DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-153, August 25, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3h.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 DX LISTENING DIGEST JULY HTML ARCHIVE IS NOW COMPLETE: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3g.html NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1196: RFPI: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 on 7445 [nominal times subject to delay or pre-emption] WWCR: Wed 0930 on 9475 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 [NO LOW VERSION THIS WEEK; SORRY] [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1196h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1196h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1196.html WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL schedules updated: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html MASTER SCHEDULE IN TIME ORDER, with additional programs: http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html ** ANTARCTICA. LRA36 TRANSMISIÓN ESPECIAL 15476 kHz, LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, tal lo anunciado previamente, ahora les puedo confirmar 100% que se emitirá una transmisión especial el próximo jueves 28 Agosto, entre *0100-0200v*, ésta, con motivo del 83º aniversario del nacimiento de la radiodifusión argentina el próximo día 27 Agosto (hora local). Esta activación en el citado horario, ha sido posible gracias a mi requerimiento con el propósito de darle a los diexistas y radioescuchas, la oportunidad de escuchar a LRA36 en un horario distinto al usual de 1800-2100 de lunes a viernes. Los bloques de la mencionada transmisión, han sido preparados en colaboración con el amigo y colega Arnaldo Slaen y quien escribe. Les comento además que actualmente está siendo imprimida una tarjeta QSL de LRA36. Por favor, envíen sus reportes directo a LRA36 en Base Esperanza. La potencia de salida sera de 3 KW como mínimo y si las condiciones clim’aticas son buenas, posiblemente con un poco más. Comentarios a LRA36 por e-mail a: lra36@i... [truncated by yahoogroups] 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Aug 25, Noticias DX via DXLD) Special broadcast confirmed at a time when propagation may be more favorable than the usual 1800-2100 schedule. UT Thu Aug 28 *0100- 0200v* on 15476; apparently only in Spanish, with 3 kW or maybe a bit more if they can push it (gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Reference 5400.00, La 101 Dear Sir, The information given lately in your bulletin is not correct. The frequency of 5400.0 kHz belongs to the Argentine Armed forces and it is frequently used for communication with the Antarctic bases, also the frequencies of 15820.0 and 29810.0 (can have other). The frequency of 5400.0 is for the night and can be listened in LSB rebroadcast of different stations AM and FM from Buenos Aires city. Usually heard LS4 Radio Continental (590 kHz), LRL202 Radio Diez (710) and others, usually rebroadcast sport or cultural events and news. In 5400.0 USB can be listened LTF2 - LTF3 - LTF7 that are stations of the Army, with family or operative traffic. The frequency 15810.0 is for the day and it is the most used one. In LSB rebroadcast the stations from Buenos Aires, and in USB usually family traffic (RX on 14694.0). Generally the weekends and sometimes both signals at the same time. The freq. 29810.0 LSB it was listened in the southern summer and now it is not operative. Greetings (Tony Paredes via mail, SW Bulletin Aug 24 via DXLD) What`s not correct? Is he denying that La 101 was among the stations relayed, as it was certainly logged by more than one DXer?? (gh, DXLD) 5400-lsb, 0121-0145, LA 101, Aug 25. Playing oldies US Pop tunes. Johnny Be Good at 0116 and then Runaway at 0119 then to male announcer with comments in Spanish. Signal in lsb at S6 level with some slight fades but nice copy. At 0125 switches to Latin tunes. One time pip at boh and possible ID and promos. Then to news items. Intro as 'Infomativo Continental' Then weather at 0134, Ad for movie at 0135. Then ID heard as exclusivo Radio Continental. 0136 'Dancing in the moon light' tune. US oldies continued past 0145 (Bob Montgomery, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) So if it was relaying R. Continental when you heard it, why do you call it La 101? (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 5927.1, 18.8 -2356* Radio Minería, closed down after a pass of ads (among others Farmacia Cristal) to the tones of the film theme of Bridge over River Kwai, Q2. HeP 5952.5, 17.8 2330, Radio Pio XII, Q3, with Spanish Mass by foreign preacher, speaking Spanish almost like me... Even worse the singers sang also like me. Also a Spanish version of John Brown was performed. What do Catholic listeners in the third world have to withstand? HeP 5952.5, 19.8 0000, Radio Pio XII, Q4, almost boomed in when I fixed a new wire in my beverage all the meters where the cows as usual had eaten up. Gorgeous ID in Aymara, I guess and some Spanish ads, among others for a machine workshop in Oruro (located some bus hours away (if there had been not too much rain) when no buses at all run). HeP (Hermod Pedersen, Malmö, Sweden, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. New Bolivian radio station on 4780.96 kHz! Radio Tacana, provincia Iturralde, departamento Pando. Aug 19 2003 - 0245 UT. It is absolutely impossible to have check on which stations are old or new, but to 100%. Radio Tacana ought to be a new one (correct me if I am wrong!). July 1 all in SWB got info direct from Quito via "SWB América Latina" regarding a new unID LA on 4780.89 kHz. Surely the same station as the one logged now: Radio Tacana. I don`t know if Tacana has been off air during the period from July 2 until now. Maybe it is hard to hear. The program with OM-DJ was nice music and frequent IDs. "Radio Tacana está transmitiendo en 4780 m(!)Hz banda de 60 metros onda corta". "Desde la provincia de Iturralde, el departamento de Pando en 4780 m(!)Hz banda de 60 metros onda corta transmite Radio Tacana". Also heard the following morning. Quito 20/08/2003 03:32:20 p.m. (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Note: earlier written by BM as Tacána, I suppose to make clear where the stress in this unfamiliar name goes, tho no accent is really needed there (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 9665, 24.8 0525, Rádio Nacional do Brasil med sin experimentella utlandsservice "para os paises de língua portuguesa". Nu Música Popular Brasileira. 3-4 CB (Christer Brunström, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Rádio Nacional do Brasil noted on August 24 on 9665 kHz at 0606 with "Memoria Musical". Announced as an experimental transmission "para os paises de língua portuguesa". At one time they mentioned Portugal, all the Portuguese-speaking nations of Africa and East Timor (they forgot Macau). Email: radionacionaldobrasil@radiobras.gov.br (Christer Brunström, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. E a Rádio Guarujá Paulista, de Guarujá (SP), resolveu investir mesmo em ondas curtas! Em 22 de agosto, o diretor da emissora, Orivaldo Rampazzo, entrou em contato com o coordenador do DX Clube do Brasil, Caio Fernandes Lopes, de Itajubá (MG), para confirmar que a programação da emissora já estava ativa em 5045 kHz, que é antiga freqüência da Rádio Difusora, de Presidente Prudente (SP). Não deu outra: às 0250, em Cochabamba, na Bolívia, o dexista brasileiro Rogildo Aragão captava o sinal da emissora, na nova freqüência! São os dexistas brasileiros gerando notícias de emissoras brasileiras! BRASIL - A Rádio Educadora, de Limeira (SP), foi captada, em Porto Alegre (RS), pela freqüência de 2380 kHz. Em 23 de agosto, às 0305, levou ao ar a seguinte identificação: "ZYK 531, Rádio Educadora, a rádio do povo!". Também tem sido monitorada, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ), por Sarmento Campos. BRASIL - Em mais um trabalho voluntário, Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM), informamos que a Rádio Clube, de Belém (PA), emite, em 4885 kHz, de segunda a sexta-feira, entre 0800 e 0400. Aos sábados e domingos, entre 1000 e 0400. O telefone é o seguinte: + 55 91 3084 0138. A direção postal é: Avenida Almirante Barroso, 2190, 3º andar, CEP: 66093-020, Belém (PA). E-mail: timaocampeao@expert.com.br BRASIL - A cidade de Porto Alegre, capital do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, tem três emissoras que emitem em ondas curtas: além de Gaúcha e Guaíba, tem a Rádio RGS, que pertence ao Sistema LBV Mundial que, atualmente, pode ser acompanhada, em diversos horários, pela freqüência de 11895 kHz. Uma dica é acompanhar a emissora quando há jogos de futebol dos times porto-alegrenses Grêmio e Internacional. Durante a jornada esportiva, a Rádio RGS apresenta a seguinte identificação: "Você ouve a LBV, a nova onda do futebol gaúcho!" BRASIL - Desde Ribeirão Preto (SP), Roberto Rufino informa que a Rádio Ribeirão Preto, conhecida como 79, já está com nova programação no ar. Agrega que a emissora pertence aos jornalistas José Luiz Datena e Jorge Kajuru. O prefixo da emissora, para a freqüência de 3205 kHz, em 90 metros, é: "ZYG 861". (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 24 via DXLD) ** CAMBODIA. 11940.1, 0004 Aug 24, National Voice of Cambodia, tent. the one signing on abruptly at this time with Asian language, two DJs and brief music interludes; within 4 minutes had wandered down to 11940.03 and kept drifting down very slowly to 11939.96 by 0015. Audio distortion, slight at first, increased gradually. Subject to signal surges rather than QSB. Despite these technical issues, the signal was better than over recent years (Paul Ormandy, ZL4TFX, NZ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. KOREAN-LANGUAGE RADIO PROGRAMME TO BEGIN BROADCASTING IN VANCOUVER | Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap [CHKG 96.1 ``The World`` per FM Atlas; as in Hong Kong?] Seoul, 22 August: A Korean-language radio programme will start broadcasting for South Korean expatriates in Vancouver, Canada next month. The programme, Vancouver-radio Seoul, is to be offered from 7.00 to 9.00 [local time] each weekday morning on an FM frequency of 96.1 MHz, according to a press release by the station. Broadcasting will begin 11 September, coinciding with Chusok, Korea's fall harvest holiday. Its programming will feature news, health information, English lessons, as well as details on local community events. "Vancouver-radio Seoul will faithfully carry out its role as a bridge linking South Korean culture to its Canadian counterpart," the press release said, adding it will drastically increase its airtime in the near future. As of end of July, Vancouver was home to 62,700 South Korean immigrants, according to the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry. This year marks 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Canada. Source: Yonhap news agency, Seoul, in English 0631 gmt 22 Aug 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CHINA. Complementing the programme in this week's Radio Times (23rd-29th August) is a rare example of that venerable publication actually devoting no less than four pages to an article on radio. Emily Buchanan, presenter of Radio 4's "A World in your Ear" has even picked her top ten best global radio stations for the article. Pity neither she nor anyone else gives any mention of good old shortwave here though (Mark Savage, BDXC-UK via DXLD) And she puts China Radio International in her top ten claiming it gives you "everything you wanted to know about China". How absurd. She even emphasizes her choice by a picture of their website. The slightest bit of research on her part would show her that the station is a propaganda outlet of the Communist Party; it unashamedly admits this. "Everything you wanted to know about China" - such as the treatment of ethnic minorities, their policy in Tibet, jamming of foreign broadcasts, blocking of internet sites, imprisonment and "re- education" of citizens for publishing critical articles, breach of internationally accepted health and safety standards in Chinese factories etc etc etc. Does CRI report on this? Of course not, and they jam the stations that do (Mike Barraclough, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** CHINA. ANALYSIS: CHINA MEDIA LIBERALIZATION DEBATE PITS REFORMERS AGAINST CONSERVATIVES | Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 21 August In recent months, the issue of media reform has filled thousands of column inches in the Chinese press. Officials from all levels of the Chinese Communist Party, right up to the Politburo, are involved in the current debate. The liberalization of the media is "still a sensitive topic in an otherwise rapidly reforming nation", in the words of the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post on 14 August. More than 2,000 newspapers and 9,000 other periodicals are currently published in China. Chinese State Council spokesman Zhao Qizheng noted during a visit to Russia on 18 August that the number of mass media groups in his country has increased tenfold during the last 20 years. China today has more than 3,000 TV channels and 450 radio stations broadcasting in Chinese and other languages, as well as some 47,000 web sites, Zhao Qizheng said in remarks reported by the Russian news agency Interfax. President Hu Jintao, addressing a Politburo session in Beijing on 12 August, said that with China's accelerated opening-up to the outside world, it was time to find ways to expand what he called the "culture industry" - a term grouping audiovisual entertainment, the news media and book and magazine publishing. Rounding up the prevailing Chinese official view, the South China Morning Post said: "The central government has largely accepted that as it stops subsidizing the industry, many media organizations should be treated as profit-driven economic entities. But the level to which the government relaxes its control will remain to be seen... Media observers said that the session essentially primed the Politburo to think in terms of how to make domestic media machinery more efficient while retaining party control over ideological matters." Analysts recalled that the central government is considering opening up China's domestic media to foreign investment. One proposal would allow foreign investors to take a stake of up to 40 per cent in mainland media firms. They would be entering a lucrative market. Official statistics show that China's media business has grown in volume by more than 25 per cent annually for three years in a row, a growth rate significantly higher than GDP growth. According to the most conservative estimate, China's publishing industry and media have advertising markets valued at 100 gigayuan (over 12bn US dollars) annually. The media reform debate follows a government directive banning mandatory subscriptions to unwanted party newspapers in rural communities, in order to reduce farmers' financial burdens. As a result, up to 1,000 papers affiliated to the Communist Party and government organs at all levels will be forced to close down or to consolidate. According to media sector experts cited by the official Chinese news agency Xinhua on 17 August, introducing a "survival mechanism" into China's newspaper industry and pushing newspapers and periodicals into market competition are the essence of the ongoing reform. "In China, newspapers and periodicals have always been rare resources. However, some newspapers and periodicals are operating without enough readership and producing no adequate social benefits and economic returns, thereby wasting an enormous amount of social resources," the Xinhua report added. Conservative party members remain staunchly opposed to any such plan, the South China Morning Post reported analysts as saying. As Reuters news agency explained in a dispatch on 10 July, "the struggle pits the Politburo's progressive media head Li Changchun, backed quietly by President Hu Jintao, against the hardline propaganda department led by Liu Yunshan, tied closely to Hu's powerful predecessor Jiang Zemin". However, analysts believe that while discord within the new Communist Party leadership could stall the drive to reform, the financial consolidation of the Chinese media is unlikely to stop. Source: BBC Monitoring research 21 Aug 03 (via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. 6230.00 kHz: I think it was RÅ, Roland Åkesson, Sweden who in Glenn Hauser`s "DXLD" had an unID Spanish on this frequency. I have checked this frequency regularly without any results but a week ago I heard Spanish and REE (España)-IDs. So probably a harmonic from REE, Costa Rica (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t find any 6230 mentioned, unID or otherwise in July or August DXLDs to date ?? And harmonic of what? Certainly not 3115 (gh) ** CUBA. CASTRO LAUGHS OFF US PLANS TO STRENGTHEN TV MARTÍ Cuban President Fidel Castro says he is not concerned by the latest plan by the Bush administration to raise the profile of its TV Martí service. Last week the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) announced that it would shortly start beaming Radio and TV Martí into Cuba free- to-air via Hispasat. The BBG says a growing number of Cubans are receiving TV via satellite. The programming of TV Martí is also being revamped, with a heavy emphasis on news and information programmes. On the entertainment side, Major League baseball games will be broadcast on TV and Radio Martí, including the playoffs and World Series. But Castro predicts that the initiative will fail, like earlier efforts. "Up to now, experience has shown that it has gone badly," he said. "I read something about that and I was laughing. They are always inventing something." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 25 August 2003 via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. O dexismo transpõe as barreiras ideológicas e políticas. Recentemente, o programa Rádio Enlace, da Rádio Nederland, levou ao ar entrevista feita por Jeff Whitte com o locutor da Rádio Havana Cuba, Manolo de la Rosa. Ocorre que Whitte é o proprietário da Rádio Miami Internacional, emissora que recebe interferências propositais do governo que comanda a Rádio Havana Cuba. Conversaram apenas sobre a oferta de receptores de ondas curtas na ilha de Fidel, entre outras amenidades (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 24 via DXLD) Escuchar el programa actual: http://download.omroep.nl/rnw/smac/sp_radioenlace.mp3 ** CZECHOLSOVAKIA. Re: Source?? CZECH RADIO MARKS 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE FOR RADIO STATION --- This article is from the official Radio Prague Web site. 73, (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. All my receivers are spread out by the wind, all my notes are put where I can`t remember and all my antennas are down. A hard hit for an avid DX-er. The 5 Indian building workers from Riobamba keep on to turn everything upside down. Several of our members are interested in my way of recording stations; please look at a short description in frontpage of SWB. So the contribution from Avda La Prensa 4408 y Vaca de Castro is only some short notes (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See BOLIVIA, COSTA RICA, HONDURAS, PERU ** ECUADOR. Looking ahead to the B-03 season (and before) on HCJB: will drop most broadcasts to Europe at end of September, except the one-hour morning broadcast in German, but that will change frequency. Spanish frequency to Mexico will probably change, but not much else, says frequency manager Doug Weaver, as he heads off to HFCC, also representing HCJB Australia, which has its own frequency manager, Ernie Frankey (sp?), who recently moved there from Pifo, and works more or less independently of HCJB Ecuador. BTW, Ken MacHarg`s Tip for Real Living this week lasted 4:50, plus intro and outro (DX Partyline 0002 UT Sun Aug 24 on WINB 12160, notes by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Má notícia: a partir de 30 de setembro, a HCJB - A Voz dos Andes deixará de emitir, entre 0800 e 0900, em 9745 kHz, em português, para o Brasil. O corte faz parte dos planos de economia da emissora, conforme a apresentadora do DX HCJB, Eunice Carvajal. A programação em espanhol da HCJB - A Voz dos Andes leva ao ar o programa Aventura DX-ista também nas segundas-feiras, a partir de 0200, em 9745 kHz. O programa apresenta novidades das ondas curtas (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 24 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. La semaine prochaine (du lundi 25 au vendredi 30 août), France Culture diffusera une série de 5 émissions intitulées "La grande aventure des radios internationales". Du lundi au vendredi de 7h00 à 8h10 (0500 à 0610 TU) 25 Août 2003 Dans l'entre-deux-guerres, les ondes crépitaient, s'évanouissaient, revenaient en force, maintenaient un lien serré avec les expatriés et les coloniaux, répandaient aussi l'idéologie fasciste. Les programmes sur ondes courtes ont eu une importance capitale durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale (" La Voix de l'Amérique ", " Les Français parlent aux Français "). Durant la guerre froide, elles ont été massivement utilisées par Radio-Moscou et Radio-Pékin. Mais, à l'Ouest, elles ont aussi représenté un remarquable levier contre le système communiste (la BBC, Radio-Liberté, Radio-Europe libre). Elles ont transmis l'information, ont modifié les perceptions culturelles et artistiques (jazz, variétés, rock), ont pleinement participé au débat international. Le rôle des ondes courtes dans les rapports Est-Ouest. Des archives radiophoniques et des extraits récents d'émissions de radios internationales illustreront ce sujet. Les ondes courtes ont joué un rôle considérable auprès des élites et des opinions publiques dans les pays de l'Est durant la période des rapports Est-Ouest. Cela, notamment, lorsque le bloc communiste a été traversé par de graves crises internes : insurrection de Budapest (1956), printemps de Prague (1968), émergence du mouvement syndical Solidarité en Pologne (1980 et les années suivantes). A chaque fois, les principales radios américaines (surtout, Radio Europe libre) ont eu des comportements politiques différents. Il ne faut pas non plus oublier que ces radios (la Voix de l'Amérique, Radio Europe libre, Radio Liberté, la BBC. ..) ont exercé une influence notable sur les sociétés communistes : jazz, musiques de variétés, rock, débats d'idées. Finalement, leur rôle a été autant culturel que politique. 26 Août 2003 Les journalistes de radios sur ondes courtes. Des archives radiophoniques et des extraits récents d'émissions de radios internationales illustreront ce sujet Les ondes courtes ont joué un rôle considérable auprès des élites et des opinions publiques dans les pays de l'Est durant la période des rapports Est-Ouest. Cela, notamment, lorsque le bloc communiste a été traversé par de graves crises internes : insurrection de Budapest (1956), printemps de Prague (1968), émergence du mouvement syndical Solidarité en Pologne (1980 et les années suivantes). A chaque fois, les principales radios américaines (surtout, Radio Europe libre) ont eu des comportements politiques différents. Il ne faut pas non plus oublier que ces radios (la Voix de l'Amérique, Radio Europe libre, Radio Liberté, la BBC. ..) ont exercé une influence notable sur les sociétés communistes : jazz, musiques de variétés, rock, débats d'idées. Finalement, leur rôle a été autant culturel que politique. 27 Août 2003 Le poids des progrès techniques et le renouveau international. Des archives radiophoniques et des extraits récents d'émissions de radios internationales illustreront ce sujet Contrairement à ce que l'on peut imaginer, les radios internationales ont connu un renouveau essentiellement technique bien avant les bouleversements internationaux de 1989-1991. Que l'on pense à la diffusion par satellite, au relais par le câble ou à l'écoute sur modulation de fréquence. Ces prolongements géographiques et ce confort d'écoute ont exercé une influence sur le contenu des programmes. Par exemple, de plus en plus souvent, ces radios internationales se consacrent au traitement cde l'actualité (de préférence aux programmes), quand elles n'adoptent pas le principe de l'information continue. La couverture des crises majeures et des conflits armés (guerre d'Irak, 2003) en est-elle meilleure ? L'accent sera mis, entre autres, sur la BBC. 28 Août 2003 Radio France Internationale -- Des archives radiophoniques et des extraits récents d'émissions de radios internationales illustreront ce sujet Pourquoi et comment Radio France Internationale a-t-il constitué un effort majeur de l'audiovisuel public français, au début des années 80? Quelle a été l'évolution des priorités et des moyens ? Le mode de financement, les capacités techniques, la politique des langues utilisées, la relation aux auditeurs. Le virage significatif de l'information continue. RFI peut-elle jouer un rôle diplomatique --- Comment caractériser ses relations avec les gouvernements, notamment africains. Quel rôle joué par le site Internet. 29 Août 2003 La grande aventure des radios internationales La France et l'audiovisuel extérieur. Des archives radiophoniques et des extraits récents d'émissions de radios internationales illustreront ce sujet Pourquoi la politique de la France à l'égard de son audiovisuel public extérieur a-t-elle été si hésitante ou si changeante, au cours des récentes décennies ? Pourquoi un audiovisuel public dynamique et ambitieux est-il un élément de la puissance internationale -- Sur quels moyens, financiers, techniques et humains doit-il reposer? Quelles sont les raisons qui ont présidé au lancement prochain d'une chaîne télévisée française d'information continue ? Quelles sont les conditions de sa réussite ? Qui doit-elle associer, pour quels objectifs (f1tay, fr.rec.radio - 22 août 2003 + site Internet de France Culture) (informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** GUIANA FRENCH. Leônidas dos Santos Nascimento, de São João Evangelista (MG), descobriu uma maneira de receber os cartões QSLs da Rádio França Internacional: ele envia os informes diretamente para o TDF Outre-Mer, localizado na Guiana Francesa. Teve vários relatórios respondidos. Escreveu para: TDF Outre-Mer, Boîte Postale 7024, 97307, Cayenne Cedex, Guyane. Na Internet: http://www.tdf.fr E-mail: fabrice.esnay@tdf.fr (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 24 via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. Reactivated station in Honduras! 3340.00, Radio Misiones Internacional[es], Comayagüela. Aug 23 2003 - 0400 UT. Religious by OM and soft, quiet music. A reactivated station which I never have logged before. A somewhat dull audio so I had to turn up my MFJ-616 a bit to catch the ID at 0400 UT (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) As I recall, this was previously explained as 2 x 1670, the frequency which is normally tripled for the intended output frequency 5010 (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. Look for a special one-hour program on public radio stations circa Wednesday August 27, for the Mars opposition; so far I`ve run across it listed for 1500 UT on KUNM, and 0100 UT Thu on the producing station, WHYY http://www.whyy.org/skytour/ : SkyTour: Mars Close Up --- One-Hour Astronomy Special on WHYY-91FM Wednesday, August 27, 2003 at 9 p.m. [EDT] The red planet Mars comes within 34 million miles of Earth for the first time in nearly 100,000 years on August 27, this year. This will be the best opportunity for observing Mars for everyone on our planet. The next close approach comes in 2829. In addition, NASA will launch two Mars rovers due for arrival in January 2004. SkyTour: Mars Close Up provides accessibility to the subject of Mars to everyone - regardless of age, training, or equipment. The show treats listeners to information about Mars that is relevant, comforting, timeless, enlightening, and even uplifting to the human spirit. The show features interviews, fact-nuggets, music, and astronomical quips. SkyTour strives to introduce some listeners to a lifelong pursuit of knowledge about the night sky. WHYY marks the close approach of Mars with a television special, as well. WHYY TV12 brings you "Bouncing to Mars," Tuesday, August 26, 9 p.m. The show takes you behind the scenes to tell the story of the design and development of NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers (via Glenn Hauser, Terra, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. August 23, 2003 Radio: Ian Johns Ruling the waves http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1442-783875,00.html A new series capturing the golden age of pirate stations is a reminder of the value of those radio rebels of yore. Radio 2's new series The Radio Revolutionaries (Tuesday, 8.30 pm [1930 UT]) allows us to get misty-eyed for a time when listeners weren't deserting the BBC because of Sara Cox, but because of its lacklustre pop selection. In the Thirties Radio Normandy invented the disc jockey to challenge the BBC 's Reithian gloom-ridden Sabbath schedule. In the Sixties, pirate ships such as Radio Caroline were forcing Auntie into a mini- dress. In the Seventies and Eighties, neglected soul, reggae and acid house inspired a new breed of London towerblock pirates. Nowadays the capital's airwaves are so crammed that drum'n'bass and UK garage radio rebels broadcast from the suburbs. Of course it's easy to romanticise the pirates - they are knowingly breaking the law, possibly disrupting emergency services' wavelengths and failing to pay royalties. But they are tapping into a niche audience of 15 to 30- year-olds that Radio 1 is struggling to hold. Nowadays this age group can satisfy their musical cravings through digital stations and music TV, and the ultimate in DIY radio, the iPod, on to which your whole CD collection can be downloaded - and without the babble of daytime presenters. If the job of daytime radio is to provide background noise while we do something more interesting, then Radio 1 may be doing its job. But Radio 2, in which genuine characters talk intelligently while playing music from a variety of genres and eras, has seen its listenership rise above 13 million, which might say something about how to spin the platters that matter to its audience. Certainly the pirate stations, which by their nature attract strange characters, are capable of throwing up some fresh voices. DJs currently beavering away in semi- obscurity such as Dom Da Bom, Miss Giggles and the optimistically named Aylesbury Allstars might one day join such pirate-spawned luminaries as Roy Plomley, Kenny Everett and Trevor Nelson and get a national radio gig. And they probably won't even need to change their names. Unlike John Ravenscourt, who found that Radio London wanted a snappier moniker - but at least we got John Peel (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Thanks for saving me the trouble to buy today's Times, Mike. Pity this otherwise interesting article is flawed though by another "fact" some sub has missed! ``And they probably won't even need to change their names. Unlike John Ravenscourt, who found that Radio London wanted a snappier moniker - but at least we got John Peel.`` I think Mr Johns must be getting confused with a tube station on the District Line (Ravenscourt Park), rather than Ravenscroft which is actually John Peel's real name. Listeners to the June BDXC Tape Circle of course heard a rare example of JP broadcasting under that real name in his early career. By the way, complementing the programme in this week's Radio Times (23rd-29th August) is a rare example of that venerable publication actually devoting no less than four pages to an article on radio. Or should that be radios? Pages 24-28 are a mixture of an advert for digital radio manufacturers posing as editorial, and some helpful links to various websites and a glossary on the numerous different methods of receiving "radio" these days. Emily Buchanan, presenter of Radio 4's "A World in your Ear" has even picked her top ten best global radio stations for the article. Pity neither she nor anyone else gives any mention of good old shortwave here though (MARK Savage, BDXC-UK Aug 22 via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. From Hans Knot: 'A dear friend of Radio Caroline died yesterday - he was Sir Charles Kerruish, who was an MHK, then Speaker, then president of Tynwald until very recently. But in the 1960s he was the one who dared to stand up to the Labour Government and say, we will not have your Marine Offences Act, and we will not have it in the Isle of Man. We want Radio Caroline to stay. The world's press came to the Isle of Man that day to hear the plucky Manx Parliament take the stand against Wilson; even Ronan came and was in Tynwald that day to hear it. Sir Charles then flew to London to argue the case for Caroline with the Post office and with the Home Office, who were responsible for relationships with the dependencies like the Isle of Man. Harold Wilson was furious and got the Queen to sign a special order, never before or since used, to force the Isle of Man to accept the law, but it took a while longer - Caroline North was immune until the end of August 1967. Sir Charles only retired from Manx Politics a couple of years ago and was still a firm believer in freedom. He passionately believed that the Isle of Man should have its own radio station, which is where we will come in with the new station on Long Wave 279 (via Mike Terry, Aug 24, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. The updated Summer Kol Israel schedule (post last week's changes) is now available at: http://www.israelradio.org/summer03.htm The IBA website hasn't been updated yet (Daniel Rosenzweig, Aug 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: ISRAEL RADIO INTERNATIONAL --- KOL ISRAEL OVERSEAS SERVICE SCHEDULE From March 30 to October 25, 2003 [one hour later from Oct 3] 0400-0415 9435 Europe + N. America 15640 17600 Australasia and S. America 1010-1020 15640 Europe + N. America 17545 17525 S. Europe, N Africa 1700-1705 15640 Europe + N. America 17545 1900-1925 17545 Europe + N. America 15615 11605 15640 Africa (English portion only, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. IBA MANAGEMENT CONSIDER BAN ON ARABIC TERMS Management at the Israel Broadcasting Authority are considering a new journalistic policy of replacing references to the Palestinian "intifada" and the "hudna," or truce that collapsed last week, with their Hebrew equivalents. Amongst other changes under consideration are replacing references to "the radical Islamic movement Hamas" with "the terrorist organisation Hamas" after the group claimed responsibility for last Tuesday's suicide bombing that killed 21 passengers on a Jerusalem bus. Journalists would also be asked to refer to Palestinian activists as "terrorists," or "mehablim" in Hebrew, whether they are accused of carrying out attacks on occupied Palestinian territory or in Israel itself. The occupied West Bank would be called by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria. The IBA has stressed that no final decision on these proposals has been taken (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 25 August 2003 via DXLD) I thought ``J&S`` was already SOP at IBA (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. From today's New York Times.. The article doesn't mention what brand of radio, or whether the radios they attempted to airlift covered AM FM, and SW (Mike Brooker, hard-core-dx via DXLD) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/23/international/asia/23KORE.html South Korea Foils Airlift of Radios to North -- By JAMES BROOKE HOLWON, South Korea, Aug. 22 - All in all, it was a perfect day for breaking North Korea's information monopoly, and Dr. Norbert Vollertsen and his band of volunteers were determined to take advantage of it. A brisk wind from the south was driving clouds and, Dr. Vollertsen hoped, large balloons carrying transistor radios north over the barbed wire of the demilitarized zone into North Korea, a country closed off from the rest of the world. But before the specially designed cargo balloons could be inflated with helium, South Korean police officers clambered aboard the truck and subdued Dr. Vollertsen, who is German, so roughly that he needed medical treatment. "The law requires that organizers of rallies or demonstrations notify the local police 48 hours in advance," said Kim Bu Wook, Kangwon Province's police chief.. This was before a two-hour standoff degenerated into a shoving match between riot policemen and members of a growing international movement to break the half-century information monopoly that North Korea's Communist government has maintained over its 22 million people. Until 2000, South Korea's military sent thousands of balloons north from border towns like this one, usually in the summer when the prevailing winds were favorable. But under the so-called sunshine policy of reconciliation, South Korea has tried to avoid irritating North Korea. By blocking the private efforts to distribute radios, however, South Korea has placed itself on a collision course with Washington. Over the summer, both chambers of the United States Congress voted overwhelmingly to expand the daily Korean-language broadcasting of Radio Free Asia to 24 hours from 4 hours. By law North Koreans are allowed to have only radios and televisions that are locked onto the state frequencies. Residents with illegal tuneable sets can listen to Korean-language government broadcasts from China, Russia and South Korea, a Christian group in South Korea, and two stations financed by the United States government, Radio Free Asia and Voice of America. But few North Koreans have access to normal radios and televisions, and North Korean defectors say that information controls in North Korea are far tighter than they were in Eastern Europe under the Communists. South Korean officials said earlier this week that they would allow the balloon launchings to go ahead. But the government apparently reversed that decision to avoid provoking North Korea in anticipation of six-country negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program, scheduled to start in Beijing on Wednesday. 73 (via Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. Iraq/USA: KDP paper criticizes US Radio Sawa for ignoring Kurdish affairs } Text of report by Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) newspaper Khabat on 24 August Following the war to liberate Iraq, [US-run] Radio Sawa became the most listened-to radio station. Many people listen to it in Arab countries as well. In our Kurdistan region, youths pay attention to it and listen to it eagerly. But, surprisingly, the radio station broadcasts only one Kurdish song in one hour or more, although the Kurds form a great part of the Iraqi people. It broadcasts other songs, like Arabic, English, French, etc, although there are no English or French people in the country. This is the radio's own policy: it does not pay attention to Kurdistan's politics and affairs. People listened to the Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan [which broadcasts in support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP], which carried a big message for the people, at home, in the markets, streets and roads, and it was getting a great deal of attention abroad too. With the beginning of the Iraq freedom war, the broadcasting of the nice Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan on FM stopped. The Kurdish songs and singers were stopped because Radio Sawa replaced it with its Arabic news and Arabic and foreign songs. This will have a great effect on the national feeling of our youths. It would be better if the Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan returned to the people immediately, as it was established because there was a historical need for it. We need it to educate our youths, to serve the cause of Kurdish culture and to deliver our political message. Restoring the service is a glorious historical task. Source: Khabat, Arbil, in Sorani Kurdish 24 Aug 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KUWAIT [and non]. Yesterday evening no trace of Oman on 15355, which should be towards Europe. Furthermore Kuwait was noted with a strong signal on 9880, instead of 9855, parallel to 15495, after 22 UT. Kuwait on 9880 covered CRI-English co-channel, which is also to Europe via Taldom, Russia. Does anybody have some current information about Radio Kuwait, their schedule or if they, in their high-tech world, have managed to open a useful website? http://www.moinfo.gov.kw has apparently completely been shut down, http://www.radiokuwait.org only has news-on-demand, emails have always remained unanswered (as have normal letters, btw) 73, EiBi (Eike Bierwirth, Aug 21, hard-core- dx via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. LIBERIA'S SPLIT FAMILIES HEAL, CHILD BY LOST CHILD By TIM WEINER MONROVIA, Liberia, Aug. 22 --- "Good evening," said the voice of Radio Veritas, the Roman Catholic broadcast service in Liberia. "This is the Red Cross family tracing program. We bring you the names of children who are looking for their parents. . . The Red Cross managed to get the family retracing program fully running again on Tuesday, when Radio Veritas, knocked out last month by government shelling, came back on the air. .. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/23/international/africa/23KIDS.html?ex=1062216000&en=8ed1d58857375f2e&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) Nothing more about radio in story ** MEXICO. Finally remembered to check XERMX at one more time when English is supposedly scheduled: Aug 24, Sun 2200 on 11770: music fill instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A Rádio México Internacional vai de mal a pior nas ondas curtas. A própria direção da emissora confirmou que passa por situação financeira caótica, em entrevista concedida a Jeff Whitte, divulgada no programa Rádio Enlace, da Rádio Nederland (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 24 via DXLD) It`s a brief interview with Ana Cristina del Razo, ex-directora of RMI: says serious financial problems caused departure of the translators and announcers for English, French and Portuguese programs; Spanish programs were cut to 15 minutes each. There remains a long-standing future plan to transmit via Internet. See CUBA for audio link (Radio Enlace, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. R. Mil, 6010, duplicates MW 1000 except for these times on weekends when Encuentro DX is aired: Fri 2200, Sat 1400, 2300, Sun 1330, 2300, Mon 0400 -- times converted from HCM UT -5 currently (Héctor García Bojorge, interviewed by Jeff White at Tizayuca, via Radio Enlace Aug 22-24, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, 13.8 1005, Voice of Mongolia sände bl a en intressant intervju med två amerikaner som arbetat några år i Mongoliet. Bra ljud och hygglig signal. 3 CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin Aug 24 via DXLD) ** PERU. RADIO NYLAMP reactivated --- This short wave Peruvian station comes back to the waves after being off the air for a long time. In the past this station was reported on 4177 and 4299 kHz. Now it can be heard on 4335 with a good signal received here in Chimbote seaport. This station broadcasts from 0930 to 1300 UT and from 2200 to 0330 UT. Today I have telephoned to the General Manager Dr. J.J. Grandez and he told me that Radio Nylamp verifies correct Reception Reports with a QSL Letter. This Afternoon in the program regarding Social Greetings I was greeted by the DJ and to all Dxers all over the world. QTH: RADIO NYLAMP, Av. Andrés Avelino Cáceres # 800, Lambayeque, PERU. PHONE / FAX : 51-074 283353 73´s (CESAR PEREZ DIOSES, CHIMBOTE – PERU, Aug 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Stationen heter som bekant Radio Naylamp (Henrik Klemetz via mail, SW Bulletin Aug 24 via DXLD) 4335v, Radio Naylamp, Lambayeque, has been active the last week with fine signal and better audio than before. Female DJ and ID: "Radio Naylamp - la diferente". 5030.00, Radio Los Andes, Huamachuco: Info about Los Andes was sent out earlier via email and a "special preview". According to the DJ on duty this was a première transmission which I said in my comments. From a coup of our members, Henrik Klemetz/HK and Tore B. Vik/TBV, via email I received the info that this station is not new on shortwave even if it has been inactive for many years. Thanks Tore and Henrik! 5030.00, Radio Los Andes, Huamachuco, Provincia de Sánchez Carrión, departamento de La Libertad. Aug 13 2003 - 1030 UT. Was astonished when the station is listed in WRTH despite the DJ mentioned première transmission on shortwave. Maybe they earlier had performed some tests? I have never heard this station before. Very nice signal despite my temporary antenna. "Radio Los Andes - la radio total." Announced MW 1030 and SW 5030 kHz. Listen to the recording from this occasion at: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de Sanchez Carrión, cuya capital es Huamachuco. Sus distritos son: Cochorco, Curgos, Chungay, Huamachuco, Marcabal, Sanagoran, Sarin, Sartibamba; con una población total de 110,116 hab. Quito 13/08/2003 11:29:28 a.m. (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4780.96, 22.8 0010-0110, Radio Tacana, Q2, totally blocked by tone heterodyne until Mali closed down (I had to spend the time to log all the others). Seems to be heard better earlier, almost fade out at 0110. Also most of the time heavy utility-QRM for several minutes. When you could hear them they had disco pop music only interrupted by several IDs. Seemed to let a complete record run until changing to another one. HeP (Hermod Pedersen, Malmö, Sweden, SW Bulletin Aug 24, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Q maybe means quality, i.e. Overall Merit, O of SINPO/SIO? (gh) ** UKRAINE. As of September 1, R. Ukraine International intends to move from 12040 to 9810 kHz. English to NAm at 0000 and 0300 UT (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Aug. 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. In reference to the radio towers at Criggion, Wales (Date Set for Towers' Destruction, DXLD 3-152), the statement that they were "used to eavesdrop on Soviet radio signals" is erroneous. Criggion was a VLF transmitter site which sent CW and RTTY traffic to the Royal Navy, especially the submarine fleet, using callsign GBZ. I took pictures of the antenna during a visit to Wales, one of which appeared in Monitoring Times (March 1995, Below 500 KHZ). The six towers held up a kite-shaped array of cables which provided capacitive top loading for a vertical radiator. One of the station personnel, who came out to the fence and asked me to leave, volunteered the information that the three original self-supporting towers were on a ship bound for India when World War II broke out and were brought back to the U.K. An interesting feature of this antenna was that one corner of the array was anchored to the top of a 1200-foot hill (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBCWS Preview: THE FUNNY SIDE OF FAITH A two-part series looking at the relationship between humour and religion. Is laughter compatible with worship? Can it ever be appropriate to tell jokes about God? The programmes examine how humour is used in a range of faiths, from the part played by the fool-saint Mullah Nasrudin, in mystical Sufism, to the satirical Christian website Ship Of Fools. Also featured are comedians performing Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Sikh jokes. We find out how they are received by audiences in different worldparts and the dangers of treading the line between humour and blasphemy. From Aug 26: Ams: Wed 1545, 2145, Thu 0145 Eu : Wed 0945, 1445, 1945, Thu 0145 WAf: Wed 1045, 2245, Thu 0145 (via Ivan Grishin, BBC Programming, Aug ODXA Listening In via DXLD) [non] On a related subject: God help America --- US law insists on the separation of church and state. So why does religion now govern? Gary Younge, Monday August 25, 2003, Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1028758,00.html (via gh, DXLD) ** U K. BBC NEWS --- DYKE TO OPEN UP BBC ARCHIVE Greg Dyke, director general of the BBC, has announced plans to give the public full access to all the corporation's programme archives. Mr Dyke said on Sunday that everyone would in future be able to download BBC radio and TV programmes from the internet. The service, the BBC Creative Archive, would be free and available to everyone, as long as they were not intending to use the material for commercial purposes, Mr Dyke added. "The BBC probably has the best television library in the world," said Mr Dyke, who was speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival. "Up until now this huge resource has remained locked up, inaccessible to the public because there hasn't been an effective mechanism for distribution. "But the digital revolution and broadband are changing all that. "For the first time there is an easy and affordable way of making this treasure trove of BBC content available to all." He predicted that everyone would benefit from the online archive, from people accessing the internet at home, children and adults using public libraries, to students at school and university. Future focus Mr Dyke appeared at the TV festival to give the Richard Dunn interview, one of the main events of the three-day industry event. He said the new online service was part of the corporation's future, or "second phase", strategy for the development of digital technology. Mr Dyke said he believed this second phase would see a shift of emphasis by broadcasters. Their focus would move away from commercial considerations to providing "public value", he said. "I believe that we are about to move into a second phase of the digital revolution, a phase which will be more about public than private value; about free, not pay services; about inclusivity, not exclusion. "In particular, it will be about how public money can be combined with new digital technologies to transform everyone's lives." Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3177479.stm Published: 2003/08/24 11:47:38 GMT © BBC MMIII (via Dan Say, Tom Roche, DXLD) ** U K. BBC NEWS --- BBC ONLINE PROBE TO BEGIN The government is expected to name on Saturday the person who will lead an official review of the BBC's online services. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is due to get the review underway in earnest with the announcement at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. The review will weigh up whether the BBC has stuck to its original plans - approved by the government in 1998 - and what impact it has had on the commercial sector. The BBC's websites contain more than two million pages and reach up to 43% of the UK population each month, according to the corporation's latest annual report. 'Benefits' BBCi is "Europe's most widely visited content site" and costs £72m per year to run, the report said. A BBC spokesman said: "We will welcome the reviewer, whoever that may be, and will look forward to working with him or her. "We believe that we have worked within the terms of the original online consent and that we have brought benefits to the industry." The review will also form part of the charter renewal process that will reach its climax in 2006. BBC's role That is when the government will decide how the BBC has performed, what funding it should get and what its role should be. When Ms Jowell announced the timetable for the BBC online review in April, she said the detailed criteria would only be made public once the reviewer had been named. "These will, however, include a review of the service against the approval given and... an assessment of market impact together with an analysis of the role of BBC Online as part of the BBC's overall service." The results of a similar review of TV channel BBC News 24 - headed by former Financial Times editor Richard Lambert - were published last year. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/3173909.stm Published: 2003/08/22 13:31:55 GMT © BBC MMIII (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) ** U K. BSkyB chief rails at BBC licence fee [by?] PAUL GALLAGHER TELEVISION viewers are increasingly resentful of paying the BBC licence fee and the corporation should be overhauled for the multi- channel era, the chief executive of BSkyB told delegates at the Edinburgh television festival last night. In the festival’s keynote MacTaggart lecture, Tony Ball called on the government to rethink the terms of the licence fee as it prepares to renew the BBC’s charter in 2006. Mr Ball said the BBC should be forced to sell off its most popular programmes, such as Fame Academy and The Weakest Link, to commercial channels and then use the funds to develop fresh ideas. . . http://www.news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=927642003 (Scotsman Aug 23 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. BBC NEWS BOSS WAS READY TO MOVE GILLIGAN http://media.guardian.co.uk/huttoninquiry/story/0,13812,1028884,00.html (Guardian Aug 25 via Dan Say, DXLD) See also INTERNATIONAL WATERS non ** U S A. The current Ask WWCR admits that printed schedules from them can be more up to date than the website; and since there have been a number of changes, an unusual mid-month update has been made on the website http://www.wwcr.com Actually, the main page says August 14, but the schedules in txt themselves claim to be updated to August 1. (Why these dates seldom match is beyond me.) More importantly, the UT +5 difference from CDT has finally been taken into account for correct conversions of all the times, some 4 months after this year`s shift (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BACH, BEETHOVEN AND BRAHMS TO RETURN PLANNED RADIO STATION TO HAVE ALL-CLASSICAL MUSIC FORMAT By ALLISON STEELE, Monitor staff Concord --- For the first time in almost three years, Concord's radio airwaves will again hum with the sounds of strings, horns and woodwinds. A small nonprofit group plans to bring a classical music station to town, filling a void left when New Hampshire Public Radio dropped the genre from its programming. The station hopes to be on the air by October. The project was developed by Harry Kozlowski, program director for the Concord radio stations WJYY and WNHI, along with local musician and composer Patrick Hebert and a handful of other music enthusiasts. New Hampshire Public Radio also gave the project a boost by offering the new station full use of its classical music library. In addition, the two stations have agreed they will promote each other on the air. "It was a generous offer, and much more than we expected," said Kozlowski. "We hadn't even gotten to asking about their library before they suggested it." "It's really hard not to be supportive of a project like this," said Mark Handley, president and general manager of NHPR. "There are a lot of people out there who are going to be really happy about this." The station, WCNH-LP at 94.7 FM, will broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To keep operating costs low, there will be no studio and few frills. Hebert will design the playlists. Kozlowski will act as station manager and the main voice and will read most station announcements. All music will be programmed a day in advance, and audio files will be transmitted to an unmanned network from a computer in Kozlowski's home studio. "It's going to be a very small project with a community group that does not have deep pockets," he said. "So we're trying to do this in a way that's sustainable." Highland Community Broadcasting must raise $25,000 to get the station set up. Soon, the group will begin a fundraising drive that may include a concert, and members will approach local groups and businesses that support the arts. Kozlowski estimates that WCNH will cost about $50,000 a year to run. The group will not be able to sell commercial time, but plans to keep it going through listener donations and corporate sponsorship. New Hampshire Public Radio stopped broadcasting classical music in February 2000, after research and surveys indicated that listeners were most interested in hearing continuous news and talk shows. "We did it with some reluctance," said Handley. "And we spent quite a few years trying to find a way to run two separate stations that addressed both of those audiences. But at the time, there were no more frequencies available. So we're really pleased about this." The project to create a classical station was born soon after NHPR dropped the classical programming. At the time, Kozlowski's daughter was taking piano lessons with Hebert, who lamented the loss. That same year, the Federal Communications Commission created a new class of low-power radio stations, a class specifically designed for community groups. Seeing an increase in the number of unlicensed stations popping up, the commission decided to make it simpler for people to create smaller stations. Kozlowski and Hebert decided to form Highland Community Broadcasting and applied for a license. Last month, the FCC granted the request. Currently, any radio listener in Concord with a yen for Bach or Beethoven has few options. Boston's classical station can't be heard past Manchester on most radios, and it's equally difficult to catch a clear signal from National Public Radio affiliates in Vermont and Maine, where classical music is still broadcast. Once operational, WCNH-LP should be heard clearly in Concord, Penacook, Bow and Hopkinton. Move north and, Kozlowski acknowledged, it might catch some interference from Mount Washington's transmission signal. Kozlowski's long-range plans for the station include broadcasting recordings of local concerts, and he's also hoping to start spotlighting young, local talent. "You can read about the star quarterback on a high school team, and go watch him play," he said. "But it's harder to hear about a young person who's a really talented musician. We'd like to be able to give people that chance." And Concord is a good market for a classical radio station, Kozlowski said. Many who live in Concord and its surrounding communities have an appreciation for the arts, and are hungry for more culture. "There certainly are a lot of people who've missed the music," he said. "And this won't only be classical, it'll be nonstop classical." Friday, August 22, 2003 (Concord Monitor via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. QUEER CHANNEL RADIO FCC keeps Grid Radio off the air and punishes its owner by JOHN GORMAN [Cleveland OH; illustrated:] http://www.freetimes.com/issues/1117/col-gorman.html It has been three years since the FCC shut down Jerry Szoka's Grid Radio. A non-licensed, low-power FM dance, music and community service station, Grid Radio's programming was targeted, but not limited, to the gay, lesbian and transgender community. Its 50-watt signal reached gay communities on the city's West Side, and Szoka chose the unused 96.9 frequency and outfitted Grid with technical equipment to prevent accidental signal bleed to other frequencies. Szoka's inimitable connections provided Grid Radio an inside track to play a continuous stream of unique dance mixes of current hit tunes, popular club tracks and techno. Grid Radio's limited broadcast day started weekday afternoons at 4 and weekends at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoons were reserved for a weekly upbeat and lengthy public affairs program. For the GLT community, this program was their lone radio connection for accurate news and information. Call it Cleveland's Queer Channel. Grid Radio's dance format attracted a sizeable straight following and became the weekend soundtrack for clubbers in the Warehouse District and Flats. Grid didn't run commercials, not even for the West 9th Street club of the same name, which Szoka managed and co-owned. In its third year, Grid Radio came in as the third most popular radio station with clubbers in a major beer company poll. Grid also showed up in a few Aribtron ratings diaries. That's impressive for a station which had limited on-air time, rarely identified itself, did no external promotion and had a signal reach limited to a minuscule slice of northwestern Cuyahoga County. Szoka, who is in his 40s and looks a youthful 30, still possesses the passion he had for radio when he was in his early 20s. His radio career started with a dance music show on Case Western Reserve University's WRUW-FM. A master electrician by trade, his desire to own his own club was sparked by Cleveland club entrepreneur Hank Berger, who hired him to wire and later DJ at his Trash and U4IA clubs in the late '70s. Szoka knows his clientele. Grid, now relocated to E. 13th and St. Clair, tops all local dance club polls and is nationally recognized as a trend-setting gay club. It also serves a refuge for straight and bisexual women who want to party and dance without being pawed by the drunken frat boys that congregate in the Flats. In 1995, Szoka finalized plans for a low-power FM station for the gay community. Compared to other cities of similar size, Cleveland was a pirate radio neophyte, well behind the national curve for renegades seizing the airwaves. There were less than a half-dozen low-power, regularly-scheduled pirate stations. Many other cities had dozens of low-power pirates, most programming to specific neighborhood, ethnic or lifestyle audiences. "I never applied for a license as there were no licenses available to apply for," says Szoka. "The FCC contends that I could have applied for a waiver, but that would have also been futile as they have only issued two waivers over 20 years ago for the hundreds of waivers applied for." Szoka's quandary started in the summer of 1996 when a WGAR engineer singled out Grid Radio and notified the local chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE). The group contacted Szorka and threatened to report his station to the FCC if he didn't cease broadcasting. He didn't and they did. Six months later, Szoka received the first of a series of warnings from the FCC to shut down the unlicensed station. When Szoka refused, the FCC took legal action. Notwithstanding FCC warnings and an impending court case, Grid stayed on the air and its popularity continued to grow. Szoka was even a guest on John Lanigan's WMJI-FM morning show, much to the chagrin of his co-hosts and WMJI's owner, Clear Channel. While Szoka battled the FCC, the agency's chairman, William Kennard -- noting the decline of local news and programming on commercial radio - - announced a proposal to create thousands of new low-power FM (LPFM) non-commercial stations to serve underrepresented community groups. The ruling called for an eight-year license, which couldn't be sold or transferred. Licenses would be awarded to community groups on a criteria system of residency -- the amount of local programming proposed and a 36-hour minimum broadcast week agreement. The proposal was sent to Congress, which quickly buckled under the lobbying strength of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Congress trimmed the bill to 80 percent fewer stations than the original FCC proposal. Back in Cleveland, after years of court appearances and mountains of legal paperwork, Szoka was forced to pull the plug on Grid in 2000. Today, he is without legal support and is faced with an $11,000 fine and other costs from his battle with the FCC. "Just for goodwill, the FCC is fining me $11,000," says Szoka. "So I can never get one of the licenses I helped bring forth, and I have to pay $11,000 for having the nerve to prove to the FCC that they were wrong and that there is room for LPFM stations." There's no happy ending here. The FCC, now ruled with an iron fist by Michael Powell, has granted a very small number of LPFM licenses with the largest share going to Christian Right non-profit organizations. And Cleveland still hasn't gotten back its Queer Channel (Cleveland Free Times via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) ** U S A. The folks at Public Radio Weekend have posted a new pilot episode of their show. This time they're going for more substance and more of a "live" sound. http://www.publicradioweekend.org (Current, 10:21 AM EST Aug 25 via DXLD) We need another magazine show??? ** U S A. PROPOSED HISPANIC MEDIA MERGER IS UNDER FIRE By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post, Sunday, August 24, 2003; Page A08 The proposed merger between the nation's largest Hispanic television network and radio chain has drawn the usual antitrust scrutiny that accompanies every major media union. However, Univision Communication Inc.'s $3 billion bid to buy Hispanic Broadcasting Corp. is not just any merger, thanks to the participants -- it has spurred considerable political debate and hit ethnic hot buttons as well. The merger is seen as speeding toward approval at the Federal Communications Commission in the coming weeks; hence, backers and opponents have been lining up prominent lawmakers and Latinos on each side. Supporters say the merger will give the combined companies the marketplace clout required to compete for Anglo ad dollars against media giants such as AOL Time Warner Inc. and Viacom Inc. They say Hispanic media consumers watch English-language television as well, proving that the Latino and Anglo markets overlap. Opponents -- led by rival radio chain Spanish Broadcasting Systems, whose own bid for Hispanic Broadcasting was spurned last year -- say the English- and Spanish-language markets are separate. The combined Univision-Hispanic Broadcasting would create a monopoly that regulators would never allow in the Anglo market, they say. Further, they point out, Univision is not a Hispanic-owned company, but Spanish Broadcasting is. The struggle over the merger reflects Hispanics' growing political clout. They are the largest minority and one of the fastest-growing minorities; and despite the dominance of Hispanic Democratic lawmakers, some analysts believe Latinos have not pledged permanent allegiance to either political party. This is a point that Michael McCurry -- recently hired to lobby for Univision -- has been making to Democrats. "There is a rising importance of the Hispanic market in politics," said the former Clinton White House spokesman. They are a potential target of opportunity for Republicans, he said. McCurry was hired at the beginning of August to help educate the notoriously news media-shy and politically naive Univision on how to navigate Capitol Hill. Univision and Hispanic Broadcasting officials admitted they were blindsided by the opposition blitz of Raul Alarcon, president of Spanish Broadcasting. Univision Chairman A. Jerrold "Jerry" Perenchio is a major fundraiser for President Bush, and merger opponents -- and Hill Democrats -- fear he could use the combined reach of Univision and Hispanic Broadcasting to choke out liberal Hispanic voices. Recruiting Democrats in favor of the merger could help defuse concerns that the combined companies will be a Republican mouthpiece. Univision officials say the network's newsrooms operate independently from any corporate or individual ideology (via Matt Francis, DC, DXLD) ** U S A. In North Texas, major programming changes coming to the Dallas market. Common Es target KDTN-2 (which has been calling itself "KERA-2" on the air, leading to considerable confusion...) has been sold to the owners of KMPX-29. The channel 2 station will switch to the Daystar religious network. Their channel 29 will then be sold to Liberman Broadcasting, operators of KRCA-62 in the Los Angeles area, among other stations. KMPX will become an independent Spanish-language station. Note that KMPX has already filed for a substantial power increase. Another skip target will become more difficult to find (Doug Smith, TV News, Sept WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Re 4939.63: Amigo DXista Chris! You have heard Radio Amazonas, Venezuela! Quito 21/Ago/2003 9:12. 73 de (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, hard-core-dx? via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Glenn: I reported to you a couple of weeks ago my repeated reception of a carrier at 5006, with no apparent mod, as early as 0900 but generally after 1000. This morning I tuned it at 1420 and it was present very distinctly, and I could now hear fading modulation: a male voice, conversational, either scrambled or in a language that was indistinct and unidentifiable. If scrambled then this might explain the anomalous frequency. I also heard a carrier at 5005.38 as closely as I could determine, without apparent mod. I have been trying to get either Nepal or RN Guinea Equatorial with some degree of certainty. Wonder if that was the carrier from either station? Tibet Peoples' BS was coming in very well a few minutes earlier, with separate programs, on both 4820 and 4905 (Steve Waldee, San José, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Certainly not Eq. Guinea at that hour Before he saw last issue; the old item from DXLD 1-108 over two years ago under JAPAN, which however, makes no reference to voice, at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1108.txt ``** JAPAN. I send you the information about the experimental SW station JG2XA. As I live in the neighboring city, the transmission is well received: University of Electronics & Communications, Chofu City, Tokyo started experimental SW transmission for research of HF-band Doppler-Shift (HFD). They had been using 5 and 8 MHz signals of former JJY, which ended transmission in March. They decided to set up their own SW station for this purpose. The new SW station, call sign JG2XA, started regular transmission on July 3. Frequencies: 5006 and 8006 (width 1.5 kHz) Power: 200 watt. Transmitter: Yaesu FT-860 + linear amp + lubidium generator (2 sets) Antenna: halfwave horizontal dipole. Schedule: 24 hours with continuous unmodulated carrier; ID in Morse Code is given at least every 30 minutes as "JG2XA JG2XA JG2XA UEC HFD STATION" in H3A mode. Addr: Tomizawa Laboratory, University of Electronics & Communications, Chofugaoka 1-5-1, Chofu City, Tokyo, 182-8585 Japan Tel: +81 42 443 5598 E-mail: tomizawa@ee.uec.ac.jp URL: http://ssro.ee.uec.ac.jp/lab_tomi/index.html (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Aug 5, BC DX via DXLD)`` UNIDENTIFIED. 6069.7: An unidentified station, which seems to be broadcasting religious programmes with a preacher similar to Peru 6020 and Brazil 6060, has been heard on air around 0615 very adjacent to Christian Voice, Chile, 6070. When heard Aug.22 the frequency was about 6069.9, and then thought in Portuguese. But heard again on Aug.24 on about 6069.7, and I couldn`t be sure if Portuguese or Spanish. The only other LA I can find listed for 6070 [besides Chile] is in the current WRTVH [pp 109/117] - Radio Capital from Rio de Janeiro - one I've never heard of. 73s, (Noel R. Green [Blackpool, NW- UK], Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Dear Noel: On 6020 is Radio Victoria from Lima, Peru, and on 6060 is Radio Tupi from Brazil with the same religious program A Voz da Liberação. 73's (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, ibid.) Hello Nicolás, Many thanks for the information. I have the ID of the two stations using 6020 & 6060 and have paralleled these frequencies with 6020 // 9720 and 6060 // with 9565 & 11765. All are often heard currently. But it's the one on about 6069+ that interests me. Hearing an ID will be difficult, to say the least, due to the amount of QRM present. What I hear is similar in content to 6020 & 6060, but does not appear to be in sync, so may not be the same programme. 73s (Noel Green, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ NTIA EXPRESSES ``BROAD CONCERNS`` IN BPL COMMENTS NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 19, 2003 -- The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has weighed in on the FCC`s Broadband over Power Line (BPL) initiative. While urging the FCC to ``move forward expeditiously`` with its inquiry into BPL, the NTIA expressed ``broad concerns`` about interference to government users. The NTIA also has launched an extensive modeling, analysis and measurement program for BPL. A Commerce Department branch, NTIA is the president`s principal advisor on domestic and international telecommunications policy. It also administers spectrum allocated to federal government users. ``Notwithstanding BPL`s potential benefits, the Commission must ensure that other communications services, especially government operations, are adequately protected from unacceptable interference,`` the NTIA said in late-filed comments in the BPL Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in ET 03-104. ``In tailoring its rules to promote BPL deployment, the Commission must be certain to provide all communications stakeholders with adequate protections against BPL emissions that may cause unacceptable radio frequency interference.`` A form of power line carrier (PLC) technology, BPL would use existing low and medium-voltage power lines to deliver broadband services to homes and businesses. Because it uses frequencies between 2 and 80 MHz, BPL could affect HF and low-VHF amateur allocations wherever it`s deployed. BPL proponents--primarily electric power utilities-- already are testing BPL systems in several markets, and one is said to be already offering the service. FCC rules already allow BPL, although industry proponents want the FCC to relax radiation limits. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, has called BPL ``the most crucial issue facing Amateur Radio and the one that has the most devastating potential.`` ARRL Laboratory personnel already have visited several communities where BPL field testing is under way and documented the potential for extensive interference on HF frequencies in all field trial communities visited. In its comments, the NTIA indicated its apprehension regarding ``radiated emission limits and other measures`` that may be needed to protect the more than 18,000 HF and low-VHF federal government frequency assignments that BPL could affect. Until releasing its comments this month, the NTIA has been largely silent on the issue since last spring. In an April 24 letter, then- NTIA administrator Nancy J. Victory applauded the FCC`s decision to launch its inquiry into BPL, but called on the Commission to make sure that BPL does not cause harmful interference to other services. In early July, Frederick R. Wentland, NTIA`s associate administrator in the Office of Spectrum Management, told the FCC that the NTIA did not favor Current Technologies LLC`s request for a permanent waiver of the field strength limit specified for Class B emissions under FCC Part 15 rules. A Maryland BPL developer, Current Technologies already is field testing and marketing the technology. Wentland worried that the pole-mounted interfaces and outdoor power lines used for BPL could interfere with public safety communication in the 30 to 50 MHz range. He told FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Edmond J. Thomas that the ``unobstructed and ubiquitous nature of this BPL application, and perhaps other aspects of BPL, differs considerably from the situations presently found in typical unintentional radiators`` operating under Part 15. Wentland also expressed concerns regarding compliance measurement techniques for BPL and the characterization of BPL emissions for use in compatibility studies. NTIA`s technical studies will include detailed measurements and analyses to ``help determine the least constraining BPL emission limits that would preclude unacceptable interference,`` Wentland told Thomas. Wentland, who has been named to succeed Victory as NTIA administrator on an interim basis, also invited the FCC to coordinate its own BPL measurement activities with those of the NTIA. In an attachment to its comments, NTIA summarized its measurement plan, which, among other things, will take ambient noise measurements and also ``quantify unknown aspects of BPL signals`` at several BPL test sites. The plan noted that as a result of nonlinear elements in the electrical power distribution system, ``BPL systems may radiate emissions at frequencies substantially higher than the frequencies actually used intentionally within the BPL system.`` The NTIA`s Institute of Telecommunication Science is carrying out the measurement program over a two-week period, coordinating its efforts with BPL network administrators. The data will be folded into the NTIA`s BPL modeling and analysis initiative. The NTIA said the results of its research will yield recommendations on radiated emission limits and other operational restrictions for BPL that are ``necessary to preclude unacceptable interference to federal government systems.`` The agency said it planned to conclude its research by year`s end. A copy of the NTIA`s comments--which had not been posted on the FCC Web site as of August 19--is available on the NTIA Web site http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fccfilings/2003/bplcomments_08132003.htm The FCC extended the reply comment deadline in the BPL proceeding to August 20, and the ARRL plans to file reply comments. The League`s initial 120-page package of comments and technical exhibits is available on the ARRL Web site [at] http://www2.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-104/ There`s additional information and additional video clips on the ARRL ``Power Line Communications (PLC) and Amateur Radio`` page [at] http://www2.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ To support the League`s efforts in this area, visit the ARRL`s secure BPL Web site [at] https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/ Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (ARRL via John Norfolk, DXLD) BPL ADVOCATES` COMMENTS LACK TECHNICAL SUBSTANCE, ARRL REPLY COMMENTS SAY http://www2.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/08/21/4/?nc=1 NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 21, 2003 -- The ARRL says Broadband over Power Line (BPL) proponents failed in their comments to the FCC to substantiate their claims that the technology will not cause widespread interference. In reply comments filed August 20 -- the FCC`s deadline to receive comments in the proceeding, ET Docket 03-104 -- the League said that if the FCC is going to rely on industry statements in making decisions on BPL deployment, the industry should back up its assertions with technical studies and hard data and make these public. ``Unfounded assurances that BPL will not cause interference are no substitute for real-world measurements,`` the League declared, ``and the FCC should rely on documented test results and an impact of interference potential based on scientific, not marketing, criteria.`` Generalized conclusions drawn about BPL`s interference potential in industry comments ``are premature and meaningless,`` the League said. A form of power line carrier -- or PLC -- technology, BPL would use existing low and medium-voltage power lines to deliver broadband services to homes and businesses using frequencies between 2 and 80 MHz. Some BPL proponents -- primarily electric power utilities – already are testing BPL systems in several markets and want the FCC to relax radiation limits. ``Power lines are ubiquitous, and attempts by the BPL industry to obtain relaxed emission classifications based on operating environment are obviously illogical and frivolous,`` the ARRL said, noting BPL would impact not only hams but public safety low-band VHF systems and other mobile systems. In contrast to the BPL advocates` ``blanket statements`` of no interference from BPL field trial sites, the ARRL said its own field tests ``lead inescapably to the conclusion that BPL will, if deployed, create widespread harmful interference.`` It predicted signal levels of up to 30 dB over S9 on a typical amateur transceiver, ``well beyond what would preclude amateur HF communications entirely.`` To dramatize its point, the League urged the Commission to view video shot during recent ARRL test-and-measurement forays to BPL field trial communities in four states. The ARRL said the type of degradation expected from BPL would transform 20 meters from a band with worldwide communication capabilities to one of limited regional communication capability. ``ARRL has, in fact, done what the BPL industry should have done-- brought an amateur station to the trial area,`` the League said. ``When it did so, the interference was manifest and widespread and would be so even to an untrained observer.`` Noting claims by Main.net http://www.mainnet-plc.com/ that it had received no reports of harmful interference in its worldwide trials, the ARRL countered that the tests had resulted in ``strong protests from Amateur Radio operators.`` Austrian amateurs documented ``massive interference`` on video, and, in an unusual move, the Austrian Experimental Transmitters Union (OeVSV) filed comments in the BPL proceeding. BPL proponents argue that the European power distribution system differs from that in the US. The League said measurements and testing should be done when the BPL systems are heavily loaded, treating the system`s entire emission as a single device. ``If all of the appropriate measurement factors are applied,`` ARRL said, ``no access BPL system would be found in compliance with FCC Part 15 regulations.`` The ARRL characterized some industry comments regarding the interference potential of BPL as ``wishful thinking`` and based on flawed premises. It said the League`s own technical exhibits-- attached to its initial and reply comments--show that BPL signals do propagate well and that overhead power lines make excellent radiators of HF signals. The League also noted that comments in the proceeding so far have been silent on the interference susceptibility of BPL to ham radio signal ingress. The League predicted that even as little as 250 mW of signal induced into overhead power lines some 100 feet from an amateur antenna could degrade a BPL system or render it inoperative. The ARRL called on the FCC to stop acting like a cheerleader for BPL. ``It is past time that the Commission acted in its proper role as a steward of the radio spectrum and recognized the interference potential of BPL to the sensitive incumbent licensed services in these bands,`` the League concluded. ``The Commission cannot stretch the Part 15 regulations as far as would be required to accommodate BPL.`` The League`s complete reply comments and technical exhibits are available on the ARRL Web site. See also the article ``BPL is a Pandora`s Box of Unprecedented Proportions, ARRL Tells FCC``. Additional information and video clips are on the ARRL ``Power Line Communications (PLC) and Amateur Radio`` page. To support the League`s efforts in the BPL fight, visit the ARRL`s secure BPL Web site [see url at the beginning of the article for links and diagrams]. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (ARRL via John Norfolk, DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ EUROPEAN DX COUNCIL Last weekend more than 70 shortwave listeners, DXers and broadcasters (including yours truly) attended the annual conference of the European DX Council (EDXC) in Koenigstein, north of Frankfurt. The event had been organised by a local DX Club , the Rhein-Main Radio Club (RMRC). As usual, it was a great occasion to meet old friends and make new ones, which is not difficult, because we all share an interest in international radio. Some are only interested in the technical side of the hobby, others only care about programme content, not to forget those who collect radio items, in particular QSL cards, or pennants. At this year's meeting, the emphasis was on DRM - digital radio mondiale, with most amazing presentations about this new broadcasting technology and the latest from the DRM receiver's front. The Secretary-General of the EDXC, signor Luigi Cobisi of Italy (left on photo, with predecessor Risto Vähäkainu of Finland), was pleased with the conference: SOUND Luigi Cobisi (listen to the programme via audio link on this page --- below) Meanwhile, the EDXC is in a bit of a crisis, or has been for several years now. It seems that in this age of new technologies, not only the DX hobby is in decline, but also the need of people to join up in special clubs or the need to publish club magazines. Everybody is hooked up to the internet anyway, and information can be exchanged more rapidly than ever before. In a move to save the EDXC Luigi Cobisi launched the idea to make it an organisation for individual members, not only collective members grouped in DX clubs. SOUND Luigi Cobisi Signor Cobisi is stepping down as Sec.-Gen. at the end of this year, and the future is uncertain. Who will step forward and take over, who will organise a conference next year? Nobody knows, we'll have to wait for another couple of months to see whether the EDXC can be saved. And, as on previous occasions when I had the pleasure of meeting Luigi Cobisi, I also asked him this time to say something in Italian to his DX friends, and our listeners, in Italy. SOUND Luigi Cobisi in Italian I don't think you want to hear what my Italian sounds like. Anyway, we'll hear more from the EDXC conference in Koenigstein in future editions of Radio World. http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_HI.asx http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_LO.asx FRANS VOSSEN (RVi Radio World Aug 24 via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES / DRM +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE`S DEBUT SUMMER TO SIZZLE AT IFA 2003 AS MORE BROADCASTERS SEND DRM TRANSMISSIONS August 30th Press Conference to Include 2G Consumer Receiver, plus Special Announcement with World DAB Forum Berlin – The grand debut summer of digital radio system Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) will sizzle next week during IFA 2003, the world`s largest consumer electronics show. Just six weeks ago in Geneva, 16 leading broadcasters made radio history by sending the world`s first DRM broadcasts across the globe. Since then, the number of stations transmitting live, daily DRM programs and periodic specials has risen to 25. DRM will showcase live broadcasts on a range of receivers -- including the first, second-generation DRM consumer radio, for distribution later this year -- at IFA`s Technical & Scientific Forum (TWF) in Hall 5.3, Stand 3, at the Messe Berlin, from August 29 to September 3. DRM Chairman and Deutsche Welle COO Peter Senger will outline DRM`s latest successes and future plans in a press conference on August 30. Experts representing German network operators, broadcasters, research institutions and manufacturing firms will also be available for reporters` questions. Additionally, Mr. Senger will be joined by World DAB Forum President Annika Nyberg, for a special, joint announcement. The press conference will start at 13:00 in the TWF. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, universally standardized, digital system for short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave that can use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With clear, near-FM quality sound and excellent reception that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue, DRM will revitalize radio in markets worldwide. Various DRM receivers are expected to be available in shops in late 2004. The press conference will be followed by a DRM Symposium, from 14:00 to 17:00 in the same location, in which DRM`s experts will delve deeper into the system`s technical and commercial advantages. Scheduled to speak are: Mr. Senger; Michael Pilath of T-Systems MediaBroadcast (who leads DRM`s Koordinations – Komitee Deutschland), Michael Knietzsch of Thales Broadcast & Multimedia; Christian Hoerlle of TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin; Stefan Meltzer of Coding Technologies; Gerd Kilian and Olaf Korte of Fraunhofer IIS; Wolfgang Schaefer of Robert Bosch GmbH; and Markus Zumkeller of Sony International Europe (DRM press release Aug 25 via DXLD) Continued: RECEIVER NEWS ++++++++++++ DRM`s technical highlights at IFA 2003 will include: Coding Technologies (CT) will present the first, 2G DRM consumer radio, the DRM Receiver 2010. A joint development by CT, Mayah and others, the DRM Receiver 2010 is smaller and less expensive than the first-generation models. As the first mass-produced DRM receiver, it will be ready for distribution in late 2003. Fraunhofer IIS will present the DRM FhG Prototype Receiver, the NewsBox DRM Radio. It is a novel DRM receiver prototype designed to fit in a 19`` hi-fi tuner rack, developed in the BMBF project, RadioMondo. It plays DRM audio and text, and permits navigation within the new data application NewsService Journaline, conveying categorised news in text form. Fraunhofer will also showcase the professional receiver, FhG Software Radio and the DRM Software Radio. The DRM Software Radio Project, managed by VT Merlin Communications, is at http://www.drmrx.org. Robert Bosch GmbH will showcase a modified car receiver that receives DRM signals on long-, medium- and short-wave (49m band only), using a conventional integrated RF front-end up to the 1st intermediate frequency. Digital decoding of the DRM signal is managed by a PC. Data services including Internet pages, slide shows and text will also be demonstrated. This was facilitated by Radiomondo (DRM press release Aug 25 via DXLD) IS THE SW-77 GOING UNDER TOO? Hi Glenn: Thanks for keeping us informed. Here`s a lip-smacking tidbit: The Sony Store in Plaza Las Americas in San Juan Puerto Rico is selling the SW-77 for $300!!!! That`s a bargain considering there is no sales tax in the island. Is this part of a nationwide closeout? The sales people couldn’t tell me. They were surprised when I said that the receiver sold for close to $469 through mail order catalogues. What caught my eye was their ostentatious display of the receiver in their window – hanging from invisible threads (Marty Delfín, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RCA RP-3710 DIGITAL AM/FM TUNER RADIO AND ALARM CLOCK Was at the local Wal Mart Supercenter this morning and stumbled across the RCA RP-3710 Digital AM/FM Tuner Radio And Alarm Clock For $18.49. I just pulled it out of the box and it feels stout and has pretty good sound. Can't say I've ever comes a cross a radio with a lighted LCD digital readout for so low a price. I will give it a good going over today and then post a review of this nice little radio. As promised I put the RCA RP-3710 digital AM/FM clock radio through the DX grinder last night. First of all sensitivity with the internal loop stick is surprisingly good, with very deep nulling possible off the ends of the loopstick. Selectivity is also very good. I tuned to the local 5 kw pest on 910 kc a few miles away and there was no splatter on 900 or 920 kc; I was amazed. With the internal loopstick antenna I was able to null out WBBR NYC and WWBR Bartow, FL on 1130 and hear KWKH in Shreveport, LA in the clear. I'm not interested in FM DX so only checked local stations and all is okay there and sound is very good on AM and FM from the tiny front mounted speaker. As it's meant to be an alarm clock first, there is no external antenna input or audio output for headphones. Also no provision for battery operation but it does have 9 volt battery back up for time and memories. The digital frequency readout is LCD and approximately 1" high, which is easy on my eyes as I'm half blind in one eye and deaf in the other????? It also has a backlit display that is adjustable for brightness and 11 memories for AM and 11 for FM. It makes one wonder why RCA could put digital readout in an under $19 clock radio but GE could not do the same on it's Super Radio's I, II and III. I also put the radio it on the 2 foot box loop and man did it ever come alive for stateside DX, when I tuned for resonance via inductive coupling. It heard everything that my FT-840 and 130 foot inverted L did, including KOA 850 kc at times through the fading and blanketing auroral conditions. By the dimensions are 5 1/2" wide, 4" tall and 3" deep. See included photo. http://www.kn4lf.com/rcaradio.jpg 73, (Thomas F. Giella, Space & Atmospheric Weather Forecaster C/S KN4LF, hard-core-dx via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ LOOK AT TRANSMITTER SITES FROM ON HIGH I found out about something last night at a radio club meeting and have had a ball playing around with it today. Since I recall a thread on this reflector about how almost all of you seem to be map freaks like me, I thought you might get a kick out of this if you didn't already know about it. I had never noticed until I heard it last night that MapQuest at http://www.mapquest.com/maps/ gives you the option of obtaining an aerial view of locations you request maps for. Not all locations in the USA have aerial view options (I tried areas in WI, TN, OH, MI, NY, VA and MD and only two -- just Northeast of Baltimore and in Eastern VA SE of Fredericksburg did NOT have the option of aerial views). MapQuest also gives you the option of searching for a location using geographic coordinates instead of a street address (just click on the "Lat/Long" option on the left side of MapQuest's page). So that means you can go to a site like Bob Carpenter's at http://www.qsl.net/w3otc/ and get the FCC coordinates for transmitter sites of BC stations, and then, once you plug them into MapQuest and get the street map for them, if an option appears just above the resulting map which says "Aerial Photo", that means an aerial photo IS available for the site in question and you can click on it and get it to display. The photo that comes up initially is quite wide in area, but I find that if you zoom in to the third zoom level from max, you will see the antenna farm quite easily. Since the photo is taken from almost vertically above, it is not always so easy to see the tower, but you can certainly see the tower bases, buried cable lines, etc. You can also see where the transmitter building is located and how to get to it from the main road if you are thinking of dropping in for a visit. Some towers show up very nicely from above, however, the WCBS/WFAN island location being one that comes to mind. One note about plugging the FCC-provided coordinates into the MapQuest program. Since the FCC figures give a coodinate such as 35 59.833 N you will have to convert the .833 to a whole number indicating seconds to make MapQuest happy. To get the number MapQuest wants just use your calculator and get the value for X as in: 833 X ---- = --- 1000 60 Just round off "X" to the nearest whole number, that's plenty good enough. And remember to type in the longitude with an initial minus sign as in -86 47 32 in order to get the program to work correctly for Western Hemisphere locations. Hope you have as much fun with this as I have. Regards, (Fred Laun, Temple Hills, MD, K3ZO, Aug 20, WTFDA via DXLD) WILLIAM HEPBURN SITE CHANGES In anticipation of my move from the Toronto Metro Area to the Hamilton Metro Area, I have had to make the following URL changes: Canada TV List now at http://www.iprimus.ca/~hepburnw/dx/tv/tv-can.htm Canada TV E-Skip logos now at http://www.iprimus.ca/~hepburnw/dx/tv/can/logo-2.htm Caribbean TV List now at http://www.iprimus.ca/~hepburnw/dx/tv/tv-car.htm DX Web Site: http://www.iprimus.ca/~hepburnw/ Tropo Forecast Maps : http://www.iprimus.ca/~hepburnw/tropo.html (Hepburn, Aug 19, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ K INDEX AND SPORADIC E The K index got up to 8 last night according to an e-mail from one DX colleague. Look at what you guys got today. THIS HAS BEEN CONSISTENT THIS WHOLE SEASON --- One to three day bursts of Es starting a day or two after these warnings, and often but not always launching with an overnight Es session. I think this is a KEY part of the overall question (Saul Chernos, Ont., Aug 19, WTFDA via DXLD) ###