DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-111, June 21, 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/dxldtd3f.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 1187: RFPI: Sat 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1430 on 7445, 15039 WINB: Sun 0030 [NEW} 12160 WWCR: Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 [maybe] WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Eu only Sun 0430; NAm Sun 1400 [not 1430] WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [from early UT Thu] [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1187.html Re: 3-110: Wow, I never thought WINB would get confused with WJIE as in the latest DXLD- ``WJIE: Sat 1731 13570, Sun 0030 [NEW] 12160`` (Hans Johnson, DXLD) Oops; at least I got the frequencies right (gh) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL I used to watch the DX Listening Digest web site for news but I found that there was too much junk put in there by Glenn [sic] Hauser. Even though I have retired, I don't have time to read all that nonsense. I don`t want to spend my dying days trying to find news by [sic]Hauser. (Alex Dobrovitch, Hutt River Province, Australia, June 7, EDXP via DXLD) Ah, how easily I alienate readers! Junk and nonsense: Read on! (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. I have heard that planning proposals are being prepared for a new HF facility to be set up at Rottnest Island, which is adjacent to the Hutt River Province, Western Australia. I understand that there will be four 250 kW transmitters there, targetting southern Africa, under the banner of the "The New Democratic Voice of the Zimbabwean People". The station will also be made available to other broadcasters for relay purposes I believe (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Vic, Australia, June 8, EDXP via DXLD) {the above is a hoax: see next issue} ** AUSTRALIA. Bob Padula has repeatedly given the schedule for DX Partyline on the Asian service of HCJB as 1230 UT Saturday on 15480, while HCJB and all other sources show it as 1430. June 21 at 1255 I caught the last bit of DXPL on Pifo 15115, so quickly checked 15480 --- whatever was on there, was not the same as on 15115. By 1430 the signal on 15480 was too poor to identify anything (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 2300 UT, 21740 kHz, Radio Australia with news of Iraq wheat harvest and the old equipment they are using and discussion of how the government needed to get off there backside and fix it with help from Australia. Good signal s8dB. With all the rain we have been getting with thunderstorms, flooding, etc., DX conditions are finally turning around at my QTH (Robert kd5lvi Thompson, TX, nrd535d with many mods. Inv "V" trap dipole nw x se 40 ft at apex, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. BITTER EXPAT RADIO ROW FOR CONTROL OF AIRWAVES June 20 2003 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/19/1055828434526.html GBRadio and WorldAudio are fighting for control of two narrowband licences in a struggle that has reached two Supreme Courts. David Elias reports. The accents are distinctly English, not the modulated tones of the old BBC but regional and chatty with plenty of what's-on information from the Old Dart. The radio station GBRadio broadcasts to a target audience of British and Irish expatriates in Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs on the 1620 AM band. It is radio on the cheap using an over-the-counter medium-frequency licence that broadcasts at the top end of the AM band where some older receivers cannot pick it up. It is also radio by remote control, operating from an unstaffed studio at Bayswater in the shadow of the Dandenong Ranges, where a computer takes the British program feed from the internet, inserts its own advertising into the commercial breaks and puts it to air. Station chief Roger Thomas has staked his future on the concept. He hopes to network it across Australia and repeat it in other countries with large British and Irish populations. He says he can provide British travel authorities and other travel-related advertisers in Britain with keenly sought outlets throughout the British Commonwealth and elsewhere. But first the former anti-terrorism specialist must extricate his embryonic station from a nasty dispute full of twists and turns worthy of a radio soap opera. Mr Thomas, who first came here more than 20 years ago to demonstrate bomb-disposal electronics to security forces, has been sucked into a desperate race against time to get a new national radio network set up before a Federal Government deadline in November. His company, GBRadio (Australia), and a listed company, WorldAudio, operator of Sydney's Radio2, are both claiming prior rights to use disputed AM narrowband licences in Melbourne and Sydney. The web is so tangled that aspects of the row have been aired in the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the NSW District Court. Next week it all goes before the Supreme Court of NSW. Mr Thomas says his fight to secure and retain control of the two licences has cost him $750,000 in legal fees and has required him to remain in Australia away from his wife and children in Britain for more than three years. "I want to go home to my family and resume my life," he says, "But I will not leave Australia until I get this business up and running. I have invested so much time and money in this I have to stay." The licences are the key to his ambitions but are also central to WorldAudio's plans to challenge the supremacy of established broadcasters. WorldAudio has raised $13.5 million in two public issues since its backdoor listing early last year on the strength of its plans to establish a national radio network that will eventually use digital technology. The company has claimed that it has enforceable rights to the use of the 1611 AM band in Sydney and the 1620 AM band in Melbourne, and it has issued a Supreme Court writ in NSW demanding that Thomas's GBRadio (Australia) transfer its licences to WorldAudio. Thomas denies this and claims that WorldAudio has repudiated an agreement with GBRadio. He is alleging that Radio2 is broadcasting illegally and is using an unauthorised transmitter. Thomas's lawyers have written to Communications Minister Richard Alston, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Communications Authority, seeking an investigation into the allegedly illegal broadcasts and omissions in WorldAudio's prospectuses. Thomas says he is suspicious of WorldAudio's links to the Sydney licensed clubs industry and believes the company has a long-term agenda to set up a radio casino using interactive digital technology when it becomes available. A WorldAudio company announcement this week acknowledged Thomas's complaint to the ACA. It said the directors, having received legal advice, were of the view that the company was authorised to broadcast under its agreement with the registered holder of the relevant licence. However, WorldAudio's annual accounts last October carried a qualification from auditors Grant Thornton warning of uncertainty over legal actions in connection with its use of the Sydney broadcast licence and the possible effect on the company's status as a going concern. The long story began with a partnership dispute and an amazing bureaucratic bungle by the ACA, the government body responsible for issuing and policing medium frequency narrowband area service licences under the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act. The bands between 1606.5 and 1705 kHz had been abandoned by their former military users and the government sold 270 licences to more than 50 commercial users to work on emerging technologies. In 1992 they were out of reach of the AM dial, but as many new radios can now pick up signals above 1606.5, narrowcasting has become a cheap and viable alternative for commercial radio. WorldAudio is one of only four licensees with Australia-wide rights if they can acquire local permits to link up a national network. Originally sold over the counter for a nominal fee these licences are tradeable on the open market and, as Thomas's dispute with WorldAudio has shown, they can fetch at least $500,000 each. Responding to concerns raised by the commercial radio industry, Senator Alston put the brakes on new licences last October and introduced a "use it or lose it" grandfather clause on existing licence holders, who must have their services up and running by November. Thomas formed a partnership in 1992 with British migrant Pieter Marchant to establish an expat radio network using three FM licences and two of the new narrowcast licences. The ACA issued the Sydney and Melbourne permits to P Marchant GB Radio in 1995 and then transferred them without fee to the business when GB Radio was registered in 1998. But after the two men fell out Marchant wrote to the ACA in June 1999 complaining that he had been "conned" out of the licences, and the ACA transferred them back to him in his own name. The ACA's letter of explanation to GBRadio was described by Justice Barry Beach of the Victorian Supreme Court as "a masterpiece of bureaucratic humbug worthy of the best of Yes, Minister". It told GBRadio its original transfer application had not been made on the appropriate form and it had not paid a transfer fee. Justice Beach granted GBRadio an injunction in May 2000 restraining Marchant from selling, transferring or otherwise dealing with the licences, but Marchant, unbeknown to Thomas, had already leased the Sydney licence for $500 a week. It had then been subleased for $3000 a week to Kinloba, a private company associated with North Sydney Leagues Club chief executive Jim Henry. Then in the face of Justice Beech's injunction and under pressure from an ACA inquiry into possible unlicensed broadcasting on 1611 kHz in Sydney, Marchant signed a letter on December 1, 2000, authorising Kinloba to use the Sydney licence to broadcast "so long as a court of law does not determine that such lease is invalid". The Kinloba lease was used initially to fire up the radio station Club Radio but documents filed with ASIC show that in September 2001 Henry, the federal president of the Club Managers Association sold Club Radio and Kinloba to WorldAudio Communications. According to documentation of a charge against WorldAudio Communications, which last year became a subsidiary of the newly listed WorldAudio, the price was $1 million. However, when WorldAudio opened its initial public offering for $6.5 million in April 2002 prospectuses revealed two use agreements that gave the broadcaster leases on the Melbourne and Sydney licences at $2000 a month for 10 years and options to buy them in 2011 for $1 million. In one, Henry was to receive $800,000 of the purchase price and Marchant $200,000. In the other GBRadio would receive the money if it won its appeal in the AAT for the return of the two licences. Thomas said he struck the deal with WorldAudio because it agreed to broadcast his programs on its network, but even before GBRadio won in the AAT, the agreement began to unravel amid allegations from Thomas that WorldAudio's disclosure documents were misleading. Thomas says: "I would have been happy with the arrangement if WorldAudio had stuck to the deal but instead they wanted it all their own way. Now they are trying to use the court to take my licences from me." (Melbourne The Age, via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** BELARUS`. 'New' to the hobby again I was delighted to hear Radio Stalitsa in Bielorussia today for the first time on 6010 kHz. The DBS2003 doesn't mention it for this hour of 0342 when strong ID as 'Radio Stalitsa'. Gone 0400, but signal faded back a bit later - maybe with other program? (Finn Krone, Denmark, June 21, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. Regarding QSLing Radio Botswana, I have received a beautiful QSL : The reception report was sent on January 31st 2003; QSL Received on April 22nd, 2003. V/signer: Ted Makgekenene. QTH : Postal Bag 0060, Gaborone, Botswana. No US $ were sent, only a rtp [?] (César Pérez Dioses, Perú, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CHECHNYA [non]. LITHUANIA AGAIN SHUTS DOWN CHECHEN REBEL WEBSITE | Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Vilnius, 21 June: The Chechen separatist website Kavkaz-Tsentr has been shut down following demands from the Lithuanian State Security Department. A Vilnius-based company, Elneta [Elnet], has been its Internet service provider since 26 May. An independent commission of experts found that information posted on this website "can be seen as advocating terrorism, nationalism and inciting ethnic strife". After receiving the commission's findings, the State Security Department confiscated the Chechen separatists' server and the information it contained, the department's spokesman, Vytautas Makauskas, told an ITAR-TASS correspondent. Criminal proceedings have been launched. Lithuanian laws ban propaganda about terrorism or about ethnic, religious or any other strife. Makauskas also said that one of the main authors of the information posted on Kavkaz-Tsentr was wanted by Interpol for terrorism. "We do not have any information about his presence in Lithuania," Makauskas said. This is the second time Kavkaz-Tsentr has been shut down in Lithuania. [Since the start of 2003, Kavkaz-Tsentr website has been hosted by a Lithuanian and then by an Estonian and American ISP. It last moved back to Lithuania in late May.] Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0739 gmt 21 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) LITHUANIA SHUT DOWN CHECHEN WEB SITE DUE TO RUSSIAN PRESSURE, WEB SITE SAYS | Text of Kavkaz-Tsentr report published by Chechenpress news agency web site 21 June: On Friday [20 June] Lithuanian special services blocked the work of Kavkaz-Tsentr agency's server, citing as the reason the need to check the contents of the server for materials that contravene Lithuanian law. Earlier, on Monday and Thursday the Lithuanian special services twice called for a conversation the leaders of the Internet service provider and gently suggested to the provider that they stop serving the Kavkaz-Tsentr server. Both times the provider refused, suggesting to the Lithuanian State Security Department that they submit the necessary documents for closure. The leadership of the Lithuanian State Security Department said they were making their insistent requests, because Russia was expressing its dissatisfaction with the activity of Kavkaz-Tsentr and because the Chechen agency "might print some provocative article" (!!!) [punctuation as published by the web site]. At the end of the working day on Friday, at approximately 1600 local time [1300 gmt], representatives of the special services appeared at the Elnet Internet service provider and confiscated the server, having prepared in advance a protocol on confiscating a computer. When they found out what had happened, several deputies of the Lithuanian Seimas tried to hinder the illegal actions of the special services, but the deputies did not manage to contact the leadership of the Lithuanian State Security Department, as the head of the department had switched off his telephones. It is also known that at 1700 [1400 gmt] on Friday one of the deputies of the Lithuanian Seimas appeared on Lithuanian TV and called on the special services to stop breaking the laws of Lithuania, to return the Kavkaz-Tsentr server and not to hinder the activities of the Chechen agency. The deputy said that all the actions of the special services should be based on the law and not on the desires of Russia, which is demanding that Lithuania close the site on its territory. On Tuesday, at the request of the group of deputies supporting Chechnya, the Lithuanian Seimas is expected to examine at its sitting the illegal actions of the Lithuanian special services in blocking the work of Kavkaz-Tsentr. Source: Chechenpress web site, Tbilisi, in Russian 21 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hola Glenn, Efectivamente desde hace unas tres semanas sintonizo a Radio Rebelde en 25 metros, 11655 kHz. Casi siempre entre las 1600 y las 1730 UT, aproximadamente. Muy buena señal. En realidad no la había reportado porque pensaba que siempre había usado esa frecuencia. Al parecer no. Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La mar, VENEZUELA, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Re Good News 4 Me: Domain Names: GOODNEWS4ME.COM and GN4ME.COM Business Address: Good News Network, 2 Abdel Kader Hamza, Garden City, Cairo 11511 EGYPT. Tel +20 2 7924040, Fax: +20 2 3449104 (Network Solutions via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) Sounds like I got the URL wrong. It should be http://www.gn4me.com and the e mail for their media section which is called good news 4 media is media@gn4me.com (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, via Sennitt, DXLD) URL above converts to http://www.gn4me.com/gn4me/index.jsp but it`s blank, and least without Arabic script installed. Oh, far from blank when the source is viewed, full of javacript, starting with: META content= "News, arabic, arabian, gn4me, prayer times, TV, entertainment, finance, business, mobile, health, e-commerce, arabic press, chat, vote, technology, horoscopes, Islam, religion, events, discussions, gn4msnbc, banks, e-mail, dreams, diet, receipe, weather, stock riders, services, travel, elshal, Egypt, world, Cairo, Newyork" [sic] I guess that covers it; Coptic/Christian not mentioned (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE STEHT AN IHREM 50. GEBURTSTAG VOR VERAENDERUNGEN VON JUERGEN HEIN, dpa Koeln/Berlin (dpa) - Ihr 50. Geburtstag beschert der Deutschen Welle einen Umzug. Aus einem Asbest belasteten Hochhaus in Koeln zieht der deutsche Auslandssender in einen Neubau nach Bonn. Am 27. Juni werden Geburtstag und Ortswechsel der "DW" feierlich begangen. Hinter dem Sender liegen zahlreiche Umwaelzungen: deutsche Einheit, Personal-Abbau, Herausforderungen durch die Krisen auf dem Balkan, in Afghanistan und Irak. Jetzt signalisiert der Umzug einen Neuanfang. Auch die Mitarbeiter muessen auf weitere Veraenderungen gefasst sein. Intendant Erik Bettermann laesst keinen Zweifel: Die Deutsche Welle mit ihren Radio-, Fernseh- und Internet-Angeboten in mehr als 30 Sprachen werde nach wie vor gebraucht, fuer die Aussendarstellung Deutschlands und als Informationsquelle fuer Menschen in totalitaeren Staaten. "Die Erwartungen an Deutschland sind viel groesser, als das hier in Deutschland selbst wahrgenommen wird", sagt Bettermann. Juengstes Beispiel ist der Irak-Krieg. Wieder einmal machte die DW Krisenradio und -fernsehen, lieferte Informationen aus der Region in die Region, ergaenzt um die deutsche Einschaetzung. "Man erkennt einmal mehr, wie wichtig die DW als Bruecke zwischen dem Westen und anderen Teilen der Welt ist", sagt Khaoula Saleh vom Arabischen Programm. Dieses Ziel verfolgte die DW auch schon bei frueheren Krisen, in den Sprachen Paschtu und Dari fuer Afghanistan oder auf Serbisch, Kroatisch und Albanisch fuer den Balkan. Immer wollen die DW-Macher auch Multiplikatoren und Entscheider in den Regionen erreichen. Dabei gehe es aber nicht um platte Werbung fuer Deutschland, sagt DW- Sprecher Johannes Hoffmann: "Das A und O ist die Glaubwuerdigkeit." Bei ihrer Arbeit steht die DW seit Jahren unter Sparzwang. Die Zahl der Mitarbeiter sank von 2200 auf 1500. Der Etat, der aus Steuermitteln finanziert wird, schrumpfte in den vergangenen fuenf Jahren von 320 Millionen auf 277 Millionen Euro. Kritiker fragen nach dem Sinn eines nationalen Auslandsrundfunks im Zeitalter von Internet, Satelliten-Fernsehen und europaeischer Einigung. Die Hoerfunkprogramme kommen aus Koeln und demnaechst aus Bonn. In Berlin machen 500 DW-Mitarbeiter Fernsehen. Ihr Chef Christoph Lanz widerspricht vehement der Ansicht, es reiche doch, die ARD oder das ZDF weltweit zu verbreiten, statt zusaetzlich die DW zu betreiben. "Nehmen Sie nur die Bundeswehrreform als Beispiel", sagt Lanz, "bei den Inlandssendern steht natuerlich im Vordergrund, welche Kasernen geschlossen werden. Das interessiert international aber niemanden. Weltweit ist vielmehr die Nachricht interessant, dass sich die Bundeswehr noch mehr auf Auslands-Einsaetze einstellt und vorbereitet. Damit haben wir unsere Sendungen natuerlich aufgemacht." Auch wenn das Deutsche-Welle-Gesetz die Zukunft des Auslands- Senders sichert, wird sich die DW weiter aendern muessen. Bei den Mitarbeitern loest das auch Sorgen aus. Einerseits sollen sie auf Krisen in der Welt mit gezielten Programmen r%agieren. Andererseits koennen zum Beispiel afghanische Redakteure nicht ploetzlich Programme fuer arabische Laender machen, wenn sich dort ein neuer Krisenherd auftut. Ausserdem sei Bestaendigkeit wichtig, betont Hoffmann: In Afghanistan habe die DW nur deshalb so viel Resonanz, weil sie schon lange vor dem 11. September 2001 mit ihren Programmen praesent war. Eine Veraenderung laesst viele aber hoffen - die digitale Kurzwelle. Das Knistern verschwindet, die Programme klingen glasklar. Gesendet wird bei der DW schon in der neuen Technik, hoeren kann sie aber noch kaum jemand, denn dazu sind neue Radios noetig. In ein paar Jahren sollen sie nicht mehr teurer sein als heutige Kurzwellen-Geraete. Experten sagen, dies werde das Auslandsradio revolutionieren. (Internet: Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw-world.de) dpa kh eee ru (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Bonn 774 kHz was not shut down as it was first suspected, but at present maintenance work at the transmitter site requires silence periods of a couple of days at once. This week Hessischer Rundfunk started to wind up the hr-chronos network. A small note at the bottom of the hr-chronos webpage http://www.hr-online.de/hf/chronos/index.shtml announces that since Monday (June 16) own programming is already replaced by a hr-skyline relay in the 0700-1000 and 1300-1500 periods. On June 30 all own hr- chronos programming except for the foreign language broadcasts (1700- 2000) and occasional live coverage of events will finally disappear. On the technical side the Rodgau-Weiskirchen transmitter near Frankfurt at present runs only at 50 kW after the transmitter was damaged by lightning. Probably the fault was fixed in the meantime, word is that they had some problems in obtaining the required spare parts (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Hi, new site in IBB frequency list, I guess. JBR Jaszbereny HNG G.C. 47N35 019E52 in Armenian [not Arabic!], Russian, and Tajik. Ex Woofferton-UK, Lampertheim-GER. 9505 1600-1700 RFE RL-2 AR JBR 01 108 degrees 9760 0300-0400 RFE RL10 TA JBR 01 075 11710 0400-0500 RFE RL-1 RU JBR 01 055 11885 0500-0600 RFE RL-1 RU JBR 01 055 (IBB June 17) 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I read it in time to try 9505 Friday, and heard a loud signal there. Unfortunately, I didn`t log it my book, but from memory don't think it was Arabic --- would AR be Armenian? (Noel Green, England) Yes, it's indeed Armenian (Kai Ludwig, Germany) There are two listed 250 kW transmitters at JBR so the IBB has use of one of them, and a very nice site to serve the ME area (Noel Green) And Anténa Hungaria was able to sell some spare capacity. Actually not a big surprise, the Jászberény airtime is more or less a supplement service to Marcali 1188, just like the Voice of Russia slots at Jülich. By the way, I have a dim recollection that RFI used Jászberény for a short time, some ten years ago? (Kai Ludwig, all via Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY [non non]. Dear Kraig, Well, I got the word back from Gérald Théorêt, our frequency manager...and Radio Budapest is not using a Sackville transmitter. The 9590 kHz frequency for Budapest is from their Jaszbereny transmitter site, with 250 kW on a 306 azimuth. Hope this clears things up. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, RCI, via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** ICELAND. Hi, 13855 kHz has AFRTS Keflavik very strong at this hour. 1620 had a feature about 100 years with the Ford Company, then about traffic and public announcements about Middleton a.o. 1630 timepeep and CNN Radio News (21.06.2003) 73's (Finn Krone, Denmark, hard-core- dx via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. ON THE AIR: MUSEUM SHIPS 2003 On the air, K3CLG says that the 2003 Museum Ships Weekend special event stations will be held on the weekend July 19th and 20th. Operations will encompass all modes including phone, CW, PSK31, APRS and even contacts via the Internet Radio Linking Project or IRLP. You can check on all the details at this easy to copy URL. It`s all at http://www.qsl.net/ww2dd/event.html (K3CLG, Amateur Radio Newsline June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD)) ** IRAN [non]. Via Javaradio Sweden: CIS, 7480, Sedeye Payam E Doost (Bahai program for Iran) very strong and clear signal with talks in Farsi by the same woman announcer I have heard previously. 1816 June 18 singing by woman. Nice slow ID at 1819 (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Via Javaradio Sweden: CLANDESTINE from FRANCE? to IRAN 17510, KRSI: checking for this but just a clear channel. Too close to France for 17 MHz reception? I think they are perhaps on 17525 again. I didn't hear a signal, but quite a bit of jamming here. 1643 June 20 (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Seda-ye Iran heard to start at 1529 on 17525 June 21st with usual "fanfare" tune and marching song followed by clear ID at 1532. A strong signal in Blackpool [NW England] and no jammers audible so far. 73s (Noel R. Green, England, ibid.) Thanks, Noel. I just tried on the Javaradio at Gatwick and I could get them. Fair signal, but no jamming, ID at 1603. (Hans Johnson, June 21, ibid.) ** IRAQ. IRAQ/USA: TWO NEW TV STATIONS FOR IRAQ OBSERVED ON SATELLITE | Text of report by Monitoring research on 20 June BBC Monitoring has observed two new digital TV stations, believed to be broadcasting to Iraq from Eutelsat W1, a European satellite located at 10 degrees east. The two stations, on 11106 MHz and 11100 MHz vertical polarization, broadcast in parallel from 1100 gmt beginning with a caption in Arabic which read, 'IMN Iraqi Media Network', followed by a mix of news, cartoons and films. Earlier, whilst the 11106 MHz again channel carried a film, the 11100 MHz outlet displayed a caption in Arabic which read 'Twin Rivers TV - VHF ch 11', and, 'Twin Rivers TV - UHF ch 37'. The Iraqi Media Network has now replaced the information ministry, which has been dissolved by Paul Bremer, the ruler of Iraq installed by the Bush administration, to run the media activities in Iraq. A radio station identifying as the Iraqi Media Network was first observed by BBC Monitoring in April 2003, broadcasting on a number of frequencies formally used by the Republic of Iraq Main Service. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 20 Jun 03 (via DXLD) IRAQ/USA: PAPER INTERVIEWS TV OFFICIAL ON IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK The Iraqi Media Network (IMN) has now replaced the information ministry, which has been dissolved by Paul Bremer, the ruler of Iraq installed by the Bush administration, to run the media activities in Iraq, begins a report by the Baghdad-based newspaper Al-Hilal. Al-Rikabi, a TV official, explained that the IMN was run by Iraqi cadres from inside Iraq in collaboration with foreign experts and coalition forces, pointing out that the organization is a free independent institution, financed by the interim coalition authority, continues the report. He condemned the dissolving of the information ministry as hasty, urging Bremer to find employment within the IMN for former ministry staff. Al-Rikabi pointed out that Iraq is now becoming a private media environment, creating competition within the industry. He said, "We are now trying to prepare the new generation of media men who have the ability and courage to say the truth without fear or courtesy". He promised to install new TV and radio networks in Iraq, adding that the inability to transmit news bulletins was due to a lack of studio and newsgathering resources. Source: Baghdad Al-Hilal in English 20 Jun 03 p 6 (via BBCM via DXLD) IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK TV ON AIR, CARRIES NEWS BULLETIN FROM BAGHDAD At 1545 gmt the Iraqi Media Network TV station was carrying a caption saying: Iraqi Media Network welcomes you in its test transmission. This caption was repeated several times afterwards. This TV station is received on the 11106 MHz frequency, horizontal polarization via Eutelsat W1, 10 degrees east. The TV station was relaying entertainment programmes such as songs from the Egyptian Dream TV. The TV station was trying to obscure, unsuccessfully, the Dream TV logo. At 1600 gmt, the Iraqi TV relayed a news bulletin [see below]. The female announcer said: I am Zaynab Salim. I greet you from Baghdad and present to you today's main news headlines. Then the male announcer said: I am Ra'd Nabil from the Iraqi Media Network. Then Salim and Nabil took turn to present the news headlines: 1. Two elements from Iraqi army who were participating in demonstrations were killed in Baghdad by coalition forces yesterday. Round-up of people's opinions complaining from lack of security and order. Video showing joint patrols composed of men from coalition forces and Iraqi security men. TV shows members of coalition forces holding children who lost their parents. One of the soldier is quoted as saying: we are among citizens and children and the way they deal with us facilitates our mission. 2. Report over video, with people's opinions, on lack of security and highlighting problems facing transport sector in Baghdad. 3. Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrate in Baghdad demanding jobs and calling for speeding up formation of Iraqi national government. 4. Report over video on problems faced by Iraqi citizens as financial institutions, shops and others are not accepting the 10,000-dinar banknote. Round-up of Iraqi people's opinions on this issue. Several people complain that they have been to various banks and shops but nobody is accepting the 10,000 dinar-banknote. 5. Report over video on port activities at Umm-Qasr harbour showing arrival of imported car from UAE. US officials are shown attending ceremony of arrival of first merchant ship carrying cars from UAE. 6. Oil Ministry source said oil to be pumped as of next month. Report over video. [From the contents and the tone of this TV station, it appears pro- American or American-backed]. The TV went off air at 1617 gmt. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 20 Jun 03 (via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. After approximately 25 years of trying, I got --- an envelope in the mail from the "People's Democratic Republic of Korea" (i.e. North Korea) with another envelope inside it with a DPRK pin, a propaganda booklet (many color pictures of factories, mines, and hilarious titles for articles), a program schedule, a blank reception report form, and a letter referring to an "enclosed" QSL --- but after thorough inspection, there was no QSL! I probably also got my name placed in some Federal intelligence agencies file, as well. If it wasn't already there due to mail received during the cold war from various Communist countries, Iran in the late 80's, and Yemen last year. The QSL would have made it worth it!:) After this experience WMFQ came to mind very quickly, because once I realized that the QSL had not been included, I was repeating over and over in my mind the words to their call sign! The it occurred to me that this sort of experience is what probably inspired WMFQ to begin with! And WMFQ will send you an f'ing QSL, sometimes just for a log, and they won't send any f'ing propaganda books with pictures of factories! (Ross Comeau, Free Radio Weekly June 20 via DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. Via Javaradio Sweden CLANDESTINE from CIS to MIDDLE EAST: 11645, Voice of Liberty, 1646 June 20 with IDs by woman as Itha'at Hurriya. Channel is a mess; someone running a carrier co- channel so it is hard to get clear reception (Hans Johnson, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MOROCCO [non]. TWR STEPS UP PROGRAMMING TO ILLITERATES IN THE MIDDLE EAST TWR recently debuted a new 15-minute weekly Berber Rif program specifically designed to reach non-readers in Morocco. Since illiteracy is high among the Berber tribes in that country, the Rif language broadcast (as well as Tamazight, Sous, and Kabyle) is directed at this people group. The Kabyle program, which began last fall, is specifically for women. Because non-readers process what they hear much differently than readers, these programs often use storytelling as the vehicle to touch listeners' hearts. To learn more about TWR’s extensive ministry in the Middle East region, surf to http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/world/middle_east.php (TWR E-Snapshots June via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) Not only does TWR propagate imaginary theological ideas, but they imagine Morocco be in the Middle East. Some of the `people groups` mentioned here are also found in Algeria (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. R. Willkamayu, Cusco, 10354.9, letter and postcards in 12 days. V/S: Julio César Tello Aguilar. E-mail: acv66_starmedia.com or acv2000@yahoo.com (Hideki Watanabe, Saitama, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo June 10 via DXLD) Date heard? Evidently no longer active; not reported longly ** PERU [and non]. When I heard Radio Gaúcha (Brazil) on 6020.3 kHz two days ago (19 JUNE) slightly after 0400 UT when REE closed down, I thought it would be a fine time to listen to this station on this clear channel. I heard a time announcement "1 y 3" and later I found the station fading out for the day at 0425... But this morning (21 JUNE) after 0400 UT I found Radio Victoria (Peru) on this frequency of 6020.3 kHz (exactly 6020.27) with a fair signal. I heard a time announcement "11:14" and an ID "Radio Victoria, La Voz de la Liberación", followed by religion produced by Iglésia Pentecostal. Quite nice signal still at 0500 and then at 0504 there was something like an announcement in Portuguese. Followed by a priest, by whom I was not sure if he was speaking Portuguese or Spanish - "espiritu santu... and so on...". It recalled those first broadcasts of Iglésia Pentecostal via Radio Táchira (4830) back in the middle of 90's or so, where brazilian priests (or the only one at the beginning?) were speaking more Portuguese than Spanish... Radio Victoria still heard before 0530, since 0530 I got a feeling I heard only a weak carrier and no modulation. Could not do anything with it because of bad QRM from Hungary on 6025 kHz... GOOD DX, (Karel Honzik the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** POLAND [and non]. I BELIEVE, THEREFORE NO? The Pope has clearly said he himself would vote yes to EU membership. But the divisions within the Polish Catholic Church remain. --- by Wojciech Kosc CRACOW, Poland -- ``This is Radio Maryja, the Catholic voice in your house,`` a woman`s voice announces, using the catchphrase of a radio station that, for some 5 million Poles, is not just any Catholic voice, but the voice of the Catholic Church. For many other Poles, Catholics included, it is a xenophobic channel that compromises Polish Catholicism. For yet others, it is simply a laughing stock . . . http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=46&NrSection=2&NrArticle=9714 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D. C. Circ 1974). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: May 29, 2002 John Winston (202) 418- 7450 FCC INVESTIGATION LEADS TO SEIZURE OF UNLICENSED FM RADIO EQUIPMENT Washington, D. C. – Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that an investigation by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau led to the seizure of unlicensed broadcast radio equipment operated by Mr. Amil Lugo-González. The station had been operating on 99.5 MHz from Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The FCC San Juan Office, working in conjunction with the United States Marshals Service and the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, seized the broadcasting equipment on May 21, 2002. The FCC, on more than one occasion, had issued notices to Mr. Lugo- González directing him to cease operation of the unlicensed station. The operation of an unlicensed broadcast station is a violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Operators of illegal unlicensed broadcast stations may be subject to monetary penalties of up to $11,000 per violation, seizure by court order of all radio equipment involved in the operation, and court order directing that those persons cease operation of the unlicensed station. In addition, unlicensed operators may be subject to criminal sanctions, including fines and imprisonment. - FCC - Enforcement Bureau Contact: John Winston at (202) 418- 7450 TTY 1( 888) 835- 5322 (via Terry Krueger, FL, June 21, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOICE OF RUSSIA LEADS WAY IN DIGITAL RADIO | Excerpt from report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 21 June: Golos Rossii (Voice of Russia) radio has become the first digital radio station in the country. Starting Saturday, 21 June, the radio station will broadcast to Europe four hours a day in a digital format. [Passage omitted] The radio station is using only one transmitter for digital broadcasts but all others are expected to go digital in the very near future to cover all continents by the end of the year. Voice of Russia carried out the first experiments with digital broadcasting in Irkutsk in 2000. According to specialists from the department of technical management of the Russian television and radio broadcasting network, Russia will finish the transition to digital beaming by the year 2015. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 1420 gmt 21 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? That info has appeared here before ** RUSSIA. ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VERSION OF PUTIN'S WEBSITE LAUNCHED An English-language version of Russian President Vladimir Putin's official website is now available on the Internet, Russian Mayak radio reported on 20 June. The link to the page is located at Putin's Russian-language website at www.kremlin.ru, the radio added. Source: Radio Mayak, Moscow, in Russian 1400 gmt 20 Jun 03 i.e. http://www.kremlin.ru/eng See him sail off Vladivostok (gh, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [and non]. Ultimate item on this week`s On the Media (June 20) is about the V. of Tigers, LTTE station; penultimate is an interview with Nick Grace about clandestine radio in general. Details and audio links: Clandestine Radio Radio stations with a political agenda are virtually as old the medium itself. Throughout the 20th century, these gadfly stations have irritated governments of the nations that receive their signals. Recently, more and more underground radio stations have begun operating above ground. Brooke talks with Nick Grace, Managing Editor of clandestineradio.com, about the range and influence of clandestine radio stations worldwide. The Tigers' Roar The young cease-fire between the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tiger rebels is again in jeopardy, after the Tigers rejected the government's latest compromise proposal. Meanwhile, ethnic minority Tamils continue to tune into 'Voice of Tigers' - the radio station run by the guerrillas. Miranda Kennedy reports from Sri Lanka on the official broadcast outlet of the unofficial Tamil homeland http://www.wnyc.org/onthemedia/ (gh, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Taipei Radio International (CBS) will change their name to Taiwan Radio International from July 1. Visit http://www.cbs.org.tw/ (Gaku Iwata, dxing.info via DXLD) No, the site says at http://www.cbs.org.tw/english/index.htm ``(2003/06/18) Starting July 1st, the 12 foreign languages of RTI will begin broadcasting with a new call sign: Radio Taiwan International.`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST, also via Swopan Chakroborty) ** TAIWAN. What's new in RTI programming for June and July! Check out these new programs and series coming to RTI in June and July! Tune in to "Stage, Screen and Studio" with Doris Owyang Beginning July 7th, Doris Owyang will host a new program called "Stage, Screen and Studio" which will air every Monday on Hour Two. From inspiration and creation to production and exhibition, she'll give you a sneak peak into Taiwan's galleries and theaters. See program schedule for broadcast time and frequency. New "Culture Express" Series beginning June 17! Beginning June 17th, Huang Wen-ling will run a serialization of ``A Stretch of Green`` by Pai Hsien-yung from Pai`s collection of short stories ``Taipei People``. The story tells of the transformation of a young woman from innocence to worldliness after a series of tragic events. See program schedule for broadcast information. Past Culture Express series include: ``The Orphan of Asia`` by Wu Chuo-liu (1900-1975) and ``The Dragon Sky Tavern`` by Wang Wen-hsing. "Instant Noodles" with Andrew Ryan beginning 6/18! It's delicious, and far from nutritious... it's Instant Noodles! Check out a new version of this old favorite with Andrew Ryan, which airs on Hour One each Wednesday. In Instant Noodles, Andrew looks at the wackiest news coming out of the Asia-Pacific region. See program schedule for broadcast time and frequency. Send us a wacky piece of news from your part of the world, and you could win a prize. If your news item is silly (or stupid!) enough to use in our program, you'll receive a prize in the mail. Submissions can be sent to PO Box 24-38, Taipei, Taiwan ROC. Or send email to: androo@cbs.org.tw Central Broadcasting System, No. 55, Pei An Road, Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw RTI Global Exchange Competition RTI Mailbag Time's Global Exchange segment is a fun and interesting way to exchange ideas and experiences from various cultures. Every month, we pose a new question to listeners, and every week we choose a few listener's answers to read in Mailbag Time. These listeners will receive souvenirs from RTI and some answers will be shared in Taipeiwave, the English Service newsletter. So join our global exchange and write us at natalie@cbs.org.tw Here are our June and July topics: JUNE What refreshing food or drink do you enjoy to cool yourself off in the summer? JULY What is your favorite summer time activity? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Central Broadcasting System No.55 Pei An Road Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India; Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, DXLD) ** U K. BBC REQUESTS HELP OF GB2RS LISTENERS IN MAKING TV DOCUMENTARY The BBC has requested the help of amateurs, CB operators and listeners in the making of a television documentary. The BBC is making a programme on the 1984 to 85 miners` strike, which will be broadcast on BBC Two next year. At a local level during the strike, it is known that pickets were coordinated using CB radio. The BBC is hoping to find people who may have listened to these picketing arrangements being made, particularly those in the Doncaster area of South Yorkshire. If you think you can help, please contact Fiona Blair on 0208 752 7837 or e-mail fiona.blair@bbc.co.uk (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News script June 22 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. GB2RS 5 MHZ BROADCASTS START NEXT SUNDAY GB2RS news will be broadcast next Sunday, the 29th of June, for the first time on 5[+] MHz upper sideband, as part of continuing propagation investigations. The news transmission will be at 12.30pm BST [1130 UT] on 5405 kHz. To commemorate the occasion, GB5RS will also be operating on 3645 and 7045 kHz, and will be gathering reception reports on the 5 MHz news broadcast. For a period of one month only short wave listeners and radio amateurs may obtain a special QSL card issued by the North Cheshire Radio Club. However, to qualify, 5 MHz reception reports must be sent in writing using the SINPO code format and quoting QTH Locator. Reports should be sent by post to G3LEQ, whose address is correct in the RSGB Yearbook, and an SASE must be enclosed if a QSL card is required in return. Due to the short time scale involved in this experiment, reports via the QSL bureau cannot be accepted. Queries, but not reception reports, may be made by e-mail to gb2rs@boltblue.com or via 01 565 652 652 (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News script June 22 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. New site in IBB list: Jaszbereny HUNGARY, q.v. ** U S A. THE WAY WE LIVE NOW SIGNALS FROM NOWHERE --- By WALTER KIRN http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/magazine/22WWLN.html?ex=1057165064&ei=1&en=7cc5f78334eb83ce I used to take a long road trip every year or two, usually in the middle of the summer, with no fixed schedule or specific destination, just a vague intention to try new foods and admire the changing scenery. And though I always took along an atlas, I rarely used it. I navigated by radio. You used to be able to do that in America: chart your course by the accents, news and songs streaming in from the nearest AM transmitter. A drawling update on midday cattle prices meant I was in Wyoming or Nebraska. A guttural rant about city-hall corruption told me I'd reach Chicago within the hour. A soaring, rhythmic sermon on fornication -- Welcome to Alabama. The music, too. Texas swing in the Southwest oil country. Polka in North Dakota. Nonstop Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs. What's more, the invisible people who introduced the songs gave the impression that they listened to them at home. They were locals, with local tastes. I felt like a modern Walt Whitman on those drives. When I turned on the radio, I heard America singing, even in the dumb banter of ''morning zoo'' hosts. But then last summer, rolling down a highway somewhere between Montana and Wisconsin, something new happened. I lost my way, and the radio couldn't help me find it. I twirled the dial, but the music and the announcers all sounded alike, drained, disconnected from geography, reshuffling the same pop playlists and canned bad jokes. What a miserable trip. I heard America droning. Recently, I found out whom to blame: a company called Clear Channel Communications. The mammoth buyer and consolidator of hundreds of independent local radio stations -- along with its smaller competitors, Infinity Broadcasting and Cumulus Media -- is body- snatching America's sonic soul, turning Whitman's vivacious democratic cacophony into a monotonous numbing hum. No matter where a person lives these days (particularly in Minot, N.D., where Clear Channel runs all six commercial stations in town), he's probably within range of an affiliate, if not three or four, since the company buys in bulk: pop stations, rock stations, talk stations, the works. Worse, quite a few of these stations don't really exist -- not in the old sense. They're automated pods, downloading their programming from satellites linked to centralized, far-off studios where announcers who have never even set foot in Tucson, Little Rock, Akron or Boston -- take your pick -- rattle off promos and wisecracks by the hundreds, then flip a switch and beam them to your town as if they're addressing its residents personally, which they aren't. They don't even know the weather there. What results is a transcontinental shower of sound that seems to issue from heaven itself, like the edicts of the Wizard of Oz. In a way that other media companies can only dream of (though a controversial recent F.C.C. rule change permitting concentrated corporate ownership of television stations may eventually make these dreams true), Clear Channel controls its portion of the airwaves as thoroughly as Britannia once ruled the oceans. Even the F.C.C. has faced this fact, which may be why, of all the broadcast media it is allowing to clump together for market share, it made one pointed exception: radio. Clear Channel holds no monopoly by any means -- its nearly 1,250 stations represent only 10 percent or so of the national total -- but considering that the company was founded only in 1996, its growth rate is astonishing. If given another 10 years to spread unchecked, Clear Channel might cover the dial from end to end, not just in some cities, but coast to coast. America would be one big Minot then, with literally nowhere to turn except Clear Channel. This prospect might not be so troubling if radio weren't the most intensely intimate of all electronic media, forging a bond between broadcaster and listener that feels, even though it's not real, like true companionship. Though TV news anchors like to fancy themselves as guests in their audience's living rooms, they sit behind an impenetrable wall of glass that no amount of feigned eye contact can overcome. Between TV and TV land there's always a fence, but radio creates a different landscape -- open, inclusive, neighborly. When a D.J. asks a trivia question and promises concert tickets to the fifth caller who answers correctly, my urge to pick up the phone is instantaneous, as is my urge to wait to hear who won, in case I know him, and very often I do. This sense of connection is fragile, though. Bounce it off an orbiting satellite, cut it with generic pretaped humor bits, then filter it through some distant corporate headquarters, and radioland will be a land of strangers. Clear Channel's critics -- who multiply each day, it seems -- tend to come from the political left. Their big beef is the network's supposed conservative bias, which, for attentive regular listeners, isn't supposition at all. The powerful syndicator of Rush Limbaugh and numerous other popular right-wing talk-jocks is truer and bluer than Oliver North's flag pin. But for me, that's a minor grievance, mere partisan grumbling. It's the creeping paralysis of our national vocal cords and the gradual atrophying of our eardrums that bothers me and would surely have bothered Whitman. That's why I'll probably skip this summer's road trip: I fear that I'll drive my car into a ditch. Radio from nowhere produced by nobodies eventually makes you nod off at the wheel. Walter Kirn is the author, most recently, of ''Up in the Air,'' a novel (NY Times Magazine via Joel Rubin, DXLD) ** U S A. SENATE BEGINS PROCESS TO REVERSE NEW F.C.C. RULES ON MEDIA June 20, 2003 By STEPHEN LABATON The Senate has started the process of reversing the recent decision by federal regulators to loosen media ownership rules. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/20/business/media/20RULE.html?ex=1057101714&ei=1&en=81876404ae2eaffe [registration required] (via Roger Chambers, DXLD) SENATE PANEL VOTES TO ROLL BACK FCC RULES DE-REGULATION OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP TAKEN TO TASK By MARILYN GEEWAX, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 19 WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan majority of the Senate Commerce Committee voted Thursday to roll back new regulations that allow greater concentration of media ownership. The legislation faces an uncertain fate in the full Senate and considerable resistance in the House. But the committee's approval boosted the hopes of those who want less media concentration than the Federal Communications Commission granted earlier this month. On a voice vote, the committee approved a bill by Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) that would reverse the FCC's move to increase the share of national audience a TV owner can reach from 35 to 45 percent. The panel added an amendment that would reinstate a rule barring companies from owning a monopoly newspaper and the dominant TV station in the same market. "This was a good day for us," Jonathan Rintels, a screenwriter who works with the Center for the Creative Community, a group representing writers, directors and other artists who want to restrain media ownership. Demands for Congress to get involved began June 2 when the Republican-dominated FCC voted 3-2 along party lines to relax media restrictions. Supporters said the decades-old restrictions had become obsolete in an age of cable TV, satellite broadcasts, the Internet and other technologies. Dissenters say the FCC went much too far, opening the door to mergers that could further concentrate control over information. They fear greater market control by media giants such as Viacom, Walt Disney Co., Fox parent company News Corp., AOL Time Warner, Gannett and Media General. A coalition of consumer advocates, gun owners, civil rights activists, religious groups, writers, musicians and others launched a letter-writing campaign to the FCC in support of tough ownership caps. Before the agency made its decision, it received nearly 750,000 public comments, with 99.9 percent opposed to greater media concentration. Congress members now clearly "think this is a serious issue" and will make something happen, Rintels, the screenwriter, said after the hearing. "I would like the FCC to start all over again," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), who expressed concern about "potentially dangerous" newspaper-broadcast combinations. As an example of too little media diversity, she pointed to Cox Enterprises Inc., which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSB-TV and several radio stations in the Atlanta market. Cox, parent company of Cox Newspapers, opposed the lifting of the 35 percent cap on national television ownership, but favored elimination of the cross-ownership rule for newspapers and broadcasters. Several lawmakers have suggested using various legislative tactics to reverse the FCC, such as passing a "resolution of disapproval" to overturn the new rules or prohibiting the use of federal money to implement them. The Stevens-Hollings bill takes a more direct approach. But supporters concede its chances for final passage may be slim because Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, supports the FCC's new rules. "It'll be a tough slog in the House," Rintels said. In addition, Commerce Secretary Don Evans has indicated the White House supports the FCC's action. But Thursday's vote could provide political momentum for some type of action. For example, Stevens also chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Later this year, he may be able to attach the 35-percent ownership cap as an amendment to a must-pass appropriations bill. If anyone were to question the ethics of that, he could note that the Commerce Committee approved the same legislation on a bipartisan vote. "Given our momentum, even Billy Tauzin may not be able to save the industry," said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, an advocacy group that opposed the FCC decision. (c) 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. DIFFERENT KIND OF OLDIES SHOW UPDATE: I will be presenting the show live tonight, a busy work week and a swollen knee made it so I couldn't prerecord a show during the week. So while we can't be at the UGHA show tonight that honors the 50th anniversary of The Harptones, I will be playing the music of this fabulous vocal group tonight on D*K*O*S. Join us tonight on WBCQ for the first hour or via the web at http://www.doowopcafe.net/doowop.ram or http://www.live365.com/stations/15660 for all three hours ("Big Steve" Coletti, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO EUROSTAR: Glenn, Concerning the Eastern European pirate in the Chicago Area reported in reported on DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-108, June 17, 2003 on the frequency of 87.9 MHz. The station in question is Radio EuroStar and they broadcast in the Czech and Slovak languages 24 hours a day. They have been on the air at least since August of 2002. That is when I first heard them. I can hear them well at home in Chicago's western suburb of Wood Dale using an outdoor FM antenna. I can hear them on my car driving in western sububrs of Chicago as well. They are most likely located the northwest part of Chicago. I have noticed their signal to be best in the area of Irving Park Road and Harlem Avenue in Chicago. Incidentally, there is a quite a large Czech & Slovak community in that area. The station gives a phone number of 773-725-6039 (Christos Rigas, Wood Dale, Illinois, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Does the FCC care? Seems to be operating with impunity (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. From Greg Majewski: In FRW 386, there was a comment from George Zeller about a letter to the editor mentioning KIPM. As result of the comment, In FRW 387, Kirk Wines commented on KIPM programming and material. Here are my thoughts on the matter. KIPM material is very familiar to me. In the fifties and sixties, I read a lot of ``pulp`` science fiction and horror comics. Many of KIPM shows use the same themes as those stories. Yes, there is a dark side to some of them. The dark side of life has been a part of art. Here are some examples, The Scream. Sophie`s Choice is movie about a parent`s nightmare. The original Twilight Zone had its dark stories, that why it was not a prime time show. The KIPM QSLs (which are well made)have the look of an old horror comic book. There is only one show (The Adversary) that bothered me. The problem was it was too much like real life and the sick things that people can do and have done in the name of God. The issue may be when fiction/fantasy is too close to reality and the imagined fear becomes real. I enjoy the KIPM shows which are excellent productions (as George noted). The KIPM shows are part of the diverse listening that is available only on Free Radio, which I do enjoy. One of the reasons I listen for them (Greg Majewski, Free Radio Weekly June 20 via DXLD) And from Alan Maxwell, the final word: It looks like a good time for me to make a few comments on some of the statements regarding KIPM. First let me say how much I do certainly appreciate all the support and kind letters and emails that I have received not just in the last couple of weeks, but since first firing up the transmitter several years ago. First I would like to comment on the rumor that I have plans to retire KIPM in the near future, or that I might stop future broadcast activity unless I get a bunch of support mail. The fact is I do plan to continue transmitting on a limited basis in the future. How much is hard to say currently, based on many other demands for my time. Also the liability of transmitting is something that I have to continue to weigh. If all goes well, listeners should get a chance to hear new material a few times a year. But the idea that I will stop transmitting because a few folks don`t like what I do is complete rubbish! When I first started producing these shows, I realized that a significant percentage of the listening population would undoubtedly not be able to relate to my format. If I were not creating alienation among some of the listeners out there, I would feel like I`m not doing my job! In fact, I try and post some of the more amusing ``hate mail`` letters on the KIPM website. But I also expected that there would be many listeners that would very much appreciate the format and material. And after over 1000 positive letters and countless more emails, I`m glad to say that your mail has confirmed that what I do does have resonance among many listeners out there! For that I`m quite grateful. What I probably did a bad job of communicating to individuals in the recent past is that if there really was no one out there in the listening community that ``identified`` with what I do, then indeed, there would be no point in continuing to put the time and effort into these shows. But clearly that is not the case. While there will always be a significant portion of the market that do not enjoy what I do, there is a sizable group that feel the other way. I do make comments from time to time that I may give up pirate transmitting on the SW spectrum. This has nothing to do with the fact that listeners like or dislike what I do. It`s more a matter of weighing the size of the listening audience and the time involved versus the associated risk and liability of continuing to transmit on SW pirate radio. I really don`t give a damn what the majority of the listeners think about me, or what I do quite frankly. The day I worry about who or what is going to be offended or ``not get it`` will be the day I hang the whole thing up. I expect (most) of my shows to be controversial, and I would be disappointed if I simply transmitted formats, and ideas that one can get via normal media outlets. The thing that I do take exception with is the recent comments by George Zeller in the FRW that stated his surprise that anyone out there would actually ``identify`` with my format and material. Apparently I`m not the only one that disagreed. I received several emails over that weekend regarding that statement from others that found the comment a bit off the mark. I have no problem with the fact that George may not like what I do, or doesn`t enjoy it, but to make the comment that he is so surprised that there is someone out there in the listening community that identifies with my material is at best misinformed, and at worst mean-spirited. I assume that since George has a monthly column on pirate radio, he would have some idea of what`s going on in the associated community. Perhaps George only associates with a very select group of pirate listeners out there? Just as George has the right to say whatever he feels, soI (as a pirate op) have the right to reply to what I find to be an incorrect public statement. I may not be popular among the ranks that George spends time with, but that`s ok, I just don`t think his comment was completely accurate. Tell me my material sucks, or that my shows are crazy and a waste of a listener`s time, but to deny the fact that I have a large listener following is simply not accurate. I would think that one in George`s position would want to encourage and promote pirate radio, not serve up biting comments about the perceived size of an individual pirate operator`s audience. I`m not looking to start WW III here, but simply to go on the record that I disagree with the accuracy of this statement. That`s not to say I have not agreed with much of what George has said in the past. Another thing that I cannot take all the credit for is the amazing readings performed by the actors who participate in the dramatic episodes. The other actors are also folks from the pirate community, and not only do they not get paid for what they do, they don`t even get credit of having their name mentioned at the end of each show! To these folks I thank them for their incredible performances. My shows would not be what they are, if it wasn`t for the hard work of these individuals. In the end I hope individuals will formulate their feelings about KIPM based on what they experience directly, and not based on what other less informed 3rd party`s suggest as the facts. All I can promise is that shows that air in the future will continue to be just as controversial, different, and with the same strange ambiance that makes KIPM what so many have come to expect (Alan Maxwell, KIPM, Free Radio Weekly June 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. THEATER --- 'FREQUENCY' ZAPS SOCIETY'S BIZARRE OBSESSIONS By Peter Marks, Washington Post Staff Writer, Saturday, June 21, 2003; Page C01 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17825-2003Jun20.html It's possible that even Dan Rather might get a kick out of "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?," the gleefully malicious poison dart that Ian Allen and Monique LaForce aim at Americans' obsessions with TV anchors, crime-scene reenactments and the endless dissecting of the inane imbroglios of the famous. Recounted in the arched-eyebrow style of hip investigative films like Errol Morris's "The Thin Blue Line," "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" suggests that at heart we are a nation of armchair paranoiacs, eager to believe that in every unsolved mystery, the likeliest explanation is also the one that would be the hardest to accept. The title's bizarre query, of course, is the phrase an assailant was said to have muttered to Rather on a Manhattan street in 1986, moments before he pummeled the CBS anchor, for reasons that have never been fully clarified. (A convict, in prison for manslaughter, was later reported to have admitted to the attack, though the playwrights claim that in a recent communication, the inmate implied he wasn't responsible.) The mystifying episode, unfairly or not, has long fed a mythology about a kooky side of one of the nation's pre-eminent news readers: the Dan Rather of the alien gaze, the hillbilly lexicon, the icky sign off. (Remember "Courage"?) Though the newsman is rather wonderfully pilloried in this Cherry Red production by actor John Tweel, who captures both his telltale Texas twang and his oddly formal cadences, the play is only tangentially an easy-target parody. What the authors have created at Source Theatre, where the show plays at 11 on Friday and Saturday nights, is a clever, insightful mocu-drama about our idolatrous devotion to the shadows on the screen and the national conviction that their stories are more meaningful than ours. The piece, directed by Allen and LaForce, is chockablock with nifty notions, not the least of them a hilarious series of climactic scenes enacted with puppets. Still, "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" is best viewed as a piece in mid-construction. The authors, clearly smitten by their own conceits, allow too many of them to unfold at extravagant length, or to be repeated too many times. With snappier pacing and an unforgiving red pencil, the show could be pared from about two hours to a sleeker and more digestible 90 minutes. As the production also seeks to mock the melancholy slickness of a Morris documentary or the self-congratulatory tone of a film by Oliver Stone, the technical aspects must be crisp, or at any rate, much sharper than they appear to be now. And just as crucially, B. Stanley, who plays the central role of Narrator, needs to commit his lines to memory. He's got a lot of words to say, to be sure, but the sense of any pulsating urgency is lost when the omniscient presence at the core of the show has to resort to index cards. A more disciplined production need not blot out the show's aura of cheeky whimsy. Indeed, one of the play's charms is its rock-solid belief in its own ludicrous assumptions, starting with a kind of blind faith that "What Is the Frequency?" is the "Rosebud" of our time, a national riddle that keeps us all tossing and turning night after night. Mimicking the pulpy filmic impulse to return to the scene of the crime, "Kenneth" plays and replays that weird encounter on a sidewalk of New York. ("Where was Abraham Zapruder when we needed him?" Cherry Red's satirists seem to be asking.) The stentorian Narrator, looking a bit like Jeff Greenfield in oversize Swifty Lazar spectacles, examines the event with prosecutorial sincerity, presenting the arcane pieces of evidence with a DA's unwavering confidence that this all has to add up to something big. The seemingly nonsensical phrase at the center of the mystery -- a question that inspired a hit song by R.E.M. -- is methodically parsed, subjected to the authors' trial-and-error of absurd alternative scenarios. In a succession of funny blackout sketches, it is suggested that a shaken Rather, mistaken for someone else, misheard his attacker. "Where's the freakin' C, Kenneth?" an addled drug addict demands of Tweel's dumbfounded Rather in one skit. In another, a gay man, confusing the anchorman with a rival for his boyfriend, blurts out, "What, is this freak seeing Kenneth?" Over and over, the words are regurgitated, as if Rather were the hero of one of the unhappier Greek myths doomed to relive the episode throughout eternity. This being a modern fable, however, the space is outfitted with the contemporary tools of mythmaking. Tweel is often bathed in the cool blue glow of tube light; three televisions are perched on the edges of the stage, broadcasting chapter headings, à la Ken Burns, and embroidering the narrative with authenticating photographic details, nicely assembled by Rob Parrish. Naturally, the detective yarn has to come up with its own theory of the crime, and the one Allen and LaForce settle on is outrageously spurious, a conspiracy-spinner's tour de force. It's liberally adapted from a 2001 essay in Harper's by Paul Limbert Allman. The late novelist Donald Barthelme is ridiculously implicated, the clues dizzily excavated from his prose. "What is the frequency?" and a character named Kenneth do apparently make appearances in his fiction. Stanley's Narrator could take a little more pleasure in revealing these wildly flimsy corroborations; the joy here is in our collective media cynicism, our mutual understanding that the modern mechanisms for editing and processing information allow us to reorder facts with ease, often in scandalously misleading ways. The other performers, particularly a terrific Melissa-Leigh Douglass, impersonating several women who figure in the story, are playful pawns in this act of subversion; listen to the way they all put quotation marks around innocuous words, like "rather," in dramatizations of the suspect writer's short stories. Douglass even brings a funny brittleness to the female voices of the waggish puppets (the handiwork of Dawn Swartz and Kevin O'Meara) in scenes that bring the reams of questionable evidence to a coherent finale. The authors of "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" are actually assembling the pieces to a more enduring puzzle, about the desperate lengths we go to get to the bottom of everything. Why devote so much imagination and energy to such a silly cul-de-sac in the history of celebrity affairs? Well, yes, exactly. Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?, written and directed by Ian Allen and Monique LaForce, based on an essay by Paul Allman. Set, Kim Deane; lighting, Mike Daniels; costumes, Rhonda Key. With Kwame Wallace, Chalmers Hood, Marcus Lawrence. Approximately two hours. Through July 28 at Source Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. Call 202-298-9077 or visit http://www.cherryredproductions.com © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. 60-METER RULES ADD NEW RECORD-KEEPING REQUIREMENT When the five new 60-meter channels become available to US Amateur Radio operators at midnight (12 AM) local time on July 3, the rules will impose a new record-keeping requirement for hams. The requirement applies only to those using something other than a simple half-wave dipole for an antenna on the 5-MHz allocation. According to º97.303(s), a half-wave dipole on the 5 MHz allocation will be presumed to have a gain of 0 dBd. "Licensees using other antennas must maintain in their station records either manufacturer data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain," the newest addition to the FCC's Amateur Service rules says. Because the new rules also require hams to run no more than 50 W effective radiated power (ERP) on the new channels, the choice of antenna becomes an important compliance factor. The FCC rules stipulate, "For the purpose of computing ERP, the transmitter PEP will be multiplied with [sic] the antenna gain relative to a dipole or the equivalent calculation in decibels." If you use a half-wave dipole -- about 87 feet 3 inches for the "middle" channel according to the formula--setting your transmitter's power output power at up to 50 W peak envelope power (PEP) should ensure compliance. Under no circumstances may amateurs on 5 MHz radiate more than 50 W ERP in any direction, so those choosing to employ gain antennas will have to "do the math" and calculate their ERP. They also will have to keep a record of such antenna gain calculations on file. This might include documentation such as output from a computer modeling program for a homebrew antenna design. For example, an amateur using an array for 5 MHz exhibiting a calculated or modeled gain of 3 dB would have to cut power to 25 W PEP to comply with the new rules. Operating on 60 meters is the subject of the July 2003 QST "It Seems to Us . . ." editorial http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/07/01/1/ by ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. "If we demonstrate that we can use [the 60-meter channels] responsibly, cooperatively and in the public interest, there is no reason we cannot seek expanded access at an appropriate time," Sumner wrote. "If your personal operating practices are inconsistent with that, please do yourself and everyone else a favor and confine your operating to the traditional bands." The FCC Report and Order in ET Docket 02-98 is available on the FCC's Web site http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-105A1.doc The ARRL has posted a list of frequently asked questions concerning 5 MHz operation on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/faq.html#sixty (ARRL Letter June 21 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) See also UK ** U S A. RADIO LAW: HAMS PETITION TO OUTLAW HI-FI SSB On-air experimentation with so called High Fidelity or Enhanced Single Sideband transmissions could be outlawed if the FCC adopts a proposed rules change requested by two radio amateurs on opposite sides of the country. Amateur Radio Newsline`s Paul Courson, WA3VJB, reports from the nations capital: A petition for rulemaking was sent to the FCC and accepted by the agency May 27th. It was not immediately issued a Rulemaking Number so it was hard to find in the public record. However, Newsline has talked with two sources who have seen the proposal, and it calls for what many would consider severe bandwidth limitations on HF phone. The petition asks for a federally mandated bandwidth limit of 2.8 kilohertz for SSB, well below the extended bandwidth needed for what has been called enhanced audio. One of the two hams who submitted the petition told the FCC they are motivated by interference problems caused by two groups of single sideband operators. These groups are portrayed by the petitioners as, in both cases, having cast aside traditional voluntary limits on bandwidth of roughly three kilohertz. The petition therefore asks that these voluntary limits be made mandatory to provide a clear enforcement mechanism for regulators. The petitioners, Michael Lonneke, WOYR of Virginia, and Melvin Ladisky, W6FDR of California, said hams from one of the groups come on during radio contests, and are found tweaking their transmitters to splatter purposely to provide elbowroom on a very crowded band. The two men characterize the other group as those who experiment with High fidelity audio, apparently trying to replicate the sound of FM Broadcast stations. Newsline has recently reported on advisory letters sent out by FCC Enforcement Counsel Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, who wrote to several members of the enhanced SSB group telling them the agency had received interference complaints. The letters did not validate nor dispute the complaints, but warned the stations that if such complaints continued, the unresolved friction could trigger petitions for rulemaking. One such petition is now at hand. A Newsline reporter spoke with Lonneke, who declined to provide a copy of his petition for this report. He said he and Ladisky hold the same views on the matter of excessive bandwidth causing interference, and that they teamed up on the petition to add strength to their call for regulatory intervention. Lonneke declined further comment, and said the petition will speak for itself if the FCC chooses to assign it a rulemaking number and put it to public comment. Members of the enhanced SSB group have told Newsline they believe their experimentation with improved audio is totally in line with the spirit of ham radio, and that when conducted under appropriate conditions, is every bit as justified in bandwidth consumption as any other spectrum-intensive activity, including contesting. But the FCC`s Hollingsworth, reacting to such comments, disagreed, suggesting the mode of SSB was commissioned for the amateur service as a spectrum conservation mode, counter to the idea of high fidelity audio and the bandwidth it requires. Hollingsworth could not be reached to comment on the proposed Petition, and another FCC official declined to comment. The petition also mentions the legacy mode of AM, and said it, quote, does not create the same problems that the burgeoning use of so called `Hi-Fi Single Sideband` creates. Nonetheless, the petition asks the FCC to impose a 5.6 kilohertz bandwidth limitation on AM, with the restrictions asked for on all HF allocations below 28.8 megahertz. Previous regulatory proposals based on bandwidth have failed, including Docket 20777 from the mid 1970s. The conclusion then was that having Loosely defined technical standards allowed the greatest range of experimentation in ham radio, as long as such signals are clean. Indeed, many present day violations of splatter, overdriven amplifiers, and poorly administered audio lashups can already trigger enforcement action under existing FCC rules governing the purity of signal. Reporting for Newsline, Paul Courson, WA3VJB, in Washington. As we go to air, the ten page petition by W0YR and W6FDR has not been assigned a Rule Making number designation. More on this story in future amateur Radio Newsline reports (ARNewsline, W5YI, June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO LAW: NY HAM CITED UNDER STATE SCANNER LAW A New York ham has been cited for having radio gear in his car even though the state law governing scanner radios exempts licensed Amateur Radio operators. On May 31st Richard C. Lalone II, KC5GAX, of Calcium, says that he was stopped while driving well under the posted speed limit by a New York State Trooper and given a ticket for having Icom IC 1500 and IC 706 radios in his vehicle. Lalone says via the http://www.qrz.com website that he did try to explain that that he was an Amateur Radio Operator and even provided his Amateur license for the officer`s review. Apparently, this was not good enough and the ticket was issued. Lalone appeared in court on June 10th to answer the summons. At that time he approached the judge with both his license and a copy of New York Traffic Law 397 a copy of PR Docket 91-36. But the Court Recorder immediately took the documentation from the judge and returned it to KC5GAX. The judge then conferred with the Court Recorder after which he told Lalone that he was entering a plea of innocent for him. He then instructed Lalone to seek an attorney and be present in court July 9th. They court then offered KC5GAX paperwork to obtain a public defender, and returned the citation with the new court date. Its not clear as to what will transpire on July 9th. Lalone`s posting did not state if this was a trial date or other type of preliminary hearing. If he is convicted of violating New York`s scanner control law Lalone faces a fine of $1000, 6 months in jail, or both (W6EM, qrz.com, Amateur Radio Newsline June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. TUCSON FIRES --- BROADCASTERS OFF THE AIR http://www.fox11az.com reports translator station K50FV on Mt. Bigelow is off the air because the power to the site has been cut. K50FV is on the KUAT-TV (channel 6) tower; presumably KUAT is also off. Probably translator K43CW as well, as it too is on the KUAT tower. Several other Tucson TV stations are also on this mountain: KVOA-4, KGUN-9, KXGR-46, five other TV translators, the digital facilities of KVOA/KGUN/KXGR/KUAT, as well as the digital facilities of two other stations whose analog stations are elsewhere. Also presumably affected are KUAT-FM (90.5), KXCI-FM (91.3), and four FM translators. I have no idea what happens to a tower when a forest fire passes it. Hopefully these stations won't find out. Luckily there only seems to be one report of injury --- a firefighter with a broken finger (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville) TN EM66, June 21, MT Messageboard via DXLD) There is a tremendous fire on Mt. Lemmon near Tucson. This fire is dangerous and absolutely out of control at present. This mountain is just outside Tucson and has destroyed many houses. The Tucson stations MAY use this opportunity to run high power because of the emergency. Some Tucson stations: 580 KSAZ 690 KVOI 790 KNST 990 KTKT These are the most likely to be heard (Kevin Redding, Mesa, June 20, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) At least one radio tower is gone [on Mt Lemmon] (Shellee Smith, Tucson, NBC Nightly News, June 21 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. YVTO INACTIVA: Hola Glenn... Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. YVTO, la estación horaria del Observatorio Naval Cajigal, lleva casi 4 semanas fuera del aire. En su lugar, en 5000 kHz, se captan WWV y WWVH, durante las horas locales de la noche y madrugada (2300-1000 UT). Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Hoy en Sintonía DX --- Esto es parte de lo que tenemos pautado para hoy en Sintonía DX, el único espacio dedicado al diexismo en la radio venezolana. 1- Calendario Radiofónico con Ruben Guillermo Margenet. 2- Segundo Concurso Trimestral de Radio Korea Internacional, audio original tomado de la onda corta, pero que se oye muy bien. 3- Identificación del recuerdo de Ondas Porteñas, enviada por el colega diexista Henrik Klemetz. 4- Concurso "En Contacto 2003" de Radio Habana Cuba, sonido original tomado de la onda corta pero que se oye muy bien. 5- El colega Gabriel Iván Barrera con sus noticias, para todos los colegas diexistas, sonido bajado de internet a través del Programa Radio Enlace. 6- Radio Amazonas 4940 kHz, sonido grabado de la onda corta. 7- Recuerdos de la radio venezolana, aproximadamente 20 minutos con archivos sonoros que son una auténtica joya para los diexistas de Venezuela y el mundo, archivos que serán puestos de nuevo al aire a petición de radioescuchas que no lograron grabarlos todos. Ésta es una valiosa colaboración del colega Henrik Klemetz desde Suecia. 8- Contestación a la correspondencia de Radio Canadá Internacional, programa completo donde hay una entrevista muy bonita al diexista cubano Basilio Mendoza Santos, quien reside en Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. También se podrá escuchar la invitación que hacen los colegas que conducen este programa a los diexistas y radioaficionados para que les escriban contando sus experiencias con la onda corta, sus radios y antenas. 9- Desde los Estados Unidos el colega diexista Glen[n] Hauser con sus noticias para todos los amantes de la onda corta. 10- Sonia Cho y Ramiro Trost con los comentarios de las pruebas que se están haciendo con el sistema DRM, grabado de la onda corta el dia de hoy. 11- Radio Rebelde, grabación que hice por los 11655 kHz y donde me saludan, grabación de la onda corta de los dias 19 y 20 de junio del 2003. 12- Mundo DX, programa diexista de Radio Austria Internacional. Hoy dedicado a las transmisiones de Televisión por satelite. Este es el penúltimo programa antes de que Radio Austria cierre sus emisiones en español. Este programa es realizado por Francisco Rubio y la ADXB de Barcelona. 13- Programa Universo, enviado por KXCR El Paso, Texas. 14- Radio Reloj de Cuba, informa sobre la inauguración de La Voz Del Faro, en el municipio Manatí, provincia de Las Tunas. Por supuesto que hay muchas otras cosas relacionadas con la radio que extraemos de los diferentes boletines diexistas que nos llegan a través del correo electrónico. Trate de escucharnos entre las 00:00 y las 02:00 UTC [UT Sun June 22] en la siguiente dirección: http://intranet.unionradio.com.ve/intranet/audio/audio_principal_select.asp haga click en AM 640. Desde hoy hago una cordial invitación para que participen en el programa, enviando sus noticias en su propia voz, las cuales seran colocadas al aire. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, June 21, noticias dx via DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. CAXAMBAS GIRL A PIONEER OF THE VIRGIN ISLES By Betsy Perdichizzi 06/12/2003 http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2256&dept_id=457701&newsid=8294508&PAG=461&rfi=9 Hazel Stephens Higdon was born in Caxambas on Marco Island during the year of the hurricane of 1910, when all the residents of Caxambas sought shelter in her sister's (Tommie Stephens Barfield) hotel up on the Heights, now called Indian Hill. Preston Sawyer, a child himself then, said the "hotel shook like a leaf." Hazel grew up in the little community of Caxambas, she lived at the Stephens boarding house run by her mother, Annie DeWilla Stephens; played in the water near brother-in-law, Jim Barfield's mercantile store; went to the island school; and attended basket dinners at the community building. Twenty-two years younger than Tommie, Hazel said, "Sister made sure we had everything we needed when growing up." When she wanted to strike out on her own, it was Sister Tommie, against her better judgment, who drove her all the way to California. Hazel knew she wanted "to do something" Hazel and her husband, Raymond Higdon, pioneered radio broadcasting in the Virgin Islands and Caribbean. He was the engineer and she was the petite redheaded businesswoman and sales person. Together they single handedly built the radio tower and established the first radio station, WIVI, now WSTX AM/FM. Hazel was to the Virgin Islands what her sister Tommie was to Marco Island. Now in her 90s, I am helping her publish a book about her experience. Her station, WIVI, known as the little radio station with the big voice, began broadcasting with 250 watts from a 150-foot tower in old Fort Louise Augusta on St. Croix. Over time and with permits, the power was increased to 1,000 watts from a 300-foot tower on top of Blue Mountain. The voice of WIVI was heard in Puerto Rico, Antiqua, St. Martin, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, Nevis, Trinidad, St. Thomas, St. Johns, as well as St. Croix. They celebrated the anniversary of their broadcast every May 15 after that. The FCC controlled the use of all radio frequencies. Applications and construction permits went through the commission with a six-month waiting period and were eventually issued. "When it became known that we were going to build a radio station, there was some opposition to the idea. There are almost always people who do not want to see changes and new ventures that have such a potential for affecting the community. Others felt it would destroy the atmosphere, making the island less attractive to tourists." One of the major objectors was the administrator of the island. Appointed by the United States government, he had a lot of influence and wrote to officials in Washington that the island didn't need a radio station. Hazel went to Washington and appeared before the FCC officials with her attorney. She explained the problem to the FCC. They agreed with her and over-rode the objections of the administrator. The FCC seemed to feel that it would be good to have a station built on St. Croix in spite of the administrators feeling that it would adversely affect the tourist business. Ray Higdon, now deceased, wrote of the struggle of bringing the two people's dreams to fruition. The Virgin Islands, a United States territory then, was just emerging from an economy based on a dying industry of sugar cane production. It was more like a third world country than part of the United States. Everything was primitive with little or no infrastructure. Manpower was used when they didn't have machinery to move heavy equipment. Some pieces weighed over 300 pounds. They had problems. A jeep rolled off a cliff into the ocean while workers were having lunch. A donkey fell into a six foot hole they dug for the tower base. Ray fell off the 300 foot tower, saved only by his safety belt, and he had to go back up the tower to finish the job. Next week: Hazel Higdon and Hurricane Hugo. Betsy Perdichizzi, a 14- year island resident, is president of the Marco Island Historical Society and past president of SWFAS Southwest Archaeology Society. She co-authored "A Girl Called Tommie, Queen of Marco Island," a book about Tommie Camilla Barfield (©Marco Island Sun Times 2003 via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. See AUSTRALIA UNIDENTIFIED. Re 1386 instrumental music station --- The music station (or Voice of Russia?) is monitored by TDP once per week at 1931 UT at the IBB RMS posts in Helsinki, Kiev & Moscow. Go to http://www.ibb.gov - monitoring - RMS - Europe/FSU - Washington server - Broadcaster TDP + Languages ALL + Locations ALL + Dates ALL - 1386 (Jan Michalski, June 21, hard-core-dx via Savolainen, DXLD) Interesting. But there seems to be only V. of Russia audible at 1931 in those soundfiles. This music station was not VOR. Both closed down at about 2100 leaving room for weaker but readable KBC Maralal [KENYA] The music station plays a "loop tape", I don't know how long it is, but I heard same songs in same order at least twice during my listening period 1940-2100. Thanks for info (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4870.88, 1857-2000 June 20. Talk and music like South East Asia. Strong signal. Little QRM from 4869.96 Wamena. Fair (NOBUO TAKENO, YAMAGATA JAPAN NRD-535D with 10 meters wire, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ UNDERSTANDING THE FCC'S BROADBAND OVER POWER LINE (BPL) NOTICE OF INQUIRY http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/06/19/2/?nc=1 (via Jill Dybka, MSIS, TN, June 19, DXLD) The article previously here, with illustrations and hotlinx (gh) A swing past the Enforcement Bureau section of the FCC site could be valuable before preparing your comments. Or, visit http://www.arrl.org and read one of the sections about FCC enforcement letters. It seems the Commission's special counsel for enforcement has been VERY busy dealing with electric utilities that fail to act when informed of line noise problems that are plaguing radio amateurs. IMHO that demonstrates that such utilities are on the record as not being able to keep RF out of frequency bands used in residential locations, even when they aren't *intentionally* generating any RF in those bands. They are most assuredly not qualified to intentionally carry RF! (Doug Smith, TN, NRC-AM via DXLD) DRM +++ DRM LAUNCH STATISTICS Mike Adams of FEBC Engineering Support has worked out that on launch day, 16 June 2003, there were a total of 195 hours of DRM broadcasts worldwide. These came from: 17 different broadcasters 15 different transmitter sites 19 different transmitters Listen to the speech by DRM Chairman Peter Senger and the official launch of DRM on 16 July 2003 (10'39") (http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm_latest.html 20 June 2003 via DXLD) MAYAH DRM RECEIVER The German Mayah company, otherwise dealing with professional audio coding equipment, announces a DRM receiver. Product description: http://www.mayah.de/content/products/drm2010/content.html A dealer announces that this set will be available around October / November. And the price: About 700 Euro (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) News Flash! - A New "2010" - But . . . It's NOT a 'Sony' its a "MaYaH" DRM 2010 Receiver ! NEW "DRM2010" Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Radio/Receiver - - - 2nd Generation Multi-Band DRM & Analog Radio/Receiver - - - Offered by "MAYAH" Communications GmbH (Germany) Go to: http://www.mayah.com/index.html In the Left side Column Chick- On [Products] Scroll Down to "PORTABLE PRODUCTS" - - - DRM Receiver 2010 (... 2nd generation Multiband DRM Receiver) Click-On [DRM Receiver 2010] PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: This DRM Receiver is the 2nd generation receiver for the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) standard. It is the result of a joint development effort of MAYAH, Coding Technologies and AFG. The receiver is based on standard components and different to the first generation, it is smaller and lower cost. A DSP module performs all the DRM specific decoding functions. The software of the DSP module can be updated via the USB interface. The USB interface also provides the data from data application for further processing with a PC. The receiver can decode mono and stereo audio signals. The full stereo signal is available at the headphone outputs. The display indicates station name, used frequency, field strength and the number of service components of the received DRM signal. Additional information transmitted will be displayed if available. The station can be selected by directly entering the frequency using the numeric keypad. Beside the DRM standard the receiver also supports reception of analogue AM programs in the MW, LW and SW bands as well as FM programs. NOTE: NO PRICE WAS LISTED OR GIVEN. ~ RHF (ICF 2010 list via John Figliozzi, DXLD) I understand that the unit price for the first generation DRM receiver that is referred to here was approximately US$1800. Of course, there were no economies of scale achieved in that fewer than 100 units were produced and the receiver was not made available to the consumer market. jaf (John A. Figliozzi, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ NEW WEBRECEIVER There is a new web receiver online, Visualradio Maryland. Url is : http://radio.teppodama.com/ (Bradford Wall, CA, June 21, EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) HEATHKIT - A GUIDE TO THE AMATEUR RADIO PRODUCTS If you`ve ever owned a piece of Heathkit amateur radio gear, or wish you had, the Second Edition of Heathkit: A Guide to the Amateur Radio Products, by Chuck Penson, WA7ZZE, is a must for your library. Greatly expanded and updated, this 328-page collection of facts, photos and Heathkit history offers a terrific trip down memory lane for anyone who has built or has owned Heathkit gear. Its published by CQ and available for order on-line at http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com or by phone at 1-800-853-9797 Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern US. time. (CQ) (Amateur Radio Newsline June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Solar activity has remained quite high this week with a number of M and X class flares up to Jun 17. Solar wind speed was high all week due to coronal mass ejections and a coronal hole, causing the geomagnetic field to be at active to storm levels. Solar activity is expected to decline a bit, though recurrence suggests a continuation of high solar wind speed and coronal hole effects, meaning propagation will continue to be disrupted for the next few days. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, June 20, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ###