DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-129, August 15, 2002 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted afterwards at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd02.html For restrixions and searchable 2002 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn WORLD OF RADIO #1144: BROADCASTS ON WWCR: Sat 0500, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 BROADCASTS ON RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730, Sun 0000, 0600... 7445-AM, 15039 (ON DEMAND) http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html from Aug 16 (DOWNLOAD) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1144.rm (STREAM) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1144.ram (SUMMARY) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1143.html WORLD OF RADIO ON WBCQ: Allan Weiner has moved one of the EVM Jewish shows into the Tu-Sa 0415-0515 hour, eliminating the timely repeat of WORLD OF RADIO UT Thu on 7415 at 0415. That has been rescheduled to UT MONDAY at the same time, also followed by Radio DC at 0445. Also, after several weeks of good signals here Wed at 2200 on 17495, that was inaudible Aug 14, probably off the air, or maybe not propagating, but as far as we know, the intention is to run both 7415 and 17495. Fully updated WOR/COM/MR schedules have been distributed and posted at http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html and http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN LEADER KARZAI TO MAKE FORTNIGHTLY ADDRESS TO NATION | Text of report by Afghan radio on 13 August Announcement by the press department of the head of state. Dear compatriots, in order to ensure closer links between the people and the leadership and in order to inform compatriots of the developments and current situation in the country, esteemed Hamed Karzai, head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, will deliver a radio and television address to nation every 15 days via the radio and television of Afghanistan. The first radio address of the esteemed head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan will be broadcast on Thursday 24 Asad 1381 [15 August 2002] at 2000 local time [1530 gmt]. Source: Radio Afghanistan, Kabul, in Dari 1600 gmt 13 Aug 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ALASKA [and non]. [Changing Planet] HAARP message from Dr. Nick Begich Earthpulse Press Incorporated, PO Box 201393, Anchorage, Alaska 99520 USA http://www.earthpulse.com Phone: 1-907-249-9111 Fax: 1-907-696- 1277 Immediate Release: Received: 8/9/2002 Dr. Nick Begich, founder of Earthpulse Press and co-author of Angel's Don't Play This HAARP and Earth Rising the Revolution, delivered a lecture on Arctic issues and HAARP in Brussels in the European Parliament on May 5-7, 1997 at the 12th General Assembly Globe International. In attendance were several members of the Russian Duma including Vitaliy Sevastyanov, one of the signers listed below. Dr. Begich's book, an exposé published in September 1996, launched the international investigation into the issues surrounding HAARP. Begich has continued to follow HAARP and related military technologies since 1994. He is a frequently called upon expert in these areas. His work led to early political efforts in the European Parliament which resulted in their adoption of resolutions also in opposition to HAARP in January 1998. Begich has appeared on BBC-TV, CBC-TV, TeleMundo, Spiegal TV, Fuji TV and others throughout the world and continues to report on these and other technology subjects. ACTION ALERT: Please pass this to your friends, radio contacts and political leaders...Thank you! US HAARP Weapon Development Concerns Russian Duma Interfax News Agency 8-9-2 MOSCOW (Interfax) - The Russian State Duma has expressed concern about the USA's programme to develop a qualitatively new type of weapon. "Under the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Programme (HAARP) [website address: http://server5550.itd.nrl.navy.mil/projects/haarp ], the USA is creating new integral geophysical weapons that may influence the near-Earth medium with high-frequency radio waves," the State Duma said in an appeal circulated on Thursday [8 August]. "The significance of this qualitative leap could be compared to the transition from cold steel to firearms, or from conventional weapons to nuclear weapons. This new type of weapons differs from previous types in that the near-Earth medium becomes at once an object of direct influence and its component. These conclusions were made by the commission of the State Duma's international affairs and defence committees, the statement reads. The committees reported that the USA is planning to test three facilities of this kind. One of them is located on the military testing ground in Alaska and its full-scale tests are to begin in early 2003. The second one is in Greenland and the third one in Norway. "When these facilities are launched into space from Norway, Alaska and Greenland, a closed contour will be created with a truly fantastic integral potential for influencing the near-Earth medium," the State Duma said. The USA plans to carry out large-scale scientific experiments under the HAARP programme, and not controlled by the global community, will create weapons capable of breaking radio communication lines and equipment installed on spaceships and rockets, provoke serious accidents in electricity networks and in oil and gas pipelines and have a negative impact on the mental health of people populating entire regions, the deputies said. They demanded that an international ban be put on such large-scale geophysical experiments. The appeal, signed by 90 deputies, has been sent to President Vladimir Putin, to the UN and other international organizations, to the parliaments and leaders of the UN member countries, to the scientific public and to mass media outlets. Among those who signed the appeal are Tatyana Astrakhankina, Nikolay Kharitonov, Yegor Ligachev, Sergey Reshulskiy, Vitaliy Sevastyanov, Viktor Cherepkov, Valentin Zorkaltsev and Aleksey Mitrofanov. Changing Planet News - Where Ethics, Science and Spirituality Blend On the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/changingplanet/ News and service since 1995 To unsubscribe, send email to: changingplanet-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com -- COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----Salus Plebeyos Suprema Lex---- The Joy of Those Who Create is the Supreme Law (via Morning Cloud and Standing Stone, DXLD) ** ANGOLA: STATE RADIO OPENS MEDIUMWAVE TRANSMITTER IN HUAMBO Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) reported on 13 August that a new 10-kW RNA mediumwave transmitter (frequency not specified) was due to be opened that day about 15 km east of the city of Huambo (west-central Angola). Source: Radio Nacional de Angola, Luanda, in Portuguese 0600 gmt 13 Aug 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. R. Nacional [Arcángel?] San Gabriel, 15475.5, Partial data eQSL in 128 days by E-mail for Spanish report sent by Air mail with $2 postage. V/S: Fernando Jose Isla, Director (Kazunori Watanabe Tokyo, Japan http://homepage2.nifty.com/ffk/ hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Re DXLD 2-126, the new Argentinian postal codes have been in the works for at least a couple of years. I haven't seen many of them on mail at RCI, but of course most Argentinian listeners write in Spanish, and I don't handle mail in Spanish. If you want more info about those postal codes, check the Correo Argentino website at: http://www.correoargentino.com.ar/cpa/ (Bill Westenhaver, QC, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. MILESTONE FOR SMALL TEAM WITH LOTS OF LISTENERS By Farah Farouque August 15 2002 URL: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/15/1029113976659.html I certainly hadn't realized that it was a big anniversary for RA. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RA Previews for Aug 16: 2105 - Fri.: FEEDBACK* - listener letters and news about RA. This weekend the programme celebrates the 60th birthday of Radio Australia's Indonesian service. The most successful of all RA's language services, it faced closure in 1997. Although the unthinkable was avoided the closure of the Cox Peninsula transmitter site that year all but silenced the service. Today, happily, the Indonesian service is again a force to be reckoned with in one of the regions most volatile countries. The unit's Executive Producer, Nuim Khaiyath who's been with RA for 30 years, looks back over six turbulent decades. [rep. Sat 0005, 0605, Sun 0305] 2305 - Fri.: LINGUA FRANCA - about language. This week: "Hunting the Wild Reciter". Peter Kirkpatrick recalls the old days of music hall ballads, parlour recitations and elocution lessons. Before Hollywood invented the musical, one of the most popular forms of public entertainment was the variety show, vaudeville, the music hall - and 'recitations' were among the most popular acts. Waiting in the wings was the elocutionist - soon to be taken up by those who sought to be upwardly socially mobile. Peter Kirkpatrick investigates the place of recitation and elocution in our popular culture before TV. [T] [rep Sat 0530] (via John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. THE BIG TURN-OFFS --- August 12 2002 A US study on what women want to hear on radio should give local programmers food for thought. Sue Javes reports. Ever been too slow to turn off the car radio as an announcer launches into a risque joke, leaving you to field unwelcome questions from your kids? If so, it will come as no surprise that women list "unfriendly family content" as one of the most common reasons they turn the dial.... http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/11/1028158046124.html An interesting piece, and I hope that the Arbitron website http://www.arbitron.com has a more detailed report. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS/USA: RSF EXPRESSES "CONCERN" OVER OBSTACLES TO RADIO FREE EUROPE | Text of press release in English by Paris-based organization Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) on 15 August Reporters sans Frontières [RSF] has expressed its concern over administrative obstacles threatening Radio Free Europe since the beginning of August. "There is too little foreign media in Belorussia [Belarus]. It would harm the Belorussian population to be deprived of an alternative source of information to public channels, such as Radio Free Europe", said RSF General Secretary Robert Menard, in a letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mikhaïl Khvostov. "We ask you to award credentials to all Radio Free Europe journalists who wish to have them, and not to obstruct the relocation of editorial staff. Unless this is done, we must conclude that your government is trying by all possible means to evict Radio Free Europe from the country". According to our information, the authorities have been putting pressure on Radio Free Europe since the beginning of August. On 1 August, a letter from the minister for foreign affairs threatened to cancel the credentials of all journalists working for Radio Free Europe's Belorussian service if documentaries made by unaccredited journalists were broadcast. Eleven journalists out of 21 are affected. The ministry refused to meet with the head of the Belorussian service, Mr. Lukaschuk, to discuss the matter. Furthermore, unplanned renovation work has begun on the buildings rented by the radio station in Minsk, thereby forcing most of the journalists to work temporarily on borrowed premises, as well as forcing the editorial staff to find new offices. A few weeks earlier, the radio station broadcast programmes in which several heads of literary publications made redundant by the president of the republic, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, were allowed to speak. Source: Reporters Sans Frontières press release, Paris, in English 15 Aug 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CANADA. I've been floating around the Northeast for a few days, mostly in upper Maine and New Hampshire. Some notes: CJWI-1610 heard with regular programming - and frequent extensive IDs - but only within 50 miles or so of Montreal. CFMB-1280 heard with an English- language preacher briefly on Sunday afternoon but then back to various languages (Doug Smith, W9WI, Aug 13, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. GH, inusitado: it could be understood as produced in an unexpected moment. See what "Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Lengua Española" ("DRAE" for short) reads: inusitado, da. (Del lat. inusitatus). 1. adj. No usado, desacostumbrado. Yes, the Babylon (software) dictionary I use, doesn't include it. Fortunately, the "DICCIONARIO DE LA LENGUA ESPAÑOLA, Vigésima segunda edición", which is the reference of the Spanish language, is online, too: Check http://www.rae.es/ and select "Diccionario 2001" Also you can add a button to the bar of "Vínculos" (I don't know the name it receives in the English version Internet Explorer, maybe "links") following instructions at http://buscon.rae.es/diccionario/drae/boton.htm A button is created in that bar above the main window of the browser after you drag and drop the link in that webpage. When activated, it shows a box and you fill it with the word whose meaning is being requested (73 Horacio -Uruguay (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo - Uruguay, DX LISTENING DIGEST) inusitado: My Novo Michaelis says: 1. unused, not used 2. not worn, new 3. strange, unusual (that's what fits here) 4. unaccustomed 5. unknown (Olle Alm, Sweden, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. Voice of China 11940 kHz, Full data prepared QSL card & Original QSL letter (v/s: Lily Hu, Executive Producer), program guide, post card in San Francisco, enclosed 1 US$ in 54 days. Report sent to Voice of China, P. O. Box 273538, Concord, CA 94527, USA (Ke. Hashimoto, Japan, Aug 4, 2002 for Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Today I received a letter from Russ Stendal on La Voz de tu Conciencia reported here in Borgå on 6064.57 kHz on July 23, 2002 starting at 0125 UT. Below are some lines from the letter. As you can notice Russ plans on printing QSL-cards and send them out to us crazy hobbyists! Jan, I am glad that you were able to hear our Short Wave signal. You must have heard one of our last broadcasts on 6065. About two weeks ago we switched to 6060. Our transmitter is putting out about 6 kw and uses three 4cx 5000 a tubes (two as modulators and one on the final). We will be making some changes to the antenna in the next week or so which may improve long range reception. Also as you go into winter months in the Northern Hemisphere this should improve your chances of reception. We have still not printed QSL cards as of yet but will send you one as soon as they are available (Russ Stendal, LV de Tu Conciencia via Jan-Erik Österholm, Porvoo, Finland, DXing.info Aug 14 via WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI has switched 7445 from USB to AM, first noted Aug 13 around 0545, and subsequently. This may mean that the antenna has also been moved to the higher 200 foot tower. No doubt they will be interested in reports of whether reception has improved, info@rfpi.org (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. Glenn, Sorry to read that your system cashed when you tried accessing this. Strange, but I have never experienced this problem either yesterday or today. CT1 continues to have non-stop reporting this morning. The http://www.radio.cz website is not working at the moment, no doubt swamped. [Later:] Glenn, Although the RealAudio feed of the 2230 Eng. program from Radio Prague was maxed out, the MP3Cast was available without a problem. 73, (Ivan Grishin, Ont., Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO PRAGUE'S ENGLISH SERVICE AND FLOODING IN THE CAPITAL Glenn, Here is the latest English Language Schedule for Radio Prague for anyone interested in hearing what is happening with the severe flooding in the Czech capital. UTC Freq Target 0000 - 0027 7345 N. America 0000 - 0027 11615 N. America 0100 - 0127 6200 N. America 0100 - 0127 7345 N. America 0300 - 0327 7345 N. America 0300 - 0327 7385 N. America 0300 - 0327 9870 N. America 0330 - 0357 11600 Mi. East/ S.W. Asia 0330 - 0357 15620 Mi. East/ S.W. Asia 0700 - 0727 9880 N.W. Europe 0700 - 0727 11600 N.W. Europe 0900 - 0929 21745 S. Asia/ W. Africa 1030 - 1057 9880 N. Europe 1030 - 1057 11615 N.W. Europe 1300 - 1329 13580 N. Europe 1300 - 1329 21735 S. Asia 1600 - 1627 5930 N.W. Europe 1600 - 1627 21745 E. Africa 1700 - 1727 5930 N.W. Europe 1700 - 1727 21745 C. Africa 2000 - 2027 5930 N.W. Europe 2000 - 2027 11600 S.& E. Asia/Australia 2130 - 2157 11600 S.& E. Asia/Australia 2130 - 2157 15545 W. Africa 2230 - 2257 11600 N. America 2230 - 2257 15545 N. America (Graham Powell, Webmaster for the Online DX Logbook & 21 MHz.Com Full details available at: http://www.shortwave.org.uk Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've been checking Czech Radio SW and find it is still on air. I haven`t checked if the broadcasts are "live" - i.e., if the studios are still active. And 270 LW was a loud signal Wednesday night around 2200. All of their MW are subject to co-channel QRM so are difficult to check, but I think I heard 639 mixing with Spain (Noel Green, England, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Prague still works and also has as usual audio files available at http://www.radio.cz As far as I can tell there are also no failures of LW/MW transmitters; Topolna 270, Liblice 639, the 954 synchros and Melnik 1233 are on air as the FM site Bukova Hora near Usti is. All networks carry lots of telephone reports (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also GERMANY ** FINLAND. Special Broadcasts: The EDXC 2002 Conference will be held 15-18. August in Pori, Finland. In connection to the conference there will be a special broadcast by YLE Radio Finland in English on shortwave 15530 and 21520 kHz on Saturday 17th of August at 10.00 UTC. Reports on this broadcast can be sent to Finnish DX Association, Box 454, 00101 Helsinki, Finland and they will be verified by a QSL provided by Digita Oy. Scandinavian Weekend Radio will broadcast a lot of conference features, interviews and special programmes during Saturday the 17th of August. For more details please refer to information provided by SWR to to http://www.swradio.net (Risto Vahakainu FDXA, Aug 14, hard-core-dx via DXLD) So I expect that the 1000 broadcast will be repeated for North America, UT-Sunday at 0000 on 13770 and 11990 kHz. Good opportunity for us to get some news about the conference, and hopefully hear some interviews. Thanks! (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. Dear Jean-Michel AUBIER, We have not got Radio Georgian in audio files. You can listen to Georgian Radio on the short waves. We attached the world broadcasting schedule of it. Time difference is 3 hour. Enjoy it. With the best regards (Nino Kandelaki via Aubier, DXLD) The World Broadcasting Structure of Georgian Radio [UT + 3!!] To the Direction of Oslo Russian Language: 10.00 – 10.30 a.m. 11805 Khz freq or on 25,4m wave English Language: 10.00 – 11.00 a.m. 11805 Khz freq or on 25,4m wave German Language: 11.00 – 11.30 p.m. 11805 Khz freq or on 25,4m wave English Language: 23.30 p.m.– 00.00 11760 Khz freq or on 25,5m wave German Language: 00.0 – 00.30 a.m. 11760 Khz freq or on 25,5m wave Russian Language: 00.30 – 01.00 a.m. 11760 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave To the Direction of Munich French Language: 12.00 – 12.30 p.m. 11910 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave English language: 12.30 - 13.00 p.m. 11910 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave German Language: 22.00 – 22.30 p.m. 11910 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave English Language: 22.30 – 23.00 p.m. 11910 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave To the Direction of Tel-Aviv English Language: 13.30 – 14.00 p.m. 11910 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave Georgian Language: 14.00 – 14.30 p.m. 11910 Khz freq or on 25,2m wave English Language: 20.30 – 21.00 p.m. 6180 Khz freq or on 48,5m wave Georgian Language: 21.00 – 21.30p.m. 6180 Khz freq or on 48,5m wave To the Direction of Iran Tuesday, Thursday Georgian Language: 09.00 – 10.00 a.m. 6080 Khz freq or on 49,3m wave Saturday, Sunday- Georgian Language: 20.00 – 21.00 p.m. 6080 Khz freq or on 49,3m wave To the Direction of Turkey Tuesday, Thursday Georgian Language: 10.30. a.m.–12.00 6080 Khz freq or on 49,3m wave Saturday, Sunday Georgian Language: 20.00 – 21.00 p.m. 6080 Khz freq or on 49,3m wave To the Direction of Armenia Armenian Language: 19.15 – 19.45 p.m. 6080 Khz freq or on 49,3m wave To the Direction of Azerbaijan Azerbaijanian Language: 20.00 – 20.30 p.m. 45,40 Khz freq. or on 66,1m wave [sic, so must mean 4540 kHz] (via Jean-Michel Aubier, France, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Regarding news coverage video: I found no capacity problems on the site of the German ARD TV news department so far. That's http://www.tagesschau.de There just go to "Fernsehen" where you will find the most recent edition under "letzte Sendung" as well as older ones. [Later:] Those searching for pictures and videos may also check the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk website at http://www.mdr.de/hochwasser/ Right now the 225 kbit/s video streams work without problems. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Everyone, The flooding in E. Europe was shown extensively on BBC TV news Wednesday evening. A lot of it concerned Prague, but there was also video of Dresden, and pictures of the railway station. The inside of a building - it could have been the one Kai photographed from the outside - with the No Entry signs each side of the entrance - and it resembled a waterfall with a river gushing through it. And then we saw the station platforms and tracks under water with various diesel or electric multiple units part submerged, as well as a shunting locomotive. What also looked like the signal tower was surrounded by water - I hope the signalman was rescued safely. And then we saw shots of the surrounding area - buildings part submerged by water. Another German town was seen with the Chancellor walking down a street which had been almost stripped of its cobble stones by the flow of water, and other streets full of debris. I wonder if this is all simply "natural" or if mother nature is beginning to take her revenge world wide on the way we are treating our environment. BTW - the temperature is predicted to reach 32C this weekend in parts of the UK - I hope that doesn`t include Blackpool. I wonder if storms will follow. I hope your area is not as badly affected - Kai - and that the situation soon improves, but the damage to infrastructure looks to be extensive (Noel Green, England, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, this was indeed Dresden Hauptbahnhof (main station). By the way, the trains there are actually coaching stocks with electric locomotives, just appearing to be EMU's due to a matched design of coaches and locomotives. Don't worry, nobody works there anymore. Back in the last year or in 2000 a new computer-based signalling system was installed; the signalmen running it now works at Leipzig. Once they had to pay the staff for a couple of signalboxes, now they pay the same amount of money to the Siemens and Vodaphone (for the remote control connection) companies. I am sure the economists will have some crude definition at hand to consider this nonsense as efficient. Well, in fact simply the Weißeritz river took a new course through the Dresden-Altstadt yard, continuing over the tracks to Dresden Hauptbahnhof and there through the station building into the city. But now the Elbe will become the major problem. Word is that meanwhile trial runs or probably even passenger services with a diesel railcar (the overhead cables are still off) on the upper level took place again. The Chancellor walking down a street: That's Grimma, about 20 km away from Leipzig on the straight line to Dresden. The flood of the Mulde river responsible for the disaster at Grimma also caused much damage further on at Wurzen, Eilenburg, Bitterfeld/Wolfen (problem: chemical industry) and also at Dessau where the Mulde reaches the Elbe. Well, the German politicians not only do their show runs through devastated towns but meanwhile also started to consider this topic in their election campaigns. Up to 30 degrees are also announced for the weekend here. Here at Elsterwerda we are about 25 km away from the Elbe. Another river called Schwarze Elster crosses our town; its water level is of course quite high but still a metre or so above [you mean below? --gh] the dyke level, at least this was the case yesterday. So no problems here, at least so far. At present (1140 UT) Wilsdruff 1044 is on air but 1431 is silent. Probably they operate the 1044 transmitter with an emergency generating set, it was just reported that parts of Wilsdruff are without mainpower. [Later, 1916 GMT:] Wilsdruff 1431 is back on air, no other disruptions of radio services observed so far. Now that Brandenburg gets affected by the flood, too, one should also check the website of the Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg TV news, offering takes from the most recent edition as video on demand: http://www.orb.de/brandenburgaktuell In case anybody wonders how the situation here in Elsterwerda is at present: http://kailudwig.bei.t-online.de/ew1508.htm Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. The enclosed posting on the bulletin board http://forum.wmoelter.de/ reports an improved modulation and increased fieldstrength for AFN Oberursel-Weißkirchen 873. It's hard to judge whether or not the signal became stronger here but I can confirm that indeed the modulation depth is OK now, so apparently they finally managed to get rid of the problem which required them to operate the transmitter with a very shallow modulation for years. The reporter also points out the nice audio of broad bandwidth; indeed 873 sounds much better than the poor 4.5 kHz audio of so many other German MW/LW transmitters (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ---------- Autor: Torsten M. Datum: 15.08.2002 00:35 Hallo AM-Freunde, weiß jemand etwas über eventuelle Änderungen am AFN-Sender auf 873kHz in Frankfurt? Zum Einen ist die in den letzen Monaten eher leise Modulation sehr schön laut und kräftig geworden, auch schön breitbandig mit ordentlich Höhen, klingt fast besser als die alte 1440 zu besten Luxemburg-Zeiten (da sollte sich Mega Radio mal ein klangliches Beispiel nehmen)! Zum anderen ist die Feldstärke hier im Raum Hannover enorm besser geworden, AFN steht jetzt hier abends fast wie ein Ortssender drin! Dafür, daß der mit "nur" 150kW funken soll, ist er hier wesenlich stärker und stabiler gegenüber Fading als andere Sender aus vergleichbarer Entfernung mit vergleichbarer Leistung (z.B. MDR Info auf 783kHz mit 100kW aus Leipzig). Ich bin über jegliche Info sehr dankbar! Gruß Torsten. (via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. RDS: Perhaps it is helpful to match the report from Carlos Coimbra with the technical details I mentioned: The feature "enabling stations to modify the radio display" is the frequently misused PS code, contrary the feature belonging to a button labelled "INFO" is Radiotext. So this report describes a proper use of the RDS system. Indeed RDS also contains a time signal, of course supposed to be accurate but I heard that also here in Germany there were already some cases of incorrect RDS time data. The Sangean ATS 909 can use RDS to set its own clock, that's what the "time set" switch (manual/auto) is for. This radio also displays the PS code like RDS-capable car radios; the only difference is that on the displays of car radios the PS code replaces the frequency on the display but not so on the ATS 909. It's just a design matter. Perhaps I should also describe what the traffic announcement feature actually does: One can mute the radio or listen to CD's, and the radio will bring up the received station only as long as these stupid traffic jam lists are read out. A extension is the EON feature: One can listen to the culture network of a certain ARD institution or to Deutschlandradio Berlin. EON now switches the radio to a "service program" (that's the ARD term for a dull AC format) of the institution serving this area when this network airs the "between Kleinkleckersdorf and Hintertupfing six kilometres traffic jam" babbling (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. Voz Evangélica, 4819.2, No data letter with Sticker, Picture Card and Bookmark in 124 days by Air mail for Spanish report sent by Air mail with $1.00 postage. V/S Dina Zuniga, Secretaria de Gerencia (Kazunori Watanabe Tokyo, Japan http://homepage2.nifty.com/ffk/ hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ICELAND. WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT RÍKISÚTVARPIÐ HAS A SHORT WAVE BROADCAST AS FOLLOWS FROM 7 April 2002 TO THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES, GREAT BRITAIN AND THE CONTINENT AT: 12:15-13:00 GMT 15775 kHz 17.55-18.25 GMT 13865 kHz TO CANADA AND U.S.A. AT: 14:10-14:40 GMT 15775 kHz 18.35-19.05 GMT 13865 kHz 23:00-23:35 GMT 13865 kHz THE BROADCASTS ARE IN ICELANDIC ONLY. Longwave broadcast on 189 kHz from Gufuskálar (300 kW) and from Eidar on 207 kHz (100 kW). The home page of RUV is: http//www.ruv.is (via H. S. Brar, GRDXC via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR Bangalore (500 kW) is noted on 11645 with relay of AIR FM II Delhi at 0130-0530 & 0930-1230.This replaces 9425. 9425 may continue as night channel at 1350-0040. I will monitor it and confirm. [Later:] Friends, AIR FM II Relay via Bangalore for Home Service noted on 11645 today instead of 9425. Looks like new day time test frequency at 0130-0530. Today, the following stations were noted with changed schedule to cover the running commentary of Independence Day programs in Delhi. 7140 Hyderabad 7180 Bhopal 7290 Thiruvanathapuram Today they were noted from 0130 UTC. Usually they use it from 0230 UT [Later2:] The night service of AIR National channel is still noted on 9425 at 1320-0040 UT. It was heard just now even in USA [at 1400] by Jon Standingbear! So the full sked of this looks like this. Bangalore 500 KW (Home Service) 0130-0530 11645 (replaces 9425) Relay of Delhi FM II 0930-1230 11645 (replaces 9425) Relay of Delhi FM II 1320-0040 9425 Relay of Delhi National Channel. Any changes observed will be notified (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS India, dx_india Aug 15 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. Re: fireball? Thanks. It did happen about 4 months ago. It`s just a strange thing. Keep up the good work. ccm (Cedric Miller, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In that case, it may have been a Lyrid... (gh, DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. KAZAKHSTAN'S FIRST CLANDESTINE STATION ON SHORTWAVE Becoming the first clandestine station opposing Kazakhstan's leadership, Dat Radio http://datradio.com/indexeng.htm has begun transmissions on 9775 kHz. Dat Radio can be heard at 0100-0200 and 1500-1600 UT. On its website the station describes its mission as follows: "DAT Radio breaks the veil of the lies created in the Kazakhstan state media belonging to the Nazarbayev family. DAT Radio offers its radio waves to all democratic forces and independent journalists in Central Asia". According to the website, DAT in Kazakh means I demand a word. The station can be contacted by email: info@datradio.com A sample station identification in the audio section and more info in the DXing.info Community (Aleksandr Mak on active_dx via Vlad Titarev on DXplorer via DXing.info, August 15, 2002 via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. Voice of National Salvation, 4450 kHz, Full data prepared QSL card and Original QSL card (no data, schedule only) (v/s: Kim ??), letter in 63 days. Report sent to Grenier Osawa 107, 40 Nando-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. According to letter, NDFSK (National Democratic Front of South Korea) missions are as follows : NDFSK Mission in Pyongyang, QTH: Munsu-dong, Taedonggang District, Pyongyang, D.P.R.K e-mail: ndfskpy@campus.ne.jp NDFSK Mission in Japan QTH: Grenier Osawa 107, 40 Nando-Cho, Shin- juku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. e- mail: ndfsk@campus.ne.jp (Ke. Hashimoto, Japan, Aug 4, 2002 for Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Kirghistan noted on 9-8-2002 on the New frequency 4795 kHz, s/on at 2300 UT with National Anthem. 73s, (H. S. Brar, Punjab, for GRDXC, Aug 15 via DXLD) Hi Glenn, On Aug 15 at 1755 indeed programs on 4010 and 4795 were in parallel. 4010 had stronger signal here. At 1757 there was Kyrgyz Radio ID in Kyrgyz and Russian (closing announcement), then National Anthem until about 1800. Carrier remained on both frequencies until 1815, 4010 off first and 4795 about 30 seconds later. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Kyrgyzstan is the one and only official form. It is used by Encyclopædia Britannica and a variety of other sources, a.o. the WRTH. Their stamps also carry this form of the name, in addition to Cyrillic (Olle Alm, Sweden, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA [and non]. Liberia Update; Broadcast offer WJIE International Shortwave Radio Aug 14, 2002 God bless everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I made it back safe and sound from Liberia, and that our trip was a success! We were able to get the FM on the air, and it is currently broadcasting to Monrovia. We are very, very excited bout this opportunity to share God's Good News! Several other events happened that I would like to share. We were able to lay the groundwork for our shortwave facility, and we plan to be on the air with that about the end of October. This station, co-located with our FM, will cover the entire continent of Africa! It is so exciting! We are also building an orphanage, a medical clinic, and have established the Christian Embassy of Liberia (CEL). The CEL is a former embassy that is absolutely huge. Our plans are to use it for our radio and TV station. We also plan to open it up so that your church or ministry will have a place to stay when you come to Liberia to visit. I want you to start making plans right now to come and minister in this country. The needs are so, so great. We could build a thousand orphanages and clinics, and it still wouldn't be enough --- there are literally thousands of children homeless, diseased and without hope. You need to pray about how you can help. Other radio news: we have established our contacts in Nigeria to develop an FM radio network in that nation as well. God is truly on the move! If you are a missionary on the field, or if you are a pastor in a foreign country, and you want to start a Christian radio station where you are, then please contact me (wjiesw@hotmail.com). We currently have started talks with leaders in Togo, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Uganda and the Congo to build stations. We need Joshuas and Calebs on the ground that can see the vision and help us to help you in reaching the lost with God's Good News through broadcasting! Once again, we are offering your church or ministry FREE AIRTIME on any one of our missionary radio outlets. For more information, please contact Doc (wjiesw@hotmail.com) or Morgan (morgan@wjie.org) for more information on how to get started! Until next time, God bless! (Doc Burkhart, WJIE International Shortwave, Aug 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing here about WJIE itself; guess that`s pretty far on the back burner (gh, DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. Aquí una noticia de mi amigo Karl Michel de Reims- Francia. "...puedo decirte que RTL transmitió en su antigua frecuencia de 6090 kHz, como un test, el dia 10.07.02 entre 0600 y 2100 UTC, pero un sólo dia, no más. La transmisión viene en alemán, y yo no creo que realmente van a activar la onda corta (lo que cuesta mucho), puesto que se puede escuchar RTL en Alemania a través de varias frecuencias en la banda de FM..." Saludos cordiales de (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Nueva Antena en XEOI: les comunico que los trabajos de la instalación y acoplamiento de la nueva antena, para Radio Mil Onda Corta 6010 KHZ, ha sido terminado, y ya está siendo usada esta antena. Mucho le agradeceríamos sus envíos de reporte de recepción y comentarios a XEOI Radio Mil Onda Corta Apartado Postal 21-1000 04021 - Mexico D.F. MEXICO Esperamos que con este cambio mejore su recepción. Gracias y saludos (Hector Garcia Bojorge, Encuentro DX, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Detalles? Direccional? (gh, DXLD) ** NORWAY. Dear Glenn, It has come to our attention that last Winter In DXLD you publish this. In DXLD 2-035 it is reported: ``Svenn Martinsen, the CEO/Chairman of Northern Star International Broadcasters AS, informs us that his company is the conditional licence-holder of new Swedish-based station, with the working title of Cruisin' 216. The station intends to broadcast in English to Scandinavia, the British Isles and many areas of Western Europe by means of a 1.2 million-Watt transmitter on 216 kHz AM Long Wave.`` Well, I wish them luck, in light of Atlantic 252 throwing in the towel on music programming and switching to a speech based sports format, but what I question here is the coverage. When in London, with a "barefoot" Sony 2010, 216 kHz had a fair daytime groundwave signal from the 1.4 MW Radio Monte Carlo transmitter in southern France. This signal was very strong in the evening. Given the northern location of this proposed station, and the tendency of signals from the south to dominate longwave and medium wave during even minor auroral conditions, I would expect a co-channel battle anywhere outside the new stations grade A signal radius. Should be interesting if it gets off the ground (Brock Whaley, GA, March 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Why wish them luck? It`s just another gospel huxter per their not-so- hidden agenda (gh, DXLD)" Our comment is: How can you be so sure that we are "just another gospel huxter per their not-so-hidden agenda?" We don't recall being interviewed by you? We certainly not hide that some of us have a Christian, even Church background, and wish that Christian ethics to be the proposed radio station's foundation. We think that this also is a very safe foundation also commercially. So we are not a new "Missionary" station, we are a commercial project. And only a small part of transmission hours will be devoted to block Christian programming, which we think is good business in itself. The proposed station will follow closely the North Atlantic style and format tradition of for example the European offshore stations in the 60s and 70s. They too broadcast Christian programming without we think any hidden agendas etc. Pace-setting broadcasters like Brock Whaley --- we think this is the Brock Whaley that was on Honolulu's 1040 AM and that we have an 80s tape of when he was on Chicago's Mighty Met, WMET-is an indication of the style we want. Regarding the co-channel "battle" there is a lot of material on our website about this matter: http://www.northernstar.no Maybe you will be kind enough to publish our comments in DXLD, and also forward this email to Brock? kind regards, Svenn Martinsen, CEO/Chairman, Northern Star International Broadcasters AS Northern Star International Broadcasters AS is a registered broadcasting company whose aim is to hold commercial radio licenses, and to trade in commercial radio and related media on a Christian foundation. http://www.northernstar.no Chairman S Martinsen; Directors E Morland, G Stokkeland Registration no.: 981 393 368. Registered office address: PO Box 153, N-5346 Ågotnes, Norway. E-mail:gm@northernstar.no Phone: + 011 47 56 32 17 73 Fax +011 47 56 33 42 30 (Martinsen, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. I just visited the KOMA web site and it's all decked out as "News-Talk 1520". Anybody in Oklahoma know what's going on??? Heavens to Murgatroyd!!! (Bill Hale in Fort Worth, Aug 14, NRC-AM via DXLD) I was just there for WTFDA, and here's the deal: KOMA has two sites. http://www.komaradio.com is the official one; you visited http://www.komanews.com, which exists but isn't the one they tell the public about. KOMA(AM) is a decidedly weird station at the moment. Most of the time, it simulcasts the oldies on KOMA-FM 92.5... except: -between midnight and 5 AM, it's leased-time religion -they carry Bill O'Reilly in the afternoon, and... -they break from the FM simulcast at the top of the hour for 5 minutes of CBS News. It's not handled very smoothly; they don't backtime the songs on the FM to end at 59:50, so they just fade 'em down mid-verse, pot up the AM ID, run the news and a weather forecast, and then rejoin the FM again mid-song. I suspect the existence of the komanews.com site is a harbinger of things to come at 1520, but they haven't fully come yet... -s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) I'm not sure which site I was at, now that two sites are brought up. I got there through All-Access. Since KOMA is not heard here in the daytime, except for some cooler wintertime reception, and very poorly at night, I haven't heard anything but Oldies and REL out of them. Didn't know about the Bill O'Reilly show being on there. I don't think they are REL all night, just from 2230-0100 local or something like that. As have heard OLD between 0400-0600. I usually try to catch 1/2 hour of their morning show on the way to work, as it's locally-produced (and very loosely produced, I might add) and kind of a throwback to olden times. Pleasant to listen to, though (Bill Hale in Fort Worth, ibid.) With Danny Williams (gh) Hi, Morris, Scott and All, Unfortunately, this change appears to have been several months in the making. Two things happened on the air in close proximity: They dropped their specialty shows, (The Wax Museum and the KOMA Kountdown.) Those were the programs that really made KOMA stand out from all of the rest. And they began to carry CBS News on the top of each (non-paid) hour. They also dropped most of the personality elements of their oldies format, and much of the identifiable sound of KOMA: the occasional older jingle, the diversity of the playlist which at least gave the listener an occasional treat. The changes began in earnest right around Memorial Day. When I heard that CBS news at the top of the hour, I figured it would just be a matter of time, to bring back an oldies phrase, before the other shoe would drop. I'll probably listen to KOMA about as often as I listen to 1170 in Tulsa now: rarely, if ever. In other words, they might as well go away, because now they're just as bland as all of the other stations on the dial. The consultants and bean counters have won another round. And listeners have lost something special (Rick Lewis, AZ, ibid.) It's in all the trades. The AM went News/Talk while the FM continues to be oldies (David Gleason, CA, Aug 14, NRC-AM via DXLD) ``Great oldies, all the time, at the touch of a button``. And so it was for the better part of the hour I listened. The trades must be wrong (KOMA 1520, 0207 UT Aug 16 via Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Re 4790.02: As reported already some time ago, the strong and buzzy Islamabad transmitter all of a sudden corrected its frequency to very good synchronism with AIR, most certainly to take care of complaints caused by the loud het they were producing. (It is unlikely that another transmitter with exactly the same characteristic buzz would have taken the place of Old faithful.) 73s (Olle Alm, Sweden, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. Hello, today I have got an e-mail confirmation from Radiodifusión América, Asunción, Paraguay. I observed this station end of July testing on 15185 with 5 watts only. Meanwhile the station has suspended transmissions on that frequency in order to reconstruct the transmitter for greater power output. At present they are active on 7300 and 1610. Mr. Adán Mur, technical assistent of Radio América, points out that he is interested in getting reports on these frequencies, too. Reports can be sent to: ramerica@rieder.net.py bye (Michael Schnitzer, Germany, Aug 13, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. Hello Glen; I thought this might interest you. too bad there aren't more technical facts in this story such as frequency and power of the station. I guess they figure nobody wants to know and doubtless most people wouldn't understand it anyway. Yours, (ruce Atchison, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Monday, August 14, 2002 CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION CLOSED DOWN Importance of broadcast media cited By Noel T. Tarrazona, Philippine correspondent for ASSIST News Service ZAMBOANGA, CITY, PHILIPPINES (ANS) -- After more than 20 years of successful operations, the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) in the Philippines has temporarily closed one of its network stations, DXAS, the only Christian AM radio station in Zamboanga City. Various external and internal circumstances to the ministry forced FEBC leadership to take time to evaluate the station`s future and rebuild its operations. ``DXAS will shift focus from primarily reaching an evangelical audience to expanding its outreach to more marginalized Muslim communities of the Zamboanga & asilan areas,`` stated Enrico Dizon, FEBC Philippine`s national broadcast group director. ``This new thrust will require new programming, a new staff and new support base. These three areas will be the main focus with rebuilding the station.`` A skeletal staff remains at the station to handle administrative requirements and facilities maintenance until the station resumes on the air. DXAS has introduced Christ to many among the various ethnic groups in Zamboanga City and neighboring towns. Robert Lozada, who served as announcer of DXAS for 22 years, cited the importance of the Christian broadcast media for outreach especially in Zamboanga City where complex culture exists. He is appealing to all Christians to help pray that God will open the way for DXAS to resume its operations. DXAS has introduced Christ to many among the various ethnic groups in Zamboanga City and neighboring towns. Zamboanga City is just an hour away from Basilan Province, a known lair of the Abu Sayyaf, the group responsible for the abduction of American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham. DXAS used to receive letters and complimentary responses from Basilan residents at the height of its popularity in the mid 1980s. (ANS Aug 14 via Bruce Atchison, VE6XTC, Alberta, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bruce Portzer`s PAL says it was on 1116, 5 kW directional NE/SW, included some English at 1000-1300 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. RADIO-TV TRANSMISSION CHIEF SEEKS QUICK SWITCHOVER TO DIGITAL The head of Russia's state-owned TV and radio transmission enterprise has called on the government to take out a 3bn-dollar loan to switch from analogue to digital broadcasting over five years - eight years sooner than the official target date of 2015. The English-language Moscow Times newspaper on 14 August quoted Gennadiy Sklyar, head of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting System (RTRS), as saying: "If Europe switches to digital and we remain in analogue, we will become an enclave unable to develop." Sklyar, who was addressing a news conference on the 13th, said that since there was no money in the state budget to modernize Russia's TV and radio transmission system, he believed a large state credit was necessary to fund the switchover to digital broadcasting. RTRS, a vast state TV and radio conglomerate, includes some 15,000 TV transmitters, more than 3,000 radio transmitters and relay lines. Media analysts say it is in a dilapidated state. About 80 per cent of the working transmitters should already have been decommissioned, according to Sklyar. He noted that replacing them with new analogue equipment would mean paying twice over, because they would have to be replaced later with digital - hence his call for the government to take out a loan and pay for the investment. Sklyar said there were no plans to privatize RTRS, but the company may form a subsidiary joint-stock company to attract a strategic investor. Several European telecom firms had expressed interest, Sklyar added, although he declined to name them. Source: BBC Monitoring research 15 Aug 02 (via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA. Approx. 0730 15 Aug UT. A few hours ago I heard the anti-Brother Stair broadcast on 7415 [WBCQ]. It was during the half hour beginning 0100 if I'm not mistaken. On that broadcast it was alleged that the only reason Brother Stair got himself out on bond is that he coughed up $400,000! As I understand it, this was $200,000 each for two charges on which high bond was set. They also played a tape of a local newscast from a "Channel 5" (dated prior to Stair's release) in which it was stated that the judge is considering an electronic tether on Stair. I don't know if this was finally made a restriction. But in answer to a caller's query the host of the show did say that Brother Stair is free to go anywhere within South Carolina. His passport has been confiscated. Also, his trial is set for "after the first of the year." But I heard no exact date given on that. The hosts speculated that Stair has millions of dollars stashed away, and that some of this may be in overseas banks. Meanwhile his radio show continues with (primarily) old tapes of fire & brimstone sermons. I should also mention: these guys on 7415 are very anti-Brother Stair. They alleged that at one time Stair made a pro-abortion sermon. I am very skeptical of this. I've heard Stair in the past on this subject, and he has never been anything but anti-abortion when I've heard him on the subject. These guys on 7415 are themselves, in my opinion, not to be trusted with everything they say. They want to nail Brother Stair and might be over-zealous in that process. Lastly, I note that in response to my own query to Brother Stair's e- mail address, he said simply "out on bond." Didn't say that he coughed up $400,000. I'm sure this is a fact he does not want his regular listeners to know! I'm sure the people who sent that money did not expect it to be used for that purpose! (Robert Arthur, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: "HeartBeat" focuses on Alzheimer's Disease Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: In our cultural magazine "Spectrum", a Lithuanian Hamlet in Stockholm, Midsummer Night's Dream in Gotland, and the Baltic Music Center Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" another chance to hear about the Swedish film industry and to meet Supernatural Also, don't forget our interviews with Swedish political party leaders on Wednesdays, as the September 15 elections approach. We've now put together a webpage with links to RealAudio of the previously broadcast interviews, plus more information about the various parties. Just go to radiosweden.org and click on "Election 2002". (SCDX/MediaScan Aug 15 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Got the new second-half of 2002 VOT printed schedule in the mail earlier in the week. Obviously laid out quite recently, since the first feature article concerns Turkey's third-place finish in the World Cup. Note that the frequency tables show that the frequency for the 0300-0400 UT English broadcast to North America and Europe will be changing from 11655 to 9650 kHz as of 2 September. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. *PROTEST OVER THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 'BAN'* http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/2192086.stm Playwright Harold Pinter joins other public figures to protest at Radio 4's exclusion of non-religious contributors to Thought for the Day... (via Ivan Grishin, DXLD) ANGER AS BBC KEEPS THE FAITH ON `THOUGHT FOR THE DAY' By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Correspondent, PA News More than 100 public figures today sent a letter to the BBC protesting at the ban on atheist contributors to the Radio 4 Thought for the Day slot. Playwright Harold Pinter, MP Tony Banks and Sir Ludovic Kennedy are among the famous names to back the campaign. Thought for the Day has been part of the Radio 4 schedules for decades and the BBC is currently looking at ways of "refreshing" the two-and- a-half minute slot. But producers have pledged to continue their policy of allowing only religious contributors, and will decline appearances by atheists. The decision prompted the collection of prominent figures in politics and the media to write the letter to BBC governors. It read: "By resolutely retaining the ban, the BBC is discriminating against the non-religious, and thus giving the impression of promoting religion as the one source of ethics. We call on the Governors to end this ban." Iain Banks, Whitbread Prize-winning author Philip Pullman and John Fowles, who penned The French Lieutenant's Woman, are among the writers who have signed the letter. Other signatories include former Labour leader Michael Foot, TV personality Claire Rayner and veteran jazz singer George Melly. The list of 102 names consists of 20 MPs, 13 peers and a raft of scientists, academics, journalists, entertainers and poets. The letter was sent by the British Humanist Association, the National Secular Society and the Rationalist Press Association. BBC bosses reportedly wanted to revamp Thought for the Day, part of the Today programme, because it is too "bland". A spokesman for the petitioners said: "This adds insult to injury. The BBC admits that Thought for the Day is boring, and yet they will not consider opening it up to people who might have something less hidebound and more stimulating to say. "The BBC is supposed to reflect the diversity of the whole country, so it is unacceptable that the growing number of non-religious people - well over 10 million - should be subjected to this discrimination. "The Corporation wouldn't dare do this to any other minority. Today is not a religious programme, yet this slot forms part of it." But a BBC spokeswoman said: "We have no plans to introduce secular contributors. Today is a secular programme so it is appropriate that we take two or three minutes to look at world issues from a faith perspective. "The contributors are not just Christian, we have voices from every faith represented." (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ATHEISTS GET EQUAL TIME ON BBC Story Filed: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 6:48 PM EDT LONDON (AP) -- Some of Britain's most eminent writers and thinkers are demanding equal time for atheism on a daily religious radio spot that is a cherished ritual to many believers of all faiths. ``Thought for the Day,'' the British Broadcasting Corp.'s venerable ``God slot,'' responded Wednesday by giving listeners a dose of atheism, as the debate continued over religion's place on the national broadcaster. Richard Dawkins, Oxford University's professor for the public understanding of science, was granted an experimental ``Thought for the Day'' slot an hour after Anne Atkins, a newspaper columnist and wife of a Church of England vicar, had presented the daily fixture. He summoned the nation to abandon religion -- to ``leave the crybaby phase and finally come of age.'' The issue has touched a British nerve. ``Thought for Today'' may be just two minutes and 45 seconds long, but since 1970 it has been a fixture in one of the nation's most influential news programs -- ``Today'' on Radio 4, which draws 6.45 million listeners. The unprecedented atheist ``Thought'' came a day after more than a hundred prominent atheists -- including playwrights Harold Pinter and Arnold Wesker, authors Iain Banks and John Fowles, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Joseph Rotblat -- published a letter demanding equal treatment. ``Thought for the Day'' has regular contributions from Sikhs, Jews and Christians, but does not welcome contributors who hold no religious beliefs. ``By resolutely retaining the ban, the BBC is discriminating against the nonreligious, and thus giving the impression of promoting religion as the one source of ethics,'' the letter said. The debate over a program that is meant to encourage thoughtful contemplation quickly turned angry. ``To ask an atheist to contribute to ('Thought for Today') would be like asking an earthworm to comment on quantum physics,'' Gerald Aves commented in his e-mail to the ``Today'' program Web site. Phil Healey responded: ``This is an absolutely perfect example of the bigotry of those people who believe in fairy tales.'' Church attendance has declined sharply in Britain, but a BBC poll two years ago found that 62 percent affirmed their belief in God and in Jesus Christ. On Wednesday's official ``Thought for the Day,'' Atkins tackled the age-old question of ``where is God?'' in relation to the recent disappearance of two 10-year-old girls from a rural town, now feared to have been abducted and perhaps killed. ``Sometimes there aren't any answers, or the answers we get are worthless, or no answers,'' she said. She cited the Gospel account of Jesus praying at Gethsemane: ``He prayed, and he wept, and he put his life in the hands of God. And in the fear and the agony, God was there.'' Dawkins attacked the notion of a creator as ``infantile.'' ``We have been born and we are going to die,'' he said. ``But before we die we have time to understand why we were born, time to understand the universe into which we were born and with that understanding we finally grow up and realize that there is no help for us outside our own efforts,'' he said. ``Humanity can now leave the crybaby phase and finally come of age.'' In an editorial, The Daily Telegraph said atheists had no reason to complain. ``With very few exceptions, what you get from rabbi, priest and mullah alike is Religion Lite: doctrine so watered down as to be inoffensive to all -- or, rather, offensive only in its patronizing banality,'' the newspaper said. In a short debate on BBC radio, jazz singer George Melly, who represented the atheist point of view, was asked whether there was nothing offensive about ``Thought for the Day.'' ``Well, except its existence, really,'' Melly drawled. (AP via DXLD) ** U K. BBC URGED TO DISCLOSE ACTION ON NEWS HACKING CLAIM By Gavin Cordon, Whitehall Editor, PA News The Tories were today calling on the BBC to disclose what action it had taken to investigate claims by its senior foreign correspondent John Simpson that Downing Street had hacked into the Corporation's computer. In a new book, Mr Simpson claimed that the computer hacking had been part of an attempt by officials to influence news reports critical of the Government. He said that reporters had been contacted by Government officials asking them to tone down their reports before they had even been broadcast. Although there was no proof, Mr Simpson said that a number of journalists were "morally certain" that the officials had been reading their scripts in the computer system. Downing Street vehemently dismissed the allegations as "complete rubbish" and "utter drivel". However, the shadow secretary for the office of the deputy prime minister, David Davis, has written to the chairman of the BBC Board of Governors, Gavyn Davies, asking what steps had been taken to investigate the claims. "If Mr Simpson is right, there has been attempted interference in the BBC's news coverage using information that should not have been available to either No 10 or the Labour Party," he said in his letter. "These are serious allegations. The Charter requires the BBC to provide independent and impartial news coverage. "The public needs to be reassured that the BBC has done all it can to ascertain whether any improper conduct has taken place." The Sunday Telegraph, which is serialising Mr Simpson's book News from No Man's Land, reported that BBC managers ordered an inquiry after staff reported their concerns following Labour's 1997 general election victory. The investigation was said to have centred on former BBC employees who may still have known passwords and may have been able to gain access to the system. Although no proof was found, the BBC newsroom shortly afterwards switched to a more secure computer system, the paper said. A BBC spokesman said that there had not been any "formal" investigation into the claims. He added: "Although we don't discuss issues of security, if there was any abuse we would put a stop to it." In his book, Mr Simpson said that when one journalist wrote a script on his computer for the next news bulletin he would be rung up by Downing Street before it was broadcast and "lobbied on a point or two". "This didn't happen just once or twice. Downing Street has also rung up The World at One programme to complain about the items it was planning to run," he said. He claimed the tactics were part of a widespread attempt by the Government to pressurise the BBC and other broadcasters, adding: "Several colleagues are morally certain that it is happened." (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. WBCQ schedule changes: 7415 Starting Tuesday, August 13, 2002 Tuesday thru Friday EVM Jewish Radio Network 12:15 a.m. - 1:15 a.m. link: yspivak@aol.com Rabbi Yaakov Spivak 845-352-1010 Monday 0415 12:15am - 1:15am 7415 Radio Timtron Worldwide (repeat) link: timtron@hotmail.com CANCELLED - Last Program Monday, August 12, 2002 ---------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 0415 12:15am - 12:45am 7415 Glenn Hauser's World of Radio Link: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/ Last day at this time: 8/8/2002 STARTING 8/19/2002 MOVES TO: Monday, 12:15am - 12:45am ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 0445 12:45am - 1:15am 7415 Radio D.C. Link: radiodc@hotmail.com Last day at this time: 8/8/2002 STARTING 8/19/2002 MOVES TO: Monday, 12:45am - 1:15am (WBCQ Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ARABS LOVE THE MUSIC ON NEW U.S. GOVERNMENT RADIO STATION, NOT AS EXCITED ABOUT ITS NEWS Sun Aug 11, 8:24 PM ET --- By DIANA ELIAS, Associated Press Writer KUWAIT - Young Arab listeners rave about the cool international playlist on the new U.S. government radio station designed just for them — but they complain that when the programming switches from music to news, it deteriorates into propaganda. In targeting those 30 and under — 60 percent of the Arab world's 280 million population — Radio Sawa has ditched the news and public affairs focus of the Voice of America Arabic-language service that it replaced. Its music-heavy programming resembles a youth-oriented station in the United States, only without the commercials. While U.S. pop stations use music to draw audiences to ads for consumer products, Radio Sawa — "Radio Together" in Arabic — hopes the music will help sell American views and ideas to Arab listeners. It began broadcasting from Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates in March and plans to transmit from more countries in the Middle East. Among Arabs, the United States is largely seen as blindly backing Israel in its confrontation with the Palestinians. Many in the region also believe the U.S.-backed war on terrorism is directed at Islam, not only at Osama bin Laden's followers. Radio Sawa seems to face a barrier of skepticism if it wants to dispel those notions. "I used to listen to it, but stopped once I found it was American radio," said Yousef, a 30-year-old Palestinian living in the United Arab Emirates. "They are trying to improve their image and introduce themselves in a different way, through music instead of politics. I know them, and I still don't like them." Yousef, who refused to give his full name, said he watches Qatar's Al-Jazeera television and Saudi Arabia's Middle East Broadcasting Corporation for the news. Among Arabs, Al-Jazeera is prized for talk shows that address political taboos and host Israeli officials who never get on other Arabic stations — though the station's reporting is distinctly pro-Arab. Lebanon's LBC and Future TV stations are popular for music and entertainment — and for young women hosts who flirt with callers. The BBC's Arabic service is praised as reliable and fair, and while some English-speakers tune in CNN, many complain it has a pro- U.S. slant. Buthaina Jad'on, a Jordanian teacher, said she was "shocked" when Radio Sawa interrupted its programming recently to broadcast a speech by U.S. President George W. Bush. "I don't like its political news because they are biased to America and show the Arabs in a different and wrong image," said the 27-year-old. "I listen to its music only and turn it off when the news begins." Norman Pattiz, the primary inspiration behind the station, said Americans believe the news as reported by the Arab media is "skewed." He said dispelling false notions was not Sawa's first goal, but it may counter some Arab misperceptions about America. In a typical hour of Sawa's music-filled programming, about 15 minutes are dedicated to news in shows at quarter past and quarter to the hour. Along with songs by international and Arab stars like Brian Adams, Lebanon's Pascal Mishalani, Britney Spears and Egypt's Hisham Abbas, the 24-hour station broadcasts public service messages against drugs, and drinking and driving. "Listen to us, and we will listen to you," it promises in Arabic. In addition to speeches by top U.S. officials, the station offers interviews with them. An Arabic translation of the Bush speech that angered listener Jad'on was broadcast 15 minutes after the president made it in Washington. In June, Sawa had a lengthy chat with Secretary of State Colin Powell, with Arabic translation played over Powell's explanation of U.S. Middle East peace strategies. The station also has a daily roundup of news about Iraq intended for Iraqi listeners. On its website, Radio Sawa says it is committed to the American tradition of being "accurate, objective and comprehensive" in its reporting. Pattiz scoffed at charges Sawa aired U.S. propaganda. "We wouldn't know how to do propaganda if we were asked to," he said. The station has no firm statistics yet on audience size. But Pattiz, who is involved with the board that oversees U.S. government broadcasting abroad, said research in some Middle Eastern cities indicates 10 percent of the area's population was listening to Radio Sawa. "Ninety-eight percent of the population of the Middle East had never listened to VOA's Arabic service," he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. Pattiz said that when the radio's Middle East broadcast center in Dubai opens later this year, there will be "larger blocks of talk and interview programs." E-mails from anonymous Arab listeners provided to the AP by Sawa describe the station as "so cool," "my favorite till the end of time," and a "great success." Some messages even praised Sawa's news — "My mom and dad and their friends like you because your music is good and the news is not biased at all. I think so, too," wrote a 15-year-old Jordanian student. Saad Jaafar, assistant undersecretary of Kuwait's Information Ministry, said Radio Sawa has "achieved some success ... but not as a source for news." For that, most in Kuwait still tune to the BBC, he said. Radio Sawa is popular enough to prompt some worries Western ideas will come with the pop music, undermining Muslim values. "What can we offer as a substitute for this radio station that targets the new generation?" wrote Sajed al-Abdali, a columnist for the daily Al-Rai Al-Amm. "This generation is my son and your son, my daughter and your daughter." Walid Mohammed, a Kuwaiti, listens to Sawa but says he hates it when the radio describes Palestinian attacks against Israelis as "suicide bombings." To him and most other Arabs, they are "martyr operations." The 33-year-old engineer believes the station, with its music format, amounts to American propaganda that could very well affect the impressionable young. "Unfortunately," he said, "Radio Sawa will do quite well." --- On the Net: http://www.radiosawa.com (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. 9465, WMLK at 1732-1800+ 13? Aug w/rx. Fabulous signal without the usual QSB. Overmodulated. ID at +32 and +02 (Liz Cameron, MI, WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe they are finally testing new 250 kW at 125? At exactly the same hour Aug 14, I found only traces of a signal, tho the WWCR 9475 sideband is extreme. Rx must mean religion, not prescription nor receiver... (gh, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DXLD) ** U S A. WWRB TESTING NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ANTENNA TO RUSSIA AND ASIA For Immediate Release 15 August 2002 POC: Peter J. Taggart Today, the Federal Communications Commission approved tests of Radio Station WWRB's newest antenna system, the 360 azimuth dual feed reflector curtain antenna. The frequencies that the FCC has authorized tests on range from 5 to 27 MHz; more specifically, 5.070, 5.085, 7.315, 9.495, 12.160, 12.172, 15.825, 17.495, and 26.800 MHz. The testing will occur at various times and frequencies with no defined schedule as of now. Radio Station WWRB is the only private for hire radio station offering widely varying antenna directions; for coverage maps, please visit our web site at http://www.wwrb.org or http://www.worldwidereligiousbroadcasting.org (Dave Frantz, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So not supposed to be 25800? This is the second time given as 26800 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. GERMANY. 15715, High Adventure at 1632-1700 Aug 13. I thought this was Radio Xuriyo --- thought I heard something to that effect. Sounds like Ethiopian language. Announced a website as questionsforgod.org and gave an address as Hope from Heaven in Limassol, Cyprus. Didn't catch Box #. High Adventure ID at 1700 (Liz Cameron, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WLW and IBOC: They are definitely testing tonight, cycling the IBOC off and on at regular intervals. When it's on, it completely wipes out 710 here unless I null WLW. There is also a noticeable degradation in the audio quality of WLW from added in-band noise. (Barry McLarnon, Ottawa ON, Aug 13, NRC-AM via DXLD) Were I within range, I would make tapes and take notes and try to get them in front of everyone at WLW, WOR and CC I could. I'm hoping NRCers will leap into action and let them know what IBOC does to clear channel stations, figuring no one carries about protecting the Class 2-3-4 stations outside their secondary coverage area (Chuck Hutton, ibid.) Oh, don't think for one minute that Clear Channel doesn't have plenty of engineers monitoring these tests carefully. If they hear interference to or from WLW or WOR during the tests (and the consensus among non-Ibiquity-affiliated engineers I trust is that they will), it will be carefully measured, recorded, documented with 8-by-10 glossy pictures with a paragraph on the back of each one, and sent down to Washington. And friends... OK - enough bad Arlo Guthrie parody. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having reports from DXers as well, specifically addressing the effects of the IBOC tests on nighttime skywave reception of 700, 710 and adjacent frequencies. (690 won't matter, it's Canadian - but I suspect WGN is paying attention this week!). Paul Jellison is WLW's chief engineer, Kerry Richards is CE at WOR, and they're both DXer-friendly. The addresses in the Log are good. You all know what to do... -s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) Seems as if notifying the Canadian licensee wouldn't hurt, either, and certainly might help to notify WGN's CE also if they suffer any degradation (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) Kevin Redding in Phoenix and I were checking 700 last night around 8:30 pm Pacific, exchanging e-mails, and we both were hearing some digital junk around the frequency. Because of XETRA-690, I wasn't able to hear much below 700 but there was definitely some digital white noise and "whine" about 700, reminiscent of the stuff I heard during the "KUSA" tests on 1660 back in April, 1995. WLW itself was not heard (it is one of the best eastern clears here, though) but it seems likely that some of its IBOC artifacts were making it out this way. This was heard even on my CC Radio with its internal loopstick. If this is any indication of what skywave will be like with IBOC. . . . . .EEEEEEYYYOWWWW!!!! (Harry Helms, AK6C, Ridgecrest, CA DM15, Aug 14, ibid.) It`s making its way all the way out west. No sign of WLW because of KWLW but on 690 and 710 there was noise to be heard. I could hear 690 noise better than the 710 noise because of KUET. What I heard was noise much like the noise you hear on a TV with no station on a channel. This noise cycled on and off at times. By 2100 it was way gone. I had a little whine but mostly the white noise. AM BCB DX is deader than a doornail for a while during the transitional time if this is the case. That noise is some kind of ugly. It`s not the buzzing you got in the FM tests. It sounds like white noise, the roar of the ocean, with a little hint of digital buzz. It`s worse on AM. It`s everything you feared would happen and more (Kevin Redding, AZ, ibid.) No, they are NOT cycling IBOC off and on, but according to their CE, Paul Jellison, toggling sideband from -16 to -22 to off at night. He said with 5 kHz analog audio and IBOC *OFF* he could hear WOR 800 feet from WLW's tower with a DX-398!! (Powell E. Way III, ibid.) If you go to the WOR website at http://www.wor710.com/ and select "Inside WOR" from the menu on the lefthand side, you'll come to link called "WOR will be testing IBOC". Follow that link, and you'll come to another one called "A letter to our listeners from WOR's Director of Engineering". The letter from the DoE (Tom Ray) says, in part: "I would like to personally thank you for your interest in WOR's pioneering venture into IBOC, or In Band On Channel, digital transmission. I would also like to ask your assistance in our experiment as New York's first and only digital AM station. You won't be able to listen to the digital portion of WOR's transmission; the radios are simply not available at this time. But you can help us by filling out our IBOC form. We are interested in knowing if you notice any difference in the analog WOR signal you presently listen to. This information will be helpful to iBiquity in their completion of the development of this technology." I couldn't find any "IBOC Form" on the site, but if you select "Contact WOR" from the menu on the top of the page, you'll find a link to a general-purpose comment form... or scroll down the Contact page and you'll find Tom Ray's email address. He's requesting feedback, so let's give him some! I don't know if the WLW website has any IBOC test info... my browser hung while trying to load their home page. :-( (Barry McLarnon, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) Here`s the address for IBOC reports to WLW. wlwam@clearchannel.com http://www.700wlw.com/contact.html Since I could hear the noise here, I sent them a icky report (Kevin Redding, ibid.) Awful! Checked Aug 15 at 0457 UT and there was equal noise on 690 and 710 wreaking havoc upon KGGF and KCMO. It would slowly rise and fade, and sometimes apparently go off; since WLW is rock solid here on 700, I doubt the IBOC (obviously really meaning in-band, OFF channel) hash fading was due to propagation. If this is what we have to look forward to, goodbye mediumwave (Glenn Hauser, Enid, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) IBOC does the same thing on FM. This is why I have said repeatedly that you can kiss this hobby good-bye if it ever gets adopted. You might also make a case that outside of major metro areas, you might also kiss most radio listening good-bye. If most stations ever go IBOC, you would probably only get a listenable signal from nearby transmitters --- everything less than a local signal would get killed by IBOC from adjacent channels. we're talking about whether or not you can even get a listenable signal!!! Give IBOC a listen to on WLW --- note the sidebands and how they interfere with the adjacents on both sides. With IBOC, you won't have an AM signal 10 kHz wide...it will be 30 kHz wide for all practical purposes. On FM, it will be 3 channels wide. How many weaker but listenable signals will this take out if it's adopted on a widespread basis???? (Joe Fela, NJ, amfmtvdx via DXLD) I'm now hearing that hiss between 685 and 715 kHz! 0020 EDT. 690/710 stations are plenty audible but a hiss is definitely being heard under their signals and especially obvious on the 715 & 685 sidebands. No hissing noise noted on any other signals beyond those sidebands. RX=Sony ICF-2010 fed by 25' buried coax to balun & low noise longwire antenna ~150' pointed to the SW (Fred Nordquist Clay NY, Aug 15, NRC- AM via DXLD) This was my observation in Battlefield MO (just southwest of Springfield) as well. The hiss was most prominent on the high side of 700, but it was definitely audible on the OUTER sidebands of 690 and 710 (lower sideband of 690, upper sideband of 710). And it wasn't by any means continuous. This on a Sony ICF-7600G, listening in bed around 2230 CDT last night (Randy Stewart/Springfield MO, ibid.) I've been quietly listening and documenting these tests, and I have to say that I'm not impressed at the state of this technology. Honestly, Scott, these sidebands are really going to cause problems. As Kevin pointed out, you can hear the digital in the lack of analog content. One of the tests I did was to shield the 2010, and then start reducing the RF input while monitoring the main carriers (700, and 710). Then I started looking at sidebands from 3 kHz up to 15 kHz out. In both cases, the interference was worse than simple sideband splatter when a station was pushing the modulation envelope. Conclusion: IBOC would not work, and if pushed on consumers would be ten times worse than the break-up of clears, and the power increases on local channels at night. Again, IBOC should be move to it's own band, or let's all go the route that Canada took. RX: Sony 2010, GE SR-III, Link CSM Service Monitor with Tek-2710 spectrum. Ant: Vobbe ferrite loop, 30 ft ewe, and 500 foot shunt vertical (guess where) (Fred Vobbe, Lima OH, ibid.) ** U S A. I've been floating around the Northeast for a few days, mostly in upper Maine and New Hampshire. Some notes: Someone on 680 in Newark, NJ with classical music. Presume a Part 15/pirate operation. South Boston x-band signals: 1620 Haitian music 1640 French talk, bad audio 1650 Logan IAP TIS 1670 very weak 1690 French mor Someone on 1250 is off frequency. Het heard all day in southern New England (RI, Boston, NE Connecticut) and at night everywhere. (Bangor, Augusta, Plattsburgh) WARE, or a pirate? Seems about 500 Hz off (Doug Smith, W9WI, Aug 13, NRC-AM via DXLD) The off freq 1250 would be WKBR Manchester NH. They're 500 Hz low (David A. Gardiner, WVCH 740-The Christian Station, Chester (Philadelphia) PA, ibid.) ** U S A. Re KLON/KKJZ: The high school station in El Cerrito, a few miles north of Berkeley, CA, KECG, takes KLON er um KKJZ off the satellite when they don't have their own shows. Hmm - besides 88.1 they're now on 97.1. I don't know to what extent if any that might extend its range. They were pretty weak as of maybe four years ago. http://www.kecg.org (Joel Rubin, NY, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. CARSON RADIO STATION GETS NEW LOCAL OWNER Andy Bourelle, RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, 8/13/2002 05:27 pm The Holder Hospitality Group Inc., owner of five northern Nevada casinos, has completed its purchase of Carson City’s only radio station, promising to return 1300 KPTL to community-based programming, officials said Tuesday... http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2002/08/13/21500.php 73, (via Alan Johnson Reno, NV, DXLD) ** U S A. HEALTH WOES TEMPORARILY CLOSED `BIG BAND' STATION Copyright Dayton Newspapers Inc. Aug 11, 2002 EATON - WCTM-FM [sic] (1130), which has been silent for eight months, will return to the airwaves Sept. 3. That's the word from owner Stanley Coning, who took the little 250- watt Big Band-era radio station off the air in December while dealing with serious health problems. `I've had heart and prostate surgery, and now I'm walking, riding a bicycle and feeling pretty good,' the 79-year-old Coning said. `I really wanted to resume broadcasting in July, but it was just too soon. I appreciate the listeners sticking with me through all of this. They've been wonderful.' Coning - WCTM's owner, president, general manager, music director, chief of engineering and only employee - temporarily shut down the station on Dec. 28 after getting Federal Communications Commission permission to do so. At that time, he told the FCC he is the sole operator of the station and that his health prevented him from keeping his one-of-a-kind radio operation on the air. Then, on Feb. 26, Coning requested and received an FCC extension of the shutdown, noting that he was undergoing treatment for several medical conditions. When granting Coning the extension, the FCC reminded him that it is not to exceed 180 days. The federal agency also said the broadcast licenses for WCTM will automatically expire if broadcast operations do not resume by 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 29. `I'll meet that deadline with plenty of time to spare, and I'm really anxious to get back on the air,' he said, noting that he's flattered by inquiries about the station from dozens of people who have contacted the Dayton Daily News . One of those was Nancy Nill of Washington Twp., who said: `I keep tuning in WCTM, but it's not there. You tell the owner that if he begins broadcasting again, he definitely has a listener here.' WCTM will return with the same format, which features a playlist that includes Glenn Miller, Ted Weems, Guy Lombardo and Billy Vaughn. The station, which will broadcast from sunup to sundown, will also air news and sports reports, weather updates and farm news from the USA News and Ohio News networks. `One thing may change, though,' Coning said. `I will probably be a noncommercial operation, except for the commercials that come from the networks, so I will welcome any financial help my listeners can give me.' (via Artie Bigley, OH, Aug 15, DXLD) ** U S A. Major League Soccer (the 10-team US professional soccer league) announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Radio Única that will provide unprecedented Spanish-language radio coverage for the League, and a powerful marketing opportunity for advertisers and sponsors eager to reach the growing US Hispanic community. Read more about this story at: http://www.mlsnet.com/content/02/mls0814unica.html Also check http://www.radiounica.com (in Spanish) for more info (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com Reflecting on 9/11, By RICHARD HUFF, DAILY NEWS TV EDITOR, Wednesday, August 14th, 2002 Clear Channel Radio, which operates 1,200 radio stations around the country, including five here, will mark the anniversary of Sept. 11 with special programming on the morning of the one-year mark. That day, at 8:45 a.m., all Clear Channel stations will pause for an on-air segment that will include a two-minute memorial, two minutes of silence and a message to listeners. Locally, Clear Channel owns WKTU, WWPR, WLTW, WAXQ and WHTZ. Besides the morning tributes, there will be related programming on Clear Channel stations throughout the day. Some 33 reporters and hosts from Clear Channel stations will be positioned at Ground Zero to mark the anniversary. "Virtually everyone in America will be remembering that tragic day a year ago," Clear Channel President Mark Mays said in a statement. "We want to use our resources to help Americans reflect." (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO TRACKS NEW AGE MUSIC GETS AN 'EDGE' ON NEW WMBR-FM SHOW By Clea Simon, Globe Correspondent, 8/15/2002 New age music, says Ken Field in a suitably Zen-style answer, is best described by what it is not. ''It's music that isn't jazz and isn't classical and isn't rock and isn't really world music,'' says the Cambridge-based musician. ''It's something that's in the cracks between the genres. ''New age has a funny reputation,'' he says. ''In other parts of the country, New age has a broader definition, and it does encompass a lot of very creative music.'' With his new show, ''The New Edge,'' debuting Monday on WMBR-FM (88.1), Field hopes to broaden local perspectives as well. The weekly program, airing from 8-10 p.m., takes over from an established new age show... http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/227/living/New_age_music_gets_an_Edge_on_new_WMBR_FM_showP.shtml (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, I was disappointed in what you had to say about the WRO-WPE-WDX Call Sign systems. I have always thought you were a promoter of the hobby of shortwave radio listening. To you it may be a scam but to others a good tracking system for registered swlers. To me it was not, "be like a ham". I have a rather long name, and I just got tired of writing it down each time I sent out a letter, so when the call signs came about, I got one and have been using them ever since as you know. Nowadays, everything is by computer and I can put almost my whole name in the address line as below. As I have found out, my particular call sign is known world-wide and I get letters often addressed to me by my call sign only. YES! There are people in our hobby as elsewhere, who are on EGO Trips all through their lives but that is just human nature for folks here on earth. I believe the Popular Electronics system was a good one for swl's. In short, the call signs are IDENTIFIERS for those in our great hobby. Keep up the good work in keeping the hobby alive and regrowing due to all the conflicts in Central Asia and the Middle East. Have a good listening weekend (Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Stewart, nothing personal; this is hardly the first time I have expressed such an opinion, and I`m not surprised you object, as one of the foremost proponents of the practice. By all means, if it works for you, however you justify it, have at it. I don`t think exposing the scam amounts to not promoting the hobby! Quite the contrary. Ego-trip by using one`s name instead of a callsign?? One might argue that latching on to the very first letters in the WDX6 series is a kind of ego trip. See the previous item about WPE really being a mailing-list builder for Gilfer (Glenn Hauser, SUPER5EDITOR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** URUGUAY. Información extraída de: http://www.radioartigas.com.uy/ RADIO LA VOZ DE ARTIGAS CX118 - 1180 KC - A.M - CX A3 - 6.075 KC - O.C. Única emisora del interior con ONDA CORTA CX A 3, en 49 mts. cubriendo gran parte de Sudamérica. Está instalada y trabaja con la mas avanzada tecnología en radiodifusión.... (via Conexión Digital via DXLD) Long puff piece about all their equipment, etc., but --- are they active on 6075? I think not (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. A radio station, a new one or using existing transmitter is being heard at my QTH in Punjab on 5050 kHz during our evenings (local time). The program consists of continuous Afghani music: Dari /Pashto, occasional Indian songs even. Is this Bishkek, Kirghistan or a New one? 73s, (Harjot Singh Brar for GRDXC, Aug 15 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 12085/12115: FYI, the song that Tarek Zeidan refers to, the one they open with, is online in streaming Real Audio format at http://gamal.topcities.com/songs/watani1.html It is indeed a stirring song, and I don't even speak Arabic! (Andy Sennitt, Aug 12, WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Clandestine? via RUSSIA I first heard this one about June 20, but it never IDs so I gave up on it. Programming is a half hour of recorded mid-60th propaganda materials in Arabic on 12115, through some sort of feeder with about half a minute delay to the S5 poorly modulated // on 12085. Whether this is --- according to some Syrian opposition sources --- a reactivation of V of the Arab Syria, or some new clandestine activity, nobody can say for sure,they have not announced any ID since mid June. The program is no program! you get old Arabic songs mainly from the 60th, 25 minutes out of 30. On an irregular basis they are broadcasting human right abuse in Syria and that is something I did not hear initially in June. No ID In the opening announcement but they will give the impression that they are still test transmission 'abshero be al-leqa' al-kareb' watch for the new meeting. Have a look here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1789905.stm (Mahmud Fathi, Germany, Jun-Aug, Cumbre DX Aug 15 via DXLD) Also on 0330-0400 on 9950, audible but weak here. Voice of Arab Syria was via Iraq until it went off in 1997 (Hans Johnson, WY, Aug 15, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. What`s the station in Russian on 19010 at 1404 Aug 13? (Ron Trotto, IL) That frequency is scheduled for many times of day from Iranawila, Sri Lanka, RFE/RL and VOA services to Afghanistan. At 1330-1430, per DXLD 2-125, it is RFE Dari, 334 degrees, which also favors North America. If it was really in Russian, there may have been a feed mixup or recent change (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM +++ A looong thread on DRM and digital broadcasting in general starts here: http://www.topica.com/lists/swprograms/read/message.html?mid=1607403937&sort=d&start=14916 (swprograms via gh, DXLD) e.g.: There are lots of 'dynamics' going on in the 'media mix' game these days -- internet, local placement, FM vs. AM vs. shortwave, age-of-audience, etc. As a person who depends on the continued use of 'direct to audience' communications via 'traditional and terrestrial' means -- read shortwave and distant mediumwave -- I worry that in the 'rush' to digitize everything in sight, we may well be ignoring the reality of the REAL PEOPLE who still make use of shortwave radio! When do you suppose a person in the rural areas of Africa or Asia will next go out and BUY a NEW radio? Not soon I'll wager. Therefore, any wholesale 'switch' to a digital anything will leave huge numbers of existing audience for shortwave out in the cold! What communications/entertainment 'things' do you suppose people in the developing world would give a years salary to get in their house these days? I'll bet if we rank them, their desire for a shortwave- capable radio falls WAY below; a computer, a television, the internet, a DVD player, a VCR, etc, etc. Whether we're able to face it or not, shortwave radio is rapidly becoming irrelevant as a means of reaching large numbers of people in the world today. I can think of NOTHING that will hasten its demise more than a wholesale adoption of ANY modulation scheme that requires the user to buy a new radio. Or the adoption of a modulation scheme that causes interference to the existing, age-old A3/DSB/AM modulation-detection scheme. bw (Bill Whitacre, DC, Aug 15, no std disclaimer, swprograms via DXLD) INTERNET ++++++++ ALMOST 10 PER CENT OF WORLD POPULATION CAN ACCESS INTERNET - SURVEY | Text of press release from Dublin-based Nua Internet Surveys on 13 August 13 August 2002: Almost 10 per cent of the world's population now has access to the Internet, according to newly released figures from Nua.com. The global Internet audience had grown to 580.78m people by the end of May 2002, a rise of 173.68m since December 2000 when the total Internet audience stood at 407.1m. The study indicates that for the first time ever, Europe has the highest number of Internet users in the world. There are now 185.83m Europeans online, compared to 182.83m in the US and Canada, and 167.86m in Asia/Pacific. However, the study findings also indicate that the digital divide between developed and developing nations is as wide as it ever was. While Europeans account for 32 per cent of global Internet users, only six per cent of the world's Net users are based in Latin America, while the Middle East and Africa combined account for just two per cent of global Internet users. While the Middle East and Africa have seen a slight increase in the numbers of people who can access the Internet, the lack of telecommunications infrastructures in these regions means that most citizens remain unconnected. The country with the highest rate of Internet penetration at the end of May 2002 was Iceland with 69.80 per cent of its entire population having access to the Net. Sweden is next with 64.68 per cent, followed by Denmark (60.38 per cent), Hong Kong (59.58 per cent), and the US (59.1 per cent). Completing the top 10 are the Netherlands (58.07 per cent), the UK (56.88 per cent), Norway (54.4 per cent), Australia (54.38 per cent), and Canada (52.79 per cent). Nua forecast that the number of worldwide Internet users will reach one billion by 2005. The full breakdown of Internet access figures by region, and by country, is available from the Nua web site - http://www.nua.ie/. Source: Nua Internet Surveys press release, Dublin, in English 13 Aug 02 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 August-9 September 2002 Solar activity is expected to be low to moderate. M-class events are expected during the first half of the forecast period. There is a chance of major flare activity due to the return of old Regions 39, old Region 44 and presence of Region 69 on the disk early in the period. There will be a chance for a proton event during the first half of the period. Greater than 2 MeV electrons flux is expected to be moderate on 14-16 August due to coronal hole effects. Normal to moderate levels are expected the remainder of the period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be quiet to unsettled during most of the forecast period. Active conditions are possible on 23 August and 07-08 September due to returning coronal hole effects. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2002 Aug 13 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2002 Aug 13 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2002 Aug 14 190 12 3 2002 Aug 15 190 10 3 2002 Aug 16 190 8 3 2002 Aug 17 195 8 3 2002 Aug 18 195 5 2 2002 Aug 19 200 5 2 2002 Aug 20 210 5 2 2002 Aug 21 215 5 2 2002 Aug 22 225 12 3 2002 Aug 23 230 15 3 2002 Aug 24 235 12 3 2002 Aug 25 230 10 3 2002 Aug 26 220 8 3 2002 Aug 27 220 5 2 2002 Aug 28 220 5 2 2002 Aug 29 220 5 2 2002 Aug 30 215 5 2 2002 Aug 31 210 5 2 2002 Sep 01 200 5 2 2002 Sep 02 195 5 2 2002 Sep 03 195 5 2 2002 Sep 04 190 10 3 2002 Sep 05 190 12 3 2002 Sep 06 190 12 3 2002 Sep 07 180 15 3 2002 Sep 08 180 15 3 2002 Sep 09 180 12 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio Aug 13 via WORLD OF RADIO 1144, DXLD) ###