DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-026, February 16, 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/dxldtd3b.html [note change] HTML version of all January issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3a.html 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 1169: WBCQ: Mon 0545 7415 RFPI: [maybe] Mon 0630, 1230, Tue 1900 Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 15039 and/or 7445 WJIE: M-F 1300 7490... WWCR: Wed 1030 9475 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1169.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1169.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1169h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1169h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1168.html WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO via WRN to Europe now on webcast: 0530 UT Sun via NR, Denmark. See http://www.nyhedsradioen24-7.dk/ for three Windows Media streams including a 96k feed http://www.nordicwebradio.com/asx/nyhedsradioen3.asx NETS TO YOU! is back!! John Norfolk has a new computer and has decided to resume compilation of his extensively researched listings of amateur radio nets, and in an improved format, exclusively for WORLD OF RADIO. *Soon* to be uploaded at http://www.worldofradio.com/nets2you.html ** ABKHAZIA. Note: items about this station have also been filed under GEORGIA (gh) v9494.75 Republic of Abkhazia Radio Sukhumi (Suxum) (ex-9489.74) Hi, a nice challenge to check your receiving equipment on 31 mb is listen to thiny five kilowatt station of Republic of Abkhazia Radio Sukhumi (Suxum) in Georgia/Abkhazia. Rumen Pankov in Bulgaria noted on Feb 10, that Republic of Abkhazia Radio Sukhumi (Suxum), usually for a decade on v9489, switched over to 9495 kHz, to avoid co-channel interference of powerful RTB T-systems Juelich and Radio Sweden in B-02 season, or even the Armavir- Krasnodar, Russia outlet on 9490. The frequency is always variable. Today Feb 15 noted the Russian language program on v9494.75 kHz between 0530 till fade-out at around 0715 UT in SW Germany. Approx. schedule is 0400-0915(winter, 0300-0815 summer), 1500(Sat 1300)-1800 UT. But also at noon listed 1130-1300 UT. Program languages are Russian, as well as in Abkhazian. Agygei Radio coming from Krasnodar, Russia also noted Saturdays at 1310-1400 UT. See also details in various WRTH issues. Interference on the neighbouring channels pressured by: 9490 0400-0600(-0700 Sat) RTB T-systems Juelich, 0600-0800 and 1100- 1130 R Schweden. And 9500 0400-0630 Radio Bulgaria in Ru, Bulg, Ru. 1130 Greek, 1200 Alb, 1230 Serb. Often the program GTRK (State TV and Radio Comp) "KUBAN", Radio Rossii/Sochinskaya GTRK/GTRK Kuban from Krasnodar in Russia is relayed, feed/picked up via FM tx Sochi 71.93 MHz, which receives the regional program simultaneously by micro wave network. This has a \\ outlet via the powerful MW station Tbilisskaya in Russia on MW 1089 kHz (Wolfgang Bueschel, Feb 15, and updates by Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, BC-DX Jan 23 via DXLD) ** ALASKA. Friendly letter from KIAM Nenena AK 630, v/s Chris Harper, PD. One interesting bit of info is that they are working on getting another station on the air in the Big Lake /Houston area, KAGV 1110 with presumably 10 kW. It seems that FCC has OK'ed a CP and that the town of Houston has OK'ed the placing of the tx antenna. No indications as to when they plan to get it on the air (Bjarne Mjelde, Berlevag, Arctic Norway, hard-core-dx via DXLD) KIAM's parent organization has a KAGV page on its website http://www.vfcm.org/kagv.htm As of November, they had bought the land, transmitter, and part of the tower. The page has an itemized list of items they still need to get on the air (about $150,000 worth). Initially there would be just be a transmitter and satellite downlink, with local studio to come later. Elsewhere, the website says they hope to have the transmitter site built this summer (Bruce Portzer, WA, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Hi Glenn, Regarding the AUSTRIA entry in that DXLD 3-025, a pointer to the web site where the initiative is documented and where also the results will be displayed, should help: http://www.radio-portal.org (Dr. Anton J. Kuchelmeister, Munich, Germany, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. 7235, Belarussian Radio, 31 Jan, 0510, SINPO 32432. Heavily squeezed between R. Japan (7230) and a powerhouse World Service of the Voice of Russia (7240). Tried in the next days, but Belarussian signal was even weaker. Some people presume it's a new frequency of Kanal Kultura. I didn't hear any ID. The man in studio, after reading news and giving a batch of advertisements, said "Reklama na belaruskam radio" and announced several 7-digit phone numbers (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal Feb 15 via DXLD) If you heard advertisement on their waves, then it was BR-1. Kanal Kultura does not include any ads at all (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus`, ibid.) ** BIAFRA [non]. 12125, CLANDESTINE, Voice of Biafra International, 1939-2000* Feb 15, man with English talk about Nigerian government, frequent IDs mentioning 12,125 kHz. Closedown at 1957 mentioning change in frequency beginning next week, Feb 22, to 7,380 kHz at 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM Nigerian time. Poor to fair under somewhat noisy conditions (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) So timechange too, 2100-2200 UT on 7380. 2/22 is Sat (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Saludos colegas diexistas. La dirección que informa el colega Dario, es muy buena para escuchar a Radio Fides y sus noticias. Pude bajar algunos archivos de hasta una hora de duración y en los mismos hay: noticias, jingles, promociones, identificaciones y sobre todo información de lo que está sucediendo en Bolivia. En la siguiente dirección hay todo lo mencionado. http://www.fidesbolivia.com/fidesvirtual/reporteros.asp# (José Elías, Venezuela, Feb 13, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Radio Fides puede escucharse en los 31 metros, por los 9624.83v hasta bien entrada la mañana local (argentina). Hoy, estuve escuchando la estación con muy buena señal, con titulares de prensa boliviana y una extensa e interesante entrevista a Evo Morales. Es importante soslayar que no es habitual encontrar a R. Fides en esta frecuencia (Arnaldo Slaen, Feb 15, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. RADIO ILLIMANI EN INTERNET Con alguna dificultad, ya que el enlace se rompe cada 3 o 4 minutos, vengo escuchando en directo, la programación de la Red Illimani --- la voz de Bolivia – cuyas frecuencias son 94.1 y 1020 (no se anuncia la onda corta, quizás porque no está al aire a esta hora del día, o de pronto porque no funciona). En todo caso, entre las 19 y 20 horas GMT he escuchado un programa con despachos en directo enviados por varios reporteros móviles que se encuentran en distintos sitios de la capital, pero también hay reportajes directos desde lugares tan remotos como Cochabamba, Potosí y Tarija. En la capital se habla del miedo e indefensión que sienten los pobladores ante la arremetida de los vándalos, antisociales o delincuentes, muchos de ellos muy jóvenes, que asaltan a la gente, atracan a los comerciantes, todo ello con el agravante de que los agentes del orden que ayer sufrieron los embates de la violencia, resultando muertos varios de entre ellos. Han aprovechado de la situación de desorden y caos que reina en la ciudad para reclamar un aumento sustancial de sueldo. Recién en el transcurso de esta emisión se ha podido apreciar como van volviendo gradualmente al patrullaje que antes efectuaban. El programa que también incluye llamadas recibidas al teléfono 2200473 no es quizás tan ágil, pero por la seriedad y emoción de las quejas que se van haciendo y por la incuestionable inmediatez de los reporteros resulta muy interesante para el oyente. Para enganchar con la programacion de la Red Illimani hay que pegar la dirección que sigue en la franja "Open location" en el Real Player: http://illimani.comunica.gov:8000 La señal se recibe con 32.0 Kbps, pero tal como les digo, no es muy estable y hay que reestablecerla luego de 3 o 4 minutos cuando casi siempre se cae (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Feb 13, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Radio Nacional da Amazônia, Brasília, is back on 6180 kHz (\\ 11780) after some time on alternative 9665. Heard on 13 Feb at 0700 UT. By the way, on 9665 kHz I always heard them announcing 6180, never 9665. But now they announce they are back on 49 mb. The speaker asks everybody who calls in if they listen in the 49 mb. Here in the middle of Europe the signal on 6180 is very weak and the propagation path is slowly closing after 0700, on 11780 it is a bit better (Karel Honzik, Czechia, hard-core-dx Feb 13 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. La Voz de tu Conciencia, earlier noted on 6010.8, but recently unreported. In a letter dated a few days ago, Russel M. Stendal writes, "We have zeroed our frequency, lowered the antenna a bit and eased off a bit on the power. It looks like the problem with Radio Mil is solved but the strong signal from Sackville does affect us as well." (Henrik Klemetz, to DX LISTENING DIGEST, Feb 15) Well, I still hear an unusable mix of Mil and Conciencia (when Sackville isn`t in the way); they still haven`t really zero-beat, as if that would help much, as someone measured the HJ slightly below 6010 now. If the major broadcasters can`t be kept off 6010, the little stations ought to press for more drastic measures, like finding clear out-of-band frequencies for themselves. Unfortunately, they are both likely stymied by national administrations who do not understand the reality of SW broadcasting, the need for frequency agility and international representation. Mixing `tropical` and `international` SW broadcasting on the 6 MHz band is no less a problem than mixing hams and broadcasters on 7 MHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. After some days of absence the new Colombian short wave station 'Melodía' has been noted back on the air. Heard from tune in 2245 UT on February 15th on 6139.8 kHz with a fine signal. Best 73s (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CUBA. Here are the Cuban domestic radio websites that I am aware of. They might help with IDing Cuban stations. Radio Cadena Habana http://www.cadenahabana.islagrande.cu (plays station IDs on website) Radio Guamá http://www.rguama.co.cu CMKX Radio Bayamo http://www.radiobayamo.islagrande.cu Radio Ciudad de la Habana http://www.radiociudad.islagrande.cu Radio Reloj http://www.radioreloj.cu (steaming audio with Windows Media Player) This network is very easy to identify with the clock pulses in the background while the news is being read. At the top of each minute they have a morse code "RR" and station ID Radio Enciclopedia http://www.radioenciclopedia.cu CMKC Radio Coco http://www.radiococo.cu Radio Metropolitana http://www.metropolitana.islagrande.cu (plays station IDs on website) Radio Progreso http://www.radioprogreso.cu (steaming audio with Windows Media Player) very easily heard in southern Ontario when conditions are slightly auroral on 890 KHz covering up Chicago's WLS. Radio Ciudad del Mar http://www.rcm.cu/ CMHT Radio Sancti Spíritus http://www.radiosanctispiritus.islagrande.cu/ (Plays station IDs as page loads) Some English on this site Radio Rebelde http://www.cuba.cu/RRebelde/ and http://www.radiorebelde.com.cu/ The first site seems to have some problems. On the second site they have streaming audio with Windows Media Player. They also sometimes are on shortwave 5.025 MHz. Radio Victoria http://www.tiempo21.islagrande.cu CMHW http://www.cmhw.islagrande.cu/ (plays station IDs on website) Radio Nuevitas http://www.cadenagramonte.cubaweb.cu/radionuevitas/ (plays station IDs on website... you need Quick Time) Radio Cadena Agramonte http://www.cadenagramonte.cubaweb.cu/ CMKC Radio Revolución http://www.cmkc.co.cu/ Radio Surco http://www.radiosurco.islagrande.cu/ Radio Angúlo http://www.radioangulo.cu (plays station ID as part of Flash display as you open the site) Site has some English as well. Radio Taíno Holguín http://www.891fm.cu/ (plays station ID on website) Radio Taíno http://radiotaino.cubasi.cu/inicio.asp (plays Spanish/English ID if you move your mouse over the "en vivo" button at the top of the page) Radio Trinchera Anti-imperialista http://www.gtmo.cult.cu/emisora/Radio/index.htm (This website is down) CMGW Radio 26 http://www.atenas.inf.cu/servicios/radio26.htm All of the Cuban websites with a ".cu" domain will tend to load very slowly due to old slow webservers and slow connections. Also you will find a lot of errors on pages as website designers are doing the sites with no software manuals. But if you are patient you will find a lot of good information about the various Cuban radio stations. If you speak/read Spanish, even better. 73 (Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, Feb 12, Latin MWDX via DXLD) ** CUBA. Listening whilst I write this to Radio Havana, Cuba which I hear only on 6000 kHz from 0200 to 0345 at about SIO 444 I am rather amused by what appears to be their station ID tune which sounds remarkably like 'I do like to be beside the seaside' :-) Whilst not as strong a signal as it got via Radio Moscow's transmitter in the 'bad' old days, the programme content is far better in my humble opinion (Rog Parsons, (BDXC 782), Hinckley, Leics., BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** EUROPE. There is an awful lot of pirate activity over there, in the 48m band. This was brought home in a by-frequency loggings list in Alternative Airwaves, Feb BDXC-UK Communication, with about 145 entries between 6200 and 6402 kHz dating from Dec and Jan. There was something just about every 1 kHz. No decimals shown --- are we to assume they are all on even .0 kHz frequencies? I would hate to be a legal maritime communicator attempting to use this band! Plus another batch from 7440 to 7495 and a few scattered elsewhere, e.g. Ozone Radio on 5780, coincidentally? now also used by IRRS as in last issue (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Scandinavian Weekend Radio --- SWR is Scandinavia's first private short wave station. Studios and transmitters are located in Virrat, western Finland (N 62 23' E 23 37'). Transmitter power is 50 watts (Maximum ERP power is 250 W). Antenna what SWR uses is half-wave dipole in 20 meters from ground (Dr. Juergen Kubiak, Berlin, GERMANY, Feb WWDXC via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Re 3-025 about DW not commemorating end of service to NAm: So, all North American Listeners who cared to listen to DW in the past and who would like to protest: DO IT! No success guaranteed, though. But if you do not express your voices to Deutsche Welle, they may get convinced that they did something correct (Dr. Anton J. Kuchelmeister, Germany, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A través de un mensaje electrónico, la Sra. Silke Broeker --- del Servicio de Información Técnica de Deutsche Welle --- me informó que las transmisiones de los programas ingleses en ondas cortas para América del Norte y Central, Australia y Nueva Zelandia se terminarán con fecha 30 de Marzo de 2003. Las frecuencias para el programa alemán serán reducidas de modo que en algunas zonas de cobertura no habrá más una emisión de la mañana. Otra novedad es la mudanza al nuevo edificio de la Deutsche Welle en Bonn el 4 de Marzo, pero las direcciones postales (y naturalmente la dirección de e-mail) tendrán validez por un año más. El cambio de la sede de la DW es necesario, dijo la Sra. Silke Broeker, porque nuestro edificio está contaminado con asbesto. Por esto, fue necesario buscar alternativas. El llamado 'Schuermannbau' en Bonn fue planeado para los miembros del gobierno alemán, pero cuando el gobierno mudó a Berlin, el edificio fue modificado para nuestras necesidades. En cuanto a las transmisiones en general, nada va a cambiar, "solamente" mudarán las oficinas y estudios. La mudanza ya se avecina y estamos embalando equipo, archivos y documentos para trasladarnos a Bonn en los primeros días del Marzo. Bonn es unos 30 kilómetros de Colonia, río Rhin arriba, y la nueva sede está situada directamente a la ribera del Rhin en el antiguo distrito administrativo. Muy excitante todo esto!, dijo la Sra. Broeker. Les agradece la difusión y les saluda cordialmente (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, Feb 15, Conexión Digital via DXLD) So DW is finally moving out of its asbestos-ridden building in early March; not only is a lot of English dropped, but German is reduced, no more in the ``mornings``. There has been a lot of German in the mornings here, via Antigua, Sackville (gh summary of above) ** IRAN. 1584.0, 2030-2135 10/2 IRN IRIB, Farsi, songs and talk //1503, 1566 (but was not // until 2030. Local program?) 23332 (Robert Petraitis, Lithuania, Ishim 003 & Sony ICF 7600G, Ydun`s MW page via DXLD) Not to be confused with R. Tikrit, also on 1584: ** IRAQ [and non]. R. Tikrit, 1584: Either from Northern Kurdistan [a mobile US transmitter unit moved there according to recent German newspaper reports, ed.] or the Clandestine Harris 50 kW station at Kuwait, latter is doing on 1566 kHz till 1830 UT as "Twin Rivers Radio". (Wolfgang Bueschel, BCDX Feb 13 via DXLD) Around 2256 UT I was trying 1584 to get R. Tikrit, but much to my astonishment there was the news read by 2 OM and they were typically talking like the official R. Baghdad (idha`at jamhuryat al Iraq) as they were talking about how great was the Iraqi soliders to fight the US and British planes and that they will show them more!!!! Around 2259 an announcement by another OM dear listeners by this we've reached the end of out transmission for tonight all the best, good night! I was hoping to hear the Iraqi National Anthem .. but .. nothing went off the air just like that! So does this mean that now the Official Baghdad radio is trying to have QRM with R. Tikrit? so he moved to this freq? (Tarek Zeidan, Egypt, Feb 7, BC-DX via DXLD ) Broadcast time of real R. Tikrit clandestine operation is 1900-2100 UT only, yet (Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX Feb 13 via DXLD) Well, sounds like the previous BBCM report of `black` programming, but Iraq could well move onto the frequency too (gh) ** IRAQ [non]. US PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS ESCALATE AGAINST IRAQ Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily February 7, 2003 http://www.afsoc.af.mil/panews/psychologicaloperations_escalate.htm (via A. Sennitt, Holland, Feb 7, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) See also USA ** IRAQ [and non]. the Iraqi media has already prepared for possible US-led attacks. It learned some salutary lessons from the experience of 1991, and has put emergency broadcasting facilities in place to ensure that some radio and TV services can continue. The media war, in fact, has been well under way for a number of months. We're working on a dossier covering all aspects - US and other western broadcasts beamed to Iraq, the radio stations of the opposition groups, the psychological warfare transmissions, Internet, and the situation in Kurdistan. This week we're publishing overview of the current media situation inside Iraq itself. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/iraq030214.html (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter Feb 14 via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Aerofielen en andere, Shannon Airport wordt al sinds zo'n 2 maand gebruikt als tussenstop voor militair personeel, mits ongewapent. Dus hou Shannon in de gaten! Groet'n, (Harm Deenen, Wexford, Ierland, Feb 16, BDXC via DXLD) SHANNON VOLMET: 5505 (Ireland). QSL folder, gives my name, frequency, time and illegible signature. 20 days. Personal letter from Harry O'Loughlin, Operations Manager. Among other things, he stated that Shannon txers use J3E mode (single side band + suppressed carrier). Also enclosed was a booklet "Irish Aviation Authority". (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus, Signal via DXLD) Various services of Shannon Radio: Air/Ground Operations: 3016, 5598, 13306, 2899, 5616, 8864, 13291, 2872, 5649, 8879, 11336, 2971, 4657, 8891, 3467, 6622, 8831 VHF 127.9 MHz, 124.175 MHz Search and Rescue: 2182, 3023, 5680 Volmet: 3413, 5505, 8957, 13264 All transmitters are 5 kW, in USB mode with suppressed carrier. Address: The Irish Aviation Authority, Shannon Aeradio, Ballygirreen, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Claire, Ireland Website: http://www.iaa.ie E-mail: qsl@i... [truncated but we can guess?] Tel: +353 61 471199 (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus, info received directly from the station, Signal Feb 15 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. The Israeli (IBA) radio station which broadcasts Classical Music, "Kol Hamusica" ("The Voice of Music") now has a website. Albeit without a webcast, about which they say that they, "hope to be able to provide you with this service. Thus, at the moment, at least, this radio station is only available domestically, in Israel. Most of the scheduling bulletins seems to be in both Hebrew and English. The link is shown on the side of the IBA website http://www.iba.org.il or directly, at: http://kolhamusica.iba.org.il/ (Daniel Rosenzweig, NY, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR [non]. Program originates not from Pakistan I guess. Some guys in NAm heard also familiar pips tones like CIS opening procedure... and 9890 looks like Mr. Titov's dept. I read so far: Program starts at 0230, the carrier was found on already at 0208. There were talks about "hets on 9889 and 9891", so obviously a continuous 1 kHz test tone was aired prior to the program start. This behaviour reminds me on the gone V. of Afghanistan transmissions, suggesting that this is again stuff from London. Regarding the transmitter site, what about Merlin or WRN brokerage in one of the countries BBCM uses to paraphrase as "Central Asia"? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 9, BC-DX via DXLD) Dear friends, Last two days, Saturday & Sunday, Radio Sadayee Kashmir is off the air. No signal received on 9890 kHz from 0230-0330 UT (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Or could have moved; check around (gh, DXLD) Radio Sadayee Kashmir which was reported at first in dx_india on 24 Jan 2003, is now noted on the new frequency of 6135 (ex 9890) at 0230- 0330. At 0230-0310 it is in Urdu and at 0310-0330 in another language [why not Kashmiri?]. It is very strong at my location. Its transmitter location, address etc. is still a mystery Please note that the new frequency is close to AIR's frequency of 6155 which also broadcasts in Urdu to Pakistan at 0015-0430 (Jose Jacob, Hyderabad, India, dx_india Feb 17 via DXLD) Must be what I was hearing awaiting BFBS, q.v. (gh) ** KOREA NORTH. NORTH KOREA CELEBRATES LEADER'S BIRTHDAY WITH VOWS OF LOYALTY -- SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2003 (AP) (02-15) 01:26 PST SANG-HUN CHOE, Associated Press Writer http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/02/15/international0426EST0434.DTL SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Koreans on Saturday celebrated leader Kim Jong Il's upcoming birthday with vows to defend him at a time of "stern and harsh hardship" -- a reference to the dispute over the country's nuclear weapons program. Kim, who rules his country with a personality cult, turns 61 on Sunday. On the eve of his birthday, senior party and military officials gathered in Pyongyang in an annual "national meeting" to renew their loyalty. Streets and buildings in Pyongyang were "bedecked with posters, large pictures, electric lights, flags of the Workers' Party of Korea and red flags," said the North's official news agency, KCNA. Fireworks burst in the sky over Kim's purported birth place near the border with China. "A stern and harsh hardship is blocking our way to revolution," Jon Pyong Ho, a politburo member, told the Pyongyang meeting. "If imperialists ever try to pick a fight with us, we will wipe them away with an uncontrollable strike and ruthlessly demolish their headquarters." Jon's comments were carried by Pyongyang's Central Radio, which was monitored by the South Korean news agency Yonhap. He did not mention the standoff over the reclusive state's nuclear weapons program. Earlier this week, the U.N. nuclear agency referred the issue to the Security Council. The Security Council could consider economic sanctions against the North, which depends on outside aid to feed its hunger-stricken 22 million people. The North Korean news agency brimmed with eulogies for Kim. "For scores of years, Kim Jong Il indicated the way ahead ... with his rare clairvoyance, ushered in a heyday of the socialist homeland," KCNA said (Copyright 2003 AP (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) Wretch ** KURDISTAN [non]. 23060, Voice of Mesopotamia, transmitter in Moldova, Kurdish, 2 x 11530 1523 UT Feb 14. vy 73 de (Juergen Lohuis, Germany, harmonics via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Hmong Lao Radio: Today I received a verification letter from Hmong Lao Radio for a logging on 12,070 kHz at 0106 to 0130 UT. The letter includes, ``We are very glad that you heard the program...`` and gives the schedule as Wednesday and Friday at 8 to 9 AM Laos time [0100-0200 UT]. It is signed by Shoua Cha, Chair. After my initial report, to the St. Paul address reported by a number of publications and websites, was returned with a notation that there was no such box number at that postal code, I sent another report to United Laos Movement for Democracy, Shoua Cha, Chairman, Hmong Lao Radio, 302 University Ave. West, St. Paul, MN 55103. Two months later I received a letter from Hmong Lao Radio/ULMD, P.O. Box 6426, St. Paul, MN 55106. So apparently the first address was almost right, except the correct Box number is 6426 instead of 2426. (Wendel Craighead, KS, Feb 5, MASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** LIBYA [and non]. 6 Feb observed start of Voice of Africa's broadcast on three frequencies: 17695, 21675, 21695. Good quality (444) on all of them, but audio signal on 17695 kHz appeared a bit later. Nothing at all on the 4th scheduled frequency 21640 kHz. It's curious that Big Ben bells and time announcement are delayed in approximately one minute behind the exact time (Alexei Kulinchenko, Kazan, Russia, Signal) Some of them via France ** LITHUANIA. Sitkunai transmitter on 666 seems to produce a harmonic (5 x 666) on 3330. Noted 16 Feb at 1700 (Jari Savoläinen, Kuusankoski, Finland, hard-core-dx via DXLD) see also USA non ** LUXEMBOURG. Eine Anfrage an RTL brachte bisher keine Antwort: Immer Dienstags 0830-0850 UT wurde europaweit nahe der RTL Junglinster Frequenz 6090 kHz eine Testaussendung beobachtet. Diese besteht entweder aus einem 800-1000 Hertzton, oder nur ein leerer Carrier/Traeger wird ausgesendet. Heute beobachtete ich gleich drei Carrier parallel auf 6089, 6093, und 6097 kHz um 0830-0839 UT. Handelt es sich um Wartungs/Maintenance Aussendungen aus Junglinster? Nur um die Funktionstuechtigkeit der Telefunken-Sender aufrecht zu erhalten? (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 11, BC-DX via DXLD) ** MONTSERRAT. Recebido e-QSL da Rádio Montserrat FM, que trasmite desde Montserrat, no Caribe, em 95.5 MHz, confirmação de que escutei a emissora nos dias 09, 10 e 16 de dezembro de 2002. Enviei o e-mail contendo o relatório de recepção em 17.12.2002 e recebi a confirmação de escuta em 23.01.2003. Como eu também enviei uma carta via Corréio tradicional, espero receber a confirmação de escuta através de carta. V/S: Ivor Greenaway E-mail: online@c... [truncated] (Márcio Roberto P. da Silva, Jaraguá do Sul-SC, @tividade DX Feb 16 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. The Dutch transmission provider Nozema contracted the maintenance of the Flevoland transmitters to the Deutsche Telekom subsidiary T-Systems. The contract includes also operational support as well as help in obtaining spare parts. The Flevoland site is equipped with Telefunken transmitters like the T-Systems sites in Germany; the maintenance contract is the result of contacts achieved through the airtime business (Radio-Kurier 4/2003 via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** PERU. 6188 kHz, Radio Oriente, 1014 UT Feb 12. Plenty of announcers were heard for Oriente's music program I tuned into. 2 males and a female alternated. One of the males was of the echo-effect variety and talking very excitedly. Radio Oriente and Oriente mentioned liberally throughout the listening period and shouted over the music. Cows mooing and a rooster crow were also heard. At the top of the hour on not only this day but on at least one other, I heard "Ave Maria" sung by a male. It appears to be a daily feature on weekdays. Good signal but heavy QRM from 6185 (Educación?). Open 6190 frequency allows USB to be used (John Sgrulletta, NY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 6020.29, Radio Victoria, Lima 1010-1040, impassioned minister, with splatter from 6025 and interference form 6020. Several mentions of "Victoria" but may have been in the religious sense of the word, one ID as Radio Victoria (Robert Wilkner, NRD 535D, Pompano Beach, Florida, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. DUR2 in the Philippines is listed with 250 watts on 9580 kHz. Station DUR2 is the last remaining low powered regional shortwave station in the Philippines (Adrian Michael Peterson, reviewing the 2003 WRTH on AWR Wavescan Feb 16 via DXLD) Full entry shows: DUR2 Marulas, Valenzuela, 9580v, 0.25 kW, 0000- 0930v. Operated by PBS, relays various PSB AM and FM services. G.C.: 14.41N/120.59E (via gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOICE OF RUSSIA PREVIEWS ST. PETERSBURG: THREE GLORIOUS CENTURIES In the spring of 1703, Russian troops led by Czar Peter the Great won a quick victory over the Swedes seizing the mouth of the Neva River. To tighten his grip on the recaptured territory, on May 16, 1703, Peter laid a fortress on Zayachy Island calling it St. Petersburg. The small town eventually became the capital of the Russian Empire and one of the world's most beautiful cities. In a grand celebration this May Russia will mark the 300th birthday of its northern capital. The Voice of Russia World Service has prepared a series of programs titled St. Petersburg: Three Glorious Centuries within its weekly feature RUSSIA: PEOPLE AND EVENTS to help you get a better understanding of the city's rich history, cultural and spiritual life. MUSICAL TALES OF ST.PETERSBURG The MUSICAL TALES OF ST.PETERSBURG is a series about the past and present of the great city on the Neva, which is now celebrating its 300th birthday. The program will feature a constellation of outstanding musicians who at various times lived in Russia's northern capital and, of course, the music that filled the city's many palaces and concert halls, high society salons and streets. You will have a chance to roam the scenic expanses of St. Petersburg literally soaking in the rich sonic diversity of its many epochs. MUSICAL TALES OF ST. PETERSBURG series will be broadcast every week at 0510 UT on Monday, at 0930 UT on Tuesday, at 0330 and 2130 UT on Wednesday, at 0230 and 1830 UT on Thursday, and at 0510 and 1910 UT on Sunday, beginning January 2003. MUSICAL TREASURES OF ST. PETERSBURG (the city's 300th anniversary series) Do you know that Russia's most famous Czar Peter the Great, who turned this country all around, also takes credit for revolutionizing the Russian music, no less? And for being a great bass singer too?! Can you imagine the music Empress Catherine II and her courtiers danced to back in the 18th century? Have you ever listened to music written by Beethoven's rival Eberl? The man was even more famous than Beethoven, and he's now being rediscovered with the help of the city's unique archives. Or do you have any idea about the premiere of Tchaikovsky's last symphony or the scandal that broke out during the opening performance of Dmitry Shostakovich's 5th Symphony? Tune in to our all-new 12-feature series to be broadcast in 2003 and find out. The new series can be heard in the first edition of Music and Musicians every month at 1710 UT on Saturday, at 0910, 1810, and 2110 UT on Sunday, and at 0810 UT on Monday. MUSIC AND MUSICIANS (on the air from Saturday, February 15) In our next edition of MUSIC AND MUSICIANS we'll tell you about vanguard composers who attract swarms of admirers. Their success stems from managerial experience of the classics and takes root in the canon-free period of the humanity's infantry years. In the Ural region, where they live, the art of avant-garde is booming! MUSIC AND MUSICIANS can be heard at 1710 UT on Saturday, at 0910, 1810, and 2110 on Sunday, and at 0810 on Monday. We wish you all good listening. *** The World Service in English will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in October. We would like to know your opinion about our broadcasts and invite you take part in a poll by answering the following questions: 1. When did you begin listening to World Service broadcasts? 2. Why do you listen? 3. What are your favorite programs/broadcasters? 4. What new features would you like us to introduce? Please don't forget to mention your name, E-mail and postal address. The most interesting answers will be read on the air and posted on our website. Write to us at: the Voice of Russia World Service, Moscow, Russia, or E-mail them to us at: letters@vor.ru We look forward to hearing from you. Your opinion is very valuable to us. Thank you for your cooperation. Copyright © 2003 The Voice of Russia (via Maryanne Kehoe, Feb 13, ODXA via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Re R. Center QSL: The card features four men sitting in the studio, with header "Radio Center, Moscow / Radio Space / RK3ANJ", mention of the first air March 1st 1992, and Bible quote in the bottom. Probably the studio photo has been taken during their first day? 73, (Dmitry Mezin, Russia, Feb 16, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Interesting things occur on 6005 kHz. On 30 Jan heard interval signal of the Voice of Russia at 1658, QRMed by Deutschlandradio Berlin and BBC. Despite the fact that VoR signal was unstable, I can confirm that it was on the air with Arabic program (SIO 433 during check at 1735). VoR IS again at 1757, switched off at 1800. But at 1815 Arabic program noted again! It sounded like a religious talk or radio play, SIO 333. IS of Kabardino-Balkarskoye R., Nalchik, followed at 1830. ID in Balkar: "Nalchik sile". Broadcast lasted until 1900. Similar pattern observed in a week, on 6 Feb. Nothing (besides DLR and BBC) heard on 6005 kHz on 1, 3, and 7 Feb after 1800. And I can't made any suggestion on the Arabic broadcast at 1815 - it starts and ends without distinct ID (Alexei Kulinchenko, Kazan, Russia, Signal Feb 15 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. If you look for English language information and opinions direct from Saudi Arabia, take a look to the Saudi Press Agency --- SPA at the internet: http://www.spa.gov.sa/html/sps_enews.htm (Dr. Juergen Kubiak, Berlin, GERMANY, Feb WWDXC via DXLD) Since no SWBC in English ** SPAIN. ESPANHA. Para os "caçadores de QSL's", Acabei de escutar no programa "Amigos de la Onda Corta", da Radio Exterior de España, que a emissora infelizmente "no proporcionará' por el momento tarjetas QSL"; ou seja, R.E.E. vai suspender o envio de cartões QSL aos ouvintes. Nao se sabe se a medida e' provisoria ou definitiva (Lenildo C. Silva, Niterói-RJ, Brasil, radioescutas 15 de Fevereiro de 2003, via @tividade DX via DXLD) Madrid DX program announced REE has suspended QSLing, but.. (gh, DXLD) REE: 9540 (Noblejas, Spain). White QSL card with a station emblem and sentence "With compliments" duplicated in 4 languages ("Mit ergebenen Grussen", etc). Report sent to dxree.rne@r... [truncated] V/s barely legible, looks like Pilar Salvador. 60 days. Enclosed were sticker and schedule. Letter sealed in Germany. Well, that didn't make me surprise - some time ago I got BBC Russian schedule in an envelope which originated in Zurich, Switzerland (Vladimir Doroshenko, Dneprodzerzhinsk, Ukraine, Signal Feb 15 via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. Re Arab Radio, 7470`s uncertain website announcement: I listened to the RealAudio recording on their webpage http://www.arabicsyradio.org and the announcement referred to is giving this webpage, not an email address unfortunately. The URL is spelled out "arabic-S-Y-radio.org" --- the "S" may sound like "@". (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, EDXP via DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. I'm not sure if Vlad means the two programs heard at the same time on 4930 but; For several months I've noted this mixture of two programs on 4930. Can't say if it's daily, but usually when passing by 4930 this occurs. I've checked this also when 5015 has a silent period in the evening and the mixture is present on 4930. So it seems to be audio leak problem, not tx(s) mixing product (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DXplorer Feb 7, via BC-DX via DXLD) Strange things happened last night at Ashgabat site. 5015 was silent at around 1850. On re-check at 2000+ UT amazing picture: 5015 working as usual in AM mode. 4930 in USB (as usual) but two programs of Turkmen R. appeared as mixed. (4930 + 5015). (Vlad Titarev, Ukraine, DXplorer Feb 4, via BC-DX via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. My DX program on the waves of RUI Ukrainian Service goes out as follows: Sat 0900 - 17760, 1600 - 9610, 2300 - 5905 Mon 1700 - 9610 Tue 0200 - 7375 9610, 0500 - 7420 (Signal Feb 15 via DXLD) Who is ``my``?? Unattributed, but since it is in Dmitry Mezin`s bulletin, Arnaldo Slaen in forwarding this item to Conexión Digital thinks it is he. But he is Russian, no? And doing a DX program in Ukrainian? Doubt it starts on the hour, either (gh, DXLD) ** U K. RADIO 3 BANS ANTI-WAR BAND FROM MUSIC AWARDS Matt Wells, Friday February 14 2003, The Guardian Radio 3 has disqualified a pacifist British folk group from its annual world music awards, in a further sign of the BBC's edginess over claims of anti-war bias. The corporation claimed the group, Seize the Day, used anti-war websites and email lists to campaign for votes and intended to use its acceptance speech to promote an anti-war message. But the group insisted it had no access to anti-war email lists, and that its promotion on pro-peace websites merely reflected the radical leanings of its fan-base. On its website, the group said: "We sing about peace so most of our supporters ARE anti-war (as are most of the British people), and our supporters, like those of the other bands, are bound to spread the word." The BBC is already nervous about being seen as biased: earlier this week it banned journalists from tomorrow's anti-war rally in London. At the same time, alarm bells were ringing about the world music awards. Executives said they became aware of messages on anti-war websites and emails soon after the publication of the shortlist on January 23. As a result, Seize the Day soared ahead in the voting; Radio 3 said it believed the band would use its acceptance speech at the award ceremony next month to promote an anti-war message. Bosses called in the BBC's editorial policy unit, and a decision was taken to disqualify the band. "This is intended to be a musical not a political vote," said Stephen Whittle, head of editorial policy. Mr Whittle drew a comparison with the Today programme's personality of the year award, when Tony Blair was dropped when news emerged of an orchestrated campaign by Labour party members. "This is against both the spirit and intention of the award," he said. Roger Wright, the controller of Radio 3, said it was a matter of "regret and disappointment" that Seize the Day were dropped from the awards, which will be presented at Ocean in Hackney, east London, on March 24. But he said the other groups on the list, Te Vaka (New Zealand), Oi Va Voi (UK) and Terra Folk (Slovenia), were only soliciting votes from their fan base. "It's only fair to the remaining groups that the issue is dealt with appropriately," Mr Wright said. He was unable to say how many votes had been received for Seize the Day, but said the total number of votes cast in the category was in the thousands. The group's members are furious about the decision, and are urging supporters to call Mr Wright and Mr Whittle to register their disappointment. They have printed on their website the direct line of the Radio 3 press officer, Talia Hull, and said: "We do not run or have access to any anti-war mailing lists." They criticised the BBC for "cynically" banning them: "They deemed us to be politicising the awards, calling our entry a 'political campaign' and cynically citing 'voting irregularities' as the reason for pulling us out. They withdrew us from the running without even telling us - how crap is that?" Earlier this week the BBC banned senior news staff from attending Saturday's anti-war march in London. The BBC deputy director of news, Mark Damazer, said no presenter, correspondent, editor, output editor or "anyone who can be considered a 'gatekeeper' of our output" could take part in the rally. Mr Damazer said he was allowing more junior staff to attend the march but only in a "private capacity with no suggestion that he or she speaks for the BBC". The BBC director general, Greg Dyke, has also reminded staff they should remember their duty to be "independent, impartial and honest" in the coming weeks as a possible war with Iraq looms. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U K [non]. BFBS: I should add that at my place 5875 Cyprus was MUCH weaker than 5945/5905 at 1500. Democratic Voice of Burma at 1500 was about equal to R Rossii, but causing a loud het. The Popovka transmitters both lingered around S9 + 30 dB (Olle Alm, Sweden, Feb 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Began checking 15530 before 1400 Feb 16, and after 1400 but nothing heard there yet. At 1501 recheck, play by play in English of some stupid ballgame was in progress, what a waste; guess BFBS as reported yesterday. At least this gives decent reception here, really from Jülich as previously tentatived? But in less than an hour it was getting weak and fadey. Can`t wait to hear something worthwhile from BBCR4, where I spend a lot of time on webcast. I rechecked the BFBS `popup` page Feb 16 and it still only mentions 5945 and 13720 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Indeed BFBS is now also on 15530, crash-starting at 1459 and // Popovka 5945. Signal behaviour (much stronger than barely audible 5945) and modulation suggests a UK site as origin (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BFBS heard at 1540 tune in Feb 16 on 15530 with relay of FA Cup commentary from BBC Radio Five Live. Good signal with some fading, parallel to 5945. Using two radios I found that 15530 is running a couple of seconds behind Radio Five's AM service on 909 and that 5945 is running a couple of seconds behind 15530 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15530 here in south Italy SINPO 55555 (Roberto Scaglione, Cumbre DX via DXLD) BFBS started at 1500 on 15530 after V. of Russia finished its Afghan service on 15535. A strong signal here. Is in parallel with 5945, which also opened at 1500 after tones. Current programme is "Sport on 5" - a direct relay of BBC Radio 5 (Noel R. Green [Blackpool, NW England] Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Glenn, Further to my last message about 5945 kHz, I am now hearing BFBS Radio as follows:- 5945 kHz 1500 - 1800 UTC 15530 kHz 1500 - 1700 UTC 12040 kHz 1700 - current time (1733 UTC) [Later:] Glenn, The 12040 kHz transmission from 1700 that I mentioned earlier signed off at 1800 UT (Graham Powell, Editor of the Online DX Logbook, http://www.shortwave.org.uk Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 3-025, gh pointing out DTK registration for 15530 to the SE: This would not be a beam for the Middle East. Juelich to Kuwait is about 109 (Dan Ferguson, IBB, SWBC via DXLD) vs the listed 145, S of SE Re 15530, gh`s extract of HFCC showing Juelich: Nooo Glen, T-systems Juelich changed from 15530 to 15275 in autumn. (wb): TIS - Tigrean Internat Solidarity for Justice and Democracy, Tigre 1600-1630 Wed/Sat (x15530) 15275 JUL R Suthid (Tigre International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy), heard by ZL on 15670 instead. 15275 1600-1629 48 145 degr 47Wed/Sat TIS heard on 15670 instead, keyboard slip? BFBS tests: 13720 02-05 CIS? - Tashkent-UZB? 9820 04-05 5945 15-18 St. Petersburg-RUS? 15530 15-17 12040 17-18 - - - - - - 73 de (Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15530 "ENGLAND" British Forces Broadcasting Service (location?), 1538- 1610 Feb 15, noted with rock music and coverage of various sporting events --- cricket, soccer, etc. --- with remote reports. Nice ID at 1554 mentioning website (DISAPPEARED). At 1559 there was essentially a countdown until the next transmission which was at the top of the hour: "The next transmission from BFBS starts in 50 seconds ¦ The next transmission from BFBS starts in 40 seconds ¦" etc. until TC for 4 o'clock and ID at 1600 followed by world news. This outlet not listed on their website. Fair (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) BFBS on new 15530, heard through to signoff at 1659 on 16 Feb with brief BFBS ID. Since tune-in around 1630 carried relay of BBC Radio's news and sport 'Five Live' which today included live call of FA Cup play-offs and news at 1654. This would be the 'BFBS 2' service, according to info on their web site, although there is no reference to this frequency, only 5945 and 13720 (Matt Francis, McLean, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BFBS was heard today (Sunday) in Wales from tune in at 1600 until sign off at 1700 with strong signals on 15530 kHz in parallel to much weaker 5945 with a programme of BBC Radio 5 Live sports news and commentary (Jim Parker, Swansea, Wales, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15530 kHz, BFBS, 1635 UT. Football game on with nil-nil game between Chelsea and another team at halftime. Drifting S3-S7 signal on S- Meter, but barely noticeable due to being very strong. Broadcast ended with countdown as mentioned by Rich D`Angelo but transmitter cut off at the 30 sec announcement. I retuned to 12040 per Wolfgang's Bueschel's e-mail and heard rest of countdown and back to halftime program. Second half back on as I tuned out at 1710 (John Sgrulletta Feb 16, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UK [non?] BFBS, 15530, 1538-1635 Feb.16. Thanks Rich D`Angelo log, pretty strong but with echoed audio. T/in to sports review by man, woman with news summary at 1557, looped ID with :50, :40, :30 etc. countdown till next program segment at top of the hour. Live sports after 1600 (Terry Krueger, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just to confirm, I monitored 15530 kHz between 1515 and 1700 today Feb 16. Although the signal was not especially strong (sio: 333), I was able to hear "BBC Radio5 Live" (football) being relayed through BFBS. ID "BFBS" heard before close at 1700. Cheers all. (Esp. Graham and Glen[n] for their input.) (RAO, Robin Banneville, Guernsey, Chan. Isles., SWBC via DXLD) BFBS 12040 crash-started exactly at 1659 into the already reported countdown trailer. At 1700 cut-over to the football coverage already broadcast from 1500 on 5945 and 15530, identified by Noel Green as BBC Radio 5 Live and so // 693 and 909 (both are a satellite hop ahead 15530/12040). Probably the first shortwave relay of this BBC network ever? Like on 15530 signal strength and modulation on 12040 would fit to a UK site. And thanks to Sangean for drawing my attention on a past use of 12040 by showing ´´BBC -D-´´ in the display of the ATS 909. Yes, once the German service of the BBC Worldservice was carried on this frequency. Greetings, Mr. Byford! (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) My BFBS observations from Sunday evening: 15530 crash started just in time for the 40 seconds before the hour announcements at 1500. This one was leading on 5945 by one satellite hop. The site can be anywhere in the west, but Cyprus seems to be a good bet. The signal level was about equal to both Woofferton 15410 and Cyprus 15555. I missed the start of 12040 at 1700, but was able to note a satellite time difference before 15530 went off. 12040 was leading on 5945 by two satellite hops. This and the good signal makes me think 12040 is from a UK site (Olle Alm, Sweden, 16 Feb, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BFBS. Tuned in to 15530 at 1637 UT Sunday Feb. 16 to hear a sports program in progress. Football commentary, sports scores and interviews abruptly cut off by the following announcement. "The next transmission of BFBS will start in 50 seconds, 50 seconds... (repeated)... in 40 seconds, 40 seconds... (repeated) ...in 30 seconds, 30 seconds", with the same bar of music in between. Then off at 1700. RFI follows in Portuguese to Africa at 1700 (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6025: something here in English announcements and pop songs since 0202 GMT; battered by RNW and Martí on either side; possible BFBS. [Later: and BFBS ID] (Dan Ferguson, Northern VA, UT Feb 16, swltalk via DXLD) 6025 kHz 5+9 here in Guernsey. ID heard when OM announcer gave email address for competition (Robin Banneville, 0255 UT Feb 16, swltalk via DXLD) Moved to 6135 at 0300 (Dan Ferguson, UT Feb 16, swltalk via DXLD) Dan: They are S7-8 with a bit of co-channel here in Arlington, VA (Alan Bosch, swltalk via DXLD) Blocked well before 0400 by your huge BBC/IBB Delano carrier. Checking the following night, UT Feb 17, nothing audible here on 6025 between the splatterers, but sometime quite weak and fadey already on 6135 --- probably Sedaye Kashmir, q.v. Was not paying attention at 0300, but shortly after noticed presumed BFBS with frenetic music and seemingly English announcements. After 0330 there seemed to be some co-channel talk, and before 0355 the Delano carrier again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Dan`s logs above reworked:] 6025 UK BFBS 0202-0300 English news(?) and pop music, IDs. Weak and sandwiched between RNW and Martí; signal improved with time, but never even fair, 2/16. 6135 UK BFBS switched here from 6025 at 0300; news pop music. Much better audibility with no adjacent QRM; 2/16 (Dan Ferguson, VA, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 16 via DXLD) by ``UK`` are you identifying site on these? Could well be (gh) BFBS has been heard on several additional SW frequencies: 6025 0200-0300 UT 6035 0300-? [sic: Dan said 6135] 13720 0200-0500 CIS? - Tashkent-UZB? 9820 0400-0500 5945 1500-1800 St. Petersburg-RUS? 15530 1500-1700 12040 1700-1800 (Wolfgang Bueschel/Dan Ferguson via DXplorer via Dave Kenny...) BFBS confirmed here on 15530 kHz from 1650 tune-in with a relay of the BBC Radio 5 Live Sunday afternoon sports programme. At 1700 it switched to 12040, still with the Radio 5 relay. Good signal on both frequencies. Also audible on weaker parallel 5945 kHz. There is a slight delay on 15530/12040 compared to the UK mediumwave 909/693 kHz R5 outlets, but on 5945 the delay is much longer (Dave Kenny, Caversham UK, AOR 7070, Feb 16, BDXC=UK via DXLD) UNITED KINGDOM: UK military contingency preparations in relation to Iraq are being conducted under the name of Operation Telic. British Forces Broadcasting Service - BFBS has introduced for Operation Telic short wave transmissions to Gulf region from 0200-0500 UTC at 13720 KHz and 1500-1800 UTC at 5945 KHz. The British Forces Broadcasting Service is part of the Services Sound & Vision Corporation (SSVC). The SSVC is a registered charity set up to entertain and inform Britain's Armed Forces around the world. To support UK troops on Operation Telic, SSVC has supplied hundreds of portable radios to help keep them in touch with home. BFBS Radio are already broadcasting to the region and will be rolling out several new FM transmitters as more troops arrive. BFBS went on air at the end of 1943 when an experimental Forces Radio station was opened in a harem in Algiers. Since then, its two networks have broadcast from 20 countries and 67 radio stations to a total of 200 million listeners around the world (Websites of http://www.ssvc.com & http://www.ssvc.com/bfbs via JKB, 16. Feb. 2003, Greetings from Berlin (Germany), Juergen Kubiak, WWDXC via DXLD) ** U K [non?]. The relay of Radio Caroline's WorldSpace / satellite service still being heard daily on shortwave 7150.0 kHz (thanks to tip from Mike Barraclough and Noel Green in DX Listening Digest). Fair, clear listenable signal here UT mornings (slightly stronger than Laser Hot Hits from Ireland on 6219, 7460 and 9385). Is this the same relay heard late September / October 2002 on 7140 kHz (from Southern Ireland according to a QSL) - an unofficial relay according to Caroline's Peter Moore at the time? The mediumwave (unofficial) relay of Caroline on 1593.0 kHz (also from Ireland?) continues to be heard fairly well here late evenings still, when R, Farda also on 1593 from Kuwait is nulled (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK, Caversham UK, AOR 7030+ / longwire, beverage, Feb 13, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U K [non]. THIS WEEK ON LASER RADIO This week, Laser Radio continues transmissions to the USA, via our friends at WBCQ The Planet on 9335 kHz from 2000 UT (1500 EST) for 4 hours. This will start with the final hour of the European transmission and also often include some live programmes as well as the best of the European output. If you missed last week's media show, there's a chance to hear that again. A new surreal England's England takes to the air too and there's fine music from Eric May. It all kicks off at 1500 UT with the Relay Service this week featuring programmes from Mediasound and Radio Marabu. European Schedule (5935 kHz) - 16th February 2003 (Times UTC) 15h00 MediaSound Pilot Broadcast (LaserRadio.net RELAY service) 16h00 Radio Marabu (LaserRadio.net RELAY service) 17h00 Eric May - with two hours of fine music and chat 19h00 The Media Show - featuring Part 2 of an interview with Radio Caroline's Peter Moore and more, with Julian Clover (Repeat) 20h00 England's England, a new surreal experience with Christopher England 21h00 Closedown USA Schedule (9335 kHz) - 16th February 2003 (Times UTC) 20h00 England's England, a new surreal experience with Christopher England 21h00 Eric May - with two hours of fine music and chat 23h00 The Media Show - feauring Part 2 of an interview with Radio Caroline's Peter Moore and more, with Julian Clover (Repeat) 00h00 Closedown Programmes continue repeated on the web until 01h00 Tuesday next. Happy listening, Geoff Rogers (laserradio list via Mike Terry, Feb 15, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Just a reminder - MEDIASOUND can be heard on 5935 Khz short wave tomorrow between 3pm and 4pm. This is an experimental broadcast and will include an interview with Phil Troll from the National Talking Express magazine for the Blind. Also featured will be Radio South East for the Blind. The program will be hosted by Roger Smith and Dave Collins. We are keen to guage response so please do email your detailed reception reports to studio@mediasound.net This transmission is made possible by the generosity of LASERRADIO.NET to whom we are grateful. Have you heard MEDIASOUND yet? http://www.mediasound.net (Alan Maylin, UK, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checking shortly after 1500 UT on 16 February, I found German on 5935, which is contrary to the most recent information we had from Mediasound, although was in line with what we were told to start with. Will check again after 1600 (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Our earlier posting, which was also posted to the ntexpress list, elicited the following response from Alan Maylin:- Apologies to all; I am told by Laser Radio that our program was indeed due to go out at 3 pm. It appears that the Latvians are playing the programs in the wrong order. Let's hope we do get played out at 4 pm! The Laser website is currently playing out our program! This is embarrassing for both MediaSound and Laser. Apologies again. Best Regards, Alan (via Paul David, DXLD) (Latvia) Since 1500 Riga-Ulbroka 5935 carries the announced German-language Radio Marabu programme, reception as usual, i.e. not exactly a powerhouse but not bad (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi everyone, I have a problem which I hope you might be able to help me with. Last night (Sat 15th Feb) at 1847 UT I heard Laser Hot Hits on 6219 kHz and I need an address to send for a QSL. Second thing, I heard a programme called Mediasound on 5935 kHz today (Sun 16th Feb) at 1650 UTC then at 1700 UT it went over to saying 'Laser Radio'. Are Laser Radio and Laser Hot Hits the same station? (Tammie :) Feb 16, BDXC-UK via DXLD) No! Laser Radio has made quite clear they are the non-pirate one (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. WAR WATCH Television viewers accustomed to watching war played out through high- altitude footage of "smart bombs" might see something very different if the United States invades Iraq -- live combat troops in action. After tightly curbing media access to military operations in Grenada, the 1991 Gulf War and again in Afghanistan, the Pentagon plans to let journalists accompany front-line soldiers should U.S.-led armed forces move in to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The U.S. Defense Department has even provided "boot camp" training to prepare Journalists for the rigours and hazards of working in a war zone where exposure to biological or chemical weapons is a possibility. Broadcast news crews and their audiences also will benefit from improved communications gear, including satellite uplinks, that is smaller and more portable than 12 years ago. U.S. television networks are generally enthusiastic about plans to "embed" American and foreign journalists with the U.S. military's air, sea and land units, saying it marks a big step forward in relations between the Pentagon and the news media. Mindful that the public remains deeply sceptical about going to war, Pentagon officials have said it is in their interests to provide Western news media access to combat zones to counteract the potential for Iraqi disinformation that could be distributed by Arab news outlets. The Defense Department insists that journalists will be free to report on all aspects of the war, including civilian casualties and "friendly fire" incidents, without subjecting their stories to prior review or editing by military censors. "It's a sea change of attitude in granting us access, and it's a bold step, and I think they're serious about it," said Robin Sproul, the Washington bureau chief for ABC News. "It should show the public a view of war that they haven't really seen before." CBS News President Andrew Heyward said he saw the potential for a lot of live coverage and "for the public to see much more of this conflict than it did the last (the 1991 Gulf War). It's not just the combat. It's also the experience of the troops, being able to speak to them, being able to actually be with them as they advance on Baghdad." (Reuters via SCDX/MediaScan Feb 12 via DXLD) ** U S A. [non-log]. WFLA, 25870, Tampa. It's been several weeks since this narrow band FM STL has been heard. Previously, it was 24/7 (for years); the dipole in fact is or was visible on the ClearChannel facilities on Gandy Blvd. Signal has always been audible due to my proximity (close enough it doesn't skip over). Anyone else? (Terry Krueger, FL, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Have looked for it occasionally and not heard it for months (gh, OK, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. 01.02.2003 0815 UT, Fundamental Broadcasting Network - WBOH, English, 9710 kHz, 35533. Religious songs. Rx Ishim-003, ant wire 30 meters (Dmitry Puzanov, Kustanay, Kazakhstan, Signal via DXLD) Tho not mentioned, this is obviously time purchased in Lithuania by the people behind WTJC in NC. But did you really hear them ID as WBOH? That`s the call of their second station supposedly for LAm, which tested briefly with low power last fall, and is still not heard again on 5920 as I go thru my YB-400 memories from time to time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The Jewish (Lubavitcher) pirate on 1710 has been heard fairly widely in the north-east. It's a regular in central Ontario. Has anyone heard this from any serious distance (i.e., Europe, US west or mid-west). The farthest report I can recall is Greg Myers in FL. Is there any online documentation of this pirate? Has anyone tracked it down? Has Scott Fybush ever located its transmitter? Etc... ??? (Saul Chernos, Ont., Feb 15, NRC-AM via DXLD) I had tracked it down to a 6 block area in Williamsburg Brooklyn. They must have a wire hanging down the side of a tall building. The signal is really strong there. I got as close as I ever could using a receiver and Loop Null Method. This is when I wish I owned a FIM [field intensity meter?] --- I probably could have found it (Neal Newman, ibid.) ** U S A. Re Mount Washington fire: The transmitter building did not burn, only the generator building, which supplied power to all the radio gear and the Mt. Washington Observatory staff's quarters. They may run power lines up along the Cog Rail way tracks, to the summit! A snow cat tractor towed up a small generator, for the time being. All this according to The Union Leader newspaper's news accounts (Jim MacDonald, Bedford MA, Feb 16, Monitoring Times Messageboard via DXLD) As it turns out, there's more than one transmitter building on the summit. The one that burned definitely contained the WHOM-FM transmitter; it was also where the WMTW-TV transmitter was until WMTW moved to Maine last year. (I wonder whether there was still a backup TV transmitter in place?) WMTW was responsible for power generation on the peak until they moved, at which time the state of New Hampshire took over. WPKQ-FM is in a different building and was not damaged, although they're off the air for lack of power (actually, their website says they're operating from a site in the valley - they moved to Mt. Washington sometime between 1989 and 1991, and their old transmitter site was probably still operational.) WHOM is also reported back on the air but at reduced power. Rumor has it they're operating from a co-owned tower in Maine. And yes, some power is back on at the site, at least enough to allow the Observatory staff to safely reoccupy the peak. Interesting, about running power up the cog railway tracks! (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN ibid.) ** UZBEKISTAN. The Voice, 11850, 0311-0401:30* on Feb 12. Indian vocal and instrumental music and talks by men and women-presumably in Hindi. "The Voice" ids, website, and India addresses at 0321 and 0323. And at 0334 "The Voice, The Voice, The Voice, The Voice, The Voice." with reverb was repeated many times by a man. Program continued on this day until the transmitter went off at 0401:30*, but I have listened to this broadcast on other occasions, and the transmitter has always gone off promptly at 0400. Always poor (Wendel Craighead, Prairie Village, Kansas, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) This is run by Voice International, Queensland, filling in a gap from Darwin --- so maybe should be filed under AUSTRALIA non (gh) ** VENEZUELA. VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION AIMS TO BLOCK PROPOSED MEDIA CURBS Story Filed: Saturday, February 15, 2003 8:49 PM EST Caracas, Feb 15, 2003 (EFE via COMTEX) -- Members of the Venezuelan opposition announced new strategies on Saturday to defeat a proposed media law they say is an attempt by the administration of President Hugo Chávez to "gag" journalists. The bill, known as the Content Law, was approved in a first reading by the National Assembly's ruling-party majority after a marathon session on Thursday. Legislator Andrés Velásquez, of the opposition Causa R party, said he will introduce new legislation next week proposing that the people decide what they want to see and hear in the media. Without providing details, Velásquez said his bill would ensure that "under no circumstances will big daddy government come to determine what the Venezuelan people can see on their televisions and hear on their radios." Representatives of two other opposition parties are mounting court challenges to the proposal, contending that the manner in which it was introduced in the legislature violated the constitution. The Content Law will now be reviewed by an Assembly committee, which will consult all pertinent parties before submitting the bill to a second and final vote in the legislature. The pending legislation was drafted by the National Telecommunications Council with the ostensible aim of establishing "a new relation between society and media within the framework of the 1999 constitution." "During the second reading, which could take place in a month, all of the opposition lawmakers will debate every one of the bill's 150 articles. That will prolong the process a great deal," lawmaker Liliana Hernández said. The Chávez administration accuses private media outlets of "lying" to the people and working for the opposition, which is trying to pressure the leftist-populist president to step down or call early elections. The four largest private television stations in the country --- dubbed "the four horsemen of the apocalypse" by Chávez --- have acknowledged that they became involved in the political conflict, but said they did so only to defend themselves against government attacks. gf/iv/dr http://www.efe.es Copyright (c) 2003, Agencia EFE, all rights reserved You may now print or save this document (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. FORMER DISC JOCKEY ATTACKS ZBC The Daily News (Harare) February 4, 2003 Posted to the web February 4, 2003 -- Staff Reporter EZRA Sibanda, a former disc jockey with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), has castigated the State-controlled corporation for its continued refusal to release nearly $8 million in his terminal benefits, accrued over 13 years. Sibanda, now based in the United Kingdom, said in an interview the corporation was victimising him.... http://allafrica.com/stories/200302040230.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 4890, 16/02 0750-0900 (provávelmente PERU), SS, programa religioso em espanhol. Como sempre a emissora não se identificou, mas desta vêz a locução era semelhante às emissoras peruanas normalmente ouvidas, inclusive com um locutor com certa dificuldade com o espanhol, parecendo ter um forte sotaque quechua. Além disso foram citadas claramente as cidades de Juliaca e Arequipa, no Sul do Peru. 35443. 73 (Samuel Cássio Martins, São Carlos SP, BRASIL, Feb 16, Conexión Digital via DXLD) BM hade hört en OID religiös på 4890! Det kan finnas en viss logik i detta! Kanske, kanske är det Radio Bethel de Honduras som skulle starta upp i år på 60 meter med 5 kW. Ännu en detalj är att på 4890 låg förr i tiden Radio Lux, Olanchito, Honduras, och kanske har myndigheterna tilldelat stationen denna lediga kanal? Bara spekulationer, men i alla fall! (Roland Åkesson, SW Bulletin Feb 9 via DXLD) UNIDENTFIED. UNKNOWN** 15070 USB, Undercover Radio, 2014 Feb 15, Laurie Anderson song. Multiple IDs and email address announcement. "This is Undercover Radio, broadcasting from the middle of no where." Typical NAm pirate fare, but up on Alfa Lima's frequency. Good clear copy (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE WORLD AT A TWIRL --- 43 YEARS AGO IN DXING HORIZONS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Note: Ken Boord, who had done SW columns for other magazines, started a new one with the March 1960 issue of DXing Horizons, itself only a few months old and initially concentrating on TV/FM only, founded and edited by Bob Cooper, Jr. SW material occupied 18.5 of this magazine`s 40 pages, including a full page+ abbreviation key. In retyping these retrospectives we shall try to maintain the style of the day, often contrary to current DXLD style, minus the italics, overdone all-caps and bold throughout. Your comments, please, on whether historical material like this is of interest now. *PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE: DON`T REPRINT ANY OF THIS AS IF CURRENT! (GH)* FLASH!!! --- SPECIAL DXBC SCHEDULE EASTER WEEK BY 4VEH DEDICATED TO DH-SWD-MONITORS At press time, arrangements had just been completed for a SPECIAL DX BROADCAST, to be dedicated to monitors of the SW Dept. of DXing HORIZONS, from 4VEH, Box 1, Cap Haitien, Haiti, on 9770 mc/s (and, perhaps, ALSO 6.000 mc/s), at 2330-2400 GMT, Saturday, April 16, and repeated at 0930-10000 GMT, Monday, April 18. A very special QSL card will be sent by the station to all SWLs who send a correct report direct to 4VEH. Please make your report detailed enough to be of value to 4VEH`s personnel. Thanks! The b/c will feature your SW editor, Ken Boord, at the organ, and Ken`s guests will be members of his church choir --- the Spruce Street Methodist Church, Morgantown, W. Va. --- of which Mrs. Mable Howard is director --- with a program of Passion Week and Easter favorites. Recently, 4VEH has been operating on ONLY 4VEC, 6.000 mc/s, 500 watts, and 4VWI, 9.770 mc/s, 500 watts. The 15.360 mc/s ``late`` English session, (Mon-Tue 0300-0400 GMT) has been dropped for the time being. The Rev. Mardy Picazo has been working with Clarence Moore at Elkhart, Indiana, during the past four months on construction of NEW transmitters for 4VEH, but returned to Haiti with the completed transmitters early in February. They include a NEW 5 KW transmitter to operate in the BCB on 1,040 kcs.; a 2.5 kW transmitter for use in the 31- and 49-meterbands and a 2.5 kW transmitter for the higher SW bands. Mrs. Ragsdale recently sent this message to Alan Roth, Connecticut, a DH Monitor: ``We had to stop using 4VEC, 6.000 mc/s for a while because our big diesel engine that produced the electric power was broken down and our little Whitty engine could not carry both transmitters. Now, only 9.770 mc/s is in use.`` However, it is expected that the NEW transmitters will be in use within the next few weeks. PLEASE be on the alert for TESTS of the NEW equipment! (DXing Horizons, March 1960, excerpted by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST, 2003y) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ DON'T ASK ME HOW I KNOW, I JUST KNOW By Terry Jones [Monty Python and writer] Sunday January 26, 2003 -- The Observer I'm really excited by George Bush's latest reason for bombing Iraq: he's running out of patience. And so am I! For some time now I've been really pissed off with Mr Johnson, who lives a couple of doors down the street. Well, him and Mr Patel, who runs the health food shop. They both give me queer looks, and I'm sure Mr Johnson is planning something nasty for me, but so far I haven't been able to discover what. I've been round to his place a few times to see what he's up to, but he's got everything well hidden. That's how devious he is. As for Mr Patel, don't ask me how I know, I just know - from very good sources - that he is, in reality, a Mass Murderer. I have leafleted the street telling them that if we don't act first, he'll pick us off one by one. Some of my neighbours say, if I've got proof, why don't I go to the police? But that's simply ridiculous. The police will say that they need evidence of a crime with which to charge my neighbours. They'll come up with endless red tape and quibbling about the rights and wrongs of a pre-emptive strike and all the while Mr Johnson will be finalising his plans to do terrible things to me, while Mr Patel will be secretly murdering people. Since I'm the only one in the street with a decent range of automatic firearms, I reckon it's up to me to keep the peace. But until recently that's been a little difficult. Now, however, George W. Bush has made it clear that all I need to do is run out of patience, and then I can wade in and do whatever I want! And let's face it, Mr Bush's carefully thought-out policy towards Iraq is the only way to bring about international peace and security. The one certain way to stop Muslim fundamentalist suicide bombers targeting the US or the UK is to bomb a few Muslim countries that have never threatened us. That's why I want to blow up Mr Johnson's garage and kill his wife and children. Strike first! That'll teach him a lesson. Then he'll leave us in peace and stop peering at me in that totally unacceptable way. Mr Bush makes it clear that all he needs to know before bombing Iraq is that Saddam is a really nasty man and that he has weapons of mass destruction - even if no one can find them. I'm certain I've just as much justification for killing Mr Johnson's wife and children as Mr Bush has for bombing Iraq. Mr Bush's long-term aim is to make the world a safer place by eliminating 'rogue states' and 'terrorism'. It's such a clever long-term aim because how can you ever know when you've achieved it? How will Mr Bush know when he's wiped out all terrorists? When every single terrorist is dead? But then a terrorist is only a terrorist once he's committed an act of terror. What about would-be terrorists? These are the ones you really want to eliminate, since most of the known terrorists, being suicide bombers, have already eliminated themselves. Perhaps Mr Bush needs to wipe out everyone who could possibly be a future terrorist? Maybe he can't be sure he's achieved his objective until every Muslim fundamentalist is dead? But then some moderate Muslims might convert to fundamentalism. Maybe the only really safe thing to do would be for Mr Bush to eliminate all Muslims? It's the same in my street. Mr Johnson and Mr Patel are just the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of other people in the street who I don't like and who - quite frankly - look at me in odd ways. No one will be really safe until I've wiped them all out. My wife says I might be going too far but I tell her I'm simply using the same logic as the President of the United States. That shuts her up. Like Mr Bush, I've run out of patience, and if that's a good enough reason for the President, it's good enough for me. I'm going to give the whole street two weeks - no, 10 days - to come out in the open and hand over all aliens and interplanetary hijackers, galactic outlaws and interstellar terrorist masterminds, and if they don't hand them over nicely and say 'Thank you', I'm going to bomb the entire street to kingdom come. It's just as sane as what George W. Bush is proposing - and, in contrast to what he's intending, my policy will destroy only one street (via Tom Roche, DXLD) MOZART FOR THESE TERRIBLE TIMES --- Commentary In one of Mario Vargas Llosa`s award-winning novels, a Lima doctor returns to his home after having had to deal with a particularly difficult event at a gala wedding reception held among the cream of Lima society. Weary and having watched the destruction of two families in the event, he goes to his den, lights his pipe, and puts Mozart on the turntable. I know exactly how he feels. These are terrible times, and they damn well may become horrendous. The airwaves and cyberspace are filled with endless statements, pronouncements, official documents, official position papers, editorials, rhetoric, and invective. Some maintain that Saddam Hussein is not much of a threat; others maintain that he is. Some see the evidence as conclusive, others do not. On one hand we hear the rant of the war crowd, on the other that of the pacifists. Each is absolutely sure they have the truth. Who can know, even after paying attention to much of this stuff? Like the Lima society doctor, I find myself turning to Mozart. Since my first futile, tentative, and casual efforts in high school and college to learn to appreciate classical music, I have listened to many composers. The Carter and Glass crowd apart, I find much to admire and enjoy from all of them. Beethoven is powerful, tragic; Bach is methodical, logical. Grieg has forever enshrined himself among Scandinavians for giving them a voice in erudite music. There is Haydn, of whom one never tires. Among the French, I delight in Debussy, Ravel, and Fauré. Wagner, if one ignores the insufferable ego of the man, reaches the peaks of majesty on occasion. But nobody is like Mozart. Nobody. Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart brings a joie de vivre, a joy of life, to his music. This buoyant, irrepressible genius (I do not use the word lightly) whipped out an incredible amount of music, all of it top flight, in his short life. Each new composition I hear does not disappoint. His Rondo for Piano and Orchestra in D major is ten minutes of heaven. The other night I went to the public library and pulled four Mozart discs to listen to over the long weekend. I have not yet listened to all of them. Each one I put on is so tantalizing, so superb, so marvelous a piece of music that I have to listen to it again. And again. My life would be forfeit if I had to decide which I liked better --- the Piano Concerto No. 18 in B flat Major or the Piano Concerto No. 19 in F. His symphonies are strikingly fine. One thinks, ``Ah! This is his best!`` Then one hears the next symphony and thinks, ``Each one better than the last.`` Yesterday, while coursing my way for an hour through tailgating kamikaze drivers in SUV`s, I maintained my sanity by listening to his Symphony No. 35 in D (the Haffner) and Symphony No. 36 in C (the Linz). Never could determine which I liked best. His Requiem, written on commission of an Austrian noble, is a fine piece of music. Mozart was dying when he wrote it; he said in fact that it would be his own Requiem. It was. He died before finishing it, and an associate completed it. There is little consolation these days, even in the Church. Everywhere the news is --- well, apocalyptic. Latin America is imploding. Bolivia is following Ecuador with massive riots, social collapse, and anarchy. Argentina cannot get out of its economic depression. Brasil, so possible a superpower yet torn apart by high official corruption, and terrible poverty and soaring crime in the lowest classes, has turned decidedly left. Venezuela is plummeting into anarchy and probably bloody civil war. Colombia is a disaster, with wholesale terrorism from a merciless leftwing guerrilla army that does not hesitate to shoot down bishops and priests, government officials, soldiers, and civilians, and bomb a village church in which hundreds of terrified villagers had sought shelter. Europe is socially anemic and wasted from a post-war party of progress and prosperity. Despite all the noise of globalization and European union, there is in western Europe a heavy torpidity, an idleness, a loss of direction. In Asia, the wildly unpredictable North Korea poses a serious menace to its immediate neighbors and to much of Asia as well as the United States. The United States is menaced with terrorists who make no bones that they are out to destroy the country. It and much of the developed world are surfeited with pleasure and things, its societies increasingly divided into factions on one issue and another. Youth show no purpose or excitement, and life is a series of blowouts, each one duller than the previous and each one just like the previous. In self-defense, I turn off the news much of the time; no one can listen to 24 hours of high-pitch ``breaking news`` and keep sane. The world is a roller coaster; events are out of control. We are being carried to a place we do not know. The experts and pundits, despite their cockiness, know no more than we. Mozart is a refuge, but he is more. Much of his life was not easy and he knew serious suffering. Yet he maintained that joy of life that makes his music so attractive, so rich, so rewarding. Mozart, my pious readers, is an unexpected gift from God. He embodies the best of humanity, he embodies hope, he embodies the ability, nay, the necessity, of harvesting the joy of life that surrounds us, even in these desperate days (Michael Dorner, editor, Catholic Radio Update, Feb 17 via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ OUR LAWYER FRIENDS AT THE FCC [not the real original title, which was merely BROADBAND, from Associated Press] --------------- Wired News Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57605,00.html 01:15 PM Feb. 09, 2003 PT ST. LOUIS -- Coming to a home or office near you could be an electric Internet: high-speed Web access via ubiquitous power lines, of all things, making every electrical outlet an always-on Web connection. If it sounds shocking, consider this: St. Louis-based Ameren and other utilities already are testing the technology, and many consider it increasingly viable. This truly plug-and-play technology, if proven safe, has the blessings of federal regulators looking to bolster broadband competition, lower consumer prices and bridge the digital divide in rural areas. Because virtually every building has a power plug, it "could simply blow the doors off the provision of broadband," Federal Communications Commission chairman Michael Powell said last month. For competition's sake, "absolutely, we would applaud it," says Edmond Thomas, chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology. "We're going to have an absolute stampede to move on this. This is a natural," said Alan Shark, president of the Power Line Communications Association, which includes Internet providers such as Earthlink as well as utility companies. "It'll change the way we do business on the Internet." While existing providers of broadband through cable TV lines or phone wires consider the technology intriguing, they stress that talk of it has been around for years, with nothing to show for it. Existing broadband providers such as St. Louis-based Charter Communications, the nation's third-largest cable company, believe they have the edge because they are known commodities and can bundle high-speed Internet with video and even telephone service in some markets. If ever deployed, power-line broadband "certainly is competition, but we feel our product would stand up well," said David Andersen, a spokesman for Charter, which has nearly 1.1 million high-speed Internet customers. Digital power lines are believed to be able to carry data at roughly the same speeds as cable or DSL lines. And because electricity is more prevalent in homes than cable or even telephone lines, a vast new communications infrastructure could be born overnight -- notably in rural areas, where broadband access has lagged. There, the scarcity of potential subscribers hasn't justified the high cost of laying cable or building satellite towers. A December 2001 report by the FCC-created National Exchange Carrier Association estimated it would cost about $10.9 billion to wire all of rural America. Even where broadband is available, many people have trouble justifying spending $40 or $50 a month for it, about twice the cost of popular dial-up services. Now Ameren, which serves about 1.5 million electric customers in Missouri and Illinois, is studying whether its portfolio could include broadband over its medium-voltage distribution systems and, more importantly, if it'd be profitable. Keith Brightfield, heading the project for Ameren, says it's too early to say when the company could deploy the technology, and the utility makes no claims it can deliver broadband more cheaply than current providers. The goal, he said, is to be competitive at Internet access without losing focus on Ameren's bread-and-butter energy business. Companies have found that turning power lines into a stable, high- speed system of data transmission is tricky. Network interference and such things as transformers and surge arrestors have hindered broadband delivery. But over the past few years, Shark says, many of those hurdles have been cleared with improved technology. Brightfield says previous efforts to deploy the technology in Europe failed because their electric system differs from that in the United States. Still, there's no shortage of skepticism. "I think they're a long ways from proving it; let's leave it there," said Larry Carmichael, a project manager with the Electric Power Research Institute. "The tests to date have been so small, as far as looking at the financial and technical viability. It's still at the very early stage of development." The technology works like this: Data is carried either by fiber-optic or telephone lines to skip disruptive high-voltage lines, then is injected into the power grid downstream, onto medium-voltage wires. Because signals can only make it so far before breaking apart, special electronic devices on the line catch packets of data, then reamplify and repackage them before shooting them out again. Other technologies use more elaborate techniques that detour the signal around transformers. Either way, the signal makes its way to neighborhoods and customers who could access either it wirelessly, through strategically placed utility poles, or by having it zipped directly into their homes via the regular electric current. Adaptors at individual power outlets ferry the data into computers through their usual ports. The nonprofit Douglas Electric Cooperative in Oregon, with more than 9,000 customers in a service territory the size of Delaware, hopes the electric Internet technology can complement the co-op's high-speed fiber-optic cabling, which is too pricey to extend to rural customers, said Mark Doty, a Douglas superintendent. The co-op hopes to field-test the technology as early as this summer - -- nice timing for member Bart Exparza, who is fed up with his slow dial-up connection at his home deep in Oregon's tree-lined, mountainous countryside. "Imagine the cartoon of a guy standing on top of his computer, pulling his hair out. That's me," the self-employed electrical contractor frets. "I just roll my eyes and think, 'Golly gee.'" (via David E. Crawford, Titusville, Florida, DXLD) The article again neglects to mention the part about wiping out HF/MF reception. I wrote PLCA's Mr. Shark for comment about this, no response of course (David Crawford, FL, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It's always good to write letters to the editor, for publication, when one sees an article one disagrees with. If there are factual errors or unfair insult or libel, write the editor or managing editor and very clearly request a clarification, correction or apology - whichever is appropriate. If there is no response, write a reminder, with a cc to the publisher or owner. Keep your letter polite but firm and to the point. When taking the position of being correct, it is often counterproductive to appear uptight, angry or rude. A few letters about IBOC or cheaters, from people who know what they're talking about, can often do some good. Remember to make sure that you can legally and factually back up any specific cases you're talking about (Saul Chernos, Ont., NRC-AM via DXLD) Saul: I mentioned this issue in my comments to the FCC on IBOC, but I have to wonder how Industry Canada and broadcasters in Canada feel about IBOC. It's not like the interference will stop at the border. In fact, armed with an understanding of propagation, AM Log, an a list of known IBOC stations, it would be easy to surmise that several Canadian broadcasters would receive interference. Do you know what the thoughts are in Canada about IBOC, or can you offer your opinion? (Fred Vobbe, OH, NRC-AM via DXLD) Saul and the group, I'll presume the bulk of Saul's response is directed at myself. No offense, but when faced with a situation which threatens a hobby I've enjoyed for thirty years, I _do_ get a bit uptight about it, thus my effort to "stir the pot" a bit and get people at least thinking about it. I'll leave the polite letters to the editor to others. First, I neither agree nor disagree with the author or editor of the WIRED article; he was merely reporting facts for which no clarification was needed. It's pretty obvious what the author meant, including: 1. There is a technology available by which broadband data links can be conducted via powerlines (BoP); 2. There exist firms which are lobbying for the acceptance BoP technology; 3. Michael Powell, chairman of the FCC, has decided that this technology is a good thing, as evidenced by his own words. The Mr. Shark mentioned in my posting is the president of an organization whose goal is to make money selling BoP technology. He has no motive, at least that he or his group has professed, to defend the various facets of the radio monitoring hobby from the consequences of technology that he himself is marketing. On the contrary, it is in his financial interest to see that the hobby and other HF comm interests are neglected during consideration of the technology. It is therefore unlikely any letter, polite-but-firm or otherwise, will influence his position. Thus, one could expect him to ignore any such inquiries, which is what he did. My specific concern is this: BoP technology utilizes an "almost- baseband" spectrum , i.e. occupying the bandwidth above a few hundred Hz at the low end (avoiding AC power frequencies); assuming a conservative 10 Mbps data rate with a couple of odd-order harmonics to keep the signal somewhat square, the system will occupy a chunk of spectrum at least up through 50 MHz. AC electrical wiring is not designed to prevent this signal from radiating; except for the usually-twisted line from the last transformer to your house, it is all either single-conductor per phase or untwisted twin lead. No twisting, no shielding = antenna. This antenna would completely envelop your house, so you can imagine the signal levels inside. "Shielded" broadband creates enough QRM problems as it is, so I expect BoP to be a couple of orders of magnitude worse to the point of making radio reception at home difficult or impossible. It is in the interest of the companies mentioned that a headlong rush to approval by the FCC occur so they can start making money by selling hardware to electric utilities. It appears that Mr. Powell, having been sold on the free-market aspects of this proposition, has already bought into it before sufficient vetting of the technology's technical merits or consequences has taken place. Mr. Powell is a lawyer, not an engineer. I've read previous complaints in the press about his inability to sufficiently fathom technical issues before the commission, and this seems to be more of the same. Even if he can't understand the engineering, he can still feel the heat from below if enough is generated by those who DO understand it. Radio hobbyists aren't the only ones who would suffer ill-effects from implementation of BoP. With the advent of ALE systems in the past few years there has been a migration of emergency communications back to HF which will likewise be disrupted (David Crawford, FL, ibid.) David: For what it's worth, a very similar system went through small trials in Europe. Hams there noted interference, and complained loudly. Your fear of interference is justified (Chuck Hutton, WA, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ "EDXP NEWSPLUS" - INFOVIEW: "THE GLOBAL BROADCASTING GUIDE" THE GLOBAL BROADCASTING GUIDE Winter 2002-2003 edition January 2003 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Editor: Simon Spanswick Publisher: The Association of International Broadcasting, PO Box 4440 Walton, C014 8BX, United Kingdom Tel/FAX: +44 0 1255 67 6996 E-mail: info@aib.org.uk Web: http://www.aib.org.uk/ Annual Subscription Rate (two issues): GBP 7 postpaid worldwide airmail, (GBP 5.50 in the UK) Also available from the BBC Shop ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AN INFOVIEW by Bob Padula, February 2003 Published twice a year, the GBG is now in its seventh year, and declares itself to be "the definitive index of English language international broadcasting, and "a unique directory of every radio station that broadcasts internationally on shortwave radio in English". GBG comes in a handy-sized A5 format, glossy color covers, of 48 pages, and promoted essentially for travellers wishing to keep in touch with home; it will also be useful to a much broader "non-mobile" community of world radio listeners, as a quick "ready-reference". The latest edition reflects a page increase from the former 36 pages, and we are provided with details about: GLOBAL RADIO International broadcasters, in alphabetical listing by studio country (18 pages), showing - SW schedules for the winter season, effective until March 29, 2003 (some mediumwave data is given, such as VOA, Voice of Vietnam, and DW), with target areas, times, broadcast days and frequencies - Addressses: postal, E-mail, Web, telephone, FAX and Internet audio - General indications as to languages other than English for each broadcaster (no schedules) GLOBAL TELEVISION Contact details, postal and Web addresses, and satellite transponder data (four pages). GBG informs us that the number of satellite TV services is increasing for news and current affairs. Many international TV services are available on local cable systems, and some digital satellite services (such as those operated by Sky in the UK or TPS in France) carry international channels. GBG further advises that some of these broadcasters originate programming in countries other than where they are based, for example, CNN International has a major news gathering operation in London, so some of the programming is made there, rather than n the Atlanta headquarters. Similarly, CNBC Europe is based in London, but takes some programming from the USA and other CNBC operations around the world. GENERAL INFORMATION About the AIB and "how to use the Guide" (13 pages) COMMERCIAL DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENTS For British-based communications companies, electronics/radio shops and magazines (five pages) A pull-out form is provided for ordering subscriptions of the Guide and other products, including "The Channel" - AIB's glossy broadcasting industry magazine. As an inexpensive Guide, this "ready reference" would admirably serve the needs of people not wishing to spend large amounts on large annual references, and who only wish to know about English broadcasts. An audit of the data revealed a high order of accuracy, apart from some minor typographical errors. If I was going on one of my overseas excursions tomorrow, I would certainly take the Guide with me! FOOTNOTES 1. The Association for International Broadcasting is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee. It is the professional trade association for the cross-border broadcasting industry, and has no share-holders. Income generated is used to promote international broadcasting, supporting the needs of the industry (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WINTER SWL FEST Among those who are planning on attending from overseas are the internationally recognised radio monitor from Sri Lanka, Victor Goonetilleke (GOON-e-TILL-e-ke) and Arni Coro from Radio Havana Cuba. Our own DX Editor, Dr. Adrian Peterson, is planning on attending along with his wife, Violet. Dr Peterson has been invited to speak at the Kulpsville Winter Fest and his topic will be an illustrated presentation on "Wandering the World with a Radio". He will also have on display many large volumes containing valuable old QSL cards from around the world (Peterson, AWR Wavescan Feb 16 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Links to a number of space weather resources: Propagation/Weather: http://www.nrcdxas.org/weather (via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) ###