DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-177, November 14, 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 1156: WWCR: Thu 2130 15825, Sat 0700, Sun 0330 5070, Sun 0730 3210, Wed 1030 9475 RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730, Sun 0000, 0600, Mon 0030, 0630, Wed 0100, 0700 on 7445 and/or 15039 WJIE: M-F 1300, daily 0400; Sun 0630, Mon 0700, Tue 0630 or 0700, 7490 WBCQ: Mon 0515 7415; first airing Wed 2300 7415, 17495 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Europe Sun 0530; North America Sun 1500 ONDEMAND http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html [from Fri] [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1156h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1156h.ram [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1156.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1156.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1156.html [from Thursday] WORLD OF RADIO ON WJIE USA. 7490. WJIE. 0800. Fair in English here in NZ with World of Radio programme. Improving by 0830 (Ian Cattermole, NZ, Nov 14, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Unscheduled airing; day of week not given, but report arrived before 0800 UT Thu Nov 14 (gh) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Thanks AGAIN for your fine work - very much appreciated (Eric Floden, Vancouver BC) Estimado amigo Glenn: no haga caso a críticas infantiles y muchas veces llenas de molestias por "no ser los mejores". Su publicación y sin la menor duda es la mejor en el DX. 73'S (Oscar de Céspedes, FL) CIRAF ZONE MAPS --- ITU numerical target area designations, often appearing in schedules: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/broadcast/hf/refdata/maps/index.html from which you may pick various regions or a blown-up world map at http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/broadcast/images/broad-ciraf2.gif (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. U A E/NORWAY: B-02 schedule for Radio Afghanistan in Pashto/Dari: 0130-0227 6000 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg [UAE] 0230-0327 9655 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg [UAE] 1330-1627 18940 KVI 400 kW / 095 deg [Norway] (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Hola Amigos, RAE, Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior, para su período B-02 válido hasta el 30 Marzo 2003, tiene el siguiente cambio: De 0000-0400 emite sólo en 11710 (no más // a 6060 khz!) Otros horarios y frecuencias, sin cambios. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Nov 12, Conexión Digital via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) So affects English at 0200-0300 UT Tue-Sat to NAm; anyway, it has been coming in pretty well on 11710, Nov 13 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 950, LR3, R. Belgrano AM ex R Libertad ASL Information about ``unofficial`` stations in Gran Buenos Aires: 930 R Cooperativa, ``La Voz del Jubilado`` from the Centre of Capital Federal is new. MAC 1450 R Presencia ex 1130 Nicolás Eramo 1630 R Restauración ex 1650 Nicolás Eramo 1650 R Conurbana, Gregorio de Laferrere, Partido de Matanza is new. MAC (ARC Newsdesk via Tore Larsson, DXLD) MAC and ASL not explained ** AUSTRALIA. The Australian MW scene is a mixture of private and government-operated stations. Unlike New Zealand, almost all private commercial stations are independent, though they may use a networked news cast, etc. Australian Broadcasting Corp. is the governmental broadcaster and offers four networks to the medium wave listener. ABC Radio National: A specialist network broadcasting programs on the arts, religion, politics, the law, news and current affairs, science and technology, history, including features, documentaries, magazine programs, specialist analysis, music, drama and comedy. Most transmitters of the 200 transmitters are on the FM band, however, at least one major AM outlet exists (with an RN call) in most major cities. 576//729//792//9580//Internet ABC Metropolitan Radio: A network of nine stations, one in each state capital, Darwin, Canberra and Newcastle. News, current affairs, talk, information, sport, entertainment programs and other networked programs of interest to urban audiences. 612//702//774 ABC Regional Radio: The most extensive radio network in Australia - 49 studios and outposts and a national network of around 70 AM and 180 FM transmitters as well as State and national satellite services. A mix of local, regional, state and national programming for audiences outside the capital cities. Usually parallel in the evenings and overnight. 594, 684, 738, 1548 ABC News Radio/Parliament: Live broadcasts of Parliament and NewsRadio, a continuous news service broadcast when Parliament is not sitting. 936//1026 (John Bryant, Grayland WA Dxpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) See also NEW ZEALAND et al. ** AUSTRIA. Never be done! As a reputation int. Radio, they must be exist in international broadcast to contribute world news and others. (Lim Kwet Hian, Jakarta, Indonesia, DX Listening Digest) Hello Glenn... I have been in correspondence with Radio Austria International's Listener's Department, and am passing on the following info. Here is their email to me, in response to my query as to their possible shutdown: ``Dear listener, Thank you very much for your e-mail! Unfortunately we have to tell you that the rumors are true. The directors of the ORF Corporation are thinking about the complete shut down of ROI. We have no detailed information about it so far because we only start to have meetings on our future today. But it seems that the situation right now is rather serious. It would help us quite a lot if our listners would open state how they think about ROI and that they want us to stay on air. This could be done per mail or letter to the ORF headquarters or to us and we will forward it to the headquarters. The listeners who send regularly reception reports have already began to send letters or mails to our support. But it is very important that our regular listener's who don't write to us on regular base state their mind to the director too, so that they may see that we have a lot of listeners who care about our broadcasts and future. We appreciate any reaction on the possibly shut down of Radio Austria International from you. Best to address your letter or e-mail to our office, we will redirect it to the proper receiver. For e-mail: roi.service@orf.at and for mail: Radio Austria International, z.H. Hr. Michael Kerbler, Argentinierstr. 30A, A-1040 Vienna, AUSTRIA. Mr. Kerbler is our chief-journalist, so it would be best to send a letter to him. We really appreciate your proposal to post our situation on different webpages and message forums, so that other friends of our service as well know about the situation. With kind regards, Radio Austria International Listener's Relations Department`` Let's hope SWL's start writing! (Fred Newlin, New York, WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DX LISENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL TO STOP BROADCASTING IN MARCH 2003 | Text of report by Austrian newspaper Die Presse on 12 November The ORF [Oesterreischer Rundfunk] has decided to close down the ORF shortwave station "Radio Austria International" (ROEI). ROEI chief Michael Kerbler has been asked to present a plan for the closure of the radio station. ROEI is to stop broadcasting in March. Instead, Oesterreich Eins programmes will be aired for a few hours on the shortwave frequencies. The decision has triggered sharp criticism of the ORF. A decision can only be made by the ORF foundation council at its session at the beginning of December. Resistance has already been observed to the proposal within this body. Source: Die Presse, Vienna, in German 12 Nov 02 p 1 (via BBC via DXLD) RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL TO BE CLOSED DOWN The foreign shortwave service of the Austrian national broadcasting company Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) is to be phased out gradually in 2003. According to plans aimed at cutting costs, Radio Austria International (ROI) should be closed down almost entirely in March 2003, leaving only a few programs on the air. The final decision will be taken by the Foundation Council, the top governing body of ORF, in its meeting on December 2. Already on November 15 the ORF management is expected to submit the budget for 2003, including the cost-cutting measures affecting ROI. Foreign service programming on shortwave is to be replaced largely by a news service on the Internet. Several top politicians have expressed their concern over the plan. Conservative People's Party (VP) Foreign minister Benita Ferrero- Waldner says she regretted the closure. Also Wolfgang Petritsch, the Social Democratic candidate for the foreign minister's post, said the shortwave service was of the greatest importance. Until last year ROI was funded by the government, but in 2001 financial responsibility was given to ORF. Currently ROI broadcasts in German, English, French and Spanish. ROI has already cut costs by ending programming in Arabic and Esperanto, and by replacing much of the ROI German programming by ORF domestic service programs (DXing.info, November 12, 2002 VIA WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA: B-02 schedule for ORF's DX programs: DX TELEGRAMM Fri 1755-1800 6155 13730 1955-2000 1476 Sat 1755-1800 1476 6155 13730 Sun 1755-1800 6155 13730 INTERMEDIA Fri 1805-1830 5945 6155 1930-1955 1476 Sat 2005-2030 1476 5945 6155 Sun 1730-1755 6155 13730 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) Best chance in NAm should be Sun 1738-1800 on 13730; also ondemand from website ** BHUTAN. 6035.00, Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Thimpu; *0100-0130, Nov. 12; s/on with I/S, two unreadable announcements, national anthem identical with the NA on the BBS web site http://www.bbs.com.bt/news/audio/anthem.wav --- later into Buddhist prayers and traditional music. Fade out at about 0130. Weak. Propagation conditions from southern Europe towards Bhutan should get better in the coming weeks (Fabrizio Magrone, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Just in time for their 27th anniversary, Nov 9, Radio Camargo have uploaded a "listeners' page" including a couple of pictures at http://www.radiocamargo.cjb.net/ Station manager José Luís García Pastrana wishes more DX listeners to get in touch with him in order to make the listeners' list a bit more comprehensive. His address can be found on the webpage (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, dxing.info via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Radio Bulgaria DX program in English: Fri 2235 5800, 7500; Sat 0035 and 0335 7400, 9400; Sun 0748 12000, 13600; Sun 1248 12000, 15700 (as of Nov 1) (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria [responsible for the program], BC-DX Nov 14 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Latest issue of the Messenger has this schedule for English from China Radio International from November 30th: [some known relay sites and comments bracketly added by gh] North America (East Coast) 2300-0000 13680 [Canada] 0100-0200 9580 9790 [Cuba, Canada] 0300-0400 9690 [Spain] 0400-0500 9560 9730 [Canada, French Guiana] [they screwed this one up again: 0400 on 9730, 0500 on 9560 in winter] 1300-1400 9570 [Cuba] 1300-1400 1120 (Washington D.C.) North America (West Coast) 2300-0000 13680 [Canada] 0100-0200 9790 [Canada] 0300-0400 9690 [Spain] 0500-0600 9560 9730 [Canada, French Guiana] [they screwed this one up again: 0400 on 9730, 0500 on 9560 in winter] 1400-1600 7405 17720 [direct, Cuba; 7405 recently still at 1300] Caribbean Sea 2300-0000 5990 [Cuba] Europe 2000-2100 5965 9840 2100-2200 1440 5965 9840 2200-2300 7170 2300-2330 558 (London) Southeast Asia 1200-1300 1341 9730 11980 1300-1400 1341 11980 15180 South Asia 1200-1300 1188* 1400-1500 9700 11675 11765 1500-1600 7160 9785 South Pacific 0900-1100 11730 15210 1200-1300 9760 11760 15415 1300-1400 11760 11900 East and South Africa 1400-1600 13685(M) 15125 [M = Mali? The only one so marked??] 1600-1700 7190 13650 1700-1800 7150 9570 9695* 11910 2000-2130 11640 13630 West and North Africa 1900-2000 9440 9585 2000-2100 9440 *Testing frequencies (Michael Beesley, Hampshire, UK, World DX Club via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 6010v, LV de tu Conciencia: "Many things are happening here in Colombia. Russell left today for Lomalinda with a load of materials for the radio stns and many boxes of books. The lines are drawn for battle not far from Lomalinda, but fighting has not erupted as yet. Right now one of the paramilitary leaders wants to live at Lomalinda. It would be a good opportunity for ministry to him, but we need to avoid the appearance of being committed to one side or the other in order to keep ministering to both. Pray about this. We are getting good rpts on the SW station. Response is coming in from Norway, Sweden, other parts of Europe, Australia, and all over the Americas. So far all broadcasting is in Spanish." (Colombia Para Cristo newsletter via DX-plorer via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. RADIO OKAPI EN KINYARWANDA NAIROBI, 11 novembre (IRIN) - La station de radio Okapi de la Mission de l'ONU en République démocratique du Congo (RDC), connue sous son acronyme MONUC, a commencé ce lundi à diffuser ses programmes en langue rwandaise, le kinyarwanda, pour informer des milliers de miliciens de l'existence d'un programme de désarmement, de démobilisation et de rapatriement dont ils pourraient bénéficier. ``Nous transmettons sur ondes FM et sur ondes courtes afin de pouvoir être entendus par les combattants qui sont dans le maquis ou les forêts,`` a indiqué Sébastien Lapierre, producteur de programmes sur radio Okapi. La MONUC a ciblé entre 8 000 et 12 000 Rwandais, des miliciens opposés à leur gouvernement. Les programmes radiophoniques sont diffusés, entre 5 heures du matin et 14 heures, à l'intention de miliciens rwandais qui ont gagné le nord-est du pays après avoir fui la base militaire de Kamina dans la province sud du Katanga, théâtre de récents combats. ``Nous allons informer les mouvements armés rwandais en République démocratique du Congo des mesures armées mises en place pour les aider à rentrer chez eux et à se réintégrer dans la vie civile,`` a indiqué M. Lapierre. La station diffusera une série d'entretiens réalisés avec des anciens combattants qui sont rentrés chez eux et qui ont été réintégrés dans la vie civile, des soldats en cours de démobilisation, des responsables du gouvernement responsables du processus de réintégration et des responsables de la MONUC. Le gouvernement de la RDC a identifié environ 4 000 combattants rwandais opposés au gouvernement dans l'est du pays. Près de la moitié d'entre eux ont été désarmés et enregistrés à la base de Kamina. Près de la moitié des soldats cantonnés à la base de Kamina ont fui les heurts survenus le 1er novembre entre certains de leurs camarades et des troupes de l'armée congolaise dans la région. La MONUC a informé avoir rapatrié vendredi 64 anciens combattants de Kamina, portant à 278 le nombre total de combattants rwandais rentrés chez eux dans le cadre de ce programme. Le rapatriement, effectué vendredi, a marqué la reprise des activités de démobilisation et de désarmement à Kamina après une interruption temporaire due aux affrontements. La MONUC a ajouté, par ailleurs, que 201 ex-combattants, 110 femmes et 147 enfants étaient prêts à entamer le processus de contrôle pour la démobilisation. Le gouvernement rwandais a envoyé environ 23 400 soldats à l'est de la RDC, de toute évidence pour faire front aux troupes de l'ancienne armée rwandaise et leurs alliés hutus de l'Interahamwe. Le Rwanda a commencé à retirer ses troupes de la RDC en octobre, conformément à l'accord de paix de Pretoria signé le 30 juillet, qui prévoit le retrait de toutes les forces étrangères de la RDC ainsi que le désarmement et le rapatriement des anciens rebelles rwandais (Les informations sont issues de IRIN 11 novembre 2002 http://www.irinnews.org via Bernard Chenal, France, Nov 13 via DXLD) ** CUBA. I was tuning around the 49 meter band this morning at 1500 UTC, looking for any Mexican or other C/S American SW broadcast stations that might still be in existence, when I stumbled across a numbers station on 5760 kc. The AM modulation was poor but it was the female version in Spanish. The signal was 59+30-40 so the station was regional to Florida (Thomas Giella, KN4LF, FL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) This station is from Cuba. The Cuban numbers stations are infamous for poor audio, as well as other technical mishaps. There are CW transmissions as well, and sometimes they'll accidentally swap frequencies, or mix the two signals on one frequency (analysis seems to indicate that they transmit CW by feeding audio to a transmitter running in SSB mode). More fun is when they mix a little Radio Havana audio in as well. We've even caught an open mike and a rooster call! I wonder if Arnie Coro could forward a reception report to the correct authorities for a QSL? ;-) (Chris Smolinski, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CUBA. I sure hope those little Chinese radios we are handing out in Cuba are better than the ones I have seen, or anyone without a previous knowledge of shortwave will be really challenged to find and then hear anything. By the way, how about the irony of USA purchasing Chinese made radios to hand out in Cuba while China jams our VOA broadcasts! 73, (Tim Hendel, AL, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. RHC no show on 11705-USB for quite a while. Continues on 6000 and 9820; English to NAm starts at 0100 (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS TURKISH [and non?]. Again last night listened to 6150 for a period from 0015. At that time SNG had faded out. A station with light music was heard on 6150.05, evidently the same one as heard at 2230. At appr. 0023 presumed Iran switched on its strong carrier, but still no modulation a minute or two after 0030. This afternoon just before 1700 Austria 6155 was off for a minute and left 6150 clear from splash. At that time I heard a lady announcing in English on 6150.05, but no ID noted. At this time SNG had closed for the evening. It seems to be a good chance that 6150.05 is Bayrak, but only a definite ID can tell. Bernd - has anyone reported a 100% ID for Bayrak? (Olle Alm, Sweden, Nov 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, 2200-2300 nothing heard of western or Turkish music so far. I checked 6150 last night [Nov 10] at 2200-2220, but heard nothing at 2200-2215, and later on a transmission of S=2 level, supposed to be in Chinese language. Today - Nov 11 with much better conditions - around 2200-2232 UT two Chinese language station could be observed co-channel on 6150, the stronger with S=2, and underneath another with S=1 level. [See previous complete Taiwan schedule, including:] TAIWAN VARIETY NETWORK ONE (in CHINESE) 2200-0200, 0400-1700 (local Mo-Fr; 0600-1000 stop tx [meaning silent period for maintenance, siesta?]) 6150 2230-0000 C CHN NEWS NETWORK (in CHINESE) 2200-1700 6150 2300-0000 C CHN So it seems Taiwan, heard a music like National Anthem at 2230 UT at the stronger station ahead, of I guess a Chinese Mainland music 'jamming' service underneath ?? It seems the former Kimje, Korea outlet on 6150 of A-02, ceased in B-02 already. 73 wb df6sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, Stuttgart, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Actually, it was a report from Austria, not Germany as I first wrote. [re: Bayrak on 6150 in the 0000-0100 period] A detailed, daily schedule of the Bayrak INT programme can be found at http://www.brt.gov.nc.tr/akislar/bayrakint.htm According to this schedule, the transmission time of Bayrak INT (disregarding the frequency usage) is 0430-2200. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuiania, Nov 13, WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [non]. See USA -- WRMI ** FIJI. 1152, Radio Fiji 1, Raki Raki, Nov 5, 1430, Heard at good level running a program of beautiful Polynesian music. Hosted by male. Heard also Nov. 6, 7 and 8 (John Bryant, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** FRANCE. RFI English: all I`m getting is their 1400 on 17620. Quite good; nothing intended to North America (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Including David Page`s Club 9516 Nov 10 Sunday 1430; should also be at 1205 on 25820 (gh) Tuned in at 1400 on 17620 in an effort to hear RFI in English, but program was in French (Mike Cooper, GA, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non?]. Radio Marabu next 24 hours shortwave broadcast is scheduled for the coming weekend, 16th/17th of November on 6210 kHz, starting early Saturday morning. Give it a try an check it out. E-mail reception reports are highly appreciated. Every reaction to the broadcast will be verified by free CD and other goodies. ********************************************************** RADIO MARABU e.V. - Postfach 1166 - D 49187 Belm - Germany Tel.: 05406/899484 -- Fax: 05406/899485 E-mail: marabu@r... [truncated] - Homepage: http://www.radio-marabu.de Europe´s radio station for alternative music (srsnews via Valter Aguiar, radioescutas via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ** HAITI. Hi Glenn, just a few comments re- WOR 1156. As for 4VEH handing out pre-tuned radios, I don't think that is new. I seem to recall, in the 1960's or '70's, when they had an English language mailbag program, they mentioned doing that (Tim Hendel, AL, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. There is a Cyclone threat in the East Coast of India now. Last night, the following stations of AIR in Andhra Pradesh state (including the one in my city) did not sign off as usual but were on air continuously to give the cyclone weather info. Hyderabad 738, 4800 kHz Visakhapatnam 927 kHz These stations were playing music and giving the latest updates on the cyclone. Note: Cricket commentaries scheduled today 0330-1200 UT approx. on 6 and 7 MHz frequencies of AIR Regional stations (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Somajiguda Hyderabad, India, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. INTERNATIONAL PHARMACISTS HAM GROUP http://www.malpensa.it/iphg/index.htm (Andrea Pagliula IZ7ECB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. NEW WRN WEBSITE - UPDATE. The new website is almost complete! An internal WRN launch will occur week beginning Monday 18th November and the site will be opened to the public at the end of November. INTERNET AUDIO QUALITY UPGRADED As we prepare to launch the new WRN website we have upgraded the audio encoding and quality of the Internet files from the current RealAudio 3 at 16 kb/s to RealAudio G2 at 20 kb/s. When we launch the new WRN website, we will also offer Windows Media encoding of files to give visitors as much choice of formats as possible (WRN quarterly newsletter via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) Several other items from World Radio Network are in this issue under respective countries of [non]origin (gh) ** IRAN. VOIRI noted in 75 mb on new 3985 (via Ahwaz) with Arabic network 1820-1900, parallel 6065 where co-channel Sweden. Another NF is 6180, where noted with French at *1830, Nov-12. Good listening to Iran! (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. MOLDOVA/NORWAY: New B-02 schedule for R. Anternational/ R. International in Farsi: 0230-0315 7460 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg ||||| new morning transmission 1730-1815 7490 KVI 200 kW / 105 deg ||||| ex 7520 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg for B-01 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) Sites: Kishinov, Moldova; Kvitsøy, Norway ** IRAQ. ANALYSIS: IRAQI MEDIA OVERVIEW | Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring's Foreign Media Unit on 11 November 2002 Introduction The Iraqi government exercises absolute control over the domestic media, except in the Kurdish enclaves in the north. President Saddam Husayn's son Uday runs two of Iraq's broadcast outlets. Iraqi radio's domestic service broadcasts in Arabic, Kurdish and other languages, which in the past have included Assyrian, Persian and Turkmen. The authorities are reportedly preparing to maintain broadcasts from mobile installations in the event of attacks. Radio Iraq International, the foreign service, has in the past broadcast in Arabic, English, German and French. However, since 1991 broadcasts from Iraq have been highly erratic and almost inaudible outside its borders. Considerable damage was done to Iraq's once impressive broadcast installations. Radio Iraq International has never recovered from the battering it took during the 1991 Gulf war. In the UN-mandated Kurdish enclaves in northern Iraq, which are not controlled by the government, rival Kurdish factions such as Mas'ud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan operate their own radio and TV stations and newspapers beyond the reach of official Iraqi control. The Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan and other small groupings also have their own media outlets in northern Iraq and abroad. The latest to launch was a radio station identifying itself as "Mesopotamia Radio and Television from Arbil", heard in October 2002. Iraq's airwaves are saturated with transmissions beamed to the country from abroad, whether those of established international broadcasters in the USA and Europe, or clandestine media operated by political opposition groups. Baghdad officially forbids the reception of satellite broadcasts, although a scheme to allow controlled viewing of selected foreign Arabic entertainment and sports channels has been introduced. Private internet access and email services are still in their infancy. In autumn 2002 a public company received permission to open private internet cafes in Baghdad. The same company plans to open internet centres at schools, universities and other educational institutes. The official Iraqi News Agency has an extensive English-language site. Foreign correspondents who are permitted to enter Iraq are required to travel with government minders from the Ministry of Information. Travel outside Baghdad requires written approval, and travelling to a location not specified in the request is forbidden. Domestic radio and TV Audience research data from Iraq is non-existent, which makes it difficult to assess the impact of any individual programme, broadcaster or nation. State-run radio and TV are assumed to be accessible in the parts of Iraq controlled by Saddam Husayn. The main domestic TV service and Uday Husayn's Youth TV are available terrestrially. The Iraqi Information Ministry plans to launch two new TV channels, including one in English for foreigners living in Iraq, the Baghdad newspaper Al-Rafidayn reported in November 2002. Baghdad radio's main service in Arabic has been heard on six mediumwave frequencies. The station has also announced six different regional FM frequencies. Baghdad radio has reportedly also used mobile transmitters, probably on FM frequencies. Other domestic services heard recently have been Voice of Youth (run by Saddam's son Uday) and Holy Koran Radio. Services that have not been heard recently are Voice of the Masses, the domestic and Persian and Kurdish services from Baghdad and Mother of Battles Radio (set up during the 1990-91 Gulf conflict). Given the erratic operation of some Iraqi broadcasts, there is little evidence of an infrastructure that could jam incoming radio or TV services to any great effect. External broadcasts The state-run Iraq Satellite Channel broadcasts via a number of satellites to viewers across the Middle East and Europe. For several years, Iraqi radio has had only one, and occasionally two, operational shortwave transmitters. These have been heard only intermittently and with a highly variable schedule, often with extremely poor audio modulation. Therefore, broadcasts by Radio Iraq International are highly erratic. In recent months audio modulation has become so poor that it has often not even been possible to determine what languages are being broadcast. Broadcasts to Iraq from abroad Shortwave and mediumwave radio listeners inside Iraq have access to a wide range of general Arabic-language services from the Middle East and from international broadcasters. The main international stations heard in Iraq are the BBC, the USA's Radio Sawa (which has a strand of programmes beamed to Iraqi audiences) and US-funded Radio Free Iraq (operated by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty from studios in Prague). In June 2002 the Iraqi press reported that a subscription-based service providing a selection of foreign satellite broadcasts (probably through some form of local cable or MMDS network) would be available to Iraqis, who would have to apply through the Information Ministry. The annual subscription for a service offering over a dozen channels including films, sports, cartoons and documentaries was set at about 60 dollars (the equivalent of a civil servant's salary for 10 months). After its launch in Baghdad, the service would be extended to Basra and Ninawa before being rolled out to other regions of Iraq. Kurdistan, opposition and clandestine services There are several Kurdish, opposition or clandestine stations representing various factions and ethnic groups within Iraq broadcasting from different locations on a mixture of frequencies in a combination of Arabic and Kurdish. The major ones include: \ \ Radio \ \ Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan - broadcasts from Salah al-Din in Kurdish and Arabic in support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Mas'ud Barzani. \ Voice of the People of Kurdistan - broadcasts from Sulaymaniyah in Kurdish and Arabic in support of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Jalal Talabani. \ Voice of Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party - mouthpiece of the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party, a member of the Democratic Alliance of Kurdistan, an alliance of five parties under the leadership of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, formed in December 1996. \ Voice of the Iraqi People in Arabic - mouthpiece of the Iraqi Communist Party. \ Radio Freedom - mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan. \ Voice of Kurdistan Toilers - mouthpiece of the Iraqi Kurdistan Toilers party. \ Voice of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq - opposition radio sponsored by the pro-Iranian Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. \ \ Television \ \ Kurdistan TV - based in Salah-al-Din, mouthpiece of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. \ Kurdsat - based in Sulaymaniyah, mouthpiece of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. In September 2001 the London-based Iraqi National Congress (INC), a US-funded umbrella organization of groups opposed to President Saddam Husayn, launched Hurriyah or Liberty TV - aimed at Iraq. It broadcast on a westerly trans-Atlantic satellite in a digital format unlikely to be available to many Iraqi viewers. Liberty TV broadcasts were suspended in May 2002 owing to concerns expressed by its US backers over the INC's financial management practices. There is likely to be an upsurge in clandestine media activity if the political and military temperature continues to rise. One possibility is that a station with INC and US backing could be established, broadcasting from a mountainous site on the Iraq-Iran border in an area controlled by the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party. It could reach Baghdad on FM - but could also be blocked by relatively small local jamming transmitters. Updated information on external broadcasts to Iraq can be found on the web site of Clandestine Radio Watch - http://www.clandestineradio.com US psyops Commando Solo flights, delivering radio broadcasts from aircraft, have been used in recent conflicts, most recently in Afghanistan. A report in the New York Times on 15 October 2002 quoted US military officials as saying that the Pentagon planned "to start a psychological operations campaign, which would probably include broadcasts and leaflet drops in coming weeks" urging Iraqi military leaders to defect or rise up against Saddam Husayn. Publications While the 1968 Constitution provides for freedom of the press, the government tightly controls all news media. Iraqi newspapers are all pro-regime. The Journalists' Union is headed by Uday Saddam Husayn. The two Iraqi papers that are most daring in criticizing domestic government policies are Babil and Al-Zawra, both of which are headed by Uday. However, in August 1996, Babil was closed for four days for publishing two articles critical of the Information Ministry's performance and for failing to publish the ministry's response to them. According to Taha al-Basri, former chief editor of Al-Thawrah, the paper used to print 250,000 copies daily but this number was reduced by 92-94 per cent after the trade embargo imposed by the United Nations. More than 130 periodicals ceased publication after the embargo. All Iraqi papers continue to carry a front-page picture of Saddam Husayn, either separately or in the context of a previous day's activity. There are five major daily newspapers (Al-Iraq, Al-Thawrah, Al- Jumhuriyah, Al-Qadisiyah, and Babil) and one English-language newspaper (Iraq Daily) and one sports daily called Al-Ba'th al-Riyadi. There are also nine Iraqi weeklies. These are: Al-Zawra, Nabd al- Shabab, Sawt al-Talabah, Al-Rafidayn, Al-Iqtisadi, Al-Ra'y, Al-I'lam, Al-Ittihad, and Alif Ba. Uday Saddam Husayn is the board chairman of the first four weeklies, in addition to the daily newspaper Babil and Al-Ba'th al-Riyadi. All these Iraqi dailies and weeklies have an Internet version that is updated regularly. Many of them post a version in PDF format, in addition to the usual selections posted from each paper. Other hard-copy publications are issued in the Iraqi governorates, but they do not have Internet versions. Source: BBC Monitoring research 11 Nov 02 (via DXLD) ** ITALY. Rai, Roma, 0055-0110 North American service still announces 6010. No show! It is on usual 9675 and 11800, and sometimes no show on 11800 (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. JORDAN TV AND YEMEN LAUNCHED IN AMERICA VIA GLOBECAST America`s third largest direct-to-home television provider has launched broadcast services in America via the GlobeCast WorldTV Direct-to-Home platform on Telstar 5. Jordan TV, the international satellite service of the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, broadcasts 24/7 live from Amman to all Arab countries, southern Europe, Turkey, West Iran and parts of Africa http://www.globecast.com (AIB Newsletter, Nov via DXLD) Rest under YEMEN ** KIRIBATI. 846, Radio Kiribati, Nov 8, 0830, fair to poor level with beautiful island choral music. Often heard from Grayland and a favorite listening station (John Bryant, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. 972 kHz, HLCA Dangjin, Nov 6, 1358. Heard here throughout the DXpedition with listed first Liberty Program beamed north to DPR Korea. Often good to excellent. PLEASE NOTE: HLCA is running an hour of Japanese language programming from 1600-1700 UT. The program appears to be all talk and by a native Korean speaker (the JJ is unusually slow and heavily accented.) HLCA returns to Korean language at 1700. This program is on from 1-2 AM Japanese time. Who are they broadcasting to? Why? 1053, Jammer, South Korea, Nov 5, 1155. I'm not sure how effective this station is as a jammer beamed north from South Korea, but it sure is a great beacon station for judging the quality of propagation to East Asia. Heard throughout DXpedition (John Bryant, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. Hi Glenn, While tuning 31m today [Nov. 13] around 1020 I found Radio Korea International on 9760 in the Spanish language. This frequency does not appear in the version of their sched published in DXLD recently [via Wolfgang Büschel, retyped into text version by Alan Roe]. Spanish is listed at 1000-1100 to SAm/Eu. Listed 11715 via Sackville was good and strong as was new 15210 direct from Kimjae, but there was no trace of RKI on listed 9580 - only Shepparton. However, in the HFCC listings I find Sackville 9760 1000-1100 via 163 degrees to Ciraf 11- 16. So, are two transmitters in use via Sackville - if so, 9760 does not appear in their list of relays - or was 9760 direct and replacing 9580? Co-channel on 9760 were Chinese language broadcasts - I believe this was RFI Paris until 1030 then D. Welle at 1030-1055 and both via Irkutsk, but not easy to follow due to the strength of RFI. From 1100 VOA via PHT took over. RKI in Korean from 1100 then English from 1130 to NAm on 9650 via Sackville also came in well. 73 (Noel Green, England, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I had a report in Spanish, which I thought was in a previous DXLD, that RKI would be testing these two frequencies via Canada for a few weeks, until Nov 27, to determine which worked better in South America (gh to Noel, via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. In order to comply with directives of the European Union (Lithuania is going to join the EU on 1 January 2004), the country will return to Daylight Saving Time (like all other EU countries) on 30 March 2003. During the last few years, Lithuania kept the clocks on UT +2h all year round. In future, winter time will be UT +2h, DST (end of March to end of October) UT +3h (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Then joining EU is obviously not worth it (gh) ** LITHUANIA. R. Vilnius in English also 1900-1930 on 666 MW as of Oct 27 (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MARSHALL ISLANDS. 1098, Radio Majuro, Nov 10, 0805. Noted with island music at 0805 on this date. R. Majuro are leaving their transmitter on after 's/off' and it was present as an OC every morning of the DXpedition. It has been this pattern for at least two years (John Bryant, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Glenn, I just noticed that 6185 and 1060 are simulcasting sometime after 06 UT. This may be very old news but new to me. Regards (Dave McDonald, location unknown, Nov 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Educación I assume he is talking about, country not mentioned either. Yes, they have been for some time, but I believe there was talk of resuming original SW programming at last August`s DX convention (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. Is it really possible that 540-XESURF in Tijuana is only 100w? I'm hearing "The Surf" here in the San Fernando Valley both day and night, barefoot with the DX-398. Not that loud mind you, but it's definitely there (Brian Leyton, NRC-AM via DXLD) Ah, the joys of getting accurate technical data on the Mexicans. I don't believe 100 watts either; the signal is just too darned good heading up the coast. The tower is on top of a "Gigante" supermarket building not too far south of the Otay Mesa border crossing; it doesn't look like it could handle the rumored 25 kW, either, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's cooking with 5 kW or so. My speculation on what's happening with this one goes like this: the Tijuana 540 is operated by Saul Levine, who also has 1260 KSUR in the Valley as well as his big gun, 105.1 KMZT Los Angeles. In addition to those, Saul also had the 540 that was licensed to Costa Mesa, which used a transmitter site something like 80 miles away in the high desert east of San Bernardino and a very directional antenna to focus the power over the LA basin. Once he had Costa Mesa on the air, he picked up the 540 Tijuana to simulcast, and eventually shut down the Costa Mesa in favor of using the frequency south of the border. My speculation is that the "100 watts" dates back to the period when he was running both signals; by notifying the FCC of such a low power on the Mexican, he avoided having to protect it with his California 540. Now that the Costa Mesa 540 is gone (it spawned the 1650 allocation that's now under different ownership as Korean KFOX), Tijuana can operate at much greater power; it's just not notifying the FCC, methinks. -s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC- AM via DXLD) Oh the tangled web we weave... I saw the listing for the Costa Mesa station and wondered what that was all about. Your scenario looks pretty reasonable, though I still wonder why he'd drop Costa Mesa's 25 kW daytime in favor of anything less out of TJ. I guess it's a night vs. day tradeoff (Brian Leyton, ibid.) The Costa Mesa station had to shut down to comply with the X-band Sol Levine got for Costa Mesa; he sold the X-band and just shut down the 540 dog. The transmitter was about 60 miles away in Hesperia, across the San Andreas fault, and it never had a great signal in Orange County. 1260, based on power increase, is now licensed to Beverly Hills, not in the Valley by any means. 540 did not even cover Orange County, let alone the LA Basin. The lobe was so narrow, and so far away that it was not useful except as a way of getting an X-band station based on the city over 100,000 population with no local service ruling. Sol rents the Mexican station form the local licensee under a joint sales and programming agreement. US citizens cannot own stations in Mexico (David Gleason, Palm Springs, ibid.) Just how do they get away with that? I mean the transmitter is clearly in the Valley, not in Beverly Hills (though I'd love to watch the city council meeting where Sol asks them to let him plop a few towers in the Beverly Hillbillies' back yard). (Brian Leyton, ibid.) COL [city of license] can be anyplace in the coverage area where a minimum signal strength is placed. KTNQ is in Industry, licensed to LA. KFI is in Buena Park, licensed to LA. I think Sol wanted a more attractive COL than San Fernando, which is, politely, a depressed area (David Gleason, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Veo que no paso el archivo pdf, que me dieron el RMI con el horario vigente, y que estara cambiando el dia 1 de enero del 2003. Este horario, ya lo verifiqué y ya está actualizado en su página Web. http://www.imer.gob.mx/estaciones/rmi.html En la parte inferior está la liga de carta de programación. Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, México DF, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Héctor, Gracias. Acabo de verla, pero indican solo 5 horas entre HCM y UTC; cuáles horas debemos creer? 73, (Glenn to Héctor, via DXLD) Hola Sr. Glenn, No me habia percatado, pero exactamente está mal el horario UT; éste debiera empezar a las 1300 UT, que corresponde a las 7:00 Hora del Centro de México. En estos momentos tenemos la diferencia de 6 horas atrasados de la UT. Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, México DF, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There have been lots of time changes, not just a one hour shift, and concerning when English and French are broadcast rather than Spanish, as we had suspected. Assuming the local times are correct, and the UT needs to be 6 hours later, we now find, among others: ANTENA RADIO SUMMARY [in English of preceding Spanish news magazine]: M-F 1500-1530, 2300-2330, Tue-Sat 0400-0430 [repeats, or new shows?] TALKING MEXICO: Same times as above Sat-Sun except UT Mon when LA HORA NACIONAL is on at 0400-0500. MAILBOX: Tue 1530, Sun 1530, Thu 0430 DXPERIENCE: Thu 1530, Tue 2330, Sun 0430, Sun 2330, RADIO CORREO DEL AIRE: Sun 1630, Fri 2100 ESTACION DX: Sun 2000, Tue 2100, Fri 0330 ** MOROCCO. MAROC. Medi 1 joue toujours au yo-yo avec sa fréquence OC; le 11 novembre, la station était de retour sur 9595 kHz. Suite à un courrier envoyé, voici la réponse obtenue (le 11 novembre): "Merci pour votre courrier du 10 novembre. Nous n'avons pas de yo-yo dans notre centre mais vous pourriez peut être nous prêter celui que vous devez avoir dans votre récepteur. Plaisanterie mise à part nous avons un synthé dans notre émetteur de 250 kW et un compteur qui nous permet de controler la fréquence d'émission qui est bien de 9.575 kHz. La 9575 est très utilisée car c'est une fréquence favorable principalement en Afrique et il y a "embouteillage" à certaines heures. Nous devrions la modifier dans la journée mais c'est une volonté de notre Direction Générale de conserver une fréquence unique. Il y a une importante activitée solaire en ce moment mais les effets devraient se faire sentir sur le fading et pas la fréquence. Bonne écoute, quand même. Cordialement C. Roussillon" Encore une fois une station qui ne sait pas trop sur quelle fréquence elle émet! Le 12 novembre, Medi 1 était retournée sur 9575 kHz (les informations sont issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Over two-thirds of New Zealand AM radio now consists of simulcast programming carried over seven networks. Happily, there are very few instances of a network having two outlets on the same frequency. This makes identifying stations quite easy, as long as one can hear a known network outlet. National Radio: Government-owned news and features network of about 20 transmitters. There is a single 50 kW station (2YA-567) and five 10 kW stations. The remainder are primarily 2 kW outlets. 567//756 News-Talk ZB: Now privately owned simulcast news and phone-in + interview talk programming. The network consists of about 20 stations, with one 20 kW station (2ZB-1035), five 10 kW stations and the remainder being primarily 2kW stations. 1035//1008//1044 Radio Sport: Sporting events, features and talk carried on over a dozen outlets. 792//1332 Classic Hits: Top pop hits of the 60s, 70s, 80s from a network of 9 stations. Some of the automated stations run local commercials, IDs, etc. within network programming until 1200 UT. After that time all are simulcast. Difficult to hear in NAm. Strongest is only 2 kW. Note: some Classic Hits stations carry Radio Sport programming during important national sports events. 1026//1215 AM Network & Southern Star: These two networks primarily share the same transmitters. There is one 50 kW transmitter (2YC-657), three 10 kW stations (882, 900, 963) and a single 5 kW outlet. The AM Network simulcasts NZ Parliament when it is in session (there are regular afternoon and EVENING sessions. A schedule may be found on the web at http://www.radionz.co.nz/am/f-am.htm.) When Parliament is not in session, these transmitters simulcast the Southern Star Network of contemporary Christian music. 657 Radio Rhema: This simulcast network of a dozen transmitters is relatively difficult to hear from North America. About half of the network is 5kW transmitters and most of the rest are 2kW. Radio Rhema programming is Christian talk and features. 1251?? Radio Pacific: This small all-talk network consists of a single 10 kW transmitter (702) and two 5kW outlets. Difficult to hear in NAm. 702//711 (John Bryant, Grayland WA Dxpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) See also AUSTRALIA et al. ** NIGER. Yesterday evening I was able to receive Niamey with a nice live phone-in program on 9705 with O=3-4 around 22h, with only little QRM by an unID, constant carrier. I can hear Niamey nearly daily on this QRG, but best reception is always on a Saturday evening- I think the sign-off on a Saturday is much later than within weekdays...???! RX: ATS-909, Ant:CB-vertical with Magnetic Balun and MFJ-16010 (Yves Wechlin, Eimeldingen (GER) near Basel (SUI), Nov 11, dxing.info via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Wow, what will they do with this frequency, get rid of the boring syndicated programming? http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=945619&pic=none&TP=getbusiness OKLAHOMA. WKY RADIO OFFER ACCEPTED --- 2002-11-12 An offer by Citadel Broadcasting to purchase Oklahoma City radio station WKY-AM has been accepted by OPUBCO Communications Inc., officials said Monday. The transaction, which requires FCC approval, is expected to close by the end of December. WKY is currently operated under a Local Marketing Agreement 2003. WKY is reported to be the first radio station west of the Mississippi to hold an FCC license and has been continuously owned by OPUBCO or its related entities since 1928 (via Bill Eckart, OK, DXLD) The LMA meaning Clear Channel/KTOK et al. has been running it (gh) ** OKLAHOMA. TYLER TO MOVE 99.7 KTSH TO OKC --- KTSH-FM 99.7 Tishomingo OK has applied to move to Tuttle OK, in the Oklahoma City market (SOURCE: 100000watts.com via OKCRadio.com news via DXLD) We saw this coming long ago; to the detriment of KNID-99.7, Enid, transmitter site actually near Helena halfway to Alva. I`ll bet we get QRM to our own `local` here in Enid, unless KTSH be direxional away (gh, OK, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. KOMA-1520 appears to be on day facilities. Blowing WLAC out of the water here 18 miles from the WLAC towers (but in the KGA null). KOMA isn't rare here but it's MUCH louder than normal and probably easy copy much further northeast. (Doug Smith, Nashville, 0722 UT Nov 12, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. From http://frontierpost.com.pk/home.asp?id=17&date1=11/10/2002 CALL TO UPGRADE RADIO SKARDU 11/10/2002 SKARDU (APP): Up gradation of Radio Pakistan Skardu must be started immediately, Federal Minister for Information and Media Development Nisar Memon said during his visit to Skardu and Gilgit. There were strong demand from general public of both districts of Baltistan (Skardu and Ghangche Siachan and Kargil sectors of the country) to install a high power Shortwave transmitter at Radio Pakistan Skardu to counter the poisonous propaganda of Indian Radio Stations (their words not mine - Mike) of Ledakh, Srinagar and Kargil in Balti language against Pakistan. Though Radio Pakistan Sakardu is doing this job since inception of the station in 1979 but capacity of transmission is very limited (via Artie Bigley, Kim Elliott, DXLD) Much the same thing was being said in a very similar item a couple months ago; WTFK? (gh, DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Some Pakistan changes noted today [Nov.13]: World Service to Gulf & ME 1330-1530 on new 15070 [ex 15105 - co-channel Romania]. I didn`t have the opportunity to monitor it but I guess English News & Commentary 1600-1615 was also on this frequency. Parallel remains 11570 World Service to W Europe 1700-1900 on new 9400 [ex 9290, which was suffering intermittent jamming from Iran - probably meant for V. of Mujahadin]. Parallel remains 11895 (Noel Green, England, Nov 13, WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. PAKISTAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION HF BROADCAST SCHEDULE B-02. Effective from 27 Oct, 2002 to 30 March, 2003. [Including CIRAF numerical target zones; see top] Chinese 11570 15105 1200-1230 42-45 S & SE Asia Urdu 15485 17895 0045-0215 41 44 45 49 50 51 54 55 59 S Asia Assami 11655 15455 0045-0115 41 [partly in English] Bangla-1 11655 15455 0045-0115 41 Bangla-2 15625 17680 1200-1245 41 Nepali 15625 17680 1245-1315 41 Hindi-1 11655 15455 0215-0300 41 Hindi-2 11555 15625 1100-1145 41 Tamil-1 15455 17540 0315-0345 41 Tamil-2 15625 17680 0945-1015 41 Sinhali 15625 17680 1015-1045 41 Turkey Gulf ME and NW Af Turkish 9385 11655 1630-1700 38 39 Irani 7555 9375 1715-1800 40 (x9385) Arabic 9385 11565 1815-1900 37-39 Urdu 15100 17835 21460 0500-0700 37-39 Urdu 11570 15070 1330-1530 37-39 (x15105) English 11570 15070 1600 1615 37-39 (x15105) Urdu 7555 1800-1900 40 E & SE Africa English 15530 17725 1600-1615 48s 52 53 57 Gujrati 15485 17825 0400-0430 48s 52 53 57 Europe Urdu/English 17835 21465 0800-1104 17 18SE 27-29 Urdu/English 9400 11895 1700-1900 17 18SE 27-29 AFG C Asian Reps, Rus (x9290) Turki 5860 7375 1330-1400 39NE 40 Dari 5860 7375 1260 1515-1545 39NE 40 Russian 7375 9385 1415-1500 29 30E (R. Pakistanvia Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX, Oct 26, updated by monitoring observations Nov 14 via DXLD) ** PERU. Hola amigos; Sobre la nueva peruana reportada por el colega Carlos Maldonado desde Chile, via Mark Mohrmann y que me remitiera el amigo Henrik Klemetz, (Aclaro que esta información se reprodujo también en DXLD) informo que ayer en la noche me llegó con una aceptable señal aunque con un bajo audio la señal de RADIO SAN AGUSTIN operando en los 4627.2 kHz escuchada luego de la 2350 y con cierre abrupto a las 0140* con musica folklórica de Ecuador y Perú e interpretes como Segundo Rosero, el Chapulín del Arpa; además un grupo de cumbia argentino llamado Rafaga. Identicándose como: "...Somos Radio San Agustín desde la provincia de Celendín en los 65 metros de amplitud modulada..." tan solo hubo publicidad de campaña electoral provincial; elecciones que se celebran el próximo domingo 17 de Noviembre (desde ya les anuncio que debe ser una buena oportunidad para escuchar emisoras peruanas en horarios extendidos). "...este saludo va para la gente que se encuentra en sintonía de su radio, su Radio San Agustín..." Mencionan QTH: Entre Jirón Moquegua y Bolognesi. El colega Carlos Maldonado la escuchó identificándose como Radio San Isidro; durante la transmisión el locutor hizo referencia a esta emisora "...un saludito a nuestra radio hermana Radio San Isidro..." Aún tengo problemas con mi computador pero confio en hacer un archivo de audio de esta emisora. Lamentablemente en los 10354v ninguna señal y soy de la opinion que pueda tratarse de un armónico (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, Nov 10, Conexión Digital via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) RADIO SAN AGUSTIN FROM PERU ON 4627.2 KHZ Radio San Agustin from Celendín, Departamento de Cajamarca, Perú, has been logged on 4627.2 kHz by Rafael Rodríguez in Colombia and by Carlos Maldonado in Chile. During several days in the beginning of November, the station has been heard with folk music from Perú and Ecuador, signing off between 0140 and 0300 UT. According to an announcement, the station is located at this street address: Entre Jirón Moquegua y Bolognesi (ConDig and Mark Mohrmann/DXplorer via DXing.info, November 10, 2002, updated November 12 via DXLD) ** PERU. 4627.2 R. San Agustín Nov 9 2350 33222 S QTH: Celendín, (ex Radio Cosmos?) 2861.5 R. Corazón de Huandoy Nov 5 1041 24432 S // 2863.3 R. Corazón de Huandoy Nov 10 0142 24412 S 3811.1 R. Corazón de Huandoy Nov 4 1045 22212 S 3813.3 R. Corazón de Huandoy Nov 5 1040 23312 S // 5723.2 R. Corazón de Huandoy Nov 5 14422 S // [harmonics up to 6th from 954v, must be – gh] 3865, R. Sur Oriente, Nov 4 0155, 22211 Spanish from Tayabamba 4260.4 ***UNID**** Nov 11 0102 12211 S QTH: Cutervo [I believe we had an unID on same reported from Japan] 5218 R. Tropical Nov 11 0151 44422 S, Huarmaca 9975 R. San Antonio Nov 11, 0100 34423 S [is that correct? Harmonic?] 10354.1 R. Willkamayu, Nov 3, 1103, 22211 Spanish from Cuzco (Alfredo Benjamin Cañote Bueno, Icom IC-R71A, Antenna: Copper Wire 10 mts, QTH: Chaclacayo (27Kms East Lima), Lima, PERU, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 1458, DWRF Iba (presumed), Nov 7, 1613. This FEBC station (which according to my QSL broadcasts at 100 kW, not 10 listed in some references) noted as presumed with Tagalog programming at fair level. In 12 years of DXing from Grayland, I've heard only three Filipinos. This AM, I heard all three of them again [1062, 1143 the others]. Conditions to coastal E Asia were very good this AM, though Mainland Asians were largely missing (John Bryant, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI English observations: I got 2300 on 9510 and 11940. 9510 is poor to fair. 11940 JBA scratching. I heard your WOR 1155 [about this]. It`s useless at 0200. 11740 has Taibei in English [via Florida] to Central America. No show on 11940 and 15270. 15370 covered by 15375 [Voz Cristiana]. At 0400 9550 quite good, slight 9540 REE. 11830 not audible. 15330 and 17535 nothing heard (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RWANDA. Re 6055, anthem at 2100: Suggest you compare the anthem with the clip on the Interval Signals Archive at http://www.intervalsignals.net/countries/rwanda.htm Regards, (Dave Kernick, UK, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "GreenScan", Iceland back in the International Whaling Commission and the EU on Sweden's nuclear energy Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: In "Spectrum" the Stockholm Film Festival, Next Stop Atlantis, and the Cullberg ballet Sunday: Another chance to hear "Sounds Nordic" with Cosi Fan Tutti at the Folkopera, Frederik Kempe, and Sahline (George Wood, SCDX/MediaScan Nov 13 via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. SWEDISH RADIO --- With Radio Sweden's help, our mother company, Swedish Radio, is testing a new digital radio station during the week of November 19 to 23. SR Sverige will be a multicultural channel, reflecting this country's diversity. Seventy percent of programming will be non-American music. The channel will be carried in DAB, as well as in streaming RealAudio. Links to the RealAudio, and more about the station (in Swedish) can be found at: http://www.srp6.net/red/page_srs_start.html (George Wood, SCDX/MediaScan Nov 13 via DXLD) ** SWEDEN [and non]. CIBAR --- November 6-8 Radio Sweden hosted the annual Conference of International Broadcasters' Audience Research Services (CIBAR), which brings together audience researchers from a number of international broadcasters. While dominated by the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, BBC, Radio France International, and Deutsche Welle, smaller stations like ours send representatives to the CIBAR meetings, because there's always something of interest for us. Since the increase in Internet radio listening, Radio Sweden suddenly finds itself with many new languages reaching international audiences (Farsi, Arabic, Kurdish, and Somali to name a few) (and how many other broadcasters have programs in Romani, that is Gypsy?). This is the first time we've ever hosted the conference. Colin Wilding of the BBC said that he has worked out that there are 16 different ways the BBC World Service can reach a listener, making things difficult for researchers, since listeners don't always know if they were listening to cable radio, digital satellite, or a relay from the domestic Radio 4. Eutelsat demonstrated a new technique to work out exactly what satellite is the source of viewing, an inaudible audio watermark that shows up in a little box hooked up to a household's TV set or satellite receiver. Gene Parta from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said Internet listening is showing up more and more in surveys. The problem is that web statistics don't show the same things as regular audience surveys, and it's hard to combine the numbers. Graham Mytton, formerly of the BBC, gave a passionate plea not to forget shortwave in our embracing of all the new ways to reach listeners. He showed how he had worked out that there are around 250 million adults who listen to shortwave from other countries at least once a week. Michel Penneroux from TDF talked about the development of digital short and medium wave radio. The DRM consortium is trying to avoid the DAB disaster, and has put together broadcasters, receiver manufacturers, retailers, chip-makers, and auto manufacturers. Last month the ITU approved the DRM standard, and both China and Russia have adopted it as the standard for their domestic shortwave broadcasting. Mass production of chips is scheduled to start in December 2003, and receivers are expected to be on shop shelves in time for Christmas 2004. One advantage of DRM is that a station's schedule is included in the digital signal, so that just as in the case of RDS FM radios, the receiver can switch frequencies when necessary (George Wood, SCDX/MediaScan Nov 13 via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. SWISS RADIO INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES NEWS-BY-PHONE SERVICE | Text of report in English by Swiss Radio International's Swissinfo web site on 11 November The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation has introduced a news service for radio listeners who can't tune in at set times. People can now hear Swiss Radio International's international news bulletins in English over the phone, 24 hours a day, all year round. The English service launched on November 11 is part of a wider project to make news more accessible. A larger news on demand service is also available in Switzerland's four national languages - German, French, Italian and Romansh - and also includes sports information, weather and traffic reports. The English bulletins are produced by swissinfo/Swiss Radio International's English department. Switzerland's domestic radio services deal with the news in the national languages. The basic steps to listen to radio on demand are simple. Users have just one number to dial - adding the international code for Switzerland, 41, if they are phoning from abroad - 0900 365 365. The system then responds to voice commands. English-speaking callers need only say "news" to get to Swiss Radio International's latest two- minute bulletin. If the user wishes to listen to a broadcast in another language, he or she only has to say "German", "French", "Italian" or "Romansh" at any time. Calls cost 0.50 Swiss francs, plus 0.50 Swiss francs per minute. Callers from abroad have to add the cost of the international connection. Source: Swissinfo web site, Bern, in English 0900 gmt 11 Nov 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) What a novel idea! I can appreciate the true value of Swiss news by paying for it by the second. But... why not just broadcast it on SW? (gh, DXLD) The phone scheme introduced by Swiss Radio International is one of the most preposterous things I've ever heard of. A 1-900 news service "to make news more accessible"?! I doubt that too many people will be calling them. And I wonder if international calls would go through at all. I call Europe quite often but I'm not going to try it with SRI. I really enjoyed this station about 15 years ago for its great folk music. I remember listening to it almost daily in Moscow, Russia. But now, with all its crazy ideas SRI is more of a shame for its home country than anything else (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA [non]. Dear friends, First, happy Ramadan to my brothers Muslims. I listened yesterday 10/11/2002 to Arab Radio 12120 kHz. This frequency is not declared. Please, where is the transmitter site? 73's from Tunisia (Achraf Chaabane, Sfax, Tunisia, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Time? 1600 hour, I suppose as in DXLD 2-172; we wish we knew the site (gh, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 1143, BEL3 Penghu (presumed), Nov 7, 1602. Taiwan Area Fisheries station heard in standard Chinese QRMing DWVA, Voice of America at fair level (John Bryant, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. FRANCE/TAIWAN: Updated B-02 schedule for Radio Taipei International via Issoudun 2200-2300 Chinese to Eu on 3965 (55555) 2200-2300 French to Af on 7315 (53443) co-ch RFI in Chinese via Vladivostok (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) ** TATARSTAN/RUSSIA. B-02 schedule for Radio Tatarstan: 0500-0600 15105 SAM 150 kW / 065 deg to FE 0700-0800 15105 SAM 250 kW / 060 deg to CAs 0900-1000 11915 SAM 100 kW / 305 deg to Russia (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ** UKRAINE. A couple of times V. of Turkey came on late and I heard RUI reasonably well on 6020 at 0400 (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. RUI Kiev 9810 kHz: Hello, It is expected, on November 15 the Mykolaiv's 1 megawatt transmitter will be switched on with RUI transmissions to North America: 0000-0500 9810 kHz 314 degrees. Please monitor if possible. -- Best regards, (Alexander Yegorov, RUI, Nov 14 via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) Comment: Super power Mykolaiv station near Odessa Ukraine, also used at times for Voice of Russia's external services towards North America in 41 mb. [7240?] Same location - but registered by GFC as SMF = Simferopol`. At other times also backup for Voice of Armenia = ARM too! (wb) 7150 0300 0700 19,20 SMF 100 4 UKR/E UKR RUI RRT 7180 2200 0600 8,9,27N SMF 1000 309 UKR/E UKR RUI RRT 7240 0200 0400 27N SMF 500 305 UKR VOR GFC 7240 2000 0600 8,9,27N SMF 1000 303 UKR/E UKR RUI RRT 7285 0300 1200 19,20 SMF 100 4 UKR UKR RUI RRT 7285 1700 2300 19,20 SMF 100 004 UKR UKR RUI RRT 9385 2300 0700 8,9,27N SMF 1000 314 UKR/E/G UKR RUI RRT 9870 1000 1800 8,9,27N SMF 1000 309 UKR/E UKR RUI RRT 9905 0400 0500 38-40,48 SMF 100 184 UKR UKR ARM RRT 9905 1600 1700 38-40,48 SMF 100 184 UKR UKR ARM RRT 9960 0400 0600 38-40,48 SMF 100 184 UKR UKR ARM RRT 9960 1500 1700 38-40,48 SMF 100 184 UKR UKR ARM RRT 11980 0400 0700 29N SMF 5 000/360 UKR UKR RUI RRT 11980 0800 1200 29N SMF 5 000/360 UKR UKR RUI RRT 11980 1600 2000 29N SMF 5 000/360 UKR UKR RUI RRT 12030 1700 2100 8,9,27N SMF 1000 309 UKR/E UKR RUI RRT 15560 0800 1800 13-15,37,46 SMF 1000 245 UKR UKR RUI RRT (HFCC via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) ** U K. London Radio Service (LRS) stopped production of its weekly programmes and daily newsbreaks in October. This followed an internal review by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office that funded the service. Money Matters, New Horizons, Eco-Watch and the award-winning, Russian language programme Big Ben iz Londona were the four LRS programmes broadcast on WRN (WRN quarterly newsletter via DXLD) ** UK. NEW BBC7 DIGITAL RADIO NETWORK TO LAUNCH IN DECEMBER | Text of press release from BBC on 12 November BBC7, a new digital radio network, launches on Sunday 15 December 2002. A great mix of entertainment with the best of BBC comedy, drama and books as well as a brand new daily live kids' radio show, BBC7 is the fifth BBC digital radio station to launch this year and completes the BBC's digital radio portfolio. Jenny Abramsky, Director of BBC Radio and Music, says: "The launch of BBC7 marks the end of an astonishing year for BBC Radio in which we have doubled the number of national radio stations. "With BBC7 and its companion digital services 6 Music, Five Live Sports Extra, 1Xtra and the Asian Network we have made a huge addition to public service broadcasting which should prove attractive to new as well as existing listeners. "They mark a major step towards the digital future." Broadcasting 18 hours a day, from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., the BBC7 schedule is "stripped" across the week, with regular programme zones at the same time each day. The first day's broadcasting, Sunday 15 December, features a special two-hour programme (8 to 10 p.m.) showcasing BBC7 and simulcast on BBC Radio 4. Featured shows include: Knowing Me, Knowing You; Dr Who; Hancock's Happy Christmas; The Goons; The Woman In White; Fatherland and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. BBC7's comedy is zoned across the day and includes all-time classics such as Hancock's Half Hour, The Goons and Round The Horne, great panel games like I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue and Just A Minute and, in the Comedy Club zone, the best in stand-up from Greg Proops, Jo Brand, Rory Bremner, Graham Fellows and Sean Hughes. Recent radio comedy hits such as The Boosh and Little Britain get another airing as well as shows that have successfully transferred to television: Room 101, They Think It's All Over, Goodness Gracious Me, Alan Partridge and The League Of Gentlemen. All in all, BBC7 presents over six hours of comedy every day. The 7 Drama zone offers a daily feast of great drama - A Suitable Boy, The French Lieutenant's Woman, This Sporting Life - and the best in crime and thrillers, from Inspector Rebus to George Smiley. And BBC7 provides a daily fix of science fiction and horror in 7th Dimension from Dr Who and A Wizard Of Earthsea to Pet Sematary. The best reads in fiction and non-fiction can be found each weekday morning, including The Shipping News, Behind The Scenes At The Museum and Notes From A Small Island. Seven days a week, from 4 to 6 p.m., there is BBC 7's Big Toe, a live, interactive show for nine to 11 year-olds packed with stories, competitions, quizzes, interviews, discussions, games and music. Each day there are continuing stories from the best authors including Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman and Roald Dahl. Younger children have not been forgotten - each morning Little Toe airs the best children's stories for the younger age group, starting with Wiggly Park and including Thomas The Tank Engine, read by John Gielgud. Mary Kalemkerian, Editor BBC7, says: "Nothing beats being asked to create a brand new network from the biggest broadcasting archive in the world. The underlying theme throughout the schedule is quality. BBC7 offers a treasure trove of treats for people who love good radio." Helen Boaden, Controller BBC Radio 4 and launch controller for the new station, adds: "It's not every Radio Controller who has the privilege of launching a totally new station. I'm tremendously proud of the team that has developed such an exciting, fresh sound and programmed such an innovative schedule for BBC7." As the place for entertainment, BBC7 is asking people to vote for who they think is the funniest person they have ever heard. Nominations can be for comedy groups as well as individuals and votes can be registered via the web site at http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7 or by phone on the BBC7 Information Line on 0800 100 700. Nominations are welcomed from the whole range of comedy talent featured on BBC7 - from The Goons to The League Of Gentlemen, from Tony Hancock to Steve Coogan, from Kenneth Williams to Julian Clary. Voting opens on Wednesday 13 November and closes on Wednesday 11 December. The winner will be announced on launch day (15 December). BBC7 will broadcast across the UK on digital radio, digital television (cable, satellite, Freeview) and online. Archive material is drawn from BBC Radio 4, Radio 2 and Radio 1, with other acquired material not previously heard on radio before. Source: BBC press release, London, in English 12 Nov 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U K [non]. CHRISTIAN VISION CONTRACTS WITH WRN FOR DAILY SHORTWAVE TRANSMISSION TO INDIA Christian Vision International has started a daily three-hour shortwave transmission to India with the broadcasts being organised by WRN. The service was inaugurated with a special live programme broadcast at 0100 UT on Saturday 9th November. The contract for WRN`s shortwave services marks the first time Christian Vision has leased capacity outside of its own network of shortwave stations. The transmitter being used for the service is located in Central Asia and the service is broadcast on 11850 kHz. The programme is called The Voice and is broadcast in Hindi from Christian Vision International`s studios in the UK. (WRN quarterly newsletter via DXLD) Site?? (gh) Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN per DXLD 2-175 (Mike Barraclough, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. RUSSIA/UAE/GERMANY(non): B-02 schedule of Bible Voice Broadcasting Network/BVBN/ 5880 SAM 250 kW / 280 deg to EaEu: 1800-1845 Sat Polish 1845-1900 Sat English 1800-1830 Sun English 1830-1900 Sun Russian 7180 DHA 250 kW / 075 deg to SoAs: 0030-0100 Daily Bengali 7380 SAM 200 kW / 295 deg to WeEu: 2000-2115 Sat/Sun English 7435 ARM 100 kW / 195 deg to ME: 1700-1800 Mon Russian 1800-1815 Mon English 1700-1800 Tue Amharic 1800-1815 Tue English 1700-1815 Wed/Thu English 1700-1730 Fri Arabic 1730-1815 Fri English 1700-1845 Sat English 1845-1900 Sat Arabic 1700-2000 Sun English 9610 DHA 250 kW / 090 deg to SoAs: 0200-0230 Daily Hindi 12035 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to SoAs: 0030-0130 Sat/Sun English 13810 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg to EaAf: 1630-1700 Daily Amharic (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 13 via DXLD) ** UNITED NATIONS. UN RADIO WEEKDAY ENGLISH PROGRAMME TO JOIN WRN UN Radio will imminently be placing its daily 15-minute news programmes on all of the WRN`s English networks. Produced and broadcast live at 1800 UT from UN Radio`s studios in New York, the programme begins with a 5 minute news bulletin, which briefs the audience on the significant global developments for the UN that day and is followed by in-depth reports on the UN's ongoing work in various parts of the world (WRN quarterly newsletter via DXLD) ** U S A. Noticed WRMI 15725 relaying Prague in Spanish at 1510 UT Nov 13, in the clear, except for occasional hit-and-run QRM from a carrier and unID talk/communications about 15726. 1530 announcements in Russian, and into Czech, but abruptly lost audio at 1537; then to classical music fill. Prague relays are supposed to be 0300-0430 on 7385; guess this be a bonus or time-filler to discourage further encroachments on WRMI`s highest frequency. 1559 into Christian Media Network, The Apocalypse Chronicles, whereupon I rapidly tuned out (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I haven't heard you mention this, but I have noticed that, for about three weeks now, WWRB is carrying separate programming on 5050, while 5085 and 6890 are in parallel. The spur on 5015 which you mentioned a while back has not been heard here, and we are almost ground wave distance from that station. Perhaps it was a receiver mixing product? (Tim Hendel, AL, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think not... 5015, 5050, 5085, WWRB McCaysville GA; 2311-2331+ 13-Nov; English religious program. 5050 S30 and 5085 S20 producing mixing product on 5015 SIO=3+22. At 2325 WWRB, Manchester TN ID on 5050 but not on 5085. At 2326, 5050 went to Full Gospel Broadcast while 5085 continued past 2330 with previous religious program. Can hear both on 5015 with the 5085 program dominant. WRB = We Ruin Bands? (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO SAWA, Sabine Darrous, [Lebanon] Daily Star staff From http://www.dailystar.com.lb/11_11_02/art18.asp While Arab leaders continue to stall on plans to create an English- language station to expose the Western world to Arab viewpoints, the United States has made good on promises to establish an Arabic- language radio station. The station, Radio Sawa, began broadcasting two months ago in Arabic on various FM and AM wavelengths to almost all countries of the region. In Lebanon, Sawa hit the air just two weeks ago and can be heard on 981 AM. Many believe that Sawa was created in the wake of Sept. 11, but according to the station's news editor, Mouafac Harb, it was not a reaction to the tragic events, nor is it aimed at swaying Arabs to change their views about the US. "We are not trying here to apologize to anybody," Harb told The Daily Star in an interview. "I don't think Americans need to improve their image. "What the Americans need is to make sure that their positions are clearly understood in the Arab world," he said. Harb, who is Lebanese, said that the idea of the radio station started "way before" Sept. 11, but he did not rule out that these events have affected the station. "The tragic events of Sept. 11 gave a boost to our founder, Norman Pattiz. He felt that Voice of America was not doing a successful job and not appealing to the younger generation," Harb said. Like Voice of America, Radio Sawa is a service of US International Broadcasting, which is operated and funded by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an agency of the US government. According to the station's website, www.ibb.gov/radiosawa, "one of the guiding principles of Radio Sawa is that the long-range interests of the United States are served by communicating directly in Arabic with the peoples of the Middle East by radio. "Radio Sawa seeks to win the attention and respect of listeners. In reporting the news, Radio Sawa is committed to being accurate, objective and comprehensive," it adds. The station broadcasts seven days a week on FM frequencies in Amman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha; on medium wavelength frequencies in Egypt, the Levant, Iraq and the Gulf; and on satellite via Nilesat, Arabsat, and Eutelsat. Harb stressed that the station was not a "mouthpiece" in the Arab tradition of government-owned media, noting that while the US government provides funding, it is not involved in management. Harb said that the format of the station, unlike Voice of America, was designed to appeal to younger audiences. Radio Sawa's current broadcast consists primarily of popular Arabic and English songs, interspersed with news bulletins that are aired every hour and include reports from across the region. The station does not air political programs or commentary, at least for the time being. The station has correspondents in almost every Arab country, including Iraq and now Lebanon. Harb said that there were many programs in the making that focus on interaction and talk shows. As for the news bulletins, Harb denied that the station highlights the American point of view, saying that the aim of the station was to report accurate and balanced information. However, he said there was a need to promote American values such as freedom of speech and diversity of opinions. Shortly after its launch, Radio Sawa was rumored to have been broadcasting on one of Radio Lebanon's airwaves, to the dismay of the Lebanese authorities. However, it was discovered the airwave was not that of the government- owned station, but one owned by Cyprus and leased to Radio Sawa by the Greek-Cypriot government. The head of the National Audio-Visual Media Council, Abdel-Hadi Mahfouz, said during an interview with The Daily Star that the "great nation" of the United States was interested, in light of the Sept. 11 attacks, in highlighting its policies and to trying improve its image in the Arab world, where a strong feeling of animosity toward America endures. Mahfouz said he does not see any danger in the station's broadcast, which is largely objective in its news reporting: "We do not see it as serving the interests of Israel in the region. But we see it more as an attempt to promote the American globalization policy and reducing the feeling of hatred that many Arabs feel toward the US." Mahfouz said that the failure of Arab nations to implement the resolution of Arab information ministers to create English-language television and radio stations to broadcast to the West was due to the "political interests" of each Arab country. He said that each Arab regime was pursuing its own interests with regard to the US, adding that another obstacle toward implementing the resolution was the "lack of a common Arab vision and interest." He criticized Arabs for spending millions of dollars on other issues, but none on a media initiative that would foster awareness of their cause and improve the image of Arabs and Islam in the West. He said that only Syria had taken a personal initiative by launching a broadcast in Hebrew via its national radio station to address Israeli public opinion (via Mike Terry, Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. Ha! I had no idea there was a pirate in Dexter, much less that Koernke was jailed. I was still in the Philippines when Koernke was jailed. I don't listen to much local FM but it's more than likely I could have monitored the station from my house or from my apartment at U Towers. I had no idea "Mark from Michigan" was in jail... (Des Preston, MI, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) allaccess.com 11/7/02: The FCC sends U.S. Marshals to raid a pirate station in MICHIGAN at the home of a jailed MICHIGAN militia leader, and the Marshals found more than they expected. The property owned by MARK KOERNKE contained a cache of weapons, requiring deputies to call in the ATF. The search warrant came about when the FCC sent the Marshals in to confiscate the transmitter of a pirate station on 90.7 FM in DEXTER, MI. KOERNKE has been in prison since leading police on a high-speed chase in MARCH 2002, and his wife and two sons live on the property (via Des Preston, DXLD) Was that not in 2001, or 2000? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. STATION TO CUT HISPANIC PROGRAM --- WMNF says that Oye Latino's audience is too small and that the radio station wants to focus on drawing black listeners. By KATHRYN WEXLER, Times Staff Writer © St. Petersburg Times published November 13, 2002 TAMPA -- WMNF calls itself the area's community radio station and says its mission is to celebrate "local cultural diversity." But while the station will continue to broadcast polkas and Jewish music, WMNF has proposed eliminating much of its programming aimed at Hispanics, the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the Tampa Bay area. Instead, the station will aim to woo back the African-American listeners it lost over the past decade. Program director Randy Wynne says the station (FM 88.5) has never been able to draw a significant Hispanic audience and needs to make changes. "Maybe if we had a whole day of Latino stuff, maybe we could, but we don't have a history of that," he said. As a result, the station is poised to ax Oye Latino, a blend of traditional Latin music, Hispanic news, public announcements and guest DJs. Wynne says the show isn't drawing enough donations or listeners to justify its sesquihour block on Sunday nights. That reasoning has drawn the ire of fans and the program's DJ, Franco Silva, a volunteer who has anchored Oye Latino (Listen up, Latino) for most of its eight years. "How can you tell a whole community they don't matter?" said Silva, 38, who works at Pinellas County Animal Services. If Oye Latino goes, that will leave just one program on WMNF geared to Hispanics -- a party mix of contemporary Latin jazz and salsa. There are several other Spanish-language stations in the Tampa Bay area, but fans of WMNF say they don't offer the same range of culture and tastes. Wynne says Oye Latino has never had the following of the station's Caribbean show, which features music of that genre, or the Jewish music program that netted $10,000 during an October fundraising drive. Silva said his show raised $1,400 during its recent on-air fundraising drive -- $200 more than the station's target. He said WMNF has handicapped Oye Latino by not promoting the show the way it has others, a contention Wynne disputes. If there aren't enough Hispanic listeners, WMNF should be working harder to get them, said Juan C. Vila, a cardiologist who lives in Tarpon Springs. Vila says he is a devoted listener of Oye Latino and a frequent contributor to the station. "The fact that they have not gotten the community involved speaks against the station, not against the community," he said. That community is growing. Hispanics are the largest minority in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties, and the second largest behind African-Americans in Pinellas. Statewide, the number of Hispanics grew by 70 percent over the last decade, to 2.7-million. WMNF first hit the airwaves in 1979, after volunteers went door-to- door to raise enough money to support its broadcast. The 70,000-watt station is commercial free and largely supported by listener donations. Wynne says that he likes Oye Latino and that his proposal to kill it was never based on its quality. Sunday nights are traditionally unpopular slots in radio. Wynne said he may move the other Latin music show to Saturday. That won't placate Maura Barrios, one of the original activists who got Oye Latino on the air. She said she never felt WMNF was committed to its Hispanic audience. "It was always a struggle, like we were the uninvited guests," Barrios said. "Why give up a Latino show? Why not give up one of the thousands of white southern shows?" Wynne said that as the station has matured, it has realized it can't be all things to all people. "We can't serve everybody and be an effective radio station," Wynne said. "And if we're going to make a major commitment to the black community, we don't have enough hours to make that commitment to the Hispanic community and still have our regular core of listeners." Black listeners make up about 10 percent of the audience, down from 40 percent less than a decade ago, Wynne said. The station wants them back. "We don't want to write them off," Wynne said. -Staff writer Bill Coats contributed to this report (via Terry Krueger, FL, DXLD) ** U S A. I received an interesting newsletter today from Information Station Specialists. They are a manufacturer of TIS stations. One of the TIS systems featured in the newsletter is Pinellas County (Clearwater and Saint Petersburg) FL. It says that they have the nations largest system of synchronized TIS transmitters utilizing 5 overlapping synchronous transmitters all operating on 940 kHz with the call sign WPTI814. It says the system went on the air in 2001. It also mentions Naperville IL as the first TIS operator to utilize synchronous transmitters to increase coverage. They have several transmitters operating on 1610 kHz as WPFP929. Synchronous transmitters appear to be catching on with TIS operators as a way of increasing coverage while still maintaining low power. I was asked to price a TIS station for my community a couple years ago and the estimate was around $18,000. We didn't get one! The Pinellas County system must have cost around $100,000 (Patrick Griffith, CBT, Westminster, CO, USA, NRC-AM vias DXLD) Interesting since you can purchase a full kW broadcast BC band transmitter for around $13,000!!! (Powell E. Way, ibid.) That IS interesting, Powell. I do recall that I got competitive bids from 3 sources and they were all too expensive for our budget. Keep in mind that the bids were for complete "turnkey" systems which include frequency search, licensing, transmitter, antenna, antenna matching network, battery backup, voice storage devices, NOAA receiver, weatherproof enclosure, shipping, installation and setup, etc. But they did not include the cell phone remote access option or the multi transmitter synchronization equipment. Just like buying a car, all the options add to the price (Patrick Griffith, CBT, CO, ibid.) Well, that said, that's simply price gouging. A lowpower transmitter for about 30 watts isn't that expensive. Lets say well more than half of that is profit....WELL MORE. I guess it would be like a $130,000 BASE Honda Civic? (Powell E. Way, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Here's a picture of the staff of "KRS", which I suppose was the forerunner of KRSN-1490 Los Alamos NM: http://www.childrenofthemanhattanproject.org/LA/Photo-Pages-2/LAP-497.htm (Mike Westfall, NM, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Radio Disney: In my experience - and that now includes the RD outlets in San Diego, LA, Oakland, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Omaha, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Syracuse, NYC, Boston, Providence, Hartford, Albany, Atlanta and probably one or two others I'm forgetting - I have always gotten a legal ID if I roll tape from :53 past to :03 after. Always. (I have the tapes to prove it, and so does John Bowker, whose input on this point would be valuable here...) I know it's fashionable to bash RD as being a waste of good signals, but I actually like the station. The production values are EXTREMELY high (thanks to Wally Wawro I got a quickie tour of the network's Dallas studios, where they have something like four full-time production people), the music mix puts a lot of good CHRs to shame, and they do more listener involvement than just about any local station you can think of. One could quibble about the loss of a few formats that gave way to Disney (I'm thinking the standards on WQEW, WWJZ and KAAM and the R&B oldies on KDIA), but most of the Disney signals are making some pretty decent use of some fairly marginal AM stations, and bringing young ears to AM, to boot. How exactly is that a bad thing? Actually, "Radio Disney AM 1260" *here* is very confusing and forces me to wait for the TOH, since it can be (and has been) either Cleveland or Boston. But no, what I'm hearing is "Radio Disney AM 1260, WMKI Boston" (or "WMIK Cleveland" as the case may be)...it runs right before the network's "top-hour" sounder and a mic set from the jock forward- selling the hour, which is then followed by the "Radio Disney, We're All Ears" jingle. -s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) I've personally found RD stations to be both good identifiers and good verifiers. I've heard 6 RD stations and they have all verified for me. And every QSL I have received from an RD station has included some swag goodies (Patrick Griffith, CBT, Westminster, CO, USA, ibid.) WWJZ wasn't exactly a rousing success pre-Disney. It's audience was those people who had trouble hearing longtime standards/MOYL WPEN-950. While I think RD's content is weak - mostly covers of someone else's music - and also, IMHO the focus seems quite a bit younger than their claimed target, if they fill a void, I'm fine with that. I don't have to listen to it, thankfully! But I really wonder how many of these outlets have actually experienced any notable increase in audience, RD vs. pre-RD.... Let's face it, tight production and technical excellence aren't going to be noticed by young children (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. WRN TRANSMISSION UPLINKING TWO AWR CHANNELS TO HOT BIRD 6 Since the beginning of November, WRN Transmission has been uplinking two channels to the HOT BIRD 6 satellite on behalf of Adventist World Radio (AWR). AWR is using the first channel (128 kb/s stereo) to distribute its programming to local FM affiliates across Europe and the second, a 64 kb/s stereo channel, to feed programming to its existing shortwave sites (WRN quarterly newsletter via DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Radio Tashkent 2030-2100 and 2130-2200 English broadcast has been heard on 7185 (Edwin Southwell, Hampshire, UK, World DX Club) Not listed in their registrations but also monitored here, 5025 and 11905 noted in parallel (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. Frequency change for Radio Tashkent to ME: 1630-1700 Farsi 1700-1730 Arabic 1730-1830 Uzbek (Vatandosh) 1830-1900 Farsi 1900-1930 Arabic all on NEW 5885 (54454) QRM Vatican Radio on 5890, ex 6025 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) ** YEMEN. International public channels -- Yemen TV and Sanaa Radio have also launched service in America via GlobeCast. Yemen TV is the international broadcast service of the Yemen Radio Television Corporation, whose mission is to provide quality national programming to Yemeni communities around the world and in their homeland http://www.globecast.com (AIB Newsletter, Nov via DXLD) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM +++ AN INVITATION TO A DIGITAL RADIO EXPERIMENT Digital Radio Mondiale, or DRM, is a project aimed to revitalize the short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave AM radio broadcast bands. This, by using digital signals to provide near-FM quality. Radio amateurs and serious broadcast listeners are being invited to become part of the DRM Software Radio Project. They may also be among the first to access the initial DRM programs when test transmissions begin next month. James Briggs is the DRM Projects Coordinator with Merlin Communications in Dorset, England. Briggs says that the project relies on adding an extra down-converter board to existing receivers and then using software to decode the signal via a PC soundcard. The interface is simple and the sound - hopefully - will be superb. The following website should have technical information available next month: http://www.drmrx.org/ Adapted from Amateur Radio Newsline #1317 (via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) If "The Onion" had a DX column, it would run items like that! If you have to demod the DRM signal with a PC sound card, why not just listen to the station via streaming audio from the internet and not bother with a receiver, antenna, propagation irregularities, etc.??? What is it about digital broadcasting that toggles the stupid bit in so many broadcasters, both domestic and international? DRM is a Rube Goldberg-esque solution that does nothing to address the real problems of shortwave broadcasting (propagation variations and the need for frequency changes during the day/year, deadly dull programming, etc.). Too many broadcasters (especially shortwave) think they have a technology problem when the problem is really content. (Harry Helms AK6C Ridgecrest, CA DM15, NRC-AM via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TRANSATLANTIC MW DX IN THE 1920s I blundered into this site http://www.ipass.net/~whitetho/index.html (while searching for louvered fans!) and thought it would be interesting to a lot of people. There are a couple of pages about the transatlantic DX tests during the mid 20's when THOUSANDS of Americans logged European stations. Beat that, CPC. Lots more too (Chuck Hutton, NRC-AM via DXLD) FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 13 NOV - 09 DEC 2002 Solar activity is expected be low to moderate. Region 191 has the potential for further development and could produce M-class activity. Old Region 162 (N26, L=121) is due to return to the visible disk on early in the period. There is a slight chance of a greater than 10 MeV proton event during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geo-synchronous orbit is expected to reach event threshold on 22-27 November and again on 02-07 December due to coronal hole effects. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to minor storm levels. Minor storm levels are possible on 13 November due to a CME shock arrival. Active to minor storm conditions are possible on 15-17 November, 20-23 November and again on 29 November - 02 December due to a recurring coronal holes. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2002 Nov 12 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 Nov 12 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2002 Nov 13 175 20 4 2002 Nov 14 170 15 3 2002 Nov 15 175 15 3 2002 Nov 16 175 15 3 2002 Nov 17 175 15 3 2002 Nov 18 170 12 3 2002 Nov 19 165 10 3 2002 Nov 20 165 15 3 2002 Nov 21 165 15 3 2002 Nov 22 160 15 3 2002 Nov 23 160 15 3 2002 Nov 24 160 12 3 2002 Nov 25 160 10 3 2002 Nov 26 165 12 3 2002 Nov 27 165 12 3 2002 Nov 28 165 12 3 2002 Nov 29 165 12 3 2002 Nov 30 170 15 3 2002 Dec 01 175 15 3 2002 Dec 02 175 15 3 2002 Dec 03 180 12 3 2002 Dec 04 185 10 3 2002 Dec 05 185 10 3 2002 Dec 06 185 10 3 2002 Dec 07 185 12 3 2002 Dec 08 180 12 3 2002 Dec 09 180 12 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1156, DXLD) ###