DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-032, February 25, 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 1170: RFPI: Wed 0700, 1300 on 15039 and/or 7445 WWCR: Wed 1030 9475 WJIE: M-F 1300, 7490 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1170.html FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1171: Wed 2300 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2130 on WWCR 9475 Fri 1300 on WJCR 7490 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15038.6 Sat 0900 on WRN to rest of world CONTINENT OF MEDIA 03-02: from Feb 25 available at DXing.com: (DOWNLOAD) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0302.rm (STREAM) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0302.ram (SUMMARY) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0302.html This has replaced COM 02-04 in the DXing.com archive; it appears they are now keeping only one previous edition available. Is there ANY interest in my continuing to availablize audio of previous COM editions via my website? (Glenn Hauser) ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN RADIO STATION CELEBRATES FIRST YEAR OF BROADCASTING | Text of report by Afghan radio on 24 February The first anniversary of Good Morning Afghanistan [radio] was celebrated in the Khyber Hotel this afternoon. The correspondent of Radio Afghanistan reported that at the beginning of the ceremony Al- Haj Barakatollah Salim recited some verses from the Holy Koran. After that, a staff member of Good Morning Afghanistan read the agenda of the ceremony. Later on, the deputy minister for publications of the Ministry of Information and Culture, Abdol Hamid Mobarez, in his speech said how happy he was that Radio Good Morning Afghanistan, which broadcast via Radio Afghanistan, had a lot of listeners. He added that the Ministry of Information and Culture intended to expand relations with all the countries across the world and the international media. He said the broadcasts of Good Morning Afghanistan and Radio Afghanistan had an active role in expounding the importance of the constitution, the forthcoming Loya Jerga [assembly] and the political future of Afghanistan. He said this duty had to be accomplished. Later on, the message of the chairman of Radio Afghanistan, Gholam Hasan Hazrati, was read out. The message said that Afghan culture is broadcast in different areas of Good Morning Afghanistan such as art and literature. A concert concluded the ceremony. Source: Radio Afghanistan, Kabul, in Pashto 1430 gmt 24 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN/IRAQ [and nons]. The IHT article about psywar referenced in 3-031 under IRAQ was abbreviated. The complete(?) version goes into more detail, especially about Afghanistan, e.g., why 8700 kHz was chosen for Commando Solo, and other airbourne activities – radar monitoring, intercepts, etc. Excerpts: (gh) ... Delivering radios to the people of Afghanistan presented a particular problem. About 500 were air-dropped over the country, and all of them were destroyed on impact. The military and aid groups passed out more than 6,500, and millions of leaflets were dropped telling the Afghan people of frequencies used for the American broadcasts. The American military also took over one important frequency, 8.7 megahertz, used by the Taliban for its official radio broadcasts. That became possible once the towers used by the Taliban for relaying their military commands were blown up as part of the war effort. As in most totalitarian governments, the military and government used the same system for their radio broadcasts. The American military continues to broadcast to the Afghan people over that channel.... If Mr. Bush orders an attack against Iraq, the information offensive will expand to a fierce but invisible war of electrons. Air commanders will rely on a small but essential fleet of surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, including the radar-jamming EC-130H Compass Call and electronic-eavesdropping RC-135 Rivet Joint. There are just over a dozen of each aircraft in the American arsenal. Flying from Prince Sultan Air Base, outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Rivet Joint is already playing an important role in collecting Iraqi radio and radar emissions, which are jammed when American and British planes in the no-flight zones periodically attack targets on the ground. The RC-135, a military version of a Boeing 707 jet with a bulbous nose filled with sensors, is essentially a flying listening post, orbiting at the edge of the battlefield above 30,000 feet. In the rear of the planes, filled with high-powered computers and other sensors, intelligence specialists, many of whom speak Arabic or Farsi, monitor the airwaves, intercepting conversations from military communications links or other networks. Much of this information is passed to the National Security Agency for analysis. At the front of the plane, which has a 32-member crew, electronic warfare specialists sit at a separate bank of computers, gathering up radar signals of all kinds, including Iraqi air defenses. Rivet Joints have the ability to scan automatically across an array of communications frequencies, allowing an operator to home in on individual frequencies and pass that information on to the Awacs radar or J-Stars ground-surveillance planes, which have better ability to pinpoint the locations of the transmissions. [Full story:] http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/24/international/middleeast/24MILI.html?ex=1047087333&ei=1&en=7fd551db51167962 (via Joel Rubin, swprograms via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Mysterious signal on 9335 Yesterday Sunday 23 while listening to Laser radio, at 2215 there was a carrier for 5 minutes, then at 2230 there was a station calling itself 'Da Azadi Radio Pukhta Parawana' mostly with news in Pushtu (but surely not Farsi). There were also references to Marlboro (?), international news and Germany was called `German` instead of Aleman (as in Farsi), and half song played after 2247 for more talks. Also English people were interviewed and cut after their sentence. Nearly TOH there was an address in Kabul and a reference to a spelled RSCRM (again missed something, as I did not use a tape recorder). The signal was S9 or 33433 at most times, when Laser radio was not more than S4. I`m wondering if it is a new QRG for R Liberty. I will try however to get a response from my Afghan friend for this name "pukhta parawana". I suspect that Pukhta is Pushtu language as neither words are used in Farsi. In the last DXLD 23-2 referred transmission from Syria (??) (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9335 2230 2330 RFE AFG PA IRA 05 334 9335 2330 2400 RFE AFG DA IRA 05 334 9335 0000 0030 RFE AFG DA IRA 05 334 9335 0030 0130 VOA AFG PASH IRA 05 334 9335 0130 0230 VOA AFG DARI IRA 05 334 I.e, from Sri Lanka, not Syria! So that explains the sudden move of WBCQ to 9330. Strange that IBB and WBCQ are so eager to avoid conflict on 9335, while insisting on maintaining a clash on 7415 with Botswana. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** ALASKA. 900 KZPA AK, Fort Yukon, received a beautiful QSL card with a map of Alaska and letter with tourist flier on Fort Yukon in 150d for typed and taped report. V/S: Roberta Thomas, Station Manager and letter was from Shirley Thomas, Office Personnel KZPA Radio. 5 KW. AK QSL #53. I am really pleased with this one! (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, Feb 25, IRCA via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Update on HCJB from Dennis Adams: Both S. Pacific and Asian releases going out fairly smoothly. Only some occasional interruptions from a storm or two passing thru Kununurra, since this is the wet season. Asian went out Wednesday night with the full [sic] 75 kW at 1230-1730 [on 15480], up from last week`s 25 kW. The Asian antennas have now been fully repaired. Letters from Sweden, UK, Finland, Germany, Norway, Denmark, US, Japan, Australia, NZ, France, Malaysia. And a great report from China of clear reception from 1354 to 1409 (via Allen Graham, HCJB DX Partyline Feb 22, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. RUSSIA: Voice of Biafra International in English to WAf via ARM [`Armavir`] 200 kW / 235 deg effective Feb. 22: 2100-2200 Sat on 7380 (55544), ex 1900-2000 Sat on 12125 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** CANADA. REPULSE BAY RESIDENTS WANT CBC SERVICE Friday - February 21, 2003 - 8:30 CBC Iqaluit Regional News Summary Residents in Repulse Bay are speaking up about the silence in their community. The community has been without radio since the hamlet building burned down on Christmas Eve. Earlier this week, more than 100 people signed a petition calling on the CBC to help them out. Trisha Estabrooks reports. Earl Dean (sp) says mornings just aren't the same without the radio. "It's very hard to wake up. The house seems empty without the CBC News and in the north, I think it's a bigger part of life here than it might be down south. Down south there's lots of other things you can do. But I think radio is a big part of our life." Dean says two months without radio is long enough. He says by now, he expected someone to come to the rescue and fix the problem. "I guess we kind of had an idea too that somebody up there, some big shot somewhere would be, you know, concerned, and try and make sure we got the radio back. But once we realized that there was really no one pushing, I think we realized we had to have a petition." That petition was sent to the CBC and Nunavut's Member of Parliament Nancy Karetak-Lindell. Dave McNaughton (sp) is the regional manager of operations for CBC North. He says CBC has been working on ways to help Repulse Bay for the past month. The problem is, CBC doesn't own any of the equipment that puts its programming on the air in Repulse Bay. That's owned by the hamlet. McNaughton says until the insurance company comes through, CBC will loan equipment to the community and help them get it installed. He says the CBC service in Repulse Bay should be up and on the air within the next two weeks. Trisha Estabrooks, CBC News, Rankin Inlet (via Georges Lessard, CAJ-list via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CONGO. RADIO CONGO, BRAZZAVILLE ONCE AGAIN ACTIVE ON 4765 Hi, last night I listened to Radio Congo on 4765 kHz from around 1730 to 1803. The signal was very weak, with vernaculars, music and identification at 1800 followed by news in French. The signal disappeared soon after 1800 hours; more likely the propagation stopped at that time. 73 (Jarmo Patala, Hyvinkää, Finland, Feb 24, DXing.info via DXLD) ** CROATIA [non]. V. of Croatia, 13820 via Deutsche Telekom, 0807-0812 Feb 17, English news, ID, weak but in the clear (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. En el programa "En Contacto" de Radio Habana Cuba se informó, que quien enviara un informe de recepción del programa transmitido ayer, recibirá una tarjeta QSL especial de Radio Rebelde. Aprovecho así mismo para enviar mis felicitaciones a Radio Rebelde por sus 45 años. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 5010, Radio Cristal Int'l, Santo Domingo, Feb 24 2320-2345 +/- - while playing chess with a friend and listening to the shortwave radio at the same time (without looking at the clock) heard 2 meringue songs, local ads (one was for TV station "Canal 25"), Radio Pueblo IDs which announced to be on MW-1510 and on SW followed by Radio Cristal Int'l ID (..."1510... amplitud modulada... banda tropical de 60 metros...). Very good reception; SIO 444-3 (Bogdan Chiochiu, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. La Voz del Napo, 3279.55, Feb 22 0850-0910+; tune-in to Andean music. 0900 ID and NA. They seem to always play NA at 0900 even though they are not signing on or off. 0904 local children`s chorus. I often see R. María loggings on this frequency; R. María is just a religious program broadcast on La Voz del Napo (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Hi DXers, Well Just want to give you some info to help you get this one... around 1730 on 1584 you can Pick IDHHAT GANOB AL SA'EED (Southern Upper Egypt radio) with the news followed by some local news where they keep repeating SA'EED which means upper Egypt (southern Egypt) All the best guys. The output is only 10 KW from IDFU in upper Egypt. Good Dxing! If you need an e mail to get a qsl ..just let me know. Yours (TAREK ZEIDAN, Egypt, Feb 23, DXing.info via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. V. of Ethiopia: I sent an e-mail report on their inaugural broadcast on Feb 16 to info@democracyfrontiers.org After 6 days this short reply came by e-mail: ``Dear Mr. Petersen, Thank you for the feedback on our broadcast. Please let friends of yours and organizations you belong to know about our program. We would also very much like to ask you help us in any way you can to fight tyranny. Have a good day! VOE`` It was sent from "EC" with e-mail: Articles@ethiopiancommentator.com So this is a real clandestine, brokered by TDP in Belgium. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Dear Glenn, I noted that you already have a report on DXLD of Feb. 23 of the Voice of Ethiopia in English at 20 UT on 7520 kHz. If you report on it in this week`s World of Radio you might like to have an audio sample as well. Here's my recording of part of the start, the "statement", as of Sunday Feb 23. 73, (Erik Koie, Copenhagen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wonder If that`s via Norway, in their favorite band (gh, DXLD) Yes 7520 (x7560), Kvitsøy-Norway. see Ludo's website: http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html noted at this morning Monday Feb 24, 73 wb (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But no site info there! (gh) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. RUSSIA: Frequency change for V of Ethiopia in English via SAM [`Samara`] 250 kW / 188 degrees from Feb. 23 2000-2100 Sun only NF 7520 (55555), ex 7560 on Sun Feb. 16 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) I just do not know where this 7520 is coming from. Checked the two Norwegian frequencies, and they were both on the air. But at this time there is a free transmitter at both sites. On Saturday we also listened to 5925 at 15-16 UT, Voice of Democratic Ethiopia, and we are quite sure that that one is from Jülich. (7520 is NOT mentioned in their recent schedule.). 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, nothing under that name or on that frequency listed. See what I mean? (gh) ** FINLAND. WELLCOME TO LISTEN SWR 1st OF MARCH! TIME AND FREQUENCY TABLE (Transmission starts 22 hours UTC Friday, February 28th) UTC 48 mb 25mb 22-23 6170 11720 23-24 5980 11720 00-02 5980 11690 02-06 5980 11720 06-07 5990 11720 07-13 5990 11690 13-15 5990 11720 15-17 5980 11720 17-18 5990 11720 18-22 6170 11690 RADIORELATED PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE 02-04 and 08-10 (repeated) UTC SWR presents Radio nostalgia: Radio Nord Special. The free Radio was born offshore. SWR salutes the pioneers with this Radio Nord special. This is a two hour memorial programme of Swedish offshore station Radio Nord. The programme contains interviews with former staff members, listeners, a potted history of the station, vintage recordings, music from this era (1961-62) and more. The programme is totally in Swedish language. 07-08 UTC Piratestory Radio 1983, Editor Harri Kujala This programme made in Finnish language tells story of World of Free Radio in 1983 in Finland and other European countries. 20 minutes Piraattistory Radio 1983, toimittajana Harri Kujala. Nostalginen ohjelma vuodelta 1983. Harri Kujala kertoo millaista oli vapaan radion maailma vuonna 1983 Suomessa ja muualla Euroopassa. Ohjelma on suomenkielinen ja kestää 20 minuuttia. Radiomonopolies into history, part 1. Scandinavia, Editor Harri Kujala This programme from 1987 is in Finnish language. In this programme Harri describes years when radiomonopolies all over Europe collapsed. 30 minutes. Radiomonopolit historiaan, osa 1: Scandinavia, toimittajana Harri Kujala. Nostalginen ohjelma vuodelta 1987, ajalta jolloin radiomonopolit kaatuivat ympäri Eurooppaa. Tässä ensimmäisessä osassa Harri Kujala keskittyy Pohjoismaihin. Ohjelma on suomenkielinen ja kestää noin 30 minuuttia. 10-11 UTC World Radio Roulette by Madman. Latest DX-Radio News, QuickPhone-inContest +358 400 995 559 (SPECIAL SWR-Price for the Winner), Report telling facts of coming Long Wave Radio Station Music Mann. SPECIAL MUSIC CONTENT THIS TIME Finnish War Time Propaganda-Music from years 1940-1942 for example Eldankajärven jää, Silmien väliin, Kremlin uni, Uraliin, Njet Molotoff etc 11-13 UTC SWR presents: The definitive Free Radio Service-Holland (FRSH) history. There are free radio stations with a history. SWR salutes the free radios with attitude and history. "10 Years in the Life of FRS- Holland" is a fascinating document. Once you start listening you won't be bored for even a minute. Relive a decade of FRS-Holland and make a journey through that big, wide, wonderful world of short wave free radio. SWR presents this story in two parts. This is Part 1. The programme is in English language. And much more. Visit http://www.swradio.net for more details NEW PARTNER OF SWR Radio Demo has joined as partner of Scandinavian Weekend Radio. We will have programmes of Radio Demo every month until now. These programmes will include latest Finnish (hard) music. Visit http://www.radiodemo.net Uusin yhteistyökumppanimme on RadioDemo. Suomenkielisessä ohjelmassa pääsemme tutustumaan uusimpaan kotimaiseen musiikkiin.Musiikillisesti pääpaino on raskaammassa meiningissä. Lisää tietoa RadioDemosta löydätte osoitteesta http://www.radiodemo.net Mad-Contests on March 10-11 UTC World Radio Roulette QuickPhone-inContest +358 400 995 559 (SPECIAL SWR-Prize for the Winner). Simply phone and answer and win! Osallistu PikaPuheluKisaan soittamalla 0400 995 559 (SWR-aiheinen ERIKOISPALKINTO luvassa voittajalle). Siis soita, vastaa ja voita! 13-14 UTC Hours of Madness Vote Mad-song of the month by selecting best song of these Finnish songs played during first 45 minutes in this programme! Send number of this song with your name and address to our Mobile Telefone (as SMS) + 358 400 995 559 and you can win a CD ful of Finnish music. The winner will be thrown among partisipants by Dame Fortune Äänestä Kuukauden paras Mad-kappale tämän tunnin ekan 45 minuutin aikana soitetuista kappaleista! Lähetä äänestämäsi kappaleen numero, nimesi ja osoitteesi tekstiviestinä numeroon 0400 995 559. Voit voittaa suomimusiikki-CD:n. Voittaja arvotaan osallistuneitten joukosta (Alpo Heinonen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE, 162, R France, Allouis, 0615 Feb 25, Commentary on Iraq by a couple of announcers. Good copy. Peaked at S9 around 0639. I don't speak French, but I thought I heard "Radio Paris" at one point (David Hodgson, TN, IC R75, 300m longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. During the Winter-SWL-Convention in Pennsylvania Deutsche Welle will provide a DRM Test on the 6th to 8th of March 2003 via Sines, Portugal: 1800-1955 on 21550 SIN 250 kW / 300 deg to zone 8 2230-0025 on 13665 SIN 250 kW / 300 deg to zone 8 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** GHANA. Ref. the remarks by Carlos Gonçalves in recent editions of BCDX and DXLD: Yes, GBC Radio 2 (3366) has a Monday-Friday programme in French at 1905-2000. The ID used during the programme is always "Radio Ghana". I know the people who produce it. I will ask them if they would be happy to receive e-mails from DX listeners. (But they are NOT in a position to send out QSLs.) Aside from the news and press review at around 1930, most of the rest of the programme is "free style" and so they would probably be happy to address listeners over the air. The presenters are Ghanaian and so the style of French used is very precise and "correct", hence easier to follow than that from francophone west Africa (Chris Greenway, Kenya, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Came across Radio Cultural, Guatemala on 3300 kHz with a music program this morning at 1106. Clear Radio Cultural ID at 1111 by a male announcer. Not heard for some months. Strong S9 signal on the JRC NRD-515 (John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, USA, Feb 24, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 3300, Radio Cultural, 0958-1035 Feb 25, Easy-listening instrumental at tune-in. Announcer with "canned" ID at 1002, followed by religious talks, very heavy with the rolling "R's", and music. Interview with Dr. Eric José Estrada at 1025, regarding a clinic, back to music at 1035. Clear signal with tolerable propagation noise and fades. Thanks to John Sgrulletta tip. Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS longwire w/ RDA balun (Scott R Barbour Jr, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looks like Wayne Berger of TGNA has reactivated the channel as he said he might when we spoke a few months ago. Not sure how long this will last or what power he is running. Heard strong here in north Louisiana as well, // 5955 not heard at 1145 (Hans Johnson, Tallulah, Louisiana, R8, 100' ft longwire, Feb 24, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Has anyone received a QSL "card" from Radio Cultural in the past 5 years? I have yet to receive one in the past 10, or ever (Konnie Rychalsky, Feb 24, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** GUYANA. GBC, V. of Guyana, reactivated after several months absence, on 3291.03, Feb 22, 0245-0330+ English, coverage of local parade with descriptions of floats and costumes. Interviews with local people, IDs. BBCWS news at 0400 followed by other BBC programing. Noted at 0840 with Hindi vocals and 0850 birthday greetings. Fair-good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND, 189, Útvarp Reykjavík, 0620 Feb 25. Fair signal, close to 100% copy with S3-5 peaks. Icelandic commentary. Classical music piece at 0633-0645. 0645 ID and time check were given (David Hodgson, TN, IC R75, 300m longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. In case you`re totally out of touch with TV, Dan Rather`s interview with Saddam Hussein is to be on CBS` 60 MINUTES II, Wednesday night at 8 Central, 0200 UT Thursday Feb 27, with the usual one-hour delay in the Mountain zone, three hours in Pacific... (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. There`s nothing new within the item below; it`s obviously based on the BBCM item recently published here, but it`s interesting to see how BBC News is making this public (gh, DXLD) FW: BBC Web site carrying Tikrit story http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2791865.stm RADIO TIKRIT CHANGES TUNE IN IRAQ A station identifying itself as Radio Tikrit, which carried programming early in February referring to President Saddam Hussein in respectful terms, seems to have shifted to a line hostile to the Iraqi leader. Tikrit is the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, and the radio announces itself as "Radio Tikrit for the whole of Iraq and all the Iraqis", although it is unclear from where it is broadcast. The radio, which broadcasts for two hours in the evening on a medium- wave frequency, was heard on 7 and 8 February carrying news, songs and general-interest features. The initial programming did not air the Iraqi national anthem but did seem to support Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party and was critical of the US. One programme, called Open Dialogue, included items glorifying "Saddam Hussein's Iraq". But from 15-19 February, the content had changed noticeably, with reports highlighting poverty in Iraq. The same programme was sharply critical of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guards and the Public Security Department. In a country where the domestic media is controlled by Saddam Hussein, such a deviation is noteworthy. Psychological operations Members of the Republican Guards were advised to leave their positions "before it is too late". Similarly, public-security officers were advised by the programme on 19 February to refuse the "orders of the tyrant" and "be brave before it is too late". The station can be heard from 1900-2100 GMT on 1584 kHz, but reception is patchy because of co-channel interference and fading. Features include recitations from the Kor`an, and the Arabic press review includes London-based Arabic-language papers. There is speculation that this may be a psychological operation - or "psyops" - designed to disrupt Saddam's monopoly on information and drum up opposition to his rule - but the identity of its sponsor is as yet unclear. Similar psyops radio broadcasts have been used in times of conflict. In recent months, particularly in Afghanistan, the US has delivered radio broadcasts from the air with its Commando Solo flights. BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/2791865.stm (via Andy Sennitt, Curtis Sadowski, Jilly Dubka, Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. WARGAMES OPEN WITH CLANDESTINE BROADCASTS Propaganda: Psychological assault led by 'RadioTikrit' Brian Whitaker, Tuesday February 25, 2003, The Guardian A voice in Arabic crackles over the airwaves: "This is Radio Tikrit." It sounds like an Iraqi station broadcasting from Saddam Hussein's home town, but it isn't. Though the shooting war with Iraq has not yet begun, Radio Tikrit is just one sign that US psychological operations against the Baghdad regime are well under way. Inside Iraq, senior figures have also been bombarded with subversive emails and phone calls, and telephone lines have been hacked to give bogus instructions to the military. When Radio Tikrit was launched early this month, it appeared to be just another regime-run station. It mocked the US and its efforts to win Arab support for a war. There was even a programme called Open Dialogue which praised "Saddam Hussein's Iraq". The only clue that Radio Tikrit's mix of news, music and features might not have been what it seemed came when the station omitted to play the Iraqi national anthem either at the beginning or end of its broadcasts, as all government-run stations do. By February 15, however, Radio Tikrit began to change its tune. This time the Open Dialogue programme talked about Iraqi citizens who were so poor they had to sell doors and windows from their homes in order to get money for food. Then the station urged members of the Republican Guard to desert their posts "before it is too late". On February 19, according to the BBC monitoring service, it told officers in public security to refuse the "orders of the tyrant" and "be brave before it is too late". "This seems to be what is technically known as a black clandestine operation," said Andy Sennitt of Radio Netherlands. "A station starts by pretending to be one thing when it's actually something else. It's a well-established procedure for psychological warfare." Unlike the "black" variety, "normal" clandestine broadcasts start as they intend to carry on. Traditionally, black clandestine broadcasts are launched at the beginning of military action. Radio Tikrit may have surfaced prematurely because of unexpected delays in the UN security council. But there may be another explanation. Listeners have been intrigued by the station's horoscopes, which some believe may be passing coded instructions to undercover operatives inside Iraq. The station broadcasts for two hours a night on 1584 kHz and, according to a radio enthusiasts' website, dxing.info, its signal is so strong that it dominates the frequency, even in parts of Europe. Its transmissions were first logged outside Iraq by Bjorn Fransson, an enthusiast in Sweden, on February 3. There is little doubt among experts that Radio Tikrit is an American station, with programmes produced by the 4th Psychological Operations Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and broadcast from a CIA- controlled transmitter in Kuwait. According to an Egyptian listener, Tikrit's main male announcer also appears on Information Radio, an overt anti-Saddam propaganda station whose launch was announced by the Pentagon last December. At least some of Information Radio's broadcasts come from airborne transmitters on American EC-130E Commando Solo aircraft that were previously used for the same purpose in Afghanistan. They are also capable of broadcasting television programmes. Radio Tikrit comes from Kuwait, where two Iraqi oppo sition stations, al-Mustaqbal and Twin Rivers Radio, broadcast from the CIA's transmitter. Radio Tikrit's broadcasts start at 7pm GMT when Twin Rivers shuts down. They end at 9pm, when al-Mustaqbal starts up. The signal from all three stations is the same strength and they are obviously coming from the same transmitter, experts say. The US is also using cyber-warfare, with an email assault directed at Iraq's political, military and economic leadership, according to the New York Times. The messages urge them to break with President Saddam's government. Selected officials in Iraq have also received calls on their private mobile phones, officials at the Pentagon and in the regional central command told the paper. According to an independent source in Baghdad, phone numbers of all top officials were changed by the Iraqi authorities at the beginning of February in response to hacking of telephone lines a few days earlier. When Iraqi air defence units picked up their phones, instead of a dialling tone, they heard a male voice speaking in Arabic. It told them not to use chemical or biological weapons, not to offer resistance, and not to obey commands to attack civilian areas, the source said. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,902426,00.html (via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) same: http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,902374,00.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD)(also via Daniel Say, DXLD) IRAQI RADIO STATION MAY BE US 'BLACK' PROPAGANDA 14:55 25 February 03 NewScientist.com news service Clues gathered by radio enthusiasts suggest that a mysterious new Iraqi radio station is in fact a source of CIA "black" propaganda. Radio Tikrit began broadcasting in early February. The station's programming reflected that of many other government-sponsored stations in Iraq by showing strong support for the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his government. The station's name is also the name of the Iraqi town where Saddam and other members of his government were born. However, by 15 February, the tone of Radio Tikrit's programmes began to change dramatically. One show reportedly described Iraqis so poor that they had to sell their windows and doors. Another, broadcast on 18 February, is reported to have encouraged Iraqi soldiers to refuse the "orders of the tyrant" and "be brave before it is too late". Mike Mäkeläinen, who runs a web site dedicated to tracing the origins of foreign radio stations, DXing.info, says all the evidence points to a "black" radio propaganda operation. This means the apparent identity of the communicator is in fact false. Triple strength Radio Tikrit broadcasts at 1584 kHz, a frequency very close those used by two radio stations operated by a political group opposed to Saddam's rule. The Iraqi National Accord, which is thought to receive CIA support, broadcasts Two Rivers Radio at 1566 kHz and Radio Al Mustaqbal at 1575 kHz. The strength of the Radio Tikrit signal is also similar to that used by these stations, Mäkeläinen says. This indicates that it may be broadcasting from the same station in neighbouring Kuwait. "It's relatively simple to measure the strength of a radio signal and tell where it's being broadcast from," Mäkeläinen told New Scientist. Radio Tikrit also broadcasts only from 1900 GMT and 2100 GMT, in- between broadcasts by the other two stations. Voice match Finally, a posting to the DXing.info web site, from a person identifying themselves as Egyptian, suggests the voice of the main Radio Tikrit announcer can also be heard on a non-clandestine US propaganda station called Information Radio. This station broadcasts from airplanes flying near Iraq, a technique also used in the war in Afghanistan. Mäkeläinen, who published an analysis of Iraqi radio stations on Tuesday, says it is surprising that Radio Tikrit changed its standpoint before the start of any US-led military operation. "I would have expected them to continue the pro-Saddam line until they wanted to pass over some misinformation," he says. "Maybe they just thought it was time to start influencing the republican guard and other Iraqi soldiers." Other reports also suggest that the psychological offensive against Iraq is underway. Senior officials in the ruling Iraqi government are said to have been targeted with email and mobile telephone messages advising them to abandon Saddam and not to use chemical or biological weapons in any conflict with the US. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993430 (Will Knight, New Scientist Feb 25 via Artie Bigley, Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. RADIO TIKRIT, AND TWIN RIVERS RADIO TIED TO OPPOSITION GROUP By Nick Grace, CRW Washington with reporting by Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands Media Network and Robert Petraitis, CRW Lithuania [Feb 24] Radio Tikrit and Twin Rivers Radio (Wadi al-Rafidayn), CRW and Radio Netherlands Media Network can exclusively report, are "sister" stations of the London-based exile group Iraqi National Accord's own program, al-Mustaqbal (The Future). A representative of the Accord, which encourages regime change through a coup d'état, responded to an inquiry about the three radio stations with an invitation for listeners to send e-mail for all three programs to the main Accord e-mail address: wifaq_ina@hotmail.com The Accord and its station, al-Mustaqbal, have long been known to receive funding and assistance from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Multiple sources within the Iraqi opposition have independently confirmed that al-Mustaqbal broadcasts from a 50 kW Harris transmitter located in Kuwait from a facility also used by the Voice of America. The transmitter broadcast Radio Hurriah (Freedom) programs on behalf of the Iraqi National Congress between 1992 and 1997. Radio Tikrit's appearance in January 2003 on a frequency once used by a CIA/Accord station Voice of the Brave Armed Forces surprised most Iraq watchers since its initial broadcasts appeared to denigrate U.S. foreign policy. Subsequent programs monitored by BBC Monitoring, however, blast the regime in Baghdad and attempt to win over the hearts and minds of Ba'ath Party bureaucrats and Republican Guard troops. Interestingly, a recurring segment of the program called "Signs of the Zodiac" reads astrological forecasts. Although not uncommon in the Arab world Radio Netherlands Media Network's Andy Sennitt suspects the forecasts may, in fact, serve as surreptitious messages to foreign intelligence assets operating within Iraq. A source contacted today in Iraqi Kurdistan said "Here in northern Iraq people are completely mystified that anyone would name a station Radio Tikrit. I have asked several Sunni Arabs what they think when they hear there is a new station called Radio Tikrit and every one of them said 'CIA.'" The stations` monitored schedules: Twin Rivers Radio 1600-1900 UTC on 1566 kHz Radio Tikrit 1900-2100 on 1584 kHz al-Mustaqbal 2100-2400 on 1575.3 kHz Developing... (Clandestine Radio Watch Extra, Feb 24 via DXLD) and another interesting 1584 station: EGYPT. SEE ALSO KURDISTAN ** IRAQ [and non]. Glenn, Link to piece from Monday's New York Times on the psyops campaign against Iraq --- they're even unleashing the telemarketers on Saddam's inner circle. The graphic accompanying the article (on the Web page, "Seeking the Opinion Advantage") includes a leaflet that gives the times/frequencies of the Commando Solo broadcasts. You know we're getting close to war when Geraldo shows up on the Turkish border (on Fox). http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/24/international/middleeast/24MILI.html?pagewanted=all&position=top Regards, (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, WA, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Probably the same article as above under AFGHANISTAN non ** IRAQ [non]. In an article titled " From leaflets to Electronic, the US military is already waging Information War" This was found in the Monday Feb 24 edition of the NY Times. Part of the article includes frequencies in which updates are broadcast. These are AT 1800-2400 UT on 756, 693 MW, 9715, 11292 KHz SW, and 100.4 FM, all reported to be broadcast from the Commando Solo C-130E aircraft. To jam Iraqi broadcast a similar plane is used and is called Compass Call. This plane searches out broadcasts and jams them with 800 watts. As the broadcaster get wise to Compass Call they switch frequencies but so does the plane in sort of a cat and mouse operation. The US is also dropping as many as 1,250,000 leaflets per day advising them of the frequencies to listen to the "Truth". (LeRoy Long, OK, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. US AIMS TO WIN WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT February 26 2003 Melbourne Age http://theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/25/1046064031311.html Before the US brings out its supersecret weapons, it is trying "psy-war". Garry Barker reports. Before the first bombs fall on Baghdad or US marines storm across the Iraqi frontier, technology will have penetrated, perhaps even destroyed, Saddam Hussein's defences. If, or when, this war starts, it will look more like a scene from Star Wars than a replay of Operation Desert Storm. Every electronic asset in the massive US high-tech arsenal will be used. Military planners intend to mount "invisible" attacks designed to cripple computer networks, power grids and telephone exchanges. Their electronic armoury includes powerful airborne "ray guns", highly accurate guided missiles, sophisticated electronic surveillance systems and psychological weapons aimed at undermining support for President Saddam at the heart of his regime, say American officials. The campaign includes emails to Baath Party leaders and a wave of calls to the mobile phones of senior officials close to the Iraqi leader and, in a throwback to World War II, floods of leaflets are to be dropped on towns and military camps. "The goal of information warfare is to win without ever firing a shot," said James Wilkinson, spokesman for General Tommy Franks, commander of forces in the Gulf. "If action does begin, information warfare is used to make the conflict as short as possible." Pentagon strategists believe that "psyops" could hold the key to resolving one of the most difficult problems of planning the war with Iraq - how to prevent Mr Saddam from using weapons of mass destruction or a Götterdämmerung scenario in which he causes environmental destruction. An outbreak of war will bring the deployment of super-secret weapons such as an airborne "lightning bolt" generator developed for the US Air Force. It is capable of focusing millions of watts of microwave energy in a tightly controlled beam that would fry the computers that Iraq needs to control its army and launch its missiles. With that and similar advanced electronic weapons mounted on fleets of C-130 and C-135 aircraft, the US could turn off the lights in Baghdad without firing a shot. The "lightning bolt" weapon was developed by scientists working for the US Air Force in New Mexico, and has been successfully tested. US reports say that in action it would be carried by large unmanned aircraft such as the 737-sized Global Hawk that was test-flown from the US to South Australia two years ago. The weapon flashes intense beams of energy earthward with an accuracy of two or three metres. Yet, despite its immense power, the scientists say the pulse of energy is of such short duration that humans nearby would be unaffected. The US Air Force's official website notes: "The low-collateral-damage aspect of the technology makes high-power microwave weapons useful in a wide variety of missions where avoiding civilian casualties is a major concern." Less futuristic, but perhaps more promising, the psychological attack on Iraq is already under way. Barrages of email hit the computers of Baath Party leaders and torrents of calls are made daily to the mobile phones of selected Iraqi officials. The message is simple: "Desert Saddam Hussein. Do not let him tarnish the reputation of Iraqi soldiers by using them to persecute your people." In short, mount a coup and avoid a damaging war. Similar messages are being broadcast to towns and villages beyond Baghdad. Airborne radio stations carried by big, slow C-130 freighters broadcast in Arabic programs that mimic the style of Iraqi stations such as The Voice of Youth, run by Mr Saddam's son, Uday. The programs include Euro-pop and 1980s American rock music intended to appeal to young Iraqi troops, whom intelligence specialists believe are more likely to lay down their arms before an allied assault. But, so that other listeners will not be alienated, the stations also broadcast traditional Iraqi folk music, along with news broadcasts prepared by US Army psychological warfare experts at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Leaflets dropped on Iraqi anti-aircraft emplacements and military camps are blunter in their message, warning gunners that guided missiles will wipe them out if they fire on allied aircraft. "We are trying very hard to be empathetic with the Iraqi military," said a US psy-war official, quoted yesterday by The New York Times. "We understand their situation. Same for the Iraqi population. We wish them no harm." But the same official conceded that allied pilots ordered into enemy airspace would rather see the guns hit by rockets than by leaflets. Bomb damage can be assessed by satellite and unmanned aircraft cameras. Psychological success is harder to photograph. - with Toby Harnden, Telegraph Melbourne Age (also in today's NZ Herald) (via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. Check out Monitoring Iraq: War of the Airwaves http://www.dxing.info/articles/iraq.dx --- a guide to monitoring radio stations transmitting to and from Iraq. The article contains comprehensive frequency, schedule and contact information for stations involved in the conflict, including the stations of the Iraqi government, of Kurds and other opposition groups, propaganda operations and international broadcasting stations targeting Iraq. If you have corrections or additional information, please post it here using the "post reply" function, to keep the information up-to-date. (Mika Mäkeläinen, Site Admin, Vantaa, Finland, Feb 25, DXing.info via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. U.S. EXPELS IRAQI REPORTER On 14 February, the American authorities asked a correspondent of the Iraqi news agency INA in New York to leave the United States within two weeks, Reporters Without Borders reported on 18 February. According to a U.S. State Department spokesperson, journalist Muhammad Hassan Alawi has been accused of "engaging in activities outside his normal duties and considered prejudicial to [U.S.] national security." It is not yet clear if the Iraqis will be permitted to send a journalist to replace Alawi. The Iraqi authorities reacted the same day by ordering the expulsion of Greg Palkot, a Baghdad correspondent for the American cable television station Fox News. Fox News has been authorized to keep three technicians in Baghdad. Discussions are reportedly under way with the Iraqi authorities on replacing Palkot (RSF, 18 February via RFE/RL Media Matters Feb 24 via DXLD) ** ITALY. PEACE DEBATE MOVES TO SHORTWAVE RADIO http://www.undpi.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=85&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 Additional news and information radio programs widening the debate around peace in the Middle East and Iraq are being aired via Shortwave radio and beamed to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East via IRRS- Shortwave. The station operates on a new frequency of 5,780 kHz from NEXUS-IBA's facilities effective Feb. 20, 2003. Programs may be heard every evening between 2100-2230 Central European Time (2000-2130 UTC until March 30, and after then from 1900-2030 UTC, summertime) on the frequency of 5,780 kHz Shortwave. Listeners outside the target areas may tune to NEXUS-IBA's 24 hrs streaming audio service at: http://mp3.nexus.org Earlier in the month NEXUS-IBA discontinued the weekdays morning slot (Mon-Fri) on 13,840 kHz following the death of one of the main supporters of these morning radio programs. United Nations news can also be heard daily in English on both 5,780 kHz between 2100-2230 Central European Time and on Saturday & Sundays on 13,840 kHz between 1000-1400 CET. [2000-2130 and 0900-1300 UT] NEXUS-IBA is a non profit association operating radio and Internet services out of Milan (Italy), Frankfurt (Germany) and the USA. Support for NEXUS-IBA programs can be channeled through the association's Web site at https://secure.nexus.org Shortwave schedule information is available on the http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules NEXUS-IBA's web site at http://www.nexus.org NEXUS-IBA is also sponsoring http://www.undpi.org the UN/DPI NGO Exchange Information site. Latest shortwave schedules available at: http:/www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules Best 73s, de Ron -- Ron Norton, NEXUS-IBA support, PO Box 11028, 20110 Milano, Italy e-mail : ron@nexus.org (Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** JAPAN. 3259U, NHK Fukuoka: very pleased to hear this one // 3607.5 NHK Tokyo at 1243 Feb 23 with traditional music. Also heard 3373.5 NHK Osaka which was carrying a different program (Hans Johnson, Tallulah, Louisiana, R8, 100' ft longwire, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** KASHMIR [non]. RUSSIA: Radio Sadayee Kashmir/Voice of Kashmir in Urdu and Dari tent via Russian transmitter: 0230-0330 NF 6135 co-ch BFBS from 0300, ex 9890 1500-1600 on 6135 (44544) new additional transmission (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) Hello DXers, I heard Radio Sadaye Kashmir on 6135 around 0305 UT. Programming was in Urdu. Signal fair to weak in my location in Kolkata. Report on Pakistan government`s activities in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) in pre-independence (1971) heard. From 0310 program in some unknown dialect (may be Dogri?) heard (Rajdeep Das, (monitor CRI), dx_india Feb 24 via DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. LITHUANIA: No transmission for Radio DAT in Russian and Kazakh: 1600-1700 on 9925. Only strong carrier on 9924.0 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. IRAQI AUTHORITIES REPORTEDLY TO USE AMBULANCES AS MOBILE RADIO STATIONS | Text of report by independent Iraqi Kurdish newspaper Jamawar on 24 February According to a statement by a well-informed citizen from the city of Kirkuk, the [Iraqi] regime has supplied some ambulances that belong to Kirkuk Health Department to Kirkuk military base. They have installed mobile radio transmission facilities in the ambulances for broadcasting when the strike [US] starts and Baghdad radio stops functioning. The employees of these radio transmission facilities wear health department uniforms. According to the same source the regime plans to take a large number of Kurds and Turkomans in Kirkuk as hostage and use them as human shields when the US attack becomes imminent. Source: Jamawar, Arbil, in Sorani Kurdish 24 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK??????? ** KURDISTAN [non?]. V. of the People of Kurdistan [presumed?], 4417v, Feb 22 0257-0330+; tune-in to Kor`an. 0300 anthem, talk in language, lite instrumental music. Slowly drifting down to 4416.2v by 0330. \\ 4027v, slowly drifting down to 4026.2v by 0330. Both poor-fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4050, Hits Shortwave. I finally managed to listen to the religious station on 21 [Feb] with talks in Farsi. Signal level is 8-9 at 1808, strong levels of ute QRM. Same time Kyrgyz R with Russian pop songs and signal strength S9+10 and talks by woman in Russian [on what frequency?? 4010 as in following?]. Also Kyrgyz radio on 4010 was of nearly same signal strength for the successive days: S5-6 for 1600 and about S8-9 max for 1900 UT (Zacharias Liangas, THS, Greece, Tune ins for 21, 22, 23 and 24 Feb, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA/LITHUANIA/ESTONIA/RUSSIA. Some further thoughts on 5935: Of course it will be remembered in the former MCCBN (sorry, I am just too lazy to search how the unit lead my Mr. Titov is called now) that there was once a shortwave outlet from Riga on 5935. Latvia ceased broadcasting on shortwave years ago. No? I really assume that the big boys are simply not aware of the revived shortwave operations from Riga-Ulbroka, especially since these were only occasional transmissions until not long ago. On the other hand there would be hardly a reason for spoiling the 5935 operations. What Ulbroka now transmits is basically innocent entertainment from broadcasters abroad, one of them not even knowing the difference between Latvia and Lithuania at all. What else should they transmit, with Latvian Radio no longer trying to reach an audience abroad? Contrary Eesti Raadio still produces a half-hour English programme which could well be transmitted on 5925, if they would like to do so -- and if the Laitse transmitter would be still available (probably the site was scrapped in the meantime, although I saw no real information about its fate so far). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. /FRANCE: Summer A-03 schedule for LJB Voice of Africa via Issoudun 500 kW: 11635 2000-2130 153 deg 17695 1100-1230 185 deg/204 deg 15205 1800-2000 153 deg 17695 1600-1900 185 deg 15315 1900-2030 140 deg 17880 1700-1800 153 deg 15610 1100-1230 204 deg 21675 1100-1500 153 deg 15660 1600-1900 204 deg 21695 1000-1400 140 deg 17635 1700-1900 140 deg 21810 1100-1230 185 deg (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA [non]. B02web07.TXT Gesamtplan 17.02.2003 frq start stop ciraf ant azi type day from to broad 6120 0000 0100 7,8,9 105 295 216 1234567 271002 300303 LRT (DTK schedule revised Feb 17 via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) Backup transmission? Will clash with IRAN, anyway (gh) ** MALI. Ref. the remarks by Carlos Gonçalves in recent editions of BCDX and DXLD I think they might well have changed their beams. When I spent two months in Ghana in 2001 all three transmitters in Mali were always among the most reliable of west African signals, day and night. And yet earlier this month in Ghana I never heard 9635 at all, at any time. Meanwhile, 11960, reportedly currently poor or inaudible in Europe, was very strong in Accra throughout the daytime. Regards, (Chris Greenway, Kenya, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tnx Chinese aid? RTVM, 11960, Feb 22 0825-0920+, local Af folk music, French talk; good. Weaker on \\ 9634.97 and 7284.38, jumping up to 7285.38 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. See USA [non] ** MOROCCO. 171, ANRT (tentative), 0617 Feb 25 French language program. Peaked at fair level only briefly around 0635 (David Hodgson, TN, IC R75, 300m longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. You can find now the schedules of all Russian GTRK's programs over Radio Mayak transmitters on Radio Mayak web site. Follow this link: http://www.radiomayak.ru/about/18440.html And this one shows the complete transmitter network: http://www.radiomayak.ru/about/110.html (Mauricio Molano Sánchez, Salamanca, Spain, Signal Feb 25 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. The Feb 23 RVI Radio World features interviews with two Russian DXers who attended EDXC Pori last summer, Alexander Beryozkin and Dmitri Mezin: http://www.rvi.be/rvi_master/uk/radio_world/index.html including links to audio, available for one week (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. V. of Russia is now relayed via Juelich, Germany: 21515 0700 1000 39,40 207 100 218 1234567 190203 300303 VOR * 11655 1500 1600 39,40 102 115 217 1234567 190203 300303 VOR * 9515 1800 2000 39,40 105 100 216 1234567 190203 300303 VOR * 9405 1800 2000 39,40 111 120 216 1234567 190203 300303 VOR * 6160 2100 2200 39,40 105 115 216 1234567 190203 300303 VOR * (DTK schedule revised Feb 17 via Alokesh Gupta, India, Feb 24, DXLD) Hi, see the new Voice of Russia relay via Juelich Germany towards zones 39 and 40. 39 Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Arabian Peninsula. 40 Iran, Afghanistan target. 73 wb df5sx Russian Forces Broadcasting Service ??? towards NE/ME?, on coming US- IRQ war? the only channel in regular schedule is 11655: Dari/Pushtu 1300-1500 1535*, 15460**, 11655, 9900, 5995, 4975, 4965, 4940, 972, 801, 648) (Wolfgang Bueschel, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. GERMANY: New station via DTK JUL 100 kW - Voice of Russia, effective Feb. 19: 0700-1000 English WS on 21515 (45554) azimuth 100 deg to ME 1500-1600 Ru Commonwealth on 11655 (55555) azimuth 115 deg to ME 1800-2000 German on 9405 (55555) azimuth 120 deg to ME !!! 1800-2000 German on 9515 (55555) azimuth 100 deg to ME !!! 2100-2200 Russian WS NF 9725 (45533) azimuth 115 deg to ME ex 6160 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) I tried the new VoR transmissions via Jülich tonight, but all 9515, 9405 and 6160 had only faint traces of fluttery carriers here, hardly a surprise of course. For Glenn: The original PDF file shows 2100-2200 as time for 6160 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES. FEBA Radio, 11884.94, Feb 16 0345-0400* English ``Spotlight`` program about wild wolves, until 0359, then brief announcement in unID language with ID and off. Very good. English listed for Sun, Thu, Fri only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. NEW RADIO STATION ON THE AIR IN MOGADISHU, BRINGING TOTAL TO SEVEN A new privately-owned FM radio station - Radio Shabeelle (alternative spellings include Shabeele and Shabelle) - began broadcasting in Mogadishu on 18 February. Radio Shabeelle is on the air at 0630 to 0900 and at 1200 to midnight, local times (0330-0600 and 0900-2100 gmt) on 101.5 MHz FM. News in Somali is broadcast at 0500, 0545, 1030, 1300, 1630, 1900 and 2045 gmt. This new station is a sister operation to another Radio Shabeelle (with the same owners) which has been broadcasting since last year from Marka, the capital of Lower Shabeelle Region in southern Somalia (about 50 miles along the coast southwest of Mogadishu). (According to a report on 11 May 2002 in the Somali newspaper Xog- Ogaal, Radio Shabeelle in Marka was officially launched the previous day although it had already been on the air for some time before then.) The Marka station broadcasts at 0400-0600 gmt and 1000-2100 gmt on 94.4 MHz FM with news bulletins at 0500, 1100, 1300 and 1700 gmt.) The chairman of the Radio Shabeelle in Mogadishu is Abdimalik Yusuf Mohamud. The head of the Marka station is Mohamed Abdi Farah Afgooye. According to a report on 19 February by the Canada-based Somali Qaranimo web site, this latest development brings to seven the number of radio stations currently operating in Mogadishu: 1. Radio Shabeelle (as above). 2. Radio Mogadishu (supports the Transitional National Government). 3. Voice of the People (supports faction leader Husayn Muhammad Aydid). 4. HornAfrik (privately owned; a rebroadcasting partner of BBC World Service). 5. Radio Banaadir (privately owned). 6. STN (Somali Telemedia Network; privately owned). 7. Holy Koran Radio (also known as IQK). Sources: BBC Monitoring research in Somali 18-24 Feb 03 Qaranimo web site, Toronto, in Somali 19 Feb 03 (Chris Greenway et al., BBC Monitoring via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Dear Sir, Referring to your report on Radio Pretoria, I would like to comment as follows: In the same broadcast market there is also a Greek station on 1422 kHz, a Chinese station on 1269 kHz and a Muslim station on 1548 kHz, all of them with community licences exactly like Radio Pretoria. None of them employ black announcers or Afrikaans people, for that matter. There is also a black Rap station in the same area. They certainly do not have Afrikaans or Greek people working for them. Do the LA TIMES mention this ???? OF COURSE NOT !!!! Best Regards, (Richard Prinsloo, Johannesburg, South Africam, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. George McClintock of WWCR attended the recent HFCC here, and has posted a press release with several of his travelog photos at http://www.wwcr.com/press_releases/wwcr_pr_2003-02-20_africa.html Some airchecks of South African radio are on the current Ask WWCR. Also in the press release archive is another one from the previous HFCC in Bangkok. George tells me that the FM band in RSA is about 1/3 the saturation of FM in the US. Most of the radio towers one sees are for cellphones, which has very thorough coverage. A lot of radio station towers are relatively short on top of buildings (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. GERMANY: New schedule for Brother Stair /TOM/ in English to Eu via DTK: 1500-1800 Daily 6110 JUL 100 kW / non-dir 1500-1600 Mon-Sat 6110 JUL 100 kW / 290 deg cancelled 1500-1600 Sun 6110 JUL 100 kW / non-dir cancelled 1600-1800 Daily 6110 JUL 100 kW / non-dir cancelled (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Radio Taipei International has issued two new QSL cards. Featuring ``Dong Shan Riverside Park`` and ``Xi Men Ding`` (Taipei’s famous shopping Area). Both cards are very attractive. RTI also issuing a colorful Pennant. Regards, (MD. Azizul Alam Al-Amin, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TINIAN. FEDS WILL SPEND $5.7 MILLION TO EXPAND RADIO STATION By Gemma Q. Casas, Variety News Staff THE federal government is pouring in an additional $5.7 million to expand its Tinian-based radio station, the International Broadcasting Bureau, to reach more countries in Asia Far East and the Pacific, it was learned yesterday. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors awarded the $5.7 million contract to Telesource CNMI Inc. on Feb. 21. ``This letter notifies you that, based on your firm’s final proposal revisions in response to solicitation, the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors is awarding a firm-fixed-price contract...to Telesource International Inc. for the total amount of $5,705,360, Karen S. Harper, contract specialist of the bureau told Telesource CNMI Inc. President K.J. Semikian in a letter. In a phone interview, Semikian said the project involves the construction of two shortwave antennas within 360 days. He said there is a possibility that the project may still be expanded. Each shortwave antenna could reach places as far as 200 miles [sic!] from Tinian. Once the project is completed, Semikian said IBB, which operates the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, can reach China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and other countries in Asia and the Pacific. Semikian expects the project to generate more jobs on Tinian in the next 12 months. Telesource currently operates the power system on Tinian. It built the $32 million 20-megawatt power plant on the island under the build- operate-and-transfer scheme. The firm has been operating the Tinian power system for three years now and will turn it over to Commonwealth Utilities Corp. in 2020. IBB is Telesource`s major client on Tinian (Marianas Variety Feb 25 via E. Baxendale, UK, DXLD) ** U A E. UAE Radio Dubai in Arabic and English noted on Feb. 19-25 0600-1645 on nominal 21605.0, instead of 21597.8 [ex-21605.25?] (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** U K. 198, BBC Radio 4, 0613 Feb 25, News program in English. Fair strength, but some QRM from aeronautical beacon. Poor copy (David Hodgson, TN, IC R75, 300m longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BTW, BBC now has a handy page accessing progoram schedules for all their services, including the Radio 4 LW version separate from FM: http://www.bbc.co.uk/whatson/services.shtml (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Excerpt from Laser radio (LRN) reception report: Only WBCQ transmission is able to be heard here [9335], tune in 2100 till 2300 total time (including Azad R – see AFGHANISTAN non). Program for 2100 was with woman playing old time classic songs such as ``Stand By Me``, ``California Dreaming``, ``Delilah``, etc., giving also telephone 77364129, email address and web page several times. First QRM by Azad was at 2315 for 5 minutes, then again with normal transmission at 2230 [sic – 2330?]. Audio was companded with C & USB modulation. SINPO of LRN was 24423 using AM or 34444 using USB with signal being just S3-5 max. Both logs 23.2.2002 using 16 m vertical, (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. Hi Glenn, I have to correct an earlier statement about BFBS Radio 2 on 12040: The weather forecast prior to 1800 is no longwave version of BBC Radio 4 but instead an own BFBS programme, i.e. BFBS Radio 2 leaves BBC Radio 4 for this forecasts and rejoins it at 1800. Regarding the transmitter sites a statement from BFBS was meanwhile distributed to a closed society. BFBS mentioned ´´St Petersburg, Tashkent and Rampisham in the UK´´, just confirming all assumptions, especially the excellent monitoring work done by Olle Alm. So 5945 is Popovka, 13720 Uzbekistan, all others originate from the UK (I would say Skelton and Wooferton could well be involved, considering that it were no shortwave experts who gave this statement). Regarding your excellent Monitoring Times comment: Years ago one could obtain operational schedules from Merlin, but now it is impossible to get anything. I wonder if this secretiveness is related to the circumstance that Merlin Communications is now part of an armaments trust (Vosper Thornycroft)? Find enclosed a record of BFBS Radio 2 on 12040 until 1800 cut-off (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Quite good quality, brief weather forecasts for places with British bases, including one low temperature for the entire country of Afghanistan (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) heard on 6135 at 0345 - 0359 with rock, ID's of "BFBS Radio 1" and "hello" announcements to individual troops in the Kuwait. Abrupt end at 0359, mid tune. 1 minute of dead air, then BBC World Service 0400 news, then continuing World Service programming. I was not able to find this frequency listed for BFBS (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, 6135 has been reported for quite some time now. BBCWS from 0400 is Delano, but BFBS before then from much further eastern site (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. MERLIN TO RELAY BRITISH FORCES RADIO ON SHORTWAVE | Excerpt from press release from UK transmission company Merlin Communications on 25 February VT Merlin Communications, part of VT Group has signed a contract with SSVC [The Services Sound and Vision Corporation] to transmit radio programmes for British Forces Broadcasting Services (BFBS) on its global shortwave network. These programmes will be targeted at Armed Forces based in the Middle East. The signing of the contract provides BFBS with a quick, cost effective and accessible means of starting services in the region. The broadcasts consist of general entertainment programming including music, current affairs and delivers messages from friends and family to service men and women. BFBS programming is sent to VT Merlin via Eutelsat W3 from BFBS's studios in Buckinghamshire, UK. Programming is then transmitted from sites in the UK and overseas for distribution on shortwave, providing the coverage required by BFBS of the Middle East. The contract will see VT Merlin distribute over 12 hours of programming a day, which includes the BFBS Radio 1 and BFBS Radio 2 channels, as well as programming produced in the Middle East specifically for the target audience... For further information about this press release, please contact: Laura Jelf, Marketing Manager, VT Merlin Communications Tel: +44 (0)20 7969 000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7396 6223 Email: marketing@merlincommunications.com Source: Merlin Communications press release, London, in English 25 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) more from the same release: David Manning, Director Of Technology at SSVC who is spearheading the BFBS communications project said: "This new short wave service compliments a chain of FM transmitters that BFBS operates, providing local coverage to bases in the Middle East and worldwide. Not only do we provide a vital welfare and entertainment link by providing BFBS Radio (and Television direct by satellite) to remote deployment areas but we also make a significant contribution in boosting the morale of the Armed Forces and their families." Richard Hurd, VT Merlin's Head of Transmission Services said: "This is a very visible way of short wave being the most suitable medium for quickly getting programmes delivered to an audience. The signing of this contract and the distribution of short wave receivers by SSVC ensures that service personnel in the region will feel in touch with family and friends at home, where ever they are stationed in the coverage area. We are delighted to be able to provide this service to SSVC and support British and other national forces in the region." (via Hans Johnson, LA, Cumbre DX Feb 25 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. US PUBLIC TURNS TO EUROPE FOR NEWS The threat of war in Iraq is driving increasing numbers of Americans to international news websites in search of the broader picture. According to the internet audience management and analysis company Nielsen NetRatings, traffic to the UK's biggest news sites, BBC News Online and Guardian Unlimited, has increased dramatically over the past year. Many of these new users are from the US. Jon Dennis, deputy news editor of the Guardian Unlimited web site said: "We have noticed an upsurge in traffic from America, primarily because we are receiving more e-mails from US visitors thanking us for reporting on worldwide news in a way that is unavailable in the US media." The American public is apparently turning away from the mostly US-centric American media in search of unbiased reporting and other points of views. According to the statistics, much of the US media's reaction to France and Germany's intransigence on the Iraqi war issue has verged on the xenophobic, even in the so-called 'respectable' press. Mr Dennis said: "American visitors are telling us they are unable to find the breadth of opinion we have on our website anywhere else because we report across the political spectrum rather than from just one perspective. Source: http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story576.html - Journalism.co.uk (via Georges Lessard, CAJ-list via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO PLANS SHIFT IN TONE AS DRUMBEAT OF WAR BUILDS February 24, 2003 By LYNETTE HOLLOWAY After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, listeners denounced many radio stations for playing songs insensitive to a nation in mourning. Now, program directors are planning to adjust their playlists if the United States goes to war with Iraq. Expect to hear more patriotic tunes, and songs that appear right for the moment. The changes most likely will occur on stations with the broadest appeal, like those with top 40's and country formats.... http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/24/business/24RADI.html?pagewanted=print&position=bottom (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Re the new VOA relay via Ulan Bator mentioned in last issue, IBB schedule now shows: 981 1200 1400 VOA P ENGL U-B A 140 981 2000 2200 VOA P ENGL U-B A 140 Guess where the 140 degree beam from U-B goes? Right across Beijing, Tientsin, Shanghai and of course all of heavily-populated eastern China! But only in English? The nearest English-speaking country (sort of) in that direxion is Papua New Guinea (not counting Taiwan yet). The Chicom usually don`t bother to jam VOA in English, just Chinese. Let`s see if VOA tries to add Chinese on this frequency. And why shift from the original 990 in Mongolia? Well, besides `distancing` from its relay buddy, there`s a 50 kW in Shanghai on 990 and a couple of other places, per WRTH 2003, while on 981 there is only one CNR-1 outlet, location unknown (but that may be upgraded soon to a jammer, if not already). However 990 also is shown for 250 kW in Taiwan, and 150 kW in Altai, Mongolia. Perhaps some friendly coördination is going on there? No other U-B sites on MW or SW are shown in the IBB schedule, since R. Free Asia is excluded (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also TINIAN! ** U S A. Frequency changes for Voice of America: 0730-0830 Arabic DEL 15235 2000-2100 Arabic DEL 6160 1600-1630 Armenian NF 11760, ex 9815 0130-0230 Dari NF 9335, ex 12140 0030-0130 Pashto NF 9335, ex 12140 1200-1230 Spanish DEL 11890 and 15265 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. New additional transmission for Voice of America in Kurdish: 1300-1400 on 11845*KAV 250 kW / 108 deg totally blocked by RFI in French; 15215 KAV 250 kW / 095 deg; 17780 MOR 250 kW / 075 deg 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]: Frequency changes for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: 2000-2100 Belorussian NF 7165, ex 7205 2000-2100 Belorussian NF 7165, ex 6010 2330-0030 Dari NF 9335, ex 12140 2230-2330 Pashto NF 9335, ex 12140 2000-2130 Persian ADD 9785 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 25 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glen[n]: Good news! Our new rhombic antenna 340 degree azimuth; 170 feet high is reported to do exceedingly well in Korea! We have been told the only two east coast SW stations that are heard there with a strong consistent decent Q5 signal are WWRB and WYFR! We have a bunch of Military listeners that listen to the Power Hour and other programs. I have hooked up my ham FT-840 to this rhombic and I can clearly hear tropicals in Vietnam, and in Korea, Japan hams boom in. WOW rhombic at 170 feet work great! (Dave Frantz, WWRB, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Time and frequency?? Can they tell WYFR direct from Taiwan? ** U S A. 2660 harmonic, KGLD Tyler, Texas 1330 x 2 carrying 92.1 FM KDOK Oldies pops, Beach Boys Rascals, etc. Call sign IDs plus slogan "This is Tyler's oldies station." Listed as 77 watts nighttime, 1,000 daytime [time???] (Hans Johnson, Tallulah, Louisiana, R8, 100' ft longwire, Feb 23, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. 1620 kHz, KOIL Bellevue, NE 2.17.03 0750 cst Fair, QSB. "Smart play of the week, Daytona 272 1/2" (R1000 loop) (John Wilke, WB9UAI, Milwaukee WI, hard-core-dx via DXLD) A new X-bander? Or simulcast? Instead, most recent X-band listing in 3-012 shows: KOZN Bellevue NE ESPN Sport .``The Zone`` (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. I called around and got a local phone number for KDZR-1640 Portland OR. I phoned the number and first the guy answered the phone "hello". I could hear all sorts of noise in the background, like a rooming house. I asked if this was Radio Disney. The guy said hold on. Came back and said I had the wrong number. It just did not seem right. I checked the number again and called with the area code in front, just in case. We live in the (503) area code as does Portland. This time another guy answered the phone and said "Radio Disney". I asked if there was someone I could talk to and the phone went dead. I called back and someone else answered the phone "Radio Disney" and I started to ask, and he said "Please stop calling me" and hung up. That has top be one the oddest phone calls to a station I ever heard. I was shocked, from Radio Disney. I don't know who the people were, but you know they could have said, we don't have any info, please call back later or something like that. They were downrtight rude. No wonder the broadcasting industry is in the shape it is! I'll have to try back later on... [later:] The more I think about it, some workman may have picked up the phone and they just did not want to say anything. It sure sounded strange though. These people who answered the phone sounded like any Joe off the street, so that have been the case. 73 (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, Feb 25, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. Hello Glenn, 1700, WJCC/R. Única, Miami Springs FL, full- data letter in 5 weeks (actually 3 weeks because first letter was returned due to wrong address). Correct address: 8400 NW 52 St., Suite 101, Miami, FL 33316, USA. V/s: George D. Butch, Chief Engineer. QSL # 1 for Expanded band and only # 2 on MW from USA (Lennart Weirell, Västerås, Sweden, Feb 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Here`s why WSM-650 Nashville has a rotating beacon on the transmitter building. They have to keep it going in order not to have to repaint their entire tower in the current banding pattern. The old pattern is grandfathered as long as the beacon keeps running (George McClintock, Nashville, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Remember, all [NRC] Graveyard DX records are online at http://www.angelfire.com/tx2/phantom2/index.html (Bill Hale, TX, NRC DX News Feb 24 via DXLD) = 1230, 1240, 1340, 1400, 1450, 1490 ** U S A. WUSF 89.7 Makes History! [Tampa FL] On February 13, WUSF 89.7 became the first Public Radio station in the country to broadcast completely in digital. Very soon you will be able to hear the exceptional difference in sound quality. Congratulations to Chief Engineer Mike O'Shea for bringing it together, from the ground up! (WUSF website via gh, DXLD) What does `completely` mean --- they have abandoned analog completely already? It was one of the most frequently DXed analog FM stations around here by sporadic E at the idea distance of almost a kilomile (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More: TAMPA BAY PUBLIC RADIO STATION GOES LIVE WITH DIGITAL RADIO http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030225/fltu018_1.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Hi Glenn, ``So what are the 12 languages mentioned in the headline??? (gh, DXLD)`` Have a look into WRTH2003, pg. 560 :-)) 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Feb 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, of course, but my point was the Uzbek source should have done that and put them in the story, if that was how the headline reads (Arabic, Dari, English, Farsi, German, Hindi, Mandarin, Pashto, Turkish, Uighur, Urdu, Uzbek) (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. MAS AMENAZAS A LAS TELEVISORAS En Aló Presidente de Ayer El primer mandatario nacional advirtió de nuevo a los dueños de medios de comunicación que "o reconocen la Constitución y las leyes, incluyendo la de Telecomunicaciones, o, sencillamente, no pueden seguir siendo concesionarios" de las señales radioeléctricas que utilizan sus canales de televisión. "A mí no me importa que me llamen como me llamen, a mí no me importa nada, ni que vayan a la corte no sé dónde a acusarme (...) lo que me importa es que se cumpla esta Constitución". Dijo que revisará los expedientes abiertos a algunos de los cuatro canales a los que se les abrieron procedimientos administrativos y que ya se les venció el lapso para presentar su defensa, "para establecer los correctivos y las sanciones". "Pero parece que no quieren rectificar", dijo el mandatario, que además indicó que les ha llamado de múltiples formas a "que rectifiquen", porque están "atentando contra la seguridad del país y la tranquilidad de una gente". Dijo que la Ley sobre Responsabilidad Social en Radio y Televisión no es "mordaza", como la califica la oposición al Gobierno y los dueños de los canales privados de televisión. "La mordaza fue la que ustedes les aplicaron a los periodistas y se la aplican el día del golpe de Estado. A mí me prohibieron salir al aire, teniendo aquí las cámaras", reclamó. CAPITULO GUSTAVO CISNEROS El presidente criticó una vez a Gustavo Cisneros a quien vincula con el golpe de Estado del pasado 11 de Abril, destacando la confabulación de las televisoras nacionales en torno a difundir noticias contra el Gobierno. Chávez leyó un reportaje en contra de los medios de comunicación del país, en especial las televisoras, al señalar que el Estado tiene que exigir el cumplimiento de lo dispuesto en la Ley de Telecomunicaciones ya que se trata de una concesión del Estado y este debe regular las transmisiones de estos medios. (Diario 2001. 24/02/2003 via Jorge García R., Venezuela, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 6165, Voice of Vietnam 3, 1246 Feb 24, Hmong service with music, then a play. Good signal, in clear. Parallel to 5034.8, a little weaker with splatter. 1259 anthem, 5034.8 now inaudible. 6165 continued, with fading evident by 1315 (Dan Ziolkowski, WI, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** YEMEN. Rep. Of Yemen R., 9779.63, Feb 16 1800-1900; 1803 English news, pop music; 1830 and 1855 also English news. 1858 closing announcements with ID, address, 1859 NA, 2000 Arabic (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. BREAKING THE AIRWAVES --- HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ZIMBABWEANS THUMB THEIR NOSE AT PRESIDENT MUGABE EVERY NIGHT, SIMPLY BY TURNING ON THEIR RADIOS --- By JEFF CHU Two years ago, Gerry Jackson was sitting in her Harare home "going mad. I just wanted to know what was going on in my own country," recalls the ex-DJ with state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. "I wanted news." But since all broadcast media in Zimbabwe are controlled by the government, there was no reliable source. She tried setting up a station, Capital Radio, in Harare, but Robert Mugabe shut it down six days after it went on air. So she went into exile, to London, where she and a team of seven now run SW (Short- Wave) Radio Africa, beaming back to Zimbabwe. Surveying the audience is impossible given "the extreme fear on the ground," says Jackson. But the station estimates that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans tune in for SW Radio's three hours of nightly programming. "You don't get newspapers in every corner of Zimbabwe," says John Matinde, a DJ who headed ZBC's Radio 3 pop station for a decade. "Radio is a way of reaching all people." SW Radio goes live on air at 6 p.m. Zimbabwe time each evening, and the first hour is devoted to Callback. Listeners dial a Zimbabwean number, and SW Radio returns the call, patching them into on-air chats. Hour two is Newsreel, devoted to current events. The final hour features programs such as From the Outside Looking In, a platform for exiled Zimbabweans. It's all about dialogue. "We didn't set up SW Radio Africa because we have answers," says Matinde. "We have plenty of questions, and we want debate." That is not one of Robert Mugabe's favorite activities. Ministers routinely decline interview requests from the station, which the government has slammed as a tool of colonial-minded Britain. (Jackson says funding comes from NGOs and other donors, but not the British government.) Station personnel have been banned from their homeland — though sources still phone in with their reports. And the staff sometimes hears of listeners being targeted. Recently, in the Mashonaland West town of Zvimba, two teens listening in on someone else's radio were beaten by soldiers. In fact, SW Radio is only taking a page from Mugabe's own playbook. During the chimurenga in the 1970s, his party aired reports on shortwave from Mozambique. Listeners would huddle clandestinely around radios, waiting to hear the reassuringly familiar words: "This is the Revolutionary Voice of Zimbabwe." Some three decades later, "the people still need a voice," says Jackson. "We're just trying to give people hope." http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/0,13005,901030303-425850,00.html (Time Europe March 3, 2003 | Vol. 161, No. 9 via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. IRAN TO SUPPORT MODERNIZATION OF STATE RADIO, TV FACILITIES | Excerpt from report by Zimbabwean TV on 18 February The visiting Iranian delegation has toured Gweru and Montrose studios [of the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, ZBC] as part of its familiarization with the country's transmission and broadcasting infrastructure [Reporter] The delegation toured Guinea Fowl [central Zimbabwe], 20 km outside Gweru on the Gweru-Shurugwi road. Guinea Fowl houses transmitters for both radio and television. They also toured 3FM [one of the ZBC's four national radio networks] facilities as well as an old building soon to be renovated to house the station. The deputy head for programmes and technical development at Iranian broadcasting institution, Mr Ghasem Akbari, said the tour is aimed at ascertaining areas that require attention. [Akbari - as heard throughout] Following the [meeting of the] joint commission between Iran and Zimbabwe in Tehran, the decision was that the committee comes here to study about the stations and studios and how they can cope, while Iran is producing different types of transmitters... So we came here to study about the situation of the stations and how they can cope with digital facilities. So we have got one of the stations with transmitters up there, TV and radio. So we have to go and plan for the country, for the coverage of radio and TV [Reporter] Transmedia [transmission facilities provider] Chief Executive Officer Mr Alfred Mandere said their aim is to improve coverage for both TV and radio from the current 40 per cent to 100 per cent throughout the country. [Mandere] The improvement we want basically is the improvement of transmission coverage. We have very old equipment, some of it dating back to 25 years ago. So the Iranians are coming with a [financial] facility which will help us ensure funding to buy equipment in their country. [Reporter] Iran has pledged to support Zimbabwe's broadcasting systems as well as strengthen ties in cultural exchange programmes between the two countries. The upgrading of equipment at the ZBC will enable the national broadcaster to improve production capacity to fulfil the 75 per cent local content. The head of Saba films, Mehdi Masoudshahi, said his company specializes in the production of films, animations and cartoons, and these are available to the ZBC under the Iran-Zimbabwe joint commission which makes it possible for the national broadcaster to access 5m US dollars for its technical development programme. The Iran-Zimbabwe joint commission, which has made available a credit facility of 15m US dollars to Zimbabwe, started after a meeting in Tehran to explore ways of cooperation between the governments of the two countries. Source: ZTV1, Harare, in English 1800 gmt 18 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 183 kHz, Saarlouis?, 0618 Feb 25, French language program at poor level until 0625, when the signal rose briefly to good strength (David Hodgson, TN, IC R75, 300m longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ The "EDXP ANTENNA FORUM" is a new service for members, and it's a Webplace for members to visit to discuss receiving antennas. The Forum is not an E-mailed service, and is in fact a WEBLOG, popularly called a "BLOG". There are thousands of BLOGS in operation across the world, dedicated to every conceivable topic. So, we have introduced an EDXP WEBLOG for the benefit of members, where you may post ideas, comments, views, and information about receiving antennas, to share with all other members. The Antenna Forum Weblog needs active participation by members, without which it would not exist! If you do not know anything about WEBLOGS, then here is your big chance to become involved in one. Your messages are simply typed into a screen box, and you may preview and amend them before sending. Alternatively you may compose your messages off-line and then copy and paste them into the box. If you do not want to send your message immediately, you can save it as a Draft at the Weblog server! No special skills or HTML programming are needed - the system is very easy to use, and messages are stored in date order. The messages you post are not moderated in any way, and are immediately available for viewing by anyone on the planet earth (or anywhere else for that matter!) A lot of thought and effort has gone into the construction of this Forum, with the intention of bringing the "Antenna" topic into view, for members who wish to participate, without having this sort of information forced on you via mass E-mails. There are no banners, popups, popdowns, or popunders at the Forum Website. Please help this new project to work, and not remain in the background like silent poppies! --->> There is a special article about Receiving Antennas already at the Forum, which will start the ball rolling. You can get to the Forum easily at this direct Link http://bpadula.tripod.com/antennas/ Go for it - it`s cool! Let me know what you think of the concept - I can set up hundreds more EDXP WEBLOGS, each with their own special Webspaces, so if you have any suggestions for new WEBLOG topics, tell me! This message is also on the EDXP Resource Page. Regards (Bob Padula EDXP Convenor Melbourne, via DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ DRAKE RV75 SYNTHESIZED VFO Hi Glenn, I've recently been able to obtain a Drake RV75 synthesized VFO for use with my R7 receiver. As I recall there was an article or two in perhaps either Review of International Broadcasting or DX Listening Digest a number of years ago about the RV75 and connecting it to the R7 receiver. I believe the article(s) to have been in RIB, and possibly had the title along the lines of ...'A new set of eyes for the bookish kid Drake', or something like that. Any help in locating those articles would be greatly appreciated (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unfortunately the print RIBs and DXLDs were not thoroughly indexed. If anybody has or can find this article and would photocopy it for him, please let me know. Or if someone knows which issue, maybe I can find it in archives (gh) DRM +++ DRM BECOMES INTERNATIONAL STANDARD Hello, Great news for DRM -- the DRM on-air system has been approved as an international standard by the IEC -- please see below and attached for further information. Best, (Siriol Jane Evans, DRM) IEC Votes in Favor of DRM International Standard Geneva – The International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) has given the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) on-air system its highest stamp of approval -- International Standard. The IEC voted in favor of the DRM standard IEC 62272-1 Ed. 1: Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) - Part 1: System Specification, which is slated for publication initially in English and French. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, digital system for short- wave, medium-wave and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue AM, DRM will revitalize the AM broadcasting bands below 30 MHz in markets worldwide. ``The vote for the DRM standard occurred at midnight on January 31st,`` said Pierre Vasseur, Chairman of the Joint Rapporteur Group ITU-IEC and Director, Advanced Business at DRM member Thales Broadcast & Multimedia. ``It is the culmination of years of contributions toward our goal of global standardization.`` Mr. Vasseur has been involved in the DRM standardization process since it began. He will officially report the IEC results to the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) Working Party Group 6E at its next meeting in mid-March. Lindsay Cornell, Head of Digital Radio at DRM member the BBC, who managed most of the drafting and editing work on behalf of DRM, said, ``It is an important achievement because it underscores the universal capabilities of DRM.`` ``In 1998, the DRM consortium`s members joined together with a shared vision of a new, digital AM system for global usage,`` said Peter Senger, DRM Chairman and Executive Director of Marketing, Distribution and Technology at DRM member Deutsche Welle. ``In a mere five years, our DRM vision of 1998 has reached the pinnacle of IEC standardization.`` The DRM consortium has 77 members from 30 countries. They are broadcasters, broadcast equipment manufacturers, network operators, research institutions, broadcasting unions, regulatory agencies and NGOs. With DRM`s commercial roll-out drawing nearer, DRM will launch its inaugural broadcasts toward the ITU`s WRC 2003 in Geneva this June. ``This IEC standard opens the door to the development of DRM products by any manufacturer interested in providing DRM-capable receivers to the marketplace in the future,`` says Michel Penneroux, Chairman of DRM`s Commercial Committee and Head of AM Systems at DRM member TéléDiffusion de France. Last year, the IEC published its DRM Publicly Available Specification (PAS 62272-1). An IEC-PAS is a normative document representing a consensus among experts, which is designed to bring the work of industry consortia into the realm of the IEC. DRM has also received endorsement by the ITU for all three broadcasting bands below 30 MHz -- short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave. Last year, the administrations of the ITU member countries approved a revised version of Recommendation BS1514, now called Recommendation BS1514-1 (Digital Sound Broadcasting Below 30 MHz). It states that DRM is an ITU-R Recommendation for all the broadcasting bands spanning 150 kHz to 30 MHz. No other digital radio system has received such broad recommendation (including short-wave, as well as medium-wave/AM and long-wave) by the ITU. Additionally, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) published a Technical Specification of the DRM system in September 2001. The document is called ETSI TS 101 980 V1.1.1 (2001- 09), Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM); System Specification. About the IEC The IEC is a global organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. These serve as a basis for national standardization and as references when drafting international tenders and contracts. The IEC is one of the bodies recognized by the World Trade Organization. About DRM DRM`s founding members joined forces in 1998 to create a digital system (also called DRM) for the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. DRM audio samples are available online at http://www.drm.org DRM Members DRM members are Commercial Radio Australia (Australia); Nautel Ltd., Radio Canada International/CBC (Canada); Academy of Broadcasting Science of China (China); Riz Transmitters (Croatia); HFCC (Czech Republic); ESPOL, HCJB World Radio (Ecuador); Digita Oy, Kymenlaakso Polytechnic (Finland); Atmel ES 2, CCETT, Radio France, Radio France Internationale, TéléDiffusion de France, Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (France); ADDX, APR, Coding Technologies GmbH, Deutsche Welle, DeutschlandRadio, DLM, Sender Europa 1, Fraunhofer IIS-A, Georg-Simon- Ohm – University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg, Innovationszentrum Telekommunikationstechnik GmbH IZT, IRT, Medienanstalt Sachsen- Anhalt/Digitaler Rundfunk Sachsen-Anhalt, Micronas GmbH, Robert Bosch GmbH, Sony International Europe, SWR Südwestrundfunk, TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin AG, T-Systems MediaBroadcast, University of Applied Sciences - FH Merseburg, University of Hannover, University of Ulm, VPRT (Germany); Antenna Hungaria, Communications Authority Hungary (Hungary); All India Radio (India); Hitachi Kokusai Electric Ltd., JVC Victor Company of Japan, Ltd., NHK (Japan); Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (Libya);Broadcasting Centre Europe (Luxembourg); Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Malaysia); Nozema, Radio Netherlands (Netherlands); Radio New Zealand International (New Zealand); Voice of Nigeria (Nigeria); Telenor/Norkring (Norway); Radiodifusao Portuguesa (Portugal); RTRN/The Voice of Russia (Russia); Arab States Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia); Universidad del Pais Vasco, (Spain); Radio Sweden International (Sweden); EBU, International Committee of the Red Cross, ITU (Switzerland); Arab States Broadcasting Union (Tunisia); BBC, Christian Vision, VT Merlin Communications, QinetiQ, RadioScape Ltd., Roke Manor Research Ltd. (U.K.); Dolby Laboratories Incorporated, Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, IDT Continental Electronics, Harris Corporation, IBB/VOA, National Association of Short-wave Broadcasters, Sangean America, Inc., TCI, a Dielectric Company, Via Licensing Corporation (U.S.A.); and Radio Vaticana (Vatican City). Siriol Jane Evans, Director, Press & Communications, Digital Radio Mondiale http://www.drm.org phone +44 1481 268 246 cellphone +44 7781 127019 pressoffice@drm.org (via DXLD) see also GERMANY PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 26 FEBRUARY - 24 MARCH 2003 Solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance of moderate activity. Region 290 has a slight potential for isolated M- class events until it rotates beyond the west limb on 03 March. Regions 276, 280 (S04, L=151), 282 (N10, L=128) and 284 had increased activity as they transited the west limb and may produce isolated M- class activity when they return to the visible disk starting on 27 February. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux may reach high levels on 05 – 07 March and again on 19 – 24 March due to returning coronal holes. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to active levels. Two weak coronal holes are due to return to a geo- effective position, one on 26 – 27 February and the second on 02 – 05 March. A large southern coronal hole is expected to return to a geo- effective position on 15 – 20 March and may produce quiet to active levels with a chance of isolated minor storm conditions. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Feb 25 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Feb 25 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Feb 26 110 12 3 2003 Feb 27 110 12 3 2003 Feb 28 115 10 3 2003 Mar 01 120 10 3 2003 Mar 02 125 15 3 2003 Mar 03 125 15 3 2003 Mar 04 125 12 3 2003 Mar 05 130 15 3 2003 Mar 06 135 12 3 2003 Mar 07 130 12 3 2003 Mar 08 130 15 3 2003 Mar 09 125 15 3 2003 Mar 10 125 12 3 2003 Mar 11 120 12 3 2003 Mar 12 120 8 3 2003 Mar 13 120 15 3 2003 Mar 14 115 15 3 2003 Mar 15 115 15 3 2003 Mar 16 110 12 3 2003 Mar 17 110 12 3 2003 Mar 18 115 12 3 2003 Mar 19 115 15 3 2003 Mar 20 115 15 3 2003 Mar 21 110 10 3 2003 Mar 22 105 10 3 2003 Mar 23 105 10 3 2003 Mar 24 110 12 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1171, DXLD) ###