management problems, turf battles and inertia. In congressional testimony in 2013, Hillary Clinton, then the secretary of state, called the agency “practically defunct in terms of its capacity to be able to tell a message around the world.”

Mr. Lansing took over as chief executive in 2015, after a management restructuring. He, Ms. Bennett and a team of seasoned journalists have boosted the networks’ global weekly audience by more than 100 million, and developed models for measuring effect. They have expanded their use of platforms from encrypted live broadcasting to shortwave radio to push content into countries that jam or ban American programming.

Image 
Amanda Bennett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist,
oversees Voice of America. Credit Jason Andrew for The New York Times  

Current Time, a network broadcasting news, features and documentaries for Russian speakers, started in 2017. Polygraph and Faktograph are new websites aimed at combating a torrent of disinformation by Russia state-controlled media. A new Persian-language service, VOA365, begins broadcasting early next year.

As autocratic governments bar, detain and harass the agency’s journalists, it has been deploying freelancers in alias, and sending reporters to remote areas to cover protests, national disasters and elections outside the immediate reach of authorities.

But change has been difficult, as the spate of recent journalistic and ethical problems has shown, leaving some employees concerned that the Trump administration or its allies could exploit vulnerabilities as an excuse to reshape the agency’s mission.

“Is this going to be fuel for people who want to take us in a very different direction?” Ms. Bennett said of the recent scandals. “Who knows?”

Image 
The Voice of America broadcast room in Washington during an Azerbaijan
broadcast. As autocratic governments bar, detain and harass the
agency’s journalists, it has been deploying freelancers in alias, and
sending reporters to remote areas to cover protests, national
disasters and elections outside the immediate reach of authorities.
Credit Jason Andrew for The New York Times  

Mr. Lansing says he has experienced no high-level interference, and he pushed back on reports of discord and nervousness among career staff. But he and his team acknowledge that in a global, federally funded enterprise whose employees embrace a variety of views, there is clear potential for political views to become an issue.

This year, reports emerged that Mr. Shapiro, the Trump administration adviser, had allied with a longtime agency executive, Andre Mendes, in an effort to position themselves as Trump-era leaders in the agency.

Mr. Mendes subsequently transferred to the Commerce Department, but Mr. Shapiro remains in the Cuba office, which he has reportedly accused of sympathizing with the communist government in Havana.

After Voice of America’s Mandarin service chief, Sasha Gong, was put on leave following the live interview with the Chinese billionaire, Guo Wengui, she appeared, while still on the federal payroll, in “Trump@War,” a documentary directed by Mr. Bannon.

Image 
Tomás Regalado, a former Spanish-language journalist who was
previously the mayor of Miami, is the director of the Office of Cuba
Broadcasting. Credit Jason Andrew for The New York Times  

Ms. Gong was fired last month. She is contesting her dismissal.

The agency’s standards editor, Steven Springer, a former CNN journalist, said he has struggled to instill a culture of political balance in the Cuba office, where the broadcast maligning Mr. Soros originated.

He said that at times “people don’t quite understand certain little aspects of how journalism is supposed to work,” including basics like sourcing, attribution and avoiding plagiarism.

Tomás Regalado, the White House-appointed director of the Cuba office, is a former Spanish-language journalist who was previously the mayor of Miami and said he was recommended for the post by Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida. Mr. Regalado said that when he arrived at the broadcaster in June, “Some of the hosts of the programs asked me the first thing, ‘Can we call Raúl Castro a dictator?’ And I said, ‘Of course. Go ahead. Bring it on.’”

Mr. Regalado was not involved in the anti-Soros broadcast and called it “a nightmare.” But in an interview he said Judicial Watch, the conspiracy-minded conservative group relied on by the broadcast for some of the false or misleading material it contained, was a “good source.”

The piece about Mr. Soros was presented by a TV Martí journalist, Isabel Cuervo. The multipart broadcast leveled unfounded, anti-Semitic claims against Mr. Soros, including that he ignited the 2008 financial crisis and that his Open Society Foundation is “a facade for investing in and looting countries.”

The material was distributed on Martí television, radio and its website for days. The broadcast drew scrutiny only in October, after a pipe bomb was sent to Mr. Soros’s home.

Mr. Lansing wrote letters of apology to Mr. Soros and the Open Society leadership, and ordered an investigation into the episode and a review of all Martí content aired over the past year by outside journalists. A report on the broadcast is due out in early January.

Mr. Regalado said that so far, two contractors have been fired, and four federal employees suspended, including Wilfredo Cancio, Martí’s former news director, and Ms. Cuervo, who continues to display the broadcasts on her personal Facebook page. Links to the broadcasts still appear on Martí’s website. Mr. Soros’s representatives are calling for additional oversight of the agency.

Ms. Bennett said that it was important that the problems, though embarrassing, be made public.

“We want to use these incidents to say, ‘Here’s our standards, and having these principles is really important,’” Ms. Bennett said in an interview. “It’s a fight worth fighting.”

A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 13, 2018, on Page
A1 of the New York edition with the headline: 
Troubled Vessel For U.S. Ideals Faces New Tilt. Order Reprints | 
Today’s Paper | Subscribe
(via Chuck Albertson, David Cole, James Renfrew, Mike Cooper, 
Richard Nowak, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/probe-of-us-funded-news-network-that-called-george-soros-a-jew-of-flexible-morals-finds-additional-offensive-content/2018/12/12/9cc6bc74-fd56-11e8-ad40-cdfd0e0dd65a_print.html?noredirect=on

A U.S. taxpayer-funded broadcaster this fall published a Spanish-language opinion piece warning that the "Islamization" of Europe by migrants is destroying the continent's Christian character and posing a danger to the United States "greater than that from the Nazis in the 1940s."

The online piece followed stories by the same government-run publisher, Radio and Television Marti, that described philanthropist and prominent Democratic donor George Soros as a "nonpracticing Jew of flexible morals" and as a "left-wing billionaire of Hungarian-Jewish origin."

The federal agency that oversees Marti launched an internal investigation this fall after a May report about Soros was publicized and widely denounced. The probe has now expanded to include examining how Marti came to publish an earlier story that included anti-Semitic language about Soros, a U.S. citizen, as well as the anti-Muslim piece, the agency confirmed.

Four Marti employees have been placed on leave and two contract staffers have been fired, according to Nasserie Carew, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Agency for Global Media. All are reporters and editors, according to biographies on Marti's website and on social media.

Anchor Maite Luna, who said she was one of the fired contract staffers, told The Washington Post that she was only doing what she had been instructed to do by editors when she promoted May's Soros report on her morning news program. Luna declined to say more, citing the advice of attorneys.

The five other employees or contractors either declined to comment or could not be reached.

For nearly three decades, Marti has broadcast news and other programs promoting U.S. interests to audiences in communist Cuba, seeking to circumvent state-controlled media. Marti spent nearly $29 million in 2017 on its mission to provide "accurate, balanced and complete information" to the island's residents.

Since June, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which operates Marti, has been run by Tomas P. Regalado, a former mayor of Miami. Marti referred questions to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, or USAGM, which also oversees the more widely known Voice of America.

In a statement Wednesday, USAGM said it is conducting a "full content audit" of Marti's work to identify any unprofessional reporting. The agency also said it had provided "ethics and best practices training" for the staff of Marti and is hiring a "standards and practices" editor.

Carew confirmed that the three pieces deemed offensive had been removed from Marti's website, which is accessible to a Spanish-language audience around the world. May's Soros story was publicized by a blogger in October, and the other Soros story was described in a report last month by El Nuevo Herald, a Spanish-language publication in Miami.

The Post recovered Marti's anti-Muslim opinion essay, published in
September, from Google's cache. It features a large image of Muslims
kneeling in prayer in a street in Paris over the headline: 
"Europa + Arabia = Eurabia."  

The article was written by Juan Felipe Benemelis, a Cuban-born author who has described himself as the "Spanish-language Kissinger" and has said he is "considered the foremost expert in Islamic culture, Africa, international politics and terrorism."

Benemelis did not respond to phone calls, emails or messages sent to a Facebook account where he posts often.

His nearly 1,500-word essay decries the "Islamization that is happening in European cities," describing it as the result not of desperate migration from war-torn countries but of a decades-old "deliberate strategy of Muslim leaders" to weaken opposition to sharia law and ultimately take over the continent.

Benemelis portrays Islam as inherently violent and writes that Europeans must turn back Muslim migrants to save Western democracy and culture.

"Christianity in Europe is in retreat, on the defensive, while Islam is on the offensive. . . . The West must stop the migrations and deconstruct the black history of its civilization that has been transmitted to us," Benemelis wrote.

Benemelis had never written for Marti before May, when he wrote three opinion pieces in nine days, including one suggesting that President Trump was improving conditions in the Middle East by taking a hard line against Iran.

Carew said Benemelis was never paid for the four opinion pieces he wrote for Marti, and she declined to say whether Benemelis had any agreement with Marti that was terminated.

The Post was also able to locate versions of Marti's broadcasts about Soros still circulating on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.

The 88-year-old businessman and naturalized U.S. citizen has been a top donor to Democratic candidates in recent years. He has also become a focus of conspiracy theories, often cast as a puppet master behind forces impeding Trump.

Commentators on Fox News have repeatedly asserted, without evidence, that Soros funded the advance of a migrant caravan that was approaching the U.S.-Mexico border. In October, Trump cited professionally printed signs held by protesters heckling the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh to suggest Soros must be behind the effort.

"The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad," Trump tweeted. "Don't fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love!"

Three weeks later, a pipe bomb was discovered in Soros's mail amid a series of similar mailings to prominent Democrats, allegedly sent by a Florida man, a fervent Trump supporter. Soros was unharmed.

Two days after that, on Oct. 26, a U.S. researcher blogged about a nearly 15-minute "Special Report" on Soros that he spotted on Marti. The May report made sweeping and unfounded claims, including that Soros was secretly funding violent leftist uprisings to topple governments from Romania to Colombia. The report also falsely described Soros as "the architect of the financial collapse of 2008."

The video report, which aired in several installments, credited the U.S. conservative group Judicial Watch with "keeping an eye" on Soros.

The report accused Soros of financially supporting a violent rebel group turned political party known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC -- something Judicial Watch has asserted in writings before and after the Marti report. Laura Silber, a spokeswoman for Soros's Open Society Foundations, said the Soros organization's efforts in Colombia supported programs that embody "the essence of American ideals," such as fighting corruption and promoting the rule of law.

In letters last month apologizing to Soros and his organization, USAGM chief executive John F. Lansing, a former head of Scripps Networks, faulted the report's "weak sourcing" and suggested that Judicial Watch may have been the only source.

"I deeply regret that a USAGM network produced something that feeds into age-old tropes against the Jewish community, at a moment when anti-Semitism is growing at home and around the world," Lansing wrote.

Judicial Watch also appears to have served as the foundation for the earlier Marti report on Soros, which was unknown to Soros's organization until The Post shared a link to the story last week. The existence of the Marti article was first reported in El Nuevo Herald, a sister publication of the Miami Herald.

The Marti report, published on April 1, was written by Armando de Armas, who has written hundreds of articles for Marti over the past decade. De Armas did not respond to phone messages or one left on Facebook.

The article reported that a lawsuit filed by the "prestigious Judicial Watch" was seeking documents that might show whether the State Department had subsidized Soros's political activities. It also noted that Soros is of "Hungarian-Jewish origin."

Carew declined to say whether de Armas had been placed on leave or faced disciplinary action. He is not among the four federal workers named as being on administrative leave in connection with the investigation.

In an interview, Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, said Marti and his organization were never in contact before the reports aired. Fitton declined to comment on whether he considers the Marti reports to be anti-Semitic.

"I don't speak Spanish. . . . I didn't see the broadcast and I don't know how it translated," he said.

In a statement, Silber, the spokeswoman for Soros's organization, said that the apology USAGM offered for the one, previously known broadcast is no longer sufficient.

"We appreciated that the initial apology made by the U.S. Agency for Global Media for its taxpayer funded anti-Semitic programming about George Soros, but it is now clear this was not a one-off incident," Silber said. "We are deeply concerned to learn about additional content with the same nefarious, anti-Semitic undertones. USAGM needs to be much more forthcoming and Congress needs to conduct more vigorous oversight. In the end we want to know how this content got made, who made it, and who's been held accountable so that it will not happen again."

Julie Tate contributed to this report. 
(c) The Washington Post Company
(via David Cole, Mike Cooper, Richard Nowak, DXLD)  

By Noah Bierman Dec 14, 2018 | 3:00 AM | Washington

https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-voice-america-trump-20181213-story.html

Former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon. 
(Don Emmert / AFP-Getty Images)
 
For a president who rails against the "fake news media" and dreams
aloud of creating a state-run alternative, the Voice of America would
seem an irresistible target.  

The government-owned news service beams around the world, reaching an estimated 275 million people on radio, internet and television, with a brand honed during the mid-20th century Cold War era that President Trump idealizes as a time of unquestioned American greatness.

Yet two years into his administration, despite predictions that he would transform it into "Trump TV," the Voice of America has remained largely untouched.

Despite journalistic ethics lapses by some of its staff that have brought embarrassment and scrutiny of its foreign coverage, the service's reporting on the Trump administration is hardly distinguishable from that of commercial news outlets. The bipartisan board and chief executive who oversee the network -- for now -- along with its news director and her deputy, are the same group of people who have been in place since President Obama sat in the White House.

Yet the debate over the news service's future may be nearing eruption.

After a six-month stall, the Senate could give a hearing early in the new year to Trump's nominee to lead the agency, Michael Pack, an ally and former filmmaking collaborator of the president's past strategist and provocateur, Stephen K. Bannon.

And Trump recently tweeted that "something has to be done" to counter the international influence of CNN, his media nemesis, "including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!"

On one side of the emerging fight are Trump allies, led by Bannon, who are eager to shed some of the Voice of America's hard-won independence and use the service more overtly to further Trump's "America first" agenda.

"VOA is a rotten fish from top to bottom," Bannon, the former leader of the conservative Breitbart news site, said in an interview. "It's now totally controlled by the deep-state apparatus."

He has been pushing Trump to take control of the Voice of America since he served as chief White House strategist during Trump's first seven months in office. Following his forced departure, Bannon has kept up the fight from the outside.

On the other side is a bipartisan group arguing that independent reporting -- including controversial stories about U.S. politics -- offers the best advertisement for American values abroad.

The potential showdown comes at an especially fraught time for the network. In October, 15 people -- more than half the staff for Hausa-language broadcasts to West Africa -- were fired or recommended for termination for taking bribes from a government official. An employee in the Voice of America's Mandarin service was recently let go after she ignored orders to limit a live interview with a prominent critic of the Chinese government to an hour.

Compounding the Voice of America's problems: The same chief executive who oversees the network also runs American networks that long have been viewed as producing pro-democracy propaganda, including Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.

The Cuba network, which produces Radio and TV Marti from Miami, recently was forced to discipline employees and begin an internal investigation over the publishing of an online anti-Muslim piece and an anti-Semitic broadcast that labeled liberal philanthropist and donor George Soros a "non-practicing Jew of flexible morals."

Voice of America editors, who typically come from more traditional journalism backgrounds, have long had a strained relationship with Marti and the other networks. But the sister entities' scandals could undermine their efforts to preserve their own independence.

In the Trump era, the battle over the news network could well serve as a proxy for larger arguments the president has provoked about the value of a free press.

Bannon, who shares the president's view that open warfare with the mainstream media is the most effective tool in politics, said he told Trump long ago that he didn't need to start a new government network. "You got one," he said he argued. "It's called Voice of America."

Trump's interactions with Voice of America have been limited to a pair of interviews with Greta Van Susteren, the former cable news host who now has a weekly show without taking a salary.

To date he has largely ignored Bannon's entreaties to take a more personal stake in the network. "Some things don't resonate with him," Bannon said. "He doesn't think it's big league."

Voice of America's defenders welcome that disinterest, assuming Trump has ignored it because most broadcasts are in one of 46 foreign languages and are largely unseen inside the United States.

"He seems to be totally focused on what he calls the `enemy of the people,' which are the domestic media, so I don't think he has a focus on that. But some of his people clearly have tried to get their tentacles into it," said Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has oversight of Voice of America.

Menendez spoke out in March against what the mainstream news site Foreign Policy labeled a "coup attempt" by Bannon allies inside the operations. They attempted to overthrow the leadership of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which runs Voice of America and the other government news entities.

One person identified as an instigator transferred to the Commerce Department. Another still works at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. Earlier efforts to embed Trump allies during the postelection transition also stoked fears among Voice of America advocates.

But Bannon may ultimately get his way. In June, Trump nominated Pack, former president of the right-leaning Claremont Institute, to become the chief executive of the Agency for Global Media.

Pack, who declined to comment while his nomination is pending, has worked with Bannon on two documentaries, one on nuclear power and the other on the Iraq war. Bannon said Pack was tapped to infuse the agency with Trump's America first vision.

Some critics, including congressional Democrats, fear Pack will do just that.

"I am concerned," Menendez said, adding that one of the reasons Pack's nomination has stalled "is because we haven't given it a green light."

But some Voice of America supporters and employees say it's too soon to judge Pack, pointing out that he was not especially controversial when he served as the senior vice president for programming at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from 2003 to 2006.

Menendez is skeptical. He's proposed a bill to weaken the power of the Voice of America chief.

Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said through a spokeswoman that Pack's nomination had been held up only because he failed to submit the proper paperwork. But Corker, in an interview, said he shared the view that the network needed to remain free of political influence.

"The last thing I want to see happen with this organization is that they become a propaganda arm," he said. "Obviously, we want news about America to be pumped into these countries and we want news about these countries to be pumped in. But we want that to be the truth."

Corker, an occasional critic of Trump, is retiring at the end of the year and his successor, Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, has been a stalwart Trump supporter.

Voice of America officials and allies are depending on the agency's charter to ensure a firewall between government officials and the professionals tapped to make editorial decisions. The charter was written into law in 1976, in response to the Nixon administration's attempts to clamp down on Voice of America's Watergate coverage. The agency's leadership is key to protecting that firewall, however.

Voice of America Director Amanda Bennett, a former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer who earlier won a Pulitzer Prize as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, keeps the charter on her wall. She said she had tried to steer clear of questions over whether the current chief executive, John Lansing, is replaced by Pack or anyone else. A new chief executive would probably spell the end of her tenure running the news operation.

"There's only two things I want out of this transition," she said -- to "have it be done according to legal process and have it be somebody who respects the firewall."

Bennett said the Voice of America had differentiated itself from the propaganda outlets of Russia, China and other foreign powers, which use them as tools of information warfare and foreign policy.

"We're America's BBC," she said. "Without the cool voices."

David Ensor, a former Voice of America director who previously was a network news correspondent, said VOA inevitably encounters difficult confrontations with governments in countries where it reports, many of which are police states. He credits the current management with maintaining professional standards in the face of such stress.

"This is tough stuff," he said. "This is grown-up activity."

Ensor said he pushed back against domestic political pressure from Washington more than once in the job. In one instance, an assistant secretary of State called him in to convey a request for softer coverage of the human rights record of a country -- which he would not name -- that had been helpful in combating terrorism and in other intelligence issues.

Ensor asked for examples of factual errors in Voice of America's reportage. The official was unable to provide them.

"Well, Mr. Secretary, you did your job and I'm going to do mine, which
is to ignore you completely," Ensor recalled telling the official.
"It's absolutely inappropriate for me to interfere with the human
rights coverage of country X, just because that country doesn't like
it very much." 
(via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD) 
see also TOGO  

From:  Richard Lemke
My location:  St. Albert
Province:  Alberta
My Country:  Canada

Hello Glen[n]: I heard World of Radio #1959, and confirmed it hearing on 5850 kHz. My biological clock told me to get up at 0830 UT, about 1:30 AM local time. Usually I am sleeping at this time of night

Radio:  JRC NRD-535 HF
Antenna:  random long wires in the trees.
Home Address:

Richard Lemke,  
60 Butterfield Crescent,
St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. T8N 2W7

Age:  55 years young   (August 19) 1963
Location: Backyard pie corned shaped lot with tall trees

Broadcaster (Shortwave):   WRMI FL  USA
Transmitter site:  Okeechobee FL. USA
Frequency in kHz:  5850 kHz,
Date heard in UTC:  December 9 UTC 2018
Program heard:   World of Radio,  #1959
Time in UT: 0830-0859 UT
Details: Reception report 5850 kHz, 
0830, 0835, 0840, 0845, 0855 (55433), (55434), 0859, 5850 kHz, 
December 9 UTC 2018
(Lemke, Richard, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

WORLD OF RADIO 1960 monitoring: confirmed at 2058 Tuesday December 11, the 2030 on WRMI 7780, fair-poor S9-S5. Next:

0930 UT Wednesday Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
1030 UT Wednesday WRMI    5950
2200 UT Wednesday WRMI    9955
2200 UT Wednesday WBCQ    7490v
0930 UT Friday    Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
0729 UT Saturday  HLR     6190-CUSB Germany to WSW
0930 UT Saturday  Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia [alt.; Dec 22?]
1200 UT Saturday  Unique *9265 via WINB to WSW
1531 UT Saturday  HLR     9485-CUSB Germany to WSW
1700 UT Saturday  WRN    *5950 via WRMI to WNW [unconfirmed]
2030vUT Saturday  WA0RCR  1860-AM non-direxional
0400vUT Sunday    WA0RCR  1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND
0830 UT Sunday    WRMI    5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW
1130 UT Sunday    HLR     7265-CUSB Germany to WSW
2130 UT Sunday    WRMI    7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday    WRMI    5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW
0400vUT Monday    WBCQ   *5130v Area 51 to WSW
0430 UT Monday    WRMI   *9955 to SSE
0930 UT Monday    Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
* also webcast

WORLD OF RADIO 1960 monitoring: confirmed Wed Dec 12 at 1055 the 1030 on WRMI 5950, fair. Also confirmed, Wed Dec 12 from 2200:01, S9-S7 on WRMI 9955 following IS & ID loop; same time on WBCQ 7490.09v, S9+10/S9. Next:

0930 UT Friday    Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
0729 UT Saturday  HLR     6190-CUSB Germany to WSW
0930 UT Saturday  Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia [alt.; Dec 22]
1200 UT Saturday  Unique *9265 via WINB to WSW
1531 UT Saturday  HLR     9485-CUSB Germany to WSW
1700 UT Saturday  WRN    *5950 via WRMI to WNW [unconfirmed]
2030vUT Saturday  WA0RCR  1860-AM non-direxional
0400vUT Sunday    WA0RCR  1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND
0830 UT Sunday    WRMI    5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW
1130 UT Sunday    HLR     7265-CUSB Germany to WSW
2130 UT Sunday    WRMI    7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday    WRMI    5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW
0400vUT Monday    WBCQ   *5130v Area 51 to WSW
0430 UT Monday    WRMI   *9955 to SSE
0930 UT Monday    Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
* also webcast

WORLD OF RADIO 1960 monitoring: Not confirmed the Saturday Dec 15 at 1531 on Hamburger Lokalradio, 9485-CUSB: No signal detected at UTwente SDR at the start or end, much less in OK. This week I do my best to confirm the Saturday 1700 on WRN via WRMI 5950 - -- but even with ECSS, the JBA carrier is not enough to recognize the WOR opening theme, let alone some guy talking with my voice. Next:

0400vUT Sunday    WA0RCR  1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND
0830 UT Sunday    WRMI    5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW
1130 UT Sunday    HLR     7265-CUSB Germany to WSW
2130 UT Sunday    WRMI    7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday    WRMI    5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW
0400vUT Monday    WBCQ   *5130v Area 51 to WSW
0430 UT Monday    WRMI   *9955 to SSE
0930 UT Monday    Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
* also webcast

WORLD OF RADIO 1960 monitoring: confirmed UT Sunday December 16 at
0426 on WA0RCR, 1860-AM, Wentzville MO, S9+20 but noisy, about 13
minutes into show so started circa 0413. Next:
2130 UT Sunday    WRMI    7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday    WRMI    5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW
0400vUT Monday    WBCQ   *5130v Area 51 to WSW
0430 UT Monday    WRMI   *9955 to SSE
0930 UT Monday    Unique  5045 low-power NSW Australia
* also webcast

WORLD OF RADIO 1960 monitoring: confirmed Sunday December 16 at 2130 on WRMI 7780, VP. NOT at 2230 on 9955, as outdated listed by Observer. Confirmed UT Monday December 17 at 0230 on WRMI 9395, S9/S9+10 and 5950 same metering but noisier. Confirmed on Area 51 webcast, UT Monday December 17 from 0402 and JBA on WBCQ 5130.44. Also confirmed UT Monday December 17 at 0430 on WRMI 9955, JBA with some pulse jamming, clear on webcast.

WORLD OF RADIO 1961 contents: Alaska, Australia, Cuba, Denmark, Eritrea non, France non, Germany and non, Guam, Hungary, India, Japan/Korea North non, Kuwait, México, Oman, Romania, Russia, Somalia/Kenya, Sudan, USA and non; and the propagation outlook

WOR 1961 ready for first airing UT Tuesday December 18 at 0030 on WRMI 7730, confirmed very good. Confirmed but JBA Tuesday December 18 at 0200 on WRMI 9955. Next:

2030 UT Tuesday   WRMI    7780 to NE
0930 UT Wednesday Unique  5045-LSB low-power NSW Australia
1030 UT Wednesday WRMI    5950 to WNW
2200 UT Wednesday WRMI    9955 to SSE
2200 UT Wednesday WBCQ    7490v to WSW
0930 UT Friday    Unique  5045-LSB low-power NSW Australia
0729 UT Saturday  HLR     6190-CUSB Germany to WSW
0930 UT Saturday  Unique  5045-LSB low-power NSW Australia [Dec 22]
1200 UT Saturday  Unique *9265 via WINB to WSW
1531 UT Saturday  HLR     9485-CUSB Germany to WSW
1700 UT Saturday  WRN    *5950 via WRMI to WNW [unconfirmed]
2030vUT Saturday  WA0RCR  1860-AM non-direxional
0400vUT Sunday    WA0RCR  1860-AM [nominal 0415], ND
0830 UT Sunday    WRMI    5850 to NW, 5950 to WNW, 7730 to WNW
1130 UT Sunday    HLR     7265-CUSB Germany to WSW
2130 UT Sunday    WRMI    7780 to NE
0230 UT Monday    WRMI    5950 to WNW, 9395 to NNW
0400vUT Monday    WBCQ   *5130v Area 51 to WSW
0430 UT Monday    WRMI   *9955 to SSE
0930 UT Monday    Unique  5045-LSB low-power NSW Australia
* also webcast; direct linx to these and many others at:

Complete updated WOR sked, all affiliates, satellite, webcast, AM&FM: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Well done to all the team at WRMI for keeping Short Wave alive whilst many have abandoned this useful & viable method of communication. Okeechobee is now high on the bucket list of places to visit - although I'm not sure about the alligators!! Cheers (Jim Salmon, bdxc-news iog via DXLD)

5950, Dec 11 at 1218, VOA news, rather than RAE relay in Portuguese which continues on 9955 only, vs pulse jamming; 1220 commercial for EZMedicare.com with a very long incomprehensible fast-speed disclaimer which should drive away any customers who might have been hooked; Oldies-style WRMI ID by BB claiming to be on 9395! Where currently there is really a screaming gospel huxter rather like Blalock the Blaster, but that is really from TOMBS and roughly // 9330+ WBCQ. Anyhow, 12-13 at least is an Oldies hour on 5950 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

WRMI to expand Supreme Master TV hours

Hi All, Just seen this on the WRMI Facebook page:

Supreme Master TV expands on WRMI
As of December 12, 2018 Supreme Master TV is expanding to 12 hours
per day, 7 days per week on WRMI, as follows:
1100-1400 UT on  7570 kHz
1400-2000 UT on 15770 kHz
2100-0000 UT on  9455 kHz
Your reports and comments are welcome.
(via Alan Gale, Dec 12, WOR iog via WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

9455, Dec 12 at 2100, WRMI with Supreme Master TV on extended sked,
discussing first-nations regalia, S9-S6. Sked grid shows this and 7570
both new and extension of 15770:
11-14  7570 at 315 degrees
14-20 15770 at  44 degrees (ex-87; so much for sub-Saharan Africa)
21-24  9455 at 160 degrees
But no longer on 9395 at 23-24 M-F or 5950 at 00-01
(Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

9455, WRMI Radio Miami Int’l; 2112-2145+, 12/12; “Supreme Master TV” (see KZ’s 15770 log) with Afro-Asia news features interspersed with ethereal stuff; universal love, cosmic consciousness, save the planet, sustainability secrets, etc. (Harkening back to the Universal Life lady -- a Sunday morning staple at DXpedition many years ago -- I almost felt obligated to put my hand on the body part of my choice. That was one of her tag lines.)

2119 lengthy list of places you can see/hear this stuff, including WRMI; 2126 snake oil huxter spot for a healing mud bath. 2138 “Joke of the Day”. 2144 anti-dairy/animal product diet spot & again at 2156. 2200 WRMI/SMTV spot & program continued. 9455 is not on the usual lists at 2100, so something new from Brother Jeff. SIO=444- with weak pulse QRM, but about 2140 got QRM’d by white noise waves (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 185' RW, ----- All logged by my ears, on my receiver, in real time & without the aid of a computer! -----, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

5850, WRMI again with a late sign on, on suddenly at 0755 with the
same photo as last week in MFSK 32. 0800 into SW Radiogram #77 from
Kim Elliot. Topics today were about electric busses [sic] in Latin
America, algae harnessed for clean water & power: 5850A.jpg
Electric bus in Cali, Colombia
Algae in a jar and images of: 
5850B.jpg Asteroid Bennu from 80km 3/Dec
Detail of St Nicholas painting by Robert W Wei ca1837.
plus text, voice & ad for Tecsun Australia contest: 5850C.png  

Then World of Radio #1959 at BoH [0830] with the usual mix of SW & other media news including a bit from last week's SW Radiogram with quotes from Nigel Holmes & Unique Radio info. etc.

In well -- is the late s/on a whoops or a schedule change? Twice makes this suspicious! Odd. 4+554+4+ with near perfect photo decodes as shown, *0755-0900* 9/Dec (Ken Zichi, Williamston MI, SDRplay + SDRuno + ANC-4 + FLDigi + 40’ randomwire, MARE Tipsheet 14 Dec via DXLD)

It`s a sked change. Altho the transmitter now is not programmed to cut on before 0755, evidently the tail of BSR is still playing on the program feed input rather than IS & ID loop (gh, DXLD)

15770, WRMI with "Supreme Master TV" English & a 'call-in' show (it may have just been people in the studio audience; hard to tell with only audio!) & the "Supreme Master" Ching Hai (Why not Mistress? Is this a 'gender neutral' thing or are they worried about the sexual implications of the female term?) answering questions about how we can share karma & why we shouldn't eat animals, or use toilet paper, etc. But inquiring minds want to know, who/what is the "Maya" they refer to regularly? Maybe I don't really want to know. If pressed, I would describe this as a mix of Harold Camping's 'Open Forum', Brother Stair's phone calls & Aum Shinrikyo's Shoko Asahara, but to be completely fair, she did NOT mention sarin gas attacks, but then again, neither did Asahara. :o

Spanish announcements at 1925 mentioning "Supreme Master TV" back into accented English with URL, then same bit in French & at 1926 "ID" as "You are watching Supreme Master Television" by several different announcers including actors Matthew Perry, Morgan Freeman & Jeff Goldberg among others I didn't immediately recognize. At 1931 mention of WRMI on Shortwave amidst the mentions of other TV stations carrying Master's stuff.

Then talx re Korea that actually seemed semi-sane & some tinkly music, with 'inspirational’ quotes like 'go green’, save the world’, 'for the children's sake' & benefits of a vegan diet. Then more tinkly music which was the audio of a world wide temp/weather map display on their web TV stream (yes, I had to look).

Off at 1959, bring on the Flat-Earthers -- it just keeps getting stranger & stranger on US SW stations, doesn't it? 4+4+4+44 1905-1959* 12/Dec (Ken Zichi, Williamston MI, SDRplay + SDRuno + ANC-4 + FLDigi + 40’ randomwire, MARE Tipsheet 14 Dec via DXLD)

WRMI 7780: From my recording last Sunday evening, 16-17 December UT:
 
2015 Viva Miami (in English; again a repeat program acknowledging
     (worldwide) listeners' reception reports including mine)
2030 Reserve Military Retirement (new edition)
2100 Wavescan (#512)
2130 World of Radio (#1960)
2200 VOA News with Christopher Cruise
2205 Oldies, following Dish TV commercial
2300 Full Gospel Hour Broadcast (program name used this week)
2330 Shortwave Radiogram (#78)
0000 Radio Slovakia International in Slovak
0030 Radio Slovakia International in English
0100 Wavescan (#512)
0130 Through the Cross Ministry with Pastor Chuck (Christmas special)
0200 Radio Prague in English (Christmas carols)
0230 Viva Miami (in English; again a repeat program acknowledging
     (worldwide) listeners' reception reports including mine)
0245 Living Water (still repeating)
Transmitter stayed on after 0300 for at least 10 minutes with no audio
(-- Richard Langley, NB, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

9955, Dec 14 at 2210, WRMI with `VORW`, John musing on how many major SW stations have vanished in the last few years even since 2014y; still past 2230, when one of the three dozen weekly `Wavescan` airings on WRMI had been scheduled; but now it`s another VORW, Fridays at 2200-2300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

``Wavescam`` in my original log was I assure you, a ty (gh)

5950 // 9395, Dec 14 at 0002, WRMI with Oldies music; following the very brief stint Supreme Master TV had this hour on 5950; instead of resuming RFI English via WRN, its also too-brief predecessor (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

5850 & 7730, Sunday December 16 at 0712, no signals from WRMIs; while 5950 is still RFI in Spanish. Latest skedgrid confirms the pair are now running 0800-0900 UT Sundays only, with `Shortwave Radiogram` and at 0830 WORLD OF RADIO (which I have yet to confirm, myself; gotta sleep sometime).

So `Broad Spectrum Radio` is gone again, ex 0700-0800. For a while there was another airing on WRMI, but nowhere on sked now. Quite unclear what`s going on with James Branum, who apparently has been changing hats; his BSR website remains unupdated since June, and his disgraced FB too except for one entry dated Nov 18 when his latest thing was the anti-war Objector Church, on their disgraced FB linking to his intro of it recorded earlier in November in Oakland CA:
https://www.facebook.com/objector.church/videos/1939819562762773/ which is a 5-minute off-mike audio-only ``video``. in which he says he is starting that up in OKC, see https://objector.church --- so is he no longer a Mennonite, pastor?

Another of his projects is part 15 in far NW OKC on 1610 and 88.7: http://broadspectrumradio.com/sonador-radio/ but on my occasional visits to the area, have not been able to hear it; suspended? Without permission, it`s auto-streaming anyway a sermon of his from the website (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

While WOR 1960 is running on WRMI 5950 & 9395, UT Mon Dec 17 at 0230, what`s on the other audibles? 7780 Viva Miami; 9955 Wavescan; 5850 // 7570 // 7730 Brother HyStairical (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

9330.008, Dec 15 at 1435, surprised to find TOMBS on WBCQ, S7-S5, almost on-frequency; had been way higher for a few weeks. Next check at 2002, climbed up to 9330.051. Transmitter wavers slightly, difficultizing pinpoint measurements, but there they were at one particular instant.

7490.0, Dec 15 at 2334 JBA carrier, presumed the Chinese this hour only, yet to appear even in Aoki/NDXC, as there is no trace of WBCQ on 7490+, nor on 9330+, nor on 5130+. But it may not be propagating, as not even 7850-CUSB CHU is audible now (but OK on 3330-CUSB). By 2337, however, `BCQ appears to be on causing a het between two JBA carriers. Another check at 0006 Dec 16: NO signals at all on 7490, but WBCQ 5130.49 is there, VP with music.

WBCQ was having tech problems last night, as John Carver reported at 0120 about `Allan Weiner Worldwide`, from 0100 UT Saturday Dec 15:

``Very poor signal on 7490 this evening. Another program on 5130 and no copy on 9330 tonight either. No dead air to start, just sitar music. It does sound like the transmitter goes down several times. Music moves into the theme from Peter Gunn then into some music that I don't recognize. Theme song for AWWW comes up at 0106. Signal is bouncing between S1 and S3. Tom Barna interrupts at 0110 and announces that all the internet feeds at the station are down and that there is no streaming of anything at the station. Says that Larry Will is working on the problem and hopes to have things fixed by tomorrow. Announces that tonight's AWWW will be a rerun of an earlier show and indeed when the show finally starts it is one from October. With the poor signal and a repeat to boot my report ends here. John, Mid-North Indiana`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

[WBCQ, UT Sat Dec 15]: Tuned over to 5130 about 0125 when 7490 became unlistenable. Not sure what was on 5130 as I missed the beginning and they never announced what it was during the program. Program went off the air in the middle of a sentence and 5130 went off the air at 0200. Not sure if this means the programs there the previous weeks were no longer on or were being fed to the station via internet which is no longer working this evening. I had no idea what some of the things they were talking about were as I had no context. Later when I knew what they were talking about I still didn't know if the program was ultra-right or ultra-left as the subject matter would have applied to both (John Carver, mid-north Indiana, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

5130.458, WBCQ English, at 0156 UT in remote SDR unit in Cape Canaveral, S=5 or -105dBm in FL US state (Wolfgang Bueschel, [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz], df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

5130.4, Dec 17 at 0232, only this WBCQ is audible, VP, nothing on 7490+ or 9330+; both off or not propagating? At 0359 on Area 51 webcast, naughty Xmas carols on an old Radio TimTron Worldwide, mentioning now ex-frequencies 5110 and 7415, ending a bit late and right into WOR (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

From the Isle of Music, December 16-22

This week, we celebrate Formell y Los Van Van's nomination for Best
Tropical Latin Album in the GRAMMY awards by listening again to our
interview with Samuel Formell and music from the album Legado.
The broadcasts take place:
 
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most
of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania)
with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from
Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
 
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC (New
UTC) on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in
the US). This has been audible in parts of NW, Central and Southern
Europe with an excellent skip to Italy recently.
 
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and
Saturday 1200-1300 UTC (New CETs) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from
Rohrbach, Germany.  

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, December 16 & 18, 2018
Episode 92, The Naughty Episode, presents songs from vintage English
language and German-language party records.
 
1.Sunday 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet
7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
 
2. Tuesday 2000-2030 UTC (NEW CET) on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from
Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. If current propagation conditions hold,
the broadcast should reach Iceland AND Western Russia due to a long
skip.
 
Also recommended: 
Marion’s Attic, a unique program produced and hosted by Marion Webster
featuring early 20th Century records, Edison cylinders etc played on
the original equipment, comes on immediately before UBMP on Sundays
from 2200-2300 UTC on WBCQ 7490 Khz.  

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC   

In addition to its regularly-scheduled programming, UBMP (Uncle Bill's
Melting Pot), a program that presents music from around the world
along with a little comedy now and then, will be presenting the
following hour-long holiday specials for the Americas in December:
 
1. Uncle Bill's X-Mess Special, featuring Christmas music from around
the planet, unusual holiday customs, a laugh or three and other stuff
to help you escape the 86th version of that song you just heard 85
times...
 
Tuesday, Dec 25 8-9pm Eastern US time (meaning Wednesday, 0100-0200
UTC) on WBCQ 5130 kHz for the Americas
 
2. Uncle Bill's Rockless New Year's Eve Special: We'll take a look at
some of the more unusual NYE / New Year's Day rituals around the world
with appropriate music to go with the countries in question. If you
like to wear weird underwear, set fire to things or gorge on grapes,
we may have just the thing for you...  

Monday Dec 31 7-8pm Eastern US Time (meaning Tuesday, 0000-0100 UTC)
                                   on WBCQ 5130 kHz for the Americas
Monday, Dec 31, 1800-1900 UTC on Space Line, 9400 kHz, directed to
                                   Western Europe

(William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer, Tilford Productions, LLC, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

5830, Dec 13 at 1510, hearing nothing on 9475, I check here to find WTWW-1 still on night frequency with PPPP. But no WTWW-2 Xmasmx on 5085, which had been on late into the night.

5085, UT Sun Dec 16 at 0032, WTWW-2 playing inorganic Xmasmx; must have just signed on, as vacant around 0000. 0035 `Theater Organ in the Ozarx` starts only a bit late, so I bring up the webcast for stereo. Well, sorta stereo, but Bob Heil is playing all Xmasmx from really scratchy records, which at first I took to be audio breakup. Improves later, but the $tereo is somewhat unbalanced, ends about 0104.

5085, Dec 17 at 1513, WTWW-2 still on night frequency with a hard-sell ham equipment Tedad; during extended Xmasmx? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

[WRNO:] 7505v NOTHING heard in 0155 to 0209 UT checks, but 7505.002 kHz on air at 0215 UT on Dec 15, S=9+20dB remote in FL US state. Maybe frequency drift now supposedly upwards in coming hours? (Wolfgang Bueschel, [selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz], df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

9400, USA. WRNO, 12/9, 0515-0535, in presumed Chinese. this starts out with one OM speaking in monotone. At 0526, station ID spoken by YL in English, followed by an e-mail address, which changed to a female singing a song in an undetermined language/dialect. Song lasts about 3 minutes, then goes back to the OM ancr. Fair to good throughout (Ronald Sives, Easton, Pa. Equipment: Eton Field Radio; Princeton Sky Wire, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 9 via DXLD)

Above has got to be a mistake; WRNO never on 9400, only 5 kHz from WRMI; always close to 7505. I sent a correxion to Flashsheet but it did not appear in next issue, so here it is (gh, DXLD)

WWRB, USA’s single transmitter is now scheduled according to their
website http://www.wwrb.org/ --- UT Saturdays & Sundays
2300–0200(Sun/Mon) on 3215 kHz (Note WWCR use 3215 0200+); UT 
                                Sundays & Mondays 
0200–0500          on 3185 kHz (so 5050 kHz seemingly no 
                                longer in use).
(Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
5050 just ~A season (gh)

I typically get a good signal here in NB from WJHR including yesterday (16 December) on 15555 kHz USB at about 2010 UT while setting up to record WRMI on 7780 kHz (-- Richard Langley, NB, WOR iog via DX LISTENING DIGEST)

15555-USB, Dec 17 at 1516, JBA talk so WJHR is here again today instead of 15550 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

See my earlier Nov 18 report about this  
in DXLD 18-47 under GERMANY (gh)

Trying to pull more of WVAL or somethings in absence of KQCV, but it cuts on at *1415 JIP gospel huxter, as if 1415 were its proper sunrise in December, which is really 1330 UT (Jan: 1345 UT) --- but KQCV is semi-local here day & night, 2500/1000, psra 38 watts (what`s the point of a psra much lower than your night power?) IIRC, KQCV`s pattern is out of whack with an STA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

That`s the station temporarily authorized to run only 10 WATTS DAYTIME!! Would love to DX it here, SRS or SSS? Vs KMOX, KETU, KTXW. But KLIM had big plans, a CP for 50 kW daytime only; licensed for 250 watts day and psra, but NRC AM Log 2018-2019 says ``Reported silent 10/2002; can`t be heard in Metro Denver``

CRN = Catholic Radio Network, which is regional; KLIM was among the multi-station IDs at ToH from KEXS-1090 et al. in KS, MO, CO at least (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

There has also been a JBA 1 kHz het which at 2204 I pinpoint to 1521, not 1519, ergo a bit of the 2,000,000 watts out of Saudi Arabia, more than an hour pre-sunset here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
By Paul Farhi December 9   

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/at-npr-an-army-of-temps-resents-a-workplace-full-of-anxiety-and-insecurity/2018/12/07/32e49632-f35b-11e8-80d0-f7e1948d55f4_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5ba711fe39bb

Julia Botero was happy to catch on, and determined to stay on, at NPR. After completing an internship at the public broadcasting organization in Washington in 2013, she began a year-long stint as a temporary employee, moving between producing jobs at NPR’s signature news programs, “All Things Considered” and “Morning Edition.”

Botero quickly realized what she was up against. As a “temp,” she floated among unfamiliar co-workers and faced an ever-changing set of responsibilities, some of which she’d never been trained for. Her work contracts were sometimes as brief as two weeks, at the end of which she’d have to persuade a manager to extend her.

Worse was the sense of constant competition among her fellow temps, many of whom were angling to be hired for a limited number of permanent positions. “The only person I felt I could trust,” she said, “was the person I was dating, who was in the same position I was.” After a year of such uncertainty, she left, taking a job as a reporter for a group of public radio stations in New York state.

What’s surprising about Botero’s experience is how unsurprising it is at NPR.

For decades, the public broadcaster has relied on a cadre of temporary journalists to produce its hourly newscasts and popular news programs. Without temporary workers — who are subject to termination without cause — NPR would probably be unable to be NPR. Temps do almost every important job in NPR’s newsroom: They pitch ideas, assign stories, edit them, report and produce them. Temps not only book the guests heard in interviews, they often write the questions the hosts ask the guests.

And there are a lot of them. According to union representatives, between 20 and 22 percent of NPR’s 483 union-covered newsroom workforce — or 1 in 5 people — are temp workers. The number varies week to week as temps come and go.

NPR’s management cites a somewhat lower figure, 16 percent, although its count reflects managers and interns and other employees in departments that aren’t represented by the union. NPR says the overall ratio of temporary workers to permanent employees has remained more or less stable for several years.

Resentment among temps about their status has boiled beneath the surface at NPR for years, but the tensions have begun to bubble up over the past several months. Some temporary employees raised complaints in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal involving Michael Oreskes, the former head of NPR’s newsroom. Oreskes was accused by several women, including a then-temporary employee, of misconduct. Oreskes was forced to resign by NPR last year; several women said his behavior highlighted the vulnerability of temporary employees, who fear they could be blackballed for complaining or resisting an overly aggressive manager.

The outrage over Oreskes coalesced into a broader employee inquiry into the status of temps at NPR. Following “listening sessions” conducted among 40 current and former temporary journalists, NPR employees produced a report in May detailing a number of grievances and allegedly abusive practices.

Among them: Temps were often left in the dark about how long their assignments would last, how much they’d be paid, who they were reporting to, or what their title was. They also said they received little feedback from supervisors after completing an assignment, and were “routinely” overlooked in NPR’s recruiting efforts.

Several temps interviewed for this story use the same word to describe NPR’s temp system: “Exploitative.”

By any measure, NPR is unusual among broadcast media organizations in the size of its temporary workforce.

About 5 percent of the staff at a typical TV station was employed on a part-time or temporary basis, according to a survey conducted last year by the Radio Television Digital News Association. Radio stations, which usually have much smaller staffs than TV stations, reported an average of just one part-timer or temp in the survey. The number of temporary workers among stations has declined steadily over the past 10 years as the recession has eased, said Robert Papper, who conducted the survey.

Other kinds of news organizations employ few temps. The only journalists officially designated as temporary in The Washington Post’s newsroom are six “extended interns,” who are employed with the expectation that they will someday fill a permanent job when an appropriate one opens, Managing Editor Tracy Grant said.

NPR hires temps to address “a range of needs,” said Loren Mayor, president of operations. She said temporary workers fill in for permanent staffers when the latter go on vacation, take sick leave or parental leave, or when news events warrant.

“As a media company that strives to be innovative and nimble, we need talented people who can come in on a short-term basis to help us experiment with a new idea or pilot a new program,” Mayor said. “As a breaking news organization, we need additional reporters and editors to staff up for targeted news events like elections.”

In a lengthy response via email, Mayor made no mention of any financial advantage in employing temps. But the potential seems obvious: Temporary employees are paid only when they work, and they work only when managers decide. This gives NPR, a nonprofit organization, flexibility in managing its payroll and broad discretion over work assignments.

In a follow-up interview, a spokeswoman, Isabel Lara, said costs aren’t a factor in NPR’s employment of temporary journalists.

NPR’s temps are guaranteed minimum wages under a contract with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the labor union that represents most employees. The pay scale starts at around $21.63 an hour, or about $45,000 per year based on 52 weeks of full-time work. Temporary employees also qualify for health insurance and other benefits if they work more than 30 hours per week in a two-week pay period.

But not much else is assured for this group.

In interviews, eight current and former temps described their employment at NPR as a stressful, precarious experience. Most spoke on the condition of anonymity to not jeopardize current or future assignments.

Like Botero, several said they didn’t feel prepared for some of the assignments they were given. They also described a sense of vulnerability and insecurity, given that NPR maintains a large pool of temps who can easily replace them.

“I felt like I could never make a mistake because, if I did, they’d just hire someone else,” said a former employee, who temped for two years before moving on. “I felt like I couldn’t take Christmas off, I can’t go to my high school reunion. Because if I do, I’ll be out of the loop.”

For temps who don’t land a longer work assignment, NPR’s system all but guarantees financial uncertainty, several said. A week’s employment, for example, might be followed by a longer, uncompensated layoff followed by another call to return. A long stretch between assignments not only plays havoc with a temp employee’s income, it also threatens to leave them with gaps in their insurance coverage.

“There were many weeks when I wasn’t sure if I was coming back,” said Becky Sullivan, who temped for 2½ years before becoming a permanent producer on “All Things Considered.” Sullivan, who is a union shop steward, said, “It’s an experience I hope I never have to repeat.”

Under the SAG-AFTRA contract, management can terminate a temporary employee without cause, whenever necessary, and without explanation.

What’s more, NPR is under no obligation to offer a temp a permanent job, even after years of employment. Some employees have been temps for so long they’re known as “permatemps.”

One former temp said she spent three years in various jobs at “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered” and its weekend version before giving up hope of landing a permanent position. Her responsibilities ran the gamut: editing, research, pitching story ideas, writing segment introductions, mixing recordings, doing interviews.

She applied for jobs when they came open, but never got hired permanently. “At that point, I was really frustrated,” she said. “You ask yourself, why am I still doing this and no one will hire me?”

She left, and eventually landed a job as a producer at a podcasting company.

Another temp described her frustrations to union organizers earlier this year this way: “You feel like you have the boyfriend who’s never going to put a ring on it.”

According to people who organized the meetings, Mayor never responded directly to the group of temps that made the recommendations in the wake of Oreskes’s forced resignation. But Mayor said NPR has begun to implement changes to improve the lot of temps.

The most significant change: NPR in April converted 26 positions that had been filled by temporary employees into permanent jobs (the union said all of the positions were held by temps who’d be on the job for more than a year). Mayor said more temp jobs will be made permanent in the future, although she offered no commitment to a number or timetable.

NPR’s union representatives remain guarded, however. They noted that during bruising negotiations over a new three-year contract last year, NPR’s management proposed eliminating all benefits for temps (except those required by law), including health insurance and holiday pay. Those proposals were withdrawn amid broad staff opposition.

Mayor said NPR’s goal is “not to eliminate the use of temps, but to make sure we are employing temps for the right reasons.”

She added, “We are aware that it can be challenging for people to deal with the insecurity temporary employment brings and we want to work with our union to find ways to address this.”

Paul Farhi is The Washington Post's media reporter. He started at The Post in 1988 and has been a financial reporter, a political reporter and a Style reporter (via Mike Cooper, DXLD; via Indiana Radio Watch via John Carver, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

How disheartening; as yet the end product NPR journalism is first-rate (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1961, DXLD)

FCC Enforcement Bureau Applauds Westchester County District Attorney
For Pirate Radio Case
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-355533A1.pdf  

Only after the case details are made public, can we know if this
specific station actually caused interference to 'public safety
messages,' or to anyone or anything else, 
as the Commission routinely claims
(Benn Kobb, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
 Viz.:  

Media Contact:
Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509  
will.wiquist@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release  
FCC ENFORCEMENT BUREAU APPLAUDS WESTCHESTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
FOR PIRATE RADIO CASE --- Pirate Operator Arraigned Following Joint
Westchester DA & FCC Investigation --

WASHINGTON, December 12, 2018 — The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office today announced details of a joint investigation resulting in the arrest of and arraignment of a pirate radio operator in Croton-On-Hudson, New York. FCC field agents traced the illegal broadcasts and located the operator, Mr. Richard Dominguez, and worked with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, which seized Mr. Dominguez’s radio equipment and arrested him. The investigation led to Mr. Dominguez’s arraignment today on a charge of unauthorized radio transmission.

“Pirate radio operations interfere with licensed broadcasting — including public safety messages,” said Rosemary Harold, Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. “It is vital that we combat this problem aggressively, and partnerships like this make that possible. I’m proud of the work of our FCC team and thank Westchester County prosecutors for their commitment to combatting [sic] illegal broadcasting.”

Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. added: “We are proud to work with our federal partners to root out criminals wherever they are breaking the law in our community. The prosecution of this pirate radio broadcast is a unique collaboration between the Federal Communications Commission and our Investigations Division High Technology Crimes Bureau. No matter what kind of crime is committed here in Westchester, we will prosecute the defendants to the fullest.”

In this joint investigation, Enforcement Bureau’s field agents investigated a complaint of a pirate radio signal broadcasting on 98.5 FM in Croton-On-Hudson in Westchester County.

This illegal station was operated by Mr. Dominguez under the name “La Mojada FM.” The Commission shared the information with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, which seized the illegal pirate radio station equipment and arrested its operator.

The Enforcement Bureau has led the Commission’s renewed commitment to combating unlawful broadcasting. This crack down on such illegal activity has resulted in unlawful broadcast stations going off the air, seizure of equipment, fines against pirates, proposed fines against pirates and property owners actively aiding pirate radio operations, and other enforcement actions. To enforce the law, the Commission works closely with partners like the Department of Justice and, where state laws apply, state and local law enforcement like the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The Commission relies on information from consumers and licensed broadcasters to identify pirate radio operators that interfere with local radio service to the public. New York has proven to have one of the greatest concentration of pirate radio activities, as shown in this FCC map: https://go.usa.gov/xRMhe

Federal law generally prohibits the operation of a broadcast radio or TV station without a license issued by the Commission. Congress enacted this requirement nearly a century ago as a means of managing interference to ensure functioning communications. Pirate stations undermine this mission. ###

Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500
ASL Videophone: (844) 432-2275
TTY: (888) 835-5322
Twitter: @FCC  
http://www.fcc.gov/media-relations

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of
the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. 
See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974). (via DXLD)  

[review of a book about the Voice of Vietnam]

Autor Ángel Miguel Bastidas González, Editorial The Gioi, Hanoi 2017
275 páginas. <http://www.thegioipublishers.vn>, 
e-mil : marketing@thegioipublishers.vn  

Un nuevo ejemplar leído, un ejemplar disfrutado, sobre todo en estos tiempos en lo que todo debe ser de inmediato. Se trata de un libro atípico, un recopilatorio de artículos realizados desde Vietnam por el segundo secretario de la Embajada de Venezuela en Vietnam [los artículos o sección Xin Chào del caraqueño El Correo del Orinoco y, por lo tanto, de consumo para la población venezolana en forma de columna, muy similar al formato que tiene en la última página, el Diari de Tarragona que titulan LA PLUMILLA y que acaba de cumplir 30 años].

Son de una sencillez pasmosa, fácil de entender y para consumo de los que ya están preparados para ese periodismo militante que hace tantos años feneció en Europa [todavía recuerdo algunas cabeceras históricas Mundo Obrero o El Socialista que al no evolucionar simplemente quedaron en la historia; otras cabeceras de periodismo militante fueron o son más efímeras u ocasionales]. No hay alardes lingüísticos y algunas palabras o giros quedan para el ámbito venezolano. Digamos también que me devolvía a una noche mágica en Barcelona a finales de los setenta cuando actuó el grupo cubano liderado por Carlos Puebla; con la canción dedicada a los vietnamitas enardeció aquella noche el Pueblo Español de Montjuich, en la Ciudad Condal.

En mis retinas quedó el pasaje del cantante cuando hasta casi perdía la voz: “Los vietnamitas son pequeñitos pero tienen los cojones así, así” y ahí gesticulaba y abría los brazos para expresar la grandeza de las gonadas de ese pueblo valeroso y sufrido que supo vencer a Goliat. El libro llegó a mis manos gracias a La Voz de Vietnam que le realizó una pequeña entrevista al autor y ofreció 50 ejemplares para los oyentes que se interesaran por el mismo [un 10% de la edición] y gracias a la emisora de ese heroico rincón asiático, hoy puedo decir que aprendí muchas más cosas sobre él, lo leí teniendo al lado una guía Michelín, la última aparecida sobre Vietnam que, una vez más, al ser una mera traducción del francés, incurre en algunos errores que eran fáciles de subsanar, ya que hoy en día tenemos todo a un golpe de clic.

En algunos momentos me devolvió a mi infancia y juventud cuando el conflicto bélico azotaba al pueblo vietnamita, infinidad de nombres que entonces, siendo niño, leía en IDEAL, el diario de Granada. Algunas de ellas con impactantes fotografías que nunca se borrarán de la memoria [como la de las criaturas corriendo, desnudas, tras el bombardeo con NAPALM, si no recuerdo mal la protagonista de esa icónica imagen acabó en Canadá].

Cada página es una colaboración en el diario caraqueño, hecho que te permite leer a un ritmo pausado, sin prisas. Su lectura me devolvía a noches de escucha y encuentro con la sección española de La Voz de Vietnam que también comencé a escuchar en los años 70 tras mi servicio militar cuando me traje un receptor alemán de Canarias y todavía sigue funcionando; es el que me acompaña cada vez que me pongo a trabajar en el ordenador. Vaya, que es lo mismo que esa tecnología de la obsolescencia que hoy tenemos: casi medio siglo funcionando y ahí está. Es cierto entonces costó una “pasta” pero resulta que cualquier receptor portátil de hoy te vale lo mismo y, todo dependerá de la suerte, pero si le sacas un lustro de funcionamiento, sin problemas, te puedes dar por satisfecho; generalmente el plástico o pasta es lo primero que salta puesto que se autodestruye.

Evidentemente, los datos radiales encontrados en Xin Chào aluden a la emisora estatal vietnamita, así que vamos directamente a ese trabajo de transcripción y honremos a aquel joven visionario que se embarcó en el proceloso camino de la emigración y llegó a París donde trabajó e intelectualmente se formó de cara a la titánica lucha emancipadora de lo que entonces se conocía como Indochina, se trata de Ho Chi Minh que inauguraba las instalaciones de la emisora en el ya lejano 7 de septiembre de 1945, ese mismo día, pero en el año 1973, quedaban inauguradas las emisiones en lengua española.

Durante los más duros años de la guerra, Cuba fue el trampolín para que la emisora asiática llegara al mismísimo corazón del imperio, fue la particular solidaridad de la perla de las Antillas en aquel conflicto desproporcionado y de heridas que todavía supuran, pues varios miles de vietnamitas mueren cada año a causa de las explosiones de artefactos lanzados por centenares de toneladas sobre aquellos bellos y verdes paisajes. Como siempre, entre corchetes, la página en la que aparece la referencia radial o televisiva, esperamos que disfruten esta nueva entrega de La radio en la literatura.

“El muchacho salió rebelde como el vietnamita. Su canto rumbero anda por caminos alternativos porque Nguyen Van Troi Purroy no se deja atrapar por los mercaderes de las emisoras privadas que tanto daño le hacen a la música venezolana con la fulana Payola [mordida, comisión o coima]”. [70]

“Qué dirán ahora con el lanzamiento del Canal Militar Quoc Phòng (Defensa Nacional), un proyecto madurado durante cuatro años, hecho realidad la semana pasada, el 19 de mayo de 2013, cuando se cumplían 123 años del natalicio de Ho Chi Minh.

El nacimiento de la planta televisiva QPTV coadyuvará a tomar conciencia más clara y profunda sobre la responsabilidad del sector militar en la construcción y defensa de la Patria, afirmó el Ministro de defensa, general Phùng Quang Thanh.

De 5:30 de la mañana hasta la medianoche, QPTV divulga las actividades del Ejército Popular y de la defensa de la Patria y del socialismo en la nueva etapa, así como informaciones internacionales relativas a la situación política y militar mundial.” [91]

LA VOZ DE VIETNAM

“La Voz de Vietnam, hoy la red de emisoras de radio más importante del país indochino, nació en 1945 como una necesidad de contacto con el mundo, como parlante internacional de la lucha vietnamita contra el colonialismo francés.

De tal manera que sus primeras emisiones incluyeron el francés, inglés y cantonés, y más tarde el mensaje revolucionario de la emisora volaba, además en pekinés (sic), esperanto y laosiano.

Eran los días de los tumultos rebeldes de agosto que abrieron las puertas al 2 de septiembre (1945) cuando Ho Chi Minh fue nombrado presidente de la República Democrática de Vietnam.

Luego de la caída de los franceses en la explanada norteña de Dien Bien Phu (1954), al año siguiente Vietnam fortaleció su Voz, con nuevas emisiones en tailandés, japonés, indonesio, camboyano, ruso, coreano y español [aquí no me cuadra el idioma de Cervantes, pues los datos que tengo son otros pero respeto al autor venezolano] a pesar de la situación de guerra, ahora más intensa, frente al invasor yanqui. Hoy [25.08.2015], a 70 años de la creación de La Voz de Vietnam, al abrir el portal http://vovworld.vn nos encontramos con un abanico de programaciones en 12 idiomas: alemán, camboyano, español, francés, indonesio, inglés, japonés, laosiano, mandarín, ruso, tailandés y vietnamés (sic).

Otra voz, la de una joven venezolana, caraqueña de La Candelaria, será uno de los detalles de las celebraciones de este próximo aniversario del departamento de español. Se trata de Maikki [si no me equivoco la hija del autor], estudiante de medicina integral comunitaria que hizo un stop en su carrera para venirse a la tierra del Tío Ho. Ella es la nueva editora y narradora en La Voz de Vietnam [ahora mismo tenemos a Paco que se encarga de la popular y sabatina Cita de Correspondencia, un programa que atiende a la audiencia y con el que genera impulsos positivos entre la institución radial y el mundo del radioescucha]. [169]

“La designación de Ho Chi Minh como presidente y la creación de la emisora La Voz de Vietnam.

Entre los miles de héroes de aquellos acontecimientos, se empina la figura de Tran Lam, como artífice de la primera radio nacional vietnamita, tarea que le había encomendado el propio presidente Ho Chi Minh.

En los actos conmemorativos de la emisora, su actual director general, Nguyen Dang Tien, expresó que bajo la orientación de Tran Quang Van –verdadero nombre de Tran Lam- la Voz de Vietnam superó todas las dificultades propias de una situación de guerra para seguir creciendo durante aquellos intensos años, los más difíciles en la historia del país indochino.

En sus relatos, Tran Lam cuenta que el nombre de la emisora se discutió detalladamente, procurando que fuera corto y además que expresara íntegramente la esencia del país y de su capital Hanoi. Sobre el tema musical [el que va en la señal de identificación o intervalo] también fue ponderada con cuidado, inspirada en la canción Eliminar el fascismo.

Hasta la fecha sólo se ha cambiado una palabra en la presentación [identificación que da inicio a la emisión en el idioma correspondiente]: La República Democrática de Vietnam por la República Socialista de Vietnam.

Cinco días después de la firma de la Independencia en Hanoi, a las 11:30 del mediodía del 7 de septiembre [1945], la radio vietnamita alzó por primera vez su voz, para hablarle al país y al mundo: Esta es la Voz de Vietnam, transmitiendo desde Hanoi, capital de la República Democrática de Vietnam. Una identificación sencilla, pero solemne a la vez y de orgullo en las voces de Nguyen Van Nhat y Durong Thi Ngan.” [177]

ALÍ

“La Canción necesaria de Alí Rafael Primera Rosell hizo recordar desde la Voz de Vietnam a muchos vietnamitas hispano-hablantes y a numerosos escuchas latinoamericanos y caribeños momentos gloriosos de la lucha del pueblo indochino por su independencia y el derecho a vivir en paz. Las ondas hertzianas llevaron el mensaje musical de Alí Primera por las diez estaciones del sistema nacional y el portal http://www.vovworld.vn –en español- cual camino de pequeñas historias contenidas en tres canciones emblemáticas que resonaron en la década de los años 60 del siglo pasado, cuando toda Indochina era blanco de los misiles yanquis.

La joven locutora vietnamita Durong Quynh Mai se refirió en primer término a la canción Inolvidable Ho Chi Minh y la importancia de ese mensaje musical en los años que su país urgía solidaridad internacional para denunciar las atrocidades de los militares estadounidenses sobre la tierra indochina.

Tras oírse el canto al héroe vietnamita. Durong Quynh Mai dio espacio a Mujeres del Mekong, un justo homenaje a los miles de jóvenes y adultas, obreras, campesinas o estudiantes, que se entregaron íntegramente a la lucha por la liberación nacional.

El programa de un cuarto de hora, también colocó en el aire otra canción aún vigente, porque denuncia las agresiones norteamericanas en todo el mundo, centradas ahora en regiones con riquezas petroleras como el Medio Oriente. No basta rezar menciona la lucha del pueblo vietnamita, en el cual jugó un papel muy importante la comunidad budista, retratada en el bonzo Thích Quàng Dúc, quien se prendió fuego en una calle de Saigón (1963), [de paso también se acuñó el término se suicidó a lo bonzo que hoy perdura en todo el mundo] con lo cual el budismo rompió con dos mil 500 años de tradición apolítica. La consigna rezar y luchar había recorrido el planeta en “blanco y negro”. [200]

“Una flor para él”, con esas cuatro palabras, la directora del Departamento de español de la radio La Voz de Vietnam, Vu Huong Giang, expresó su amor y admiración por esa figura universal del boxeo aficionado y profesional que alguna vez se llamó Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.” [211]

“La periodista de La Voz de Vietnam, Vo Huong Giang, hurgó sobre la situación venezolana, la cual Wimmer describió como difícil pero segura de superar porque existe una estrecha unidad cívico-militar y la Revolución Bolivariana cuenta con un gran apoyo internacional.” [227]

“Relata Lê Van Vui, que en sus años de estudiante de primaria, una delegación de la aldea donde nació se acercó a su casa para solicitarle que fuese el locutor de noticias del poblado, debido a que muchos vecinos no sabían leer ni escribir.

El joven estudiante aceptó el encargo e inmediatamente procedieron a construir un altavoz o corneta de cartón para “transmitir” diariamente el resumen matutino de noticias.

Lê Van Vui se encaramaba en un pequeño árbol y desde allí leía las informaciones del diario Nhan Dan (Pueblo), sobre todo las noticias relacionadas con los combates que se libraban diariamente en todo el territorio vietnamita frente a los invasores yanquis.

El 11 de octubre de 1964, apenas llegó el periódico sonaron las campanas de alerta, esta vez para convocar a la audiencia al frente de la “Radio Árbol”: el locutor adelantó que les tenía la noticia más bonita del mes: en un lejano país, llamado Venezuela, un grupo de guerrilleros habían capturado a un alto militar de Estados Unidos, con la intensión (sic) de evitar el fusilamiento en Saigón [actual Ciudad Ho Chi Minh], para entonces capital del Sur, del joven obrero Nguyen Van Troi, quien era acusado de planificar un atentado contra el secretario de Estado norteamericano, Robert McNamara: “Aquella noche, nadie durmió, emocionados todos por el gesto de apoyo y solidaridad del pueblo venezolano a Vietnam, en la resistencia anti yanqui”.

Qué iba a pensar el improvisado locutor que esa experiencia de niño reportero se iba a constituir en una especie de pasantías adelantadas como estudiante de periodismo, profesión a la cual dedicaría toda su vida, hasta jubilarse.” [257]

“Si ahora mismo me encontrase frente a un vietnamita, creo que lloraría de vergüenza y dolor; me disculpo sinceramente con ellos por todo el sufrimiento que les causamos; eso no debió suceder nunca”… dijo Hackwell [Hill Hackwell fue un soldado norteamericano que participó en aquella guerra] al periodista cubano José Llanos Camejo, en La Voz de Vietnam.” [263]

“Isra [Isra Cinman, escritor argentino] es un caminante sin fronteras, no es de esos que andan en busca de los mejores refugios 5 estrellas para hacerse “selfies”. Lo oímos por la emisora La Voz de Vietnam de la cual es un ferviente radio escucha y articulista colaborador. Ha recorrido “medio mundo” dejando huellas porque se identifica como amante de la observación minuciosa.” [266]