DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-080, May 8, 2003 [continued from 3-079] 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. ** OKLAHOMA. Here it is May, three months after the previously predicted date for Enid`s only local TV, KXOK-32, to resume some local programming. Zilch. Promises, promises. Still Dr. Gene Scott, 24/7, ad nauseam. There is, however, a continuous crawler across the top of the screen with some local ads, notably for Rex Faulkner`s law firm, 32 bug, etc., which should make it easy to ID in this spring`s tropo season. Making out the KXOK call letters below the 32 in the crawling bug is difficult even locally, but another version is clearer with KXOK-LPTV and plenty of other local clues, such as 580 area code phonumbers, Oakwood Mall, etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. No tornados in Enid; we lucked out again. In fact, we are in dire need of at least a few drops of rain! Plenty of tornado coverage at the main OKC TV news sites: http://www.kfor.com (KFOR-4) http://www.channeloklahoma.com (KOCO-5) http://www.newsok.com (KWTV-9 and Daily Disappointment) http://www.fox25.net (KOKH-25 --- not much here, still very much #4) BTW, The Enid Eagle site is being upgraded if you care about here: http://www.enidnews.com (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. I am still getting unsolicited letters from Radio Pakistan! (Last time I had written to them was around in 1976.) This time they are asking for reports on the following HS programs: 6225 0200-0400 Current Affairs 5080 1300-1800 ,, 5840 1615-1700 Urdu (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, Hyderabad 500082, India, May 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Frequency changes for Radio Pakistan: 0800-1105 Urdu WS NF 17825, ex 17835 to avoid RFE/RL in Persian \\ 21465 1200-1245 Bangla NF 15635v ex 15625v to avoid RFA in Khmer \\ 17635 1245-1315 Nepali NF 15635v ex 15625v to avoid RFA in Khmer \\ 17635 1630-1700 Turkish NF 11530, ex 11550 to avoid RTI in English \\ 9385v 1815-1900 Arabic NF 11530, ex 11550 to avoid RUI in Ukrainian \\ 9385v (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, May 7 via DXLD) ** PALESTINE [non]. 9705, Voice of Palestine, 2100-2130, Apr 14, Arabic program // 11740 which was far better than the 31 mb frequency, but no sign on 11840 (Kaj Bredahl Jørgensen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window May 7 via DXLD) Back on 9705 and 11740 for summer schedule with 500 kW from Mashhad [IRAN] at 1630-0330 in Arabic. Outside the 1930-2027 clandestine period, it is the ordinary VOIRI Foreign service in Arabic from Tehran (Ed. Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window May 7 via DXLD) ** PALESTINE [non]. AL-QUDS RADIO FROM SYRIA CONTINUES ANTI-ISRAEL, ANTI-PNA PROGRAMMES Al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio, a Palestinian radio station opposed to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and to peace with Israel, has been observed to be still on the air, continuing its anti-Israel and anti-PNA programmes. The station, which is run by Ahmad Jibril's Damascus-based Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, PFLP-GC, is believed to be operating from southern Syria. Its news bulletins continue to highlight the Palestinian intifadah, clashes between Palestinian fighters and Israeli troops, and announcements and statements issued by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. It has continued to broadcast Palestinian and Arab patriotic songs, and to criticize pro-peace Palestinian individuals. A commentary at 1000 gmt on 5 May severely criticized Palestinian figures who the station said were members of a Palestinian-Israeli movement called the "Popular Peace Initiative," with special emphasis on two members of the movement: Dr Sari Nusaybah, a prominent Palestinian figure and former adviser to Arafat, and Ami Ayalon, former head of the Israeli General Security Services. It called on other anti-Israeli Palestinian organizations to "confront" this movement and abort its plan of "liquidating" the Palestinian cause and conceding the "right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland". The radio was monitored on 5 May on 702 kHz from 0500 to 1400 gmt. At 1400 gmt, the radio signed off with the announcement that its transmissions would cease on 702 kHz and continue on 105.4 and 96.7 MHz FM. However, the FM channels were not monitorable. Al-Quds radio began broadcasting on 1 January 1988. In the late 1980s and early 1990s it carried programming in Hebrew, French and English as well as Arabic. Prior to April 1996, it also transmitted on shortwave. In an announcement on 30 August 2001, the radio said that it was closing down two of its major transmitters for financial reasons. It said that "the reasons for stopping the two primary mediumwave frequencies, 702 and 630 kHz, are all financial". The statement had intended to dispel rumours that the Syrian government was exerting pressure on the PFLP-GC to close down the station or reduce its output. However, the station returned to its former pattern and output, using 702 kHz, in September 2002. (Reuters news agency on 7 May reported a Palestinian source as saying that "militant Palestinian factions are halting the activities of their offices in Syria... following US pressure on Syria to rein them in". "Palestinian factions have begun taking steps to freeze their activities on the Syrian stage...to strip from the American administration the pretexts on which it bases its political pressure on Syria," Reuters cited the source as saying.) Source: BBC Monitoring research 6-7 May 03 (via DXLD) ** PANAMA. 840, 0502 17/4, R. Nacional Panamá. Fair with band music, frequent IDs between tracks 950, 0455 18/4, R. Nacional, Penonomé. Light music and ID // 840 1310, 0815 17/4, R. María, Panamá. Fair with Gregorian chants (Stu Forsyth, Wellington, New Zealand, IRCA Soft DX Monitor May 10 via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Re Goroka back on AM & FM: In the past, R. Eastern Highlands, Goroka has also been broadcasting its Kundu (Provincial) Service: 0700-1200 Tok Pisin/Vernacular on SW 3395. ID: "Karai bilong Kumul". Was heard most days during elections up to 16 July 2002, but else Off. Not heard since then (acc. to our Domestic Broadcasting Survey)(Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window May 7 via DXLD ** PERU. Two Peruvian stations reactivated the same day!! 4655.02, Radio Nueva Amanecer, Celendín, la provincia de Celendín, el departamento de Cajamarca. May 7 2003, 0045 UT. Has been off air for at least a year. The DJ said that it was all about test transmission "calidad de prueba". Maybe it means new equipment or new owner. Otherwise frequency and name exactly as before. Close down 0058 UT. A recording from this occasion can be found at: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de Celendín, cuya capital es Celendín. Sus distritos son: Celendín, Chumuch, Cortagana, Huasmin, Jorge Chávez, Miguel Iglesias, Oxamarca, Sorochuco, Sucre, Utco; con una población total de 80,747 hab. 4974.98, Pacífico Radio, Lima. May 7, 2003, 0130 UT. This station disappeared at the same time as the new Radio Macedonia was noted on 4890 kHz. Connection? It seems the signal is much better now than before so maybe new transmitter equipment? Most of the time religious but at 0132 a short feature with news. ID "Pacífico Radio" and noting MW 640 kHz. A name used only on MW? Listed as "Radio del Pacífico". Lots of talk about "Iglesia Bíblica Misionera". A recording from this occasion can be found at: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ 73 from (Bjorn Malm in Quito! Translated by SWB editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 730, 0612 21/4, R. Programas del Perú, Lima, fair with news items. Program 'RPP Informando' 780, 0436 19/4, OAX4X, R. Victoria, Lima, running la Voz de la Liberación, religious 790, 0720 21/4, Programas del Perú, Trujillo, Poor/fair // to 730 850, 0455 17/4, R. Nacional del Perú, Lima, peaking over R Net with ID 1320, 0615 19/4, R. Nacional Perú. Very good with classical music - lots of popular tunes! 1470, 0800 17/4, CPN, Lima, good with SS religious program (Stu Forsyth, Wellington, New Zealand, IRCA Soft DX Monitor May 10 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. TIKHIY OKEAN RADIO TO RETURN TO THE AIRWAVES ON RUSSIAN RADIO DAY | Text of report by Russian news agency RIA Vladivostok, 7 May: Broadcasts of Tikhiy Okean, the most powerful radio station in the [Russian] Far East, are resuming on Wednesday 7 May. The management of the Vladivostok State TV and Radio Company [GTRK] said that the station's work had been suspended several months ago due to financial difficulties. The company had been unable to afford to keep up payments for the use of powerful transmitters [the main ones are located near Khabarovsk] which enable the station to be heard in many places in the Far East and Siberia, in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Arctic and other places. However, the station has proved essential as it unites the information space of the entire Far Eastern region and the adjoining Pacific Ocean areas. The management of the Vladivostok GTRK and the Maritime Territory TV and Radio Centre has resolved that three editions of Tikhiy Okean will be broadcast starting 7 May [Russian Radio Day]. After that, a decision will be taken concerning the future work of the radio station. Source: RIA news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0027 gmt 7 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK?? RIA doesn`t think it matters! Fortunately, we have had two recent items with the details. I couldn`t stay awake until 0615 May 7 to check 11760, but nothing audible on it before 0600. Last chance: May 9 at 0615-0700 (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RUSSIA TO ADOPT DRM DIGITAL RADIO | Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 7 May: The Russian Press and Media Ministry regards an intensive introduction of digital technologies in the field of radio broadcasting as one of the priority directions in its work this year. A source in the ministry's press service said on Wednesday, Radio Day in Russia, that the accomplishment of this task is facilitated by Russia's adoption of the international digital radio broadcasting standard within the World Digital Radio System [Digital Radio Mondiale - DRM]. This standard makes possible reception of a large number of programmes practically anywhere in the world. The Russian state-run radio broadcasting company "The Voice of Russia" has conducted field tests of analogue and digital radio signal reception and expects to launch its digital signal service in June when a world radio conference is due to take place in Geneva. Radio Day was instituted as the industry's holiday in Russia in 1945. On 7 May, 1895 Russian scientist Aleksandr Popov proved that electromagnetic waves could be used to transmit information over short distances. But the world's first radio patent was awarded to ethnic Italian Guglielmo Marconi who also received a Nobel Prize for his invention of radio in 1909. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 1320 gmt 7 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Yesterday I have received a QSL card from Radio Rossii confirming a report of the Khanty-Mansiysk regional transmitter RV703 on 4820 heard here on March-03-2001!! So it took more than 2 years! No follow-up sent. QSL-card comes from R.R. HQ in 19/21, 5th Yamskogo Polia St., Moscow 125040. No v/s (Mauricio Molano. Salamanca. Spain, May 7, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** SAMOA AMERICAN. 580, 0800 20/4, KJAL. Poor with choir singing (Stu Forsyth, Wellington New Zealand, IRCA Soft DX Monitor May 10 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. EDITORIAL ANALYSIS: SAUDI COMMENTATORS CALL FOR GREATER MEDIA OPENNESS | Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 8 May 2003 Saudi state-run broadcasting and the state news agency will come under new management as part of a government reshuffle in the kingdom at the end of April. This will see the abolition of some ministries and the merger of others. The Information Ministry has been transformed into the Ministry of Information and Culture. State-run Saudi Radio and Television as well as the Saudi Press Agency have been separated from the ministry to become independent public bodies, which will both be chaired by Information Minister Dr Fu'ad al-Farsi. He retained his post, with culture added to his portfolio. The information technology sector has been granted ministerial representation, with the name of the PTT Ministry changing to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology. The changes had been anticipated, to reflect the political reforms recently launched by Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler since 1995. "This is a routine change, it is nothing unexpected," Saudi analyst Turki al-Hammad told the Arab satellite TV channel Al-Arabiya. The announcement of the new cabinet prompted commentaries in the Saudi press on the desirability of ministers and officials dealing with the media in a more positive manner. "Cabinet ministers are urged to open up to the press and have an open mind and transparency toward any criticism, suggestions and comments. They are urged to consider the press as their eyes and ears to the world instead of a burden... The new government's ability to deal with the press in a positive manner will be an indication of its ability to deal with society," Sulayman al-Aqili wrote in the newspaper Al-Watan on 2 May. Al-Watan (The Homeland) is a pro-government newspaper which is financially supported by the Governor of Asir Province, Prince Khalid al-Faysal. According to Iman al-Khatani, a Saudi journalist quoted in the Jedda newspaper Arab News on 2 May, the merging of the media with the cultural sector "could propel TV and radio into a new era and enhance their roles". "Minister of the Interior Prince Na'if had come down heavily on them several times lately," she recalled. In another commentary in Al-Watan on 3 May, Saudi writer Abdallah Nasir al-Fuzan criticized media censorship in Saudi Arabia and the lack of freedom for journalists to write on topics of their choice. "Why should ideas and opinions be assassinated in this manner although all officials without exception encourage objective press ideas, support responsible media openness and look forward to a distinguished Saudi media reality that serves as an instrument of development and as a safety valve?... "I think all of us without exception look forward to a strong press that plays a pioneering role, but the phobia from which our press is suffering now limits its ability to play this role as we wish. Therefore, we must help it overcome its weakness. I think the biggest responsibility in this regard lies on the shoulders of the Information Ministry, because it is largely blamed for this disease. I even think the ministry's responsibility for extending help to the press to overcome its weakness has now redoubled, now that the Higher Council for Information has been dissolved and culture has been added to its portfolio as part of its transformation into the Ministry of Culture and Information," Al-Fuzan wrote. Plans for fourth Saudi TV channel questioned Other aspects of the government's information strategy have also come under fire from Saudi journalists recently. Muhammad Bin-Abdallah al-Humayyid, writing in Al-Watan newspaper on 4 May, questioned the rationale behind the information minister's decision to launch a fourth, all-news, TV channel to supplement the existing line-up on Saudi TV. He wrote: "I say, we either bide our time on the new channel until we are completely sure it will be a strong competitor attracting Arab and world viewers and not just become a replica of what exists; or we remain satisfied with what exists and try to develop and improve it. This would be for the good of an Arab world that does not need more channels beamed to it alone. "Another idea is devoting material and moral efforts towards the establishment of a channel which will convey our voice to others in Europe and the United States, or the transmission of paid English- language programmes on well-known Western channels. I think that we have had enough of improvisation and squandering of public funds to no avail." Opposition TV station testing, London-based paper says A Saudi opposition TV station set up by the head of a Saudi Islamic opposition group in the UK has begun test broadcasts, the London-based paper Al-Quds al-Arabi reported on 3 May. The paper said that Dr Sa'd al-Faqih, head of the Saudi Islamic opposition organization Al-Islah (Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia), had begun "test transmissions of an opposition television station, which will be headquartered in London. The station will broadcast to the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf, as well as most Arab countries. Al-Faqih had succeeded in setting up a radio station six months ago. The radio station is still broadcasting programmes, also from London." The Saudi opposition's Voice of Reform (Sawt al-Islah), the radio of the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia (MIRA), was launched in December 2002 and broadcasts on both shortwave and satellite. The Movement is an anti-Saudi organization based in London. The Movement's web sites are located at http://www.miraserve.com and http://www.islah.org Both have Arabic and English versions. Al-Quds al-Arabi also noted the emergence in London in recent months of a magazine called Al-Hijaz, which focuses on the cultural and political identity of the Hijaz region and is critical of the Saudi ruling family. The Hijaz is a region and province in western Saudi Arabia comprising the holy cities of Mecca and Madina, as well as Jedda and Ta'if. It is the birthplace and spiritual centre of Islam. In November 2002, an editorial in Al-Hijaz magazine denied that the publication represented seditious or secessionist forces, as its name might suggest to some. Al-Hijaz explained that its aim was to promote "the intellectual and historic products and literature of Al-Hijaz region and to focus the spotlight on its landmarks, antiquities and cultural and intellectual activities". Source: BBC Monitoring research 8 May 03 (via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. Noticed some frequency changes on TDP's website. Radio Alislah 1800-2000 15705 Arabic (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. Counter QSL: FEBA UK for transmitters via Russia 15605: in their letter the following statement is shown: ``Please note that FEBA no longer owns its transmission stations but uses a number of different service providers. For this reason we are no longer able to verify such reports or send out QSL cards. I`m sorry to disappoint you.`` Total time 18 days (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, May 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1181, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Lame excuse; they just don`t want to bother. You`d think evangelists would value listener contact. Will the Russian authorities verify such transmissions, and what would they be worth, anyway? (gh, DXLD) FEBA Radio via Kigali, RWANDA, 11690v, 1746-1757*, May 06, Tigray. Male and female with talks and Horn of Africa sytle music. Talks over music at 1755 with solid "FEBA Radio" ID, presumed address and mention "telefon". Unmistakable IS at s/off. Fair signal tho constant RTTY QRM (Scott R Barbour Jr, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Frequency varies? Unusual for a DW site (gh, DXLD) ** SINGAPORE. Please note in your entry for Cyprus, Northern, in DX- Window no. 218 that the Singapore station on 6150 no longer IDs as "Radio One". The ex-Radio One now IDs as "Gold 90.5". Depending on the time of day/week, there are different domestic stations being relayed. From your logging, my guess would be that the Singapore station could either be "Class 95" or 98.7FM (Richard Lam, Singapore, DSWCI DX Window May 7 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. GERMANY: New schedule for Brother Stair TOM in English via DTK: 1300-1600 on 13810 JUL 100 kW / 115 deg to ME, ex 1300-1400 1400-1600 on 6110 JUL 100 kW / 290 deg to Eu, ex 1500-1800 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, May 7 via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. After using 7302.5 for some days, SLBC is noted today on 7300 in parallel to 7115 & 9770. The sked is 0050-0400, 0800-1530. Languages are Hindi, Kannada, Telegu, Malayalam and Tamil. (7115 SLBC even today blocked by VOA Sri Lanka at 0100-0300) During my recent trip to my native place near Cochin in South India, I monitored extensively stations from Sri Lanka & Maldives [q.v.] and here are my latest observations. Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp. HS: 855 Tamil 2300-1715 (no other MW channels except 873 heard) 4870 Sinhala 1000-1600v 4902 Sinhala 1000-1705 (Sun 0930-1715) 4940 English 1000-1705 5020 Tamil 2300-0300, 1000-1705 (Sat/Sun 1100-1715) 6150 Tamil 0300-0400(Sat 0703)v Colombo International Radio: 873 kHz (TWR Puttalam transmitter) in Tamil, 0135-0430 (Sun 0530), 0915-1120. TWR Puttalam: 882 kHz. 2230-0130, 1130-1730v (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, Hyderabad 500082, India, May 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN--Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: "Northern Lights" Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: "Sweden Today" Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" Dilba, a spooky art exhibition, and hits from the charts (SCDX/MediaScan May 7 via DXLD) ** TATARSTAN [and non]. On 9690 while trying to listen to Tatarstan on 0638 on 9690 this Thursday 8 I found a faint signal from Romania playing Slavic traditional music, then YL IDing R Romania and with program in Romanian. At 0646 and then there were several fade offs from RRI leaving a bit the signal in clear from R. Tatarstan with a man with accent speaking in Russian. 0655 seems RRI was off so that Tatarstan was clear, with Russian songs and an ID such as ``Volna Tatarstan`` or something similar, then sign off. SINPO was 23233 for RRI, same for TT. On 11925 at 0800 only a faint carrier could be heard above the local noise (Zacharias Liangas, May 8th, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKMENISTAN. 4930, Turkmen Radio has been heard on 7.5 with C+LSB transmission instead of C+USB (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also INTERNATIONAL ** TURKS & CAICOS. 1020, Caribbean Christian Radio, Grand Turk, APR 19 0102 - First noted around 0020 with syndicated "soul radio" program and Motown music, appeared to be a domestic but I couldn't figure who it could be. Finally at 0102, an unaccented english announcer cut in with "Superpower 10-20, testing the transmitter tonight.. Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies", and back to music ("Hold Back the Night"). Huge signal, smothering KDKA (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, May 6, NRC-AM via DXLD) UT or EDT? ** U K [and non]: New updated schedule for BBC in Arabic (SW only): 0000-0300 7140 9915 13660 0300-0330 7140 9915 11740 13660 0330-0400 7140 9915 11740 13660 15250 0400-0600 7140 7325 9915 11740 13660 15250 0600-0700 7140 9915 11680 13660 15180 15185 0700-0730 7140 9915 11680 13660 15180 15185 17610 0730-0900 7140 11680 13660 15180 15185 17610 0900-0930 7140 11820 13660 15180 15555 17555# 17610 0930-1100 7140 11820 13660 15165* 15180 15555 17555# 17610 1100-1130 7140 11820 13660 15180 15555 17555# 17610 1130-1200 7140 11820 13660 15180 15555 17610 1200-1630 7140 11820 13660 15180 15555 17585 1630-1800 6030 7140 11680 11820 13660 15180 1800-2000 6030 7140 9915 11680 13660 2000-2200 5875* 6030 7140 9915 11680 13660 2200-2400 5875* 7140 9915 11680 13660 # via MOS 100 kW / 115; * unregistered frequencies (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, May 7 via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. New updated schedule for BBC in Russian (SW only): 0230-0330 Mon-Sat 5875 7130 9510 9585 11845 13745 0330-0500 Mon-Fri 9585 11845 13745 15115 0600-0615 Daily 11670 15115 15325 17740 ||||| cancelled 0800-0815 Daily 11655 13750 15325 17695 ||||| cancelled 0930-1000 Sun 11680 13750 15325 17695 ||||| cancelled 1000-1015 Daily 11680 13750 15325 17695 ||||| cancelled 1200-1205 Daily 11680 13650 15325 17845 ||||| cancelled 1205-1215 Sat/Sun 11680 13650 15325 17845 ||||| cancelled 1300-1400 Mon-Fri 12005 13610 15225 17895 ||||| cancelled 1400-1500 Mon-Fri 12005 13745 15225 17895 ||||| cancelled 1500-1530 Mon-Fri 11845 13745 15225 15595 17710 17895 cancelled 1500-1530 Sat/Sun 11845 13745 15225 17895 ||||| cancelled 1530-1630 Daily 11845 13745 15225 17895 ||||| cancelled 1630-1730 Daily 9635 11845 13745 15225 17705 1730-1800 Mon-Fri 9635 11845 13745 15225 17705 1730-1800 Sat/Sun 7385 9580 9915 9635 11845 13745 15225 17705 1800-2000 Daily 5875 7325 9635 11845 13745 15225 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, May 7 via DXLD) ** U K. DIGITAL RADIO COMES OF AGE Julia Day, Thursday May 08 2003, The Guardian Digital Radio came of age today with the first official audience ratings showing more than 1.5 million listeners are now picking up the broadcasts. That is the number of people who have abandoned old-fashioned transistors and are tuning into the musical spin-offs of Kerrang! and Smash Hits! magazines via new radio sets, the internet or satellite TV. The figures are a major fillip to Emap, the media company that already operates a sizeable radio operation with stations including Kiss FM and Magic in London. They will also come as music to the ears of other commercial rivals and the BBC, which launched digital radio four years ago to almost deafening silence. Kerrang! radio - a spin-off from the nation's best-selling music magazine - has recorded a weekly reach of 771,000 listeners, with 759,000 tuning in to Smash Hits. Just three digital stations opted to have their listening figures recorded in today's Radio Audience Joint Research (Rajar) survey. The third service, Oneword Radio - a speech station focusing on books, drama, comedy and discussion owned by the UK's largest independent radio producer, UBC Media Group, and the Guardian Media Group - has recorded a weekly audience of 50,000 with total of 140,000 listening hours a week. "This is great day for digital radio. We have waited three years for concrete evidence that digital radio is being embraced by the British people," said Simon Cole, the chief executive of UBC Media. "Nobody can now doubt that digital listening will be a significant and growing part of the radio landscape over the next two years," he added. Emap is hoping to transfer Kerrang! into an analogue station, bidding for the new West Midlands licence with the format. Emap has also reported its first national audience figure for Kiss 100 - adding its usual London analogue figure to its first recorded digital figure for those who listen in other parts of the country via TV, internet and digital radio. The figures show that almost as many people are tuning in to Kiss on digital as analogue. The total Kiss network weekly reach is 2.4m, with 1.5m tuning in to the London analogue station and 932,000 tuning into Kiss digital. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U K. DIGITAL RADIO TAKES OFF Or at least the BBC thinks it's doing so in the UK: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3010215.stm (Harry Helms, W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC-AM via DXLD) Some of you might not follow this stuff well enough to know what the English system is. They call it "DAB" (Digital Audio Broadcasting), and it's based on Eureka-147 like the Canadian system. The frequencies are in the VHF band near 215 MHz, but it seems most listeners receive their broadcasts through cable. In any case, it's a system that - from a technical viewpoint - has nothing to do with IBOC. The interesting thing is that it certainly has drawn some interest in England, even though the receivers are 99 pounds. The audio quality is said to not be CD quality, but way above AM IBOC. Marketeers would say "almost CD quality" I guess. Reception is very stable as you might imagine with no skywaves and less electrical and atmospheric noise (Chuck Hutton, NRC-AM via DXLD) Actually, the crux of the story which Harry posted was that most digital-radio listeners in the UK are doing so by means of their digital television (terrestrial or satellite) receivers. Cable TV still has fairly low penetration in the UK (G A Wollman, ibid.) I bet you are right. I just checked the article, and it says "The DRDB says most people are tuning in through their digital TV sets - on platforms such as Sky, Freeview, and cable", with no numbers given for each. Given the low penetration of cable in England (they don't seem to know how badly they need 125 channels of Monday Night Smackdown, Charles Bronson movies, etc), it's real likely that they are not using cable (Chuck Hutton, WA, ibid.) ** U K. Who should rule the radio waves? Maggie Brown Tuesday May 6, 2003 Ofcom, the new media super-regulator, is facing a key strategic issue of how to handle the licensing of radio stations when it takes over the duty from the radio authority in December. . . http://media.guardian.co.uk/radio/comment/0,12635,950317,00.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. JAPANESE AMERICAN BROADCASTERS HONORED FOR ROLES IN WWII Mike O'Sullivan, Los Angeles, 07 May 2003, 03:47 UTC Glenn: The VOA story below is from this URL, which also has links to the item in RealAudio: http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=AFEC5023-F3D0-4092-A06FB9AE332E9C96 Some Japanese Americans have been honored for playing an important but unheralded role in World War II. They provided news and commentary to listeners in Japan in the early days of international broadcasting. Their story begins in the internment camps of the Western United States, where West Coast residents of Japanese ancestry were held during the war. Decades later, U.S. officials acknowledged that the internment had been a grave miscarriage of justice. President Reagan signed an Act of Congress in 1988 providing each of the internees with a reparation payment of $20,000. "One-hundred twenty thousand persons of Japanese ancestry living in the United States were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in internment camps," he said. "The legislation that I am about to sign provides for a restitution payment for each of the 60,000 survivors." Los Angeles resident Gary Ono was researching his family history to help his younger brother qualify for the payment. In the process, the two discovered what their father had done in the war. Recruited from an internment camp because of his language skills, Sam Ono was part of a group of Japanese Americans hired to broadcast U.S. and British programs to Japan. Another wartime broadcaster, Frank Shozo Baba, says the joint radio service had a purpose. "To discourage Japanese people from supporting their leaders. So the sooner you quit the war, the better," he says. "So that's what the whole thing was about." Mr. Baba, who would later head the post-war Japanese service of the Voice of America, is featured with his colleagues in a video documentary produced by Gary Ono. It was recently shown at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, where the broadcasters were honored. Some, like Mr. Baba, worked for the U.S. Office of War Information, while others, including Sam Ono, worked for the British Political Warfare Mission. Both services emanated from the same studios in Denver, Colorado. From there, the signal was carried by telephone line to short-wave transmitters in California, and beamed across the Pacific. Former broadcaster Gish Takeshi Endo says the programs were part of a propaganda effort, but the news they presented was truthful. "I would say, yes, very much accurate. It was news coming over the press [services] like Associated Press and United Press and the New York Times," he says. "So it was all news that was also given to the people of the United States." Historian Allison Gilmore of Ohio State University says the government officials who supervised the broadcasts had made a strategic decision to be honest. "Early on, the idea was simply to broadcast news, even if it was bad news, because in order to persuade the Japanese to listen to the British or the Americans, they had to convince the Japanese that they were telling the truth," she says. "So they simply broadcast news." At first, there was little good news to report. Allied forces fared poorly in the Pacific early in the war, but later, their fortunes improved and the broadcasts added persuasive messages, urging the Japanese not to oppose an invasion. The broadcasters lived quietly in Denver during the war years, staying in rented houses and apartments. Gary Ono, who spent part of his early childhood there, knew nothing of his father's work. He says Sam Ono, like many Japanese Americans of his generation, never spoke of the war. "I don't know why. I guess that was true even about the whole camp experience," he says. "And then on top of that, this kind of job had a kind of a secret air to it and so I guess they felt they weren't supposed to make it public." Former broadcaster Chiyo Nao Wada recalls that some famous authors were hired to write the radio scripts that the broadcasters presented. They included Alan Cranston, a journalist who later became a U.S. senator. "They were well-known novelists and columnists, and they would write such sophisticated English that we couldn't really translate it," says Mrs. Wada. "So we said, give us the straight news in good English, no fancy puns and things like that." Historian Allison Gilmore says U.S. officials never had a firm grasp of the size of their audience. But they thought it was substantial, especially near the end of the war, after allied troops set up a medium-wave transmitter on the captured Japanese island of Saipan. Kay Kitsuta, a Japanese American who spent the war years in Japan, listened to the broadcasts on a home-built shortwave radio, attracted more by the music than the news and commentary. "It was very romantic music that I heard over the radio, you know. That's why it kind of attracted me to listen, instead of military, strict, war-effort music, this music was old, kind of relaxing music," he says. "So I enjoyed listening to it." The devastating bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would finally lead to the Japanese surrender. The wartime broadcasts came to end, the internment camps were emptied and the Japanese-language broadcasters returned to the West Coast to rebuild their lives. Few, however, talked about their wartime experiences. Gish Takeshi Endo says he never even told his wife about his service to his country (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. DRUMS BEAT IN TIME WITH VOA'S MUSIC MAN TO AFRICA (Unique collection of recordings keeps Leo Sarkisian young at 82) (690[? Word count?]) By Jim Fisher-Thompson, Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- The artistry, panache and even longevity that Armenians are renowned for is played out right before my eyes as Voice of America's (VOA) Leo Sarkisian literally shakes with excitement describing his legacy: a massive -- and unique -- collection of African music. On a recent day in April, a fired-up Leo, who broadcasts VOA's popular "Music Time in Africa" radio program, had me cornered but fascinated as I sat in his modest subterranean office -- one of two he has in the Independence Avenue headquarters of VOA. From its studios, a number of which have been modernized, the quasi-independent U.S. government radio station has for more than five decades broadcast news and cultural programs in 40 languages overseas. "The Music Man," as Leo is known to millions of listeners, talked to the Washington File about his career and how University of Michigan cataloguers were working to preserve his extensive African music collection. Pointing at specially built shelves that cover the walls of the windowless office from floor to ceiling, Leo declared: "My life is on these shelves." He obviously couldn't be prouder talking about his children -- the 7,000 10 inch audio reel tape recordings, that is -- that "represent 50 years of work; a lifetime of work here -- all in this one room. We've got so much to do to collect African music and I'm glad I've finally gotten support here to preserve my collection." For nearly 40 years, Leo and his co-host since 1978, Rita Rochelle, have hosted "Music Time In Africa," one of VOA's most popular programs if audience mail is any judge. Broadcast to most of the continent, Leo said he tailors the show to highlight African as well as American musical tastes because "audiences in Nigeria are as much interested in hearing music from other West African countries as they are American music. "The idea I've always promoted here [at VOA] is that music is a universal language and no country has a monopoly on culture. Africans like our program because we respect their musical contributions," which gives the U.S. broadcast service credibility overseas. The Music Man knows about foreign audiences. Born to Armenian immigrants in Massachusetts in 1921, Leo says he has always been drawn to the music of "other cultures." In addition to the sheer beauty of African music, "multicultural programming is a winning strategy in public diplomacy," Leo emphasized. And, "I've sold people here on the idea that you need African music to pull people into the broadcasts." The need now, he emphasized, is to save the recordings collected during a career that took him from Pakistan in the early 1950's, where he traveled to regions like the Khyber Pass, recording local music, to VOA, which legendary U.S. Information Agency chief Edward R. Murrow personally asked him to join in 1963. With that in mind, Leo said about a year ago, "I brought the [VOA] director down here and he couldn't believe all the recordings he saw. It's really an institution down here. I'm blessed because I'm 82 and I've found someone who understands my love for this stuff." Not long after that tour, Leo said he got permission to allow an interested party to begin cataloguing the collection. That turned out to be Kelly Askew, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, who with an assistant, has been working to list all of Leo's recordings in a register. In a report he made of the project, Askew said, "Mr. Sarkisian's collection is unparalleled by many standards. There are recordings in that collection that cannot be found anywhere else in the world." Askew noted, "Of particular interest are the recordings presented to Sarkisian by many African radio stations and local citizens for him to play on his "Music Time in Africa" biweekly show that he continues to broadcast today. These local contributions have transformed a personal collection into a populist collection, a continental treasure to which countless Africans contributed." (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) (via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) i.e.: http://usinfo.state.gov/cgi-bin/washfile/display.pl?p=/products/washfile/latest&f=03050601.alt&t=/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml (via Jilly Dybka, Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Additional frequency changes for Voice of America: ARABIC 0000-0300 NF 9695, ex 9575 to avoid Radio Medi 1 in Arabic 0600-1500 NF 15725, ex 15445 to avoid Swiss Radio Int 0600-0800 0700-1400 NF 17565, ex 17875 1400-1700 NF 13870, ex 13690 1700-2400 NF 12040* ex 11825 |||*strong co-ch Voice of Russia French CANTONESE 1300-1400 NF 11975 additional FRENCH 2100-2130 NF 12035, ex 15730 KURDISH 0400-0500 NF 12040, ex 11690 1600-1700 NF 15470, ex 15235 to avoid AWR in English TURKISH 0330-0400 on 792, 7205, 9740, 11955 ||||| new txion UZBEK 1500-1530 NF 7135, ex 7260 VIETNAMESE 1300-1330 NF 9860, ex 7215 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, May 7 via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Additional frequency changes for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: ARABIC 1800-1900 NF 9740, ex 9705 to avoid VOIROI/IRIB Arabic KYRGHYZ 1400-1600 NF 15530, ex 15265 to avoid RTI English and Mandarin Chinese PASHTO/DARI 2230-0030 NF 5945, ex 12140 ROMANIAN 1500-1530 NF 11995, ex 11770 to avoid CNR-1 in Mandarin Chinese 1600-1700 NF 11865, ex 11770 to avoid CNR-1 in Mandarin Chinese 1800-1900 NF 12045, ex 11835 to avoid CRI in Mandarin Ch and French 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, May 7 via DXLD) ** U S A. Re WRNO in 3-078: Hi Glenn, I was somewhat alarmed to read in DXLD a quote from my old friend George Jacobs that "You can pass this information along at the next scud meeting." I do hope that was a typo for SCADS, and not an inadvertent revelation that certain people in the shortwave community are actively involved in the arms trade :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) = Southern California Area DXers ** U S A. MUSLIM CHANNEL --- Muslim businessmen have begun an effort to launch the first English-language Muslim television channel in North America, and the founder of the company said they hope to have it on air in 2004. Bridges TV will emphasize news, sports, sitcoms, advice shows, children's programming and movies geared to American Muslims, said Muzzammil Hassan, an upstate New York banker who started the company on the prodding of his wife, Aasiya. "Our channel is in English and about life in America," said Hassan, who said many of the 7 million Muslims in the United States and 1 million in Canada pay premiums for foreign television programming from networks such as al-Jazeera, ART, PTV and Zee TV in the Arabic, Urdu and Hindi languages. "Those stations are popular among immigrant parents, but not to their U.S.-born children," he said. Hassan said the dual mission of Bridges TV is to celebrate the diversity of American Muslims and to build bridges of friendship between Muslim Americans and mainstream America. Hassan, along with Bridges Network Inc. president Omar Amanat, has raised $1 million in seed money for the project and in in the midst of a membership drive to demonstrate Muslim support for the venture to cable and satellite outlets. In one month they have gotten 1,500 households to begin paying $10 a month as a sign of support for the channel which they hope will help convince cable operators that it is commercially viable. Hassan said Bridges needed 10,000 paying members to get the "green light" from cable and satellite networks (Reuters via SCDX/MediaScan April 7 via DXLD) ** U S A. [okgreens] STOP MEDIA MONOPOLY Dear friend, On June 2, the Federal Communications Commission is planning on authorizing sweeping changes to the American news media. The rules change could allow your local TV stations, newspaper, radio stations, and cable provider to all be owned by one company. NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox could have the same corporate parent. The resulting concentration of ownership could be deeply destructive to our democracy. Congress is supposed to guard against monopoly power. But the upcoming rule change could change the landscape for all media and usher in an era in which a few corporations control your access to news and entertainment. Please join me in asking Congress and the FCC to support a diverse, competitive media landscape by going to: http://www.moveon.org/stopthefcc/ You can also automatically have your comments publicly filed at the FCC. When the folks at MoveOn.org talk to Congresspeople about this issue, the response is usually the same: "We only hear from media lobbyists on this. It seems like my constituents aren't very concerned with this issue." A few thousand emails could permanently change that perception. Please join this critical campaign, and let Congress know you care. Thanks (Ben Alpers, OK Greens May 8 via DXLD) A LICENSE FOR POWER --- By Paul Starr, Issue Date: 5.1.03 Where's the conservative suspicion of the media now that we really need it? The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to roll back long-established rules limiting media ownership, a move that would make the media behemoths more powerful than ever. You might think that prospect would excite an outcry from the right as well as the left. But the FCC review is taking place with only scattered opposition and scarcely any public debate, thanks in part to a virtual news blackout by the media giants themselves. . . http://www.prospect.org/print/V14/5/starr-p.html (The American Prospect via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC NIXES POWER UPGRADE PLANS FOR WLIB, WGKA The FCC ruled late last week that, due to a technicality, Inner City Broadcasting's Urban Talk WLIB/New York and Salem's Gospel WGKA/ Atlanta, both of which broadcast at 1190 kHz, cannot increase their nighttime power. In 1998, WOWO/Ft. Wayne, IN — also at 1190 AM — asked the FCC if it could change its status from class A to class B and lower its nighttime power from 50kw to just 9,800 watts. Inner City and Salem then each sought permission to take advantage of WOWO's decrease in power (WOWO had specifically changed its status in order to give WLIB the ability to increase nighttime power). But the FCC ruled in 2000 that Inner City and Salem's applications were "erroneously" filed outside of a four-day window and in last week's ruling affirmed its decision to implement a "minor-change freeze" in order to allow all technical-enhancement proposals made possible by WOWO's power decrease to reach the FCC. Opponents had urged the FCC to allow other broadcasters at 1180, 1190 and 1200 AM access to the same opportunities for signal enhancement given to WLIB and WGKA. WGKA broadcasts with 25kw during the day but just 2,300 watts at night, while WLIB sought a nighttime power upgrade from 10kw to 30kw. Salem said during yesterday's quarterly conference call that intends to appeal the FCC's decision but as a result of the agency's decision will report a writeoff of approximately $900,000 in Q1 [first quarter of year?]. (from http://www.radioandrecords.com/Subscribers/TodaysNews/homepage.htm via Brock Whaley for WORLD OF RADIO 1181, DXLD May 6, 2003) ** U S A. Re previous reports of TIS and others from the Southwest: All dates/times mentioned in my reports are Eastern Local Time for US/Canadian stations and GMT for all others (Tim Hall, Chula Vista, CA, amfmtvdx May 7 via DXLD) `ELT` is one of the worst ideas ever arising in the DX hobby, but seems to be heavily entrenched amongst MW DXers thanks to sanxioning by the major US clubs, NRC and IRCA. As I understand it, ELT is not ``local`` at all: what it means, basically, is that when DST is in effect, logging times even in zones other than eastern are given in UT-4. This apparently includes AZ and parts of IN where DST is not observed, whether the transmitting or receiving state, but never mind about that! As I recall the westcoasters used to have their own PLT, but I think this has given way to `standardization`. When DST is not in effect, ELT means UT-5! The desire to use some kind of `local` time in ``domestic`` DXing inevitably gives way to dominance by the Eastern zone, whether standard, daylight or ``local``, which is irrelevant in 80% of the country, but never mind about that! The desire by domestic DXers to report loggings in zones shifting with DST indicates a lamentable disconnect from the ionosphere, and all-important sunrise and sunset times, where I am reliably informed, DST is not in effect. The only rational compromise is to use a constant worldwide time standard, i.e. UT, all the time for all loggings on all bands. Or if you must use a North American zone, a more equitable compromise would be UT-6 = CST/MDT (Glenn Hauser, where the clock is a sesquihour fast, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FM pirate in San Diego on 96.9 -- The past few days, I've noted a pirate station on 96.9 FM calling itself "Pirate radio San Diego" and other similar names, and occasionally using a theme song which I'm pretty sure is from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland. Programming has ranged from junk music to a pretty interesting pre-recorded conference on media activism (i.e., fighting Sneer Channel and the problems that led to their near-monopoly). The signal is pretty strong near downtown SD and Coronado, but the station is audible with fair signals at my home which is at the far southeast edge of the SD market. 96.9 is/was one of the few wide-open channels left on the FM dial in San Diego. 73, (Tim Hall Chula Vista, CA, amfmtvdx May 7 via DXLD) ** U S A. ASSONDIEU FORTUNE. Issued monetary forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 to Assondieu Fortune for operating an FM broadcast station on the frequency 105.9 MHz without Commission authorization. Action by: Chief, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 04/30/2003 by Forfeiture Order. (DA No. 03-1459). EB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1459A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1459A1.pdf http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1459A1.txt (FCC actions via Fred Vobbe, NRC FMTV via DXLD) ** U S A. Orlando Pirate Fined $10,000 The FCC reaffirmed a $10,000 fine against Omar Ebanks for operating a station on 93.9 MHz in Orlando without commission authorization. The original penalty was levied in February, but the FCC stated in its order that Ebanks had not responded, so it now says he has 30 days to pay. http://www.radioworld.com/reference-room/better-fm-cov/index.shtml (via Mike Terry, May 8, DXLD) OMAR A. EBANKS. Issued a monetary forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 to Omar A. Ebanks for operating a radio station on frequency 93.9 MHz without Commission authorization in violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act. Action by: Chief, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 05/05/2003 by Forfeiture Order. (DA No. 03-1504). EB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1504A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1504A1.pdf http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1504A1.txt (FCC actions via Fred Vobbe, May 8, NRC-AM via DXLD) Question: why does the FCC, on average, hand out much stiffer fines to a pirate operator --- who is usually some schlub of average or below average financial means --- than it does to commercial broadcasters -- - like those friendly Clear Channel folks --- for essentially equivalent rules violations, like running day power at night? Could the army of lobbyists and lawyers commercial broadcasters have in their employ factor into the FCC's actions and priorities? Maybe! http://www.radioworld.com/dailynews/one.php?id=3098 (Harry Helms W7HLH Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC-AM via DXLD) Harry, Ahh, Maybe because leaving a transmitter on at night is a mistake, hopefully. I can tell you if it is a Clear Channel station on at night on Day authorization it is a mistake or an emergency. But there is NO JUSTIFICATION for turning a transmitter on without any authorization. PERIOD! And then not turning it off after receiving an FCC cease and desist order tends to get the FCC's ire up. The other reason might be that when the FCC points out an error made, we respond within the required time limit like responsible licensed broadcasters working within the rule set. And will have corrected the problem expeditiously. Explaining our side and the reason it happened. In other words its our livelihood and I can tell you one of the prime directives from corporate management to the station managers is to protect the license. That does not mean we don't make mistakes, but we fix the mistakes when pointed out. Where as this guy had no license to begin with then totally ignored the penalty proceeding and so he got the max. He did not even respond to the process. And I am supposed to feel sorry for him for what reason? Being arrogant, or just plain dumb? (Paul Jellison, Clear Channel, WLW, ibid.) Folks, I was being sarcastic in some of my remarks accompanying the Orlando pirate link. "Caveat emptor" also applies to things you read. . . . . especially things you read, now that I think about it. However, anyone who follows the reports of FCC actions in DX News knows there is a clear pattern in which the FCC will issue nominal (at best) fines to commercial stations who repeatedly and willfully violate FCC rules, such as those who broadcast HS football games at night on day power. The degree to which the FCC enforces a given set of rules varies from district to district, and enforcement often seems arbitrary and capricious. My dealings with the FCC over the 1136 mystery of two years ago shows how disorganized, clueless, and contradictory their enforcements efforts can be. (Please spare me the inevitable remarks about the FCC not having enough money --- no organization has "enough money" to do everything they'd like to do; that's why you have to set priorities.) And while it's just my opinion, I do believe there is a clear pattern of the FCC cracking down hardest on the smallest fish, such as independent broadcasters and pirates, who lack the resources to fight the FCC. The only exceptions are high-profile cases, such as the Howard Stern obscenity case, that reek of political motivation (Harry Helms, W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, ibid.) I understand where you are coming from but the other side of the coin is the letter to the station for say, a missing tower registration plaque, not signing operator logs, or some such minor infraction. And the owner has 10 or 30 days to reply, and he does that the sign was stolen, or fell down or the chief was on vacation or broke his leg, or otherwise had a problem. And it is filed away with OK and case closed. No fine levied at all. That happens all the time to big and little broadcasters. I will tell you that the tolerance level for the big business broadcaster in a case like that is much lower than a mom and pop. Mom and pop might have one letter in their file like that in 10 years. A big company might have 20 with 100 times more towers. Is it because they are worse operators, no, they have more towers. It`s a ratio thing. But opening the file and not taking that into consideration you would draw the conclusion the big guy is a "problem". Now if you don't answer the NOV [notice of violation], step 1, on time will bring the NAL [notice of apparent liability], step 2, which is when you open the check book wide. The other thing the Commish has NO tolerance for is tower light issues, and safety. Like a fence down around a hot AM tower. Or a transmitter with exposed HV. The other reason I like to think we get any consideration rather we do or not. Is the fact that we do try in good faith. And usually the engineering and technical facilities are better managed than the mom and pop. Not always mind you, but usually. That reason is we have a structure to take a large market guy with lots of experience and he goes out and helps the less experienced engineer at the small market. The small market could not come close to affording the talents of the experienced engineer. Or have access to the pool of test equipment available. He becomes a mentor of sorts. I can tell you we have cleaned up so many rats nests and out of tolerance AM and FM facilities --- it is just mind boggling. Like a tower with all the guy wires being held with a single chain loop. I saw that and had a tower crew out in less than a week to replace the chain with 3 clevis connectors and the proper turnbuckles. As it was originally intended. Three levels of guys wires going through a single 1/4 inch chain. Can you say stress overload? I can tell you the FCC in their travels and dealings don't miss those things either. They see us cleaning up problems that had festered for years. PJ (Paul Jellison, WLW, Clear Channel, ibid.) The guy who runs a pirate station here in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on 107.3 is a ham, WB3EYB and he works in law enforcement. When the FCC catches up with him why shouldn't he get the max (Tom Dimeo, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, NRC-AM via DXLD) I agree pirate should have shut down after the first couple of warnings. But, saying that, I cant blame pirates. The NAB thru a phony CD recording got LPFM stopped on 3rd adjacents, but higher power phony translators can legally be on 2nd and 3rd adjacents. So, in my opinion, that shoots the NAB's argument all to hell. What does the NAB have to fear from legitimate low power radio stations? I know this is an AM list, but has anyone seen the tens of thousands of translator applications that have just been filed in the last few weeks? [see below] In many cases, the primary station to be repeated wasn`t even aware of the application. Many thousands of these have been filed by a pair of corporations connected to a large religious broadcaster in Twin Falls, Idaho. So, saying all that, I have some sympathy for the pirate broadcaster. Just my $0.02 worth (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, ibid.) ** U S A. LPFM APPLICANT ALERT FROM REC NETWORKS... This is an alert to all LPFM applicants, especially those who are currently not on the air yet. REC Networks is in the process of gathering information on the organizations who have applied for translators during the March filing window. Based on information we have received regarding the top two applicants who were responsible for more than 30% of 13,000+ applications filed during this window, we are urging all LPFM applicants to check either REC's or the FCC's LPFM database to look for nearby translators on your same frequency or on your co-channels. LPFM applicants that are not fully licensed are legally eligible for protection of their maximum 60dBu service contour (5.6 km, non- directional). Translators proposed for the same channel as the LPFM can not have overlap of their 40dBu interference contour into the LPFM's service contour. First adjacent channel translators can not overlap their 54dBu interference contour to the LPFM's service contour. Translator contour size can vary based on power, antenna height and terrain. REC has provided some tools that will help identify translators that can threaten your LPFM application. LPFM applicants can access this information on our LPFM Application Status system at: http://www.recnet.com/cgi-bin/lpfm/aspen.cgi REC recommends that any LPFM applicants who are threatened by these translators should file Informal Objections with the FCC right away. REC will post additional information about this filing window at the following URL: http://www.recnet.com/window/fx0303 (via DXLD) ** U S A. WIRELESS EXPERTS: GIVE US BROADCAST SPECTRUM By Grant Gross IDG News Service, 05/01/03 WASHINGTON - A group of radio frequency spectrum experts and wireless technology advocates called for the U.S. Congress to reallocate part of the television broadcast spectrum for wireless uses, during a congressional forum in Washington, D.C., Thursday. . . http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0501wirelexper.html (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO DJS SUSPENDED FOR PLAYING DIXIE CHICKS A US radio station has suspended two DJs for playing the Dixie Chicks, violating a ban imposed after the group criticised President George Bush. [KKCS Colorado Springs] . . . http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_777747.html (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U S A. HIS CALL FOR A REPLY SET UP HISTORIC BROADCAST RULING Fred J. Cook, whose book was attacked on Red Lion radio station WGCB in 1964, died recently at age 92. By TOM JOYCE, Daily Record staff, Tuesday, May 6, 2003 Many central Pennsylvania viewers know it as a Christian television station broadcasting out of Red Lion. But for anybody involved with telecommunications law, WGCB is far more . . . http://ydr.com/story/main/9201/ (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO RETURNS TO WESTCOTT HOUSE By SAMANTHA SOMMER, News-Sun Staff Writer John Westcott's call signal can be heard on the airwaves today for the first time in more than 80 years. The Westcott Wireless Preservation Association will use the W8AGA call signal to mark the visit of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to Springfield [Ohio]. . . http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2003/05/03/1051935299.00303.4430.3694.html (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U S A. NEW SPANISH STATION TO SIGN ON FOR $32 MILLION May 6, 2003 BY ROBERT FEDER SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST Hispanic Broadcasting Corp., Dallas-based parent company of four Spanish-language radio stations in the market, is about to acquire a fifth one [WJTW 93.5] . . . http://www.suntimes.com/output/feder/cst-fin-feder06.html (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) more Chicago news, excerpts from same column: DIALING: IS IT LIVE OR WFMT? Those sneaky folks at WFMT-FM (98.7) don't want anyone to know it, but the classical music station is cutting back its live broadcasting hours substantially. Starting next week, only three of WFMT's weekday announcers -- Carl Grapentine in mornings, Don Tait in middays and Kerry Frumkin in afternoons -- will continue to do their shows in real time. The rest of the broadcast day will be automated, including Lisa Flynn on tape from 7 p.m. to midnight and the syndicated Beethoven Satellite Network with Peter Van De Graaff from midnight to 6 a.m. Other cost- cutting moves were the departures of Mel Zellman (who was back at WFMT on a free-lance basis) and Jan Weller, as well as the elimination of the station's 10 p.m. newscast. Despite the demise of WNIB as its only format competitor in 2001, WFMT and its listeners have not fared well since Chicago's "fine arts station" achieved monopoly status. Bowing to popular demand (and growing advertiser interest), WGN-AM (720) is adding an hour to Lou Manfredini's weekly "Mr. Fix-It" program. Starting May 24, the home-improvement call-in show will air from 6 to 9 a.m. [UT -5] Saturdays. To accommodate the expansion, Charlie Potter's "The Great Outdoors," which airs from 6 to 7 a.m. Saturdays, will be incorporated into other programming. The hunting- and-fishing talk show has been a staple on WGN since 1960. Time flies: Today marks the 35th anniversary of WGN's "Extension 720." Milt Rosenberg, who was a guest on the show its first week, became permanent host five years later (Robert Feder, Chicago Sun-Times May 6 via DXLD) If you haven`t yet discovered it, Extension 720 is probably the best talkshow on American commercial radio. Topics are previewed in our MONITORING REMINDERS calendar, from the WGN website. It`s webcast minus commercials, and widely broadcast on 720, often audible here, tho less so in the summer and when auroral conditions favor southward signals, Tue-Sat 0205-0400 UT (sometimes starting slightly later depending on newscast; and subject to delayed starts or pre-emptions by stupid ballgames). There is also a growing but incomplete audio archive. Milt usually announces if a show will be archived, but it takes a few days (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1700, KBGG IA, Des Moines, currently broadcasts in Spanish every day from 1400 to 2000 [EDT = 1800-2400 UT], per call to station. This is not the one I've been hearing here around 2300. 1700 UNID, mystery SS with some EE, first noted 4/12 at 0300 when announcer seemed to give, in SS a call that included the letters "KES". He also mentioned 5,000 watts and Norteña. At 0300 4/14 interrupted a talk show in SS and said in EE "thank you for tuning into another...." At 0300 4/15 I believe a man mentioned Tijuana in a station promo, then I heard in EE what sounded like "XL...headline news" At 0300 4/17 there was a music program going and a man seemed to mention "KSS" in SS, QRM KQXX. Is this a new border XE here? Could be a domestic (Larry Godwin, Missoula, MT, IRCA Soft DX Monitor May 10 via DXLD) (Larry, there is KESS, an SSer in Fort Worth on 1270. Could Sherman TX changed format from Sports talk? Anyone hear "The Ticket" of late? (Pat Martin, ibid.) 1700, at 1210, KTBK Sherman, TX, Fair with weather 16/4 (Stu Forsyth, Wellington, New Zealand, IRCA Soft DX Monitor May 10 via DXLD) ** U S A. I have received a letter from Mr. Chamberlain, AE4MK, from FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, who says that on May 10, 2003, from 1300 to 2200 there will be a special transmission on the ham bands with the call K3FBI. On http://www2.arrl.org/contests/spev.html can be found all information for this special broadcast, made by the FBI for the Honoring National Police Week and the National Law Enforcement Memorial, on 28480, 21280, 14280 and 7280 kHz in SSB. Certificate from Jay Chamberlain, AE4MK, 27 Fox Run Ln, Fredericksburg, VA 22405, ae4mk@1bigred.com (Massimo Cerveglieri, Italy, DSWCI DX Window May 7 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. R National de Venezuela verified with e-mail QSL. V/s: Mr. Ali Méndez Martinez, Representativo de onda corta. Address: Apartado Postal 3979, Caracas, Vezezuela. E-mail: ondacortavenezuela@hotmail.com Ali mentioned in e-mail, they are still repairing, or making adjustment (Masato Ishii, Shibata-shi, Japan, DSWCI DX Window May 7 via DXLD) For an old report I assume (gh) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. BREAKING THE AIRWAVES --- By JEFF CHU Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans thumb their nose at President Mugabe every night, simply by turning on their radios. http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/0,13005,901030303-425850,00.html Two years ago, Gerry Jackson was sitting in her Harare home "going mad. I just wanted to know what was going on in my own country," recalls the ex-DJ with state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. "I wanted news." But since all broadcast media in Zimbabwe are controlled by the government, there was no reliable source. She tried setting up a station, Capital Radio, in Harare, but Robert Mugabe shut it down six days after it went on air. So she went into exile, to London, where she and a team of seven now run SW (Short- Wave) Radio Africa, beaming back to Zimbabwe. Surveying the audience is impossible given "the extreme fear on the ground," says Jackson. But the station estimates that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans tune in for SW Radio's three hours of nightly programming. "You don't get newspapers in every corner of Zimbabwe," says John Matinde, a DJ who headed ZBC's Radio 3 pop station for a decade. "Radio is a way of reaching all people." SW Radio goes live on air at 6 p.m. Zimbabwe time each evening, and the first hour is devoted to Callback. Listeners dial a Zimbabwean number, and SW Radio returns the call, patching them into on-air chats. Hour two is Newsreel, devoted to current events. The final hour features programs such as From the Outside Looking In, a platform for exiled Zimbabweans. It's all about dialogue. "We didn't set up SW Radio Africa because we have answers," says Matinde. "We have plenty of questions, and we want debate." That is not one of Robert Mugabe's favorite activities. Ministers routinely decline interview requests from the station, which the government has slammed as a tool of colonial-minded Britain. (Jackson says funding comes from NGOs and other donors, but not the British government.) Station personnel have been banned from their homeland — though sources still phone in with their reports. And the staff sometimes hears of listeners being targeted. Recently, in the Mashonaland West town of Zvimba, two teens listening in on someone else's radio were beaten by soldiers. In fact, SW Radio is only taking a page from Mugabe's own playbook. During the chimurenga in the 1970s, his party aired reports on shortwave from Mozambique. Listeners would huddle clandestinely around radios, waiting to hear the reassuringly familiar words: "This is the Revolutionary Voice of Zimbabwe." Some three decades later, "the people still need a voice," says Jackson. "We're just trying to give people hope." (Time Europe March 3 via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1170.05, May 3 0845-0915 & May 4 0840-1000(b/out by HLSR) Non-stop light American rock music. No announcement. Strong signal like receiving Saipan/Guam stations. Any idea? (Hideki WATANABE, Japan cerveza@jcom.home.ne.jp DX LISTENING DIGEST) No; at that hour it could not be R. Sawa via UAE or the Iraqi, q.v. UNIDENTIFIED. 1490, 0733 19/4, R. Reforma, Unlisted. Fair with Religious program, many IDs (Stu Forsyth, Wellington, New Zealand, IRCA Soft DX Monitor May 10 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ DIRECTORY OF CATHOLIC RADIO STATIONS IN EUROPE [including Orthodox] Truly a magnum opus. Mike Dorner of Catholic Radio Update has issued a new edition of his work in progress. Hardly any of this concerns SW, but there is an incredible number of Catholic stations, mostly on FM, in France, Spain, and especially Italy. If this subject matter is of interest, I assume Mike will E-mail a copy of this large .doc on request to: MikeD509@aol.com (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ IC-R75 DISCONTINUED? Re DXLD 3-078: Glenn, Humm, I still find the Icom IC-R75 listed on the "Icom Japan" web page (as of May 8th). http://www.icom.co.jp/ce/receiver/index.htm Regards, (Dave Zantow, N9EWO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CITY HAS HIGHEST ELECTROMAGNETIC READINGS, STUDY SAYS By Sharon Moran, Monday, April 21, 2003 - 07:00 Local News - The city of Kingston has the worst electromagnetic field readings out of 60 Ontario communities, a study by Trent University professor Magda Havas suggests. ``They`re horrific,`` said Havas in an interview with The Whig Standard. . . http://www.thewhig.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=29478&catname=Local+News (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) POWER LINE COMMUNICATIONS +++++++++++++++++++++++++ A THREAT TO SHORTWAVE --- From http://www.eham.net/articles/5316 PLC... An Emerging Threat to Ham Radio: Steven E. Matda (KE4MOB) on May 5, 2003 Imagine the following: You walk over to your HF and turn it on. On 80 meters, there is static interference kind of like spark plug RFI. So you go to 40 meters. It's still there. On to 20. Still there, too. And 10 meters is noisy as well. So you turn the radio off and decide to wait until the noise level drops. You come back in a few hours, but it's still there. It's there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can't hear anything on any band except for the the ratt-a-tatt-tat-ratt-tatt of some sort of signal. You decide to get in the car and try to DF it. No luck, it's everywhere. Congratulations (or condolences)... you have found PLC. PLC is short for Power Line Communications... a new way to provide broadband internet over the existing power lines. Unfortunately, it also has the potential to render wide swaths of HF spectrum useless due to RFI. It poses perhaps more of a threat to the future of ham radio communications than any other in recent memory. Basically, it superimposes a broadband (up to 80 MHz) signal along side the standard 60 Hz power line signal. Now think about it... how many times have you looked up thought "If I could only use the power company's line as an antenna" and you can see the possibilities that emerge. Antennas that are miles long, mounted high in the air, radiating RF all the way up to 80 MHz. Not a fun possibility for ham operators, is it? One would think that other users of the HF spectrum (the US government in particular) would object to such interference and that saner heads would prevail. However, in a recent ARRL article it was reported: "The FCC has declared BPL [FCC shorthand for PLC] as a top priority for its Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) in 2003. [Michael] Powell, who recently witnessed a BPL demonstration, calls its potential "immense." As the [FCC] chairman sees it, BPL "can offer consumers freedom to access broadband services from any room in their home without need to pay for additional wiring, by simply plugging an adapter into an existing electrical outlet." Currently, the FCC is investigating the feasibility of PLC in the US, but the aforementioned quote leads one to believe the FCC is more attuned to the PLC companies than they are to the incumbent users of the spectrum. In Japan, where PLC systems have been in operation, amateurs complained so much about the RFI that the PLC companies were forced to place 30 dB notches in the PLC frequencies to protect the amateur allocations. Perhaps this is an avenue that bears investigation in the US. When (and if) a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is issued by the FCC, I would urge all amateurs on HF to make their voices heard... before ours are silenced by PLC. 73 to all, Steve Matda, KE4MOB (via Mike Terry, DXLD) END OF THE SHORTWAVE RADIO ERA? Hello, Please carefully review the FCC proposal for Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Internet service over electric power lines. This new Internet service will result in intense RF noise on the short wave frequencies. The text of this proposal is at the FCC URL listed below. This is FCC ET Docket No. 03-104, an Inquiry Regarding Carrier Current Systems, including Power Line Broadband Systems. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-100A1.doc The ARRL web site has detailed information on this technology at its web site at: http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ It is interesting to note that the short-wave interference from the hundreds of thousands of proposed BPL emitters will have a very long range and not be just localized (Nickolaus E. Leggett, N3NL, 1432 Northgate Square, Apt. 2A, Reston, VA 20190-3748, (703) 709-0752 nleggett@earthlink.net DX LISTENING DIGEST) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ QSLing, BELLABARBA Glenn! Dario Monferini has asked me to translate these comments from RW. Rolf Wikström (and also I) are not interested in deeper discussion with those two people because both he and I know it will lead to a dead end. Re Dario Monferini reply about Bellabarba, comment by Rolf Wikström. The meaning with RW comment is that there is not so much to do with Bellabarba himself but you have to deal with the publisher, DM. ARC has ceased exchange and so must also SWB. I protested loudly on their site when Italy was elected chairman for the European DX union. There were heavy arguments from Italy with several rude mails. The positive was the ability to explain what DX is about for three Italian DX-ers who had the guts to take a discussion. The others were never heard of later. They had no clue at all what DX is about! I also learned that there are several Bellabarbas in Italy. DM says that there is nothing to do about Bellabarba`s cheating. Of course there is! He can do it himself at once, stop publishing fake QSLs! If not, boycott Dario! If Bellabarba gets no publicity of what he is doing he will be tired and go into another business to continue his cheating. [? It is claimed BB is not interested in publicity - gh] The problem with a Bellabarba in a hobby is that he destroys the hobby totally. Dario`s childish explanation is that the station replies also for a wrong report so why at all bother to write correct reports. Of course I agree that certain stations send out QSL without controlling them. But here it is always up to each DX-er to decide the value of such verifications and the honest DX-er always has his tape recording to relate to. The big problem with Bellabarba is sending out thousands of fake reports all over the world. Some stations do not control and then he gets reply. BUT, what happens at the stations really checking the reports? First of all no reply and secondly Bellabarba has completely destroyed the possibilities for an honest DXer when he sends his report. The station thinks directly that the next report coming from Europe also is a fake one! And if Dario continues to publish such fake QSLs there will certainly be several Bellabarbas, believe me! At the end you can also wonder what relation Dario has with Bellabarba. Regards, (WIK/Rolf Wikström, Sweden, translated by SWB editor Thomas Nilsson) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ HF OUTLOOK FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2003 Hi, Folks. Here's my outlook on current conditions and the Spring/Summer HF season: As we move closer to summer, the days grow longer in the Northern Hemisphere and the sun heats up and thins the ionosphere. With less ionization, the maximum frequency refracted is lower than during colder months. By June, this thinning causes a real reduction in the MUF. Because we are in the decline of the solar cycle, we are also expecting a rise in the geomagnetic storminess. This expectation is based on the observation of a double peak of geomagnetic activity in each Solar Cycle analyzed since Solar Cycle 11. The second peak of each cycle appears during the decline of the sun's activity, right after the peak year. In addition, from now through the early summer months, solar absorption is expected to be at seasonally high levels, resulting in generally weaker signals during the hours of daylight when compared to reception during the winter and spring months. Nighttime usable frequencies to most parts of the world are higher than at any other time of the year, while the daytime usable frequencies are generally lower than those during winter are. Expect good openings into most areas of the world through out the day on 22, 19, and 16 meters. Through the summer, you can expect a lot of propagation between north and south regions during the daylight hours. Nineteen and 16 meters will be the strong daytime bands, with 19 remaining a popular band throughout the year. Reception of stations located in tropical or equatorial areas may be possible well into the hours of darkness. For distances between 800 to several thousand miles, expect exceptionally strong signals. Multi-hop signals will be prevalent. Late afternoon and early evening broadcasts will likely congest the band. Twenty-five and 22 meters will remain open from just before sunrise to a few hours past sunset. From late afternoon to well into darkness, expect these bands to offer worldwide coverage. Thirty-one meters is a year-round power band with outstanding domestic and international paths, around the clock. During periods of low geomagnetic activity this summer, this band may offer long distance DX all through the night. Forty-one and 49 meters offer domestic propagation during daylight hours and somewhat during the night. Geomagnetic storms will wipe it out, however. The tropical bands (60, 75, 90, and 120 meters) are not noticeably affected by the solar flux, but are degraded during geomagnetic storminess. Through the summer, expect these bands to be more challenging. Overall, daytime bands will open just before sunlight, and last a few hours after dark. Look higher in frequency during the day, as these frequencies will be less affected by any solar storms occurring, and more broadcasters have transmissions in these upper bands. Right now the geomagnetic storminess is causing a real degradation of ionospheric propagation. Maximum Usable Frequencies are quite low. For more information, see http://prop.hfradio.org/ - the HFRadio.org Propagation Center. : Propagation Editor, CQ/PopComm Magazines - Member, USArmy MARS : : http://prop.hfradio.org : Brinnon, Washington 122.93W 47.67N : : A creator of solutions : http://accessnow.com : Perl Rules! : : 10x56526 - FISTS 7055 - FISTS NW 57 - http://hfradio.org/barsc : : A.R.Lighthouse Society 144 -- CW, SSB, RTTY, AMTOR, DX-Hunting : 73 de (Tomas, NW7US // AAR0JA , SWBC topica list via DXLD) Usually with more summer conditions on the signal path and more ionization, MUFs go up (G. Victor A. Goonetilleke, 4S7VK, "Shangri- La," 298 Madapatha Road, Kolamunne, Piliyandala. Sri Lanka, ibid.) Victor's right. With more hours of daylight, it increases the amount of ionization and the effective "height" of the ionosphere, thus increasing distance and MUF. See Davies' "Ionospheric Propagation", IEEE Press. It is why frequency managers usually band-shift up for Summer paths, and down for Winter paths. Dan, care to comment? :^) BTW, it has absolutely nothing to do with solar temperature. You're confusing another effect that has to do with stratospheric "warming" which increases absorption - an effect that usually occurs more frequently on the down side of the solar cycle (Mark J. Fine / Remington, Virginia, USA, ibid.) ###