DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-076, May 2, 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 later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3e.html HTML version of some April issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1180: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730+, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530... on 7445, 15039 WWCR: Sat 0600, Sun 0230 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of World Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0530, North America Sun 1400 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/wor1180.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1180.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1180h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1180h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1180.html NETS TO YOU, new May edition: http://worldofradio.com/nets2you.html DX PROGRAMS, May 1 revision: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** BOLIVIA. 6025, RADIO ILLIMANI could close this frequency because of the mass protests in La Paz early this year (as far as I remember February or even January). Bolivian mass media informed then that ``studios of Canal 7 (TV) and a government radiostation was taken by protesters``. And as Bolivians say, the only government radio station in Bolivia is Radio Illimani. Maybe they restore their studios now? (Artyom Prokhorov, Moscow, Russia, May 1, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. R. Bandeirantes, 9645.81 at 0554 Mar 15 (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin via Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) Have been hearing a het on 9645 when I tune around this hour, so guess this be it; TIFC used to be off-frequency too (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. When BBCWS used 9515 kHz from Sackville (ah, those were days...), I would frequently phone them to advise of poor, non- existent or even the wrong signal. Their excuse was usually "it's Montreal", referring to RCI HQ. If it came to light that one reason why BBCWS dropped SW to North America was because of the dreadful handling of their signal out of Sackville, I would not be at all surprised; I am amazed they put up with it. On one occasion, I called them about a weak signal here in Toronto and the guy asked me to hold on for a minute or two. "Is that any better?", he asked. "Yes!", I said, "What did you do?". "Oh, the beam was pointed at Winnipeg and I just moved it to point at Toronto". CBC Sackville can be reached at (506) 536-2690. If you call, don't be surprised if no-one answers, or if they do, you are greeted with a yawn. Sincerely, JSG (John S. Grimley, ODXA via DXLD) They used to be quite responsive to my collect calls about transmission errors, but then stopped accepting them (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. CNR-2 transmissions from the old 50 kW site have been drastically reduced. The old favourite 17700 has been silent for several weeks now. Other oldtimers missing are 15500 and 11610. The more recent addition 17625 also seems to be gone. 15540 was off for a few days, but is now back on. The NDXC website shows only three transmitters still active: 7230 (ex 7200), 11800/9515, 15540/11730. CNR-8 also uses two transmitters at this site. The Taiwan service transmitters remain off. This would mean that only five of the original 16 50 kW transmitters at this old site are now active. Maybe the transmitters are no longer repaired when they conk out and the whole site is deemed to permanent silence in a not too distant future. But you never know with the Chinese, perhaps Thales is refurbishing the site with 100/150 kW transmitters! (Olle Alm, Sweden, May 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So which site is it? ** CHINA. Cf. Previous report of new 3985 and ``7149``: 3985 1230-1600 42E,43W GEM 100 0 0 925 CHN CRI RTC 3985 2100-2400 42E,43W GEM 100 0 0 925 CHN CRI RTC 7140 0000-0300 42E,43W GEM 100 0 0 925 CHN CRI RTC 7140 0800-1230 42E,43W GEM 100 0 0 925 CHN CRI RTC GEM = Geermu-CHN site at G.C. 36N24 [. . .] (Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX Apr 30 via DXLD) ** CONGO. Last evening 29.4 Radio Congo was logged here with excellent signals both on 4765 and 5985, this was around 1815, but when checked again at 1830 the 60 meter band one was silent. The 49 meters frequency is clear until 1855. Other strong ones were Burkina 5030 and Uganda 4976 and 5026. 73 (Jarmo Patala, Hyvinkaa - Finland, April 30, dxing.info via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. After almost two months` absence, RFPI`s 15039.1 is heard again, May 2 after 1300 with Democracy Now. If it stays on, this may mean an adjustment in the schedule for 7445, which has allegedly been running 24 hours in the interim. A reminder of our daytime airtimes on the new schedule: WOR: Fri 1930, Sat 1730, Sun 1830, Tue 1900; COM Sat 2130, Thu 2000. The second and third repeats, nominally 12 and 18 hours later, may be delayed up to a sesquihour for logistical reasons, because of the additional programming at 0400 noted below --- except on weekends; we need confirmation of times actually heard. Well, RFPI Mailbag (with a new theme instead of the haunting flute melody of yore) was at 2004 UT Friday May 2, as usually scheduled, with James and Naomi, altho lacking cards and letters with the computer printer not working. Just before it started James announced that `15040` was back on the air at reduced power, but would be up to full power in a day or two. Within the Mailbag, which must have been recorded about a week ago: to repair transmitter were waiting for some damaged coaxial cable to the antenna to be replaced; a temporary fix has been made. Maybe permanent in another month. Meanwhile, 15040 transmitter will be on the air; by the first week in May, transmitter ready to go with a new expensive football-sized tube, thanks to donations from listeners, but more needed; see website. Was a matter of getting the tower workers scheduled to come back, during the rainy season when not too much can be done in a day. What about live streaming on the internet? Some progress. A special program is being written for this; looking at two different possibilities, one of which is to put up on website daily programs in half-hour blocks, ondemand, more convenient for listeners. Now in testing stage, but a lot closer than before. A new edition of Democracy Now, Pacifica`s Peace Watch, and a half hour of Free Speech Radio News are being heard after 0400 UT tho not on the current schedule. M-F at 1830 Independent Headlines and various short features; also RFPI news and weather at 2115; readings of ``1984`` at 2100-2115 + 6 and 12 hours, and omnibus edition recapping previous week`s readings on Sat at 2030-2130. It`s nice to hear RFPI in the daytime again, but 15039.1 would go into a deep fade several a times a minute, losing the audio in the noise, so my notes above are incomplete, but I hope not misunderstood (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. Costa Rica permits commemorative prefix: Some Costa Rican amateur stations will set aside their normal call sign prefixes and use TE75 during the month of May. The TE75 prefix commemorates the 75th anniversary of the first Amateur Radio activity from Costa Rica, which took place March 4, 1928, by Amando Céspedes Marín, TI4NRH. Céspedes is considered the father of Amateur Radio in Costa Rica. QSL all TE75 stations via the Radio Club de Costa Rica, TI0RC, PO Box 2414-1000, San José, Costa Rica. More information and an official list of authorized TE75 stations are on the Radio Club de Costa Rica web site at http://www.ti0rc.org/ or e-mail te75@ti0rc.org (ARRL May 1 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Re: HCJB missionaries' funding tactics: Glenn, it's not unusual at all for missionaries to fund their endeavors through solicitation of their "home churches" or other contacts. This is a rather common practice in the evangelical community. What is unusual in HCJB's case is the lack of aggressive on-air fundraising tactics by the station itself (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, May 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FINAL SHORTWAVE JAPANESE PROGRAM TO AIR FROM QUITO ON MAY 1 --- 4/30/2003 2:26:05 PM After 39 years of faithful Japanese radio ministry, HCJB World Radio missionaries Kazuo and Hisako Ozaki are preparing to air their final program via shortwave from Quito, Ecuador. ``Knowing that this would be the last chance to produce a program for shortwave, I planned a special concert on April 11, inviting our Japanese friends in Quito and old friends of HCJB World Radio to thank them and to say goodbye,`` says Kazuo. Music recorded during the concert will air on the final Japanese program on Thursday, May 1 --- the anniversary of the station`s first Japanese broadcast in 1964. A special QSL (verification) card will be given to those sending in reception reports. The hour-long program can be heard at 1130 UT (7:30 a.m. EDT) on 15450 kHz. While regular Japanese programming by shortwave went off the air at the end of 2000, programs resumed four months later via the Internet and a local satellite digital station in Japan. ``However, those who used to listen to our voices on shortwave made the request to HCJB World Radio to have us back on the air at least once a year as long as we are in Quito,`` Kazuo explains. ``Due to the popular demand, we joined the staff of `Saludos Amigos` -- the international friendship program -- and produced our 38th anniversary special last May.`` Hiroyuki Hiramatsu, the Japanese ambassador to Ecuador, gave the opening remarks at the concert, attended by more than 100 persons -- most from the Japanese community. ``He said that while serving as the ambassador to El Salvador in the 1970s, he was searching for Radio Japan on his shortwave radio, wanting to get news from his homeland. Instead, he stumbled across our Japanese programs,`` Kazuo said. ``That was his first link with Radio Station HCJB.`` Before the event began, the ambassador said sadly that he would have to leave early because of a prior commitment. ``Two hours later he remained glued to his chair, enjoying every note that was played and every word that was spoken,`` Kazuo said. After the concert, he invited the Ozakis to his residence for dinner, eager to learn more about their lifetime of ministry and experiences. Among the musicians performing at the concert were the Ozakis` missionary son, Michio, and his wife, Anne-Marie, along with missionaries Ty Stakes, Eric Brown and Jorge Zambrano. The HCJB World Radio vocal ensemble (Bill and Sandy Emmett, Elaine Childs, Kathy Jo Estes, Charlie Jacobsen and Chuck Howard directed by Lois Vásconez) also took part. In addition, Sandro María Chicaiza played his melancholic pan flute and Eugenia Aizaga, a flutist from Ecuador`s National Symphony, delighted the crowd with some traditional Japanese melodies. A number of Japanese young people gave testimonies -- some still living in Quito and others living abroad -- who were part of the Ozakis` Japanese Sunday school class. They expressed their appreciation for lessons learned that have helped them through life`s storms. Newly appointed Station Manager Curt Cole thanked the Ozakis for their flexibility. ``They have taught me several things,`` he said. ``More recently they have taught me about change and being willing to change. After so many years of doing shortwave radio, they were willing to begin broadcasting via the Internet, learning a completely new role in their ministry.`` Following the concert, the Ozakis said their work is not yet done and asked for prayer as they prepare to leave Ecuador for Wheaton, Ill., this summer to begin a new ministry. They plan to maintain their relationship with Japanese listeners via webcasting and live chats. (HCJB World Radio via Sergei Sosedkin, April 30, DXLD) Horst Rosiak (HCJB) in the program of May 1st told about the future of HCJB: - no changes for German to South America - German to Nam will be cancelled at the end of may (including Plattdeutsch) - to Europe: HCJB directors in Ecuador will drop German to Europe at Sept 28th. But the work may be continued under the roof and the financing of HCJB Europe. So transmissions in German from Equador may continue after Sept. - English to Europe will be ceased at End of May, as Russian and Kikongo 73, (Andreas Erbe via Kai Ludwig, Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. 9990, V. of Eritrean People, Apr 27 *1729-1740, 35222. Tigrigna, 1729 s/on with opening music. ID. Talk and music (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** GERMANY. LOCAL DRM PROJECTS IN GERMANY The following pieces of news I found about two projects to establish local low power DRM stations in the southeast of Germany. - in Nürnberg the frequency of 26,000 MHz has been tested on Feb 27th with ten watts by the university of applied sciences: http://www.informatik.fh-nuernberg.de/Professors/Lauterbach/CampusRadio/sender.htm and http://www.informatik.fh-nuernberg.de/Professors/Lauterbach/CampusRadio/betrieb.htm The 2nd project called bitexpress http://www.bitexpress.de/ plans to broadcast regionally on 15,822 MHz for Nürnberg and Erlangen. This is a project of the University of Erlangen and Nürnberg and the Fraunhofer Institute. As Deutschlandfunk reported today there are also plans to go further than that and to link the project with other campus radios (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, uieremani, May 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I assume he is talking about HF with commas not dot ** GERMANY. Re.``For the moment, especially since a Director has not yet been appointed for RBB, it's business as usual.`` [Media Network item in 3-075] Actually Dagmar Reim was elected as director of Rundfunk Berlin- Brandenburg already on March 24, as first female director of an ARD member institution ever. Officially her assumption of office rolls off RBB tonight at midnight. Ms. Reim can be seen with SFB director Horst Schättle after her appointment on this page (probably expiring this night): http://www.orb.de/_/fusion/aktuell_jsp.html Foreseeable prospects so far are that the two TV networks, RBB Fernsehen Brandenburg (ex ORB-Fernsehen) and RBB Fernsehen Berlin (ex SFB1) will be replaced by a single new one. The radio networks Radio 3 (ORB) and Radio Kultur (SFB) will be combined, too. But so far no detailed decisions exist simply because indeed no heads of department were appointed yet. The item written by Andy gives also interesting insights into the West European view on the German eastside. The story as seen from Hilversum is ``Sender Freies Berlin becomes history``. Apparently Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg does not matter, except for the circumstance that SFB will disappear by way of merging with ORB. Well, quite a lot of people here have a different angle. Some thoughts in short: ORB was founded very late in 1991 after the attempts to create a common broadcasting institution of Berlin, Brandenburg, Sachsen-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern finally failed. The station started broadcasting from tiny shacks on the DEFA (GDR successor of UFA) movie studio grounds at Potsdam-Babelsberg (until 1994 some radio programming was produced at Berlin Nalepastraße instead). Common guess was that ORB will soon disappear and SFB assume responsibility for broadcasting in Brandenburg, too. But not so, ORB grew up, the shacks disappeared and made way for new studio buildings. And more importantly the programming maintaining a high standard, and -- well, is different. And so it is a real merger that will come into force just a few hours ago (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Apr 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It seems I misunderstood the last sentence of the original DPA story: thanks to Kai's clarification, I see now that the "vacant director posts" refers not to the Intendant, Dagmar Reim, but to other staff still to be appointed. I will re-publish the corrected item today. But the bit about SFB becoming history is in the original DPA story: Berlin (dpa) - Man möchte von einem historischen Ereignis sprechen: Nach fast 50 Jahren wird der Sender Freies Berlin (SFB) Rundfunk- Geschichte. Er markiert eine Ära, die im Kalten Krieg begann und den Fall der Berliner Mauer überdauerte. Mit dem Läuten der Freiheitsglocke war der öffentlich-rechtliche Sender mit dem patriotischen Namen 1954 in Betrieb gegangen. Nach der Niederschlagung des DDR-Aufstands vom 17. Juni 1953 sollte er die Stimme des freien Westens über die Sektorengrenzen tragen. In der Nacht zum 1. Mai schlägt die letzte Stunde des SFB. Dann geht der neue Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) in Betrieb, eine Fusion des SFB mit dem Ostdeutschen Rundfunk Brandenburg (ORB). Doch in Berlin ist von Trauer über das Ende der Ära kaum etwas zu spüren. Während das Gedenken an den 1993 eingestellten "Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor" (RIAS) im West- wie im Ostteil der Stadt und darüber hinaus nostalgische Gefühle auslöst, wird das Ende des SFB ebenso wie das des ORB eher geschäftsmäßig zur Kenntnis genommen. Dies umso mehr, als sich am Erscheinungsbild in absehbarer Zeit nichts Einschneidendes ändern wird. Lediglich das Logo der beiden Fernsehsender wird ersetzt, beide senden aber weiter ihr Programm. Doch mittelfristig soll aus den beiden Fernsehsendern auch im Programm einer werden: ein "Vollprogramm mit klarem regionalem Schwerpunkt". Das ist die Vorgabe der Gründungsintendantin Dagmar Reim. Die erste ARD-Intendantin verspricht, die neu geschaffene Anstalt werde "in keinem Bereich schlechter sein als das, was war." Zur Zeit wird in Berlin das Personal-Karussell gedreht, vor allem die noch unbesetzten Direktorenposten der neuen Anstalt bieten Anlass für Spekulationen. Dabei ist allen Beteiligten klar, dass die "Geburtswehen" des RBB erst noch kommen werden. Reim will erst die Zahlen prüfen und dann über Personalplanungen und Konzepte sprechen. 1700 Mitarbeiter soll die neue Anstalt zunächst haben - 1100 vom SFB, 600 vom ORB. Mancher vo ihnen steht dem Zusammenschluss misstrauisch gegenüber, denn noch ist unklar, wie viele Beschäftigte der RBB letztlich haben wird. Vor allem der SFB muss gegen seinen Ruf als unbeweglicher Tanker kämpfen; der ORB gilt eher als schlankes, bewegliches Kind der Nach-Wende-Zeit. dpa kh eee ru (via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) Here's an English version from Reuters: BERLIN COLD WAR TV SHUTS 13 YEARS AFTER WALL FALLS By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN, April 30 (Reuters) - A west Berlin broadcasting company that beamed news from the "free world" into Communist East Germany during the Cold War will disappear on Thursday -- swallowed up in a belated merger 13 years after German unity. Fifty years after being created as a beacon of democracy for the capitalist enclave of West Berlin and a thorn in the side of East Germany, Sender Freies Berlin (Free Berlin Broadcasting company) will switch off the air forever at midnight. To the dismay of die-hard west Berliners who sometimes wish the Berlin Wall were still standing, SFB and its 1,050 staff will be folded together with 600 workers from Brandenburg's ORB network into a new region-wide channel called RBB. "Without doubt western television broadcasts were a vital source of information and encouragement for East Germans during the Cold War and without them I doubt the Berlin Wall would have collapsed in 1989," said former SFB director Juergen Engert. "Even the name...was deliberately chosen as a proclamation of a free city and a provocation to the East German regime," he told Reuters. "The idea was simple: if people lose their fear of a dictator, the regime is on borrowed time. We gave East German dissidents a voice and they became popular." Even though SFB was always one of the smaller regional broadcasters that make up Germany's ARD public broadcasting network, it enjoyed a special status as the window of West Germany and the western world into Communist East Germany. Millions of East Germans had their rooftop television aerials pointed towards West Berlin during the Cold War to pick up SFB broadcasts. East Germany at first tried to jam the signals and zealous Communists sometimes tore down antennae they saw aimed at West Berlin. For their part, East Germans used to joke darkly that they were reunited with their western brethren every evening -- in front of their television sets watching the same programmes. "About 80 percent of the East German population probably watched our evening news," said Engert, who was head of SFB news from 1985 to 1997. "Everyone made jokes about hurrying home by 8 p.m. in time to catch the 'class enemy' on television." The fusion of the two public broadcast networks had been on the drawing boards since German unification in 1990, but deeply entrenched distrust that still divides eastern and western Germans along with intransigent bureaucrats kept the two apart. "The merger is an important step towards the internal unification of Germany and should help Berlin and Brandenburg grow closer together," said Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit, whose cash-strapped city-state hopes to win a vote due later this decade for a merger with the surrounding Brandenburg state. A referendum to merge the states was defeated in 1996. Horst Schaettle, the departing chief executive of SFB, dismissed criticism the delayed unification on the airwaves was a sign of lingering animosity still separating the two Germanys. "It's better to be late than too late," Schaettle said (REUTERS via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) Yes, and another dpa story speculates about "possible thorough changes in the next months": ----- NEUER RUNDFUNK BERLIN-BRANDENBURG AM START BERLIN - Mit dem neuen Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) beginnt an diesem Donnerstag (01.05.2003) ein neues Kapitel in der deutschen Mediengeschichte. Der RBB geht zum 1. Mai aus der Fusion des seit 50 Jahren bestehenden Senders Freies Berlin (SFB) und des nach der deutschen Vereinigung gegründeten Ostdeutschen Rundfunks Brandenburgs (ORB) hervor. Als erster ARD-Sender wird der RBB von einer Frau geleitet. Gründungsintendantin Dagmar Reim übernimmt das Amt vom letzten SFB-Intendanten Horst Schättle und von ORB-Intendant Hansjürgen Rosenbauer. Reim will "die besten Konzepte und Köpfe aus beiden Häusern" für die neue Zwei-Länder-Anstalt "in der spannendsten Region Deutschlands" zusammenführen, wie sie auf der letzten Sitzung des SFB-Rundfunkrates betont hatte. Sie kündigte jedoch auch einen "Personalum- und -abbau" an und will Doppelstrukturen beseitigen, um den neuen Sender auf eine "solide finanzielle Basis" zu stellen. Die neue Anstalt wird zunächst 1700 Mitarbeiter haben - rund 1100 vom SFB und 600 vom ORB. Im Fernsehbereich soll der RBB etwa sieben Prozent des Ersten ARD-Programms gestalten. Die acht Hörfunkprogramme und die beiden regionalen Fernsehsender werden weiterhin ausgestrahlt und erst im Laufe der nächsten Monate möglicherweise einer umfassenden Programmstrukturreform unterzogen. (dpa 13:58) (Stand vom 30.04.2003) ----- Here the story from last night until now: The Sender Freies Berlin neon signs were switched off at 23:59 (TV building) and 00:05 (radio house), respectively. Photo series of the TV building signs going off, one letter after another: http://www.radioeins.de/sendungen/medienmagazin/feedback/ The TV networks replaced at midnight sharp their old corner logos by provisional new ones, each one different looking, proving that they are a real makeshift solution. Radio: Radio Kultur broadcast an extensive "good-bye SFB" program last evening. After the conclusion of this program the first RBB ID was given already at 23:58. It is remarkable that Radio Kultur now sells itself as "the culture program of RBB", as if it would be the only one, although there is still also Radio 3 (ex ORB). This gives a strong indication how the Berlin and Potsdam branches still do not really care what each other does, showing how interesting the next months could become. Inforadio broadcast immediately after the news at midnight a special piece about the change. Antenne Brandenburg had it as first item in the news. Fritz broadcast live a techno event last night and did not bother to give RBB any mention at all. Internet: http://www.sfb.de was basically terminated although some archived pages are still available. The new http://www.rbb-online.de is more or less the redesigned http://www.orb.de and some pages still refer to ORB rather than RBB. And now over to shortwave without changing the topic: Probably RBB will also have a shortwave presence. At present Rohrdorf 7265 carries not SWR 3 (like Mühlacker 6030 still does) but SWR Cont.Ra instead, the new mediumwave network of SWR. It remains to be seen if this is a permanent change, but if so it would also result in a relay of RBB programming on shortwave because SWR Cont.Ra relays Inforadio from Berlin every night between 2000 and 0400 UT. Enclosed a bit of nostalgia with a look on the glass studio of Inforadio, the program that probably goes out on shortwave now, too. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Obviously Rohrdorf 7265 was permanently switched from SWR 3 to SWR Cont.Ra, effective from May 1st. SWR Cont.Ra is a new network rolled off by Südwestrundfunk (SWR) back in last year, distributed mainly via mediumwave and satellite. More details can be found at http://www.swr.de/contra/index.html An especially interesting detail is that SWR Cont.Ra carries overnight the infoRADIO program produced by the Berlin branch of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), i.e. what was until now known as Sender Freies Berlin (SFB). At present infoRADIO is relayed by SWR Cont.Ra between 2100 and 0400, on Saturdays and Sundays until 0556. The Rohrdorf shortwave transmitter still appears to stay on around the clock, hence infoRADIO goes out on 7265, too, resulting in a shortwave relay of RBB programming. On-air ID of infoRADIO is "Inforadio dreiundneunzig-eins", leaning on the 93.1 FM frequency at Berlin as if it would be their only one. Internet presence: http://www.inforadio.de So the Siemens shortwave transmitter at Rohrdorf now again carries programming produced at Masurenallee in Berlin. "Again" because this is the very same transmitter that was once operated by Radio Bremen on 6190, and Radio Bremen extensively relayed SFB programming on shortwave until 10 years ago. Sometimes really strange constellations occur! Enclosed two cuts from last night, the first one from 2100 when the infoRADIO relay starts and 7265 is occupied also by Radio Polonia as a result of the ARD institutions renouncing on any protection of their shortwave frequencies (or probably rather because Deutsche Welle does not bother to take care on the HFCC and just puts the frequencies into the file "for info"). 16 seconds into the record SWR Cont.Ra joins infoRADIO with an abrupt cut-in into an announcement welcoming also "the listeners of the SWR program Cont.Ra". The second cut is from 2200 when 7265 is clear (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes I noted them yesterday evening on 7265 with the ``Tagesschau``, the main TV newscast in Germany produced by public ARD. So you can hear German TV news now over shortwave. And http://www.swr.de/contra/index.html does not list 7265 yet. 73, (Andreas Erbe, May 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE PREPARES FOR ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY, MOVING TO BONN | Text of press release by Deutsche Welle on 30 April; subheadings as published: 50 years of Deutsche Welle: Programme of information and "intercultural dialogue" - Festivities on 27 June 2003 in Bonn with Federal President Johannes Rau - Opening of the new broadcasting house - The maxims of independence and credibility Deutsche Welle (DW) is turning 50. Half a century after the first broadcast, Germany's international broadcasting service presents itself as an innovative media enterprise: DW offers multimedia, globally accessible information in more than 30 languages. It uses the latest digital technology for production and broadcasting and, more importantly, draws on the expertise of a multinational team of some 1,500 employees from more than 60 countries. They create DW-TV and DW-Radio programmes as well as the web site dw- world.de. According to Director-General Erik Bettermann, "intercultural dialogue is part of our work - all day and every day. And it is not just about spreading linguistic and cultural diversity abroad. Our cosmopolitan approach and specialist knowledge also contribute to public debate here in Germany." On 27 June 2003, Deutsche Welle will mark its 50th birthday with festivities at the Plenarsaal in Bonn. Federal President Johannes Rau will be the guest of honour and keynote speaker. DW will also be celebrating the official opening of its new broadcasting house, for DW's anniversary year of 2003 is also the year that the headquarters of the German international broadcaster will move from Cologne to Bonn. The building, designed by Prof Joachim Schurmann and situated in Bonn's former government quarter, is one of Europe's most modern broadcasting centres. Three pillars... "Hier ist die Deutsche Welle Bonn" - this acoustic hallmark will soon go out around the world from the Federal City, Bonn. This is where the multilingual programmes of DW-Radio are made: for example in languages like Amharic and Urdu, in Bengali and Ukrainian and, of course, in German and English, Russian and Chinese. This is where multimedia dw-world.de goes online. Here, the Deutsche Welle Radio Training Centre (RTC) successfully trains skilled radio staff from developing countries and Eastern Europe. DW's television activities are concentrated in Berlin: DW-TV in German, English and Spanish, as well as regional slots in other languages. Furthermore, DW broadcasts German TV, the joint "best of" programme from the public broadcasters ARD and ZDF. .. one mission. Deutsche Welle was commissioned to "provide listeners and viewers abroad with a comprehensive picture of political, cultural and economic life in Germany and to present and describe German positions on important issues". This is how the 1997 Deutsche Welle Act defines our mission statement. The Federal Government intends to amend this act and reformulate the mission in close cooperation with DW. Bettermann: "DW stands for independence and credibility, which will remain the priority since people all over the world value our programmes for these qualities. Nevertheless, DW's mission needs to be extended and made more precise. We do not only report about Germany, but about events in our target regions. This is the only way international radio can have an impact as a form of preventive foreign and security policy. It ensures a free flow of information in regions of war and crisis." Anniversary year 2003 will be marked by rapid implementation of the reform process already under way. DW's current corporate profile defines clear focal points and aims. As Bettermann states, "we will continue to regionalize our programmes and intensify intercultural dialogue - in particular with the Islamic world. DW-TV's programme slots in the Afghan languages Dari and Pashto and in Arabic are examples of the success of this idea." Furthermore, DW is covering the process of European unification extensively and is making its mark with a focus on the areas of business and culture. To reach its most important target groups more effectively, DW is increasingly using FM frequencies for large cities and is playing a leading role in launching digital shortwave radio. A more relaxed approach in German foreign relations 50 years of Deutsche Welle - 50 years of information from the heart of Europe. On 3 May 1953, Deutsche Welle went on the air for the first time - on shortwave and in German. Federal President Theodor Heuss addressed "our cherished countrymen around the world" and expressed his wish for a more relaxed approach in German foreign relations. Only a year later radio programmes began in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, supplemented by Arabic in 1959. In the 1960s, the programme was expanded to include more than 20 broadcasting languages - including French, Croatian and Persian, Russian, Greek and Turkish, Kiswahili and Hausa, Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese. During these years, DW started up its initial television activities: like the radio programmes, taped television programmes are also dispatched to partner stations. In 1965, the Deutsche Welle Radio Training Centre (RTC) was founded. It has also operated television training courses in Berlin since 1996. In the meantime, this facility funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has trained more than 10,000 skilled radio staff from developing countries and Eastern Europe. Many alumni now hold top positions in their homelands - as ministers, director-generals and ambassadors. Satellite TV and the Internet The reorganization of public broadcasting following German unification was also a turning point for DW as the last broadcaster under federal law. DW took over the foreign language programmes of Deutschlandfunk (DLF) in Cologne and parts of Radio Berlin International (RBI), the disbanded East German international broadcaster. Somewhat ironically, DW was soon able to lease transmitters in Russia that were used during the Cold War to jam the reception of Western international radio stations. On 1 April 1992, DW-TV went on the air in Berlin - German international television via satellite. Two years later Deutsche Welle became the first public broadcaster in Germany to go on the Internet with a presence that was expanded and given the new address dw-world.de in 2001. Finally, German TV began broadcasting in March 2002, initially as pay-TV for North America for German-speaking viewers. Dialogue in many languages Erik Bettermann: "As an institution for international media and cultural work, DW has the deepest possible impact. Intercultural dialogue also includes promoting the German language. That is far more than conveying an authentic picture of German reality." Two-thirds of humankind lives under authoritarian or totalitarian regimes, which deny their citizens freedom of the press and freedom of speech. In these nations, and in particular in regions of crisis and conflict, DW is an acknowledged source of objective information - whether in the Balkans, today in Afghanistan or many other regions of the world. DW addresses people all over the world who are interested in Germany and in Europe, particularly opinion leaders and the so-called "information elites". DW is also the "bridge home" for Germans living overseas. Partners all over the world DW transmits it diverse programmes via a global satellite network. DW-Radio, in addition, broadcasts via shortwave - in future digital - radio, as well as via mediumwave and FM to specific regions. Many thousands of partner stations around the world broadcast DW programmes, including TransTel productions. DW-TV and DW-Radio are also available on the Internet as live-stream and on-demand programmes at dw-world.de. Modern, flexible, ready for tomorrow "At 50, Deutsche Welle is ready for the challenges of the future," says Director-General Bettermann. "Modern and flexible, with respected quality programming for its entire media, Germany's international broadcaster holds an outstanding position among international competitors." This is the merit of the expertise and creative potential of its international staff as well as the corporation's constant structural revamping over the past decade. May 2003 More information on the Internet: http://www.dw-world.de/english (Press and About Us) Source: Deutsche Welle press release, Cologne, in English 30 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** INDIA. Re unID 13630: Yes, NHK, and 13630 0045-0130 49 BGL 500 60 0 216 3003-261003 Burmese IND AIR 13630 0300-0600 39,47,48 AKA 500 170 0 156 3003-261003 Arabic JOR JRT 13630 0600-0900 28-30 AKA 500 350 0 156 3003-261003 Arabic JOR JRT 13630 1200-1630 39,47,48 AKA 500 170 0 156 3003-261003 Arabic JOR JRT If AIR uses the same equipment like at 0045 UT, 60 degrees from Bangalore isn't the favorite antenna lobe into Europe (Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX Apr 30 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4869.96, RRI Wamena 1206-1315+ 5/1. Jak program at 1206, // other RRI's. Checked later and found them with an old Patsy Cline tune at 1256, followed by another old C&W song. A 10-minute telephone chat at 1301 was followed by Celine Dion's "Titanic" theme. Good at tune-in, but sloowly fading. Carrier still there at 1350 (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot LW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. An excellent website is devoted to the numerous MF coastal radio stations around the world. There are dozens of links to further web pages of individual coastal stations or events relating to them such as close-downs or their individual broadcast schedules. It also contains a number of documents which can be downloaded and read on your own PC. There are listings of maritime stations on 500 kHz and a very long listing of stations between 1.6 and 3.7 MHz, in Adobe Acrobat: http://www.coastalradio.greater-peterborough.com (Graham Tanner, SSB Utilities, April Shortwave Magazine via DXLD) ** IRAQ. KURDISH PUK LAUNCHES RADIO STATION IN BAGHDAD | Text of report by Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) newspaper Al- Ittihad on 1 May Following the publication of Al-Ittihad in Baghdad, the Voice of Freedom, Voice of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, began FM test transmissions daily on 95 MHz. The radio broadcasts programmes in Arabic and Kurdish from 1300 until 2200 [local time: 1000-1900 gmt]. The programmes include news bulletins, political analyses, interviews, as well as variety and music. The Voice of Freedom is another initiative by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in its firm policy towards free Iraq, the Iraq of equality and coexistence, and the Arab-Kurdish dialogue. Despite technical difficulties, the PUK also works persistently to launch a television channel in Baghdad, out of its commitment to ensure the success of the democratic process and fill the gaps left behind by the regime. Source: Al-Ittihad, Baghdad, in Arabic 1 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ. US ops active in Iraq: The Daily DX http://www.dailydx.com/ reports that Willie Mohney, KV4EB, continues to be active on the bands on SSB, PSK31, RTTY and SSTV on 15 meters. His PSK31 activity has been between 0900 and 1300 UT, when he switches over to SSB at around 21.270 MHz. Craig McVey, YI/AB8DY, has been showing up on the same frequency at around the same time running 5 W. After 1600 UT, look for him on 20 meters near 14.250 MHz but occasionally near 14.165 or 14.195 MHz. According to The Daily DX, KV4EB has worked about 1000 QSOs so far while in Iraq. When the band is open to the US, he asks other stations to stand by. Also active from Baghdad is Tim Williams, YI/WB5WDM. He's been reported on 17-meter SSB from 1900 until 2030 UT. On April 29, Greg Thompson, YI/KC7GNM, was QRV on 20- meter SSB at around 0200 UT working US stations while aeronautical mobile (AM) above Iraq. Based in Saudi Arabia, Thompson flies into Iraq on missions that typically take about 10 hours. The ARRL DXCC Desk announced recently that it would approve operations by US military personnel in Iraq for DXCC credit if the operators provide written authorization from their commanding officers. This situation could change once a civilian government is in place in Iraq, however (ARRL May 1 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. ANALYSIS: BROADCASTERS - WHAT COST WAR? DID WE GET IT RIGHT? Al-Jazeera TV had tried to learn the lesson of Afghanistan, but still lost a staff member in Baghdad. CNN said it didn't arm its top reporter Brent Sadler, but did hire armed guards, who had no choice but to return fire. ITN paid a high price in human terms, but those who went thought the risks were worth taking. Choice of words, impartiality, attribution, the effect of embedded reporters and the demands of 24-hour rolling news channels made for the most televisual and challenging war ever, the BBC thought. News organizations and news professionals present have already drawn some conclusions from their war coverage and those of their competitors. In a session called "What Cost War" at the Global Media Business Conference in London this week, the people who have been managing the logistics and decision-making involved in war coverage had already made the initial self-examination and analysis. The following is a report by BBC Monitoring's Chris McWhinnie, who attended the conference on 30 April 2003: The Association for International Broadcasting, a trade body, has just held its Global Media Business Conference in London. It looked at audiences, technology and content, but the war in Iraq was an inevitable point of reference. Conference time was dedicated to a very candid and revealing session that was followed by a segment on public diplomacy and the media. The conference attracted speakers and delegates from a wide cross- section of programme makers, strategists and engineering support. They hailed from a wide range of international media - traditional media such as the Voice of America, ITN and BBC World Service, the not-so-new CNN and representatives of the new wave of regional but potentially global rivals, Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya and local replacements for international services. Logistics and planning "What Cost War?" was the subject of the main session to deal with the conflict in Iraq. International news is higher up the public agenda, and this has been driven by the 9/11 events and the aftermath of the Afghan war and the latest military action. However, the change to the givens - the world order, the tolerated regimes, the diminished role of the United Nations and new concerns about perception of USA foreign policy - have all meant a greater concentration on international news. The first and last reporters in a war zone are often the news agencies. Their words and pictures feed other media which could not or chose not to be present. 400-500 broadcasters took our pictures and it is what we are there to do - there is no war premium, said Ian Ritchie, chief executive of APTN, the TV news agency wing of Associated Press. There was direct rivalry between the two main news agency players, Reuters and APTN, to get the best and fastest live pictures. APTV produced English but also some 1,400 Arabic-language reports from Baghdad-based and other teams. With 40 operational cameras across the Middle East, five uplinks in Iraq, 20 mobile uplinks and up to 140 people involved, clearly a massive amount of planning had taken place. Now there has been a huge reduction in coverage. Broadcasters removed uplink dishes for financial reasons. So, the picture agencies were left to provide raw footage and to try to be as impartial as possible in their picture selection. The agencies are staying in longer, because they are more cost effective. Although there has been some viewer fatigue, the story was far from dropped and there was still room for updates and room in the TV schedules. Ritchie thought that the plethora of channels had added transparency and diversity to the media scene and had helped the audience to place stories in context. It was good to have Al-Jazeera and others along, and the wider range of media was a very positive thing. Fourteen journalists killed The financial costs were nothing compared with the loss of life of 14 journalists during this conflict. Yosri Fouda is Al-Jazeera TV's investigative correspondent and London bureau chief. He was quoted in the conference biography as saying "if you get the story but don't come back, it's not worth it, not for you, not for your organization." There were the fatal shots fired at the Palestine Hotel, and the missile that destroyed the Al-Jazeera Baghdad office on 8 April. Al-Jazeera correspondent Tareq Ayoub was killed, some local inhabitants died and other staff sustained injuries. Fouda thought the cost had therefore been enormous. "We had learnt the lessons from Afghanistan" he said, referring to the Al- Jazeera office in Baghdad, which was hit. "We provided the Pentagon with our location, only to get a letter telling us to leave Baghdad." Al-Jazeera was the only foreign TV station in Baghdad during 1998's Operation Desert Fox, and Al-Jazeera felt it had to be there this time. It had six correspondents in the Iraqi capital, two in Basra and one in Mosul, after hard negotiation with the Iraqi Information Minister. One problem had been the refusal of the Kuwait authorities to let their staff cross Kuwait into Iraq to become "embeds". As for non-human costs, this was seen as the political pressure brought to bear on potential Middle Eastern advertisers not to use Al-Jazeera. The demonization of Al-Jazeera TV in the USA and sometimes in parts of Europe had been another cost. Almost every US and UK government spokesman had strong words about the channel. From Al-Jazeera's perspective, they had tried to contribute to the whole picture of the war and thought they had remained independent and gained respect at street level - but by losing colleagues, they paid the ultimate price. Fouda thought that what had affected attitudes amongst the media was President's Bush's "you are either with us or against us" remark. Many reporters wanted to be viewed as independent and had to distance themselves from that concept, and that was difficult in human terms when one was "embedded" and being fired at. It was impossible to be objective when reporters' lives depended on the troops who were protecting them. He also considered that audiences were learning to filter information for themselves, based upon the source. Most had been keen to stay - despite pressure from the Iraqi government - but some of those who had tried to be truly independent had paid the ultimate price. He thought that once the media circus was over, a study of the situation was required: There had been an eagerness amongst reporters to challenge the Foreign Office and the military's advice to leave Baghdad. In 1991 most correspondents had left, but this time 250 out of 350 reporters stayed once war broke out. Better protection was required and in the aftermath, psychological rehabilitation of the staff was a prime consideration. Trauma and journalism Mark Brayne of the BBC's Trauma Unit took the point further. This was a project supporting those back at base as well as those returning from the field in terms of stress and trauma, he said. Staff had put in extraordinary performances when life and death were at stake. But some staff did develop post-traumatic stress disorder, and a move from macho war reporting was required to deal with the issue. Enormous human cost Michael Jermey, managing director of the UK's commercial public service TV news provider ITN, thought the cost had been enormous. In the war ITN lost veteran reporter Terry Lloyd, "as experienced as anyone can be", and two other staff are still missing, presumed dead. Staff who had decided to go to report the war and operate outside the embedded and the more protected confines and journalists' encampments had decided that the risks were worth taking to give a better picture. Enterprising journalism had meant that the public were better informed and the ratings showed that they were interested in TV news and in current affairs. Financially, costs were up massively for ITV - millions had been spent in additional coverage, but the big TV news contracts for ITV, Channel 4 and Five allow for adjustments in exceptional times and all paid for increased coverage, although this was not advertiser- supported. As a supplier of material beyond the UK, ITN thought they had enhanced their reputation internationally and that more work would come in as a result of those business relationships. Jermey urged all those who believed in free media to pressure governments to allow and protect the media. The BBC thought it had largely made the right decision to make World Service a rolling news service and 31 days of Iraqi war coverage was the result, said Liliane Landor, head of programmes at BBC World Service News and Current affairs. They had tried to adhere to the BBC values of independence and impartiality. They had tried to give the broadest perspective possible and had planned to do so in a war that they knew was coming. The challenge had been to make the output resonate for millions of listeners who differed in class, nationality, ethnicity and political interest. Trying to humanize the war and not lose sight of the hundreds of Iraqis who were killed was difficult. The BBC had decided to dedicate editors to listen to and feedback on the station's output. This helped with the tone and choice of words and language, which had been agonised over: "tribes", "regime", "weapons of mass destruction", "liberated", "coalition", "Saddam" and the excited language of military victory. Journalists had to put the difficult questions, and as such had added value, gained listeners and provoked a great audience response. What were the concerns over coverage? Landor did wonder whether the BBC was uncomfortable. How sanitised was the radio and the TV view? Did the broadcasters capture the grief and horror, or was it too clean? She thought the embedded reporters had been both a blessing and a curse. They had brought live drama to the living room, and it was the first time the war was seen happening in real time to any extent, but these were just keyhole views which had needed the editorial base in London to pull together into the bigger picture. The level of skill and judgment needed by embedded reporters was extremely difficult. But the BBC had given their staff feedback and distance, and had tried hard to remain accurate. Also, Landor said, the story was hardly over yet. The Arab world had lost Saddam, "its last hero", and to whom would it turn? To a mythical Usamah Bin-Ladin, or towards democracy? Political turmoil could be seen, and the Middle East could be redrawn. The raw TV had been exciting, the audience had grown and responded as never before but what had been a "good war" in media terms only had been a great loss in human terms. The truth - not the easiest thing to discern The BBC's head of news gathering, Adrian van Klaveren, in a later session on public diplomacy and the media, identified three areas of difficulty for broadcasters in their war coverage: The biggest names in journalism had opted not to be embedded. The impression given by the US Army that they wouldn't see anything had compounded that problem. The constant demands of 24-hour news channels had meant that journalists were continuously having to update reports, not just work to four deadlines a day. This also meant that staff were trying to discern the truth live on air. The reporting of an alleged uprising in Basra was an example where more work could be done on avoiding over-excitability or readiness to report. Broadcasters had lessons to learn in terms of coverage of the operations in the west of Iraq, which were not covered at all, the impact of aerial bombardment on the population had in some people's view been oversanitised in some countries, and there had been an impatience, lack of realism and understanding of military strategy in reports. At CNN and other news outlets, people were working under conditions of exceptional drive and stress. CNN, like others, had taken security very seriously indeed, and yet there were still significant casualties. CNN had questioned how war coverage was changing. The channel had seen maverick reporters operating outside the press pack in many wars. This had brought new perspectives and benefits, but war reporting remained an incredibly risky business. The losses of experienced journalists had made many in the news industry stop and think about what would be done outside the established routes. More debriefings would have to take place to learn the lessons from this war, Maddox said. He was asked whether other coverage had suffered. He agreed, saying he believed that SARS had at first been under-reported, which could have changed the whole progress of the story itself, and he noted that a fire which led to many deaths at a school in Russia had hardly been covered. An army of journalists Maddox also responded to a question asking if there were any circumstances under which correspondents should carry guns. This referred to reports from Brent Sadler during an exploratory visit to Tikrit, before it fell to US forces. The journalist had not been armed, but after a specific threat by the Iraqi government to CNN the crew hired armed PUK guards to protect the CNN headquarters in northern Iraq. The security and safety adviser to CNN was also armed. When an individual with an AK-47 weapon appeared excitable, it was decided to withdraw, but the team was pursued and came under direct automatic and handgun fire from a vehicle that drew alongside. Fire was returned, as the alternative would have been not to open fire and possibly die. CNN would never arm journalists but did take measures, as other news organizations have done, to protect their staff when showing a press pass cuts no ice. Pictures can speak for themselves The sight and sounds of war were captured well by the departing managing of EuroNews, David Lowen. He believed their most powerful output had been from the "Without Commentary" segment, which is video with natural sound without any commentary before or after. It consisted of one and a half minutes of footage showing some Iraqi soldiers taking lunch, chatting, weapons down but at their sides, but in his words, fear never leaving their eyes. Source: BBC Monitoring research 1 May 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. GERALDO LASHES OUT One of only a few embedded reporters during the Iraq war who were banished by the US military for revealing details of his unit's location, Geraldo Rivera is now safe at home and speaking out in his usual restrained manner: "NOW THAT I'M HOME AND HAVE SEEN A FRACTION OF WHAT WAS SAID AND WRITTEN ABOUT MY INADVERTENT TECHNICAL VIOLATION OF THE PENTAGON'S EMBEDMENT POLICIES, I'M FILLED WITH SMOLDERING ANGER AT THE GROTESQUE EXAGGERATION FOSTERED BY MY CABLE COMPETITORS. "THE COMMENTS OF SOME WERE SO RECKLESS AND BADLY REPORTED THE ONLY CONCLUSION CAN BE THAT MSNBC, FOR EXAMPLE, MALICIOUSLY CONDUCTED A 'GET-GERALDO' CAMPAIGN. USING A NEO-NAZI EX-CONGRESSMAN AND A PSYCHO EX-SPORTSCASTER AS THEIR HATCHET MEN THEY LOBBED ACCUSATIONS AND INNUENDO AIMED AT USING MY SAND DRAWING TO DESTROY A 33 YEAR CAREER FAR MORE DISTINGUISHED THAN ANYTHING TO WHICH EITHER OF THAT HAPLESS PAIR CAN ASPIRE." If you care to stomach the rest of his diatribe you can see his whole statement at: http://www.roughpoint.tv/v1/iraq2.php (Joe Buch, swprograms via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. AL-ARABIYA TV EMPLOYS FORMER IRAQI UN ENVOY TO PRESENT PROGRAMME - PAPER | Text of report in English by Dubai newspaper Gulf News web site on 1 May Former Iraqi ambassador to the UN Dr Muhammad al-Duri has been commissioned to present a political programme at Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based TV channel. Al-Duri, who left his post in New York after the collapse of Saddam Husayn's regime last month, is here to present a seven-episode analytical programme entitled Political and legal perspective of the future of Iraq [as published] for the channel. Al-Duri is a veteran diplomat and a professor of international relations and former dean of the law faculty at Baghdad University. Channel sources said Al-Duri would be an asset to the station which went on air in March. "His performance at the UN was excellent, regardless of the case he was defending. Al-Duri was a star diplomat," the sources said. He dealt with the media efficiently, even when he told reporters at his residence in New York that "the game is over" after the collapse of the Iraqi regime. Al-Arabiya said on Monday [28 April] that it was also willing to take Muhammad Sa'id al-Sahhaf, the former Iraqi information minister. Source: Gulf News web site, Dubai, in English 1 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS The Independent Media Institute http://www.alternet.org/imi.html a US nonprofit organization which describes itself as "dedicated to strengthening and supporting independent and alternative journalism", has raised concerns at the choice of production house for the US government's TV service to Iraq. An article on the Institute's AlterNet Web site claims that the company - Grace Digital Media - is controlled by fundamentalist Christians who are "rabidly pro-Israel." The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) says it sees no problem in having Grace produce the broadcasts. BBG spokesperson Joan Mower describes Grace Digital Media as a "mainstream production house used by all kinds of mainstream news organizations" and says that Grace personnel will have nothing to do with the editorial side of the news broadcast (RN Media Network May 2 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Due to the general strike in Israel - now in its second day - Kol Israel Reshet Alef broadcasts/relays, including English, are not being broadcast. I haven't confirmed this - but an educated guess would be that the Reshet Hey broadcasts, including the 1900 UT English would be broadcast. The Kol Israel English text news, is being updated: http://bet.iba.org.il/bet.htm?item=betlanguage23 Regarding the proposed Kol Israel cuts - the situation is different this time around. Unlike the past, when they just threatened to cut shortwave, they are now threatening to cut the domestic networks also (3 out of the 4 English broadcasts are domestic relays... so there wouldn't be anything to send out via shortwave in the first place.) Cuts are usually subject to negotiation (I have no insider info - this is just a general comment about budget politics...)- don't feel like they're 'crying wolf' every year. I'm still waiting to get contact info (Doni Rosenzweig, NY, April 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MOST OF KOL ISRAEL DOWN AS PART OF GENERAL STRIKE http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/288710.html Most of the streams seem to be down with the notable exception of Reshet Bet, those parts of the live israelradio.org stream which come from Reqa and Reshet Dalet. (Arabic) (Joel Rubin, NY, April 30, swprograms via DXLD) As far as I can see the only part of the Reshet Heh webcast which is going out is the part which comes from REQA. See the schedule for this webcast at israelradio.org Just now, there is a tone on the Reshet Heh webcast (Joel Rubin, 09:51 PDT May 1, ibid.) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel - strike schedule First - note that the strike has been postponed until after Israel Independence Day, which is Wednesday. Also, the times listed are in Israel Summer Time and not UT. I have no idea if this would be the schedule if the strike re-starts. [earlier:] The IBA website mentions the domestic English schedule, for the duration of the general strike. At this point, I don't know the impact on shortwave/Internet feeds. I'll see if I can get more information. From: http://bet.iba.org.il/bet.htm?item=betlanguage23 "Broadcast changes due to strike --- During the course of the current strike, Israel Radio's English News will broadcast two bulletins daily on the Reka network: For ten minutes, from 13:45 to 13:55, and For five minutes, from 19:35 to 19:40. If the strike continues, the English News will broadcast as usual on Reshet Aleph on Saturday, but only on Saturday. Reka can be heard at 954 AM and at the following locations on the FM dial: north, upper Galilee -- 94.4 fm Haifa and surroundings -- 93.7 fm Jerusalem and surroundings-88.2 fm Tel Aviv and surroundings 88.2, 101.2 fm Beersheva 107.3 fm" It would seem that you could listen to the 13:45 broadcast on the live webstream at: http://www.israelradio.org/livestream.htm (Doni Rosenzweig, May 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Voice of Korea was heard this morning between 1000- 1100 UT on 9335 kHz. Signal strength and intelligibility are much better at this time and frequency than on the long path beam to Europe reported yesterday. For the first time in years I again heard "The International", the international anthem of the communist movement at 1033. The piece was repeated during the subsequent hour in French at 1133. It was followed by more inspirational choral music. After the music they launched into a presentation on why a factory worker and his family are so happy. This was followed by a segment on Pyongyang and why it was a city of the people. One of the reasons given was that the people were provided with radio. What a novel idea! An hour of French language programming followed. Passport says this frequency is beamed to Central America from 1000-1200 UT. One wonders how many French-speaking listeners they have in Martinigue, St. Maarten, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Eastern Canada at this hour? Maybe if one could figure out why they devote such resources to such a small audience, one could understand their thinking on bigger issues. Could it be that France is a nuclear power? Could it be they have adopted the Arabic proverb, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"? Something to ponder. (Joe Buch, DE, May 1, swprograms via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. CLANDESTINE (N. Korea to S. Korea) - 6010.18, V. of Nat'l Salvation (presumed) 1232-1248+ 5/1. Alternating talks and typical Korean choral selections. Fair at best on USB, with 6010 QRM. Parallel to 4450 and 4120.54, both fair but fading (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot LW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. Hello DXers, wonder why did V. of Kurdistan People drift to 4023 kHz?? I hear them today 1/5/03 1630 UT with the news commentary. Strange? (Tarek Zeidan, Egypt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOLDOVA. Re Transmitter site names: But the external and internal frequency lists of - for example - DW, BBC-Merlin and TWR Europe still use the term GRI=Grigoriopol of Mr. Titov's team at MCB bureau, now renamed to GFC = General Radio Frequency Centre (Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX Apr 30 via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 5040.6, R. Myanmar 1209-1229+ 5/1. YL with talk in language 1209-1217; Burmese vocals followed up to 1229, when the YL appeared again. Couldn't make out much --- signal was deteriorating, although it was good earlier (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot LW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Recently there were some talks about the temporary RNW transmissions via the Tbilisskaya station (the large transmitter plant located 120 km east of Krasnodar and frequently listed as such or as Armavir). Perhaps it is still of interest that this was not the first usage of Tbilisskaya by RNW. Around the mid- nineties there was a slot for English to Africa earlier in the evening, and this was a quite interesting one, because a 60 metres frequency was used. From vague memory it was 4945, I would have to take the old books to make sure if necessary, also to find the details of another 60 metres outlet RNW run then, Indonesian from Tajikistan if memory serves right. Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In the mid '90s Tbilisskaya was also used for RNW as replacement to SAs when the Central Asian sites were down in periods for unknown reasons. RNW said that the problems did not affect their transmissions, but this was not true. Maybe they were never informed by Moscow. RNW was also using Orzu for a short period, but they got to use the ailing 800 kW transmitter, which was more often off than on the air during the programs. After a short while this relay was moved to the Karaturuk site east of Almaty. 73s (/Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKINAWA. I just found a couple of reports by US DXer Michael Hardester, who visited the VOA Thailand and Okinawa stations in 1977- 78. Construction of the VOA Okinawa station started in 1952 and operations started in mid 1953 [like at Munich Erching 173 kHz longwave beast, /wb]. The final sign off was on March 14, 1977 at 1500. The location was Okuma, a small village located near the northern tip of Okinawa. The station had six MW towers producing beams at 315 and 17 degrees. The area occupied at the end of operations was 134 acres. The final SW setup was 1x15 kW, 2x35 kW, 1x100 kW for broadcasting and 5 kW for RTTY. The original Poro station [Philippines] was constructed with almost identical plans as the Okinawa site (should be 1x1000 kW on MW and 2x35 kW on SW /oa). (Olle Alm, BC-DX via DXLD) Continued under THAILAND ** PAKISTAN. PROPOSED: The following changes are proposed and HPT Rewat Engineers have been asked to intimate us after necessary tuning aerial checking etc. 0500-0700 WS to Gulf & ME current 17835 21460, replaced with 17755 11570. 0800-1104 WS to WeEurope current 21465, replaced with 15095. 1630-1700 & 1715-1800 Turkish & Irani current 9385, replaced with 9340. 1815-1900 Arabic current 9385, replaced with 9335. 1700-1900 WS to WeEurope current 9400, replaced with 15095. (via Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX Apr 28 via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Pidgin noted on 4870 around 2030 UT April 30, presumably Port Moresby, which has been missing from 4890. Error or change? (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX Listening Digest) Watch out for Wamena ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. RADIO GOROKA BACK ON AIR | Text of report by Zachary Per carried by Papua New Guinea newspaper The National web site on 2 May The popular NBC Radio Goroka, the Karai Bilong Kumul (KBK), is back on air after being off air for two and half years. National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) station manager in Goroka, Tony Mill, told a press conference on Tuesday [29 April] in his office that financial constraints were the major factor that forced the radio station to go off air in 2000. Mr Mill said that the Eastern Highlands provincial government has come to their aid with a 40,000 kina allocation from the 2003 provincial budget. He thanked the EHP Governor Malcom Smith-Kela for recognizing the importance of provincial radio stations. Mr Mill said the money would be carefully spent on crucial needs of electricity, telephone, stationery items and fuel to ensure smooth operation of the radio station. "The grant, however, is insufficient and may not see us through to the end of the year. We will do all we could to spend it wisely to ensure maximum benefit of broadcasting for the people," Mr Mill said. He apologized to KBK listeners and fans for the long delay, urging them to tune their radio to FM frequency 90.7 or medium wave (MW) band on 900 to listen to their favourite programs. Some of the regular favoured programs on the come back trail on the Eastern Highlands airwaves are "Laik bilong wanwan", "Toksave", weekly education news, health news, "Tok Didiman" and children's programmes. Mr Mill said the KBK broadcast times are between 5.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. The time slots could not be extended further due to financial limitations. The radio station has invited business and corporate organizations to buy airtime to sponsor programs and promote their organization and products. The already famed Nokondi FM all hour broadcast will be allowed to come on air while the KBK programs are off air from 6.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily. [UT +10] Mr Mill called on organizations to utilize the local radio station to promote their products. Those interested can call NBC Goroka on phone numbers 732 1533 and 732 1733. He said any revenue generated from airtime sales would help NBC Goroka stay on air. Steamships Hardware's Goroka branch was the first to sponsor a programme this week. Source: The National web site, Port Moresby, in English 2 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) But, Goroka used to be on SW, not mentioned now! (gh, DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. New 11775 kHz (announced 12015 instead), \\ 15120, 15270. Radio Filipinas, Tinang in English. Reception weak in the nearby dead zone. 0200-0330 UT (Roland Schulze, Mangaldan, Philippines, April 9/21, BC-DX Apr 30 via DXLD) But now scheduled on 11885 kHz, acc IBB frequency schedule. (wb, ibid.) FEBC: see SEYCHELLES ** RUSSIA. Primorskiy Kray. Vladivostok. ------------------------------------------------- TGTRK "Vladivostok". Program radiostation "Tikhiy Okean" ("Pacific ocean") (for fishermen). In Russian. Only in May - 7, 8 and 9 : - 0615-0700 UT on 810 and 11760 kHz http://vladnews.ru/magazin.php?id=9&idnews=10884¤t_magazin=1350 (Alexey Koropskiy, Russia / open_dx via Alexander Klepov, Rus-DX via Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) see also NETHERLANDS ** RUSSIA. Radio Rossii. SW. A03. 30/03/2003 - 25/10/2003 kHz UTC kW Transmitter 5935 0100-0500 100 Moscow 5940 1430-2100 100 Moscow 5965** 1530-2100 100 Krasnodar 7220 2100-1700 200 Ekaterinburg 7305** 0100-0500 100 Samara 7355 1730-2100 100 Samara 7360 1330-1700 100 Samara 7365* 0100-0500 100 Samara 7365** 0100-0400 100 Krasnodar 7370** 0100-0400 250 Moscow 9490* 1530-2100 100 Krasnodar 9655 1030-1500 100 Irkutsk 9720 0530-1400 100 Moscow 9805 1900-2200 100 Irkutsk 9845* 1830-2100 250 Moscow 9845** 1630-2100 250 Moscow 11655 0830-1500 100 Krasnodar 11735 1730-2100 250 Moscow 11980 0100-0400 250 Moscow 12005 0930-1300 100 Samara 12020* 0100-0500 250 Moscow 12025* 0100-0800 100 Krasnodar 12025** 0430-0800 100 Krasnodar 12065 0530-0900 100 Samara 12070** 0430-0700 250 Moscow 13705* 0530-1800 250 Moscow 13705** 0730-1600 250 Moscow 15225 0430-0700 250 Moscow 15475 2230-1000 100 Irkutsk 17660 0730-1700 250 Moscow * till 06/09/2003 ** Since [from] 07/09/2003 (Rudnev via Klepov. Japan Premium via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBC has updated its schedule query site and now has a *very* nice entry: 756 FRN FRENCH DRCongo 15130 19 1830 1900 ALL 3.5 St. Helena FEBA A glance on http://www.feba.org.uk/ reveals, however, that they have Ascension in mind, a St. Helena dependency. Wishful thinking... :-) Regarding the FEBC schedule site on http://www.febc.org/ FEBC's Jim Bowman yesterday wrote me in an email the following: "Our apologies a lack of updated information on our schedules. We are "in-between" systems. It will probably be another six months to a year before all the radio stations around FEB's world are participating in an automatic web-based data entry system. Until then, there will be some lag in correct data. We have in fact entered the new Feba data, and are trying bring the rest up to date." 73, -- (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, May 1, GRDXC via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. SIBC, 5020, 1057 4/22, commercial for hardware and building material store. "Radio Happy Isles" IDs. Commercials had singing jingles; I thought it was a song starting at first. Mention of first day of school after the long Easter weekend. Mention of Solomon Islands. Good-night...sign-off announcement, with mentions of Radio Happy Isles, and "SIBC", then anthem. Switched to BBC at 1103. Possibly the best I've ever heard them, and from home! Started to fade a few minutes later, and normal local QRM started around 1115 (Larry Russell, MI, MARE via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. I heard the Sri Lanka BC on 15745 from 1230 (34343), starting with a weather report. Then nonstop music, mostly USA evergreens. From 1330 also audible here on 11930 (34333). At last an ID at 1400. This timeslot is announced as their English program, but by this do they mean that there are only English language songs being aired? DXA375 (Silvain Domen, Antwerpen, Belgium, May 2, EDXP via DXLD) ** THAILAND. VOA Thailand (Bangkok), located at Ban Ra Som, 107 km north of Bangkok. The 1000 kW transmitter consisted of 2 x 500 kW Collins transmitters, and the age of the transmitters was given as 25 years (in 1978). There were three towers, each just under 100 m height, in the northern section of the site. Regular transmissions started on 22 February 1968. The article also says that parts from the closed Okinawa transmitter were on their way to Thailand. OA comments: Apparently the Collins used in Thailand was also built in 1953 at the same time as the other big ones. The question then is what this transmitter was used for between 1953 and 1968. Was it used for secret operations or was it just kept under dust covers? (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX Apr 18 via DXLD) See also OKINAWA ** THAILAND. 6765U, Bangkok Meteological Radio, Apr. 23 1513-1545, 44444. Weather information in English and Thai (ISHIZAKI Kyoshiro, Mie, JAPAN, Japan Premium via DXLD) Just checked today 6676 [sic] USB at 1555- Bangkok Meteo / Aero HF Volmet seemed to relay local AM/FM station, with very lively program, local pop music, Thai talks and lots of commercials. Didn't identify though the station. The aero meteo announcements are .10 and .40 past the hours. 73 (Jarmo Patala, Finland, May 1, dxing.info via DXLD) Two different stations? ** TIBET [non]. Voice Of Tibet heard on 15660-KAZ and 21560-UZB today, May 2 at 1215-1300. On 21560 a CNR jammer (music) was active (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UZBEKISTAN/KAZAKHSTAN What was probably V of Tibet was heard Tuesday 29th on 17520 in Chinese. The biff-bang band was also playing until about 1515 then clear until the broadcaster went off about 1518. I believe this transmission is also supposed to be on 12100 so maybe that is the next frequency to try. The earlier 1215 transmission seems to be on 15660 and I heard the big band tuning up on 21560 same time (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Apr 30 via DXLD) Hi Noel, 12100 is only used in B-02, now V. of Tibet on 17 MHz in A- 03, I see V. of Tibet Monitoring at SGI short call, what ever that mean ??!! 1215-1300 15635-UZB/KAZ, 15660-KAZ, 21560-UZB, 21720-UZB - on the first three QRGs observed in past weeks by wb. 1430-1520 (x12100) now 17520-UZB or 17540-UZB. And Chinese music .... over and over again ... 5945 1430-1530 49 TAC 200 132 UZB WRN GFC. Democratic Voice of Burma, Burmese. Summer freq, But seems on 5910 now (Wolfgang Bueschel, Apr 16, BC-DX Apr 30 via DXLD) ** TINIAN. NEW ANTENNAS TO BE INSTALLED AT IBB TINIAN RELAY STATION Telesource International, Inc. http://www.telesource.org has been awarded a $5.7 million contract to install two additional shortwave antennas at the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) relay station at Tinian in the Northern Marianas. Telesource constructed the facility, which began operations three years ago. The contract is due for completion by March 12, 2004. The additional antennas will enable the station to serve more countries in the Far East and the Pacific. (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 2 May 2003 via DXLD) This echoes a story we had way back in DXLD 3-032 Feb 25. I fail to see how Telesource qualifies as a .org (gh, DXLD) ** TURKEY. Re 3-075: Good point. There are very few international English language webcasters that Kevin Kelly doesn't have in his database, of which I am a regular consumer! I looked upon VOT as a particular mental challenge given how arcane their website is. If list participants come across webcasts of international interest that Kevin does not have in his database, Kevin is very appreciative of the information. His e-mail address is kakelly@alum.mit.edu (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. Some BBCWS previews: || WATER WALKS 2 x 25 mins | from 29th April A journey to the sharp end of water provision around the world – the series follows people who bring water home to their families, making the life-preserving trip to the nearest water source. It could be a well, river, lake, standpipe or muddy hole. And it may be within minutes, hours or even days from their homes. Often the daily quest for water means there is time for little else. Water Walks brings to life the realities of water. Part of BBC World Service's Water Season || PROGRAMME TIMES (GMT) - Correct at time of publication ALL IN A DAY'S WORK; WATER WALKS (Documentary 2) West Africa | Wed 0906 rpt 1606, Thu 0006, Sun 0906; Europe | Wed 0806 rpt 1306, 1806, Thu 0006, Sun 0906; East and South Africa | Wed 0706 rpt 1606, Thu 0006, Sun 0706; Middle East | Wed 0706 rpt 1606, Thu 0006, Sun 0706; South Asia | Tue 2206 rpt Wed 0506, 0906, 1406, Sat 2206, Sun 0506; East Asia | Wed 0206 rpt 0706, 1206, 1806, Sun 0106; Americas | Wed 1406 rpt 1906, Thu 0006, 0506, Sun 2106 || SOLUTIONS 4 x 25 mins (parts 3 & 4) | until 11th After a delayed start, this four-part series continues to investigate a scandal which affects about a quarter of the world's population. According to the World Health Organisation, more than one billion people have no safe water and are exposed to water-borne diseases. Each year approximately four billion cases of diarrhoea cause 2.2 million deaths, mostly among children under the age of five. Unclean drinking water is the cause of 15% of all child deaths. Part of BBC World Service's Water Season. SOLUTIONS (Documentary 1) West Africa | Mon 0906 rpt 1606, Tue 0006, Sun 2206; Europe | Mon 0806 rpt 1306, 1806, Tue 0006, Sun 1906, 2306; East and South Africa | Mon 0706 rpt 1606, Tue 0006, Sun 1906, 2306; Middle East | Mon 0706 rpt 1606, Tue 0006, Sat 1806, Sun 1306, 2306; South Asia | Mon 0506 rpt 0906, 1406, Sun 0606, 2206; East Asia | Mon 0206 rpt 0706, 1206, 1806, Sun 0806; Americas | Mon 1406 rpt 1906, Tue 0006, 0506, Sun 2306 || ASSIGNMENT 30 mins BBC correspondents report from around the globe, investigating the stories behind the headlines and examining how decisions by governments and corporations affect peoples' everyday lives. Kenya In this week's programme (30th April-4th May), Ishbel Matheson reports from Kenya. The past few weeks have seen shocking revelations in Kenya about the extent of torture and terror employed by the previous regime of President Moi. The election of a new government in December has meant that victims and families of victims have been able to come forward to speak about their experiences. However, not one person has been arrested for torture. Human Rights campaigners are calling for action, though there are fears that the new government may still be too closely associated with the old regime. Ishbel has visited the torture chamber recently opened in the heart of Nairobi and has spoken to victims of torture. She comes face to face with one of the alleged perpetrators. And she asks if calls for a truth and reconciliation commission could help heal Kenya's wounds. ASSIGNMENT West Africa | Thu 0906 rpt 1606, Fri 0006, Sat 0306, 1006, 1806, Sun 1506; Europe | Thu 0806 rpt 1306, 1806, Fri 0006, Sat 1006, Sun 1506; East & South Africa | Thu 0706 rpt 1606, Fri 0006, Sat 0306, 1006, Sun 2106; Middle East | Thu 0706 rpt 1606, Fri 0006, Sat 0306, 1006, Sun 2106; South Asia | Wed 2306 rpt Thu 0506, 0906, 1406, Sat 0306, 1806; East Asia | Thu 0206 rpt 0706, 1206, 1806, Sat 0306, 1006, 1806, Sun 2106; Americas | Thu 1406 rpt 1906, Fri 0006, 0506, Sat 1006, Sun 1506 || THE INSTANT GUIDE 15 mins | continues Every day radio, newspapers and television constantly refer to people, places, phenomena or events that it’s assumed we know all about. After all, they explained it once - weren’t we listening? Help is at hand in the form of The Instant Guide, the new weekly topical feature which offers a concise explanation of any subject under the sun. Tune in or log on to the first programme this month [3rd], for The Instant Guide to the Iraqi Information Minister. During the recent war in Iraq, former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al- Sahhaf became familiar to radio listeners and television viewers around the world with his upbeat assessments of Iraqi military "successes". Mr al-Sahhaf's daily press briefings in Baghdad, at which his statements were increasingly at odds with reality, made him a cult figure in the West. He disappeared after American forces entered central Baghdad but, according to a London-based Arabic newspaper, he is still alive and in the city. Find out everything you need to know in The Instant Guide. THE INSTANT GUIDE West Africa | Sat 1945, rpt 2332; Europe | Sat 0645, rpt Sun 0445, 1132, 1732, Mon 0245; East & South Africa | Sat 0645, rpt Sun 0915, Mon 1445; Middle East | Sun 0445 rpt 0915, 1732; South Asia | Sun 0915 rpt 1132, 1732 Mon 0045; East Asia | Sat 2332 rpt Sun 0445, 0045; Americas | Sat 0645, rpt Sun 0445, 0915, 1132, 1732, Mon 0245 || IN PRAISE OF GOD Programmes which reflect the devotional and experiential aspects of the practice of faith around the world. Uganda 1 x 30 mins | 3rd Sam Ewou, head of the youth ministry for the Scripture Union in Africa leads a special service on the theme of hope. It is recorded at the Daughters Of Charity Orphanage near Kampala in Uganda where a choir of 25 children, accompanied by traditional musicians, performs a mix of Western and Ugandan music. Producer and Uganda resident Alison Hilliard reports on religious life in one of Africa’s fastest growing Christian communities, where orthodox observance and traditional beliefs often go hand in hand: I was out driving the other day and was struck afresh by how Christian a country Uganda is. Shop after shop hung out their religious signs, from ‘The Lord’s Take-Away’ to the ‘In God We Trust’ beauty salon. And yet this is a country where ancient tribal traditions and beliefs are never far from the surface. The core of the country lies in the ancient Kingdom of Buganda where spirits of the monarchs who ruled it live on, and reverence for the ‘living dead’ persists. Here visiting a witchdoctor is common practice. Official figures estimate that there are more than half a million witchdoctors in Uganda and that 85% of the population consult them. They offer advice on everything from Aids to unemployment, from love tangles to mental illness. More gruesomely, the capital city Kampala’s modern office blocks are said to be ‘built on dead children’ – abducted and sacrificed to bring prosperity. Local newspapers often report stories of such witchdoctor-linked child abductions. || To read the full story, SEND a blank email to: wsama0@bbc.co.uk?subject-0grace Please check that the code 0grace is in the subject line before you send (0 = zero) IN PRAISE OF GOD West Africa | Sun 0932; Europe | Sun 0932; East & South Africa | Sun 0732; Middle East | Sun 0732; South Asia | Sat 2132 rpt Sun 0532; East Asia | Sun 0132; Americas | Sun 2132 (BBC ON AIR WORLD AFFAIRS NETWORK - May 2003 via Richard Cuff, DXLD) Go here -- http://www.bbconair.com/email/ -- to sign up for the monthly newsletters I mentioned, [another being ARTS ON AIR] (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K [non]. A look at two numbers stations believed to be operated by British Intelligence, and transmitted from almost opposite sides of the Earth. The first is called the Lincolnshire poacher. It gets that name from the old English folk tune, played at the beginning and end of each transmission. This station is fairly easily heard on the east cost of the US, and is believed to transmit from Malta. Transmissions run from 1200 to 2300 UT, and start on the hour. The folk tune is played several times, then a five digit ID is read by a YL. This is repeated several times, then the transmission begins, sending 5FG [figure groups], always sending exactly 200 groups. The folk tune is then sent again several times, and the station signs off at around H+45 minutes. These frequencies are used, only two or three at a time: 5422 5746 6485 6900 6959 7337 7755 8464 9251 10426 11545 12603 13375 14487 15682 16084 16314 16475 The higher frequencies are used at first, and then gradually hower frequencies are used. 6959 is often well heard in the US near the end of the broadcast day, not far from the US ``pirate band``. All transmissions are in USB. The sister station is called Cherry Ripe, as it uses another English folk tune by that name. The same YL voice is used, and transmissions are believed to come from Guam. These frequencies have been reported, between 100-1400 and 2200-0200 UT: 17499 19884 20474 21866 22108 23461 24644 Reception is always very difficult in the eastern US, but better on the west coast (Chris Smolinski, Covert Comms, May The A*C*E via DXLD) ** UNITED NATIONS. UN Radio has published the first issue of its quarterly newsletter, 5 pages in pdf (via Bill Westenhaver, RCI, DXLD) If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please send an email to audio-visual@un.org We also welcome your comments/feedback. UN Radio eNewsletter `Frequency` is produced quarterly by the United Nations Audio-Visual Promotion Team, Room S-805, Department of Public Information, United Nations, New York, NY 10017 Tel: (917) 367-5007 / (212) 963-6982; Fax: (212) 963-6869 UN Radio SW frequency schedule: http://www.un.org/av/radio/frequencyschedule.htm UN News and link to audio of latest broadcast: http://www.un.org/av/radio/news/latenews.htm (Frequency, Spring 2003 via DXLD) ** U S A. WHRB ORGIES(R) AND SUMMER OPERA BROADCASTS Friends: I`m once again emerging from lurkdom to urge you to sample WHRB's offerings: this time, Spring 2003 Orgy(r) Period. People in the Boston area can set their radio dials to 95.3 FM; those of us outside Boston can punch up http://www.whrb.org/ (Full disclosure: I'm an alumna.) The major broadcasts of Spring 2003 Orgy(r) Period are: May 6, 19h00 (to May 9, 19h00): Sergei Prokofiev May 11, 22h00 (to May 14, 15h00): Paul Hindemith Other highlights include: [UT -4 presumably] May 5, 13h00: Henri Dutilleux May 11, 8h30: Ivo Pogorelich May 15, 10h00: Don Carlo Gesualdo May 24, 16h00: Johann Nepomuk Hummel May 25, 12h30: Erich Kleiber May 25, 23h00: Charles-Valentin Alkan May 26, 13h00: Yuri Bashmet Especially noteworthy: June 1, 12h30: approximately twelve hours of broadcasts commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II`s coronation, including British musicals and ballads, Goon Show highlights, and the coronation ceremony itself (recorded in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953) June 8, 19h00: preview of the Boston Early Music Festival, with live, in-studio performances and giveaways Complete listings are available at http://www.whrb.org/pg/MayJun2003.html Particularly enticing: throughout the summer, WHRB will be presenting live-by-tape opera performances from Europe. Details are available at http://whrb.org/pg/Summer2003.pdf An all-volunteer station broadcasting from the basement of a freshman dormitory at Harvard, WHRB is (sadly) something of a giant among classical broadcasters in the United States these days. WHRB is home to the Metropolitan Opera in Boston, and its ``Sunday Night at the Opera`` broadcast is one of the longest-running opera programs in the United States. WHRB is one of the last U.S. stations presenting substantial amounts of classical vocal music, historic recordings, and music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Outstanding WHRB staffers of the past include Martin Bookspan, Dale Harris, Igor Kipnis, John Rockwell, and Alex Ross. WHRB welcomes feedback: mail@whrb.org Again, since the staff is unpaid, listeners` messages of praise and constructive criticism are gratefully received, and also help WHRB in its advertising and promotional efforts. (WHRB pays its own way and receives no support whatsoever from the university.) Happy listening! mlr --- Marion Lignana Rosenberg http://www.bway.net/~mlr/ (via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. COPPS SLAMS TV NETS FOR NONCOVERAGE FCC Commissioner Michael Copps today slammed the major TV networks for allegedly refusing to cover Federal Communications Commission proceedings that are expected to serve the networks' financial interest by relaxing the agency's media ownership rules. FCC Chairman Michael Powell, a Republican, has tentatively announced a final vote on the rules for June 2. But at least according to Mr. Copps, a Democrat, the issue has yet to receive the sort of publicity on television that he believes it warrants. "Thus far, their [major TV network news'] refusal to cover this issue has just been dreadful," Mr. Copps said, in remarks at a seminar on the media ownership and the University of Southern California. "It is in their public interest obligation to do so." Also at the seminar, Mr. Copps, one of the agency's most vehement critics of deregulation, blasted Chairman Powell for refusing to provide the public-or even Mr. Copps' office- with advance notice of the precise changes being contemplated, even though the vote is now 35 days away. "We don't know what we will be voting on," the commissioner said. "We don't have the details, or even the broad configuration, of what the new system will be." Mr. Copps also urged the agency to consider a pending request by Hollywood's creative community to require the major TV networks to set aside 25 percent of their prime-time schedules for independently produced programming. In addition, he urged the agency to consider beefing up its license renewal process to ensure that broadcasters are meeting their public interest obligations. "Before the genie is out of the bottle, we'd better understand the consequences, because there' s no putting the genie back after we vote," he said. http://www.tvweek.com (via Fred Vobbe, April 30, NRC-FMTV via DXLD) ** U S A. Re: Michelle Malkin, Donald Wildmon and "translator wars": It appears non-commercial non-religious stations (called "NPR stations" in the DXLD article) are increasingly shying away from translators and, instead, adopting these same tactics. In Eastern PA, WRTI in Philadelphia and WVIA in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton have recently added fully-licensed stations that are higher-powered than translators and would thus be exempt from being displaced by religious stations. They have previously used translators to accomplish this task. Regarding Mr. Martin's grumbling regarding the fundraising successes of Mr. Wildmon et al: There's an easy solution to this problem: Donate liberally to your local non-commercial non- religious stations -- especially during times when stations are NOT in fund-drive mode. Encourage others to do so too (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, May 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1530, WSAI Cincinnati OH. Heard digital noise in sidebands, perhaps night of 4/20. I was hoping this was just the noisy satellite feed of Brother Stair. But listening around sunset 4/22 led me to believe this is IBOC digital hash. World of Radio 4/23 confirmed that it is IBOC. Later listening with Sony SRF-A100 AM-stereo unit set to mono/narrow, tone set at minimum, and cheap headphones was disappointing. I found I had to center-tune 1530 to get rid of the hash. That lets in adjacent splatter from 1540, which I have off- tuned for years to avoid. Worse yet, during minor signal fades, the digital hash could be heard competing with the audio. This reduces overall audio quality, and will drive long-distance listeners away. A station that QRMs itself in this way severely reduces its effective night-time coverage area. First they added the echo-machine to QRM overnight talk, now this. 4/25 Used my old $20 Panasonic equivalent to GE Superadio, and better headphones. Digital effects mentioned above were more prominent on the Panasonic, which is very difficult to perfectly center tune. Nights of 4/26-4/27 did not hear digital; perhaps left off for weekend, or did they get complaints? Or did they drastically lower digital level? (Larry Russell, Flushing MI, MARE via DXLD) ** VENEZEULA. This morning (2 MAY, before 0400 UT) after long time I heard Radio Táchira on 4830 kHz signing off at 0400. This station seems to be very irregular on this frequency already for some time. Maybe this was the 1st of May extended transmission? GOOD DX, (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. This 1700 kHz Spanish mystery is of interest to us in Kiwi-land too. Over Easter, we heard WJCC with religion and a second Spanish speaker with a current affairs type program with frequent mention of BBC, London and at one stage BBC Africa. First thoughts were that the Argie formerly on 1670 carrying BBC Spanish had moved, however a check with Arnaldo Slaen revealed that there aren't any Argentine stations on 1700. Be great to get to the bottom of this one!! Cheers, (Paul Ormany, NZ, IRCA via DXLD) Someone just reported [not] an Argentine on 1700 running the BBC in Spanish. Larry Godwin has says the announcer said something about 5 kW too. That does not match US X Band stations either. It is hard to believe a 5 kW Argentine would be that common in the US, but I have heard 3 so far and at times 1640 & 1670 were strong (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. Strange interference to WWV noted on 30 April at 1019 UT, just after the solar/terrestrial indices report: AM carrier with 1 kHz tone modulation on 2500 (strong), 5000 (very strong), and 10000 (weak). Someone playing with a transmitter? (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See Previous report, where this might have been coming out of WWV`s own transmitters (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ LIST OF SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMMES IN ENGLISH AND GERMAN FOR THE A03 PERIOD (30/03/2003 - 25/10/2003) http://www.wwdxc.de/swl.pdf Hot off the press (David Ross, ODXA via DXLD) WJIE not updated SHORTWAVE IN MUSIC ++++++++++++++++++ More use of shortwave sounds by recording groups. From Toronto's http://www.eye.net -- not sure of the date, but accessed 1 May: PLEASURE AND PING I've written here many times about the variations on "live" found in contemporary electronic music. It's all a matter of interpretation really, with some people choosing live instruments, others laptops, still others a pair of turntables and a sampler. Hybrids abound as more studio-specific electronic producers pick up instruments and more musicians also compose on keyboards. Worlds are colliding, as well as consciously coming together. Long-running Tuesday weekly The Ambient Ping has consistently encouraged this cross-pollination, particularly among more experimental acts. The Ping's warm, open atmosphere plays host to a "live" of a different sort this week as a special Deep Wireless feature sees artists using radio as a sound source. Radio in Ambience Part One features Planet of the Loops messing with instruments, live weather radio, short-wave broadcasts, vintage recorded sources and the live transmissions of Greg Clow's CIUT Feedback Monitor show. The result? Live, loop-based improvisations and radio art for the club-going set. Check it out Tuesday (May 6) at C'est What, 19 Church. Free. 73 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ A few small M class flares over the past week have caused a couple of fadeouts in the Asian and western Pacific regions. Another coronal hole wind stream has been affecting the earth since April 29. This has caused propagation to be poor to fair only at higher latitudes. Earlier in the week solar wind speeds declined around April 28 which had been keeping the geomagnetic field at active to minor storm levels. Conditions are expected to return to normal May 3-4 before we again experience another coronal hole from May 5-7. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, May 2, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ###