DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-143, September 13, 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 1147: BROADCASTS ON WWCR: Sat 0500, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 BROADCASTS ON RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730, Sun 0000, 0600 on 7445, 15038.7; webcasts also Sat 1800, Sun 1200, 1830? BROADCASTS ON WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; North America Sun 1400 ONDEMAND http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html (DOWNLOAD) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1147.rm (STREAM) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1147.ram (SUMMARY) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1147.html WORLD OF RADIO on WWCR: The Wednesday 0930 airing on 9475 replaced by something else Sept 11 was one-time-only, WWCR tells us WORLD OF RADIO ON WBCQ: Wed Sept 11 at 2200: 7415 Minor interference from VOA (approx 25%) here in the Atlanta area. 17495 Excellant reception (S-7). (LOU KF4EON, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO ON WJIE: Noted new 1147 edition running Fri Sept 13 at 1200 on 7490; this station may have skipped 1146. Actually, seems to start around 1159, a bit early. Observations of weekend airtimes are needed, besides Sun 0515+, and reconfirming that. WJIE still has no known published program schedule (gh) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL I enjoy your services very much. I am new to the hobby; having started in October 2001; using a Sangean ATS 818 with a Radio Shack antenna kit. The information you provide, on a timely and accurate basis, provides for "fruitful" SW listening. 73 (Scott R. Barbour Jr, Intervale, NH) ** AFGHANISTAN. This report from Guardian Unlimited: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2011649,00.html AFGHAN RADIO STATION SPREADS CULTURE Friday September 13, 2002 7:00 AM BAMIYAN, Afghanistan (AP) - Behind the door of Room No. 1 at a government guest house, Radio Bamiyan is on the air, broadcasting news and music to a valley recovering from years of abuse at the hands of the Taliban. The fledgling radio station, started with the help of the U.S. Army in May, is still battling technical hiccups that can knock it off the air for days at a time. But with a potential reach of 50,000 people, it has a powerful influence throughout the Bamiyan valley of central Afghanistan. ``Our goals are to provide news, to spread new information to the people to improve their thinking,'' said station manager Qurban Ali Fasihi. Many men take their portable radios to work so they won't miss Radio Bamiyan's one-hour program, which starts at 6 p.m. Women congregate in one home to listen together to the health and human rights programming. Staff Sgt. Joe Smith, chief of the U.S. Army Psychological Operations team in Bamiyan, calls the station the ``public crown'' of his team's work since coming to Bamiyan in April. His three-member team is charged with building rapport with the residents in a 35-mile swath of the valley, an area rich with historical treasures where people are still recovering from the strict rule of the Taliban regime that was ousted last November by a U.S.-led military coalition. They talk with residents about their needs, get feedback on coalition activities and distribute posters and leaflets warning residents to avoid land mines, condemning the Taliban and urging support for coalition activities. Other brochures promote acceptance of different ethnic groups. Bamiyan province is home to the Hazara, who suffered heavily at the hands of the predominantly Pashtun Taliban. Under Taliban rule, hundreds of Hazarans were killed or imprisoned and farmers were prevented from planting crops. The Taliban also destroyed two towering, 1,400-year-old Buddha sculptures that had been the pride of the valley and, in rare times of peace, a tourist attraction. To appeal to local culture, the broadcasts, including music, are in Dari, the local language. Pashto, the language of the Taliban, is rarely heard. ``Although we want to preach tolerance, that won't happen by making them turn off the dial,'' said Spc. Darren Davila of the psy-ops team. The radio station was one of the first tasks of Smith's psy-ops team following successful radio ventures in other provinces. The team arrived to find a broken transmitter as their only asset. After a quick fix, they recruited volunteers and had the station running three times a week. Within a month, the provincial governor hired six journalists and the station was broadcasting every night. Radio Bamiyan transmits from the governor's guest house. The office, empty except for the 400-watt transmitter next to the window, looks out over farmland and an empty niche in a cliff where the destroyed Buddhas once stood. The journalists spend the morning gathering news from local provinces and lift items from the BBC or Voice of America's Dari broadcasts. They pre-record their one-hour program in the afternoon, mixing news with music, featured programming and public service announcements. Though there are frequent equipment breakdowns, Radio Bamiyan has already made its mark in the community. Listeners regularly offer suggestions to improve the broadcast - more Dari singers and more international news, for example - and many take advantage of the regular ``Ask a Doctor'' or ``Answers to Your Letters'' programs. Listeners drop off letters personally, since there is no telephone service through much of Bamiyan. They ask for advice on treating children's ailments, why the Taliban destroyed the Buddhas and why the station is not playing a particular singer. ``Every society wants different things,'' said Fasihi. ``We play according to their beliefs. It is difficult because there are modern vs. old-fashioned ideals here. We have to please both.'' The U.S. Army provides the generator to keep the station on the air, but Smith expects it will eventually become completely independent. Fasihi has been soliciting non-governmental organizations for advertising dollars, though the response so far has been minimal. ``Now we're in the crawling stage, but the station is definitely going in the right direction,'' Smith said. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 (via Alan Pennington, Sept 13, BDXC-UK via DXLD) WTFK?? Now, which is more important to know, if not both? The power or the frequency? (gh, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. UAE: Frequency change for Radio Afghanistan in Pashto/Dari via DHA 500 kW / 045 deg: 0130-0327 NF 15485 (34433), ex 15240 to avoid Radio Australia in English (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. New schedule for Voice International effective from September 1: Chinese to NEAs 0900-1400 13775 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg 1400-1700 17560 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg 2200-0100 15165 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||||| new transmission English to NEAs 0900-1300 13685 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||||| new transmission English to SAs 1300-1500 13685 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||||| retimed ex 0900-1500 1500-1900 11930 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||||| retimed ex 1500-1700 Indonesian to SEAs 0530-0600 21680 DRW 250 kW / 317 deg ||||| new transmission 0600-0800 17820 DRW 250 kW / 317 deg ||||| new transmission 0900-1300 15365 DRW 250 kW / 317 deg 1300-1800 13660 DRW 250 kW / 317 deg ||||| retimed ex 1300-1700 Hindi to SAs 1100-1700 13635 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||||| retimed ex 1300-1600 web site http://www.vil.com.au/schedule.cfm (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. On September 14, Canção Nova will be celebrating the National Day of Canção Nova System of Communication; Radio, TV and Internet. You can participate by chat room all day long http://www.cancaonova.com/chat get into Interativo room giving its commentary about the tuning, which frequency get it or if he is doing it through Internet - http://www.cancaonova.com It will be an interactive day with TV, Radio and Internet. Enjoy it. Schedule: September 14 - Saturday 1100 to 2300 GMT Radio Frequencies: 49 m - 6,105 kHz 60 m - 4,825 kHz 31 m - 9,675 kHz _________________ We confirm radio reports on the air and 100% QSL back. Program: Além Fronteiras (Beyond Boundaries) Every Saturdays: 22:00 to 23:00 (GMT) AM 1020 khz- SW 49m 6105 kHz -SW 60m 4825 kHz - SW 31m 9675 kHz - (Eduardo de Moura, [evidently with the station], Brazil, Sept. 12, dxing.info via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC Previews this weekend include: [oh, oh: here`s yet another variation on Desert Island Discs:] STRANDED: Saturday morning on Stranded, join host Jane Hawtin as she welcomes retired - but ever-so-active - Major-General Lewis MacKenzie, who has gone from being Canada's top peace-keeper to advising the Ontario government on security issues. He gets to choose the location in which he'd like to be dropped, along with the book, movie, CD and food - do you suppose he'll feel a hankering for army rations? - he'd like to have along. Find out what he answered! That's Stranded, Saturday morning at 11:05 (11:35 NT) on CBC Radio One. YOUR TURN - WHAT'S NEW ON CBC RADIO: ***pre-empts Cross Country Checkup*** CBC Radio is launching a slate of new programs and new approaches this fall. This Sunday is your chance to find out more, and to put your questions to the people who make things happen at CBC Radio. Your Turn: What's New on CBC Radio is hosted by Mary Lou Finlay, with guests Shelagh Rogers, Anna Maria Tremonti, Noah Richler, Sook-Yin Lee and the Vice-President of CBC Radio, Alex Frame. That's this Sunday afternoon from 4 until 6 (EASTERN) on CBC Radio One (CBC Hotsheet via gh, DXLD) Live in all zones, 2000-2200 UT ** CHINA. AUTHORITIES UNBLOCK GOOGLE Excerpt from report by "staff reporter in Beijing" entitled "Web users surprised as Google goes back online" published by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post (Business Post supplement) on 13 September Google.com search engine resumed operations yesterday after a two-week block suspected to have been ordered by the government, surprising users and technology experts. However, Google users cautioned against getting too excited about renewed access to the foreign-based search engine - the most popular among China's 45 million Internet users. "It's like a fever breaking - you don't know if the head will get hotter or will subside soon. We'll know tomorrow, I guess," said Danny Levinson, chief operating officer of Beijing-based online games and e- mail software and marketing service Xianzai.com. The English and Chinese versions of Google, plus its subsidiary sites, were yesterday functioning just as they did before they were blocked on 2 September. US-based Google spokeswoman Cindy McCaffrey said she had heard some China users could access Google, but could not explain why. "I don't have any new news to report on our end," she wrote from Google's headquarters in Silicon Valley. When Google and fellow American search engine AltaVista went down on the mainland, Chinese press reports said foreign search engines had been blocked because they had no physical presence in China but led Chinese users to sites containing pornography, gambling and other "unhealthy" content. Google's top Chinese-language search result for President Jiang Zemin was - and is still - a minghui.org site titled "Evil Jiang Zemin". The destination site is blocked, as are many anti-government sites. AltaVista, which offers a translation feature, remained inaccessible yesterday. IT analyst Duncan Clark said he suspected that while the site itself might work, it now used a mechanism to block access to sites containing certain phrases... Source: South China Morning Post (Business Post supplement), Hong Kong, in English 13 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. La Voz de tu Conciencia has been off the air since September 9, when their official permit was granted with the proviso that they move to 6010 from their present frequency of 6060, and this move they will try to make in a few days time. Reception reports for this new frequency would be much appreciated, says Russell M Stendal. Send your reports to rms05001@neutel.com.co giving as much detail as possible of any interference you notice (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, no XEOI?? (gh, DXLD) Desde el pasado lunes 9 de septiembre, se encuentra apagada la señal de la emisora debido a que el Ministerio de Comunicaciones en la resolución que autoriza las operaciones de La Voz de tu Conciencia le asignó la frecuencia de los 6010 kHz, ordenando de inmediato suspender los 6060 y empezar a operar en ésta. Esto se presenta debido que Colmundo Radio no ha entregado oficialmente la frecuencia de los 6065 ante el Ministerio; sin entender que el transmisor que utiliza La Voz de tu Conciencia es el equipo que utilizará Colmundo, no existiendo la más minima posibilidad que vuelva a la onda corta. Ante esta situación el Ministerio exige soportar la existencia de interferencias en los 6010 para autorizar alguna otra; por ahora a mediados de la próxima semana se enciende en la nueva frecuencia. En realidad son muy necesarios los reportes de recepción que reciba. Russel Martín Stendall está viendo la posibilidad de otras frecuencias como los 5905, 5925, 6170 y 6115 kHz. Sobre esta última cabe alclarar que la Cadena Súper entregó oficialmente este canal con lo cual se confirma que desaparece La Voz del Llano (Rafael Rodríguez, Bogotá, Sept 13, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Lamento que esta joven emisora tenga tantos problemas y deba peregrinar en el dial pero, sin ponerme en forma minuciosa a analizar las otras frecuencias que mencionaste, creo que al ver la de 6115 khz hay que recordar que en la misma opera Radio Unión, Lima, que se va corriendo en el dial, pero que si retorna a su QRG original, seguramente ocasionará más de una interferencia a La Voz de tu Conciencia (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) BTW, I think a number of subsequent items, such as Stendahl`s missionary/prisoner status, make it pretty clear this is a religious station, not just a `philosophical` one (gh, DXLD) ** C I S. FOREIGN RELAYS ON SW THROUGH FACILITIES IN THE CIS as of Sept. 5: http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/relay.htm and check http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/ which also has lots of other useful info, some of it in English (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. Radio Reloj fue captada de nuevo en onda corta. En la madrugada del domingo 08/09, a las 0653. SINPO 4/3. Esta vez sólo en los 9550. Fuera del aire a las 0709 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Hi Glenn, Jari Lehtinen made an excellent survey on SW-situation in Africa. Quite surprising he did not hear R NACIONAL DE GUINEA EQUATORIAL, Malabo. On September 4 I was able pick up their weak signal 2020 UT on 6249.4 kHz. Could it be, they don`t broadcast on regular basis? Hard to tell. As to me, I´m very casual DX-er. 73`s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. 147.3 KHZ 50 YEARS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEUTSCHER WETTERDIENST Hallo Runde, nachstehend eine Nachricht von OM Juergen/dl8hci betreffend zwei bevorstehende Sonderveranstaltungen. 73 aus Genf, Ewald Professor Ferdinand Braun DAY. Am 20.-22. September 2002 Prof. Ferdinand Braun Tag unter dem call DL0PFB on the air: http://www.ferdinand-braun-day.de ______ Zum 50er Jubilaeum Deutscher Wetterdienst tasten wir im crossband DDH47 - afunk!! lies die Story im Englischen. Juergen / dl8hci 50 Years National Weather Service Deutscher Wetterdienst. Special longwave 147.3 kHz. 3565, 7025 or 14052 kHz. SW event with national weather service station DDH47 - DL0SWA. During the night from 8th to 9th November 2002, the National Weather Service of Germany, Deutscher Wetterdienst is going to celebrate it's 50th anniversary. A special crossband event will take place between amateur radio stations and weather service longwave transmitter DDH47 on 147.3 kHz from 2230 until 0530 UT. Amateur radio stns are encouraged to call DL0SWA/DDH47 on 3565, 7025 or 14052 kHz according to announcement made by transmissions from DDH47. The crew of DL0SWA (Seewetteramt) listens for calls on mentioned HF and replies on longwave 147.3 kHz and SW (7025, 1 watt). Please give rapport for DDH47 at your place and your locator only. Your rapport is used to calculate reception diagrams. During the former silence periods in maritime service, twice an hour from h+15 to h+18 and h+45 to h+48 minutes the transmitter will be keyed with the names of famous scientists in ultra slow keying. Expect one dot in 3 seconds. This special transmission is for long distance reception for proof of recognition. The crew of DL0SWA is hopefully to get reports from America! All weather services of the world benefited from the invention of wireless. From this time on weather reports could be taken from far away places and be submitted to the service just in time. After analysing the weather situation, forecast could be made and being sent back to shipping by famous stations like Washington/NSS, Portishead/GKB and Pinneberg/DDH47. On 11th November 1952 the national weather service of Germany, Deutscher Wetterdienst was founded as a national authority. This crossband event is conducted to celebrate its 50th anniversary of service. QSL cards are printed and distributed after the event via DARC Bureau. The crew is asking for fair play in calling us, so that more distant stations got the same chance to be heard as close ones. This event has been given approval by the national radio authority, Regulierungsbehoerde fuer Telecommunikation und Post and comes to you by courtesy of Deutscher Wetterdienst. Webinfo: http://www.dwd.de/de/wir/Geschaeftsfelder/Seeschifffahrt/Sendeplaene/Amateurfunk (via Ewald Glantschnig, Switzerland, A-DX Sep 10 via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) Somebody please remind of this in early November; keeping track of far-in-advance items is a problem here (gh, DXLD) ** HUNGARY [non]. RIGHT-WING MEDIA FIGURES MAY FLEE TO AUSTRIA. Leading personalities of the now defunct "Press Club" program on Hungary's ATV channel intend to apply for symbolic asylum in Austria, "Nepszabadsag" reported on 9 September. One of them, journalist Istvan Lovas, announced that they will establish the Voice of Freedom Radio, which he said will be modeled on RFE/RL and will be broadcast from Austria "so as not to get in the way of the Hungarian radio and television authority." ("RFE/RL Newsline," 9 September via RFE/RL Media Matters Sept 13 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non]. Can these be heard over the other side of the Pond? You may not have heard this cacophony over there Duane and others but they are everywhere even under WWV/WWVH on 10 MHz, particularly in the local hours of darkness. I myself am an ex IARU MS for VK7 and they were an constant pain in the butt even then. Now the Indonesians are joined by other Asian languages, including Japanese and Korean dialects and Cantonese. They are even operating on top of HF aviation channels such as the Sydney-Auckland-San Francisco channel of 8867 kHz (Robin VK7RH Harwood, Norwood, Tasmania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is from QNews for September 15th: IARUMS REPORT The presence of Indonesian non amateur groups on the various amateur band frequencies in the 40 and 20 metre bands is causing severe concern for all the amateurs of Region 3 and the world over. While they use amateur radio frequencies for their regular communications, you will never miss the many calls for Prayers and the many jokes and Kookaburra pattern of laughing with old men and young ladies together. The 40 metre band has several channels of 5 kHz intervals from the lower edge and these stations have their breeding grounds here. They graduate to other frequencies and move to 20 metre band, where they are on either side of the International Beacon frequency of 14100 kHz. Many of us in Region 3, cannot monitor any NCDXF/IARU beacons on this frequency. Although this QRM from Indonesians are being reported month after month, unfortunately, nothing seems to be happening. (forwarded by vk8ha via Harwood, DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]: RTE special transmission for Hurling Final on Sep 8: 1430-1630 13730 SAC to NAm ||||| totally blocked by ORF German 15275 TAI to SEAs/FE ||||| totally blocked by RVI Dutch & DW German 15500 SHB to C/SAm ||||| (34433) 17885 ASC to WAf ||||| (43343) co-ch R.Kuwait Ar & RL Turkmen 21645 WOF to NEAf ||||| (45544) Next transmission of RTE for Football Final will be on air on Sep. 22 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) As would be expected, 13730 and 15500 were pretty good here, rest useless (gh, OK) ** ISRAEL. Unusual station in pirate zone. Dear Glenn; On UT Wednesday Sept 11 at 02:00, I heard a strange station on 6973 kHz. They were playing some sort of foreign pop music in a language which sounded, to me, like Hebrew. There was lots of talk by several men and a woman between tunes. This sounded too professional to be a pirate but could have been a program broadcast by one or a clandestine. What do you think of this? I listened to the station for almost 2 hours but heard no ID or interval signal. I listened again on UT Thursday at 03:30 but nothing was on that frequency. What could this be? Yours, (Bruce Atchison, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Bruce, It`s Galei Tsahal (or Zahal), the Israel Defence Forces station. Have had a number of reports on it. Supposedly 10 kW. Daytime frequency is 15785; I believe they switch to it about 0400 (or maybe it`s 0300 currently since you didn`t hear 6973 at 0330). 73, Glenn ** JAPAN. Dear Glenn, Greetings from the White Mountains of NH. I have a question regarding an item in DXLD 2-142. There is a post for a special broadcast of the JSWC Sep. 14-16 to be aired on Radio Japan. Underneath it lists" see previous item for schedule." What schedule? Do you know the time and frequencies for this broadcast? I e-mailed R. Japan requesting this information; I hope to hear from them soon (Scott R Barbour Jr, Intervale, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) You`re right; the following item fell thru the cracks. Meant to put in a previous issue, but here it is now (gh, DXLD) ** JAPAN [and non]. JAPAN SHORT WAVE CLUB 50TH ANNIVERSARY Dear sirs, The following is the urgent information from Mr. Toshimichi Ohtake, a senior member of JPN Short Wave Club (JSWC). A special broadcast in commemoration of the 50th anniversary since our DX club's foundation will take place on the coming weekend program "Hello from Tokyo" of Radio Japan (NHK) as follows: Time and frequencies of "Hello from Tokyo". (Radio Japan transmission is from Yamata, Japan, if no relay mentioned below.) Sept. 14, Saturday UT 0510-0559 6110 KHz (Canada relay, beam to N. America, West Coast), 13630 (Beam to N. America), 7230 (UK relay), 5975 (UK relay) 17810 (Beam to S.E. Asia) 15195 (Beam to Asian Continent), 11715/11760 (Beam to Far East Russia), 21755 (Beam to Oceania) UT 1010-1059 9695 KHz (Beam to S.E. Asia), 15590 (Beam to Asian Continent), 21755 (Beam to Oceania) UT 1710-1759 9505 KHz (Beam to N. America), 11970 (Beam to Europe), 15355 (Gabon relay, beam to Africa South) Sept. 15, Sunday UT 0010-0059 6145 KHz (Canada relay, beam to N. America East Coast), UT 0310-0359 17825 KHz (Beam to Central America), 21610 (Beam to Oceania) UT 1110-1159 6120 KHz (Canada relay, beam to N. America East Coast), 9695 (Beam to S.E. Asia) 15590 (Beam to Asian Continent) UT 1510-1559 7200 KHz (Beam to S.E. Asia) Sept. 16, Monday UT 0110-0159 17835 KHz (Beam to South America, West Coast), 17560 (Beam to Africa), 11880 (Sri Lanka relay beam to Africa) 17810 (Beam to S.E. Asia) 11860 (Singapore relay, beam to S.E. Asia) 17845 (Beam to Asian Continent) 15325 (Beam to S.W. Asia) 17685 (Beam to Oceania) JSWC will verify all corect reports. Please send your report to JSWC P.O.Box 138, Yokohama Port 231-8691, Japan. Please enclose 1 IRC or 1 US Dollar bill for return postage. Good DX'ing! (Toshi Ohtake, Secretary, JSWC 50th Anniversary Program, via Rudolf Sonntag, Germany, A-DX Sep 10 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** JAPAN. So the Japanese are talking about daylight shifting time! 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: JAPAN EYES DAYLIGHT-SAVING TIME DESPITE DECADES-OLD ANTAGONISM NATALIE OBIKO PEARSON, Associated Press TOKYO -- Much of the industrialized world may have switched to daylight time decades ago, but it is still seen as a radical idea by many in Japan -- and strongly resisted. It is not just the hassle of resetting clocks. Farmers fret that cows will be thrown off schedule and would not give as much milk. Social critics fear that children staying up later at night will turn into delinquents. And there are worries that Japan's office workers, under social pressure not to leave before dark, will end up spending even more time at their jobs. But attitudes may be changing. The government proposed going to daylight time in 1998, as part of the energy-saving guidelines drafted to meet the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. And daylight-saving time is being seen increasingly as an environmental issue. "I think the daylight-saving debate is set to become more lively," said Satoru Matsuda, a spokesman for the Environment Agency."Private groups are starting to come together on their own to discuss it." History may have been the biggest obstacle to the adoption of daylight time. It was imposed in 1948, under the U.S. occupation, after Japan's defeat in the Second World War. But it was so unpopular that the Japanese voted it out as soon as the U.S. troops left in 1952. Its association with Japan's postwar humiliation continued to stir up bitter opposition for years. Mr. Matsuda said that the government wants to adopt daylight time by 2008, citing the deadline set by the Kyoto Protocol, under which Japan has committed to a 6-per-cent reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. Changing to daylight time could save 500 million litres of oil a year, the energy equivalent of every Japanese household keeping its lights off for a month, according to a study by the Energy Conservation Centre in Tokyo. That would mean $1-billion in energy saved a year, the study says. The figure compares to the amount Mexico said it has saved since adopting daylight time in 1996. Such figures probably are swaying many Japanese, whose country is poor in natural resources and heavily dependent on oil imports. (Globe & Mail via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) Geez, why don`t they just get up an hour earlier and do everything an hour earlier, instead of messing with God-given Standard Time?? One more time: DAYLIGHT CANNOT BE ``SAVED``. IT CAN ONLY BE SHIFTED (gh, DXLD) ** KASHMIR. PAKISTAN: NEW HIGH-POWER KASHMIR RADIO STATION AT MIRPUR | Excerpt from report in English by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency Mirpur, 12 September: Azad Jammu Kashmir achieved a major breakthrough in the latest electronic media technology of modern era as a result of establishment of 100-kW radio station in Mirpur which will formally start its transmissions on 20 September when the federal minister for Information, Media Development and Kashmir Affairs Nisar Memon will inaugurate the 15.8m rupee AJK Radio Station Mirpur project. Elaborating the project, Muqarrab Khan Niazi, Controller Projects Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation told APP here Thursday that the newly-constructed Azad Kashmir Radio Mirpur has commenced its test transmissions on mediumwave on 936 kHz. The stations will give exceptional coverage to the cultural, political, educational, entertainment and development activities emerging in this part of the liberated territory through the large scale news and current affairs and other programmes for the interest of the listeners belonging to the areas spreading in the radius of thousands of kilometres especially in Jammu region of the India-held Jammu Kashmir state, since it was the earnest desire of the population of the area... Azad Kashmir Radio Mirpur will be the third radio station in AJK next to radio stations already functioning in Muzaffarabad and Tarakheil. Muzaffarabad and Tarakheil radio stations are giving their transmissions on mediumwave and shortwave frequencies respectively. To a question, he said that it will be the most modern Canada-made transmitter of 100 kW installed for Azad Kashmir Radio Mirpur to ensure the clear and smooth transmissions of its programmes for the listeners spreading in the areas in the radius of up to thousands of kilometres... To a question, the controller projects said that an independent electricity supply lines have been managed through an independent feeder from Mirpur Grid Station to run the high power transmitting station of the project. He said that 8.06m rupees have been paid to the AJK Electricity Department for the independent power supply lines from grid station to the transmitting house. He told that the required staff of all the sections of Azad Kashmir Radio Station Mirpur including engineering, programme, finance, administration, news and current affairs have started pouring in the town to assume the charge of their respective duties... Source: Associated Press of Pakistan news agency, Islamabad, in English 1435 gmt 12 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. V. of Korea A-02 block schedule displayed as of May: http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/nk.htm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREAS. INTER-KOREAN BROADCAST EXCHANGES GAIN MOMENTUM | Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap Seoul, 12 September: Exchanges between South and North Korean broadcasting stations have gained momentum thanks to the recent thaw in inter-Korean relations. Munhwa Broadcasting Corp (MBC) began releasing live news from Pyongyang through its nine o'clock news programme Wednesday [11 September] via a satellite connecting studios in Seoul with the (North) Korean Central TV in the North Korean capital. The move followed an agreement on the promotion of broadcast exchanges forged late last month between the Korean Broadcasting Commission and the (North) Korean Central Broadcasting Committee. Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) said the KBS Orchestra will hold a joint concert in Pyongyang with the North's state orchestra on the Chuseok holiday, which falls 21 September. The concert is scheduled to be aired simultaneously by KBS and the North's Central TV. Inter-Korean broadcast exchanges began to pick up speed after the first-ever summit talks between the South and North Korean leaders in June 2000, although there have been continued attempts on a civilian level. In September that year, KBS aired a special programme, "From Mount Paektu to Mount Halla" produced jointly with the North's Central Broadcasting Committee. The broadcasting station produced several documentary and special news programmes in Pyongyang for release in South Korea. MBC and commercial television network SBS have also dispatched reporters to Pyongyang for coverage of the lives of North Korean people. Despite the steady efforts towards broadcast exchanges, critics have said that most television networks limit in-depth information about North Korea to local viewers. They also noted that the exchanges have often been affected by changes in inter-Korean relations. "However, things have changed in recent months," a broadcasting official said. According to officials who have returned from the North Korea, Pyongyang has shown a more interested attitude towards the exchanges. They predicted that a series of recent agreements for inter-Korean economic and sports exchanges would help boost exchanges in the broadcast field, too. "We will be able to expand the scope of exchanges in the future by jointly producing various television programmes or dispatching permanent correspondents to North Korea as the first step to a complete opening up of broadcasting, which will enable South and North Korean television viewers to enjoy both sides' programmes," a broadcast expert said. Source: Yonhap news agency, Seoul, in English 0219 gmt 12 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KYRGYZIA. Hello Glenn. Today I had a discussion with a person from Kyrgyzia. He told me that they call their country `Kyrgyz`; that means the correct term for the foreigners is Kyrgyzia. and that their language does not have any relationship with Turkish (although as far as I know both languages have the same Altaic roots) Under this the term `Kyrgyzstan` (`country of Kyrgyz` in Turkic terms) does not exist except declaring the land (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. No signal for LJB in Arabic: 1030-0330 on 17750. Now only on 15435 direct from Libya (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** MALTA [non]. Il y a plus de deux ans (voir dans la partie archives, dans les informations antérieures à 2001, messages du 30 juin 1999 et du 3 septembre 2000), la Voix de la Méditerranée confirmait un projet de développer ses émissions en langues étrangères, avec notamment des programmes supplémentaires en français et le début d'émissions en espagnol. La station a confirmé le 8 septembre 2002 que ce projet n'est pas abandonné. Il n'y a, à priori, pas de problème budgétaire, mais des soucis de locaux. Prochainement, les services devraient bénéficier de studios plus grands, et peut-être alors; cette demande pourra être satisfaite (la Voix de la Méditerranée - 08 septembre 2002, informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XE??? 800, Montemorelos, Nuevo León; 0637 thought I had unneeded XEROK, surprised to find man in Spanish with local announcements "21 grados en Montemorelos", Apparently a NEW STATION here! I will continue checking (Steve Wiseblood, TX 9/12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] XEDD FREQUENCY CHANGE! (ex 1560) 800 XEDD Montemorelos, Nuevo León; IMAGEN" news program to 1000 CDT, then local program featuring "música romántica/ranchera". "La DOBLE-D" At 1020, Spanish man with announcements", ads, "La temperatura en Montemorelos es 23 grados, ID, 1022 "saludos" greetings to the listeners, "La Grande del noreste de Mexico, X-E-D-D 800 de Montemorelos, Nuevo León, con SONIDO ESTÉREO." They mentioned that they are audible in NUEVO LEÓN, COAHUILA, ZACATECAS y TAMAULIPAS! FIRST DAY ON THE AIR AT FULL POWER! Power not mentioned but estimated to be 150 kW. But depending on type of antenna configuration, it`s at LEAST 50 kW. XEDD-AM DOBLE-D MONTEMORELOS 800.0 kHz 01826 TELEFONOS EN EL ESTUDIO: 3435898 3435998 I'll keep listening until they give the power! XEPET, 730, Peto, Yucatán; 0616 Sept 12, man in Spanish with ID "XEPET, La Voz de los Mayas", con 10 mil watts de potencia", continued with a man and woman in Mayan dialect. Note that this station changed frequency in January 2001 from 740 to 730 according to their website, but still listed as 740 on all the Mexican lists! http://www.ini.gob.mx/radiodifusoras/xepet/index.html 73's de (Steve/AB5GP Wiseblood, Boca Chica Beach, TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What about XEX 730 in Mexico City, 100 kW or more? Why would anybody that close want to move onto 730? (gh, DXLD) From their website: http://www.ini.gob.mx/radiodifusoras/xepet/index.html XEPET, "La Voz de los Mayas", se encuentra ubicada en Peto, Yucatán y transmite en los 730 kilohertz, en amplitud modulada, con 10,000 watts de potencia, para público Maya; su señal llega a 396 localidades de la Península de Yucatán, 291 ubicadas en 29 municipios del estado de Yucatán, 87 en 2 municipios de Quintana Roo y 14 en un municipio de Campeche. La XEPET inició sus transmisiones el 29 de noviembre de 1982 en la frecuencia de los 740 kilohertz. Debido a sus condiciones geográficas la localidad de Peto --- "corona de luna" en lengua maya --- fue escogida para el establecimiento de la emisora con la finalidad de abarcar la mayor parte de las comunidades mayas de la Península de Yucatán. Peto se ubica a 130 kilómetros al sur de Mérida y es cabecera del municipio del mismo nombre que colinda con el Estado de Quintana Roo. En enero del 2001 la radiodifusora cambió de frecuencia, quedando en los 730 kilohertz de amplitud modulada (via Steve Wiseblood, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, After what has been a difficult week for many people, I'm pleased to start with some good news: as of 1727 UT on 12 September, all four of our 500 kW transmitters at Flevo are operating normally again. We've updated the schedule, or rather reverted to the one we had before, and you'll find it at http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/schedule.html (Andy Sennitt, Media Network Newsletter Sept 13 via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Updated schedule for Radio New Zealand International effective from Sep. 3 1650-1750 Mon-Fri 6095 / 035 deg to NE Pacific, Fiji, Samoa, Cook 1751-1850 Mon-Fri 11725 / 035 deg to NE Pacific, Fiji, Samoa, Cook 1851-2050 Daily 15160 / 000 deg to All Pacific, also Eu 2051-0458 Daily 17675 / 000 deg to All Pacific, west coast USA 0459-0658 Daily 15340 / 000 deg to All Pacific, Eu, mid-west USA 0658-1105 Daily 11675 / 000 deg to All Pacific, mid-west USA 1106-1310 Daily 15175 / 325 deg to NW Pacific, Bougainville, E Timor, As, Eu 1311-1649 Occasional 6095 / 000 deg to All Pacific (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. No sign of Jakada Radio International 1900-1930 12125 12th September; always strong here when they were broadcasting (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) And no trace of Jakada here Sept. 13th at 0600-0630 on 15695 either (Noel R. Green, Blackpool - UK, ibid.) ** PARAGUAY. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar. Aquí te envío algunos informes de escucha. Radio Nacional del Paraguay sigue activa en onda corta desde el primer informe del 6/09. Escuchada el 10 y 11 de septiembre, en la frecuencia variable de 9737.1 y 9737.2 (un kilohertz más arriba del utilizado el 06/09). El 10/09 fue captada con un SINPO de 4/4, a las 2250 con comentarios deportivos. Oída de nuevo a las 0040 y emitía el primer tiempo de un partido de fútbol entre el Cerro Porteño y el Club Libertad. Mucha interferencia de la Deustche Welle a partir de la 0157 UT. Registrada también el 11/09, con un programa de música tradicional, a las 2310. SINPO 3/3, variable a 3/2 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Nice to hear a few Peruvians this morning; here a couple of the more interesting ones. Won't be long till the lower bands become quiet again. 5384.3, R Huarmaca (presumed), 1055, Sept 12, Nice Andean flute music with OM in Spanish. Fair/poor reception. 5678, R Ilucán, 1100, Sept 12, I've noticed this one the last couple of mornings, it's been a while since I last heard this one. Folk music. Fair signal (David Hodgson, Nashville, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. En definitiva, La Voz de Rusia utiliza una nueva frecuencia para las emisiones en español, entre las 0000 y 0150: 9890 kHz. Se escucha perfecto luego de que Radio Nederland deja los 9895 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 6 Sep, 0105 - 6160 kHz. Radio Rossii, 34433. ID at 0109. Must be 40 kW transmitter in Arkhangel`sk. Last year I noted that the frequency only becomes audible in September - and the same situation repeats now. Bad propagation, or is Arkhangel`sk silent during the summer? // 6150 kHz, 33442, boring LF tone (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus`, Signal Sept 13 via DXLD) ** ST. VINCENT. Re WOR comments below: ``So, they will install IBOC and we'll say goodbye to St. Vincent.`` You can already say goodbye to St. Vincent. I saw in a trade magazine (Radio World, I think) a month or two ago that they have closed down their station on 705 and moved to FM. I think that leaves only three Caribbean splits on the air (not counting wandering Cubans!) - 535, 555 and 895. Did I miss any? (Barry McLarnon, Ottawa, Ontario, NRC-AM via DXLD) Maybe there`s still hope: http://www.nbcsvg.com/wibs.htm In January of 2002, NBC RADIO, started the process of changing its transmission to the FM Band. We now broadcast on 107.5, 89.7 and 90.7 FM. Although the 705 KHz transmitter has been switched off, plans are in the pipeline to operate an AM as well as FM Service to better serve the public service components of our broadcast. [Later:] I asked R St Vincent about AM, and got this reply. Dear Mr. Hattam, Yes, unfortunately, Radio St. Vincent and the Grenadines is now no longer on the A.M. Band. The service was abruptly terminated in April due to severe damage. However, attempts are currently being made to have it reinstituted. Best regards, Corlita Ollivierre, General Manager (via Mark Hattam, UK, via Barry McLarnon, ibid.) ** SAUDI ARABIA. On 21600 kHz with program in French at 1550 Sep 9, had a feature called "Islam et les problèmes contemporaires" and on 21597.5 neighbouring state United Arab Emirates Radio in Arabic had a good-mooded phone program with merry voices, laughs, etc. With the AOR AR7030 there was no problem to separate the signals, but as I can't recall hearing a 2.5 kHz separation on 13 mb; perhaps a mention is worthwhile. But surely, isn't this really too close for comfort? (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Of course it is, but has gone on for years now, with UAE unable or unwilling to stay on nominal 21605 (gh, DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Radio Slovaquie devrait normalement ouvrir une section espagnole fin mars 2003 (Radio Slovaquie Internationale - 8 septembre 2002, informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** SPAIN. 21610 kHz at 1610, Sep 9. Radio Exterior de España carried the program "Españoles en la mar" for Spanish sailors, and the top news item revealed, or confirmed rather, that Spanish - Moroccan relations are bordering on plain hostility. A fishing vessel from a port in Pontevedra had been seajacked and confiscated by the Morrocan Coast Guard off the Moroccan coast and taken to Agadir, and now the diplomats were at work. And this comes in the aftermath of that rather stupid fight over the Perejil rock off Ceuta. Just for the record. 73, (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 3 Sep, 1450, 9770 kHz - SLBC (Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp.) in English. Usual 50's oldies. SINPO 35433. News at 1500. Woman announcer ID'ed the station in an old manner: as Ceylon Br. Corp. I tried to look for the station Web site, but found nothing. Maybe somebody knows their web address? The only thing I managed to discover is the frequency FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sri-lanka-faq/ but I'm not sure whether it contains fresh info (Alexander Yegorov, Kyiv, Ukraine, Signal Sept 13 via DXLD) Indeed, FAQ sheet dated at top 1995y. Section 43 shows: Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Radio Broadcasts 2000-2130 UTC 11835, 15120, 17805 KHz 0600-1000 UTC 6005, 9720, 17805 KHz SLBC North American Service 2330-0000 UTC - 15425 KHz Monday 0445-0515 UTC - 15425, 9720 KHz Tuesday Which info is so old, I hardly remember such a NAm service; however the page at the bottom claims to have been last updated Aug 16, 2002 (gh, DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. U.K.: Millennium Voice in Arabic ceased transmissions via WOF 250 kW / 140 deg : 1330-1430 on 21550 to NEAf. No signal here in Bulgaria from August 19 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. In connection with elections in Sweden on September 15 Radio Sweden will increase our transmissions on short wave as follows: 1830-1900 5850 HB 350 kW / 190 deg in German to zones 27,28 1930-2000 5840 HB 350 kW / 260 deg in English to zones 13,14,27,28,36,37,46 1930-2000 5850 HB 350 kW / 190 deg in German to zones 27,28 2200-2230 6065 HB 500 kW / 190 deg in Swedish to zones 27-29,36- 40,46-48 2200-2230 11880 HB 500 kW / 040 deg in English to zones 28- 31,33,44,45,50 2200-2230 13650 HB 500 kW / 305 deg in English to zones 4,5,7-11,27 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** TATARSTAN [abd non]. RFE/RL HOLDS ROUNDTABLE ON TATAR-LANGUAGE MEDIA. On 27 August, Radio Azatliq (RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service) held a roundtable in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, in cooperation with Tatarstan Radio and Television on the eve of the third World Tatar Congress in that city. The roundtable -- which was also televised -- featured Rafael Khakimov, state adviser to the Tatarstan president and director of the Kazan Institute of History; Damir Iskhakov, ethnologist at the Kazan Institute of History; Milewshe Aituganova, deputy chairwoman of the Yanga Gasyr television and radio company in Kazan; Elfiya Minnulina, Tatar news editor at the intertat.ru news site. Frank Williams, RFE/RL director of marketing and affiliate development, shared his own knowledge of the growth of Welsh-language media in Britain. The session was chaired by Kerim Kamal, a broadcaster in RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service, and was sponsored by RFE/RL's Regional Analysis. For an English-language transcript, see http://www.regionalanalysis.org/events/briefings/2002/09/roundtables.asp (RFE/RL Media Matters Sept 13 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. In Laos article http://www.dxing.info/articles/laos.dx I noted he heard a mystery station on 6765 SSB. Has this anything to do with Bangkok Meteorological Radio, operating on 6765 and 8743? I haven't been listening them for some months, but I recall they have an interval-signal and they do announce their frequencies and broadcast times at the beginning of each transmission in Thai and English. Well, I've not heard music in the programs, only shipping weather information (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxing.info via DXLD) ** U A E. UAE Radio Dubai noted on Sep. 11 on NF 13610*, instead of 13630: 1330-1350 English; 1350-1600 Arabic; 1600-1640 English and 1640-2100 Arabic *co-channel Radio Damascus Ru/Ge/Fr/En from 1700 and CRI Mandarin Chinese from 1730 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) Is it sheer stupidity or something more sinister -- ME stations continually clashing with each other? (gh, DXLD) ** U K. The Last Night of the Proms is almost upon us, Sat Sept 14 at 1830-2130 on BBC Radio 3; the first two weeks in July had webcasts with video from BBC4, and that resumes for the finale: http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/broadcasts/interactive.shtml (Glenn Hauser, and Ivan Grishin, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K /RUSSIA: Bible Voice Broadcasting Network noted on Tuesday September 10: 1700-1745 Russian (ex 1700-1715) and 1745-1815 English (ex 1715-1815) on 7430 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) ** U S A. BROADCAST NEWS GETS BACK TO SHOW BUSINESS September 11, 2002 BY ROBERT FEDER SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST In the days and weeks right after Sept. 11, it seemed as if the broadcasting business had been turned upside down. For the first time in memory, meaningful journalism was on the ascendancy, and television and radio bosses appeared to take seriously their obligation to inform -- and not just to entertain and to profit. With an immediate and unwavering sense of purpose, networks and affiliates blew out commercials and lost millions of dollars in the first 96 hours of the ordeal, signaling to some the start of a new era of sacrifice and responsibility. Reflecting the prevailing mood, local television news sobered up too. Everything that had made newscasts seem frivolous, exploitative or inconsequential was being re-examined. Well-intentioned (if journalistically misguided) anchors and reporters sported American flag pins on their lapels. Genuine reality -- not the fakery, smugness and smart-alecky attitude used to pander to the almighty young demographics -- was beginning to matter again. The amateurs then in charge of WBBM-Channel 2 looked even more ridiculous after Sept. 11 for their decision to force out Carol Marin and her serious approach to news less than a year earlier in order to embrace the cynical slogans and silly gimmicks championed by CBS stations news boss Joel Cheatwood. "Works For You" would become their ironic epitaph. On the radio side, Infinity Broadcasting's all-news WBBM-AM (780) rode coverage of the terrorist attacks and their aftermath (with a little help from the Bears) to the top of the ratings, beating Tribune Co. talker WGN-AM (720) and every other station in town for the first time ever. Stars of talk radio who wallowed in the personal miseries of their callers no longer seemed relevant -- or even interesting. The biggest of them all, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, lost her place on ABC-owned WLS- AM (890) and other major market news/talk outlets. Up and down the FM dial, music stations that had all but abandoned news over the last two decades suddenly couldn't add network, syndicated and local updates fast enough. Fearful that listeners might tune out -- as many of them did -- these radio jukeboxes added news updates virtually around the clock. But now, a year later, so much has gone back to the old way. Television's legacies of Sept. 11 include those ubiquitous crawls at the bottom of the screen and MSNBC's equally ubiquitous Ashleigh Banfield, who now rivals Fox News' Geraldo Rivera when it comes to utter self-absorption. While returning in large measure to their former diets of crime news, service features and celebrity puffery, broadcast news operations here continue to re-examine their own missions. The style and substance of the upcoming November ratings sweeps -- and decisions made by the new management of Channel 2 in particular -- will provide a clearer indication of local television's future course. Since it skyrocketed to the top, "Newsradio 780" fell back to third place and hasn't made any substantial investment in its product (unless you count the renewal of morning news diva Felicia Middlebrooks). WLS, after posting record-high ratings, lost its program director (and stands to lose its top-rated afternoon franchise, Roe Conn and Garry Meier, in an expected all-out bidding war next summer). Not surprisingly, many of the FM newscasts added in the weeks after Sept. 11 quietly have been cut back or eliminated altogether. In the case of radio giants Clear Channel Communications and Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting, good citizenship had its limits, too. The pressures of advertising losses in a tough economy, the difficulties of consolidation and the specter of increased government scrutiny only became worse after Sept. 11. All of that led to top- level shakeups and massive cutbacks across the board. Few tears were shed in Chicago over the recent departures of both companies' chief operators -- Clear Channel's Randy Michaels, who had inflicted the scourge of "cyberjocking" (importing out-of-town voices on tape) on the industry, and Infinity's Dan Mason, who coldly engineered the demise of two of Chicago's great heritage stations, WMAQ and WJJD (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. MANY TINY TOWNS USE RADIO TO SWAP GOODS REID J. EPSTEIN, The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, September 11, 2002 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2002/09/11/financial0906EDT0034.DTL&type=printable (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. KWMT-540 Fort Dodge IA, back to full power; from their website: CLASSIC COUNTRY AND AG NEWS MONSTER BACK TO FULL POWER As many of you may know, the broadcast tower of our sister station, Mix 94.5 KKEZ FM, was cut down by vandals on March 19th of this year. Unfortunately, their tower was an integral part of our broadcast array. Since that time, we have had to broadcast at a much lower power than normal. But no longer. As of Friday, August 2nd, we are operating at full power once again. Please, Call our studio line at (515) 955- 7254 and let us know how our signal is doing in your area! Or, click on the feedback link above to send us a quick e mail. We'd be delighted to hear from you! Click here http://www.kkez.com/jacor-common/globalphotos.html?eventID=3815&eventsection= to see pictures taken on the last day of work on the new tower. One of the crew workers took the station's digital camera to the top of the tower with him and got some amazing shots of Fort Dodge. Enjoy... (via Bill Smith, TX, Sept 12, DXLD) Also: Mix's new tower humming like a dream... Ray D. O'Tower (he's Irish!) got his official welcome into the Fort Dodge business community on July 23rd. Click Here to see the event. http://www.kkez.com/jacor-common/globalphotos.html?eventID=4454&eventsection= (via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Personally, I have a big problem with the way Clear Channel does business and hires personnel. If anyone desires opposing views on Clear Channel Communications (away from this list), I have some Web sites to recommend: http://www.clearchannelsucks.org/ (the name says it all) http://www.partytown.com/cmp/ (Partytown's Corporate Media Portal) http://www.salon.com/ (the CC articles are by Eric Boehlert) I think the news on Clear Channel should be kept to a minimum. The appropriate place for this is on the "N0UIH DX-Talk" list on Topica. Instead of replying to these items on this list, I copy them to my own list. Personally, I don't listen to much local commercial radio (apart from independents like KTRS 550, WGNU 920 and WRYT 1080). 73 and good DX from (Eric Bueneman, Amateur Radio Station N0UIH, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. TEXAS AM FINE REDUCED TO $3,000 The FCC's Dallas field office on May 24 issued a $4,000 fine notice against Tarrant Radio Broadcasting after investigating complaints from November 2001 that brokered Ethnic KZEE/Weatherford, TX did not power down from 500 watts to eight watts at sunset, as required by its license. An on-site field office inspection confirmed the violation and determined that KZEE was also operating during the daytime at 30% more than its allowed power. KZEE personnel explained that they did not know how to operate the remote control for the station's transmitter and that station employees did not adjust the transmitter power level (From radioandrecords.com on Sept. 12, 2002 via Brock Whaley, Atlanta -- KZEE is on 1220 kHz, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I received the following from a contact at FCC, and since many of you use these inquiries, I wanted to pass the info on: Links update at FCC AMQ AM Query http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/amq.html FMQ FM Query http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/fmq.html TVQ TV Query http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/tvq.html For most other FCC links you can easily find out the URL using the drop down menu on the left at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/ The link changes were caused by a reorganization within the FCC a few months back (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, NRC FMTV via DXLD) ** U S A. RESTRICTED LPFM MAJOR CHANGE WINDOW ANNOUNCED FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The FCC has announced in a public notice that a restricted filing window will be opened for major changes between October 28 and November 1, 2002. Applications affected in this window are those that were filed prior to the Radio Broadcast Protection Act, a rider to a bill passed by Congress that would direct the FCC to impose third- adjacent channel restrictions on LPFM stations. This includes some LPFM stations in California. The applications named in the public notice can file major amendments to change their station location and/or change frequency to resolve the third adjacent channel restrictions. In addition, applications mentioned in "Appendix A" and "Appendix B" in the second LPFM R&O will also be eligible for filing window. To assist applicants, the FCC will modify their Channel Finder program to exclude these applications in order to assist these applicants find another channel. REC plans to include a "switch" to allow for the exclusion of these station records in our LPFM Channel Search Tool. This switch will be in place prior to the opening of the window. REC has information specific to Southern California LPFM applications including alternate channel selections on some stations at: http://www.recnet.com/lpfminfo/1002window.pdf For information on Low Power FM (LPFM) Radio visit: http://www.recnet.com/lpfminfo REC's LPFM Channel Search Tool http://www.recnet.com/lpfm # # # REC # # # - - - - - REC Networks - http://www.recnet.com - Bringing you fun and culture since 1984. http://www.animehardcoreradio.net - Anime Hardcore Radio - 24 hour a day anime! (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Kevin Redding in Phoenix and I both heard the adjacent channel white noise/"digital whine" and hiss from WLW on their IBOC test at a good level, so that gives you an idea of how much IBOC can affect nearby frequencies on a conventional AM receiver. Fred Vobbe also had a good report on this in the last DXAS; maybe he'll summarize for the list. I don't like to get into doom-and-gloom stuff, but IBOC will have a catastrophic impact on DXing if it becomes widely adopted. I think split-channel DX from the east coast will become extraordinarily difficult if most east coast 50 KW stations go IBOC, for example. Domestic DX will be more difficult because of all the noise, and I'm curious how IBOC will affect the normal coverage area of a station when received on a conventional AM receiver. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I believe the normal, non-skywave coverage area of an AM station will be reduced under IBOC. With the digital noise IBOC introduces, the AM band will probably be a mess in secondary coverage areas or at night. Of course, it will be interesting to experience skywave propagation on an IBOC receiver. Does anyone know if IBOC has the same "now you see it/now you don't" reception characteristics that HDTV exhibits when the received signal drops below a certain level? If IBOC FM produces similar adjacent channel junk (as I understand it does), then FM DXing will also suffer. I know that some terrestrial broadcasters think IBOC is the magic bullet that will solve all their problems (even those caused by too many stations chasing a finite pool of listeners and ad dollars), but I wonder if IBOC might prove to ultimately be of more benefit to satellite services like XM. The AM and FM bands will sound like hell on conventional AM/FM receivers if IBOC is widely adopted. You can hear the advertising pitch now. . . . . "instead of upgrading your AM/FM car radio, step up to noise-free, anywhere-you-go satellite radio!" (Harry Helms AK6C, Ridgecrest, CA DM15, NRC-AM via DXLD) How long will it be until IBOC becomes part of a stations signal? Those that have heard it, how much QRM does it cause? If I live 500 miles from a station like KGO SF with 200 KW ERP this way. They are S9+40 DB nights, what kind of QRM can I expect? Or if a station is weaker on gy frequency, if that station has IBOC, what type of QRM would you have DXing? (Patrick Martin, Or, Sept 12, NRC-AM via DXLD) For your KGO example, picture having a constant roaring buzzy noise at about S9+25 dB on 800 and 820 - how's that sound? When WLW-700 was transmitting IBOC, it completely destroyed reception on 710 here, and that includes WOR's big signal... unless I nulled WLW. Of course, having nulled them, I couldn't also null WOR to hear anything else on 710. So, it's kind of like having two new stations, transmitting continuous noise, pop up alongside each existing station that goes IBOC. If that happens on a large scale, we can declare AM DXing dead (Barry McLarnon, Ottawa, ibid.) Being a Canadian, how do you think the Canadian government will view all this QRM coming from US stations? It is bound to cause extreme interference in your secondary coverage of Canadian stations. For instance here in the West where the Vancouver stations serve Victoria and Vancouver Island. The listeners there may not be able to receive Vancouver stations with a clear signal. I still don't see this flying (Pat Martin, ibid.) I know for a fact that Industry Canada (not to mention the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and the CBC) has serious concerns about the effects of IBOC on Canadian AM and FM stations. I suspect that some discussions with the FCC on this matter have already taken place. The Mexicans probably have similar concerns, but since they haven't made a decision about DAB yet, they might still be persuaded to jump on the IBOC bandwagon. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out! (Barry McLarnon, ibid.) SW DXing, anyone??? (Pat Martin, MWDXer, OR, ibid.) Pat, it so happens there is a movement underway to implement digital SW broadcasting. It's called "DRM" (for Digital Radio Mondiale) and is similar in many respects to IBOC; it supposedly can fit into 10 kHz frequency space and delivers audio quality roughly equivalent to mono FM but with a lower high frequency range. And, like IBOC, it generates plenty of white noise and digital hash on adjacent frequencies. Places like VOA Delano have tested DRM and it does a real number on adjacent stations. Despite this, several major international broadcasters are pressing ahead and plan to go to DRM broadcasting. Now let's see. . . . SW broadcasting is supposedly the best way to reach listeners in third world nations without access to western media sources, so they want to adopt a system that either forces such third world audiences to buy a new receiver that costs half their annual income or else suffer through increased interference and noise. Oh, they say, DRM is really intended for listeners in places like North America. And we all know how rapidly SW listening is growing in North America! Sounds like a plan to me!!!! I want to invest!!!! Geez louise. . . . . where do people get these ideas? (Harry Helms AK6C, Ridgecrest, CA DM15, ibid.) Our hobby is an unintentional byproduct that was created by technology and commerce. Sad as it seems, there'd be a sort of poetic justice should technology and commerce also put an end to it (Steve Francis, TN) I disagree that AM (and FM) broadcast DXing will come to an end. I don't believe that anyone can say for sure what DXing the digital signals will be like. I wish I had an IBOC receiver to catch the WTOP, WLW, and WOR tests. Regarding analog, using the example of receiving the St. Vincent 705 kHz analog signal with digital interference from WOR 710, right now you have to null WOR analog interference to receive St. Vincent, so why wouldn't you be able to null WOR digital interference to receive St. Vincent? Phasing and Beverages should still be able to null domestic interference for reception of transoceanic signals. When I phase out a domestic signal, it shouldn't matter whether it's analog or digital, it's still phased out. Plus the analog will be limited to 5 kHz bandwidth when IBOC is on, so there should be less analog splatter. IF and audio filtering may also reduce digital interference. DXing will be different, but I'm going to wait before throwing in the towel, raising the white flag, etc. (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) WOR engineering has a press release regarding IBOC posted on the Internet at the following URL: http://www.wor710.com/Engineering/iboc/pressrelease.htm (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) Buckley Broadcasting/WOR has entered into an agreement with iBiquity Digital Corporation that will once again make WOR a pioneer in the Broadcast industry. WOR will be a test station for IBOC Digital AM Radio. IBOC (In Band On Channel) Digital will offer AM stations FM Stereo audio quality. WOR will be the first AM station in New York City to broadcast a digital signal. Tests will begin sometime in August. The average listener will not notice any difference in WOR's signal. WOR's participation in the testing of IBOC transmission will be instrumental to the commercial launch of the technology. For the past ten years, there has been a movement afoot to have AM and FM broadcasters begin a transition to a digital transmission method. Various methods have been proposed. The IBOC system for FM stations has been approved for use on FM, and it has been recommended that the FCC add rules to start implementation of FM IBOC and AM IBOC, but during daytime only for AM stations. AM stations have different issues regarding transmission than FM stations do. This is where WOR will come in. AM signals bounce off the atmosphere at night. This is one reason WOR employs a directional transmitting antenna. There are questions as to how Digital AM will perform with skywave interference. There also are questions as to how the digital portion of an AM signal will react in the "concrete canyons" of New York City (and other major cities, as well). WOR will be instrumental in helping iBiquity identify these issues. Thomas R. Ray, III, Corporate Director of Engineering for Buckley Broadcasting/WOR states, "I take great pride in having our radio station be part of the development of one of the biggest technical advancements in radio broadcasting since FM stereo in the 1960's. WOR has been a pioneer since being one of the only radio stations on the air in the US in 1922. We have been part of the development of the profanity delay, were pioneers in the development of the AM directional transmitting antenna, and were one of the major players during Radio's 'golden era' by forming the Mutual Radio Network. I'm proud of being given the opportunity to pilot WOR through another technical pioneering phase". For more information, contact Thomas R. Ray, III at tomray@wor710.com, or visit http://www.wor710.com (WOR website via DXLD) Good and bad news from WOR 710 NY: A quote from one of WOR's engineers: "...we will be installing and testing the Ibiquity IBOC digital system on our existing site. This will occur in the next few weeks, I do not know how long we will go off air yet, but it may be several hours while we setup the IBOC system." So, they will install IBOC and we'll say goodbye to St. Vincent. However, they will go off the air for a period of time to do so (Rick Kenneally, CT, Sept 12, NRC-AM via DXLD) See also ST. VINCENT ** UZBEKISTAN. Radio Tashkent in German now is on air only in two frequencies: 1935-2030 on 5025, 11905 and deleted 5035, 5060, 9540, 9545 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 13 via DXLD) Does this also affect English at 2030, 2130? (gh, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Reactivada en los 4940 kHz, el pasado 06/09, Radio Amazonas, desde Venezuela. SINPO 3/2. Oída a las 0000. Transmitía música romántica e ignoraba una obligatoria cadena oficial de radio y TV, transmitida a esa misma hora en todo el país. Muchos 73. Saludos (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Sept 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WALES. See TATARSTAN --- how often do I get to say that??!! ** WALLIS & FUTUNA. NEW WEB SITE FOR EXPATS OF WALLIS & FUTUNA Those interested in seeing examples of the world's different languages on the Internet have something new to look at. The diaspora from the Pacific island of Wallis and Futuna, known as "Uvea mo Futuna," now have a Web site in their own indigenous language. The website, http://www.uvea-mo-futuna.com is designed mainly for the Wallisians and Futunians living outside their islands, located Northeast of Fiji. It's estimated that over 20,000 Wallisians and Futunians are permanent residents of New Caledonia - more than the 15,000 who actually live in Wallis and Futuna. The site's Webmaster, Asi Talatini, got the idea for the Web last year when he was working on an assignment as part of his journalism and communication studies in Paris. "It is not a tourism or cultural promotion site, neither does it specifically deal with general information about Wallis and Futuna", says Talatin. "It's about current affairs, news and views as they are expressed by contributors. And, for that matter, everyone is welcome to contribute." His regular contributors include a student in Auckland, a lumberjack in Canada, and a fashion model in New York (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 13 September 2002 via DXLD) ** WINDWARD ISLANDS. The link above under ST. VINCENT is a story more about the breakup of the onetime Windward Islands Broadcasting Service on SW. Here it is again: http://www.nbcsvg.com/wibs.htm (gh, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. STATE BROADCASTER SPLIT INTO SEPARATE PROGRAMMING, TRANSMISSION FIRMS | Text of report by Zimbabwean radio web site on 13 September The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation [ZBC] has been split into two companies following the promulgation of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Commercialization, Act 2001. In a statement, the ZBC corporate secretary, Jenniffer Tanyanyiwa, said the split will see the two successor companies, Transmedia Corporation and the ZBC, taking over the functions of the old ZBC. "ZBC will now be concentrating on broadcasting and content provision as its core functions while the Transmedia corporation will be a signal carrier company responsible for transmitting radio and TV signals," she said. She said the two parties have identified assets, liabilities and staff related to the functions of signal transmission and transferred them to Transmedia corporation as required by the Act. She added that the two companies will soon embark on an intensive communication exercise to educate members of the public and other stakeholders on the split. Ms Tanyanyiwa expressed hope that the separation of functions will enhance service delivery by the ZBC. "This should also enable Transmedia to focus on improving transmitter networks around the country, particularly in border areas where both radio and television reception is currently low," she said. Source: ZBC radio text web site, Harare, in English 13 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) Why bother? Other than such splits being a fad in the developed world. Who really benefits? (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6 Sep, 0125 - 10750 kHz. Classical music, 35433. Time pips and comments in Spanish at 0130. No ID noted during that. Followed by more classics, Montserrat Caballe noted among them (if I was not mistaken). (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus`, Signal via DXLD) That`s really out of band; rarely any broadcsters, even harmonics found in this area; close to FM receivers` IF 10.7, however. SW receiver 2 x IF image from 11660 could fall here (gh, DXLD) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PROPAGATION +++++++++++ :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2002 Sep 10 2212 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/weekly.html # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 02 - 08 September 2002 Solar Activity ranged from low to moderate levels. Moderate activity was observed on 03 September, and again on 08 September, with low-level M-class flares. For flare times and magnitudes, please refer to the Energetic Events or Optical Flare lists. Low activity was observed for the rest of the summary period. The most significant event during the period was long duration C5/Sf flare from Region 102 (N09, L=019, class/area Hsx/50 on 02 September) on 05 September. Associated with this event was a disappearing solar filament, a Type II radio sweep, and a full halo CME as observed by SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery. This event was the only activity observed from Region 102. Region 105 (S07, L=299, class/area Fko/850 on 08 September) rotated onto the visible disk on 07 September as a large, beta-gamma spot group. Region 95 (N08, L=060, class/area Fki/750 on 03 September) was in a gradual decay phase during the summary period. On 06 September, Region 95 simplified to a beta magnetic configuration and at the close of the period had an area coverage of 160 millionths and an Fso spot class. Solar wind data were available from the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft for most of the summary period. A weak transient CME shock passage was detected by ACE at 03/1710 UTC, marked by an increase in solar wind velocity to near 390 km/s and a prolonged period of negative Bz. On 04 September solar wind velocity reached a peak value around 500 km/s then gradually decayed over the next three days. On 07 September a CME shock was observed by ACE at 07/1611 UTC with a 175 km/s increase in solar wind velocity to near 575 km/s and a 20 nT deflection in Bz to near –22 nT. Severe storming levels followed this shock impact. A greater than 10 MeV proton event began on 07/0440 UTC, reached peak value of 208 pfu at 07/1650 UTC and ended at 08/0145 UTC. The proton event was associated with the long duration C5 flare mentioned above. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geo-synchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels for most of the period. Electron flux reached high levels on 06 September due to recurring coronal hole effects. The geomagnetic field was at quiet to severe storm levels. Active to major storming conditions were observed on 04 September due to combined coronal hole effects and a weak transient. Late on 07 September and early on 08 September severe storming conditions occurred as a result of the CME from the long duration C5 event on 05 September. A 7 nT sudden impulse was observed at the Boulder magnetometer at 07/1638 UTC. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 September - 07 October 2002 Solar activity is expected to be low to high. Activity is expected to be moderate to high early in the period, 11-21 September, due to Region 105. Low to moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the period. A proton event is possible on 11-21 September due to activity from Region 105. No proton events are expected after Region 105 rotates beyond the west limb on 21 September. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geo-synchronous orbit may reach event threshold on 13-15 September due to coronal hole effects. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels for most of the period. Active conditions are possible on 11-13 September due to a coronal hole. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2002 Sep 10 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 Sep 10 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2002 Sep 11 210 15 3 2002 Sep 12 220 15 3 2002 Sep 13 225 15 3 2002 Sep 14 225 10 3 2002 Sep 15 230 8 3 2002 Sep 16 235 8 3 2002 Sep 17 230 10 3 2002 Sep 18 235 12 3 2002 Sep 19 225 12 3 2002 Sep 20 210 12 3 2002 Sep 21 200 10 3 2002 Sep 22 185 12 3 2002 Sep 23 175 8 3 2002 Sep 24 165 8 3 2002 Sep 25 160 10 3 2002 Sep 26 160 10 3 2002 Sep 27 160 10 3 2002 Sep 28 160 8 3 2002 Sep 29 155 10 3 2002 Sep 30 155 12 3 2002 Oct 01 155 12 3 2002 Oct 02 155 10 3 2002 Oct 03 160 10 3 2002 Oct 04 170 8 3 2002 Oct 05 185 8 3 2002 Oct 06 200 8 3 2002 Oct 07 210 8 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1147, DXLD) ###