DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-133, July 26, 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/dxldtd3g.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 1192: WWCR: Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 RFPI: Sun 0412? See USA/WRMI; 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 and/or 15039 WRMI: Sun 1800+ 15725 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1192.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1192.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1192h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1192h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1192.html ** ALASKA. TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION FOR NICK BEGICH Mayor`s brother writes on edge of technology By NEIL ZAWICKI Alaska Star . . .In the early 1990s, he was working as a manager with the Anchorage School District when he read an article on the Alaska-based HAARP project, or High Frequency Active Auroral Research Project. ``I just couldn`t believe what I was reading,`` Begich said. He then embarked on a journey of research, which culminated in his first book, ``Angels don`t play this HAARP,`` co-authored by freelance journalist Jeane Manning, and published by Earthpulse Press - a Begich-owned company --- in 1995. The book presents the project - billed by the U.S. Government as a tool to study the ionosphere - as a secret weapon. ``This is a significant amount of power,`` reads the book in chapter 16. ``When beamed into a dynamic portion of the planet`s upper atmosphere in order to create artificially controlled high energy interactions.`` The book spawned speaking engagements in Europe, and in 1998, Begich was invited to Brussles, Belgium to debate NATO on the subject. ``What happened was Tom Spencer contacted the American Mission in Brussles, and contacted the Secretary General of NATO,`` he said. ``Both of whom denied any detailed knowledge of HAARP, any detailed knowledge of ionospheric modification for weapons application which is the essence of what HAARP is.`` Russian president Vladmir Putin this year announced opposition to the project on similar grounds. . . http://www.alaskastar.com/stories/072403/new_20030724001.shtml (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** ANDORRA. RÀDIO I TELEVISIÓ D'ANDORRA, SA en http://www.rtvasa.ad/ (via Pedro Sedano, Madrid, España, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. More on alleged political bias at the ABC..... Glenn, The latest round of discussion in the press on alleged bias at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation against our conservative government is nothing new. Traditionally, the conservative political parties here have been suspicious of our public broadcaster`s motives and tend to regard the ABC as the last journalistic haven of cardigan- wearing old lefties. The current Communications Minister and his colleagues would like nothing better than to see the ABC ``dumbed down`` to the level of the commercial media in this country; the so- called ``reality TV``, lifestyle shows, highly commercialised sport and mindless sitcoms disseminated by the privately owned stations are seen as much safer for an incumbent government than any hint of the incisive and questioning investigative journalism that has traditionally been the cornerstone of ABC programming. The tactics have always been the same; stack the ABC board with sympathetic conservatives that are bound to put pressure on the programmers, squeeze the funding, and ensure that the commercial media moguls are holding all the aces when it comes to exploring new broadcasting opportunities, such as digital transmission. Unfortunately, the lowest common denominator is extremely low indeed, and the triumph of dross over quality is almost complete. Accordingly, the Philistines will probably win the battle as a result of general apathy towards the ABC`s fate amongst the public at large (Craig Seager, Bathurst, Australia, July 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Austria Internacional emite segmentos de 15 minutos en español. Escuchada el 22/07, a la 0100 UT y luego a la 0130. Excelente señal en 9870 kHz. Emitía un documental con la voz de Jaime Carbonell (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. CHILE/NUEVO PROGRAMA DX Según me informa por carta nuestro socio chileno CE-5524V Saul Vergara, recientemente empezó un nuevo programa DX en Radio Primera FM a través de las dos frecuencias de la emisora y por internet en RealAudio. El programa DX se emite a las 17:00 horas locales, 2100 UT, el tercer lunes de cada mes [18 agosto] y la dirección de la web es http://www.radioprimera.cl Tanto el director de la emisora, Hernán Carrasco, como el propio Saul, estarían muy agradecidos a aquellos amigos que les puedan mandar grabaciones de emisoras a la siguiente dirección: Radio Primera FM. Programa DX, calle san Jose nº 1053, Comuna Independicia, [sic] Santiago, Chile. (Pedro Sedano, España, lista ConDig, Jul 19 via Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. All ears were on RFPI, following this week`s news --- at least two of mine were, UT Sat July 26, when at 0240-0330 James Latham and Naomi pre-empted other programming to talk about the situation. Started by reading the press release previously published, so I will concentrate on what additional information emerged. Besides annan@un.org other ways to protest were given: orsg@un.org for the same gentleman, and the UN Public Inquiries Office, 212-963- 4475. Kofi Annan is being asked for binding arbitration on this matter, or conflict resolution. [you might think that should be sg@un.org but I listened again to her spell it out: orsg@un.org --- the same recording was being re-aired UT Sunday at 0200] RFPI believes strongly in the UN, and has always supported it. The UN was offered its own broadcast channel via RFPI, and had started to seek funding for the project. James said many of the staff are camping at the station to protect it from takeover or any possible damage. Some listeners have brought in food to keep them going. RFPI needs your support now, more than ever, in the past 16 years. Naomi said ``we`re under attack``. Relocation cost would be huge; RFPI has the right to remain where it is, and should not conflict with UFP`s stated mission. James then went into a lengthy chronology of RFPI`s accomplishments, year by year, starting with its first 40-watt broadcast on September 16, 1987, carrying three programs, one of which was WORLD OF RADIO. This took about half an hour, with Naomi spelling him. A quick check at 1230 UT found the chronology being repeated, some 10 hours later instead of the usual 12+ (perhaps because it had also aired around 0030). No doubt there will be further disruptions in RFPI`s nominal schedule, and I`m not sure if this week`s WOR can be aired. Just hope they can remain on the air on 7445 and 15039. See note under USA --- WRMI/IBC Radio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On Saturday, July 26, 2003, Radio for Peace International in El Rodeo Costa Rica will hold a press conference at 9:30 am outside the locked gates of Radio For Peace International. General Manager James Latham and ex- president Rodrigo Carazo will give speeches about the importance of Freedom of the Press in regards to the recent eviction notice issued to RFPI by the University for Peace. Radio For Peace International staff will answer questions from the press following the speeches (updated press release via Thomas Voelkner via Mike Terry, DXLD) This is Thomas Voelkner, I have been a rather `passive` BDXC member for the past two years or so. I would like to share some insights with you about the current situation at RFPI. From November 1999 until April 2000 I was working at RFPI as a volunteer. I can say I learned a lot about radio production and running a speech-based radio service --- with limited resources. Together with other volunteers and regular RFPI staff I was editing a weekday newscast called Progressive News Network; maybe some of you still remember the show. I was also responsible for a weekly programme in my mother tongue (German). Since coming back to Europe and subsequently moving to London, I have been keeping in touch with my friends in Costa Rica, and earlier this year I had the change to visit the current crew and spend a few days with them. There is an awful lot of confusion on the legal side surrounding the current situation. Why has the eviction notice been issued? What`s the relationship like between the radio station and the university? Who`s host, who`s guest, and what does RFPI own? Almost 25 years ago, Costa Rica suggested to the United Nations to establish an international academic institution to research conflict resolution and promote peace studies. For the past 50 years or so, Costa Rica has considered itself to be a `peaceful` state, having abandoned its army in the late 1940s. The UN general assembly agreed on establishing a University for Peace (UPaz --- because of its Spanish name). One of the founding members was then Costa Rican president Rodrigo Carazo. In the mid-1980s Carazo invited a group of radio producers who previously had been doing non- commercial local radio, to come to the campus of the UPaz to start an international radio voice as a kind-of sister-organisation for the university. So, RFPI is in Costa Rica on invitation by a UN academic institution. There is nothing like a `classical` contract between landlord and tenant. In the early years the radio station had rooms within the UPaz buildings, but for many years all RFPI buildings (the ones you might know from the website or other publications) are fully-owned and fully-paid RFPI property. This includes the radio building, the transmitter building and the antenna towers. All transmitters are RFPI-owned. Still, press reports say that RFPI owes money to UPaz. This refers to the installation of a high-speed internet connection some two-and-a-half years ago. While RFPI was willing to pay the money or offer the university airtime or similar services, it looks as if the university never followed this up. RFPI says that the working relationship with subsequent UPaz administrations had been very positive, and indeed when you visit their radio building you can see a whole archive of programmes done jointly with the university or on their behalf. During my time at RFPI the latest administration came into power. It is headed by the Canadian Maurice Strong, and it soon turned out he was not very fond of continuing the working relationship with RFPI. -- With the UPaz wanting to see RFPI leaving the campus, it is also interfering in another established working relationship between the radio station and the UN: As you will know RFPI has been broadcasting United Nations Radio programmes for a long time on a regular basis. Back in 2000, I recorded incoming UN Radio newscasts as part of my duties as a volunteer and prepared them for transmission. When UN Radio had to stop using high-power VOA transmitters in the 1980s, it was mainly thanks to RFPI that the United Nations could still be heard on shortwave for quite a while. So, I see a strange situation here with the interests of two UN entities clashing, both having a different stand on RFPI. Now, RFPI is asking supporters and DXers to help them to escape eviction. From what I wrote you will have realised that I have more than just fond memories of my stay in Costa Rica. I think the station adds a real value to the range of broadcasts usually heard on the international radio bands, and it would be a big loss for a lot of listeners. For the time being there are at least two staff members in the radio building, and they have continued broadcasting over the past days. So you can listen to RFPI, and you can get in touch with them via info@rfpi.org or via phone +506 249 1821. You should really consider giving them your support, either by writing to the UN Secretary General at sg@un.org [sic] or by other means. If you like to I will be happy to discuss the issue further or to answer your questions on this list. 73s from London (Thomas Voelkner, July 26, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** CROATIA [non]. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde VENEZUELA. La Voz de Croacia ahora transmite media hora de programas en español. La escuché este 22/07, a las 0230 UT, en 9925 kHz (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. MIAMI CUBANS RECALL 1953 ATTACK, LAMENT CONSEQUENCES This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/florida/MGAE0UYAKID.html (via David E. Crawford, Titusville, Florida, DXLD) Nothing really about radio here, tho one of the subjects is Húber Matos, once of La Voz del CID (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. Al menos por un día -24/07- Radio Habana Cuba cambió su habitual frecuencia de 15230 kHz, por la de 15120, en su servicio nocturno hacia las Américas. Captada con SINPO de 5/5, a las 0316 UT, con el programa ``Voces de la Revolución``. Desde hace algún tiempo, una emisora en 15230 causa bastante interferencia a RHC, a partir de las 0230 ó 0300 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RHC is not currently broadcasting on SSB. Old transmitters are being retired, and new ones are on the way. When they go on the air, SSB on one or two frequencies to NAm will resume (Arnie Coro, DXers Unlimited July 26, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 8070, Spy numbers 2nd harmonic (2 x 4035), 1019 July 26, Fairly strong 2nd harmonic. Lots of hum and over-driven audio on both fundamental and harmonic. Typical Spanish speaking lady. Fundamental quite strong. I also noted a Spy letters station sending in Morse Code on 3243 with identical background audio as 4035. Using a 2nd receiver I was able to confirm the match. The Morse code message was just random 5 letter groupings. At 1038 the message concluded with AR (end of message) SK (silent key) repeated 3 times. Most likely this was from Cuba (David Hodgson Nashville, TN, USA, Icom R75, 40m fullwave doublet, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. HIJQ, Super Q, la estación de los 4959.86 kHz, transmite casi todos los días desde aproximadamente la 0130 UT, hasta las 0400 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EASTER ISLAND [non]. Parked a receiver on 11430-USB 0400-0500 UT July 26, and no trace of R. Mahute via R. Cochiguaz here --- but then it was supposedly aimed some 90 degrees away toward the Pacific (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11430U, Radio Cochiguaz, 0352-0400, July 26. USB mode. Very nice Andean music. At 0356 ``El condor pasa`` (instrumental version) and identifications in English: ``You`re listening to Radio Cochiguaz, a free station broadcasting from the Andes, in South America``; Spanish: ``Ésta es Radio Cochiguaz`` and Quechua (¡!): ``Radio Cochiguaz... tokoi manta... pankunata Radio Cochiguaz``, 44444. 11430U, Radio Mahute, via Radio Cochiguaz, 0400-0421, July 26. USB mode. Instrumental song with percussion instrument. Transmission in Rapa Nui language!!!!!!!!!!!! Identification by male at 0401: ``...Mahute Radio``; music and other identification at 0406 as: ``Radio Mahute``. Songs and ID in English at 0411 as: ``You are listening... Radio Mahute... Polynesia``, a few songs and other ID as ``...Radio Mahute``. Afterwards, more music. 34443 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** GERMANY. The most recent frequency list for Deutschlandfunk reveals that Berlin-Britz 6190 is now operated with only 6 kW anymore (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW is distributing two literature free of cost. First one is a 64 page souvenir in English & German ``50 years at the heart of Europe``. It includes messages from German President Mr. Johanes Rau, DW head Mr. Eric Betterman, Mr. Frank Beckbauer & many more. It also tells the history of DW during last 50 years. Second one is a folder giving a short description of DRM, what is DRM, how it works & DW`s participation in DRM. And DW will discontinue its German program at 1000-1355 UT on 21790 kHz w.e.f. August 1st 2003. 73s (Swopan Chakroborty Kolkata, India, July 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3291.07, Voice of Guyana, 0927-0936 July 26. Initially noted Hindi type music until 0931 when man talks. This followed by the news. At 0935 noted ID as, ``Good morning this is the Voice of Guyana...`` Back to Hindi music at 0936. Signal was fair (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. The increasing use of more frequencies on various amateur bands by the Indonesians and other South East Asian nonamateurs for their personal or business traffic, is a VERY SERIOUS TOPIC to be dealt at the higher levels. The Indonesians are using the lower 40 kHz of 40 meters, and frequencies around 14100 kHz of the 20 mb --- most of the time. They have not spared EVEN THE 10.0 to 10.1 MHz segment which carries air-traffic-control communications. Thus, the seriousness of the situation, which may endanger the lives and safety of air travellers and aircraft in Region 3, has to be considered on TOP PRIORITY. All the other information from the other Regions can be looked up in their web sites please. http://iarums.com/ http://www.echelon.ca/iarumsr2/contact.html INTRUDER WATCH - ENFORCEMENT ZONE - CHRIS VK2UW VK Federal Coordinator. VK8HA Henry Andersson vk8ha@octa4.net.au P.O. Box 619, HUMPTY DOO N.T. 0836 (Wireless Institute of Australia Queensland Q-News script for July 27, 2003 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Feed Hunters is an internet based group of like minded satellite TV enthusiasts. Real-time feed info is available to members. To subscribe send a blank E-mail to feedhunters-subscribe@egroups.com (July 2003 SW Magazine via DXLD) Sic. That`s actually a yahoogroup now, with somewhere around 3000 members; there are 3 other sub-groups (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. MV COMMUNICATOR Update from the official site 26 July 2003 http://www.mvcommunicator.com/8326.html We are now preparing for the ship to be placed in dry dock at IJmuiden before she returns to the UK. On the night she arrived 25 June 2003 a sabotage attack happened once again, and with much respect to the Harbour Master Pete Decker and Mr Jim Iskes the ship was saved. Over this next week power will be restored on board and after a short stay in dry dock we are hoping to be on our way in the next 2 weeks. The emails of support have been greatly appreciated and we will keep you updated as much as we can (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. Hi all DX-ers, I got an e-mail from the new program via IRRS on 5780 kHz, Radio Abeokuta. The v/s, Mr. A.O. Akande, gave me permission to tell you all, that he can be reached via the following postal address: Mr. A. O. Akande, 12917 Latchwood Lane, Austin, Texas 78753, USA. He doesn`t want the station to be considered as a ``clandestine``, but as an ``African`` station, promoting the culture, language and the music of Abeokuta (a town in West Africa). 73 from (Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland in Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Dear Henrik, Tonight I have a long listening of Radio Sabor 1610 from 2325 until 0330 UT and I can tell you that this station Radio Sabor transmits from Paucarpata, an Andean region in Arequipa. I could listen to vernacular music ``Huaynos`` and an ID with a music jingle : ``....desde la ciudad de los andes ...Radio Sabor...`` At 0030 the disc jockey was talking about a special celebration: ``Radio Alegría is celebrating 30 years of broadcast and the party will be on August 3rd....`` I couldn`t find out what is the relationsship between those stations; perhaps one is a branch of the other. In Paucarpata there are several AM stations I could identify: 01.- R. presume ``Alegria`` on 870 mw with 1 Watt – call sign: OCX6F 02.- Radio ``Azul`` on 840 MW with 1 watt – call sign : OBX6Y 03.- Radio ``Endesa`` on 1000 MW with 1 Watt - call sign : OBX6R (César Pérez Dioses, Chimbote, Perú, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 1 kW? ** PERU. Estación peruana en 5121.24 kHz; captada el 22/07, a las 2349 UT. SINPO 24222. Repetía una promoción de una feria municipal que se realizaría el 24/07. Asumo que es peruana porque uno de los patrocinantes de la feria era la famosa cerveza ``Cusqueña``. Desconozco el nombre de la estación (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) May be same one as from Malm in DXLD 3-096, on 5120.44v at 0100. Possible 4th harmonic of 1280, I might add (gh, DXLD) Radio San Miguel, escuchada el 22/07, a las 2302 UT, en los 4930 kHz. Transmitía el espacio ``Mensajeros de paz``. SINPO 3/3 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Radio Slovakia, the relative newcomer, also uses the tried and true magazine format for its half hour broadcast. The station seems intent on raising Slovakia`s profile internationally by emphasizing local business and scientific achievements, and this may account for the station`s style seeming somewhat drier in comparison to the longer established Czech broadcaster. To my ears, Radio Slovakia`s best feature offering is its Friday quarter-hour segment after the news (heard Saturday UT beginning around 0110, in North America) that is hosted and produced by Pete Miller. It could be titled ``Pete Miller at Large,`` as the brief for the program appears to give its presenter wide latitude in coming up with perennially interesting observations and interviews. Miller, who many (including me) had the distinct pleasure of meeting personally at this year`s SWL Winterfest, has a unique understated style --- correct, but friendly; a bit formal, but reassuring and good humored. In a recent program, he had sought out university students from abroad who were studying in Slovakia to get their impressions of the country. He clearly knows how to bring out the best in his subjects (John Figliozzi, Programming Spotlight, Global Forum, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. (& Pacific). Glenn, here is the site to keep current on Harold Keke's actions, and all of the Pacific area. http://www.pacificislands.cc/pm72003/ (David Norcross, Calif Central Coast, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. KELLY INQUIRY `AFFECTS BBC FUTURE` The inquiry into the death of David Kelly will influence BBC`s future, says Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell. Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3095393.stm Have a read, folks --- so yet again the government doesn`t like what it`s getting from radio and decides it`s time for the size nine boots. Hang on; we`re very close to 14 August. I wonder if Tessa Jowell believes in history repeating itself :-) (Eric Wiltsher via Paul David, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Re jamming discussion, 3-132: Had the "ditter" here very weakly on 15421 until 0330 BBC sign-on buried it tonight; `twas very weak, but sounded like it was probably REA4, purported to be Russian Air Force, Moskva. If so, it normally IDs and sends a few 5 figure groups on autokeyed morse hourly at minute :40; otherwise it's continuous dits or FSK reversals. They have been known to show up in SWBC bands infrequently, and tend not to use a given frequency more than a few days at a time. The station normally runs several parallel frequencies from one end of HF to the other (David E. Crawford, Titusville, Florida, July 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Checking out 5100, I found it on the air UT Sat July 26 at 0520 with a call-in show apparently originating in Norman OK! Calls were from that city and there were several ads for local businesses, such as Norman Music Center http://www.normanmusic.com as well as a new age/pagan store, and Red Horse Grill. Discussed security at Wal- Marts; name of the program seemed to be ``The Edge``, and network name ``Hall of Fame``? Reception was poor, on Compatible USB, so presumably WBCQ as previously testing here, tho no IDs heard, with only 3 kW. Yes, at 0534 mentioned being on The Planet, 50,000 watts from Connecticut (! --- confused with Kennebunk?) and another 50,000 from WRMI. Gave a website ending in .ws but I couldn`t copy it; however, I seriously doubt Western Samoa has anything to do with this. Checked 7415, 7385 but not parallel. No hint of any such program on WRMI posted schedule. Possibly part of Christian Media Network? No sign of it on their schedule and the new age/pagan angle seems incompatible. However, the annotated WBCQ schedule http://www.zappahead.net/wbcq/main.php?fn=show_program&id=10 --- read their review! --- shows CMN on 5100 at 2300-0600, while CMN`s own site http://www.christianmedianetwork.com/bschedule.htm shows the hours on 5100 as 2100-0400. Some confusion about timezones there? Searching various keywords on Google got nowhere. I assume this is originally on some station in Norman; not \\ 640 WWLS either. So what is this? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Checking out IBC Radio, Sat July 26: first on the webstream, noticed R. Polonia before and after 1700 UT, and at 1720 recheck there was R. Japan news during the half hour scheduled for ``Changesurfer Radio``: ``Changesurfer Radio -- Transmitting a sexy, high-tech vision of a radically democratic future. Topics such as cloning, futurism, space, technology and a multitude of others. The latest edition: ``Interview with Dr. Ben Goertzel, AI guru.`` Dr. Goertzel is chief designer of the Novamente AI system, and director of the AGIRI think tank. (30 min)`` At 1730 promptly went to Dan Roberts` SW Report. Then on the car radio tuned to 15725 and heard absolutely nothing from WRMI, but fortunately it faded up just before 1805 to hear the start of WORLD OF RADIO 1192, with good non-distorted audio, following some music vamping and a minute of IBC self-promotion; after a quick lunch I checked again at 1832, but classical music was playing! So the almost-29-minute WOR must not have aired in its entirety, WRMI losing the internet feed from IBC in the meantime. Recheck of the IBC stream at 1848 confirmed it was not they playing the classical --- after all, IBC is ``all- talk``, but instead news about Switzerland, from SRI? This resumed on 15725 at 1854, interrupted for a full WRMI ID at hourtop 1900. WRMI and its other external programmers do not coördinate ID breaks either, which is most annoying. When the input programming does not break, a simple ``WRMI Miami`` ID would be legally sufficient, while someone takes a breath. By now it`s getting distorted again. The IBC Radio schedule at http://www.ibcradio.com/radioschedule.htm for Saturday shows only ``Shortwave Radio Network`` from 8 am to 1 pm EST (meaning EDT = UT 1200-1700), and 2:30-9 pm (1830-0100 UT): ``Shortwave Radio Network (SRN) -- News, features, business, talk and other radio shows from shortwave broadcasters all over the world, all in English. You won`t find these broadcasts on your local AM or FM Station! Broaden your horizons by listening to media outlets outside of the United States or on the fringes. Some of it is political propaganda and religious programming. If you ever thought about getting into shortwave radio or wondered what you are missing out there in the world of shortwave radio, this broadcast is for you! (length varies)`` I suppose there are no specific details for most of the IBC time on WRMI since the mix of stations relayed is flexible, three of which I found upon the chex above. The Sunday schedule shows SWRN also at 1830-0100, with Old Time Radio up until 1700. BTW, IBC has a photo page, apparently including investors in the company: http://www.ibcnn.com/photogallery/ibcphotogallery/album/ibcphotogallery.html third shot from the left on top row is Daryn Fleming, CEO, who invited WOR onto the service: http://www.ibcnn.com/photogallery/ibcphotogallery/album/daryncorporate1.html In other WORLD OF RADIO airtime news, the disruptions at RFPI caused it to appear at the odd time of 2212 UT Sat on 15039 --- so also at 0412 UT Sun? and with DXPL starting and running late, not until 0033- 0102 UT Sun on WINB 12160 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. JUSTICE DEPT. PROBES CLEAR CHANNEL The Associated Press Friday, July 25, 2003; 6:34 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A47426-2003Jul25?language=printer SAN ANTONIO --- The Justice Department is investigating Clear Channel, the nation`s largest radio owner, amid complaints about consolidation and the use of coercive tactics by the company, officials said Friday. R. Hewitt Pate, assistant attorney general for antitrust, told a House subcommittee that there is an investigation into Clear Channel. Officials would not disclose any details about the nature of the probe. Pate said in a hearing Thursday that the Justice Department had interviewed people that Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., had referred to the agency after they complained of coercive tactics. San Antonio- based Clear Channel, which owns 1,200 radio stations, played down the investigation, saying in a statement that the department ``has evaluated, on a routine basis, nearly every acquisition that Clear Channel has made and approved each one. ``When you run a big company, engaging in complex transactions, inquiries of this sort become fairly routine. We are cooperating fully with all DOJ requests and we are confident the DOJ will find, as it has in the past, that our company is managed with the highest degree of integrity.`` Berman wrote the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission in 2002 complaining that consolidation in the entertainment and media industries was hurting recording artists, copyright holders, advertisers and consumers. He said earlier this year in a Senate hearing that after his letter went out he was inundated with complaints from independent broadcasters, concert promoters, venue owners, radio disc jockeys, musicians, bands` agents and managers, actor`s representatives and recording industry executives. ``Virtually all decried the evils of consolidation in the radio and concert industries,`` he said. He added that most complained about Clear Channel. Among the complaints were allegations that Clear Channel punished artists who didn`t use the company`s concert promotion arm by denying, or threatening to deny, radio airplay for their songs, he said. When Berman complained during the hearing Thursday that he hadn`t heard back from the Justice Department about his complaints, Pate replied that the department had two ongoing investigations into Clear Channel. But he would not elaborate. Shares of Clear Channel fell 25 cents to close at $40.40 in trading Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. © 2003 The Associated Press (via Alton Peltier, DXLD) CLEAR CHANNEL FACES US INQUIRY From http://media.guardian.co.uk/radio/story/0,12636,1005833,00.html Chris Tryhorn, Friday July 25, 2003 Radio giant Clear Channel is being investigated over claims of abusing its market dominance, a US government official has revealed. The justice department official said an "open investigation" was being conducted into the US' largest radio group one sesquiyear after a congressman first called for an inquiry. Hewitt Pate, the department's head of antitrust, told a congressional committee investigators had made "significant efforts to find additional evidence" and had held "a number of interviews". "The Clear Channel matter is one of importance to us," Mr Pate said. "We have an open investigation and we're going to continue to pursue that." Mr Pate was replying to congressman Howard Berman, who had criticised officials for their "unwillingness" to follow up formal complaints he made against the radio group in January 2002. Clear Channel, which owns more than 1,200 stations in the US, has been accused of using its market position to shut out its competitors. Two sets of allegations were being pursued by the justice department, Mr Pate said, including a charge that Clear Channel restricted the airplay time of music artists unwilling to use its concert promotion services. But Mr Pate warned: "Commercial frustration that artists know that they have with Clear Channel from time to time is a different question from whether we can prove the presence of market power and the use of that power in a tying situation under [antitrust law]." The senior vice president for government affairs at Clear Channel, Andrew Levin, said the company was confident it would escape censure. "When you run a big company, engaging in complex transactions, inquiries of this sort become fairly routine," Mr Levin said in a statement. "We are co-operating fully with all DoJ requests and we are confident the DoJ will find, as it has in the past, that our company is managed with the highest degree of integrity," he added. Clear Channel has become the chief target for critics of media laws in the US, and has been accused of stifling voices opposed to the Bush administration. In the UK Clear Channel is now the leading player in the outdoor advertising market, and owns the SFX sports agency that handles the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and Gary Lineker. Many commentators expect the group to take a keen interest in the UK radio market following relaxation of ownership rules in the Communications Act, looking to snap up companies like Capital Radio. The Capital chief executive, David Mansfield, has said he would reject a merger, arguing there would be a "cultural clash" between his company and the American group (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Folks, I've got a question that the Coloradans should easily answer --- is the CBS network feed in the Mountain time zone the same as the West Coast feed? I'm trying to narrow down that CBS reception I had earlier, which was running the correct programming for their West Coast feed (Curtis Sadowski, IL, WTFDA via DXLD) Hi, Curtis: I work for CBS TV in NYC. Unfortunately, there is no answer to this question. CBS is capable of at least ten networks at any one time. This allows us great freedom to service our advertisers. This is especially true during periods where we run several sports events simultaneously (e.g. March Madness NCAA basketball). Here's the theory: It's winter and I want to market snow tires. I want to run a different ad in San Diego than I want to run in Seattle. Or say a McDonald's promotion is different in some areas than others. The networks are truly fluid. We have been known to run networks to just one (or just a couple) of station(s), like when WCBS-TV and WFSB-TV in Hartford takes the Yankees and then begins the network offerings out of sequence with the rest of the country. The network config. changes a great deal! You can say WCBS-TV is usually East and WBBM is usually Central and KCBS is usually Pacific, but this really isn't accurate because you have to ask "Which Eastern?" Sorry, but it is confusing! (Karl Zuk, N2KZ, near NYC, ibid.) I don't think there *is* a CBS Mountain Time feed. I know of at least one affiliate that has to delay the Central Time feed themselves (the network doesn't do it for them). It was my understanding the other affiliates in the MDT zone do the same thing. I suppose in Arizona they carry the Pacific feed in the summer --- unless the issue of regional commercials/programming Karl mentions gets in the way (Doug Smith, TN, ibid.) Actually, it was channel 2; my Es had a low MUF today. Indiana doesn't observe daylight time either; stations there run shows one hour after we get them on the Eastern feed, which does make it easy to tell if you're getting that state. I looked the tape over and while I can categorically state I did get a CBS station with the Western feed, I haven't anything to make a guess on as to which one. My antenna heading at that time was to the Southwest (from Rantoul, IL), and the CBS reception came in about the same time I had that Televisa station with an XEW-TV news promo on it (Sadowski, ibid.) Above covers the exceptions, but as far as prime time is concerned, the rule is that CBS and other major networks in the MT zones run network programming at the same local time as in CT, i.e. one real hour delayed from the original ET/CT feeds, except in summer Arizona where it`s two hours delayed. The PDT stations are 3 hours delayed. Except some Sacramento station was experimenting with running prime time at 7-10 pm local instead of 8-11 pm. Is this still going on anywhere in the PT or ET zones? When I`m visiting Albuquerque, I notice KRQE-13 (CBS) with flexible program start times (like a minute early) indicating they do their own tape-delaying. Makes it easy to cram in more commercials when the rates are higher. Standard rant about how the networks ignore the MT zone in program time promos, and, increasingly the CT zone!! And even the PT zone, by a lot of stuff originating on the east coast, The Only Zone That Matters. And Pacific time (it does have a name) being called `West Coast Time`. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) ** U S A. DAVID BRANCACCIO JOINS PBS` NOW WITH BILL MOYERS NEW YORK, July 24, 2003 --- Two of public broadcasting`s most recognized journalists --- Bill Moyers and David Brancaccio --- will soon be a team. Brancaccio is leaving his role as host and senior editor of Minnesota Public Radio`s national daily business program Marketplace and as anchor of public television`s California Connected to join PBS` weekly public affairs series NOW with Bill Moyers, where he will share hosting duties with Moyers, conduct interviews, and report on special assignments in the field as a correspondent. Brancaccio will join the series as co-host in September. ``I am delighted to have David join us,`` Moyers said. ``We set out to find the right combination of vitality, judgment and experience, and we found just what we were looking for in one of public broadcasting`s own. David will bring to NOW the passion for analysis, lucid reporting, and storytelling that helped make Marketplace one of the most popular and dynamic broadcasts in all of public broadcasting-and the best of its kind anywhere.`` ``PBS is pleased that NOW has found a journalist of David`s stature to join Bill Moyers,`` said Jacoba Atlas, PBS`s co-chief of programming. ``His excellence as a writer and journalist is evident from his work on both Marketplace and California Connected. His insights and perspective always bring depth to the stories and issues he covers.`` Brancaccio is an award-winning broadcaster with 27 years experience. During his 13 year tenure at Marketplace, the series tripled its audience and received a duPont-Columbia Award (1998) and the George Foster Peabody Award (2001). In addition to hosting California Connected, an innovative news program seen on public television throughout that state, Brancaccio has contributed to CNN, CNBC, and PBS` Wall Street Week with Fortune. His print work has appeared in such periodicals as the Wall Street Journal and Psychology Today. He is also the author of the book Squandering Aimlessly, an account of his pilgrimage to talk with Americans about wealth and values. Before becoming host of Marketplace, Brancaccio worked from London as the program`s European editor and covered diplomatic stories for the radio service of the Christian Science Monitor. Brancaccio will be based in New York and will report regularly from the field. NOW with Bill Moyers is a production of Public Affairs Television, Inc. for PBS. NOW is a national presentation of Thirteen/WNET New York. The senior executive producer is John Lewis Siceloff. The executive producer is Felice Firestone. NOW with Bill Moyers, which was called ``public television at its best`` by the Philadelphia Inquirer, airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). (via TV Barn via Current via DXLD) MARKETPLACE, PUBLIC RADIO`S POPULAR BUSINESS PROGRAM, CHANGES HOST David Brancaccio Moving to Television, David Brown Promoted to Host LOS ANGELES and ST. PAUL, Minn., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- David Brancaccio, host of Minnesota Public Radio`s popular business program Marketplace for the past decade, will leave the program in August to become co-host of public television`s weekly public affairs series NOW with Bill Moyers. Minnesota Public Radio announced that David Brown, veteran broadcaster and current Marketplace senior producer, will take over as host on September 1. ``I am sorry to see David Brancaccio leave Marketplace, but happy to see his talent recognized by so prominent a journalist as Bill Moyers and happy to see him remain part of the public broadcasting family,`` said Jim Russell, senior vice president of Minnesota Public Radio and general manager of Marketplace Productions. He added that Brancaccio plans to continue contributing to Marketplace, which is distributed by Public Radio International (PRI) each weekday to 340 stations across the country. ``At the same time, we are excited that David Brown, one of public radio`s most highly respected and broadly experienced hosts and producers, will bring his tremendous energy to the program,`` Russell added. Brown joined Marketplace as senior producer in the fall of 2000. He previously worked for Monitor Radio, where his positions included anchor of the daily international news program Monitor Radio, Washington bureau chief, European correspondent based in London, national correspondent based in Boston and program producer. Before that, Brown was executive producer of CalNet, the California Public Radio News Network, and worked in commercial radio news in his hometown of Atlanta. He holds a law degree from Washington and Lee University in Virginia, a master`s degree in classics/Great Books from St. John`s College, Annapolis, and a bachelor`s degree in journalism from Georgia State University, Atlanta. Brown is a member of the California Bar. Asked whether the program will change with a new host, Executive Producer J.J. Yore said, ``Every host brings his own personality to the anchoring position, but Marketplace has been on the air for nearly 15 very successful years. We know that David Brown will merge his abilities and the program`s track record to continue its success.`` ``I`m absolutely thrilled, and a little overwhelmed, by the thought of taking the reins at Marketplace,`` Brown said. ``In my three years working as senior producer here, I`ve thought many times about how blessed we`ve been to have David Brancaccio as our anchor. But I`ve also discovered that the real key to the Marketplace`s remarkable success is the people behind the scenes: the spirit of creativity and the `spark` they provide is quite rare in this business. The opportunity to host Marketplace in collaboration with such a smart bunch of radio pros was an offer too good to resist.`` David Brancaccio joined Marketplace in 1990 as a freelance reporter based in San Francisco, opened its London bureau and became the Los Angeles-based host in 1993. Brancaccio`s on-air style came to epitomize Marketplace`s informal and irreverent approach to the ``serious`` subject of business and finance. For example, when journalism faced the daunting task of explaining the merger of AOL and Time Warner in 2000, David hosted a fanciful 60- second quiz segment, ``Who Owns What?`` that humorously conveyed the new company`s enormous reach. On a more serious note, Brancaccio`s ``Lives Beyond Measure: Assessing Value`` special looked at the value of human life one year after the September 11 terrorist attacks. During Brancaccio`s time as Marketplace host, the program`s audience has tripled. (The combined weekly audience for Marketplace and its sister program Marketplace Morning Report is now 7.2 million). The program has won the duPont-Columbia Silver Baton, a Peabody Award and numerous other awards. Brancaccio`s last day at Marketplace will be August 22. ``I often brag that Marketplace is the best gig in broadcast journalism,`` Brancaccio said. ``The honor of serving a huge audience of smart people is one that I leave with enormous reluctance. But in my book Squandering Aimlessly, I write about the fine return on investment in life-long learning. This new venture is an opportunity to explore a new beat, politics, in a different medium, television. I assure you it is only a coincidence that Marketplace is currently running a series about career choices entitled `Starting Over.``` Marketplace is produced in Los Angeles by Minnesota Public Radio in association with the University of Southern California and distributed by PRI. The program has a bigger audience than any other radio or television business program in the United States. Minnesota Public Radio(R) produces more national programming than any other station-based public radio organization in the country, reaching 12.4 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion(R), Saint Paul Sunday(R), Marketplace(R), The Savvy Traveler(R), Sound Money(R), The Splendid Table(R), Pipedreams(R), and Classical 24(R), a live, nationally broadcast classical music service. Minnesota Public Radio and its sister company, Southern California Public Radio, are parts of a larger family of companies within American Public Media Group-a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to develop resources, services and systems to support public media for public service. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained on Minnesota Public Radio`s Web site at http://www.mpr.org Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only. Fall 2002 SOURCE Minnesota Public Radio (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. KENNETH, WHAT *IS* THE FREQUENCY? OFTEN, LISTENERS KNOW How do your listeners identify your station? Increasingly, they do so by frequency, rather than call letters. Arbitron has released an analysis about how diarykeepers use station identifiers to record their listening. It says a shift has occurred. In 1996, call letters were the most common identifier. The new analysis of 2001-02 data shows that diarykeepers are now principally recording stations` frequencies instead. Use of station name and program or personality have generally remained stable. ``The rise in the proportion of listening reported by frequency may be attributed to a couple of factors, one being that stations, particularly those on the FM band, increasingly identify themselves over the air by exact frequency,`` said John Budosh, senior policy analyst for Arbitron`s Diary Analysis and Communications group, in the company`s statement. ``The increased penetration of digital-display radios at home, in the car and in the workplace has also influenced diarykeepers` tendency to record station frequency more often than other station identifiers.`` Arbitron`s Scott Musgrave, senior VP and GM of Arbitron Radio, stated, ``Stations would be wise to examine the primary identifiers they are using on the air and make changes, if necessary, so they stay in step with recent trends. ... Stations should also take note that diarykeepers` use of program and personality names is marginal.`` (Radio World Newsbyte July 22 via DXLD) ** U S A. UPN`S TINY, TWISTED WINDOW ON AMERICA By John Doyle, July 24, 2003 LOS ANGELES -- The teeny-tiny UPN network is eight years old and it has the mentality to prove it. Started in 1995, this little squirt with the official title The United Paramount Network isn`t actually owned by Paramount and isn`t much of a network. It`s owned by Viacom, the superconglomerate which owns CBS, and UPN is bossed around by big brother CBS. UPN`s single long-running success is WWE Smackdown, a wrestling show on Thursday nights. Apparently, while grownups watch Friends, Survivor, or something scintillating on ABC, little boys watch UPN. The channel exists for advertisers to part eight-year-olds from their allowance. It is the purveyor of the worst TV shows ever made. It is the United Parade of Nobodies. It annoys the hell out of me, as you can gather. Some of you don`t even have to acknowledge its existence, because UPN is only available in parts of Canada (lucky Vancouver!) and few of its shows are picked up by Canadian channels. Still, it continues to exist and I happened to be here at TV Hacks on Tour (TVHOT) when UPN presented its new lineup, so I paid attention. It is a tiny window into the soul of American TV and the American culture itself. Call me a crank or call me a curmudgeon, but before you rush to judgment, consider the evidence. There is a new sitcom on UPN called Eve. It stars a singer named Eve who is called Shelley on the show. There is nobody called Eve. It`s about guys and gals and dating and stuff like that. In the opening scene, two guys in a bar size up the ladies. One guy sees the back of a lady and rhapsodizes. Then he sees the rest of her. He says: ``Ooooh. A body like J.Lo. And a face [pause] like, hell- no!`` The laugh track erupted with such ferocity that I dove to the floor, thinking I was under incoming fire, this being LA and all. As far as I can tell, UPN has one thing going for it this season -- Will Smith. It thinks it has Loni Anderson, but for 30 years everybody has had thoughts about having Loni Anderson. Will Smith, as an excited UPN publicist put it, ``is a superstar of the entertainment world.`` He makes money-making movies -- Men In Black, Bad Boys. He had one good role in Ali. Anyway, Will is really rich and he and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith (famous for dresses at awards shows, I`m told), wanted to do a TV sitcom about their amazing life. They didn`t want to star in it, you understand. They wanted to be producers and give jobs to their friends. Smith and Pinkett Smith came to talk up the show, called All of Us. It`s about this guy who has an ex-wife, a girlfriend and a kid. The girlfriend looks forward to when he gets divorced so they can marry. Divorce papers arrive, he dithers and eventually has an epiphany -- he`s going to have ``a blended family`` and his new wife and ex-wife are going to have to get along for his sake and his son`s sake. This dude is making decisions. Smith made many pithy comments. One was, ``Look, we`re in Hollywood. We gotta to do like white people do -- give each other jobs.`` Well, somebody`s given Loni Anderson a job. You remember Loni Anderson? Think back 30 years, if you can. She got famous as Jennifer, the spectacularly enhanced, bleach-blond secretary on WKRP In Cincinnati. That`s right -- a perambulating, permanently smiling promise of pneumatic bliss for bosses everywhere. In the 1970s she was a sort of Farrah Fawcett without the edge. Later, if memory serves, she married Burt Reynolds. She also starred in the memorable movies Stoker Ace, Blown Away and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain. Then the relationship with Burt Reynolds fell apart. Doing deep research on this part of her career -- that is, talking to a person at TVHOT who brags about knowing this stuff -- I learned that the epilogue to the Burt thing was a revelation about her failed attempts to arouse Burt`s interest through the womanly wile of wearing sexy underwear. Now Loni Anderson stars in a new UPN series called The Mullets. Her name on the show is a fine double-barrelled moniker: Mandi Mullet- Heidecker. But you can forget that instantly because the only memorable part of The Mullets is the still spectacularly double- barrelled Loni. The Mullets is about Dwayne and Denny Mullet, two hosers with mullet haircuts. They`re roofers and ridiculously stupid. Comedy is alleged to arise from their love of classic rock, Doritos and mutual interest in a gal who works at the convenience store. Loni plays their Mom, who has married a stuck-up guy (John O`Hurley, the stuck-up boss of Elaine on Seinfeld) and loves her moronic sons. Loni showed up here at TVHOT and actually added some class. She looked incredibly fragile -- pale, slight and as if she were trying excruciatingly hard to bring some ladylike dignity to the ugliness known as The Mullets. Dressed in a tight black skirt and a brocade top that unveiled the requisite amount of her legendary cleavage, she looked so lost. She sat up straight, crossed her legs, leaned forward to clutch her knees and smiled her long-practised, mile-wide smile. The look on her lovely face indicated that in her long career, nobody had told her there would be days like these. Me neither, and I`m glad it`s over (Globe & Mail via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. BERKELEY RADIO PIRATES BROADCAST DESPITE FCC INTERVENTION, THREATS From http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=03/07/24/1960695 Berkeley Daily Planet: Edition Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2003 By AL WINSLOW Special to the Planet (07-15-03) The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been trying to silence Berkeley`s pirate radio broadcasters for 10 years. The broadcasters continue to broadcast, but they say it`s getting harder. ``[The FCC] is starting to pick on people who have property, who have something to lose,`` said labor activist Michael Delacour, who quit Berkeley Liberation Radio (104.1 FM) last year after being threatened by the FCC with a fine of up to $100,000. ``I was afraid they were threatening my retirement,`` said Delacour, 65, who receives a pension from the Boilermakers` Union. A current broadcaster --- ``Captain Fred`` --- said the ranks of Berkeley Liberation Radio have thinned and that some local pirate stations --- such as Queer Kids Radio and Vulcan Radio, an anarchist music station --- went off the air entirely after getting an FCC letter. ``Typically, what happens is they get a letter called a notice of liability and a letter threatening dire consequences if they don`t go off the air,`` Captain Fred said. Another broadcaster-``DJ Advocacy``- added: ``Usually, for most people, that`s all the warning they need.`` DJ Advocacy said broadcasters use pseudonyms because, ``Basically, the FCC doesn`t know who we are. They didn`t know where to send the letter to, so they sent it to Delacour.`` The May 6, 2002, letter to Delacour, five-time Peace and Freedom Party candidate for mayor and Berkeley`s best known usual suspect, reads: ``[The FCC] has received complaints from residents ... concerning interference to reception of FM broadcast signals ... investigation revealed that you lease space at Skyline Studios ... and that that space is used by the illegal radio station known as Berkeley Liberation Radio ... You are hereby officially advised that operation of radio transmitting equipment without a valid license ... may subject the operator to penalties of a maximum criminal fine of $100,000 and/or one-year imprisonment, a civil forfeiture up to $11,000 or seizure of the equipment for the first offense.`` When shown the letter, the Berkeley civil liberties lawyer David Beauvais said, ``They`re intending to chill people out with it. That`s the point.`` The radio station is breaking the law, he said, and the FCC is enforcing it. ``It`s a civil disobedience kind of thing, and when you do civil disobedience, you`ve got to take your lumps,`` Beauvais said. The FCC made good on its ``seizure of the equipment`` threat Dec. 11, storming the Berkeley Liberation Radio station at 2427 Telegraph Ave. at 55 Street. The pirate station now operates in another location. The station has no paid employees and costs $600 a month for rent and $20 for a phone, according to Captain Fred. What is broadcast is virtually anything. Berkeley pirate broadcasters have aired a Marxist interpretation of the news, regular readings of articles from the local newspapers, shows on animal rights, parenting, bicycle liberation and the experiences of gay Afro-Americans, articles by adult film actress Nina Hartley, programs by the Peace and Freedom Party and the Libertarian Party, and an on-air appearance by then- Mayor Shirley Dean. A lot of it is for enjoyment, Delacour said. ``It`s a form of therapy. You can sit in a room and talk for a couple of hours without anyone interrupting. You can be the disc jockey you always dreamed of since you were a kid.`` Tony McNair, a Berkeley homeless activist, was alone in the one-room station at 11 a.m., broadcasting the tape of a San Francisco anti-war rally. He said about a dozen men in blue jackets with FCC or U.S. Marshall written on them, came in carrying sledge hammers and a battering ram. ``They yanked me out by the shirt and slammed me up against the wall and held guns pointed at my head,`` McNair said. ``They kept saying, `Who are the leaders? Who are the leaders?``` McNair said the raiding party turned off the station and removed all the equipment, including a computer and its records. He was let go an hour later, after an Oakland policeman ran a warrant check on him, he said. The station, though, was back on the air in four days and continues to broadcast. It now costs about $1,000 to fully equip a micropower station and the cost is about to plunge again, according to Free Radio Berkeley founder Stephen Dunifer. Barred by federal court order from broadcasting, Dunifer is collaborating with other transmitter engineers throughout the country to find ways to reduce equipment costs. ``We`re ready to introduce a $100 kit that, with other equipment you can get at a hardware store, will let you broadcast four to six miles, which is really all you need, for $500,`` he said. ``As long as equipment costs can be kept low, these raids are really not that effective. They cost a lot and there is the indirect cost that storm troopers coming in and stealing a microphone is not the best image the FCC wants to project in terms of free speech issues,`` Dunifer said. Dunifer advocates flooding the country with so many micropower stations the government will be powerless. ``If it becomes popular enough, mainstream enough, the FCC could face having to go into a rest home to stop an 80-year-old woman from broadcasting Glenn Miller,`` he said. Because they come and go so often, it`s hard to estimate how many unlicensed stations operate in the country. Dunifer estimates hundreds. One Web site lists 21 by name in California, including six in the Bay Area. The FCC regularly reports shutting down about 200 a year. Broadcaster Suzan Rodríguez, using her real name --- ``I don`t care who knows who I am`` --- said prior to her regular Friday morning show on Berkeley Liberation Radio, ``We`re not going to just roll over.`` ``Micro-radio is the last platform for the people to have a voice in a country where the government is bent on gagging our voices. Dissent is the American way. Our country was founded on dissent,`` she said. Meanwhile, it`s not certain the FCC has rid itself of Delacour. ``Actually, I made a bad decision,`` he said about quitting the station. ``I had other things going on, like fighting an eviction, but I wish I`d stayed with it and not chickened out.`` http://www.berkeleydaily.org/text/article.cfm?issue=07-15-03&storyID=16999 (via Mike Terry, July 25, DXLD) ** U S A. Most North American pirate DXers have heard at least one show from Alan Maxwell at KIPM. His complex ``Illuminati`` drama presentations are probably the best produced pirate radio shows on the air today. The station signal often generates loggings on both the east and west coasts of North America, proving that the station`s transmitter is well above average in its coverage area. But, many pirate listeners who are accustomed to the light comedy, satire, and music formats on the shortwave bands have misconstrued the format used by KIPM on shortwave, and on some licensed FM stations that occasionally relay the station`s productions. Monitoring Times has previously joined this parade of misinformation about Alan`s intent with these shows. We often point out that the subject matter of the drama productions on this station often includes characters who go insane. Sometimes insanity itself appears to be the main focus of these dramas. But, this characterization misses the mark to a degree. Maxwell points out to MT that the literary themes of his programs are existentialism, not promotions of mental illness. Perhaps it is time for many pirate listeners and DX publication editors to go back to school, where we can take some existentialism literary classes. Then, we might be able to recognize this genre when we hear it (George Zeller, Outer Limits, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) And you should see the nightmarish KIPM QSL card, ``Maxwell High- Security Sanitarium`` reproduced in full color in the high-resolution pdf version of MT! See PUBLICATIONS below for subscription info (gh) ** U S A. HOMELAND SECURITY: RADIO SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT Another announcement has been made regarding the Federal Government`s radio spectrum management study. This is a subject we`ve covered several times this year as the story has unfolded. In June, the White House announced a new effort to ``better manage`` the radio spectrum. A new White House Interagency Task Force will be composed of the Departments of Defense, Transportation and Homeland Security, plus the FAA and NASA. Wireless Week Magazine reports the Task Force will conduct ``the first comprehensive study of federal government radio spectrum policy in the modern era and will build on previous administration efforts to improve spectrum management.`` Public meetings with industry representatives and local government officials will help steer the Task Force toward their final recommendations, to be released in about a year. Almost daily news about this ongoing story can be found at Wireless Week Magazine, http://www.wirelessweek.com National Telecommunications and Information Administration, http://www.ntia.doc.gov and at http://www.fcc.gov (Robert Wyman, The World Above 30 MHz, Scanning Report, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) A BAD LAW NARROWLY AVERTED By Rachel Baughn, editor, MONITORING TIMES At the eleventh hour radio hobbyists in Nevada and around the country learned of wording included in Nevada Assembly Bill 441 which could have made public safety frequency lists against the law if the Governor deemed them to be sensitive because of terrorist activity, whether real or anticipated. The Bill on Homeland Security was proposed by Assembly member Richard Perkins and had already passed the Assembly. Perkins is or was a member of the Henderson Police Department in Nevada. The alarm was raised by Nevada Senator Bob Coffin, who wrote W6OLD, ``Please get the word out to everyone that they need to email and call all legislators and their own senators and assemblymen. I can`t believe this got out of the Assembly and came here to me in the Senate without a bit of noise --- Check it out at our website and forward the address to others after you read the bill. Address is http://www.leg.state.nv.us/72nd/bills/AB/AB441_R2.html (Section 21 (f)specifically) --- and it can be either a misdemeanor or felony, depending on how a court determines a defendant`s `intent`.`` Although it was questionable how much influence opinions from outside the state would bear, MT staffers Jorge Rodríguez and Larry Van Horn wrote to the Bill`s author and to senate finance committee members, the last stop before final approval. Both letters pointed out the folly of criminalizing federal public domain information. Jorge Rodríguez wrote: ``We`ve just learned of the provision in your bill to outlaw published frequency lists and would like to learn more about its intent and purpose and recommend against it. ``We`re opposed to the provision in sec. 21 (f) of the bill AB441 prohibiting published frequency lists. The current state of the art in programmable radios and computer controlled radios makes such a provision ineffective. It would merely criminalize the conduct of well intentioned Nevada citizens without enhancing homeland security. ``Such lists are even published by the Federal Communications Commission and AB441`s radio frequency publishing prohibition would be in conflict with the Federal government`s practice; it would make the Federal government a law violator. ``On a fundamental basis, it would also violate the free speech and freedom of the press provisions of the Nevada State constitution and Federal constitution which all Americans cherish. ``Thank you for your well intentioned concern.`` Larry Van Horn received the following reply on June 12th, from William J. Raggio, Senate Majority Leader: ``I write in response to your e-mail regarding your opposition to the section of Assembly Bill (A.B.) 441 that refers to radio frequencies. ``Section 21, subsection 2, paragraph f, was deleted from the bill by amendment. The Senate Finance Committee, of which I am chairman, recommended this amendment. Thank you for contacting me on this important issue, and I am glad we were able to address your concerns.`` Dick Flanagan, a Nevada amateur radio operator, reported on the final compromise: ``As originally written, Nevada Assembly Bill 441 would have made the publication, sale and possession of `emergency response` frequencies against the law if the Governor determined it was necessary because of real or potential terrorist activity. Because of the wide public availability of this information, such a restriction would have been unenforceable and simply not in the best interests of both amateur radio and public safety interests. ``Because of a concentrated effort by the amateur community, this section of AB-441 has been rewritten! ``According to the Nevada Legislature web site, AB-441 passed the State Senate with the following replacement for Section 21 Subsection 2 Paragraph (f): (f) Documents, records or other items of information regarding the infrastructure and security of frequencies for radio transmissions used by response agencies, including, without limitation: (1) Access codes, passwords or programs used to ensure the security of frequencies for radio transmissions used by response agencies; (2) Procedures and processes used to ensure the security of frequencies for radio transmissions used by response agencies; and (3) Plans used to reestablish security and service with respect to frequencies for radio transmissions used by response agencies after security has been breached or service has been interrupted.`` ``The amended bill now goes back to the Assembly where passage is expected.`` We don`t know all the players in defeating this misguided legislation, but thanks are definitely due to Senator Bob Coffin, who raised the alarm, and to Harry Marnell and others who spread the word. Those who deserve the most credit are the ones who picked up pen, phone, or computer keyboard and contacted the decision-makers. Their efforts paid off even though the time for action was very short, and it shows what can be done when citizens get involved. As Larry points out, ``I think we have been very fortunate over the last few years to get both federal and state antiscanner laws defeated or amended. I believe the internet has really revolutionized this process.`` It makes one wonder, if we had had the Internet back in 1986, might the language in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act have come out differently...? (Rachel Baughn, Closing Comments, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A. NEW IBOC STATIONS AND COMPLAINTS Forwarded from another list: Recently a few more NYC stations have signed on with IBOC. WPAT 930 (which is actually licensed to Patterson NJ) and WZRC 1480. The most interesting is WZRC. Greenwich CT`s 1490 WGCH is a VERY strong ``local`` signal in western Nassau County LI (every seek or scan I have seen has always stopped on this signal). With IBOC fired up on WZRC, WGCH is now virtually non-existent in an area it served with a strong signal prior to IBOC. The signal is barely audible under a sea of noise from WZRC`s IBOC transmissions. If WGCH were my station, annoyed would be putting it VERY lightly. This is the first of many graveyard channel deaths we will see if IBOC continues to be allowed on the AM band. How certain members of the engineering community can hang their hats on such a poor system is beyond me (via Charles Hutton, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Aló Presidente ha cambiado sus señas en 25 metros. Los 11875 kHz han sustituido a los 11670. Muchos 73`s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. VENEZUELAN ARMY This month, with the help of fellow digital listener Ron Perón, we take a detailed look at the extensive Venezuelan Army network audible throughout the HF spectrum. As most regular DD readers will know, most parts of the Venezuelan Forces are well-equipped radio-wise and have been using ALE [Automatic Link Establishment] for linking military networks across their large country for some time. The Army is no different and we were very pleased when Ron passed on a very useful breakdown of the likely networks and the meaning behind the ALE identifiers. Let`s begin by looking at the structure of the Venezuelan Army, which is broken down into six zones or regions. According to a profile available via web search engine Google`s cache of defunct web pages the structure of the Army is as follows: Area Militar 1 (HQ San Cristóbal) covers Táchira, Mérida, Barinas and Apure Area Militar 2 (HQ Maracaibo) covers Falcón, Zulia and western Trujillo Area Militar 3 (HQ Barquisimeto) covers Lara, Yaracuy, Portuguesa, Cojedes, Guárico and eastern Trujillo Area Militar 4 (HQ Maracay) covers Caracas, Carabobo, Aragua, Miranda, Sucre, Nueva Esparta and northern Anzoátegui Area Militar 5 (HQ Maturín) covers Monagas, southern Anzoátegui and the Delta Amacuro Territory Area Militar 6 (HQ Ciudad Bolívar) covers Bolívar and the Amazonas Territory Prior to the country`s ``Plan Ejército 2000,`` each military zone had its own Infantry Division, each of which was further sub-divided into one or two brigades. Under the new plan, the Army combined the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions into a new 1st Infantry Division, with its HQ at Maracaibo. With their HQ at Maracay, the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions merged to become the new 4th Infantry Division. Lastly, a new 5th Jungle Infantry Division, headquartered at Ciudad Bolívar was formed to cover the old regions 5 and 6 in the south of the country. So let`s look at ALE identifiers which have been collected thus far: CGE CLC CLC13, 22, 32, 321, 41, 43, 44, 51, 52 CLM CLM21, 31, 32, 41, 42, 46, 52 CRC CRC1, 2, 3, 4, 5 CRM CRM2, 4, 5 PCRC5 PCRM5 SCLC211, 222, 224, 431, 432, 442, 50, 501, 51, 511, 513, 514, 521 SCLM34, 340, 341, 342, 344, 347, 349 SCM02, 04 As we might expect from the Army`s five division organization, we never see ALE identifiers having numeric portions with a starting digit higher than 5. Using a number of Spanish translation guides, Ron was also able to piece together the following possible meanings for each identifier prefix: CLC= Communications Logistics Center (Centro Logístico Comunicaciones) SCLC= Communications Logistics Service Center (Servicio Centro Logístico de Comunicaciones) CRC= Regional Communications Center (Centro Regional de Comunicaciones) PCRC= Rear Command Post (Communications) (Puesto de Commanda Retrasado Comunicaciones) CLM= Maintenance Logistics Center (Centro Logístico Mantenimiento) SCLM= Maintenance Logistics Service Center (Servicio Centro Logístico Mantenimiento) CGE= Army HQ (Cuartel General de Ejército), Caracas The digits themselves appear to correspond closely to the various unit numbers of the battalions into which the lower hierarchies of each division are structured. For example, SCLC512 is likely to be the communications facilities of the 512th (Jungle) Infantry Battalion based at Fort Tarabay. Identifiers with a single digit are most probably the central (HQ) facilities of each division. When Ron checked the frequencies used by each identifier, he was able to determine the following net structure, too: 2nd Infantry Division: 5760, 9232, 10156, and 11610 kHz USB 3rd Infantry Division: 7597, 8050, 9232, 9259, 12192, 13464, 13506 USB 5th Infantry Division: 9233, 12191, 14569 kHz USB There are likely to be many more frequencies that we have yet to find in this large and interesting network. Perhaps you will come across them some day...? Resources --- Venezuelan Army: http://www.ejercito.mil.ve Spanish Military Glossary: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/usarsa/main.htm (Mike Chace, Digital Digest, Utility World, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Just now (25-7-2003, 1735 UT) I hear on 5134 kHz USB an eastern European broadcasting station. This one is reported here from time to time since many years. The language sounds Czech? As it was also on in German daytime some years ago I think not about a Belarus` MIL station, which often relays local FM broadcasting stations. Also the regular use of the same frequency looks not like Belarus`. Some years ago the WUN mailing list reported daytime Czech voice ``official styled`` traffic on 5135 or 5134 kHz. Now it sounds more like a Russian related language, maybe the Belarus` also use this channel? Sorry, I typed this message online via telnet. Anybody is able to identify the BC station which is relayed?? Any further info about this channel (former? Czech users) or about the Belarus` relays in general? Only the Belarus` MIL is doing these relays? Means the catch of such a relay is a positive ID for Belarus` MIL ???? [Later:] now I`m sure that this was a Belarus` BC relay; it was a chat program moderated by a woman (in Russian/Belarus`) with BLR and international hits. It went QRT exactly on the hour (1800 UT), they often the term ``Kasern`` (sounds like), which sounds like the German word military barracks/camps, maybe the same in belarus`? Maybe the Belarus` MIL produce special MIL BC programs, like the German Radio Andernach operated by the Bundeswehr??? For the WUN logging team: 5134.0 Belarus MIL: 1745-1800 SSB (LSB and USB) relay of a Belarus` broadcasting station. 1800 s/off. (25/7/02) (DL8AAM) 73, (Tom - DL8AAM, hard-core-dx via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Does anyone know the station from Brazil on 6020 at 0700 UT? http://jill.jazzkeyboard.com/radio/brazil.mp3 Their ID mentioned São Paulo. Thanks (Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Altho I couldn`t make much out of Jilly`s recording, I think this is most likely R. Victoria, Peru: Mark Mohrmann`s list http://www.sover.net/~hackmohr/sw.htm shows it does run all night: 6020.29 PERU * R Victoria, Lima [0035-1240](.08-.4) Jul 03 C //9720.39 (r)AM780 It does carry evangelical programs, and this could well have been the one in `Portunyol`, a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese, or rather Spanish spoken with a heavy Brazilian accent, ``La Voz de la Liberacion``. It`s actually around 6020.3, and parallel 9720.4v. Of the two Brazilians listed elsewhere on 6020, the only current Brazilian he has is: 6020.04 BRAZIL * R Gaúcha, Porto Alegre [*0900-1001/2022-0335](19.8- 20.05)Jun 02 C (r)R Tupi //6060//9565//11915 (skd Mar02)0900-0400 0755 Another try at monitoring with this in mind might resolve the question, especially if the mystery one is off-frequency. O, I meant to add that the music in the middle of Jilly`s recording reminded me of ``How Great Thou Art``, adding to the impression that this is evangelical, and the show referred to does come from São Paulo, I think. And, altho he could not hear it as late as 0700, see Karel Honzik`s log under PERU in DXLD 3-111 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6215.05, unID LA, 0058 July 26, Fairly weak, but definite Spanish speaking announcer. Moderate static crashes at the time. I heard no ID, but Radio Baluarte from Pto. Iguazú, Argentina has been logged on this frequency at this time within the last few weeks. I guess this is the best time of year to DX Argentina on 6 MHz (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Q. What are the unstable shortwave carriers that slowly drift upward in frequency consistent spacings? I have heard them on various receivers and at several locations (Frank Tangel, email) A. Without a doubt, these gurgling frequency drifts are generated locally by harmonic-rich switching power supplies and other free- running oscillators found in modern electronic appliances, telephones, and even utilities like telephone company accessories, and radiated from power lines, telephone lines, and your own appliances. One way to determine whether or not they are in your house is to turn off the circuit breakers, one at a time, as you are listening to the interference; if one of the breakers kills the interference (but not your receiver!), you`re getting closer! I had such a problem several years ago with our telephone system. The provider had installed a device called a ``Circuit Maker`` which multiplexed several lines together; their power supply produced harmonics all over the shortwave spectrum. I finally had to file a complaint with our public utility commission to force them to remove the devices. You can sometimes home in on them walking around with a portable radio tuned to one of the offending signals to see where it gets loudest (Bob Grove, W8JHD, Ask Bob, Getting Started, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ MONITORING TIMES EXPRESS The monthly magazine costs $26.95 a year in USA for hard copy, but only $19.95 for PDF. This may be downloaded either in low- or high- resolution, the latter running some 22 MB, but no problem with a cable modem or better. Only a few pages of the print magazine are slick, suitable for color, but some illustrations printed only in B&W show up in color on the PDF: see our remarks above under USA --- KIPM. MC, Visa, Discover accepted: 1-800-438-8155 toll free in US and Canada; elsewhere 1-828-837-9200; fax 828-837-2216; 7540 Hwy 64 W, Brasstown NC 28902. Or see http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtexpress.html for info about a free sample. MT uses a lot of abbrs. without explaining them, like ALE, other than at: http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtglossary.html http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtrfglossary.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CQ SHORTWAVE NEWS MAGAZINE There is a shortwave radio magazine published monthly by Tony Smith in Australia. It`s called ``CQ Shortwave News Magazine`` and covers pretty much all aspects of the DXing hobby. You can check out the July 2003 issue #24 at http://www.kn4lf.com/CQSW24.PDF I have no financial ties to the publication and am just passing along info on it as I think it`s a very worthwhile publication. You can email Tony at swler@dodo.com.au for subscription info. 73, (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF Plant City, FL, USA, NRC-AM via DXLD) CQSWN includes snippets from DXLD as filler. When not fascist-bashing RFPI, Giella also has written propagation articles for this ezine, as I recall (gh, DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ MADISON DX GET-TOGETHER The 10th annual Madison Get-together for DXers and Radio Enthusiasts is a little over three weeks away. This year`s event will take place on Saturday, August 16, beginning at 1 PM CDT. This year`s hosts are the NRC`s Bill and Nina Dvorak, 501 Algoma Street, Madison WI 53704- 4812. The Madison get-together has been growing every year. Last year, 26 DXers attended, including six from the NRC. Come and meet your fellow NRC members and share in the DX camaraderie. If you plan to attend, please let us know by responding to this e- mail. If you need more information, please request our e-mail fact sheet. We hope to see you in Madison on August 16! 73 (Bill and Nina Dvorak, Madison WI DXERak@aol.com July 24 via NRC-AM via DXLD) NRC CONVENTION A MONTH AWAY As all of you know, the annual NRC Convention will be held in Dallas/ Fort Worth August 29 through August 31. The link below has all the details. http://www.nrcdxas.org/convention/03nrccon/ While tours are not finalized just yet, you can expect several interesting ones, including the recording studios of TM Century, Inc (who graciously donated jingles for the club`s WNRC and DX Audio service last year) and WFAA-TV. Of course there will be some radio facility tours. John Callarman is also trying to put together some informal seminars about the hobby. Since the banquet/guest speaker/auction are important parts of the event I`ll mention that briefly. We`re meeting in Texas, so barbeque will be on the menu, with the traditional fixins. The guest speakers --- there are two --- should prove entertaining. First is George Gimarc who hosts the Lost Tapes program heard on KRLD- 1080 and the Texas State Network on Saturday nights (he`s not heard on KRLD if there`s a baseball conflict, but is still on TSN). George will talk about his show (which is quite unique) and his two books, Hollywood HiFi Vol. 1 and 2. After George, Steve Eberhart, who is responsible for the ``History of KLIF`` website http://www.historyofklif.com will talk about KLIF, the legacy of its founder Gordon McLendon, and the incredible influence the Mighty 1190 had on not only Dallas/Fort Worth but as a pioneer of ``top 40`` radio in the United States. The auction: if you received the July DXAS then you know about the personalized TM Century jingle that will be auctioned to the highest bidder (they really will sing your name `here`). I`ve been stockpiling some stuff and next week every radio promotion manager in town will get their arm twisted by me, but if you have anything to donate --- we need it! Quickly!! Send your auction items to: Wally Wawro, WFAA-TV, 606 Young Street, Dallas, TX 75202 Please include your phone number or e-mail address so I can let you know that the package arrived. Also, write NRC Auction somewhere on the box or package. No junk but anything of interest to our members will be welcome. So get your registration to Bill Hale and your reservation made with the hotel. Can we get 70 members together for the club`s 70th anniversary? I`m optimistic enough to think we can! Bill, John and I are looking forward to meeting you next month. Thank you! (Wally Wawro, WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX, NRC 2003 Big D, NRC-AM July 26 via DXLD) IRCA CONVENTION RADIO TOUR PHOTOS I finally found enough time in my day to upload photos from the IRCA 2003 Convention tour of Saga Communications` Portland Radio Group. Check it out on BAMLog. A report and photos will be published in the October edition of Popular Communications magazine (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH http://members.aol.com/baconti/bamlog.htm via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ AN EDITORIAL COMMENT As you all well know by now I`ve been around amateur radio long enough to qualify as a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association. (One of these days I may even join.) Throughout those years, both as a ham and as a generalist in all the other aspects of the radio hobby, I have encountered dozens of things that have been raised up as ``a threat to the hobby,`` and gets everyone excited. This is not such a bad thing, because usually it brings about an increase in activity on the repeaters and that is always good. Just such a subject is currently causing long-winded folks to time out their local machines. These days a lot of comments, opinions and technical positions (and, sadly, a certain amount of unsubstantiated folderol) have been going back and forth in the amateur radio community, in the press, online, and on the air, about Power Line Communications, also known a PLC or Broadband over Power Lines (BPL). I have been a bit surprised at how many e-mails have come my way asking me my opinion on the subject. Certainly enough to make me dig a bit deeper into the good sources of information to try to come up with some thoughts that might at least further the discussion. In other words, I guess it looks like time for Old Uncle Skip to get into some controversy. Well, duck and cover, here it comes. Good, Bad, or Indifferent? On the surface of it, the concept of PLC/BPL is intriguing --- using existing power lines to carry high speed broadband Internet signals. You`ve got an existing infrastructure and supportive services (including billing and administration). Why isn`t everybody smiling? Well, for one thing, at its existing level of technology and with the current theories on deployment, it has the potential to cause serious noise and interference problems in the HF spectrum. Where I come from, HF means Ham Frequencies, so we should all be keeping at least one eye on this technology. Life is hard enough trying to dig out an S2 signal under a solar flare. Nobody needs more interference than we already encounter. But notice the phrasing I used in the last paragraph… PLC has the *potential* to cause interference at this stage of the game. While all hams are right to be concerned and should make a point of filing comments on any FCC Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) in these areas, let`s be careful here. Last time I checked, the amateur radio community was supposed to be made up of folks who embraced advances in technology and, more importantly, worked to make existing and potential technologies better. If you don`t believe me, reach into your pocket and pull out your cell phone. Who do you think figured out how to bring this technology to a place where it was made marketable? As I recall, hams were repeating and networking radio (cell phones are radios remember?) long before anyone used a pocket phone to order a pizza. Through our comments (and hopefully our experiments) we may find ways to make this technology coexist with ham radio. I expect that if PLC becomes a reality it will be in an advanced form that takes into account spectrum use for HF services (including ham radio). I also count on the vast technological base of dedicated and tenacious hams to find new ways of getting around this problem and, in so doing, improve the radio art even further. I can hardly wait to see the advances in notch filter design. Now to really go out on a limb, let me give you my thoughts on why this technology may not be a threat at all. How many times have we heard in the past about a ``promising new technology that will change our world forever``? See where I am going with this? Even if the basics of the technology are sound and the power companies have dollar signs in their eyes, that doesn`t mean this dog is gonna` hunt. That power juice that leaks out of your plugs at home comes by way of a relatively lossy system when you start to talk about higher and higher frequencies. There are miles of uninsulated (and corroded) wire out there running from pole to pole. You can get away with all kinds of things when you`re down below 500 kHz. You may not know that even today your local utility company is probably sending control signals via their overhead wires at very low frequencies. But when you start moving that signal up into the legitimate HF range or higher, a lot of other factors are going to come into play --- everything from the quality of the cabling to the connectors and the power generating equipment itself. Even cable TV companies and telephone companies currently scrambling for their piece of the broadband Internet pie, and whose systems were more or less initially designed to manage data transmissions, are encountering infrastructure and deployment problems. Power utilities were only designed to deliver electrical power at some very specific (and very low) frequencies. Sure, it might work just fine in a lab or a short range test. But I`ll bet long runs will create a whole new set of problems that may make the whole project less than cost efficient for the power companies. Utilities are highly regulated industries and they have to work very hard to preserve what they perceive to be a reasonable profit margin. They simply can`t afford to go off on a technological tangent. Their R&D budgets are as tight as a drum. And if you poke around a bit on the Internet and in a few books, you are likely to find that a form of PLC already exists in many places and it is having zero negative effect on amateur radio operations. What I am referring to is the ``HomePlug`` specification. HomePlug is a technology used for powerline computer and control system networking within a building or complex of buildings. This specification requires filtering to prevent interference with all types of over-the-air radio communication. A great deal more information and study from reliable resources can be found at the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Technical Information Service site: http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ My good friend Ed Hare, W1RFI, ARRL Laboratory Manager (and QRP Sensei) has gone to great pains to assure that the facts of this technology and its potential impact on amateur and other radio services is available to hams everywhere. So the bottom line from Old Uncle Skip`s end of the universe is: Will we see PLC deployed? Maybe. When will we see it? On a small scale, in a couple of years, but unless some of those bigger issues are worked out I wouldn`t expect it to be widespread within the next 5 years or even more. Technologies of all shapes and sizes will continue to advance during that 5 year period as well. Any one of these technologies might prove more practical (and profitable) than PLC. Will PLC have a negative impact on Ham Radio? Yes, but only if we do not work on our own behalf to protect our spectrum from this and any other potential source of interference. While PLC might have a negative impact at some point in the future, at the present time more hams are probably affected by interference from improperly managed VHF/UHF paging transmitters. When was the last time you contacted the FCC to get them to improve enforcement in this area? The key here is to remain informed. Any ham that doesn`t log onto the FCC http://www.fcc.gov and ARRL http://www.arrl.org Web sites daily and act on the news and information provided there gets what they deserve. Things move fairly fast in this regulation/deregulation game and windows of opportunity to provide comments to the FCC and government officials can be fairly narrow. Making Your Voice Heard The good news is that the FCC usually accepts public comments on any of their Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR). They have even developed an excellent Web site that makes filing comments a fairly simple procedure. Their site can be found at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ All you need to provide comment is the docket number for the NPR in question. These are usually easy to find with a search on the topic either at the FCC main Web site or at the ARRL Web Site. Most any subject of particular interest to the amateur radio community will be well covered in the hobby press, as will references to the various NPR`s docket numbers and their filing deadlines. Knowing the docket number is important, because that is how you reference the topic you plan to comment on at the FCC site. Even a brief comment of just a few lines is valuable to the process. Let`s go over a couple of points that will help you be heard. You are filing a comment not a complaint. Even if you are very excited about a matter and have very strong feelings, try your best to make your comments in a way that is informative and critical without being confrontational. Take some time to develop your position off line. How many times in the past have you sent someone an e-mail message only to regret that you hit the Send key. A little planning will give even a brief comment plenty of power. Another important thing to remember is that, unless you are very well versed in the engineering and or legal aspects of any matter in a NPR, you may want to try to refrain from talking about the subject beyond your personal level of expertise. Stick to honest expressions of your concern for the rule`s effect on your ability to continue to enjoy your use of the radio spectrum. This has just as much value during the comments stage of the FCC process. While I am sure it comes across in almost any comment posted by a ham on the FCC site, never forget to remind folks of the service that amateur radio provides. It is our history of service to the community that has been responsible for our ability to have our comments count in past matters before the FCC and Congress. The FCC could [not] care less if you can`t have your regular Saturday morning roundtable, nor do they care what your score was in last month`s DX contest. What continues to ``pay the rent`` for the ham community is our public service in times of emergencies. While the FCC comments page allows for the sending of attached files, don`t complicate matters by duplicating efforts. For example, sending a copy of an article from a magazine such as QST is redundant. The League will have already seen that all relevant material has been entered into the process. Unless the information you are providing is likely to be something new to the matter, save the bandwidth. As an example of a comment, please look at the sidebar to this month`s column. There you will see my brief comment filed in relation to NPR Docket #03-104, a recent NPR related to PLC. In a few short lines I let the folks in Gettysburg and Washington know my position on Power Line Communication. Keep an ear to the ground and your eyes on the Web for future opportunities to add your comments to matters that could change the way we enjoy our hobby in the future. Hang in there. I`ll still see everyone at the bottom end of forty meters for many years to come, as long as we all stick together. Uncle Skip`s Comments sent to the FCC concerning PLC/BPL ``As an active amateur radio operator, I am most concerned that BPL communication might have a negative and interfering effect on my ability to serve my community and my country. Unless the potential for serious interference to the amateur and other radio services are addressed, BPL should not go forward in its present form. In times of national and local emergencies, `hams` have always been ready willing and able to answer the call to duty. I guess the real question is, if BPL is allowed in its present form, will hams be able to hear that call under all the noise?`` (Rev. T. J. `Skip` Arey, On the Ham Bands, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ QST DE W1AW PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 30 ARLP030 From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA July 25, 2003 To all radio amateurs Geomagnetic activity settled down over the past week. The average daily planetary A index dropped by nearly half from the previous week, from 29.1 to 16.1. Average daily sunspot numbers went up from 140 to 195.3 and average daily solar flux rose from 125.6 to 147.7. Solar flux declined from Wednesday to Thursday, July 23 to 24, from 144.1 to 129.2. Predicted solar flux for Friday through Monday, July 25 to 28 is 120, 125, 125 and 130. Planetary A indices for those same days is predicted at 12, 15, 12 and 15, but is expected to rise next week to between 20 and 25. The sunspot count rose last week because of rapid growth of sunspot groups 409 and 410 about a week ago. Sunspot 410 began to decay around July 22. The predicted rise next week in geomagnetic indices is due to a solar wind that earth will enter around July 27. More news of VHF openings is in. Pat Rose, W5OZI said on July 24, from 0046 to 0052z (which was Wednesday night in North America) he worked five Japanese stations on 6-meters. Pat said that in 18 years on 6-meters he has never had E-layer propagation to Japan from his home in Junction, Texas, about 120 miles west of Austin. Pat says the approximate distance to the Japanese stations is over 10,300 km, or 6,400 miles, and believes it took six hops off the ionosphere. Sunspot numbers for July 17 through 23 were 189, 193, 178, 224, 219, 200, and 164, with a mean of 195.3. 10.7 cm flux was 138.7, 139.7, 146, 157.3, 155.6, 152.5, and 144.1, with a mean of 147.7. Estimated planetary A indices were 22, 14, 26, 19, 12, 9, and 11, with a mean of 16.1. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk) ARNIE CORO`S EXCLUSIVE AND NOT COPYRIGHTED PROPAGATION FORECAST A geomagnetic storm was expected to start early UT Sunday, due to a coronal hole (Arnie Coro, RHC DXers Unlimited July 27 0146, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###