DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-015, January 26, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@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/dxldtd3a.html [Note change; first issues of 2003 are now there] For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html For restrixions and searchable 2002 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid2.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1166: WWCR: Wed 1030 9475 RFPI: Mon 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 15039 and/or 7445 WBCQ: Mon 0545 7415 WJIE: M-F 1300 on 7490... WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1166.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1166.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1166h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1166h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1166.html ** ARGENTINA. Estimado Gabriel: Por que a RAE não tem um site na Internet? 73's (Jorge Silva, Webmaster SRDXC, Jan 23, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Eso depende pura y exclusivamente de las autoridades de LRA1 Radio Nacional de quien depende RAE; siempre primero dan prioridad a Radio Nacional. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, ibid.) En el sitio de Radio Nacional http://www.radionacional.gov.ar hay un espacio para la RAE pero me parece que esta en construcción porque el enlace no funciona (ARIEL CROCCO, Rosario, Argentina, http://www.arieldx.com.ar http://www.emisoras.com.ar ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB Asian service: Changing originally planned 15130/15135 to 15480 required retuning the antenna, as originally it would not go that high in the band. Further delays in January: Latest problem was an arc in the antenna which burned up an insulator; climbed tower to repair. One of the arms from the tower holding up the antenna collapsed. No one hurt. Busy reconstructing that now, causing another delay until Feb 2. Struxural damage to antenna wires too. (Doug Weaver(?), HCJB frequency manager, on DX Partyline Jan 26, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1/26. HCJB-Australia tests on 15480 expected on 27th Jan, quoting below message received from Mr Williams : ``It now looks like being the 2nd Feb but I believe there will be some test transmissions as early as the 27th, so it would be great if you could have a listen around 1230 UT. I will keep you updated as information comes to hand. I will be most anxious to get signal reports on this transmission and appreciate your valuable assistance. Best wishes, Ian Williams, Frequency Manager, HCJB Australia`` Regds (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HCJB Australia is about to change its allocated frequency of 11755, for the South Pacific release 0700-1200, to avoid co-channel interference from Pori in the primary target areas of NZ and Australia. The change cannot be effected until formal authorisation has been received from the Australian Communications Authority, and approved by the ABU-HFC and HFCC/ITU. The new channel proposed is 11770, with 11805 as an alternative. The Indian service has been delayed until at least February 2, 1230- 1730, to use 15480. The original channels were 15130 and 15135, but these were not considered suitable due to IBB using 15130 1630-1800 from Udorn and from Briech 1400-1600. The new channel of 15480 was originally used 1300-1500 by IBB- Philippines for B02 from Oct-27 until Oct-30, but was then made available to HCA. Antenna input power is currently 13 kW, and modulation depth is maintained at 85%. The transmitter is capable of DRM excitation, and ultimately for full operation with 100 kW. Four 100 kW transmitters will ultimately be available. Frequency agility is not a problem, and an antenna switching unit is being constructed in conjunction with a second antenna. Antenna design characteristics enable efficient operation up to approximately 100 kHz without retuning. Programming in Oromo for East Africa is planned, 1730-1800, which will be produced here in Melbourne at the HCJB studios in Kilsyth. Introduction of this language service will maintain continuity following the closure of FEBA-Seychelles, which currently provides this broadcast via an evening service 1700-1730 on Fridays and Sundays. Antenna towers at Kununurra were those originally used at the Australian Army's Transmitting Centre at Digger's Rest, Victoria, following the closure of that facilty some years ago (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, EDXP Newsplus Jan 26 via DXLD) ** BELARUS`. Starting 3 January, 6115 kHz has been reactivated, 75 kW, 252 deg. 7210 kHz only carries the foreign service, relaying of domestic broadcasting (BR1) is not planned at present time. 6080 kHz, 150 kW transmitter, signal beamed to Ukraine. Relay of BR1 for Western Europe, with 150 kW power goes out according the following schedule: 0500 - 0700 7170 kHz 1000 - 1200 11960 kHz 1400 - 1700 7105 kHz (including a regional insertion, see below) 1700 - 1800 7255 kHz 2000 - 2200 7105 kHz Each oblast of Belarus` has its own day of the week (Mo-Fr), when its regional broadcast is inserted into the above relay on 7105 kHz. Time is 1600-1640 (some days till 1700). Morning program from Hrodna studios is again available in SW. Low- power shortwave transmitters in Hrodna are again active according to full schedule, i.e. 0400-2300. Local programs go on the air twice a day, the remaining time is used for BR1 relay. Frequencies are 6040 and 7110. During some latest months both transmitters were on only after 1600 (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus`, Signal Jan 26 via DXLD) Re ``BR1 relay to Western Europe with 150 kW: 0500-0700 on 7170, 1000- 1200 on 11960, 1400-1700 on 7105, 1700-1800 on 7255, 2000-2200 on 7105; acc. to Sergei Alekseichik, Belarus` in active_dx, 19 Jan.`` I just tried it: 7105 was until 1700 blocked by Radio Liberty via Jülich. Now from 1700 there is indeed BR1 on 7255, but with a weaker signal than on 6115; really beamed to Western Europe? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] 7105 is actually planned for the Radio Belarus` foreign service 2000-2200 rather than BR1. After 2030 I found only a faint carrier on 7105 while 7210, scheduled to carry Radio Minsk, too, was completely empty. This left 1170 as only audible frequency, as scheduled carrying the German program where both 7105 and 7210 were still announced. There is obviously no audio gain control in use at all; the console operator also failed to compensate for the soft voice of an announcer by turning up the fader, resulting in the audio level at times hardly exceeding -10 db compared with the peaks of the interval signal, all but not ideal for AM of course. Find enclosed a record of the frequency announcement (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. RÁDIO CANÇÃO NOVA TAKES OVER RÁDIO GAZETA IN SÃO PAULO ON JANUARY 1; FOURTH IN A YEAR Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Jan 24 (CRU) --- One of Brasil`s two big Catholic networks, Rádio Canção Nova, took over powerful ZYK690 Rádio Gazeta 890 AM in Brasil`s largest city, São Paulo, on January 1st. It is the fourth new station on the ``totally Catholic`` network in a year. ZYK690 Rádio Gazeta broadcasts with 50,000 watts day, 10,000 watts night. The network website does not indicate whether or not Rádio Gazeta`s three shortwave transmitters are included. These are ZYE963 on 9685 kHz, ZYE964 on 15,325 kHz, and ZYE965 on 5955 kHz, all operating with 10,000 watts (Michael Dorner, editor, Catholic Radio Update Jan 27 via DXLD) Yes, as reported here as recently as 3-013, except for 15 hours a week of areligion; my impression was that the `takeover` is merely a leasing of airtime (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. CFAN-790 TEST ARRANGED AT LAST MINUTE I will put this info on IRCA's web page ASAP, but I thought I'd better make sure this got out right away... Lynn. ---- Hi Ron (and Bill and Lynn and all), My attempt to arrange a test for soon-to-be-dark CFAN, 790, Newcastle- Miramichi, NB has just been approved by station programmers. I recorded a one-minute test ID for the station a few weeks ago, and the CE just informed me they are going to run it "several times through the night between midnight and 6AM starting Sunday 26th January 2003...(and we)...intend to run it for all of next week." NOTE: His email to me references Atlantic Standard Time, so make that 11pm-5am Eastern, and 10pm-4am Central, etc. [0400-1000 UT] My 60-second tape consists of full legal ID, frequency, three Morse code IDs, a statement that the test has been arranged on behalf of the National Radio Club's Courtesy Program Committee, and the station's email address (twice) at the end. The station will be running full power (actually about 4200 watts) and will still be on the DAYTIME PATTERN (one tower is out of service, so they're onmi off the other one). I know this is short notice. The idea began just a few weeks ago when the FM transmitter went up, and CFAN started making plans to leave AM. The CE is a friend of mine, although he was not working there when I was working at CFAN in 1980. I met him through amateur radio much later, and he will be looking forward to reception reports. My only regret is that they were unable to provide me with exact times. The full script of the 60-minute test ID appears below. I recorded it in an acoustically-poor room on short notice, but it should come out clearly. DX Test: "This is Radio Station C-F-A-N, Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada, broadcasting on an assigned carrier frequency of 7-90 Kilohertz. "The following is a DX Reception test arranged on behalf of the Courtesy Program Committee of the National Radio Club." (Morse code) "de CFAN CFAN CFAN" "If you are able to receive this DX Listening test, you are invited to contact CFAN by eMail, at cfan@nb.sympatico.ca that's cfan@nb.sympatico.ca This ends the test." Brent Taylor, VE1JH Doaktown, NB (NRC, IRCA) btaylor@nbnet.nb.ca (via Lynn Hollerman, DXLD) ** CANADA. Information on the upcoming CHWO - AM 740 DX Test Test Date: Sunday Morning, February 2, 2003 Test Time: 1230 AM to 0130 AM (EST) [0530 to 0630 UT Sunday] --------------------------------------------------------------------- How Test Will Run: (all times are EST and approximates) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Time: 12:29 AM EST - Announcement of DX test. Time: 12:30 AM EST - CHWO voice and code identifiers. Music for 15 minutes beginning with these two songs: Beer Barrel Polka - Andrew Sisters Ricochet Romance - Teresa Brewer Time: 12:45 AM EST - CHWO voice and code identifiers. Music for 15 minutes beginning with these two songs: St. Louis Blues March - Glenn Miller Spin, Spin - Gordon Lightfoot Time: 01:00 AM EST - CHWO voice and code identifiers. Music for 15 minutes beginning with these two songs: The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton Something To Sing About - The Travellers Time: 01:15 AM EST - CHWO voice and code identifiers. Music for 15 minutes beginning with these two songs: Colonel Bogey March - Mitch Miller California Here I Come - Al Jolson Time: 01:30 AM EST - Announcement of thank you for listening to the DX test. ---------------------------- You can mail or email me all reports and they will be forwarded to the station engineer. And don't forget Lynn too ircamember@ircaonline.org Brian Smith am740@rogers.com Box 161, Willowdale Stn A Toronto, Ontario Canada M2N 5S8 Reception Report Manager for CHWO AM 740 http://www.odxa.on.ca/chwo.html (Brian Smith, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA. FOUR SECONDS THAT GRAB YOU AND DON'T LET GO CBC Radio gets a fresh theme song to herald the news James Cowan, National Post, Wednesday, January 22, 2003 http://www.nationalpost.com/search/site/story.asp?id=E1B227F0-A486-4C7B-BE74-C3B96157B9FD The new CBC Radio news chime is meant to be epic, compelling, grave and grandiose. It has been conceived to tell listeners that what they're about to hear is important and that they should -- nay, must - - pay attention, for if they miss the coming newscast, their lives may crumble under the sheer weight of their ignorance. It's also designed to deliver this dramatic statement in less than 10 seconds. According to the jingle's composer, it took quite a bit of work to cram the tune's message into a tiny package. "I find it's just as much of a challenge to write a five-second bit as it is to write a three- and-a-half-minute-long tune. The music just gets crammed into this short moment in time. It's concentrated," said Adam Goddard. As part of an ongoing revamping of CBC Radio -- which has thus far resulted in the reconfiguring of local programming and the creation of two new national morning shows -- the public broadcaster has replaced its seven-year-old news jingle with a newer, sleeker tune. The new theme debuted at six o'clock Monday morning, accompanying newscasts on both CBC Radio One and Two, with a variation on the theme playing before World Report. Over the next year, variations on the tune will be introduced for Canada at Five, The World at Six and The World This Weekend. By the end of 2003, all CBC Radio news programming will be sonically linked. According to memo circulated to CBC staff, the new themes are meant to "command attention, convey urgency and represent a voice of authority." "The theme was composed to emphasize the distinctive voice and sound of the CBC Radio News service," states the memo, co-written by Adrian Mills, the executive director of programming for CBC Radio, and Robert Renaud, the area head of CBC Radio News. The search for a new jingle began last fall, when the public broadcaster issued an open call for musical proposals. Fifteen composers submitted samples of their work and suggestions for a newsworthy theme. Goddard said the broadcaster was seeking a tune that would "grab you by the sleeve," while not trivializing the newscast's content. "An air of importance was one of their primary requests, because it is news and it is information that we need to know," he said. For his part, Goddard entered three musical "ideas" for consideration, and the CBC programming staff eventually selected one of his proposals as best suited to their needs. The composer then returned to his studio and, over the course of several months, experimented with different sounds, speeds and instrumentations, eventually testing dozens of variations on his original theme. Finally, Goddard returned to the CBC with a bundle of his best work, and senior staff winnowed his final submissions down to the half-dozen or so that listeners will eventually hear. The hourly news jingle is only four seconds long, but as the network introduces its various permutations, listeners may be treated to longer versions -- some of which may last an epic seven seconds. Different variations will be heard before different news programs, but there will also be slight changes throughout the day in the jingle that proceeds the hourly newscast. "At the start of the day, the jingle needs to be like an alarm. It needs to wake you up but not whack you over the head. But later in the day and evening, I think it's going to be more broad sounding to give it a 'wrapping up' feel," explained Goddard. Overall, the different themes will be bound together by, according to the CBC internal memo, a similar "mnemonic," along with an emotional neutrality that Goddard says is essential for music of this nature. "To write a functional piece of music for news that is useful, you have to write something that doesn't sound positive or negative, happy or sad, because the subject matter of a newscast changes so much from day to day," explained the composer. Goddard's work is already familiar to the regular CBC listener. He composed not only the themes for The Current and Sounds Like Canada, but also the requiem that played during CBC radio's Sept. 11 commemorative coverage. He had also produced two radio documentaries, including The Change in Farming, which won the Prix Italia in 1999. When not working for the Corporation, the composer has produced music for CIBC and Chrysler Canada. Goddard's new music -- like any change at the network -- has garnered some complaints from devoted listeners who like their CBC just the way it is, but sources inside the corporation said the negative reaction so far has been relatively muted. The composer welcomes the suggestion that his tune may join Moe Kaufman's Curried Soul theme for As It Happens or the much-beloved Morningside piano in the ranks of great CBC themes. "The Moe Kaufman theme for As It Happens is one of my favourite CBC tunes," said Goddard, "It's rockin' -- I like it a lot. So it would be great to be like that." (© Copyright 2003 National Post via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CANADA. Searchword is "Shelagh" at the web site of the Globe and Mail http://www.globeandmail.com/ The results gives 2 stories... CBC RADIO HOST TAKING LEAVE ON MD'S ORDERS By MICHAEL POSNER ARTS REPORTER; With reports from Gayle MacDonald and Sandra Martin Saturday, January 25, 2003 - Print Edition, Page A2 Shelagh Rogers, host of CBC Radio's Sounds Like Canada, is taking a medical leave for "a month or two," her lawyer and agent Michael Levine said yesterday. The medical condition is said to be her high blood pressure. Refusing to comment on rumours that Ms. Rogers is unhappy with the show and her diminished role, Mr. Levine said his client was very tired and suffering from stress. "We had an ebullient conversation today, but she is genuinely exhausted. I can't say a great deal, but I believe the leave will be relatively brief, a month or two." Ms. Rogers herself said yesterday that she is "on medical leave. It is not a stress leave. It is because I have high blood pressure, although I don't really think that's anyone's business." There have been rumours almost since Sounds Like Canada went to air last October that Ms. Rogers was growing disgruntled. Her show, a successor to This Morning, had been cut to two hours from three to accommodate the more hard-hitting The Current (8:30-10 a.m.). And large parts of the Rogers show have been effectively moved outside her domain, produced as shows-within-the-show; Ms. Rogers simply introduces them. Recently, another segment was carved out to provide 10-minute local news updates. There have also been whispers that Ms. Rogers is feuding with executive producer Michael Karapita. He could not be reached for comment. "She's used to working hard, but she's miserable," said a Rogers pal, who speculated that the amiable radio personality might not return. But Ms. Rogers said her condition is not "because there's now a 10- minute newscast taking . . . my precious, precious time." She said: "I have a history in my family of early deaths from heart problems, so I'm being very serious about it. It happens to coincide with everything else. So that is the reason and it is on my doctor's orders. "There's the whole truth. No matter who else tries to get information out of my other friends, that is it. They may have their speculation, but it really is all about me. And aging too rapidly in terms of my veins and arteries." CBC spokeswoman Ruth Ellen Soles said yesterday she expects Ms. Rogers will be gone "for at least two weeks but that's not a given. Whatever rumours are going around simply aren't true. Shelagh is coming back, and we hope it's really soon." Mr. Levine said he plans to meet with CBC Radio executive Jane Chalmers to discuss the case. Although Ms. Rogers is actually on air far fewer hours now than she was when she hosted Take Five, a five- hour classical music show, Mr. Levine said: "People don't get tired from hard work. They get tired from stress. I work all the time, but I love what I do and I'm never tired." Said a former CBC Radio executive: "The new structure at the CBC is so top down that the program is a mess. It's violating every rule of radio. They have no respect for the intelligence of the listeners." -- and --- ROGERS ON LEAVE FROM CBC HOSTING DUTIES Saturday, January 25, 2003 - Print Edition, Page R13 Toronto – CBC's Shelagh Rogers is on a two-week leave from hosting duties at her new Radio One morning show, Sounds Like Canada (10 a.m. to noon). Sources indicate her doctor mandated the time off because the radio personality currently suffers from extremely high blood pressure. Andy Barrie, host of CBC Toronto's Metro Morning, will fill her shoes next week. Staff (both via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CUBA. Salomón Olvera Acosta nos indica que el pasado domingo escuchó a Radio Habana Cuba entre las 0217 y 0231 por los 6195 con el programa "El mundo de la Filatelia". Anunciaron estas frecuencias de transmisión: 5965 9505 9550 11760 11875 11970 15230 (Conexión Digital Jan 25 via DXLD) Most except 15230 imaginary now? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. CUBAN GOVERNMENT RELEASES LIST OF 'TERRORISTS' Cuba Claims Listees Acting Against Castro Regime --- NBC 6 Reporter Hank Tester POSTED: 6:51 p.m. EST January 21, 2003 UPDATED: 1:56 p.m. EST January 22, 2003 MIAMI -- The Cuban government has released a list of people it calls terrorists. The list, containing 64 names, was released late Sunday by the Cuban Government and printed in the state controlled newspapers. If you live in Miami the list may contain the name of someone you know, or perhaps a relative -- certainly it contains someone you have seen on television or read about in the local papers. The list is the lead story on local talk radio, certainly on Spanish language television, and is getting mention on some English language newscasts.... http://www.nbc6.net/hanktester/1927005/detail.html (via David Crawford, FL) There is a link in this story to the site for the list, http://www.antiterroristas.cu but when I went there I could not find it. David appended the list, which is entirely too huge to run here. The most notable radio person on it is Ninochka Pérez Castellón, Voz de la Fundación. I`m surprised no one has pointed out that all the personal information on the subjects made public is probably to make them easier hit targets, or make them fear that (gh, DXLD) Hi Glenn, Meant to include that anyway but forgot (it was NOT as obvious as TV-man let on): http://www.antiterroristas.cu/index.php?tpl=noticia/anewiciaid=653¬iciafecha=2003-01-16 (David Crawford, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. A new series of Radio Prague QSLs, devoted to motor cycles, is available. See them at http://www.radio.cz (Vladimir Doroshenko, Dneprodzerzhinsk, Ukraine, Signal Jan 26 via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. Voice of Democratic Eritrea in Tigre language. Only Saturdays at 1500-1528 UTC in Tigre, followed by Sudanese Arabic from 1530 to 1557 UTC, towards Eritrean Diaspora in Europe. Identification in Sudanese Arabic "Idaatu Sawt Demokratiya Eritrea". Frequency is 5925 kHz via installations of T-systems Deutsche Telekom from Juelich Germany. Transmission towards Eritrea in NordEast Africa target is Mondays and Thursdays only, 1700-1800 UTC on 15670 kHz. 1700-1730 Mon/Thu Tigre 15670 JUL 1730-1800 Mon/Thu Ar 15670 JUL 1500-1530 Sat Tigre 5925 JUL 1530-1600 Sat Arabic 5925 JUL Address: Voice of Democratic Eritrea v/s Seyoum O. Michel Postfach 1946 D-65428 Ruesselsheim Germany. (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, Jan 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. RADIO FANA IS A LEGAL ORGANIZATION! (found on Ethiopian reporter) By Teteka Bekele, Acting Head, Programing Department We have given a sufficient, dispassionate and detailed account of our radio station's legal standing in the June 27 issue of the Amharic- language Reporter in response to an article published in the same newspaper a week before. As we had made it abundantly clear then, we have no intention of taking The Reporter as a neutral forum in which to put forward our case. Nor should there be such an intention. However, we had presented significant legal materials to inform the public, especially the readers of the newspaper, on the issue. But as the repetitious and patchy reproduction of the first allegations, which appeared in an article form on July 29 amply demonstrates, the paper has been labouring during the past month to open yet another polemic front. The author of these articles is still unable or unwilling to produce tangible evidence to support his interpretation and analysis of the relevant provision of the Press Law. Rather, he was more concerned to sideline the real issues of the debate and to concoct far-fetched and fanciful evidences in a bid to mislead public opinion. Radio Fana's stance is still the same - and clear. The law providing for the continued operation of "pre-existing press" did not distinguish between government, party, private or religious media. It did not discriminate between those set up in the city and those coming from the bush. And it did not choose between those utilized by the Dergue and those by the EPRDF. This being so, to engage in an exchange of polemics on the basis of this non-existent distinction would be a sheer waste of time, energy and space. In this regard, we would like to reiterate once again the fact that Radio Fana's legal basis is sound and that there's nothing illicit about the station. In fact, Radio Fana has been tenaciously fighting against any form of illegality - and is doing the same thing now. The history of Radio Fana is something to be proud of. It is not a cause for shame. We don't think that the author is unaware of this fact. It is, indeed, a fact of life that Radio Fana was conceived and born in the tide of popular struggle and not through legal proclamation. But even when it was under the wings of that popular movement, the radio was fighting tooth and nail for justice, equality and peace. And no one can construe this as a social transgression. Even today, the station has assumed the responsibility of fighting for the equality, progress and prosperity of the Ethiopian peoples. We have never been caught blowing with the wind in search of money or cheap propaganda. Our radio station has always been working hard to make sure that the rights of peoples as enshrined in the constitution are being fully respected. The radio is always faithful to its beliefs. When it finds something which goes against these beliefs, it criticizes by citing the facts. And we believe that this is what's expected of a balanced and neutral medium in view of the process of building a truly democratic culture. We advise the editorial committee of The Reporter to see itself through this mirror. As to Radio Fana being a forerunner in the field of investigative journalism in this country, we had said so not because we are short of records (we have piles of them) or many listeners who would testify to this without being asked to do so, but for the simple reason that we don't take this newspaper as a neutral, just, balanced ground to argue our case. Though we are ever curious to know what the author or The Reporter tries to achieve by dwelling on this issue, there is nothing new in the second article whose production has obviously taken them some time. In a sense, the author reproduces in July what was already said in June. To respond to the innumerable allegations, which are based on unfounded hearsay, would be tantamount to wasting our precious time. Any perceptive reader would not fail to notice that the author and/or the newspaper are squandering their energy on an issue which has no relevance to the people - and which has been clearly settled by the pertinent law of the country. What's more, even if it is true, it is meaningless all the same with only an ordinary accusation as its end. Hence, we don't feel particularly bound to waste our time by answering each allegation. We don't want to engage in a fruitless debate before a fanciful moot court whose agenda is yet to be defined. But we would like to mention the following points in order to home in on the fact that the author, who prides himself on using his "freedom of expression," is wasting the radio's as well as the readers' invaluable time on an issue of no relevance to his argument. 1. Radio Fana has never claimed to be a "private business organization." But the author would like the world to believe that it is. Our station has come about as a result of the unique historical circumstances of a popular movement. And it has been accorded the due legal recognition to continue to serve the public until the proper registration process is put in place. Accordingly, Radio Fana is seizing this opportunity to operate in a self-reliant manner. And it has never been - and has never claimed to be - a "private business organization." 2. It is true that Radio Fana is planning to begin a Frequency Modulation (FM) broadcast following the proper legal procedures. This is a plan not only of Radio Fana but also that of many investors (including, perhaps, the author). This being the case, however, Radio Fana has never imported any broadcast materials so far. The writer of the article has referred to "Fortune" to this effect. That newspaper was only able to provide him with a hearsay. On our part, we have dutifully provided that newspaper with information describing the exact state of affairs. In spite of that, "Fortune" wrote what it liked and how it wished things to be. If this, too, can be called "exercising one's freedom of expression," so be it. But the facts are otherwise; and the report is entirely unfounded. "Fortune," to be fair to it, had approached us to discover the real truth. Neither the author nor The Reporter, however, was able to do so with regard to the article which had taken them a month to produce. What's more, the author is trying to take this baseless report as a major reference for a debate he is trying to create. We believe that the reader would find it easy to comprehend the ultimate aim sought to be achieved by both the author and The Reporter in this light. 3. The author has also alleged that journalists from Radio Fana accompany high-ranking government officials in their working visits to foreign countries. But the fact is that at no time had journalists from Fana accompanied the Prime Minister or other government officials abroad. In the short span of its existence, there have only been two occasions when Fana's reporters were sent to cover events abroad. These were the international conference on HIV/AIDS (in Durban) and the Sydney Olympics. And the costs of these were fully borne by private sponsors and by the station. Not a cent was obtained from the government to finance the visits. The points raised above will indisputably prove the extent to which both the writer and the paper would go to mislead readers with their concocted and fanciful "evidences". And we have no intention of engaging ourselves in a debate over false allegations supported by non-existent facts. It is, therefore, our ardent hope that the author would refrain from such an irrational action and devote his full time and energy in the pursuit of positive things that would benefit the country and the people. We have presented a detailed account of the reality of the matter under discussion in our previous article. We hope too that our readers would gather sufficient information from this short response. It may be that the author is forced to fill his over-stretched column with such unfounded polemics for reasons of financial gains. We are not bound, however, to do it for him by replying to his unfounded and misleading accusations. This said, however, our door is always wide open to any one who is in quest of the right information (via Z. Liangas, Greece, for CRW via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Hi Glenn, concerning the recent news from Deutsche Welle you asked about the ´´all-or-nothing shortwave approach´´. That's something I wonder about, too. Reduced transmission costs are cited as one of the favours of the DRM system. But who in the world says an AM service requires to churn out 500 kW five times? When Deutsche Welle abandoned the Jülich site they argued that 100 kW are insufficient. In fact Jülich is a true powerhouse here when transmitting to Central Europe. Additional power is fine of course, but please, do not lament about the costs if you decide to use five hundred kilowatts. And you also pointed to the use of so many sites and frequencies. Of course I have no idea about the reception in North America, but wouldn't Antigua and Sackville be sufficient? So why burning money by using even more transmitters from Wertachtal and Sines? Speaking about costs, the public broadcasters here in Germany spend 70 millions D-Mark, oooops, of course 35 millions Euro anually for German TV, the TV program that has an audience of just 3,000 people so far. No surprise that no money is left for keeping a cost-effective shortwave service. Some further comments of the debate you documented. Deutsche Welle was described as one of those broadcasters who privatized their transmitters. Not so, the transmitters within Germany were never owned and operated by Deutsche Welle itself. In the past Deutsche Bundespost, the postal office, was responsible for transmitting Deutsche Welle programming from within the FRG. Back then Deutsche Welle time and again lamented about this political decision and the charges they had to pay to Deutsche Bundespost. Of course this was in fact a transfer of taxpayers money from the foreign ministry to another authority, so the question in this case is just if Deutsche Welle itself would have been able to do the transmissions more cost- effectively than the civil servants of the postal office. In the nineties the authority Deutsche Bundespost was turned into several companies, one of them is Deutsche Telekom AG or in short Deutsche Telekom (AG means Aktiengesellschaft = joint stock company). Let me mention that the official abbreviation for Deutsche Telekom AG is DTAG, the ´´DTK´´ frequently seen in the shortwave press is just the three-letter designator for frequency management purposes, like the ´´DWL´´ for Deutsche Welle which is otherwise abbreviated DW. And not long ago it was decided to assign the broadcast services to T- Systems, the DTAG subsidiary originally responsible for Internet solutions and similar things. John Figliozzi noted, ´´the average profile of an SWL is decidedly male, roughly 40-50 years of age (if not higher) with an income level somewhere in the middle of the spectrum´´. Is this just the profile of shortwave listeners? My impression is that it is in the developed countries in fact the average profile of the audience of international broadcasters altogether, completely independent from the distribution methods. Just let's take a look at the young crowd (I suppose I still belong to it): Do they listen to international broadcasters through the satellite equipment they own? Do they use any Internet offer of international broadcasters through the highspeed connections they have? I do not know anybody who does. It is my impression that the recent news from Deutsche Welle as well as RNW basically reflects efforts to deal with this matter. In light of the money spent for German TV the laments about budget cuts appear to be merely crocodile tears to me. It is my impression that the shortwave shut-down is primarily not a cost-saving measure but part of the ´´facelift´´. Ancient modulation shortwave is ´´uncool´´ of course, so throw it away to be up-to-date. Concerning RNW it is interesting that the Roughly Speaking kids (sorry) programme disappeared from their program line-up again, as if it was no big success. By the way, one of the already cited young guys in fact owns a shortwave radio. It is almost unemployed, because ´´there is not much interesting to listen on shortwave´´. Enough rant for now (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Subject: Don't Stop Shortwave Broadcast Please don't end your shortwave broadcasts to either North America or Australasia! I'm one of those radio fanatics who depends on your news & opinion programming! Regretted when you took me off your mailing list several years ago! Getting internet info just ain`t the same! `Twas bad enough losing our North American mail bag several years' back! Don't make a bigger mistake! Cut down to two broadcasts if you must! Here's hoping you reconsider your decision to end shortwave broadcasts to North America and Australasia! Just like with Auntie Beeb-n-S.R.I. you'll loose more in goodwill than you'll save in Deutsche Marks, er, Euros! Auntie Beeb has slightly capitulated with broadcasts ostensibly for "Mexico" and such! The only time I ever see Deutsche Welle television programming is when the channel 32 signal blows in from San Francisco! Don't make Deutsche Welle a fond memory after 30-plus years of listenership! Thanks from Sacramento-n-Ed Gardner !!! (Gardner, Jan 10 to DW mailbag, cc to DXLD) Standard reply form letter personalized with this: I would just like to add that we have continued supplying our listeners, viewers and users with printed programme information. Our biannual "DW pocket guide" and "DW Kompakt" containing information about our English language radio programmes and details of our TV programmes and info about our German language radio programmes etc., respectively, continue to be sent off to our friends as and when they request them. It is still not too late to receive a copy of the current brochure. Regards, (Margot Forbes, DEUTSCHE WELLE ENGLISH SERVICE via Gardner, DXLD) Et Tu, Brute??? Another short-sighted European broadcaster following the short-sighted lead of the BBC. Is there no end to this???? Maybe when these SHORT-SIGHTED Eurocasters find out there listenership on the "new media" is in a minority, they will wake up and smell the coffee (Vince Ponzio, KA3NRX, Pittsburgh, PA, Jan 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR ** GUATEMALA. 4780v, Radio Coatán has been off the last few days. Had been quite regular with a good signal (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** HAWAII [and non]. The DX around the Hawaiian Islands was interesting. This was our third trip there but the first on a cruise. As anyone who has tried DXing there knows, what you hear depends on which coast you're on and which side of the mountains. If you are on the east side of the mountains the North American stations just roll in but on the other side they are mostly absent. The TPs should be easier but there is the time difference to be considered. In Waikiki and Honolulu DXing is greatly hampered by all the locals on Oahu: 17 of them. Adjacent channel reception is almost impossible and you can't believe the signal mixing problems! Outside of Oahu all 27 Hawaiian stations can be heard all day in most areas. We also spent a day on Fanning Island, Kiribati, which is 1000 miles south of the Big Island, and reception there from North America is easy but I heard nothing from the other side of the Pacific, probably because I went to bed too early. The most reliable NAs most places were KBLA, KFBK, KSL, KNX and XEWA (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford, PA, Jan 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** INDIA. The President of India's address to the nation on the eve of India's 54th Republic Day was offically broadcast/ telecast yesterday at 7.30 pm (1400 UT) by all stations of AIR & Doordarshan. However the text of his address was monitored earlier in the day at 3.15 pm (0945 UT) itself on AIR Delhi channel of 6190 kHz. They were announcing that it was a feeder for the AIR stations for translation into the local languages which was to be broadcast after the President's address was over. AIR Jammu's new transmitter is noted back on 4830 after some absence. ===== 73 (Jose Jacob, Jan 26, dx_india via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. THE HUBBLE SITE http://hubblesite.org/ Chances are you haven't seen what NASA's orbiting Hubble Space Telescope sees. Hubble sees the raw beauty of the universe from above Earth's atmosphere and sends back a portrait of the universe in exquisite detail. Here's your chance to leave the ground for a while... and see what Hubble sees. At the Space Telescope Science Institute, we`re working hard to study and explain the once- unimaginable celestial phenomena now made visible using Hubble`s cutting-edge technology. In the course of this exploration we will continue to share with you the grace and beauty of the universe? because the discoveries belong to all of us. Probe deeper! Explore the following links to learn more about who we are and what we do (via Sheldon Harvey, Jan Radio HF Internet Newsletter) ** IRAN [non]. V. of Southern Azerbaijan: Glen[n], The SANAM web site http://www.cehreganli.com mentions its transmission being at 9375 kHz. Sincerely, (P. Boselli, Jan 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. CLANDESTINE, 9715, 1651-, Information Radio, Jan 25. Presumed logging suffering from long/short path effect. DW is just barely audible underneath. In Arabic. Talk only heard. Signal otherwise about an S7. Nothing after 1700. DW Russian only then. (Walter (Volodya) Salmaniw, MD, Victoria, BC, Canada, DXing the world using AOR 7030+/ERGO, Rockwell-Collins HF-2050, Racal 1792, JRC NRD 535D, Kenwood R5000, Collins R390A, Sony 2010, and Sony 1000T with the following antennae: T2FD, K9AY, 60 meter horizontal loop, Eavesdropper, 25 meter dipole, 25 MHz vertical, and random wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. PORTRAIT OF THE VOICE OF IRAQI PEOPLE/VOICE OF THE IRAQI REPUBLIC by Achraf Chaabane, CRW North Africa (Tunisia). [Jan 12] The Voice of Iraqi People/Voice of the Iraqi Republic is supported by the CIA with facilities of Saudi Arabia. We can show that clearly in its news. It presents the freshest news concerning the special US actions in Iraq, before any other Iraqi clandestine station. For example, the station says that USA fell down 250,000 warning sheets in the north of Iraq. This news is broadcasted in 30/10/2002, but, for example, the V. of Islamic Revolution in Iraq broadcast it after 2 or 3 days. This station has a wide number of correspondents located in Iraq. The news reports broadcasted by this station are of great level of precision; it controls the situation in Iraq with the smallest details. It controls the mood of the people, economic situation, military movements, and even the simplest events happened in Saddam`s family. So I think that some of these reports are intelligence reports. For example, the station broadcasted in December 7 & 8, 2002, at 2330 UT, a very secret audio recording of a Saddam`s conference with his military commanders who commanded the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1990. The station said that this recording was "found" in Iraq in 1990, but something like that could not be found by chance. It`s a recording of an intelligence agent. The station has a program mocking from Saddam Hussein and his family. It describes them as killers, thieves; It has also a program called "Lies of the dictator"; it shows the "lies" of Saddam Hussein in his speeches. The station analyses the speeches of Saddam part by part, and it compares it to reality. The music broadcasted, are not related with the goals of the stations; it is, usually, old and new Iraqi songs. In my opinion, any Iraqi man how listens to this station and believe it, should hate Saddam and will, no doubt, participate in eliminating his regime. The station is now broadcasting in Arabic, Turkmen and Kurdish at 1300-0300 UT on 9563, 9570 and 11710 kHz. The ID is "Ida`at al- jumhuriah al-iraqiah min Baghdad, Sawt al-sha`ab al Iraqi". Quality of reception as monitored here in Tunisia is poor. You can listen to the station only at 1800 UT and after (Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. 5896.8, 0430-0530* 25-01, Voice of Iraqi People, Voice of the Iraqi Communist Party, Iraqi Kurdistan. Arabic talks about Iraq, frequent IDs: "Huna sawt al-Shab al-Iraq, idha'atu al-Hizb al- Shuju'i al-Iraq", Arab songs and more talks, closed with a short song // 3899.9 (first 35444, but then fading out) 34333 24433 AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX Jan 25 via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. Looks like Musicmann [279] (or whatever they decide to call it) will be on the air by around October, possibly earlier. Phoned them the other day and they were still in the office at 9pm! so looks like they're getting busy planning the building of the 500 kw CFA and offshore platform. I would think it should be audible in North America if the aerial works well (Paul Strickland Lancashire, UK, LWCA via Mike Terry, Jan 26, DXLD) ** ITALY. 6219.97, IRRS, 2050 Jan 18 with English "peace" program complaining about the U.S. Patriot Act, IRRS ID in English at 2100 with Milano postal address, then Italian-language religious program, mostly talk, some music, closing with program address at 2128. Off abruptly at 2129, no further ID. Fairly good signal, some ute QRM. Their website says they would be testing from Jan 18 on 6225, 2000- 2135, no further details. However, quick E-mail reply from them says it is 10 kW to Europe (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** KASHMIR [non]. CLANDESTINE from PAKISTAN to SOUTH ASIA. 5102, Voice of Jammu and Kashmir Freedom nice reception of this one the last few days, including *1300. Audio and modulation seem clearer. Noted with open carrier as early as 1245 (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Jan 26, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. CLANDESTINE TO KAZAKHSTAN. 9925, 1622-, Radio DAT, Jan 25. Good reception improving as I continue to listen. All in Russian. Many IDs, mostly brief 'Vy slushayte Radyo DAT', but a full ID at 1630 with frequencies, and internet information. Almost a RFE/RL format with many short pieces, with identical short musical piece between items, and usually also an ID. Has the location of this transmitter been identified? Best on LSB when TWR via Meyerton signs on after 1630 with IS on 9930. Off at 1658 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LITHUANIA Should DAT really be all-caps?? This has nothing to do with --remember that? -- digital audio tape ** KURDISTAN [or non]. See IRAQ [non] ** MALI. 11960, 1722-, Radio Mali, Jan 25. Just great reception of Radio Mali with north African music. Always fun to monitor, especially if you can follow the French language programming! Exotic, and always strong before 1800 sign-off (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. HOLANDA - Conforme o jornalista Tarcisio Lage, que durante muitos anos integrou o Serviço Brasileiro da Rádio Nederland, a emissora lançou este plano bombástico de cortes radicais, demissão e extinção de departamentos com o objetivo de negociar. Segundo ele, os holandeses costumam sempre fazer "muito barulho", enviando releases e divulgando a notícia com destaque. Depois, acabam cedendo em alguma parte. Portanto, novidades podem estar a caminho! (Célio Romais, @tividade DX Jan 25 via DXLD) Says the radical cuts announced are a negotiating ploy (gh) ** NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR. An item of interest received recently which should have made my day was a delightful gift from Deutsche Welle for my regular monitoring reports. The folks at DW had sent me a very nice Walkman and a CD of radio signature tunes; unfortunately I ended up having to pay $12.50 to Canada Customs to pick up the damn box from the post office. They had opened the box, searched it, took apart the Walkman, put it back together --- and charged *me* for the ``handling`` fee plus taxes! 9-11 security paranoia strikes again (Sue Hickey, Grand-Falls-Windsor, NL, CIDX Forum, Jan CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3290 Radio Central (presumed) incredible s9 signal here today // 4890 with pops and male announcer at 1246 (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. BM Bandscan SW 57 Jan 26: 2820.40(Harmonic?), Radio Olmos, el distrito de Olmos, la provincia de Lambayeque, el departamento de Lambayeque. Jan 2003 - 0100 UT. The station is not listed in WRTH on SW or on MW, at least I couldn`t find anything. I presume it is a harmonic from 1410.20 or 940.13 kHz. On 1410 there is listed a "Radio Ideal" in Lambayeque. ID "Transmite Radio Olmos la más poular" or "Radio Olmos la emisora del pueblo". The program consists of information from Olmos and music. Morning program "Alegre amanecer". A great thanks goes to our member Thord Knutsson/TK, at the WRTH staff, who gives has this comment: "Hello Björn! Thanks for some mail. Here is at last an answer. Regarding lists from the Departement I have nothing else than the one found in dxlinks for Peru: "Radiodifusion.com: Radios del Peru". There you can take a look. The big problem with Peru, also on MW, is the great number of unlicensed stations. TIN visited Peru some time ago. He reports 3 "new" stations in Huarmaca, Prov. Huancabamba, Dep. Piura and 3 "new" in San Miguel de Pallaques, Prov. San Miguel, Dep. Cajamarca. I don`t know if they are licensed or not, I have not looked yet. Your questions about stations: A while ago I was in looking at the list mentioned above. I found in Distrito de Olmos, Provincia de Lambayeque, Dep Lambayeque 2 stations: 930 OAU1X R La Favorita e.i.r.l. and 1510 OBU1B Sánchez Villegas Manuel Jesús. Unfortunately only company names are given. Maybe your Radio Olmos is one of those. 930 seems most likely. Not of much help I`m afraid." 73 Thord Knutson http://www.calle.com/world/ Global Gazetteer: Listening to Latin American radio stations often mean uncertainty of the QTH. Many geographic names for instance in Peru sounds the same and it is easy to make a mistake. There is a good site listing nealry 3.000.000(!) towns and places all over the world. In for instance Peru no less than 41.000 places are listed. Not only longitude, latitude and height above sea level also the weather just now, weather forecast the coming 96 hours, different maps and an enormous amount of links are given which help you to dig down to "street level" everywhere in the world. Luckily enough it seems there is only one "Olmos" in Peru. Visit the above link and click for "Peru". It is necessary to know the first two letters in the geographic name. Click for "OL" where "Olmos" s listed among a bunch of the places in Peru starting with "OL". When you come to this site you can read the following: "This is a directory of 2.880.532 of the world's cities and towns, sorted by country and linked to a map for each town. This is data presentation demonstration only. No liability whatsoever is assumed. Presentation Copyright 1998-2000 by Falling Rain Genomics, Inc. August 5, 2000: Revised. A widespread and systematic bug in the altitude calculations was reported and corrected. January 19, 2001: Tabulated information on city names only can sometimes be found at http://www.nima.mil; look for the Geonet name server". Regards (Bjorn Malm from Quito, SW Bulletin Jan 26, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENINGN DIGEST) ** POLAND. RADIO MARYJA, POLAND`S CONTROVERSIAL CATHOLIC NETWORK, CONTINUES TO EXPAND, GOES ITS OWN WAY Warszawa, Dec 29 (CRU) --- Embroiled in controversy over most of its 11 years of life, Radio Maryja of Poland celebrated its anniversary last December 8th. It has a controversial international image, but whether that is born of a liberal, leftwing press that dislikes its conservative tenets or of legitimate complaints cannot be known outside Poland, at least on this western side of the Atlantic (see the series in Catholic Radio Update #122-124 in May 2001). The station has run afoul of some members of the Polish hierarchy, whose antipathy is well known. Last September, Cardinal Józef Glemp of Warsaw threatened to revoke his permission for the station to operate unless it made certain concessions (see Catholic Radio Update #192, September 16, 2002). Philip Lawler`s Catholic World News reported that Cardinal Glemp had hoped that other Polish bishops would do the same, but they did not. The end result was that Father Tadeusz Rydzyk CSSR, the station`s founder and director, came to terms with the Cardinal and the permission continued. Some time in the past year or so, Radio Maryja dropped out of membership in the World Family of Radio Maria, of which it had been part and of which its inspiration had been drawn. Radio Maria World Family has an international reputation of cooperating with local bishops, and it is a matter of policy that it opens stations only where the bishop welcomes them. What role Radio Maryja`s endless problems with certain members of the Polish hierarchy (and the Polish government) played in the end of that membership, and who initiated it, is not known. Radio Maria World Family confirmed that Radio Maryja is no longer a member, but did not answer anything more. Despite the endless controversy, the station is eminently successful in the number of listeners it has and in their support. In addition to an extensive nationwide network of FM transmitters, it is also heard on shortwave daily and on two satellites, as well as a cluster of American and Canadian ethnic AM stations at certain times of the day. Just how strong that support is can be seen in its fantastic growth over the last four years. Radio Maryja is truly a national radio station. Since 1998, Radio Maryja has put 33 new transmitters on the air. Six years ago, according to the World Radio-TV Handbook, Radio Maryja had 143 transmitters. Of that number, fully 43 were still operating in the old OIRT Communist-bloc FM band, 66-73 MHz. Two years ago, that 43 had been reduced to 2. Today, both are gone. All have been replaced by 88- 108 MHz band transmitters. Further, new 88-108 MHz transmitters have been set up in areas previously unserved. True, there are fewer transmitters now than six years ago, but the recent ones have generally been more powerful than the older ones they replaced, including many in the OIRT band. Of the 126 transmitters currently on the air, 12 have changed frequencies and 23 have increased their power, some considerably. You can find a color map of Radio Maryja transmitters at http://www.radiomaryja.pl/newv/pol/wersja2002/01.htm Shortwave: The station is also heard on shortwave on leased German transmitters, on frequencies that change according to season. Currently, they are 12060 kHz from 7am-9:15 am Mondays through Saturdays, and 7400 kHz from 5pm-midnight 7 days a week, and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. These frequencies are subject to change seasonally. CARDINAL COMMENT ``For Poland has learned and the world has learned what totalitarianism is, the Nazi system; for Poland has learned what totalitarianism is, the communist system, costing us millions of victims; but Poland has not yet recognized what the liberal system is, liberal totalitarianism. It is more dangerous than the other totalitarianisms`` --Father Tadeusz Rydzyk CSSR, founder and director, Radio Maryja (Michael Dorner, editor, Catholic Radio Update Jan 27 via DXLD) Not German, but: ** POLAND [non]. RUSSIA, 7400, Radio Maryja, 2250 1/23, presumed news in Polish, bit of classical music, ID, frequencies in Polish then in English "Radio Maryja says goodbye to our listeners" and off at 2300 (Jilly Dybka, TN, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Radio Maryja: 12010 (Armavir, Russia) QSL letter in 160 days. Addr: ul. Zwirki i Wigury, 80, 87-100 Torun, Poland (Alexander Polyakov, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Signal Jan 26 via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. A Rádio Portugal transmite, nas terças, a partir de 0035, o programa Correio do Ouvinte. Destaque para o espaço DX/Internet, com informações sobre dexismo e ondas curtas. Eis as freqüências: 9715, 11655, 11980, 13700 e 13770 kHz. Todos os relatórios de recepção são confirmados com o devido QSL (Célio Romais, @tividade DX Jan 25 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. 9690, 1712-, Radio Romania International, Jan 25. Always impressed with the 'receivability' of this station at various times of the day, with excellent modulation. Fair to good signal strength with English programming, 'World of Culture' program (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. On 31 Dec heard a relay of Murmansk commercial station Power FM, at 0915 on 17302 kHz. Announced frequency 104.5 MHz. It's a curious continuation of Ukrainian tradition - remember FM relays carried out by Sevastopol` maritime radio (Alexander Yegorov, Kyiv, Ukraine, Signal Jan 26 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. Voice of Reform: I can inform you that there is a new jammer of Voice of Reform (Monitored 11/01/2003 on 9925 kHz, at 2030 UT with SINPO: 54554). It's the Swept Tones Jammer. This is in addition to the Bubble Jammer (A. Chaabane, Tunisia, Jan 11, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES. 15445, FEBA, 1503 1/22, YL and OM in English talking about how color of room affects emotions. Best in SSB due to splatter. Fair to poor (Jilly Dybka, TN, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5019.9, SIBC had been BBCWS during the 1200 hour and the 1300 hour till fading here. This was an extended schedule for them; I think there official sign off is 1100. Now the station is just running open carrier at 1200 and 1300 (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. TIGERS RADIO EXCEEDS RANGE Tamil guerrillas who commenced operations of their radio station Voice of Tigers (VOT) this week in northern Sri Lanka have exceeded the range of their broadcast as stipulated by the licence granted by the government. The licence granted permission to operate the radio station for a radius of 20 km, but the reception of the VOT radio was being monitored over 70 km away from the radio station at Kilinochchi. The government late last month said the licence was issued by the government, subject to conditions that the radio station should be located in Kilinochchi, with a coverage area radius of 20 kilometres. But, the broadcast signals were being clearly picked up in the northern Jaffna peninsula, in the north western coast of Mannar and in Vavuniya situated in the north central part of the country. The issue of granting a permit to operate a radio licence led to a major controversy as the LTTE had already imported the equipment at the time of making an application for the licence. The Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo Jon Westborg was instrumental in clearing the equipment as cargo meant for the mission. Constitutional Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris assured this week that the radio station would be monitored and action taken if the provisions of the licence were violated. "The VOT transmissions are subject to the terms and conditions in the agreement. Earlier they were transmitting in a clandestine manner," he said. "It is helpful for the two parties to put forward their different points of view. It is not sensible to gag one of the two parties. Let the public decide whose point of view they agree with. I see it as a very healthy aspect. Let all points of view emerge. "Eventually the judges are the people and any final solution to the problem has to be approved by them at a referendum. There is nothing wrong in allowing the negotiating parties to express their point of view," the minister said. With the launch of the VOT on Thursday, after the government issued a licence to operate the services, the LTTE also has increased its broadcasting hours by three hours. Half an hour has been reserved for Sinhala programmes. The LTTE has lined up a series of programmes dealing with regional issues, dramas, sports events and children's programmes (Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire Jan 20, 2003 via A. Sennitt, Holland, for CRW via DXLD) ** SUDAN. 7200, Sudan National Radio, 0450 1/20, time pips and ID, mentioned Omdurman, Sudan, by OM in presumed Sudanese [Arabic?]. Music bumpers between OM and YL announcers, good (Jilly Dybka, TN, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SWAZILAND: TWR BUILDS NEW SHORTWAVE ANTENNA | Text of report by TWR Africa newsletter on 16 January Soon, South Africa and Zimbabwe will enjoy better reception, as engineers in Swaziland laid the foundations for a new antenna at the transmitter station in Swaziland the first week of November. The anchors and concrete bases for two additional towers for the Zimbabwe antenna have been poured, while preparations are underway to set up the antenna so it can be in service by January [2003]. The process wasn't without incident, as Steve Stavropoulos will tell you, after receiving an injury to his foot in the process. Steve is recovering well and is looking forward to completing the job. Please continue to pray for this project. Source: TWR Africa newsletter, Manzini, in English 16 Jan 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SWAZILAND/ANGOLA: TWR PLANS NEW ANGOLAN PROGRAM | Text of report in English by TWR Africa newsletter on 16 January TWR-Angola plans to begin a new programme in the Fiote/Mbinda language. The Evangelical Church in Angola, the strongest Christian fellowship in the region, will coordinate production. The Fiote people live in Cabinda, an oil-rich region of Angola. Most are farmers and fishermen, while some work for oil companies and the government. Preservation of tradition and language are important to the Fiote, despite pressure to modernize. In other Angola-related ministry news, TWR's Project Hannah, Canada is fully sponsoring the Portuguese version of Women of Hope in Angola, not only for its first year, but also on an ongoing basis. 60 per cent of Angolans speak Portuguese, and the programme began airing in October 2002 from Swaziland. Source: TWR Africa newsletter, Manzini, in English 16 Jan 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 7245, 0200-, Radio Dushanbe, Jan 25. Fair reception with IS and presumed Farsi program. Music was heard before TOH, but not sure if it was them or another station. Pretty much faded out before the English service at 0245 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE [and non]. Glenn, Radio Ukraine Int. 7375 January 26, 2003. During the 0100-0159 UT broadcast the RUI signal went off the air at approximately 0142 for a few seconds. During the outage I heard English on 7375 kHz. I had been hearing what I believed was English under the RUI broadcast since tune in at 0059 UT. Perhaps University Radio is back (the cause of RUI's QRM last Winter). [later:] Glenn, COSTA RICA. The station causing QRM to RUI 7375 kHz January 26, 2003 0100 past 0405 UT is Dr. Gene Scott University Network. Positive ID heard at 0400. Therefore, probably University Radio Costa Rica. In addition RUI's is very weak at 0400 with less than S4 reading (RUI is usually very strong, for me, at 0400). 73, (- .. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, Annandale, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This should come as no surprise; TIRWR has been on 7375 for years. If Kiev is unaware of this, they are not paying attention, or relying on HFCC where DGS CTR frequencies fail to appear (gh, DXLD) ** U K. IS THE BBC BIASED AGAINST ISRAEL? Glenn, You published a long article from an Israeli newspaper claiming that the BBC is biased against Israel. Writing as someone who listens to (and watches) a great deal of BBC domestic and international broadcasting, I have to say that this is not my impression. First, it is extremely rare these days for the BBC to mention Israel's long-standing violations of UN Security Council resolutions, although reference to Saddam Hussein's possible violation of a more recent resolution is commonplace. Nor is equal time given to the assumption, held by many people espeically in the Middle East and the "Third World", that it is Israel rather than Iraq that is the major destabilizing factor in the region. Concerning the article's claim that BBC interviewers are "hostile, strident and clipped, without sympathy and empathy" for Israel, I should like to ask the author why he apparently considers that the BBC should be sympathetic towards, or show empathy for, ANY side. Surely, that it not its function. Moreover, the "hostility" he speaks about is often no more than a technique to secure a lively interview. It is by no means reserved for Israeli interviewees alone! As for the BBC not observing "the legal and dictionary definitions" of the word "terrorist" one should remember that dictionaries are written by people and that people have different political and ideological starting points. Nor is there a single, all-embracing legal definition of the term "terrorist". Mr Begin, the former Israeli prime minister mentioned in the article, was during his struggle against the British regarded by the British legal authorities as "a terrorist" and as a "freedom fighter" by his own people. So whose "legal" definition of the man and his violent underground activities, are we supposed to use? It simply does not help to resort to dictionaries or opposing legal definitions when we are considering conflicts between peoples and ideologies. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that the BBC is impartial. On the contrary, it is very partial against whoever happens to be the current hate figure of the British and American governments. I haven't, for example, seen much evidence of impartiality concerning its coverage of Iraq. I suggest that anyone who really wants to discover the "smoking gun" of BBC bias should look at how it treats Iraq and the coming war that the American and British governments seem hellbent on waging against that country (Roger Tidy, UK, Jan 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. 60 NEWS JOBS TO GO AT BBC John Plunkett, Saturday January 25, 2003, The Guardian The BBC is to axe 60 jobs in the news operation as part of a cost- cutting drive designed to save £160m. The head of news gathering, Adrian van Klaveren, blamed spiralling costs and "changes in programme requirements and aspirations". Further job losses are expected when the BBC's Ceefax and online news services are merged at the beginning of next year. "Although we cannot guarantee at this stage that there will be no compulsory redundancies within news, we are confident that we will be able to meet the majority of the savings through ... natural wastage," Mr Van Klaveren said in an email to staff. Twenty-six jobs will go within the news gathering department, where Mr Van Klaveren said there would be "significant changes in order to balance the budget and to meet changing editorial requirements". A recruitment freeze has also been imposed across the BBC news department. The redundancies come as the director general, Greg Dyke, seeks to save £160m. News and current affairs programmes had been expected to bear the brunt but the impact will be felt across the BBC. The budget shortfall in the news division is believed to be about £15m. The BBC director of news, Richard Sambrook, wrote to all his department's 3,300 staff at the end of last year inviting them to consider voluntary redundancy (via Mike Terry, Jan 25, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U K [non]. LASER RADIO, LATVIA 5935: From Laser Radio laserradio@yahoogroups.com Hello all once again. This Sunday on 5935 sees a new media show - featuring product reviews and an interview with Radio Caroline's Peter Moore - and great music from Geoff Rogers and Mary Warner as well as a second chance to hear Stewart Ross' Anorak hour from last week. SCHEDULE (All times UTC/GMT) 15:00 World Bible Radio Network (Relay service) 17:00 Geoff Rogers' music choice 18:00 Mary Warner's musical mayhem 19:00 Anorak Hour, with Stewart Ross (repeat from last week) 20:00 The Media Show - with Julian Clover - featuring Part One of an in-depth interview with Radio Caroline's 'Peter Moore'. 21:00 CLOSEDOWN As always the broadcast (of Laser proper from 1700 UT) will be simulcast via the website and repeated up to 0100 Tuesday morning. It will also be repeated from 1700 (note the new time) the following Saturday. (At the moment, you can hear last week's shows in a loop via the web site) Happy Listening, Geoff Rogers (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. Beginning January 27, VOA's current Hindi broadcasts at 1630-1700 and 1730-1800 GMT will be replaced by a single hour at 1600- 1700 GMT, on 6060, 9815 and 11730 kHz. Beginning January 27 (GMT) VOA will expand Korean broadcasts, adding 1200-1300 on 7235 and 9555 kHz 2100-2130 on 5995 and 7110 kHz. Beginning January 27, VOA's current Hindi broadcasts at 1630-1700 and 1730-1800 GMT will be replaced by a single hour at 1600-1700 GMT, on 6060, 9815 and 11730 kHz (Dan Ferguson, IBB, Jan 26, SWBC via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Probably the report about the RFE/RL test on 3985 in DXLD 3-013 should be completed: This was Biblis as announced by Kim Elliot in advance. They also tried 3980 with Ukrainian in the evening, noted here in eastern Germany with a strong signal and noticeable quick fading. Last regular 75 metres transmissions from Biblis (and the IBB altogether) took place in 1998 if my records are comprehensive (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWKB - The rumors are true BUFFALO'S 'KB' RETURNS From 1958 until June 18, 1988, WKBW/Buffalo served 17 states and much of eastern Canada with Top 40 programming and was the home to such notable hosts as Joey Reynolds and Danny Neaverth. On Monday the 50kw Entercom station (currently known as WWKB) will drop its Business Talk format to go Oldies under Hank Nevins, who will serve as PD and host the 3-6pm shift. Neaverth, who joined WKBW in 1963 and worked at the station until its last day as a Top 40, will co-host the morning show with another longtime Buffalo talent: Tom Donahue. Neaverth held similar duties at Citadel's crosstown WHTT (Oldies 104) until spring 2002, when the station declined to renew his contract. Meanwhile, Reynolds' WOR Radio Networks-syndicated talk program will air in the 1-6am slot. The Buffalo News reports that the new WKBW will focus on hits released between 1958-74 and feature many of the original WKBW jingles and old commercials (from radioandrecords.com via Blake W. Lawrence, Jan 23, NRC-AM via DXLD) Also ... http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030122/1029537.asp NEAVERTH RETURNS TO A NEW WWKB By ANTHONY VIOLANTI, News Staff Reporter, 1/22/2003 KB music radio is back from the dead, and Danny Neaverth is back from a short-lived on-the-air retirement. "I've risen from the dead and so has KB," Neaverth said Tuesday. The spirit, sound and personality of the old WKBW-AM 1520, a Top 40 giant that dominated radio here from the 1950s until the early '80s, will return on Monday when Neaverth signs on at 6 a.m. WWKB (the station is negotiating to use its old call letters of WKBW) will switch from a business/talk format to a "KB classic format" that day. "Don't call it oldies, we don't use that word around here," said Greg Ried, who runs Entercom Radio, which owns KB. The playlist will feature music released from 1958 until 1974. The main attraction will be nostalgia - many of KB's old jingles and commercials will be played. "I guarantee you this will be the only station where you will hear a commercial for Sattler's department store," Ried said with a laugh about the long-ago closed store at 998 Broadway. Neaverth will be joined in the mornings by Tom Donahue. Both of them formerly worked at WHTT-FM 104.1, the city's dominant oldies station. Neaverth, who had been on the air since 1957, left WHTT in a bitter split last spring, when the station declined to renew his contract and also let go of his son and daughter-in-law, Dan Neaverth Jr. and his wife, Pamela. It was at KB where Neaverth built his remarkable career that earned him a place in the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He has also been recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland for his radio accomplishments. Hank Nevins, longtime local air personality, will program the station and also host afternoon drive from 3 until 6 p.m. Joey Reynolds, famed local disc jockey at the former KB, returns with his nationally syndicated all-night talk show from 1 until 6 a.m. But it's Neaverth who will be the centerpiece of the station. "We wouldn't be doing this if Danny wasn't available," Ried said. "We're going to let Danny be Danny," Nevins said. "Who can tell Danny Neaverth how to do a morning show?" Neaverth is not looking at KB as an opportunity for revenge at WHTT. John Hager, who runs WHTT, was unavailable for comment on Tuesday afternoon. "There's no need for revenge," Neaverth said. "I'm just going on the air to do what I always do. I think this can be special because of the history of the old KB. It touched a lot of people who grew up with the station and we want to have some fun." Neaverth believes the station can make money. "They've got nothing to lose," Neaverth said. "Right now, they're at the bottom of the ratings and nobody is listening to it. We can't hurt them, because it can't get any lower. "We can attract a niche audience. We can generate revenue. That's what this business is all about." The return has also inspired Neaverth. "This is rejuvenating," he said. "The best part is the way Entercom and Hank Nevins feel about bringing back the station. It's exciting to be working for people who are excited about radio." Ried agreed. "Radio today has become too sterile and predictable," he said. "We're not in this to find some magic formula and reach some magic ratings number. We want them to go out and have some fun with KB." (via Mark Hattam, UK, ibid.) I'll be rolling tape all day Monday, either from home (where I get a very respectable 1520 signal) or in Buffalo if I can get up that early (and if it's over 15 degrees out, hi!) In addition to Danny and Tom in the morning and Hank in the afternoon, the new 'KB will also feature Your LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEADER, Jackson Armstrong, at night - probably voicetracked from his current home base in North Carolina. In any case, plenty of tape will be available to anyone who wants to hear it... (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) As I listen to Jim Rome on WGR-550, I heard a promo for WWKB's return to oldies "coming to an AM radio near you..." The promos seemed to evoke nostalgia for the Buffalo of the early 70's, i.e. the French Connection era of the Buffalo Sabres (line consisting of Gil Perreault, Rick Martin and Rene Robert), and "Two for McAdoo!!" (Van Miller's call of a basket scored by Bob McAdoo of the Buffalo Braves) I will be listening on Monday just out of curiosity. Even though their pattern should go this way, they don't put such a good signal into the Toronto area. Not to mention slop from CHIN-1540. I wonder how they ever gave CHUM serious competition in the late 1950s. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, ibid.) KB1520's website is ready to roll folks ....http://www.kb1520.com will be the main page....but the good stuff is hidden and not directed to the kb150.com main page...yet.. http://www.kb1520.com/main.php --was hidden..hehehe..until now. A guy on the AM Stereo list found it... dunno how he did it... but thought everyone would like to peek (Bob Carter, Operations/Engineering--Max Media Radio Group, ibid.) I'll definitely make time to listen and send a reception report. Let's flood KB with letters of support for the return to the glory days. Looks like the Rockin' Robin on CHWO will have some distant competition! (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) Danny Neaverth (correct spelling this time) will be on the Sandy Beach Show at 3:30 pm Friday. Beach himself is a former KB jock, although he does talk radio now. The station will call itself "Classic KB 1520" The new/old format starts at 6:00 am Monday Jan 27 2003. They are running an ad on WBEN announcing this....in which they say they are taking Buffalo radio back to its glory days....back in time...to a time when "chicken wings were only served one way (sound of a guy screaming) and when Chippewa Street was well... umm... Chippewa Street" (female voice comes on and says seductively "Hello Sailor") Should be an interesting addition to the local radio scene. Beach mentioned at the end of his show today that "KB has 4 listeners right now and that he was confident that within a month Danny Neaverth could double that. :P (Fred Waterer, Jan 23, ODXA via DXLD) ** U S A. 720, WGCR, NC Pisghah Forest, 1/23 2335 [EST] good; dominant at times over WGN and way over CHTN. On emergency facilities because of severe cold weather; giving shelter announcements and offers of rides for people to get to shelters. New (DH-NJ) I'll be on the lookout for this and others, especially at the NC coastline with a foot of snow on the ground, later tonight. The announcer last night said that they would be on the air as long as people wanted them to be, and there was no regular programming, just the announcer giving very specific information about who was willing to give rides, so call this person's cell phone. Ah, small town radio... (David Hochfelder, NJ, NRC-AM Jan 24 via DXLD) ** U S A. Commentary SHEER POLITICAL BRAZENNESS IS SEALING UP AMERICA`S MEDIA FOR A FEW CORPORATE GIANTS It goes without saying to anyone who knows the American political scene that Republicans have historically been all too quick to give away America`s resources to their cronies in big corporate America under the guise of it being for the commonweal. It is happening again, this time through the combined efforts of every branch of Federal government: the legislative, the judiciary, the executive. Think I am being hyperbolic? Read on. Right now the FCC is reviewing public comments on changing its regulations limiting the amount of media any one owner can have in one market. It is looking at its existing limits on the number of television stations, the number of cable systems, the number of radio stations, cross-ownership of newspapers and local radio and television, and cross-ownership of cable systems and local television for any one corporate owner. FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who claims he is not in favor of giving away the house, lock, stock, and key, sure sounds like it. He has railed against the limits in many a purview, to be applauded by the major media conglomerates whose greed is insatiable. Chairman Powell, the son of the famous General Clayton Powell, is obviously a true believer in the Republican Gospel that turning everything over to businessmen will ensure great prosperity for all. I have read in the online trade press, however, that a number of Democrats are also in favor of loosening the media ownership rules. Carrion attracts all kinds of scavengers. The U.S. Catholic Bishops have decried this turning over our children`s assets to a relentlessly greedy bunch whose only concern is the bottom line and the Wall Street media analysts` latest diagnosis on corporate performance. ``Catholic Radio Weekly`` had an interview with a media attorney just recently on this quiet railroading of easement of ownership caps. The members of the Catholic Communications Campaign committee heard a presentation on the same topic by Cheryl A. Leanza, an attorney with the Media Access Project, in their mid- January meeting in Washington. She explained that the Telecommunications Act, which loosened up ownership restrictions --- up until then, no one could own two radio or television stations in the same time --- as requiring the FCC`s biennial review of media ownership. That is what the FCC is doing. But unfortunately, this comes in the wake of two judicial decisions in which a Federal Court has ruled the FCC`s restrictions as an infringement on the rights of corporate interests, and remanded the matter to the FCC, throwing out its ``arbitrary`` limits and demanding the FCC come up with justifiable limits. One example of a rule found illegal: the FCC would not permit one conglomerate to own several radio stations in a market unless these did not command more than (I think) 35% of the listenership. One expects better things of the courts. They are, especially the Federal Courts, to protect the interests of the American public. How the FCC can argue that, say half of the listeners in a market should not be commanded by one single owner and justify that to the court`s satisfaction, and not the present 35%, or for that matter, any percentage, escapes me. So, we have an ownership regulation review mandated by the legislative branch, Congress, to the FCC, part of the executive branch, and remands by the courts (judicial branch) to the FCC. On top of this, President George W. Bush has said that he is in favor of changing ownership restrictions. In face of this mounted assault by elected officials and the courts on the public electromagnetic radio spectrum, can the American citizen have any hope that the public`s interests will be protected in all this? Recently, the president of Clear Channel Communications, I believe it was, argued that megaconglomerate ownership wasn`t so bad, although he did not call it that, of course; he said that the top five media companies controlled only 10% of the radio stations in the country. Only. What he didn`t say was that that 10% comprises almost every single AM and FM station with any decent signal in the top 100 markets. Recently an Afro-American company running two black formatted stations in the Dayton market threw in the towel because it could not compete against the other stations in the market, all owned by media conglomerates. These were able to offer special discounts, ad rates, and ad packages that locally owned stations could not match. Congressman Billy Tauzin, the marvel from Louisiana, who is pushing digital television down the throats of the public whether they want it or not so that the administration can auction off more UHF television channels to wireless providers, had the effrontery to tell the National Association of Television Programming Executives (NATPE) Convention this past week that restrictions on the number of stations one owner could own was a blow against freedom of the speech! Really? Shutting out minority and local owners who cannot compete even if they could meet the astronomical prices of radio stations, prices driven up by the insatiable demands of the conglomerates, is promoting freedom of speech? The president of NATPE had just given a keynote address in which he attacked the loosening of restrictions on ownership because it would reduce the number of purchasers of independently produced programs and thus put producers, writers, and artists at the mercy of a handful of conglomerates. Mr. Tauzin ignored all this and declaimed for the free speech rights of the very conglomerates that the NATPE president was warning about! This kind of double-talk and double-think seems unimaginable in a free society, but that is the kind of political stuff the poor people of Louisiana are used to from their politicians. The nation`s citizens are getting their first dose of it. Mr. Tauzin, you recall, is chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. It was pointed out by Miss Leanza and the lawyer on ``Catholic Radio Weekly`` that there has been nothing of this in the media. Well, very little. William Safire, writing in the New York Times, by which he is employed, even joked about the fact that he was heroically attacking the media conglomerates, of which his own Times is one. Mr. Safire quoted USA Today, published by Gannett, another conglomerate that had the honesty to report what the others were ignoring: The top five conglomerates take in 55% of all revenue in local radio. The number of radio station owners has dropped by a third. ``The truth is,`` Mr. Safire concluded, ``that media mergers have narrowed the range of information and entertainment available to people of all ideologies.`` It was FCC Commissioner Michael Copps who, failing to get Chairman Powell to assent to holding public hearings on media ownership, decided to hold them on his own. The first was in New York, and the FCC got an earful. Study after study showed that the amount of serious news had declined, that the fluff was up; that the question of media ownership limits had gotten almost no mention on the major networks and in major press --- this from the media that pride themselves on serving ``the public`s right to know`` by reporting the today`s major issues and their impacts, and then fostering national debate. I rode in a Washington cab listening to the live broadcast of these hearings over Pacifica`s WPFW; the statements of the public were discouraging, to say the least. News coverage, serious programming, a wide range of music formats, offerings, and individual songs were found by analysis to be in short supply or non-existent. In addition, musicians and record labels complain that tight lists make it impossible for many artists, particularly new ones, to get a hearing. (He was an impressive taxi driver to be interested in such matters.) Mr. Safire quotes Mr. Powell as frequently saying, ``the market is my religion.`` Mr. Tauzin sees ownership caps as restricting the freedom of speech of his conglomerate friends, the executives of which he is fond of taking out on his boat to go deepsea fishing or of inviting to his big parties and Louisiana-style suppers. (Asked by a reporter if this was not a conflict of interest, since Mr. Tauzin`s committee ultimately regulates the media, one of the congressman`s loyal retainers replied, ``They don`t have to come. If they refuse, there are a lot others who will accept.``) The court wants proof that there is basis to FCC regulations. The poor man`s calf is ready for butchering. We shall see a day in which all our important media are controlled by a handful of international media outfits. Programming will be even more restricted to the least-common denominator; news will be geared to ``the useful,`` that is, endless health study reports, entertainment world news, and fluff. Journalists who revolt will find themselves on the street, unsuccessfully looking for a job where a few control all. Musicians will have to resort to other means to have their music known. Up until now, we have thought the greatest threat to our cherished liberty of speech and free access of information would be tyrannical governments! (Michael Dorner, editor, Catholic Radio Update Jan 27 via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC FORCES PIRATE RADIO STATION OFF AIR After serving as a forum for Austin bands for 11 months, threats of fines cause KAOS to sign off By Katherine Pace (Daily Texan Staff) January 24, 2003 http://www.dailytexanonline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/01/24/3e30fae8d8580 Over two years ago, an Austin music lover, dissatisfied with mainstream radio, decided to learn the ins and outs of radio broadcasting. A year ago, after fund-raising parties, equipment purchasing and the installation of a 50-foot antenna atop a house roof, KAOS began its 11 months of broadcasting. The end came Dec. 16 after the station received a letter from the Federal Communications Com-mission threatening its producers with "monetary fines, in rem action against the offending radio equipment, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment" if they continued to broadcast without a license. Before it was forced off the air, KAOS, on 95.9 FM, broadcast 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Primarily a punk rock station, its music ranged from classical to hip-hop and offered Austin bands airspace they could not get from mainstream radio stations, said former KAOS DJ's. "There's never been a radio in Austin that's done what we've done at KAOS," said a DJ who asked to be referred to as Colonel House. "It's a severe loss to people that KAOS is gone." The stations DJ's, who aired shows including The Way Shit Is, the Best I Can Tell, Saturday Night Drunk Club, and Wet Salad Show, played the music because they loved it and not because they though it would sell, said another DJ, who called himself Chicken. "The point was to get away from the shit that's on other stations," Chicken said. The station was a product of demand created by dissatisfaction with mainstream radio, House said. "Once we got on the air, people came flocking, too many people," he said. DJ James C. Smooth was part of the flock. He and his friend broadcast what he called a "hippie show" of music by the Grateful Dead, Phish and other jam bands before moving on to old country and bluegrass music. "Once I did my first show, I was pretty much hooked, just being able to play the kind of music I and a lot of my friends wanted to hear," Smooth said. Chuck Doiron, drummer for the Krum Bums, a local Austin punk band, said KAOS was the only radio station to give his band air time. "Everybody got to hear some good old punk that doesn't get played," said Doiron, whose band has been together for about three years. Pirate radio stations like KAOS are essential to breaking the corporate radio monopoly created by FCC regulations, said Trey Smith, a radio-television-film senior who works with KVRX. "Pirate radio's amazing," Smith said. "It's vital that it exists because FCC regulations are biased against small-scheme radio stations. The very founding purpose of micro radio is to diversify in whatever way possible, and KAOS did that." Pirate radio exists more often than not for a communal purpose, Smith said. KAOS radio started out to serve a community of hard-core punk kids. Unfortunately, he said, these communities are not recognized by the FCC as deserving of a communal radio station. And without an FCC license, radio stations are forbidden to broadcast over a large radius. "For a station that had such a small radius, [KAOS] was really well- known," Smith said. "That dooms any pirate radio station." Jason Kane, regional vice president of programming for Clear Channel Communications, agreed FCC regulations have created an environment where large companies like Clear Channel, which owns six Austin radio stations and more than 900 stations nationwide, can be formed. However, he said he sees the situation as a positive one. "Consolidation has actually created more diversity because we are called on to give each of our radio stations a unique identity," Kane said. FCC regulations and its licensing process are essential to keep airwaves organized, Kane said. "Fundamentally, any society that is going to organize electronic media in some way needs an arbitrating body," Kane said. "If the FCC is not vigorous in cutting down pirate radios in today's environment, we will have anarchy." Pirate radio is a movement by people who simply do not want to play by the rules, Kane said. "What we're really talking about is that people in the movement have a socialist agenda. They are anti-corporate. That's way beyond radio and broadcasting," Kane said. "If these people are so concerned about diversity, they should go through the process." But the process is not so easy, said Jim Reese, chief engineer for Clear Channel Communications. FCC rules include a third-adjacent channel rule, which specifies distances allowed between radio stations. These distances are regulated up to differences of three frequencies, Reese said. The rule was created years ago when the quality of receivers was not good. With today's improved receivers, a large number of people think a second- adjacent rule would be sufficient. Petitions filed with the FCC to change the rules were rejected due to pressure from the National Association of Broadcasters, a powerful air-industry lobby group, because it would put more radio stations on the air, Reese said. "Technically, there is no reason why it wouldn't work," Reese said. KAOS operated only second adjacent to 95.5 FM without interfering, said Beer Princess, a person associated with the station. Instead, KAOS and other pirate stations are being shut down because they take audiences from mainstream radio. "We're taking away their audience because we're better than them," House said. Until the rules are changed, the FCC will not grant any new licenses in Austin, Reese said. Currently, the FCC is not licensing new stations anywhere in the country because, according to the FCC Web site, it is rewriting its licensing rules. The FCC did not return calls regarding its policies. Reese said he did not support total deregulation of the airwaves due to the need for a technically-sound operation, but many pirate radio broadcasters are technologically savvy. Until FCC regulations change, pirate radio will continue to flourish, Beer Princess said. "Once technology is available to people, they are going to use it no matter what legal pressure is applied against them." (via Brock Whaley for DXLD) ** U S A. LowFER beacon NWNJ is enjoying very low tree losses on its signal right now. The antenna current has doubled since Fall because the cold, dry weather is reducing the RF absorption from the hardwood forest here. NWNJ will be on-the-air from Friday (now) until about 10 PM-EST on Monday night. It will be sending CW at about 10 wpm. Its frequency has been running about 6 or 7 Hz higher than its listed 189.650 KHz due to the cold (TX is outside). All reception reports will be greatly appreciated and QSLed, if an address is provided. Thank you (Posted by John Bogath on January 24, 2003 at 17:30:06, LWCA via Mike Terry, Jan 26, DXLD) ** YEMEN. 9779.6, 0350-, Yemen Radio and TV, Sana'a, Jan 25. Fairly good reception with Arabic programming by man and woman. Probably a radio play. Frequency is from memory, as I lost an evening's worth of loggings when my computer crashed. Something to be said about written logs! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. MADAGASCAR 7120, 0330-, Radio VOP, Jan 25. Transmitter problems tonight with breaks. Unfortunately too weak to hear the program. Did hear the usual sign-on tune, but not exactly at 0330 as is the usual. Not the 5-5-5 signal heard on the beach on Maui at sunset!!! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5500: I think this might be a reactivated transmitter from Mekele in Ethiopia. It has been popping on with open carrier at the same times // 6360 [sic] comes on, but that`s all it does, open carrier. Need more work. 6350 was heard signing on at 0400 UT Sun with Voice of Tigray Revolution, usual cool IS and echo ID (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 27795 ? Was looking for Irish church stations this morning and found an American one instead. 1340 nice signal in the middle of his sermon and lost after about 5 minutes. It would be 8:40 AM in the Eastern time zone; that's my guess as to where this guy is (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRM +++ The announced tests from Sveiø 2000-2300 on 6175 this week did not take place. If they really do it next week they will effectively kill Deutsche Welle in English to Europe 2000-2045 on 6180 from Sines, just to mention the most prominent victim. One guy already commented he would really like to read the faxes they will receive. Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONTEST +++++++ VACATION BCL CONTEST 2003 Rules of new Vacation BCL contest 2003 http://swlcontest.homestead.com Thank you (Frank Parisot, France, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Flare activity remained very quiet until Jan 21, since that time there have been a few M class flares recorded. Coronal hole activity is causing depressed MUFs from Jan 23-25 with the solar wind speed elevated and mildly southward, southern region MUFs are being depressed by up to 20%. Similar conditions were experienced from Jan 18-20 due to another coronal hole. With all this equatorial MUFs have generally been mildly enhanced. Shortwave Fadeouts and flares remain possible for the first part of the coming week, together with continued coronal hole effects for the next couple of days and again Jan 30-31. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, Jan 25, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) TRANS-EQUATORIAL FM DX Últimas escutas realizadas em FM (escutas realizadas em Jaraguá do Sul/SC com receptor SONY ICF-SW7600G e antena telescópica do próprio receptor): 95.10 The Best Mix FM Trinidad and Tobago 22.01.03 02:03 mx, "Heaven" 97.3 Radio Saint Lucia Santa Lúcia 26.01.03 02:17 mx, "I'm alive", Celine Dion 100.1 Sun FM Antigua and Barbuda 02:34 mx estilo country (Márcio Roberto Polheim da Silva, Jaraguá do Sul/SC, Brasil, radioescutas via DXLD) ###