DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-017, January 30, 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] 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 1167: RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0730, 1330, 1800, Sun 0000, 0600, 1200, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 15039 and/or 7445 WJIE: M-F 1300 on 7490... WWCR: Sat 0700, Sun 0330 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 1030 9475 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0900, Eu only Sun 0530, NAm Sun 1500 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1167.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1167.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1167h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1167h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1167.html ** AFGHANISTAN. If you still need this ham country, look for YA6RF around 1200 UT on 28485; QSL via F6IPO, or is it F6IDO? (George McClintock, Ask WWCR Jan 17-31 via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN PRESIDENT CHANGES INTERIOR MINISTER The Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, has replaced his Interior Minister, Taj Mohammad Wardag, with a former resistance leader. The new minister is Ali Ahmad Jalali, who was a senior military commander in the mujahideen rebellion against Soviet occupation in the 1980s. He has recently returned from the United States where he was head of the Pashto and Persian service for an international radio station (Voice of America). The ministerial change follows criticism of the way Mr Wardag handled student demonstrations in Kabul last year in which at least one person was killed. There were also complaints about the security situation in Afghanistan From the newsroom of the BBC World Service Jan 28 (via Ulis Fleming, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN RADIO CHIEF EAGER TO START UP FOREIGN BROADCASTS AGAIN | Text of report by Afghan newspaper Arman-e Melli on 29 January The press and journalism has been age-old in our country. The establishment of the printing press in the era of Emir Sher Ali Khan [1825-79, Emir of Afghanistan (1863-79), son of Dost Emir Muhammad Khan] was the official start of journalistic activities in this country. A 16-page journal was published every 10 days. From that time on, this country has presented its moral, historical and political wealth to the world. Alongside the journalistic and historical achievements, our radio is taking effective steps in the arena of broadcasting. The radio [Afghanistan] had as many listeners as they could gather to listen to the radio broadcasts under the loudspeakers placed at several spots in the city in previous years. Unfortunately, the 23 years of war neither spared the radio programmes that quite in keeping with people's enthusiasm, nor the speakers that allowed people to listen to radio broadcasts for hours. The correspondent of the daily [Arman-e Melli] has interviewed Esteemed Shams Rad, the head of foreign broadcasting of the radio [Afghanistan], which is as follows: With regards to the radio's foreign broadcasts that have long been in abeyance he said: Sixty-five years ago, Radio Afghanistan started a programme broadcasting news and political issues in English, Urdu, Russian, German, French and Arabic. There were eight presenters and translators who prepared programmes for foreigners and those interested in foreign languages inside Afghanistan. Foreign broadcasting has completely ceased operating for the last year and a half. A bomb targeted the short-wave broadcasting unit and still no step has been taken to reactivate it. Seeing the rising demand of local and foreign listeners for those programmes, we hope that the authorities will take steps to coordinate with friendly countries to restore this section of the radio. Source: Arman-e Melli, Kabul, in Pashto 29 Jan 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. The "mysterious" transmissions on 4050 kHz (identifying as "Hit Shortwave" and "Hits on Shortwave" in between music titles) seem indeed be targeted at Afghanistan. The language that is used in the spoken word programmes (which were added recently) has been identified as Dari by a WRTH correspondent in Tajikistan. Dari is almost identical with Tajik, and is the language spoken by ethnic Tajiks in Afghanistan (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Jan 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sample station ID: http://www.dxing.info/audio/clandestine/4050_Hit_Shortwave.rm (DXing.info via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. Frequency change for TWR via Cerrik: 1715-1730 Czech Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri and 1730-1800 Hungaian Daily NF 6115*, ex 5860 *co- channel Belarusian Radio in Belarusian (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Jan 29 via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Aquí van más noticias... La dirección de correo-e de La Voz de Armenia: pr@armradio.am (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 11770: HCJB Australia is expected to start using this new frequency from 0700 UT on Sunday 2 February. This will replace 11755 which has suffered severe interference from co-channel Radio Finland since the new transmitter site at Kununurra began operations on 5 January (Bryan Clark, New Zealand, Jan 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Why wait? Having just read through DXLD 3-016 tuned into 15480 and found HCJB Australia testing 1255, fair signal strength on clear channel and was able to use a wide filter as BBCWS 15485 quite weak here (Mike Barraclough, Jan 29, BDXC-UK via DXLD) HCJB tests to Asia on 15480 kHz from Kununurra, Australia currently audible (1220 UT 29 Jan). Programme of continuous music, religious messages and announcements in English with 'phone numbers and email to report "reception problems" - english@h... [truncated] Fair signal strength, moderate fading and clear apart from slight splatter from BBCWS (Skelton) on 15485 (so HCJB best on LSB). (Alan Pennington, Caversham UK AOR7030+, longwire, Jan 29, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Hallo vrienden dx-ers, Vandaag heb ik tussen 1340 en 1401 UT (=s/off) kunnen luisteren naar HCJB vanuit hun nieuwe zenderlokatie in Australië. Frequentie was 15480 kHz SINPO: 33333. Programma was non- stop instrumentale muziek met om het kwartier een identifikatie, een telefoonnummer en het e-mail adres voor ontvangstrapporten: english@hcjb.org.au 73, (Hugo Matten - Veurne, Belgium, Jan 29, BDXC via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Brisbane, R. 1701 kHz, Indian talk 1521 1/30. The best of the DU X Banders as usual. This one gets out! Drake R8 EWE Antenna (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, KAVT Reception Manager, DX LSITENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. POLICE ARREST RADIO PRESENTER LINKED TO ABU HAMZA AFTER FATWA BROADCAST | Excerpt from report by Belgian RTBF radio on 25 January [Presenter] The presenter of a Belgian Arab language radio station broadcasting to the Brussels area - Radio Salam - has been arrested by police. He is reportedly accused of broadcasting a fatwa - that is, an appeal for a holy war - against non-Muslims. Here is Francois Louis [phonetic] with the details: [Louis] Several radio stations broadcast in Arabic in Brussels and the police have been keeping a watch on some of them for a while now. The Islamist activists are suspected of using the air waves to broadcast messages of indoctrination to the immigrant population. Several Arabic-speaking anti-terrorist investigators were instructed to monitor certain broadcasts and as a result they heard a presenter on Radio Salam inciting people to commit violence against the non-Muslim population in the form of a fatwa - an appeal for holy war. The man arrested is said to have close links with Abu Hamza al-Masri, the imam at the very radical mosque in London's Finsbury Park district... The police say that the man who was arrested also made death threats against the investigators of Arab origin who were tasked with questioning him. Source: RTBF Radio 1, Brussels, in French 1200 gmt 25 Jan 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) AUTHORITIES TO ASK ARAB RADIOS TO AVOID INFLAMMATORY PROGRAMMMES [sic!] | Text of report by Belgian newspaper De Standaard on 27 January The legal authorities in Brussels want to start a dialogue this week with the managers of various Arab radio stations in order to request their cooperation in preventing the broadcasting of inflammatory comments. Brussels Investigating Magistrate Lugentz arrested Ali M. (aged 31), a manager at Radio Salam, after he had threatened an anti-terrorist detective. The legal authorities went to see M. after another detective had learned that M. had issued a death sentence on Radio Salam, a Brussels-based Arab radio station. Originally, the death sentence came from a radical London-based imam against all European police and intelligence services, which stand in the way of the rise of Islam. M.'s reporting sounded sufficiently alarming to the ears of the Belgian government to have detectives investigating terrorist movements like Al-Qa'idah follow a self-defence course from the federal police's special unit. Up to now, detectives are not aware of any further inflammatory reports from local radio stations or other media. Therefore, they are not considering looking at the broadcasting licences of these stations. It is not the first time that the content of some Arab radio stations programmes have caused unease. At the end of last year, Home Affairs Minister Antoine Duquesne (MR [Reformist Movement]) said during a debate on a television programme on RTBF [French-speaking Belgian Radio and Television] that he was concerned about the "extremist nature of some broadcasts by these stations, broadcasts which sometimes sound outright anti-Semitic, or encourage people to reject the values of western civilization." His analysis ran into strong opposition from the Arab radio stations, although Radio Salam's competitors, like Radio El Manar or Radio El Watan, say that Radio Salam sometimes uses "tough language." Source: De Standaard, Groot-Bijgaarden, in Dutch 27 Jan 03 p 2 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. RADIO CENTENARIO "LA NUEVA" 4865.0 kHz Radio Centenario "La Nueva", Santa Cruz de la Sierra; I visited the station on January 3, 2002. According to David Manzana (Director Gerente), the station changed its shortwave frequency from 4855 kHz to 4865 kHz on August 1, 2000, under the frequency reassignment, performed by government authorities as part of a countermeasure against interference due to an increase in the number of broadcasting stations in recent years. Radio Centenario "La Nueva" broadcasts at 0900-0100 from Monday to Friday, 1100-2300 on Saturday and Sunday simultaneously on medium wave and shortwave. The shortwave outlet was formerly on the air in two time slots: 0900-1400 and 2000-0100, but it broadcasts uninterruptedly as of January 2002. The shortwave outlet is equipped with a "Crown" brand transmitter of 4 kW and a 1/2-wave H type dipole antenna (18 meters high above the ground). The medium wave outlet is equipped with a "HUGHES" brand transmitter of 5 kW, HC07 model and a 1/4-wave vertical antenna (64 meters high above the ground). The transmitter is installed at the site called Plan 3000 in the Departamento de Santa Cruz. It is situated directly at 10 kilometers south from the studio. The studio and the transmitter site are connected by a STL transmission on 462.8 MHz with a "McMarti" transmitter of 10 watts. Radio Centenario "La Nueva" was established by Carlos Ramsay on June 1, 1991. (The former Radio Centenario was founded by Gustavo Bush many years ago.) Studio: Avenida Grigotá s/n 4to Anillo UV64, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. The attached file is a Bolivian station's survey prepared by local- monitoring, realized from December 29, 2000 through January 6, 2001. It may be an old record, however, it has several interesting informations about local broadcasters specially for Latin American DX funs. Takayuki Inoue Nozaki, Editor of RELAMPAGO DX E-mail: inoue@ipcjapan.com http://www.ipcdigital.com Attachment: RELAMPAGO DX BOLIVIANO (1).doc Description: Binary data (Takayuki Inoue Nozaki - Japan - Relámpago DX Jan 27 at hard-core-dx via DXLD) Maybe you can get it to open properly via: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=relampago (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURKINA FASO. Has anyone heard R. Burkina 5030 lately? Was coming in strong from 2000-s/off this summer/ fall. Haven't heard them in at least 6 weeks (Scott R Barbour Jr, Intervale, NH, Sangean ATS 818; RF Systems MLB-1 antenna kit; RS longwire w/ RDA balun, hard-core-dx via DXLD) You are right: R. Burkina has been off the air for 3-4 weeks on 5030! I hope it will return soon. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, ibid.) ** COLOMBIA. Hola Glenn... Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. El 29/01 fue captada en 6140 kHz, Melodía AM, "La radio líder", transmitiendo en paralelo en 730 kHz (HJCQ), a las 2300 UT. Según las identificaciones, la potencia en Onda Media es de 100 mil watts. Emitía el himno nacional y luego el programa "El mundo al día". Las siglas de la onda corta 6140 kHz, son (HJQR). Estación perteneciente a la Cadena Melodía de Colombia. SINPO 43433. Parece una prueba del transmisor ya que salió varias veces del aire y al ser buscada una hora más tarde, ya brillaba por su ausencia (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. FARC SE APODERA DE EQUIPOS DEL CANAL RCN EN EL ARAUCA "THE FARC GUERILLA SEIZED SATELLITE COMMS EQUIPMENT IN ARAUCA" Bogotá.- La guerrilla de las FARC se apoderó de un vehículo y varios equipos de comunicación y transmisión por satélite del Canal RCN de Colombia en el conflictivo departamento del Arauca, denunció hoy en Bogotá esa cadena de la televisión privada, señaló Efe. El Canal RCN precisó que el grupo rebelde despojó de ese material a un equipo periodístico conformado por cinco personas, que la emisora había desplazado el pasado fin de se... Lee el artículo completo en: http://www.eluniversal.com/2003/01/28/28012003_44667.html Copyright 2002, Reservados todos los derechos (via Henrik Klemetz, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. ELN ANUNCIA LIBERACIÓN DE PERIODISTAS EXTRANJEROS The ELN clandestine station in the Arauca area is called Radio Libertad, says one of their commanders to RCN Radio. El Ejército de Liberación Nacional (Eln) anunció en RCN la pronta liberación de los periodistas del diario "Los Angeles Times", la británica Ruth Morris y el fotógrafo estadounidense Scott Dalton, secuestrados la semana pasada en Arauca. El anuncio fue hecho este martes por el guerrillero "Antonio García", uno de los principales jefes del Eln, en una conversación telefónica con RCN. "Ellos están muy bien y en los próximos días, en uno o dos días, van a estar en libertad", declaró el líder rebelde, cuyo verdadero nombre es Erlington de Jesús Chamorro. Morris y Dalton fueron retenidos el pasado 20 de enero cerca de la localidad de Fortul, en el departamento petrolero del Arauca, fronterizo con Venezuela. "Antonio García" declaró que los periodistas ingresaron a una zona "en la que hay bastante militarización y, como es un área de conflicto, fueron retenidos por las unidades del Eln. Ellos se encuentran bien de salud y en los próximos días van a ser puestos en libertad", aseguró. En su diálogo con RCN, el líder del Eln reveló que Morris se comunicó el lunes con su padre, "que cumplía años, a través de nuestra emisora regional 'Radio Libertad'". "Esperamos que en los próximos días podamos dejarlos en libertad, pero, de todas maneras, hay una situación crítica de confrontación", expresó "García", quien añadió que "la voluntad y decisión del Eln es que ellos estén en libertad en los días siguientes". Indicó que "los compañeros de Arauca" se encargarán de los detalles y "van a entregar algunos mensajes" al diario "Los Angeles Times". Según el comandante rebelde, durante el cautiverio Morris y Dalton pudieron tener "una versión del conflicto, lógicamente desde la óptica del Eln y en las áreas por donde el Eln tiene influencias política y militar". El secuestro de los dos informadores extranjeros ha sido rechazado por el Gobierno de Colombia y las asociaciones locales de periodistas y los corresponsales extranjeros, así como por el Departamento de Estado de EEUU y asociaciones periodísticas de América y Europa. (RCN Radio website, Jan 29 via HK) El Espectador newspaper says the station is known as La Voz de la Libertad. This may account for the previously mentioned slogan La Voz de la Liberación, which seems to have been a mistake, as this slogan has been "copyrighted" by a religious program sponsored by the Brazilian IPDA Church which can be heard in many countries in Latin America (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. La Voz de los Trabajadores, emisión disidente hacia Cuba, escuchada el 27/01, en 9955 a las 0040. Con repetición a las 0200. Nunca falta el jamming. Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRMI; según el horario actual de los lunes TU, son dos programas distintos: 0000-0100 Radio Revista Lux (español) -- Programa de noticias y actualidades del Sindicato de Trabajadores Eléctricos, Gas y Agua de Cuba en el Exilio. Productor: René L. Díaz. Locutor: Marcial Ontivero. Dirección: Radio Revista Lux, 7175 SW 8 Street, Suite 213, Miami, Florida 33144 EUA. Teléfono/Fax: +1-305-262-6050. ... 0130-0230 Radio Oriente Libre (español) -- Una transmisión de la Asamblea Provincial de Oriente en el Exilio para sus compatriotas en Cuba. Dirección: 15611 SW 48 Street, Miami, Florida 33185 EUA (from http://www.wrmi.net/pages/714011/index.htm Jan 27 via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. ON THE WHOLE, IT SOUNDS LIKE A NET LOSS http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A57958-2003Jan28?language=printer Radio Martí and its television counterpart have a well-deserved reputation for being state-of-the-art when it comes to technology. So it's no surprise that Radio Martí is announcing in a new promo that its programs are available on the Internet as well. The promo begins with a frustrated fellow named Manolo working the dial of his squawking radio, trying to tune in to Martí. His much more techno-astute wife, upon seeing what he's doing, tells him: "You don't need a radio anymore to listen to Radio Martí." What's more, she says, "Radio and Television Martí are also on the Internet without interference" from government jamming. At this, Manolo gets so excited, he logs on and then we hear a loud crash as he tosses his radio out the window. Ain`t technology grand? Couple of small problems with this: First, hardly anyone in Cuba has Internet access, and most of those who do are government-approved. Also, there are, last we checked, only three Internet service providers in Cuba, all of them controlled by the commies. They can and do block the site and they can -- though maybe without the sophistication of the Chinese -- monitor who logs on. "Although Internet usage in Cuba remains small," an International Broadcasting Bureau official said, "we believe we should be using every available technology to reach Cubans on the island." There are about 40,000 people logging on "clandestinely," the official said, citing Cuban government numbers, and "government controls are not perfect." And maybe folks in other countries -- even in Florida -- if they are interested, would be able to log on thru http://www.martinoticias.com For now, let's hope Manolo has a friend in the radio repair business. (via Brock Whaley for DXLD Jan. 29, 2003) ** CUBA [non non]. Special event amateur station CO ZERO JMP is on the air at the time you are listening to this show. The station was set up by the PLAZA Radio Club here in Havana to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Cuba's National Hero, José Martí Pérez. The station is on the air on SSB and CW, and will be operating on bands from 40 meters to 2 meters, providing those who work it or monitor it with a very nice special event QSL card. So look for CO Zero JMP on the ham bands during the next two days amigos; the QSL card is a very nice one, and CO Zero is a special event prefix used by Cuban radio amateurs (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Jan 28 via Bob Chandler, ODXA via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [non}. Note that the new WRMI schedule in last issue no longer shows a beam change on 7385 from LAm to NAm at 0330 between the Spanish and Czech R. Prague relays. Wonder if this was ever really in effect? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 6210, R. Fana Jan 27 1447-1457 33433 Amharic, Ethiopian music and talk.. // 6940 (Kouji Hashimoto) 9561.5, R. Ethiopia Jan 24 *1600-1610 34333 English, 1600 s/on with IS. ID. Music. Talk (Kouji Hashimoto) 9704.2, R. Ethiopia Jan 27 *1459-1505 33432 Amharic, 1459 with IS. ID. Tree gong. Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Dear Mr. Chakroborty, You mention a 60 minute Mailbag and, of course, this is not possible but Ms. Thofern was referring to a whole slot in our programming and perhaps not taking into consideration the technical aspect of changing over to satellite and/or different frequencies. However, our editors and planners of the English Service are looking into how we can make the turnover at the end of the slot shorter, making some of our programmes a little longer! [+ standard formletter] Regards, (Margot Forbes, DW via Swopan Chakroborty, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUAM. I went over to the other side of the island and wanted to see if there were any changes with KTWR or some of the other shortwave stations. Radio Barragada [sic] was still the same as it was several weeks ago, and AWR was also still the same. I am happy to mention that driving by KTWR, it looked like all 5 antennas were back to normal as compared to what it was like during the storm. I noted some wires between 2 towers that appeared to have been used for transmitting purposes but it was not the same design as the others. So it looks like they got things back to pre storm status. I was noticing that most of the island still has many wires down but not as much as it was before. Lights are still upside down. The weather station a few weeks ago after the last TS was off the air about 1 or 2 days. And was also hardly heard on the south side of the island. I listened close around the areas of KTWR and found no signals. This is about 30 miles south of the station. During that storm only one ship got underway to get out the storm`s way in case it came in. One hour after it left, port control lifted the storm warnings. Also the 2nd repeater on the island is back up and running. Meaning the Echo link (145.430 MHz) is now in service but the owner runs it at certain times, and it`s just as weak on some portions of the island as the other repeater. I may be wrong but they may be only experimenting with it to see what happens and may put it into full operation soon. KGUM radio ran a survey as to what the island may do to boost the economy, and several comments were 1. Geiko chips (those lizards) 2. Brown tree snake jerky (yummy). We may go to Saipan some time but that`s just a possible rumor. The sailboat nicknamed Lucky is still beached but they are still working on it. Waiting for more rain maybe, as the weather is a warm, 85 during the day. 73 from Guam island and hope to give more later; today`s my day off again (Larry Fields, n6hpx/du1, Jan 29, swl via DXLD) ** HAWAII. The Buzz BY ERIKA ENGLE Wednesday, January 29, 2003 http://starbulletin.com/2003/01/29/business/engle.html RADIO STATION KAIM RETURNS TO THE AIR, BUT VERY, VERY QUIETLY Hawaii's only 50,000 watt radio station is back on the air, sort of. "KAIM-AM (870) is running a loop right now of praise music while we have a petition before the FCC to relocate over here," said General Manager TJ Malievsky. The Molokai-based transmission equipment for the former Bible- broadcasting blowtorch was fired up to a barely audible 1,000 watts in November, but will remain there "only for a season," Malievsky said. "It's not really meant to be on for commercial purposes, it's really meant to keep the signal going. "What we had to do is put it on the air in a very small wattage situation to fulfill license requirements to keep it on the air for another year," he said. KAIM-AM is owned by Calif.-based Salem Communications Corp. The plan is to relocate the transmitter to Salem's tower in Kunia, which also radiates the signals of KHNR-AM 650 and KHCM-AM 940. Malievsky hopes to resume operation of the station on Oahu at 10,000 watts and believes federal approval will come within the next couple months. The format has not been finalized, he said. Of Salem's other stations, KGU-AM 760 is beamed from tower at Kewalo Basin, while the antenna for KAIM-FM 95.5 is in Palehua, home to the broadcast equipment of numerous other FM stations. Salem took KAIM-AM dark on Dec. 31, 2001, to accomplish two goals. The company wanted to eliminate the $12,000 to $13,000 monthly electric bill for the Molokai facility. KGU's electricity costs about $1,000 per month, station officials said at the time. Salem also wanted to boost its KRLA-AM 870 in Los Angeles to 50,000 watts, but there was concern the Hawaii and L.A. signals would interfere with one another. The Los Angeles population reached by KRLA-AM clearly provides much greater revenue potential for Salem than Hawaii's KAIM-AM audience. KAIM was formerly owned by the Minnesota-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which boosted the station's power to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the islands of Hawaii and the Pacific. It sold KAIM-AM/FM to the publicly traded Salem in October of 1999, but still owns the Molokai land and transmitter building. At the time the company announced plans to take the powerful AM off the air, then-General Manager Doug Campbell said there were no plans to bring it back (via Brock Whaley for DXLD Jan. 30) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET [and non]. Mike Cooper said: "The Internet is clearly clumsy, imperfect and unreliable -- using a bucket-brigade chain instead of efficient electromagnetic transmission through thin air. What are the international broadcasters thinking?" But be reminded that shortwave isn't perfect either: SW reception can be quite frustrating when the sun enters its temperamental phases... (Ricky Leong, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Subject : satellite radio I just would like to quickly weigh in on the question of satellite radio that came up on DXLD Jan. 28. I use an MPEG-2 free-to-air satellite receiver in order to listen to WRN-1, Radio Sana'a, Al Quran/Al Kareem R. (location unknown), and of course DW-radio, in German. There is no encryption of many of the channels, and therefore requires no monthly subscription. Aside from the fascinating television that is also available off of Telstar 5, being able to listen to a station like Radio Sana'a just about anytime is very nice, as I like their music. By the way, I checked the satellite channel of Radio Sana'a against 9780 kHz, and it was indeed a live feed on the satellite, with the satellite feed lagging 31m by about 1.5 seconds. Free-to-air satellite TV can be very interesting to anyone with an interest in how TV is done in other countries. Countries such as Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Georgia, and many others run one of their national TV services on this satellite, too. I, however, view this medium as a complement to, not a replacement of, shortwave radio. I have been frustrated with the lack of portability of internet radio, not to mention the sterile quality of both internet and satellite radio. Shortwave just has a "feel" that is difficult to describe, almost like being in contact with another far-off nation, free from gatekeeper technology. I still sleep with a shortwave receiver next to the bed (an ATS 505), and even built a 25m-to-1710 kHz converter for use on a sensitive, selective MW receiver that I use on my bike. Conventional portables are difficult to use on a bike, and this layout is ergonomically more friendly, as well as safer; sure beats listening to the MW locals, too! Sorry for the lengthy post, but just wanted to speak up. I too regret DW's decision to axe SW service to NAm, and will always remain an adherent to the time-proven technology of the analog AM medium. 73 (Steven Zimmerman, Milwaukee, WI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. LAUNCH OF KURDISH-LANGUAGE SERVICE OF ISRAELI RADIO SUSPENDED | Text of report by independent Iraqi Kurdish newspaper Jamawar on 26 January According to a declaration by the Kurdistan Jewish Organization in Israel and the Kurdish-Jewish Friendship Association in Israel, the decision to set up a Kurdish service of the Israeli radio by the government of that country has been suspended. Initially, it had been decided to open a Kurdish service of the Israeli radio on 1 January 2003, but so far the reasons for the decision [to suspend the opening] are unknown. Source: Jamawar, Arbil, in Sorani Kurdish 26 Jan 03 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Greetings from Port Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia, Listening to Kol Israel at 1100 on 17525, reception was quite good at 453 and very readable, much better than 15640 which was only 252 at the same time and could not understand much at all, they came on with Hebrew with music and ads until 1100 then were French till 1115 when they went into English news. Best wishes, (Michael Stevenson, Sangean ATS-909 with 15 metre longwire, Jan 29, EDXP via DXLD) ** ITALY [and non]. Hi all, I've just published a list of Italian area stamps about radio and television (in Italian, sorry!). The URL is http://portale.italradio.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sezioni&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1&page=2 I remember that Italian Area is: Kingdom of Italy ("Regno"), Italian Colonies (Eritrea, Somalia, Cirenaica, Tripolitania), Italian Republic (Italia), Republic of San Marino (S. Marino), Vatican City (Vaticano), Trieste A, Trieste B, SMOM. I hope it useful. Best regards (Paolo Morandotti, radiostamps via DXLD) ** IVORY COAST. CÔTE D'IVOIRE: BBC, RFI RELAYS STILL OFF AIR AS RADIO NOSTALGIE VANDALIZED The FM relays in Abidjan of the BBC World Service (on 94.3 MHz) and Radio France Internationale (97.6 MHz) continue to be unheard. These relays were forced off the air on 22 September 2002, three days after the start of the military uprising. Meanwhile, transmissions by an independent station in Abidjan, Radio Nostalgie, have been observed to be off the air since 26 January when its broadcasting equipment was vandalized. The Ivorian newspaper Soir Info web site on 27 January reported that the previous day "the premises of Radio Nostalgie were the target of uncontrolled [pro-government] demonstrators, who set the broadcasting equipment on fire... Passers-by who said they witnessed the incidents told us that young men armed with clubs and stones destroyed and burned everything, shouting anti-French slogans. They [the young men] said that Hamed Bakayoko (the station manager) was a rebel leader." Sources: Monitoring research 26-29 Jan 03 Soir Info web site, Abidjan, in French 27 Jan 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non non]. Dear Mr. Joe Talbot, Thank you for your inquiry to Radio Japan. As for your question, please be advised that we no longer use the relay of Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates for our services. Best regards, -- Radio Japan info@intl.nhk.or.jp (via Talbot, Jan 30, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MAURITANIA. Glenn, Radio Mauritanie heard here sporadically for the past couple of weeks on 7245 after 0800. 1/30 was probably the best signal so far, with the carrier snapping on at 0804, then directly into Arabic programming with North African music. Good signal to begin with, but it faded quickly with local sunrise at the transmitter. This might not be news to anyone, but it's a new one for me. Have also noted occasional openings to S Africa, especially the Beeb's African stream from the Meyerton transmitters. Given the noise level in my apartment building (City Light handed out a lot of compact fluorescent bulbs during the power "emergency" two years ago, and they have yet to die), I'm lucky to hear anything most nights (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., Jan 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. RADIO NETHERLANDS REORGANISATION PLANS TO BE RE-CONSIDERED The management, editor-in-chief and departmental heads at Radio Netherlands have agreed a formula to break the impasse over proposed reorganisation. A draft plan presented by management on 15 January met with widespread dissatisfaction amongst all sections of staff, including the editor-in-chief and the heads of departments. In addition to possible job losses, there were also serious concerns that the plans might pose a threat to the station's journalistic independence. Management have now formally withdrawn the plan in its current form. The heads of department and editor-in-chief Freek Eland will work on the details of a new plan for the future of Radio Netherlands. Their proposals will then be presented to management. The Dutch Union of Journalists has welcomed the outcome of the negotiations. A mass meeting of staff will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at which the latest developments will be discussed (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 29 January 2003 via DXLD) I suspect a letter-writing campaign could be counterproductive, as RN very much values its independence from political control (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES [and non]. MAINTENANCE WORK AT BONAIRE 3-7 FEBRUARY 2003 Maintenance work at our Bonaire relay station necessitates some schedule changes between 1057 UT on 3 Feb and 1125 UT on 7 February 2003. During this period, the long-term DRM tests from Bonaire will not be on the air. 6165 will be replaced by Flevo (500 kW) for all transmissions between 2327 and 0425. 50 kW instead of 250 kW will be used for the following Bonaire transmissions: 0357-0456 Dutch on 11985 0457-0545 Deutsche Welle on 11795 1057-1125 Spanish on 15450 2027-2125 Dutch on 15315 2227-2325 Spanish on 11730 (Radio Netherlands Media Network 29 January 2003 via WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI on 6095 today! More Cyclone Warning reports. RNZI 6095 is on again tonight! (Jan 29 in UTC). Great signal into Europe at about 1500-1657 UT on Monday 27th. Was missed yesterday Jan 28th. 1306-1657 6095 To All Pacific -- Usual Closedown is 1305 UT -- this frequency is for occasional overnight broadcasts to the Pacific for Sports commentaries or Cyclone Warnings. RNZI 6095 kHz -- There is a tropical cyclone near the Solomon Islands and between Fiji and Tonga. RNZI is on 6095 kHz until 1657, when the usual morning transmission begins. The program is the overnight National Radio transmission, the announcer reads the cyclone warnings after the news at the top of the hour. Heard also at 1620 on Monday. 73 wb (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, Jan 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. New Zealand; 6095; 1345-1400; SINPO 44434; music; OM with ID TOH; then news and marine weather (Al Menzl, Seattle, USA Jan 29, R-75 16m horizontal loop, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. I had previously associated a big, dirty carrier on 15120 with Cuba, but Jan 30 at 2250 found very undermodulated news in English, mainly about Europe, from V. of Nigeria, as IDed after 2255, to return at 0500, devotional, 2300 half-minute anthem followed by 5 minutes of tone until carrier off. The modulation was so marginal that readability varied depending on which announcer was speaking (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. RENDA Oldies KOMA-A[M 1520]/OKLAHOMA CITY is flipping from its Oldies simulcast with FM sister KOMA-FM [92.5] to News/Talk on MONDAY (2/3). The 50,000 watt station will be spearheaded by News Dir. BOB SANDS, formerly of KKNG (KING COUNTRY 93.3), and will continue to carry WESTWOOD ONE's BILL O'REILLY and CBS NEWS as well as the late night "THE EDGE" sci-fi/paranormal talk show, all of which have been airing on the AM side in breaks from the simulcast (from http://www2.allaccess.com/via Brock Whaley, Jan 30, for DXLD) ** OMAN. Hi, the apparently current schedule of Radio Oman, as taken from their page http://www.oman-tv.gov.om/rdara/radio_frq_channel.asp is as follows (assuming the time given being local time UT +4): 02-04 6085 15355 04-06 9515 17590 06-14 13640 14-18 13725 15375 18-20 6190 15355 20-22 6085 MW: 576, 738, 1242. Yours, (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) *** Find the current overall shortwave schedule on http://www.eibi.de.vu/ Well, the English hours at 03 and 14 have always been on only one of the frequencies shown, the higher one (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. Una emisora andina que se me ha hecho IMPOSIBLE identificar, ha sido la de 6797.5kHz, a la cual hago un seguimiento desde el 27/01. El horario de mejor recepción es entre las 2300 y las 0100 UT. Con comentarios de un hombre y una mujer, y música indudablemente de la región de Los Andes. Incluso grabé unas horas y al escuchar la cinta una y otra vez, sin embargo es incomprensible. La razón: un sistema de radiotelegrafía en el mismo canal, alternándose con radioaficionados (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sin que se haya cambiado de dueño, siempre en esta frecuencia se halla, según afirmado en la lista LA-DX de Mark Mohrmann: 6797.5 PERU Ondas del Rio Mayo, Nuevo Cajamarca [0919-1150/2205- 0330](varies 96-98.7) (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. RADIO LIBERTY BROADCASTING "NOT LIKELY" TO EXPAND IN RUSSIA - MINISTER | Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 January: Radio Liberty's broadcasting is not likely to expand in Russia, said Russian First Deputy Press Minister Mikhail Seslavinskiy. Seslavinskiy made this comment while meeting director of broadcasting for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Jeff Trimble in Moscow today, the Press Ministry press service told Interfax. The meeting touched upon the possibilities of expanding Radio Liberty's broadcasting to Russia. Seslavinskiy said that Russian radio stations, in particular the Voice of Russia, still do not have free access to the US radio market due to restrictions in the US legislation. "Any steps in this direction should be mutual," Seslavinskiy said. "Russia made this step long ago by enabling Radio Liberty to broadcast on its territory. Now, a lot depends on the USA and its preparedness to promote an appropriate Russian information presence on the territory of the USA," Seslavinskiy said. The meeting participants also discussed issues relating to the prolongation of Radio Liberty's broadcasting licenses in 2003, the press service said. Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 1604 gmt 28 Jan 03 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) Russia`s Press Ministry favours an increase in the broadcasting hours of ``Radio Liberty`` in Russia and ``The Voice of Russia`` in the United States on a parity basis. This came in a statement by the first deputy Russian Press Minister Mikhail Seslavinsky following his meeting in Moscow with a member of the US Broadcasters` board Geoffrey Hirschberg and one of the heads of ``Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe`` Geoffrey Trimble. Mr. Seslavinsky pointed out that Russia has already granted ``Radio Liberty`` an opportunity to broadcast from inside this country. Now, he said, the ball is in the court of US law-makers who are expected to lift restrictions from Russia`s information presence in the United States (VoR News, January 29, 2003 via Sergei Sosedkin, DXLD) Is this an excuse, or do the Russians really not realize that there is no such thing as domestic broadcasting by the federal government in the USA, and thus the feds are not in a position to offer such an exchange. Now, some of the excess capacity at Greenville and Delano could be used for relays of Russia on SW, which seems only fair for all the RL relays within Russia! (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) ** SAIPAN. NORTHERN MARIANAS: New updated B-02 schedule for KFBS, Saipan: 9465 1400-1530 Russian Daily 1530-1545 Udmurt Sun/Tue Tatar Mon Mari Wed Uzbek Thu Kyrghyz Fri Chuvash Sat 1545-1600 Udmurt Sun Tatar Mon/Tue German Wed Ossetic Thu Kazakh Fri/Sat 1600-1630 Russian Sun-Fri Ukrainian Sat 1630-1830 Russian Daily 1830-1845 Russian Sun/Tue/Thu/Sat Ukrainian Mon/Wed/Fri 1845-1900 Russian Sun/Thu/Sat Ukrainian Mon-Wed German Fri 9855 1615-1630 Uzbek Sat/Sun Ossetic Mon Kazakh Tue/Wed Kyrghyz Thu/Fri 1630-1645 Udmurt Sun/Thu/Fri Mari Mon Ukrainian Tue Chuvash Wed Tatar Sat 1645-1700 Udmurt Sun/Fri Tatar Mon/Sat German Tue-Thu 11580 1000-1600 Mandarin Daily 1600-1615 Uighur Daily 11650 0900-1100 Russian Daily 1100-1130 Mongolian Daily 1130-1400 Russian Daily 12090 2230-2330 Vietnamese Daily 12120 1300-1430 Vietnamese Daily 15380 0800-0830 Banjarese Daily 0830-0900 Gorontalo Daily 0900-0930 Makassarese Daily 0930-1000 Bugisnese Daily 1000-1030 Sundanese Daily 1030-1100 Javanese Daily 1100-1230 Indonesian Daily 1230-1300 Bakui Daily (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Jan 29 via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. COLOMBO PROMISES CONSTANT MONITORING OF LTTE FM STATION A Sri Lankan government press release on 29 January said that the Ministry of Mass Communication will "constantly monitor the transmissions" of the Tamil Tigers' (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, LTTE) FM broadcasting station, the Sri Lankan newspaper Daily News web site reported on 30 January. On 16 January the LTTE's newly licensed radio, Voice of Tigers, began broadcasting on 98 MHz using a five- kilowatt transmitter. Action would be taken against any violation of both the licensing conditions and frequency allocations, the statement said. Source: Daily News web site, Colombo, in English 30 Jan 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN --- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: Swedish Cooking Special Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: We link up with other international broadcasters as "Network Europe" includes the controversy over Iraq Sunday: Religious diversity and Kenny Bräck are among the topics for listeners "In Touch With Stockholm" (George Wood, SCDX/MediaScan Jan 29 via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. RADIO LIBERTY WANTS TO BROADCAST IN TAJIKISTAN | Text of report by Tajik news agency Asia-Plus Dushanbe, 28 January: The management of Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has applied to the Tajik government to consider the possibility of broadcasting the radio station's Tajik programmes on MW and FM wave bands in the country. A source at the Tajik service of Radio Liberty has told Asia-Plus that RFE/RL programmes are planned to be broadcast on the entire territory of the country, including in Dushanbe. In the opinion of the staff of the radio station, which is financed by the US Congress, Tajikistan's participation in the antiterrorist coalition and the expansion of the country's cooperation with Western countries contributed to the creation of favourable conditions for the broadcasting of Radio Liberty's programmes in Tajikistan. In an application addressed to the Tajik head of state, the management of the radio asks to have a meeting to discuss the issue. Source: Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe, in Russian 0905 gmt 28 Jan 03 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. TURKMEN WRITER CALLS FOR EXTERNAL RUSSIAN-, ENGLISH- LANGUAGE BROADCASTS | Excerpt from report entitled "The whole world prefers news from radio" by Turkmen newspaper Turkmenistan on 24 January: As is known, God blessed the Turkmen nation with the best position located in the very heart of Central Asia. This advantage of our location has been recalled many times over by our wise leader, [Turkmen president] Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy [Nyyazow] the Great, who makes such remarks with the great art of poetry and as a far-sighted politician. [Passage omitted: recap on Turkmenistan's advantageous geographical position] Here I have a proposal linked to the radio. At present there is no miraculous means in the world except the Internet (which some journalists ironically call the World Wide Web) which can surpass radio in delivering news to everyone. This is the reason why all developed states carry out radio broadcasts in many languages, intended not only for their own nations but also for others. Of course, in doing this they are pursuing their own goals and also making themselves known to the world. Many of their programmes are in Russian, which is known to be one of the working languages of the UN. Such are Radio Liberty, Voice of America, the BBC and many others. Though their broadcasts target mainly the states of the former USSR, their audience also includes many Russian-language listeners beyond this area. Unfortunately, some of these "voices", particularly since recent times, regularly disseminate groundless gossip about our beloved homeland. For cases such as these we have our own place in the world of the airwaves, too. The nice voices of our Turkmen national radio currently extend almost round-the-clock (let us recall that during the USSR period Turkmen radio had to stop its broadcasts at midnight sharp). Indeed, it is true that there are listeners of our radio in other countries. But they are mainly in the neighbouring countries. Whereas the greater part of the world is unaware of our country's progress, its law-governed society, our perfect domestic and foreign policies, their logic and content, just because they do not understand our language. This fact itself is a serious justification for creating a biased and unclear view about our country in the world. My proposal is: it would be expedient to launch external Russian language (initially for an hour) and English-language (initially for half an hour) radio programmes with two or three repeats and with a total duration of four to five hours a day. [Passage omitted: lack of information leads to misinformation; there could be a large audience for external broadcasts] [Author] Annaberdi Agabayew, people's writer and merited elder of Turkmenistan, recipient of the Magtymguly [literary and art] prize. Source: Turkmenistan, Asgabat, in Turkmen 24 Jan 03, p4 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. Re new VOA broadcast to Zimbabwe which started this week (see DX Listening Digest 3-016): The half hourly news magazine "Studio 7" in English 1730-1800 UT heard on 17895 kHz at 1734 tune-in today (29 Jan). Later announced 17895 from Morocco, 13600 from Botswana (also audible here) and 909 mediumwave from Botswana (Alan Pennington, Caversham UK, AOR 7030+, longwire, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Some changes for Voice of America: 1200-1400 Korean on 5985 7235 9555 11895 extended, ex 1300-1400 1600-1700 Hindi on 6060 9815 11730 new transmission 1630-1700 Hindi on 6060 9815 15130 cancelled 1730-1800 Hindi on 7280 9855 12040 cancelled 2100-2200 Korean on 5995 7110 12065 extended, ex 2130-2200 1830-1900 Azeri NF 11770, ex 12030 \\ 9695 9750 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Jan 29 via DXLD) VOA Hindi also have retimed some of their programs and introduced some new programs including a new serialised program on AIDS on Fri night. VOA Hindi chief Mr Ashok Sarin is presently touring India and will be addressing three listener meetings at Lucknow, Patna (on 2nd Feb) & Jaipur. Source: on-air announcements. Regards, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Ex-VOA guy becomes interior minister: see AFGHANISTAN ** U S A. RADIO SAWA LAUNCHES NEW PROGRAM ON DEMOCRACY Radio Sawa is introducing new programming. "The Free Zone" was launched last week. On the program's debut, Secretary of State Colin Powell urged Middle Eastern leaders to support democratic principles such as free elections and free media. "Men and women have certain universal rights ... and we believe that democracy is the best way to allow (people) to have those rights," stated Powell. "The Free Zone" is a weekly 30-minute program that airs on Radio Sawa, a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week Arabic-language radio station. The program aims to address topics relating to freedom, such as human rights, women's issues, press freedom, civil society and elections. (RW Online Jan 27 via Ulis Fleming, DXLD) So, WHEN is it on??? ** U S A. Is there a program schedule somewhere on the WBCQ.com website? I looked for one and could not find a pointer there anywhere that led me to one. I did drop them a feedback e-mail asking about it; we'll see if anything comes of that. (I think I saw or heard a reference to a "WBCQ.net" website, but trying that gets an error screen.) I've been listening to that Alan Weiner discussion of old radios that precedes WoR on Wednesday on 17495 kHz and at first tried to call in to contribute to the discussion. I then discovered that it appears to be the same program on tape repeated over and over at 2200 UT multiple days of the week. Is it EVER on the air live so that we can call in? Also, I heard the announcement of the new "Doom & Gloom Hour" that was supposed to be at 2230 UT Thursday, but it wasn't on last week (just the same old-radio tape cited above). So is it coming on or not? (It sounded that it might be amusing, so I wanted to give it a try.) 73, (Will Martin, MO, Jan 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I believe the show filling in before WOR for a few weeks was Allan Weiner Worldwide, which airs live most UT Saturdays at 0100 on 7415. AFAIK there has never been any useful info at the http://wbcq.com site, the one run by Scott Becker. The http://wbcq.net site is gone, since the webmaster who donated his services wasn`t getting coöperation from HQ. This has been covered previously in DXLD. The new site, http://wbcq.us has been down most of January, but now I see is back, with some schedule updates at last (e.g. WOR at 0545 instead of 0515 UT Mon.) but obviously not entirely accurate or complete, (e.g. WOR Wednesday at 2300 on 17495 is not shown.) Other than that, there is nothing to listen to on 17495 except on UT Saturdays: Available Time Slot 1400-1600 The Kitchen Militia 1600-1700 Allan Weiner World Wide 1700-1800 Zombo's Mondo Record Party 1800-1900 Radio Timtron Worldwide 1900-2000 Pan Global Wireless 2000-2030 Old Time Gospel 2030-2100 There is even less on 9335 --- just R. Caroline, M-F at 2100-2200, so contrary to Tim`s 75m remarks it is still on the station, but no longer on 7415. The Gloom and Doom hour is also shown Sundays at 2100 on 7415. Here`s the portion of the posted schedule, avoiding gospel huxters and far- right shows, tho some with incongruous names may have slipped thru: UT SATURDAYS The Lost Discs Radio Show 0000-0100 Allan Weiner World Wide 0100-0200 Tasha Takes Control 0200-0300 Amos and Andy 0500-0515 Alex Jones - Info Wars 2100-2200 Think Tank North America 2200-2300 Radio TimTron World Wide 2300-0000 UT SUNDAYS The Real Amateur Radio 0000-0030 Fred Flintstone's Music Show 0030-0100 A Different Kind Of Oldies Show 0100-0200 Marion's Attic 0200-0300 The Alan Sane Show 0300-0400 You Are What You Think 0400-0500 Tom And Darryl 0500-0600 Juliet`s Wild Kingdom 0600-0630 Gloom And Doom Hour 2100-2200 Radio Free Euphoria 2200-2300 UT MONDAYS Le Show with Harry Shearer 0000-0100 Radio New York International 0100-0500 Amos and Andy 0500-0515 Radio D.C. 0515-0545 Glen[n] Hauser's World of Radio 0545-0615 The Jean Shepherd Show 2200-2245 Pocket Calculator Show 2300-2330 UT TUESDAYS Amos and Andy 0500-0515 Available Time Slot 2230-2330 UT WEDNESDAYS Good Morning Maine 0100-0200 Amos and Andy 0500-0515 Glenn Hauser's World Of Radio 2300-2330 Goddess Irena 1 music show 2330-0000 UT THURSDAYS Off The Hook 0000-0100 Amos and Andy 0500-0515 The Gloom And Doom Hour 2230-2330 Uncle Ed's Musical Memories 2330-0000 UT FRIDAYS Steppin` Out Of Babylon 0030-0100 Cut The Crap with A.J. 0400-0500 Amos and Andy 0500-0515 Pan Global Wireless 2200-2230 The Pab Sungenis Project 2230-2330 WDCD 2330-0000 (wbcq.us website Jan 30 excerpted and cleaned up by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The Green Party response to the State of Union address was read on "ieAmerica Radio Network"'s Peter Werbe show noon-3 pm (EST). After reading and saying the Green party is the party of Peace, he asked "Where is the Democratic Party on the war?" His show and the Mike Malloy show, after from 3-6 pm are national radio shows that represent a progressive, or liberal point of view. Both are very anti-war and have many good links for progressive web sites. Malloy presented a "a Progressive View of the State of Union." Both are commercial call-in shows, with Labor news updates, and excellent guests from very progressive groups. Both shows are repeated from 6 pm till midnight. (EST) Both are getting more and more callers from Green Party members from the internet and a small group of over the air stations across the nation. I call both shows, about every other day, with a Green Party point of view. You can listen to the shows on the internet, while doing other work on the net, like reading emails or surfing. It`s very easy. Go to ieamerica.com or search for PeterWerbe.com and follow the directions. I listen with the "Real Radio" player. It`s a great alternative to "Flush Limbaugh" or NPR's coverage of square dancing or something else non-political. And you get to call in with YOUR point of view! (Tim McKee, okgreens via DXLD) Don`t find ieamerica.com – how about a complete URL?? But here`s a progressive talkshow, with lots of anti-war, anti-Bush material: http://www.peterwerbe.com/ THE GREEN PARTY'S OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS and much more: http://www.greenpartyus.org/ a.k.a. http://www.gp.org – not to be confused with gp.com which is Georgia- Pacific! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENIING DIGEST) ** U S A. KAHN VS. IBOC --- YEA! Engineer and creator of one of the original AM Stereo systems LEONARD KAHN has filed an objection to the FCC's approval of iBIQUITY's IBOC digital radio system HD RADIO, reports INSIDE RADIO. KAHN's filing argues that the use of iBIQUITY's system can only work in daylight hours on AM, takes up too much bandwidth, and costs too much. The filing proposes a new panel of ex-Commissioners and experts to replace the industry committee that recommended the iBIQUITY system. (http://www2.allaccess.com/ via Brock Whaley for DXLD Jan. 29, 2003) Re comments about Leonard Kahn, DXLD 3-016: Leonard Kahn pioneered AM stereo back in the 1950's with his patented system of independent sideband transmission. The upper sideband was the right channel; the lower sideband was the left channel. It was a compatible system in that a mono receiver tuned to the center frequency would receive equal components of right and left signals. (I remember sending him a letter requesting a job interview in the late 1950's. I never got a reply.) The system was ahead of its time in that today's Costas loop detector can produce a high fidelity rendition of the original stereo signal but Costas had only invented his detector a few years earlier and it took a lot of tubes to implement. Today it could be done easily in one IC. To say Kahn was responsible for the failure of AM stereo seems to me to stretch the facts. But if he was responsible, who could blame him. The FCC chose a different system backed by the big bucks of Motorola. Kahn was a victim of powerful powerful big-money interests -- maybe he wanted revenge. Motorola and the FCC simply incurred "The Wrath of Kahn" which became the inspiration for one of the better Star Trek movies. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ He was wrong on AM stereo, but right on the mark here. IF you want IBOC to have a REMOTE chance of working on the MW band, you take 4000 of the 4800 stations off the air. I wonder if he's had death threats yet on this petition? (Powell E. Way III, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. A LOOK BACK AT THE GOLDEN DAYS OF RADIO From http://www.theday.com BY BILL STANLEY, Day Guest Columnist, 1/26/2003 Once Upon A Time, there was no television, and radio was king. It was a time when The Day was an afternoon newspaper and when, on the radio, Gabriel Heeter and Lowell Thomas would present the news. Radio was big with the people. Everybody listened to radio, and there were teams: Burns and Allen, Amos and Andy, and, of course, Fibber McGee and Molly. These are all names that young people never heard of. In the movies, there were Laurel and Hardy, and Abbott and Costello. From the comic strips, do you remember Dagwood and Blondie, and Maggie and Jiggs? The music world knew teams also: George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, and later, Rodgers and Hammerstein. The mention of all of these teams is just to remind you of what used to be when we were younger, before TV, and when color movies were a big deal. "Gone With the Wind" in color was a major breakthrough. Morning radio also had its teams. On New York's number-one station, WNEW, there was Clavin and Finch, and in Boston, I believe on WEEI, there was Bob and Ray. Locally, I was part of a morning team known as Bill and Jim. The reason for all of this reminiscing is twofold, because a couple of Sundays ago, almost 200 people gathered at the Waterford Library to enjoy a program arranged by Judy Liskov featuring Tom Goulding, the son of Ray Goulding of the famous Bob and Ray radio team. It was an hour and a half of laughter and remembering the golden days of radio. Tom Goulding was beautiful. He is a chiropractor, you know, and lives in Waterford with his wonderful family. Tom brought back the days of Bob and Ray with tape recordings of some of the more hilarious skits. There was the flavor of his father when Tom opened the program and said, "Talking about my dad, let's start at the beginning. He was born at home, because he wanted to be near his mother." Bob and Ray were American classics - legends, if you will. They made fun of all of us and themselves, and they were completely spontaneous. There was Wally Ballou, the newsman played by Ray Goulding. To change his voice, he simply held a drinking glass to his mouth, and they would conduct the broadcast. I remember one so clearly. "This is Wally Ballou broadcasting from Times Square. Let me talk to one of the tourists," and at that point you could hear sirens in the background. He would say, "What is your name, and where are you from?" In the background, you could hear a voice saying "Get the fire trucks over here, and get the ladders up." The man would say. "I'm George Smith from Erie, Pennsylvania, just visiting New York." Then you would hear pistol shots in the background, police sirens and the crowd screaming. Wally Ballou would say, "How do you like New York?" Before the interview was done, half of New York was on fire with all kinds of rescue vehicles, and Wally Ballou returned to the station saying, "Just another quiet day on Times Square." Nobody could do it as well as Bob and Ray. They also played a big part in my life. My brother Jim and I were on morning radio. Jimmy was a genius with comedy, and I was his straight man. Jim could find humor in everything, but he, like Bob and Ray, was completely spontaneous. Tom Goulding, that Sunday afternoon in Waterford, mentioned how his father always had what looked like a script in his hands. One day, after a broadcast, a member of the studio audience noted they left the script behind, and he thought it would be a great souvenir. So, he went up to retrieve it and found that Bob and Ray had nothing but blank paper in their hands. Everything they did was spontaneous. Well, it was 1955, and a fellow named Jack Sullivan, sales manager at WNEW, called us saying that he had heard us on the radio as he was driving back to New York from Boston. He liked our show and asked if we would come down and audition at WNEW. The hottest radio show in New York was Clavin and Finch, but apparently, while they were funny on the radio, WNEW was afraid the team was about to break up. If that happened, they had to be ready, and so, for nine weeks, my brother Jim and I worked with a wonderful producer named Bobby Hodges, who trained us to take the place of Clavin and Finch, should they break up - which they did. Clavin decided to go to the networks. Finch stayed at WNEW - or was it the other way around? Jim and I were disappointed, because it was a lost opportunity. A few weeks later, we got a call from Allen Ludden, who was then program director for CBS Radio. Bob and Ray were killing CBS coast to coast on Mutual Broadcasting, and Allen Ludden said, "WNEW said you fellows might compete with Bob and Ray," and so we auditioned. It was before the days of big television, and Allen Ludden told us, "We need you. We have heard your show and love it, but you have to work with a script." Jim's comedy, like Bob and Ray's, was spontaneous. A script would kill the spontaneity. Jim was right, but CBS was boss. We didn't know it at the time, but my brother, Jim, had dyslexia. He couldn't read, and in a show of independence he said, "Take me as I am or leave me be." Married with three children, I couldn't afford that independence. Although CBS wanted us, and it was the greatest opportunity of our lives, they said they couldn't do business with us without a script. My brother and I split up. Jim went to New York where he managed the Tower of Light at the World's Fair, and I continued for five more years to wake up eastern Connecticut as a solitary morning man. Jim died young, but he was the most wonderful brother and an incredible radio personality. He was as good as Bob and Ray, but it was only after his death that we learned of his disability. Today, I have the same problem with dyslexia, but I have memories of those wonderful days in radio when the audience was big, when teams were funny, and when everybody listened to radio. (Bill Stanley's book, "Once Upon A Time," is available at the Lawrence & Memorial and Backus Hospital gift shops, Suburban Card & Gifts, Magazines & More, Johnson's Flowers & Gifts Shop in Norwich, Dime Savings Bank, or by mail by calling 1-800-950-0331. You can reach Bill Stanley by e-mail at gatewayair@aol.com ) (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. Sign the anti-voicetracking petition if you oppose voicetracking. It will eventually be forwarded to Congress, the FCC, and major media companies. Sorry, you have to include your email address. Spread the word. http://antivoicetracking.tripod.com/ (Adam Rivers, Chicopee, MA, Jan 25 NRC-AM via DXLD) The FCC has on countless occasions refused to intervene in issues related to how programming is produced, no doubt deeming it a Constitutional issue which would be tossed out in a hurry. Voicetracking is a term that came up in the 90's but which represents something that has been done since the later 50's... the partial or total automation of broadcast programming via the use of transcribed announcing and production. This is not new, and it is probably no more prevalent than it was in the 60's, 70', 80's or 90's. It's simply a way, just like national syndication of shows like Limbaugh, Dr. Laura and Imus, to cover airtime with better quality talent and programming at the best possible cost. In the 70's, every market had one or more leading stations doing beautiful music from Shulke, Bonneville, Kala, Churchill, TM, FM 100, RPM, IGM, Peters and others that usually ran "voice tracked" 24/7 except in the largest of markets (the syndicators usually provided both music and voice track tapes). These and other syndicators like Drake Chenault often offered as many as 6 or 7 other formats, all run 100% voiced tracked and automated in most places. In the 80's, we got satellite delivered formats that often replaced tape-delivered ones. Now, we do the same thing using a WAN or the Web. I collect old Broadcasting Magazines (if anyone has pre-70's issues, I buy them!) and the 60's issues always have ads for automation equipment that permitted stations to use technology to produce better programming. Translation: Voicetracking. You truly think the FCC or Congress will care about something that has been done successfully for 40 years? I don't (David Gleason, ibid.) This is very true. The FCC is going to look at the petition and toss it aside. Instead of wasting time on something that is being done on thousands of radio stations and isn`t illegal as some would like to state, let`s spend our boredom trying to draw up a petition to stop IBOC dead in its tracks. At least that would be doing something useful (Bob Carter, Operations/Engineering--Max Media Radio Group, ibid.) The first voice tracked station I ever heard was WZEE (Z-104) in Madison WI in the 70s. Of course voice tracking was just called automation in those days. It immediately became my favorite station. It carried the great Drake Chenault light rock format of the period and I thought it was perfect radio with very little talk and more of the music that I liked. Of course I had never heard of voice tracking and I didn't know it was voice tracked until I visited the station and was given a tour. I was in absolute awe of the technology. I watched the huge room full of automation equipment with multiple rack mounted cart carousels and reels running entirely by itself for hours until they finally got tired of me and tossed me out. The next one I saw was WYBR (the Yellow Brick Road) in my home town, Rockford IL. The station was located in the largest mall in northern IL at the time. The mall actually put a yellow brick road in the floor that you could follow to a window that allowed you to view the automation equipment in operation. The station is long gone but the yellow brick road is still there. Of course today all you see is a desktop computer running the show. Not nearly as impressive. But I still have to admire the technology. Although voice tracking killed a lot of announcer jobs, it also helped to keep a lot of stations on the air that wouldn't have been able to make it with a larger payroll when budgets got tighter. I think it has its place when implemented properly (Patrick Griffith, CBT, Westminster, CO, USA, ibid.) I'd better not, I might lose my minimum wage job with no benefits, voice tracking 20 stations.... ]:) (Powell E. Way, NRC-AM via DXLD) I am ambivalent when it comes to voicetracking. I've heard it done right, to the credit of a very few stations, and I've heard it abused more often than not. It was good old voicetracking that knocked me out of a job years ago, and none of the talking screen reader manufacturers have a clue how to make the stuff work with today's radio automations systems. I think, if done right and with some full service in the mix, voicetracking is tolerable. But the way it's done today, with folks from the big companies voicetracking for stations all over the US, well, that's just not right. These people can't care and don't care about individual markets. will the FCC do anything? No, they haven't cared about broadcasting for years. sometimes, even if something is done right, that doesn't make it the right thing to do. 73, (Jim Wiskow, ibid.) When I worked for KPEN (now K-101) in SF in 1961, I played one of the co-owner's voice tracks on Saturday night (Gary Gielow's, not Jim Gabbert's). No computerized timing devices; he checked the cut timings pretty closely and there never was a problem (breaks were every ten minutes). Later on at KFOG, I cut my own for playback on Sunday mornings (so I could get a day off). The guy at the station who was on duty, Tom Edwards, was a radio nut and took great pride in not screwing up. Breaks were more or less after every three cuts; I programmed the music 24/7 as well. At the TOH/BOH breaks, I would add a short selection so if there were insufficient ads, it would get played. At the start of these breaks, I would refer to it first, but in such a way that this reference could be eliminated if there wasn't time for the cut. I would do the same sort of thing with phrases like "It's a foggy day in San Francisco" (or a "sunny day") at the other breaks; Tom would roll it only if it were applicable. The only time we weren't live was on Sunday mornings (me) and evenings when we ran CE Ernie McDaniel's "play the stereo ping-pong demo records" show and our public service programs. When KFOG and WJIB started Schulke/SRP programming in the early 70s, we always had people on duty and did live breaks. However, the 104.5 facility in SF which we bought in 1962 - it was originally KBAY - was automated. KABL 960 was also automated. Their blatant cue tones contributed mightily to our success. I don't think many of the Schulke stations were automated (wasn't the phrase "live assist?") (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, ibid.) Pete, I think you've hit it the trouble with the current age of voice tracking --- there's nothing live about it anymore. The program's recorded in advance and played by a computer. No human's looking out the window to check the weather --- and that's where I gently move the dial a station where someone's very obviously home. When I can find one (Gerry Bishop, Noicetodayville, FL, ibid.) The Shulke stations were automated outside of the larger markets. I know they let Miami so tracking for most of the day, although Jim insisted on live drives. Pittsburgh was probably the smallest all-live market, and that was top 20. The legendary KRFM in Phoenix was live for some years, then started to go to tracking. Eventually, the owners and Shulke parted company and KRFM did Churchill, successfully, against Bonnevile on Kmeo. I remember a story of "Wish" in Pittsburgh. The AM CHR gang at 13-Q was pretty rowdy, and they spliced an Iron Butterfly cut into one of the Shulke reels and changed the printed cue list the announce had so he could backsell... the guy must have been reading the paper or in the can, but the cut played, and he backsold it. "All day, all night, all nice. Wish! We heard Moon River from Mantovani, Innagaddadavida from Iron Butterfly, The Last Farewell from Roger Whittaker and the Percy Faith Orchestra concluded with "Moonglow." Or something like that (David Gleason, ibid.) ** U S A. YOUR DREAM OF OWNING A RADIO STATION CAN COME TRUE, IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT http://www.14wfie.com/global/story.asp?s=1098704&ClientType=Printable It's a tiny building with big talk inside. WGAB broadcasts to 22 tri-state counties. "We are talk radio. We carry Bill O'Reily, Sean Hannity and Michael savage," WGAB General Manager Jeff Davis says. 27 year old Jeff Davis is the station's general manager. "I remember growing up, playing radio station in my room," Davis says. Davis's father started Newburgh Broadcasting up which owns WGAB. "We started in 1984 doing adult standard, doing Frank Sinatra, that type of music," Davis says. The station has had various formats through the years. "Adult standards, sports talk, oldies and religion," Davis says. For the past year the station has been all talk all the time. Now another change for the family business. "If someone pays the right price for it, we'll pick up and leave," says Davis. Davis put WGAB up for sell on Ebay, an on line auction. The bidding started at $50 thousand, so far it's up to $100, 800. You can buy it now and end the auction for $2 million. Davis says they aren't selling because of money problems but admits it is hard competing with other stations. "We are doing all right. We'd like to do more with advertising. That can get your payments reduced," Davis says. Davis has five employees at WGAB. From college students to retired school teachers like Joe Winchell. Winchell has worked at WGAB for about a year and a half. "I was hired in and basically knew nothing about it. I enjoy it, it's 20 hours a week of quiet and peace, not like having 20 children," Winchell says. Winchell says he won't lose any sleep over a possible change in his part time job. "It's not like missing a meal or anything. I wonder what I'll do if this doesn't exist," Winchell says. If Davis doesn't get the price he wants for WGAB he says they'll keep on with the big talk. If he does, he has a plan. "Write me a check for $2 million and I'll be in the Caymans," says Davis. The Ebay auction ends February 12th. (Daytimer on 1180. 675 watts non-DA. No PSA, PSSA. via Brock Whaley for DXLD) No one ever gets around to mentioning explicitly *where* WGAB is, a datum that might be of interest to buyers. There must be hundreds of `tri-state areas` in the US. MSD 2000 says this is in Newburgh, IN (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO TOWERS WOULD SPOIL SNOHOMISH RIVER VALLEY David Matthews, Guest Editorial KRKO radio wants to increase its broadcast signal to reach a wider area with more clarity. In order to do so, it proposes erecting four broadcasting towers to increase its power from 5,000 watts to 50,000 watts. We at Citizens to Preserve the Upper Snohomish River Valley (CPUSRV) have no objection to KRKO's desire to expand its coverage. However, we do strongly oppose its plans to construct these antennas in the upper Snohomish River Valley, located next to Deb's U-Cut Trees and across Short School Road from Craven Farm. This valley is rural and unspoiled. In fact, Snohomish County has invested approximately $3 million to create Bob Heirman Wildlife Park here. Many species of wildlife currently occupy the area -- particularly birds including eagles, raptors, herons, migrating passerines, thousands of ducks and hundreds of trumpeter swans. Anticipated impacts as a result of the antennas are a part of the testimony previously offered in the hearing. The loss of these birds, whether due to direct impact or the change in migration patterns that result from their attempts to avoid the tower area, will be greatly detrimental to the quality of life here as well as to Bob Heirman Wildlife Park. Bicycling, skydiving, hot-air ballooning, fishing, boating and hiking are a few examples of the recreational activities visitors can enjoy in the valley. Additionally, each autumn, busloads of school children and carloads of families travel to the valley to find their Halloween pumpkins or to select their annual Christmas tree. These visitors not only enjoy the valley's natural beauty but also help our local economy with the dollars they spend. The current proposal will have a negative impact on all of these interests and activities. Today's farmers have had to change and adapt in order to preserve their way of life. Direct farm markets have sprung up all over the valley, allowing them to sell directly to the public. Tourists visit the farms because they love the open space, the beautiful views and the crops growing in the fields. All of these help market the farms and their produce. The proposed antenna towers will have a negative impact on local agriculture. The scenic view will be gone; further, the radio frequency interference will disrupt the farms' electronic equipment. These proposed towers do not protect agriculture. Instead, they will aid the destruction of what residents in this county love: the unspoiled open spaces and beauty that the farms provide. Contrary to recent claims, the proposed site is not the only feasible site. Formal testimony during the hearing examiner's review included the documentation by CPUSRV's expert witness (who is, incidentally, a former radio engineer for KRKO) of a suitable area located 1,000 feet north of the current 5,000-watt KRKO antennas! This site is in the preferred wet ground area and is already near similar structures, i.e. other antennas and power lines. Additionally, it was stated that broadcast coverage would be equal to or better than the site currently proposed in the upper Snohomish River Valley. The Snohomish County Council has an obligation under county code to protect the environment and quality of life that the citizens of Snohomish County have come to expect. Specific to the antenna site, this includes the open spaces uncluttered by industrial installations, the territorial views of the Cascades, preservation of parks and indigenous wildlife, and opportunities for eco-tourism to thrive. Does anyone really think that this issue is only about the four or eight antennas currently proposed, when the FCC encourages co-location of any future antennas in the area and this precedent could make them a certainty? Does a forest of industrial steel red and white towers with flashing lights seem compatible with the pastoral setting of this area? Of course not! As initially stated, CPUSRV does not object to KRKO's desire to increase its broadcast power. We oppose the proposed towers, not simply because they can be seen, but because of the cumulative impacts on farming, wildlife, the economy, radio frequency pollution, recreation, real estate values, the aesthetic impacts for the entire area and the direct impact on the survival and maintenance of the valley itself. We believe the hearing examiners' decisions should stand with the full support of a council that recognizes its responsibility to preserve the quality of life for us all, now and in the future. David Matthews is secretary of Citizens to Preserve the Upper Snohomish River Valley. (Everett WA Daily Herald via Artie Bigley, DXLD) KRKO TOWERS --- COMMERCIAL NEEDS WOULD RUIN VALLEY We are against radio station KRKO's proposal to erect several towers in the upper Snohomish River Valley for the following reasons: We are concerned that the radio frequency pollution will affect our computer and other electronic equipment and possibly our health. Radio engineer George Frese says the radio pollution will cause such equipment to malfunction, and we use our computer daily for business purposes. We are also concerned about the effects of 50,000 watts of radio- frequency power on the health of our children and grandchildren, who live in our neighborhood. We are concerned that the radio towers with blinking lights will negatively impact birds that use the valley as a migratory path. Such wildlife includes a large number of trumpeter swans, tundra swans, ducks, geese, hawks, and eagles that find refuge in the nearby Bob Heirman Wildlife Park. We are concerned that such towers will violate the current agricultural zoning of the Snohomish Valley. Once an exception is granted, other applications are sure to follow. Let's not allow commercial interests to ruin this beautiful valley (JOHN AND AGNES LAWLESS, Snohomish, letter to the Everett WA Daily Herald via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Look for ABC legend PAUL HARVEY to visit CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" TONIGHT (1/30) at 9p ET (Brock Whaley, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have been watching while finishing up this issue. Repeats at 0500 and 0800 UT Friday Jan 31 (gh, DXLD) ** VANUATU. VISIT TO RADIO VANUATU by DSWCI member 0480 George Brown, Scotland At the end of November 2001 I visited the headquarters of Radio Vanuatu while on holiday in Port Vila. Vanuatu is a "Y" shaped chain of 83 islands running north and south in the Coral Sea 2,500 kilometres north-east of Sydney (Australia), 2,000 kilometres north of Auckland (New Zealand) and 800 kilometres west of Nadi (Fiji). Port Vila is located on the south-west corner of the island of Efate which is roughly at the join of the legs of the "Y". Entrance to broadcasting HQ. [caption] The headquarters on the west side of Port Vila contained administration offices, radio and television studios and facilities tor producing programmes. The station is on the air from 1900 hours until 1115 hours UT Monday to Saturday and from 1900 until 1000 on Sunday. Vanuatu is 11 hours ahead of UT. Most of the programmes are in the national language of Bislama, which sounds like English since 85% of the vocabulary is English based. There is a daily relay of Radio Australia News and Pacific Beat at 2000 and BBC World Service news at 2200 except Sunday. A daily relay of news in French from RFI is broadcast at 2100. In addition, there are broadcasts of programmes produced by Radio Australia, the BBC and VOA in English and RFI in French at various times. Willie at the studio contra! Desk [caption] The transmitter site is on Emten Lagoon about 5 kilometres south east of Port Vila. The site houses a transmitter building containing two short wave and one medium wave transmitter and their associated antennas. The programmes are broadcast on shortwave from a 10 kW two channel Energy Onix Broadcast Transmitter Model HF-10K-2 tuned to 4960 and 7260 kilohertz. The signal is fed via coaxial cable to dipole antennas directed north and south to the islands in the group. 7260 kilohertz is used from 1900 until 0600 hours UT, switching to 4960 at 0600 hours until the end of the transmission. If one of the channels develops a fault, as happened on 7260 kilohertz while I was there, the other frequency acts as the standby. There is a standby transmitter tuned to 3945 kilohertz, but this is currently out of service because of shortage of spare parts to make it operational, and the date for its return to service is unknown. Willie repairing SW transmitter at Ernten lagoon site [caption] The station will answer correct reception reports with their QSL Card. The organisation had not returned to normal operation last November after the journalists strike in the earlier part of 2001 and same of the locally produced scheduled programmes were not on the air. Consequently, I recommend that you address your reception report to the Radio Technician, Willie Daniel. Willie is familiar with the verification of reports, although he was unable to locate the stock of cards while I was there. However, he is fully occupied keeping the studio and transmitting equipment operational as well as presenting the occasional programme, so don't expect a prompt reply. The station appreciates the inclusion of a self-addressed envelope and return postage costs. If you can obtain postage stamps, the cost of a 20 gram letter by air to Europe is 135 Vatus; the current exchange rate is approximately 200 Vatus to One Pound Sterling (Dec DSWCI SW News via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Ya que las direcciones electrónicas de Radio Nacional de Venezuela no responden, nunca es tarde recordar su dirección postal: Apartado 3979, Caracas 1010, VENEZUELA. Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WALES. MP PLANS TALKS OVER RE-OPENING RADIO STATION WREXHAM MP Ian Lucas is to meet BBC bosses next week to press them about re-opening a local radio station in North East Wales. He will raise his concerns with Mannon Williams, BBC Wales director of public affairs, in Cardiff on February 4. The MP told a House of Commons debate last week he has received more letters about the issue than the possibility of war in Iraq. Culture Minister Kim Howells, responding for the Government, said he would do everything he could to persuade the BBC to start broadcasting in the region. Radio Clwyd was taken off the airwaves in the mid-90s, but Labour MP Mr Lucas argues there is demand from listeners wanting to keep abreast of news in North East Wales. "I had a very strong response when I first raised the matter and a large number of people signed a petition that was sent to the BBC. The feeling among a lot of people is that Radio Wales is not relevant to the North East." Thanks to Mike Terry for the above from Jan 28 2003 Daily Post via uk- radio-listeners@yahoogroups.com (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. ZBC WORKERS DOWN TOOLS Last Updated: Wednesday, 29 January 2003 Herald Reporter ZIMBABWE Broadcasting Corporation workers downed their tools yesterday demanding a 150 percent salary increment. However, the strike did not affect broadcasting at the stations as all radio channels --- 3FM, Radio Zimbabwe, FM Zimbabwe and Spot FM and the television channel were working normally. ZBC chief executive Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the workers took management by surprise since they had not communicated their decision to strike. "This strike is unfortunate and surprising," said Mr Hwengwere. "As I speak, we have not received any communication from the workers and we do not know who is in charge. "As far as we know, the workers just came in the morning, disembarked from the company buses at the gate and decided to sit there." Workers at the broadcasting station`s studios in Bulawayo and Gweru did not join the strike. The strike came just as the corporation was planning to go on the market next week to raise about $1.7 billion for recapitalisation purposes and other financial obligations. It was expected that part of the money would be used to buy equipment and meet other operational needs. The corporation`s restructuring, which saw it scaling down its workforce by almost 50 percent to 400 employees last year, enabled the public broadcaster to streamline and maintain thresholds between revenue generation and expenditure. "We know that after the retrenchment, workers thought salaries were going to be reviewed," said Mr Hwengwere. But you retrench because you cannot pay." He said the corporation was functioning with a few workers who did not heed the call to strike and personnel from management. "ZBC has resolved to declare this strike illegal," said Mr Hwengwere. "We have no notice from the workers and even if you want to strike, you have to first reach a deadlock, but there was no deadlock reached." He said the strike was surprising because the workers were awarded a 20 percent salary increment in December 2002 which was back dated to July that year and a further 10 percent this month. Negotiations for increments for this year were expected to start at a date that was to be agreed upon between management and the workers. Some workers at ZBC, Mr Hwengwere said, were still living with the mistaken belief that ZBC was receiving grants from the Government. ZBC corporate secretary Ms Jennifer Tanyanyiwa said management remained committed to dialogue with the workers. "We would like to ensure our valued listeners, viewers and customers that the strike will not affect our programming," she said in a statement. "We will continue to flight programmes as scheduled." (via Ulis Fleming and http://allafrica.com/stories/200301290380.html via Scott Morgan, DXLD) What tools? Microphones? see also USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTARY ++++++++++ THIS SIDE OF THE DIAL WHY ARE THERE NO SHORTWAVE LISTENING COLUMNS IN HAM RADIO MAGAZINES? I have a beef with the amateur radio leadership. Before I begin let me point out that I know very well there is a difference between shortwave listening and amateur radio. I guess I am lucky, or crazy, but I enjoy both very much. I know there are many very serious SWL DXers that have zero interest in ever becoming a radio amateur as much as their counterparts in the ham radio world do with SWLing. There is nothing wrong with this. Both sharing the HF radio spectrum, buying radios in many cases made by the same manufactures, studying propagation, international goodwill and the plain wholesome love of radio. Two similar hobbies but completely different. What really bugs me is how the amateur radio leadership and publications seem to be totally ignorant of the fact that there exist shortwave listeners or for that matter a shortwave listening hobby. Perhaps they are just plain ignoring the shortwave hobby? Who knows? Pick up most any amateur radio magazine and there is zero coverage about shortwave or MW listening or DXing. Why is this? It's a shame because unlike 20 years ago, just about all transceivers made these days have a good general coverage receiver incorporated in the radio. I know the focus of these magazines is amateur radio but certainly out of all those fabulous glossy pages they could dedicate a page to shortwave listening. If the object is to keep radio amateur's interested in radio and selling subscriptions, wouldn't having a page dedicated to SWLing say in QST make sense? SWLing would offer another alternative when the amateur radio bands are not propagating well. Heaven forbid if they should enjoy shortwave listening and become informed about global events. And maybe, just maybe sell a few more magazines? Let's turn this around. Pick up just about any of the large SWL/Monitoring magazines and you will find a column dedicated to amateur radio each and every month. Maybe they have figured out that SWLs are pretty well rounded folks and not afraid of learning about amateur radio. Up until the mid-70s, many radio amateurs started their radio experience as a shortwave listener. There are a thousand and one stories how the SWL back then made the next step to amateur radio. Maybe it was stumbling across a radio amateur's QSO, or reading about amateur radio in a shortwave newsletter or perhaps meeting the ham neighbor down the street? SWLs were considered good amateur radio prospects. Then something changed. The CB craze hit sometime in the mid-70s. Many of these CBers, the ones who could read and write, became radio amateurs. Somewhere in this mess in the last 25 years, the SWL was down graded to a "ham wannabe" or just forgotten all together. Too bad the amateur radio leadership has forgotten their roots. Shortwave listening can be a lot of fun and informative. But most of all keep you "radio active" In a few months I will celebrate 25 years of being a ham. In those 25 years I have "shifted gears" more than a few times and pursued different interests in the radio hobby in both shortwave listening and amateur radio. When I was a kid I was just plain DX and QSL happy. The more wallpaper I could collect and the hardest to hear then the better. I couldn't get enough of it. Later on while away at college, since I could not get on the air very often, I always had on my desk in my dorm room a shortwave radio (Uniden CR-2021). College girls aren't too impressed with a shortwave radio in a dorm but it did help me to stay in formed on what was going on in amateur radio and the world around me. I read faithfully each month all the radio magazines I could get my hands on. I wasn't very radio active "on the air" but I knew what was going on. After graduation until the present moment, I have "shifted gears" more than ever and explored different aspects of amateur radio. Life's priorities change, marriage, income, location, etc but in the past 25 years I think I can thank SWLing for keeping my radio love affair going (Ulis Fleming, http://www.radiointel.com December 11, 2002 via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATION +++++++++++++++++++++++ POWERLINE -- : SWISS FIRM ASCOM: RETREAT FROM POWERLINE COMMUNICATION (PLC) ASCOM put out of work 500 people, half of them in Switzerland. Mostly afflicted are 50 people in the PLC department, only 10 will remain their. This means more or less a RETREAT from this technique (Neuen Zuercher Zeitung newspaper, 29.01.03; via Anders Brandborg-SUI, A-DX Jan 29 via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) [A-DX] Ascom: Rückzug aus Powerline Communication (PLC) Ascom in der Schweiz baut 500 Stellen ab, die Hälfte in der Schweiz, wo z.Z. 2500 beschäftigt sind. Besonders betroffen ist PLC, wo 50 Stellen gestrichen werden und weniger als 10 Mitarbeiter bleiben, die mehr oder weniger einen Rückzug aus dieser Technik begleiten sollen. Die Technik wird nicht weiterentwickelt, und für Vertrieb, Industrialisierung und Produktion sucht man einen Lizenznehmer. (Auszug aus der Neuen Zürcher Zeitung 29.01.03) (via Anders Brandborg- SUI, A-DX Jan 29 via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) Strange how PLC`s fortunes in Europe and North America seem to be running 180 degrees out of phase, if you will pardon the expression (gh, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 29 JANUARY - 24 FEBRUARY Solar activity is expected to be mostly low with occasional moderate levels during the period. The active regions that produced the M-class flares during this past week are all in decay. Further M-class activity from these regions is unlikely. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels on 01 - 02 February and again on 16 - 22 February due to recurring coronal holes. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to isolated major storm levels during the period. Isolated active conditions are possible on 30 - 31 January due to a small recurring coronal hole. Minor storming with isolated major storm conditions are possible on 15 -22 February due to a returning equatorial coronal hole. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jan 28 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Jan 28 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jan 29 130 8 3 2003 Jan 30 135 12 3 2003 Jan 31 140 12 3 2003 Feb 01 145 8 3 2003 Feb 02 150 8 3 2003 Feb 03 155 8 3 2003 Feb 04 160 10 3 2003 Feb 05 165 10 3 2003 Feb 06 170 10 3 2003 Feb 07 170 12 3 2003 Feb 08 165 10 3 2003 Feb 09 160 8 3 2003 Feb 10 155 8 3 2003 Feb 11 145 10 3 2003 Feb 12 135 10 3 2003 Feb 13 130 10 3 2003 Feb 14 125 10 3 2003 Feb 15 120 12 3 2003 Feb 16 125 15 3 2003 Feb 17 125 15 3 2003 Feb 18 120 15 3 2003 Feb 19 125 20 4 2003 Feb 20 120 20 4 2003 Feb 21 120 15 3 2003 Feb 22 115 15 3 2003 Feb 23 120 12 3 2003 Feb 24 120 10 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio Jan 28, WORLD OF RADIO 1167, DXLD) And now amigos as always at the end of the show, here is DXers Unlimited's Propagation Update and Forecast... Expect solar activity to start moving up again soon, with the next peak to happen between February 6 and 8, winter conditions continue to provide nice propagation on the AM broadcast band, and the 160 and 80 meters amateur bands, only affected by slight geomagnetic disturbances, solar flux should be in the region around 130 units, still nice enough for those 10 meter band openings to happen... (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Jan 28 via Bob Chandler, ODXA via DXLD) ###