DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-162, September 10, 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/dxldtd3i.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRING OF WORLD OF RADIO 1198: WINB: Thu 0130 9320 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 [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1198h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1198h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1198.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1198.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1198.ram FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO EXTRA 44: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Note: availability probably will be delayed via worldofradio.com but available via WRN from Fri at the above link Summary: http://www.worldofradio.com/worx44.html IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an abbreviated issue, due to computer problems. It may be a while before we are back up and running with another issue. Our main website http://www.worldofradio.com may not be updated for a while. Our other site http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio will provide new info and links via the Anomaly Alert at the top of the opening page. Angelfire often disrupts access when there are too many hits; if this happen, try again later, and save what you want rather than multiplying traffic. UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Just tried to look at DXLD and got the following message --- ``The Angelfire site you are trying to reach has been temporarily suspended due to excessive bandwidth consumption.`` One would think that after doing this for many years you would have a reliable, robust website (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 8) I do, haven`t you noticed? http://www.worldofradio.com --- not a moment of downtime I am aware of with the present host in use for more than a year. Trouble is, both my home computers have been down so angelfire site serves as a backup, as I work from the library. Try later, as everybody is going there for the new DXLD (gh) ** AFGHANISTAN. Sarah Chayes & Afghan Independent Radio --- Afghan Independent Radio is about to go on the air this month. Sarah Chayes, a longtime international reporter for NPR is shepherding the project and reports from the field. by Sarah Chayes A NAME, AN IDENTITY, AN IMAGE, AND MR. TIMOR, Summer 2003 The patient and loyal staff of Afghanistan's first indigenous free radio station have voted to name it Afghan Independent Radio/Afghan Azad Radio, or AIR. They have designed a logo using the ENGLISH AND Pashtu letters for "AIR," EMANATING FROM A TRANSMISSION TOWER. The arrival of Mr. Ismael Timor and Seyid Mahmad Azil, on April 15, catapulted AIR to a new phase in its development. Timor, the team leader, has an IMPRESSIVE background in Afghan broadcasting. He was reporter/producer at Kabul Television, news department, from 1979-86; then he was in charge of the news department. Afterwards, he founded and ran Balkh Radio Television, in Mazar-i-Sherif, from 1987-98, when the Taliban conquered the city. He has conducted focus group discussions, and been involved in human rights investigations. Mr. Timor is a gentle man, highly organized, and dedicated to his work. Under his tutelage, the core radio staff, which had been meeting about once a month to discuss basic concepts, and then almost daily with me, to work on radio techniques such as interviewing substance and style, technical recording, tape logging, editing, etc., launched into a two-week course on the principles of journalism. They were examined and graded on the material. THE LAUNCH, THE PROGRAMMING I still don't want to predict a launch date, but with equipment literally on the road between Kabul and Kandahar as I write, it's certainly firming up. We still need to do a lot of work on the radio building: putting in double glass and soundproofing the studio, building work tables for the mixers, and regular desks for computer work and news writing. That's liable to take a month at least, and will necessarily interfere with the reporting and producing. Based largely on the preparatory discussions that began last year, Timor has developed a program list. AIR staff will produce the following original programs: 1. Kisht aw Karwanda: Cultivation and Field (agriculture) 2. Radioi Safar: Radio Journey (tourism, life in other provinces) 3. Salamatya: Health 4. Ghotai Ghwariji: Buds Opening (small children's show) 5. Badani Rozana: Body Exercising (sports) 6. Tserena: (research) 7. Zwanan aw Ratlunkai: Youth and Future 8. Sheze aw Owsanai Taulana: Women and Contemporary Society 9. De Ownai Mohimi Peshe: Important Things that Happened this Week. (Week in Review) 10. De Islam Wrange: Lights of Islam 11. Gulban: Flower Garden (poetry) 12. Bya Raghawana: Reconstruction 13. Zmuj Chapiryal: Our Environment 14. Tikki: Spots 15. Tassu wposhti Zawab e per muj: You Ask, the Answer is for Us (Questions for leaders.) 16. Radioi Kitab: Radio Book 17. Da Khalku Nazariat: People's Opinions (man in the street) AN APPROXIMATE DAILY RUNDOWN We are planning a broadcast day from 4:00 till 10:00 PM, with the only caveat in the schedule below being 20 minute slots for produced news. Knowing what it takes to put even a 4 or 5 minute produced news story on the air, I tend to think this is a bit ambitious, given the rest of the work our skeleton staff will have to do. So think of this as a draft. 3:59 Alert 4:00 Jingle, AIR id 4:01 Qur'an verse (XXX) 4:04 Jingle, AIR id, introduction of today's program. 4:05 News 4:10 In-depth news ????? 4:30 Short news 4:33 AIR program 5:00 News 5:05 AIR program 5:30 Short news 5:33 Afghan Music Program 6:00 News 6:05 BBC/VOA/Radio Free Europe/Tanin Program 7:00 News 7:05 Repeat in-depth news ????? 7:25 Music 7:30 BBC Pashtu News 8:30 News 8:33 AIR program (repeat from earlier in the week) 9:00 News 9:05 AIR program (repeat from earlier in the week) 9:30 Short news 9:33 Foreign music 10:00 SOC out (sign off) more, not including WTFK! ---: http://publicbroadcasting.net/kpbs/arts.artsmain?action=viewArticle&id=538853&pid=1012&sid=1 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Are the programs aired on Radio Australia being taken directly from a feed of the local in-country national broadcaster, so that they go out over shortwave at the same time as they are being aired inside Australia? Or are they recorded and sorted for international broadcast at different times? I'd like to lobby RA to move some programs around so there'd be things broadcast that I find more interesting during prime RA-listening time here in the central US, usually 1000 UT on; I find myself awake at that time often, with a good RA signal on 9580 kHz, but no particular interest in the content being broadcast at that time. I look at the RA Previews postings and see all sorts of things I'd like to hear, but they seem to almost always be on at times when there's no RA reception here or too much conflict with other stations and media, or I'm actually asleep. The main exception is The Science Show, Sundays at 1305 UT, so that is my primary weekly RA listening. But if they just take a Radio National feed and put it on SW without modification, there's not much chance they'd tailor the program arrangement even if overseas listeners requested changes. Regards, (Will Martin, MO, Sept 9, swprograms via DXLD) Are you kidding? Especially not for the convenience of long-abandoned listeners in North America --- oops, East Pacific (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Rádio Integração, de Cruzeiro do Sul (AC), está fora do ar pela freqüência de 4765 kHz. A informação foi repassada a Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM), no último dia 4 de setembro. De acordo com o pessoal da emissora, esperam por uma válvula para o transmissor que virá dos Estados Unidos até o final do mês. Quando retornar ao ar, em 4765 kHz, emitirá no seguinte esquema: entre 0940 e 1430 e das 2000 às 0300. As coordenadas da emissora são as seguintes: Rádio Integração, Rua de Alagoas, 270, Bairro Escola Técnica, CEP: 69980- 000, Cruzeiro do Sul (AC). Telefone: + 55 68 322 4637. Fax: + 55 68 322 6511. Endereço eletrônico: rtvi@omegasul.com.br (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tiviade DX Sept 7 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Por fin pude escuchar R. Cultura Filadelfia, Foz do Iguaçu transmitiendo en 6105.03 kHz, para mi por la primera vez. No sé si es la misma emisora brasilera yo hace algunos días capté en 6105.07 kHz (no identificada) pero supongo que sea la misma. Se identificó a la 0100 UTC. Programación religiosa y solamente en portugués. Nada de español o "1 de Marzo". 73 de (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Sept 9, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** CHILE [and non]. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA LA DERECHA, SUS MEDIOS SUBVERSIVOS, UN GOLPE Este 11 de septiempre se conmemoran 30 años del sangriento golpe de estado que derrocó al presidente chileno Salvador Allende Gossens. Tres décadas después, un balance acerca del papel de los medios de comunicación comerciales durante el proceso de desestabilización y luego, del "tiro de gracia" a la democracia chilena, muestra la verdad que muchos desean ocultar acerca de la función de los medios privados en la sociedad burguesa. La tendencia en llamarlos medios de comunicación "de masas" es un espejismo para desviar la verdadera función de estos aparatos de propaganda al servicio del consumismo. ¿Son en realidad propiedad de las masas? ¿O más bien son dirigidos a las masas con un determinado fin? Los medios privados sólo son un instrumento de las clases dominantes para dominar y neutralizar las mayorías nacionales. En consecuencia, a través de los medios privados se expresa un estilo de vida, un modelo de desarrollo, un pensamiento único. Si para obtener una concesión y explotar un medio de comunicación se necesita --- en la mayoría de los casos --- mucho dinero y poder, mal podemos asumir que los medios como reflejo de sus dueños capitalistas, puedan proyectar otra realidad que no sea la del modelo de desarrollo capitalista. Cualquiera otra cosa, lease bien, tendiente a socavar el modelo imperante sera totalmente censurada o tergiversada. En definitiva, los medios privados de una sociedad serán el espejo del pensamiento reinante y dominante: el de la burguesía. Si retomamos el caso chileno, en infinidad de situaciones a lo largo del gobierno de la Unidad Popular, los medios privados de comunicación chilenos no disimularon sus intenciones de acabar --- a como diera Lugar --- con el nuevo proceso político liderado por Salvador Allende. Principalmente, la radio y la prensa escrita fueron las puntas de lanza de la burguesía nacional y de los titiriteros principales (CIA y Departamento de Estado), para crear un clima de "desgobernabilidad" en el Chile de principios de los 70. El problema de estos medios de comunicación chilenos y el dilema de todos los medios de comunicación comerciales a escala mundial, es la balanza entre los intereses económicos y la verdad. Y eso es lo que desacredita per se a los medios comerciales. Cuando la verdad no conviene a los intereses económicos o corporativos de la empresa, ésta se suprime o se tergiversa. La cadena de complicidades es infinita: desde el dueño hasta el más humilde reportero. Y pobrecito aquel que se niegue a seguir "la línea". Seguro se queda sin trabajo. En el Chile de los años 70, en la balanza de los medios chilenos ganó la parte económica, como era de inferirse. La verdad se esfumó. Para muestra un botón: para 1971, el 70 por ciento de la prensa escrita era controlada por la derecha y 105 de las 115 emisoras existentes en Chile, eran de la misma tendencia política. El cerco comunicacional en contra de Allende fue descarado. Claro está, siempre está la excusa de la "libertad de expresión". Bien documentados para la historia están los sabotajes cometidos por las emisoras de la derecha a las cadenzas obligatorias del gobierno de Salvador Allende. Cualquier parecido con Hugo Chávez es mera coincidencia. Por ejemplo, el 24 de octubre de 1972 cinco emisoras se salieron de la cadena nacional obligatoria y cerraron sus transmisiones. Al día siguiente, el 25, Radio Santiago y Nacional de Minería se salieron sorprendentemente de otra cadena y se comenzó a emitir proclamas contra el gobierno. Otras campañas que quedaron para la historia fueron las consignas contra el proyecto de la Escuela Nacional Unificada, propuesto por la Unidad Popular. Por todos lados se leía o se oía: "NO PERMITIRÉ QUE CONVIERTAN A MIS HIJOS EN MARXISTAS". Tristemente célebre fue también la actitud del diario El Mercurio, al publicar avisos subversivos en sus páginas. El 21 de junio de 1973, El Mercurio publicó un anuncio del Partido Nacional (derecha), el cual provocó la suspensión del diario por parte del gobierno. Como si fuese poco, día 25, el Segundo Juzgado de Crimen de Santiago dictó una orden de clausura contra El Mercurio y una multa por 700 mil escudos por haber difundido informaciones falsas acerca de la Empresa de Agua Potable. Sin embargo, los dueños de El Mercurio desconocieron dicho dictamen. Por lo visto, se creían intocables y superiores a cualquier marco jurídico. ¡Vaya medios! Como estos casos, hay muchos más. Evidentemente, la derecha chilena tenía conciencia del poder y penetración de sus medios y los usó para mellar el sistema, causar el caos y conducir al país al golpe militar del 11 de septiembre. ¿Les importaba la verdad? ¿Les importaba la democracia y la justicia social? ¿Cómo pedir sensibilidad social a personas que ven al país y a su población a través de cifras, targets, share, números, puntos, audiencia...en fin, mercancía? ¿Es compatible la verdad con los intereses económicos de un medio de comunicación privado? Lamentablemente, tampoco el proceso chileno disponía de medios alternativos o comunitarios para hacer frente a tan magna avalancha comunicacional. Lo patético de hace 30 años y ahora, es la patente realidad: como refuerzo ideológico del sistema dominante, los medios de comunicación privados solo están para salvaguardar parcelas políticas y económicas de las clases dominantes. Cuando ellos o sus dueños sientan que el sistema puede estar en peligro, accionarán todos los mecanismos posibles y hasta los más violentos para salvar su integridad corporativa, su integridad como clase, como burguesía nacional. Sin duda, a los medios chilenos no les quitó el sueño terminar con la democracia más antigua y estable de América Latina. Y así será en cualquier país donde se pongan en juego sus intereses. Sad but true! (Adán González, Certificado de Locutor: 26950, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA C.C. Frecuencia R.M. La Voz de Rusia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) essay contest entry? ** CUBA. ALGO PASÓ EN RADIO HABANA CUBA Hoy, a las 2158 UT, estaba sintonizando la frecuencia 11760 kHz para escuchar el programa En Contacto de Radio Habana Cuba a las 2205. Todo iba muy bien, estaba sonando la señal de intervalo de RHC; luego ésta se cortóy comenzóa sonar música salsa. Al rato la música se cortó, quedó la portadora en el aire sin audio, de nuevo volvió la música; ésta se vuelve a cortar y se oye un ruido, de nuevo queda la portadora sin audio, se cae la portadora y había un sonido de jamming, luego un espacio en blanco, solo portadora. Llegamos a las 2205 y nada de RHC y sus programas, En Contacto no salió al aire a la hora prevista; de nuevo la música se oye, pero se cortaba a cada momento. Eran las 2216 y sólo había música en la frecuencia, ningún rastro de programas. Llegamos a las 2221 y sólo música en RHC. Llegamos a las 2230 y sólo música; no hubo identificación a la media hora como se acostumbra. Llegamos casi a las 23 horas y todo sigue igual. Allá la dejé; volví luego a la 0135 UT y la señal de RHC por los 15230 estaba llegando muy bien y pude escuchar en buena forma el programa En Contacto que no pude oir a las 2205. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, Sept 7, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Hola José Elías, y saludos a todos. Radio Habana Cuba está efectuando algunos cambios en sus equipos, según tengo entendido. En verdad sus señales en 15230 y 6000 kHz llegan aquí como "pedrada de indio zurdo" :-) Pero sí tienen problemas con el enlace del audio. Yo he intentado varias veces escuchar los programas en Esperanto (jes, ankau mi estas unu el tiuj "'frenezuloj' kiuj parolas Esperanton"!!) que normalmente transmiten a las 1500 UT por 11760 y a veces la portadora sale sin audio, a veces el audio sale de forma intermitente, a veces no hay señal. Sin embargo no he notado esos problemas con las emisiones por 15230 o 6000 kHz. 73 (Elmer Escoto, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, radioescutas via DXLD) RHC does it again --- Sept 9 at 2105, RHC Spanish audible underneath French, presumably VOA, on 17750, virtually zero beat with a slow SAH. Meanwhile there were plenty of open channels on the 16m band (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. RADIO FREE EUROPE MOVE FROM CZECH CAPITAL CENTRE POSTPONED | Text of report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague, 9 September: The US Congress will delay the move of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) from the centre of Prague because of a lack of funds and is considering ending broadcasts in Croatian and Slovak, the daily Hospodarske noviny writes today. Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda said during the summer that a location for the radio station has been selected. The government has considered moving the station from its current location on one of Prague's busiest streets as an important preventive measure in light of the 11 September terrorist attacks. RFE/RL is considered a possible target for terrorists. The government offered several locations outside of Prague which the radio's management rejected because of their complicated transport. The rent contract on the current building expires in December of 2004. Transport has been limited around the building and it is guarded by police and soldiers. Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 0539 gmt 9 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) CZECH REPUBLIC/USA: OFFICIALS REJECT REPORT ON DELAY IN RFE MOVE | Excerpt from report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague, 9 September: The Foreign Ministry and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) continue to look for a suitable building to host the radio station, which is to be moved from the centre of Prague, their representatives said today. "The matter is under discussion and suitable buildings are being looked for," RFE/RL spokeswoman Sonia Winterova told CTK today and Foreign Ministry spokesman Vit Kolar made a similar statement. They were reacting to a report published in the Czech financial daily Hospodarske noviny today. According to it, the US Congress will delay the moving of RFE/RL from the centre of Prague because of a lack of funds and is considering ending broadcasts in Croatian and Slovak. It is still true that RFE/RL wants to remain in Prague and if possible, at a place which would be more secure for Praguers and radio employees, Winterova said. She also described as a mistake the information that broadcasts in Croatian and Slovak are to be ended for the sake of economy. [passage omitted] Winterova said that moving the station was expensive and the money should be approved by the US Congress. "As regards time, it is impossible to urge the Congress as it has its own pace, its rhythm and it is beyond our control," she said earlier. According to some estimates, moving the radio will cost about 20m dollars. Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1520 gmt 9 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** FRANCE. CINQ RADIOS D`AUTOROUTE ACCOMPAGNENT LES AUTOMOBILISTES EN CONTINU Difusées sur une seule fréquence, 107.7 FM, ces stations maillent le territoire et ont chacune leur programme. Dépendant des concessionnaires d`autoroutes, elles touchent des million d`auditeurs. Leur spécificité: l`information sur le trafic Those are the headline and subhead in a story under the headings ENTREPRISES --- COMMUNICATION, Page 13 of Le Monde, Aug 17-18, thanks to Mike Cooper for a clipping. No specific info on powers, multiple transmitter sites for each, but a map shows the individual names and routes/regions covered: Autoroute FM, from Paris to Caen, Nantes, Poitiers 107,7 FM, from Paris to Calais, Strasbourg Autoroute Info, Paris to Dijon, Mulhouse, Lyon Radio trafic, in the south including Bordeaux, Bayonne, Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon Trafic FM, Marseille to Nice (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. The posting below says that according to the Oberbayerisches Volksblatt the Valley municipality would have reached an agreement with IBB to close the Holzkirchen transmitters soon: Wer den Sender Holzkirchen-Oberlaindern sehen will, der sollte sich sputen, denn laut dem Oberbayrischen Volksblatt hat sich die Gemeinde Valley mit der IBB geeinigt: der Sender wird noch vor Ablaufen des Pachtvertrages außer Betrieb genommen und abgebaut, d.h. vermutlich schon in Kürze (Andrea W, Sept 7, via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** GOA. All India Radio via Panaji, Goa, still noted with their 15 minute newscast in English at 1530-1545 on 11740. This broadcast often starts some seconds late for some reason. EiBi does not seem to show this (though it is in the AIR schedule) and I have written him several times regarding it. After AIR signs off 1545, presumed China National Radio program on the same frequency in Mandarin; this broadcast also starts at 1530 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Llevo tiempo sin captar a Radio Cultural en 3300 kHz, ¿sabe alguien de esta emisora? (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. Radio Litoral, el 06-09, tan temprano como a las 2337 UT, en 4832 kHz. Coincidía con Malí en los 4835 y luego de las 0000, con otra estación en 4835.46 kHz. Jamás la capté tan temprano (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. INDIAN TIME STATION ATA CEASED SW BROADCASTS Dear Friends, My investigations has confirmed that the Standard Time and Frequency transmissions by Station ATA, National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi has ceased its SW operations about 3 years back. They used to operate on 5, 10 and 15 MHz with 2 x 8 kW from Greater Kailash, Delhi. There were voice announcements by male in English every 15 minutes with station identification and IST. Ionospheric data was given every hour. Since 1988, NPL has been transmitting Standard Time and Frequency Signal via INSAT satellite. It is also available via telephone now. They used to issue QSL confirmations for their SW broadcasts and I have 2 in my collection. One is in letter form and other one is a card which was issued in 1978 by them after getting "inspiration" from Dr. Adrian Peterson of AWR. They issued that card after a special station profile on that station was broadcast by him in Radio Monitors International via SLBC, Sri Lanka. More details about their present activities is available from http://nplindia.org/npl/index.htm (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS/AT0J, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Box 1555, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082, India, Sept 9, dx_India via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3517.2v, RSPK Ngada? 1230 Sep 4. The wandering Indo, noted yesterday on 3516.74, heard here this morning, seeming to vary a few hertz up and down. Seemed \\ to 9680 but not sure. Started deteriorating right after tune-in. Also heard next day (Sep 5) around the same time on 3517.8v, so apparently is slowly moving upward. 4753.42, RRI Makassar, 1218 Sep 4. Noted with Jak program \\ 9680 and 4606.42. Abruptly left the air at 1227 UT, still had not returned by 1300 (John Wilkins, CO, DXplorer Sept 4/5 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ITU LW/MW COORDINATION SURVEY This year's survey of MW stations that have been internationally coordinated or are still in the coordination process has now been uploaded on the ITU website: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/publications/brific-ter/index.html See "GE75_110" in the file list (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MWDX Sept 9 via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. [Kvitsøy/Sveiø, Norway to Iran] 15790, presumed Radio Sedoye Yaran, *1600 Sept 1, decent signal, opening with a pop instrumental, then announcements by man and woman, but didn't get a definitive ID. The carrier from a big jammer was there before 1600; I mistook it for the station itself, which, however, opened very slightly higher, and was soon nearly obliterated by big jammers, shades of the 50/60s (Jerry Berg, MA, DXplorer Sept 1 via DXLD) Radio Sedoye Yaran or Radio Yaran? There are two US-based Farsi-language satellite stns relayed to ME Via European SW transmitters: Radio Sedoye Iran (="Voice of Iran") and Radio Yaran ("Radio Friends") a.k.a. AFN Farsi Netlink, but as far as I see it, there is no "Radio Sedoye Yaran". A DX publication reported "Radio Sedoye Yaran" earlier this summer, but I think it was a misunderstanding ("Iran" instead of "Yaran" is easy to confuse), and this name started to circulate without correction. On 15790 there is Radio Yaran --- see http://www.speakeasy.org/~afn/SATELLITE%20INFO.txt (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXplorer Sep 8 via BC-DX via DXLD) 7525, R. Yaran (Friends), via Kvitsøy, Norway, W 1800-2100 Farsi to Iran, ID: "Radio Yaran - AFN". Satellite audio. Anti-Iran Govt. Produced by American Farsi Netlink, CA, USA Broker: Merlin. Replaced by 15740 and 15650 (see CRW 128 July 17, 2003) I believe you are correct. English URL appears to be http://www.bamey.com/engradio.html and altho the station seems to be usually referred to as AFN Radio, at the bottom of the "Profile" it refers to "Yaran Radio." (Jerry Berg, MA, DXplorer Sept 7/8 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Rather good listening of RTE on 252 kHz I observed past three mornings (around 0230-0330). Mainly talks in English, soft classical and pop-music, ID's like RTE Radio 1, Lyric FM, etc. Average SINPO was 3/2-5-3-5-3/2 (no interference except slight splashes from a harmonic (240 kHz) of the 3rd channel of the local wire network (120 kHz AM), moderate continuous underground noise from remote thunderstorms (static)). It is interesting that Radio Rossii on 261 kHz from Taldom, Moscow was nearly unheard (Alexander Yegorov, Ukraine, WWDXC BC-DX Sept 8 via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4049.9, 3.9 1755, Hit Music Shortwave, Bishkek should be an unID because they played only non-stop music, with a mix of international and domestic music. S 3-4 BEFF (Björn Fransson, Gotland, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS [non]. TAIWAN, Hmong Lao radio, ULM, in Laotian normally on 17540 via Tashkent, Uzbekistan, has now additional test via Taiwan 15555 kHz. 0100-0200 UT Sept 7 (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA [and non]. LITHUANIA/RUSSIA --- On 10 September representatives of Telecom authorities from Russia and Lithuania signed a final protocol about the future use of the disputed frequency 1386 kHz. The Russian side states that it will end transmissions from the Bolshakovo transmitting centre in the Kaliningrad oblast on 1386 kHz by 1 November 2007. Starting 1 January 2004, the transmission times from Bolshakovo will be gradually reduced from 8h/daily in 2004 to 4h/d in 2005 and 2h/d after 1 January 2006. Lithuania is entitled to make full use of 1386 kHz in the interim period outside of the Bolshakovo transmission times. After 1 November 2007, the frequency will be exclusively used by Lithuania (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MWDX via DXLD) Does this mean that the superpowered transmitter will be decommissioned, and that Lithuania will use a different (and hopefully less powerful) one to replace it? Regards, (Bjarne Mjelde, Berlevag, Arctic Norway, ibid.) Bolshakovo will end transmissions on 1386 kHz on 1 November 2007, but already from 1 January 2004 Bolshakovo will reduce the daily broadcasting hours to the amount I mentioned below, during the rest of the day this frequency can be used by Lithuania. Acc. to the Geneva Plan, Lithuania is authorized to use up to 1000 kW ND on 1386 kHz. The licensee in Lithuania for this frequency is Radio Baltic Waves International (RBWI), and RBWI is determined to use 1386 kHz for high power transmissions. Currently, Sitkunai is operated on 1386 kHz with 500kW, but can be increased to 650kW any time (Bernd Trutenau, ibid.) ** MEXICO [non?]. CLANDESTINE from ? to EARTH Radio Free Cascadia --- I had a look at their website which included typical far-leftist hyperbole of "broadcasting from behind enemy lines," as well as a link to Radio Insurgente. The parent website is the Eugene (Oregon) Free Community Network. Radio Free Cascadia was a Eugene FM pirate station that was raided by the FCC in 2001, but doesn't seem to have returned to the air. All this per another section of their website. They claim they have been on shortwave before, during the 1999 WTO talks in Seattle. Their contact details are: PO Box 12200 Eugene OR 97440 or radio985@efn.org According to DXLD, they will broadcast from Sept 10-14 during the Cancun WTO talks. . . (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 9, Cumbredx via DXLD) See previous two issues; RFCI supposed to start today Sept 10 on 15045, alternates 17552.5, evening 9310, all variable (gh, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. RADIO 538 ANNOUNCES SOME DETAILS OF CLASSICAL FM BID Dutch commercial broadcaster Radio 538 has announced some details of the classical music station it hopes to operate on FM if it wins the last-remaining major FM licence. It faces competition from a recently- announced bid by Talpa Radio International which plans to use the FM channel for a jazz station. Perhaps the most significant detail of the Radio 538 bid is the proposed on air name: Classic4U. If this suggests a populist approach to classical music, that's exactly the image Radio 538 wants to project. Co-owner Lex Harding describes the presentation on existing classical stations as "boring and sombre", and says Classic4U would concentrate on shorter pieces. But the presenters will be selected for their knowledge of classical music. For example, pianist Wibi Soerjadi has been lined up to present a weekly show in which he will talk to young musicians. Andy Sennitt comments: I personally find the name Classic4U rather too downmarket, but anything that enables more people to become acquainted with classical music can only be applauded. However, if the station confines itself to playing fragments of popular classics outside their musical context it will be missing a huge opportunity. Hopefully there will be room in the evenings for performances of complete works. By hiring the right presenters they should avoid the embarrassment suffered by Radio Seagull in the 1970's, when it experimented with playing classical music. Its presenters often mangled the names of even the most well-known composers and performers, which made it sound as if they were not taking it seriously (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 10 Sept via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND [non]. AUSTRALIA, 9580, RNZI. Thanks Marie Lamb Cumbre tip. Sept 8, 1655, Radio National program, 1658 dead air, Radio Australia ID at 1700 and into news. Then into RNZI at 1705 with news, start of show afterwards, mentioning new short wave schedule. Did mention that they would have full explanation of transmitter problem in the show (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) & see SWEDEN Hello Ian, I am a longtime listener to RNZI and listen to it everyday! During the day, I listen to it on their Internet Radio Service, and at night, on shortwave. Either 17675, or 11820. I work from my home, out of my small office, and love listening to RNZI !!! I've missed listening on shortwave, for two weeks now, and although I did read the short 'description' of their "Serious Fault With The Transmitter", I never read exactly WHAT the problem is. Do you know, or could you find out (through any of your sources in New Zealand) exactly, technically, WHAT the problem is? Why is it taking so very long to fix? Money??? My goodness, if it was a similar problem with a commercial radio station here in 'The States', it would be fixed within one or two days! I would love to learn what their transmitters' problem is. I had written to the station directly, and also to a Mr. Henderson, (I believe that's what his name was), who is supposed to be the main engineer for Radio New Zealand, but haven't received any reply. Would it be possible to get some answers about this 'mysterious quandary'? I miss RNZI 'On The Air'! Thanks, (Irv Ambler, New Fairfield, Connecticut, USA, to Ian Cattermole, ripple via DXLD) ** NORWAY. According to the staff at Kvitsöy, 1314 kHz was running 10 kW from their standby-transmitter a few days, due to work on one of the two 600 kW transmitters being optimized for DRM-operation, when the second 600 kW failed. It's quite common that Kvitsöy operate with only one of the two 600 kW's. The difference in signal between 600 and 1200 kW is not all that significant. However it is less common that they run the old 10 kW Philips transmitter. The longest period on 10 kW was probably a few years ago when Kvitsöy lost all its power. They receive power from mainland, and the sea-cables broke. Only 10 kW can be run on the diesel generator. (This 10 kW unit was commissioned in 1966, used in Trondheim up to 1978 on the frequency 890 kHz. After the closure of the Trondheim site, it was dismantled and moved to Kvitsöy and used as a standby transmitter there.) (Bernt Erfjord, MWC E-Mail News via NRC IDXD Sept 5 via DXLD) ** NORWAY. NRK: "I Know Nothing" (RNW; 07.12.2001): http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/norway011207.html The SW site at Fredrikstad (DX Listeners Club): http://www.dxlc.com/nordx/fred.html Fredrikstad's final farewell (DX Listeners Club): http://www.dxlc.com/nordx/final_fred.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, BC-DX Sept 8 via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Adán Mur, de Radio América, Villeta, me contó en un correo electrónico que la emisora ahora está en Internet, en vivo, en la siguiente web: http://www.radiodifusionamerica.com.py utilizando una velocidad de transmisión digital de 256 kbps (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Sept 8, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Horizonte, el 06-09, a las 2354 UT, con SINPO 3-2, en la frecuencia de 5019.92, con un bloque de cuñas interminable (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. QSL from Radyo Pilipinas in 5 1/2 months, reception on 11720 kHz. Signed by Tanny V. Rodríguez, Station Manager. Enclosed were schedules of English/Filipino services and a sticker. Current frequency schedule is as follows: English: 0200-0330 11885, 15120, 15270 Filipino: 1730-1930 11720, 15190, 17720 Address: Radyo Pilipinas 4th Floor PIA Bldg. Visayas Ave. Quezon City 1100, Philippines (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal Sept 7 via DXLD) ** POLAND. COASTAL MARITIME STATION GDYNIA RADIO CLOSE ON DEC 31, 2003 Die polnische Kuestenfunkstelle Gdynia Radio wird am 31. Dezember 2003 ihren Betrieb einstellen. Das geht aus einem QSL-Brief der Station hervor. Zur Zeit arbeiten noch neun Leute dort. Alles begann 1922 nahe Puck fuer militaerische zwecke und wurde von der Marine betrieben. PCK war das militaerische Rufzeichen, SPH das kommerzielle. Als der Hafen von Gdynia 1924 gebaut wurde, kam es auch zum ersten Zwei-Wege Kontakt mit einem fremden Schiff, M/V Kentucky, welches auch das erste fremde Schff war, das in den neuen Hafen kam. Vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wurden Sendeanlagen im Vorort Oksywie gebaut. Sie wurden seither benutzt. 1970 wechselte die Empfangsstn in den kleinen Ort Rekowo, suedlich von Puck. Bis Juli 2003 sicherte Gdynia Radio die Kommunikation mit Schiffen. Circa 30 Leute waren bis dato beschaeftigt. 1996 wurde es Teil von GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. Es wurden meteorologische Hinweise und Navigationswarnungen sowie private Telefongespraeche vermittelt. Zur Zeit ist Gdynia Radio wie folgt aktiv: 0400-2200 UT auf Kanal 824 (8788/8264 kHz), Kanal 1216 (13122/12275 kHz), und Kanal 1631 (17332/16450 kHz). Unterschrieben waren diese Infos vom Chef von Gdynia Radio, Herrn Mical Popiel (Joe Leyder, Luxembourg, A-DX Sept 4 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Due to expansion of Russian International Radio, the World Service of the Voice of Russia completely lost two hours of broadcasting in Russian: 2000-2100 and 0100-0200. Current schedule of "Club DX" in Russian at VoR: - Mondays at 1345; - Wednesdays at 1245 and 1545 (open_dx - Pavel Mikhaylov, Voice of Russia, Moscow, Russia, Signal Sept 7 via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. I saw this article in today's NZ Herald. It mentions SIBC Honiara in passing:. PAPER AT LAST FLEXES ITS MUSCLE ...While the Government-funded Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation tried for the most part to rely on the quality of its journalism as its best protection, there were times when the threats of violence were so overt that its general manager, Johnston Honimae, opted to use the journalist's last defence and broadcast the news of threats in the corporation's regular bulletins... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3522702&thesection= news&thesubsection=world (via Kraig Krist, Sept 9, DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Add to RNZI's very serious transmitter problems (which at least one unattributed report says may last for as long as a month), this less dire -- but no less unwelcome -- development at Radio Sweden. "Because of technical difficulties, our program will sound a little different on Monday. We`ll have our usual news round-up from Gaby Katz, Kris Boswell will be presenting the program and playing music, and Judi Milar will be on hand with a wrap-up of weekend sports. But a breakdown in our digital editing system means we won`t be able to bring you any recorded interviews. We expect to be back with regular programming on Tuesday." --- from Radio Sweden's web site (John Figliozzi, ODXA via DXLD) RADIO SWEDEN -- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: "GreenScan" Baltic pollution special Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: "Studio 49" eurodebate special Sunday: Our coverage of the Swedish referendum on joining the European Union single currency (SCDX/MediaScan Sept 10 via DXLD) ** TAHITI. This is shaping up to be a good AM season. Let's hope. See below (Saul Chernos, Ont., ODXA via DXLD) [AMFMTVDX] TAHITI 738 IN ILLINOIS THIS MORNING Due to continued very good conditions to the W and WSW I woke up early this morning to do some SRS [sunrise skip] DXing. Conditions were good with KNX and KNBR in quite well. On 760 I think my talk station which was QRMed by XEABC with WJR phased was KFMB (IDed a day ago) as there sports report talked about the Padres as if they were a local team. Anyhow at 1120 UT (0620 CDT) I noted a strong carrier on 738 which had little QRM as KRMG isn't strong on nite pattern and CHWO's remains were phased out. On peaks I heard some music and then bits of a man speaking French. I'll have to call this one tentative until I can hopefully receive it better. The carrier was weakening but still in at 1137 when I quit to get ready for work (Neil Kazaross, IL, Sept 8 via Saul Chernos, ODXA via DXLD) ** THAILAND. Radio Tailandia, 15395, en inglés con SINPO 33533. A las 0056 UT, transmitía noticias deportivas. Captada el 08-09. ¿Esta señal es directa o es de algún repetidor? 73's y buen DX, Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Directa desde Udon Thani, Tailandia, denominado repetidor ** UGANDA [non]. Bei den im DTK-Sendeplan unter AWH gelisteten Sendungen handelt es sich wohl um ein neues Clandestine[??] Programm mit Zielgebiet Uganda. Heute lief von 1500-1530 UT auf 17555 kHz ein Programm namens "Radio Rhino International Africa" in Englisch. Gesendet wurde Informationen zum zukuenftigen Programm mit eindeutig politischen Inhalt sowie afrikan. Musik. Der Sendestart fuer die offizielen Sendungen wurde mit Mitte September angegeben. ID "You are listening to Radio Rhino International Africa - This is your Voice of Freedom and Democracy - this is your symbol of your future ... ". 17755 Radio Rhino International Africa. Am Ende der Sendung wurden noch Telefonnummer, FAX & Homepage angesagt. Tel: 0049 - 162 885 4486 --- eine 0162er Handy Nr. Fax: 0049 - 221 991 2927. URL: http://www.radiorhino.org (Patrick Robic, Austria, A-DX Sept 4 via BC-DX via DXLD) D-Info zeigt: Mr. Robert Schaldenat, Maybachstr. 16, Köln 50670, 0221 - 991 29 27 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Sept 5, BC-DX via DXLD) A new Ugandan opposition station is now on the air at 1500 on 17555! It is called Radio Rhino International-Africa. I was tipped off to it by an article in a Ugandan newspaper yesterday. Heard here in Nairobi yesterday (5 Sept) with excellent signals. It announced that the current broadcasts were a "trial" and that regular programming would be launched in mid-September. The broadcast gave telephone and fax numbers in Germany (+49) and They also announced their web site – http://www.radiorhino.org - which I have checked and which says that the tests only began on 3rd September --- and that regular broadcasts will start on 16th September. However, the web site gets in a muddle with the times, which it says Are 1800 GMT in winter and 1700 GMT in winter. Obviously 1800 means Ugandan time, not UT, and it means that the broadcasts are aired at 4 p.m. German LT. Very confusing for listeners in Uganda who understandably know little or nothing of European summer/winter time! Apart from that detail, I think the schedule fits in with a mystery entry in the DTK schedule which was highlighted in DXLD recently, right down to being daily except Mondays. So, it's coming from Juelich (Chris Greenway, Kenya, Sept 6, delayed in 3-160, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF EXILE RADIO STATION | Text of report by Emma Mutaizibwa, "I know nothing of Radio Rhino", published by Ugandan newspaper The Monitor web site on 8 September Kampala: Dr Kizza Besigye, a losing candidate in the 2001 presidential election, has denied that he is scheduled to speak at the launch of a radio station by Ugandan exiles in Germany. On Friday [5 September] The Monitor reported that Besigye, together with former President Milton Obote, would speak at the launch of Radio Rhino International-Africa on 16 September. The RRIA director, Mr Godfrey Ayoo, had claimed that Besigye and Obote would be aired on 16 and 17 September. "I have never heard of or been in touch with anyone by the names of Godfrey Elum Ayoo or any other person acting on behalf of Radio Rhino International-Africa (RRIA)," Besigye said by e-mail yesterday. "I have no knowledge of any launch of such a radio or my joint participation with former President Milton Obote in any radio programme," he wrote. Source: The Monitor web site, Kampala, in English 8 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) OPPOSITION LOBBY GROUP BACKS ESTABLISHMENT OF EXILE RADIO STATION | Excerpt from report by Ugandan newspaper The New Vision web site on 9 September The [opposition pressure group] Reform Agenda (RA) has welcomed the establishment of Radio Rhino International-Africa (RRIA), a German- based station to broadcast views of Uganda's opposition leaders. RA deputy secretary general, Louis Otika, said during the weekly press conference yesterday that although RA leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, had not yet been contacted by the radio's proprietors, RA welcomed any moves that would give the opposition more voice. Godfrey Elum Ayoo, the RRIA proprietor, recently said the 17.555 shortwave radio would be launched on 16 September, adding that Uganda People's Congress (UPC) exiled leader, Dr Milton Obote, and Besigye would address listeners during the launch. Ayoo said the radio would broadcast between 6:00 a.m.[sic] and 7:00 p.m. [all times local] on weekdays and up to 6:30 p.m. on weekends. "We have not yet bought broadcasting equipment of our own and we do not have any immediate plans to buy such equipment. So if there is an opportunity for us to contribute positively to Uganda's political development using that station we shall take advantage of it," Otika said. [Passage omitted] Source: The New Vision web site, Kampala, in English 9 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) CLANDESTINE from GERMANY to UGANDA. 17555, Radio Rhino International Africa. Sept 9 *1500 with IDs and slogans in English. "This is your voice for Freedom and Democracy." Then song in English. Mentioned that trial transmissions were about a week old, but that official launch would now be on September 23rd instead of September 16th. Former President Obote would be heard at that time. Mentioned that they had gotten reaction from the USA, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Announcer added that although Ugandans might not have access to the Internet, they could send him a text message to his mobile phone in Germany --- 4901628854486. Announcer said that the broadcasts had caught the government off guard and it did not how to react. Station would attempt to report from all areas of Uganda, especially war zones. Comment on current president of Uganda who intends to remain in power, something that the people should say no to. Those in the army should just leave the army and not support the regime. Nor should the police take orders from the current "dictatorship." (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) According to the station's website, http://www.radiorhino.org/ Radio Rhino International Africa (RRIA) will switch frequency from current 17555 to 17870 kHz on 26th October. The official launch date has now been delayed by a week to 23rd September. At present trial programmes (via Juelich, Germany) are heard 1500-1530 UT (Tues-Fri) and 1500-1600 UT (Sat-Sun) (not as per website). The station's website now also includes a reception report and audio clip from Jerry Berg in the USA on its Listen to RRIA page (Alan Pennington - BDXC-UK, Caversham, UK, Sept 10, via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. From Sept 10 until October 26 RUI will use new frequency 7420 for broadcasts to Russia (Tyumen) at 0000-0400 and 1300-1700 instead of 9620 because of strong QRM on it. Transmitter: 100 kW in Kharkiv, 55 degrees (Alexander Yegorov, Ukraine, WWDXC BC-DX Sept 8 via DXLD) ** U K O G B A N I. IT'S DAFFY TO BELIEVE THE QUACK OF A DUCK DOESN'T ECHO --- By Steve Connor, Belfast Telegraph, 08 September 2003 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=441486 EXPERTS in acoustics have debunked one of the more esoteric myths of the modern age - that a duck's quack is the only sound that does not produce an echo. The myth has been promulgated as fact by a number of television and radio shows, from Shooting Stars on BBC2 to Steve Wright on Radio 2 and John Peel's Home Truths on Radio 4. Now scientists have definitively shown that the quack of a duck does obey the laws of physics and can, just like any other sound, produce an echo when it bounces off a solid surface. With the help of Daisy the duck and an anechoic chamber - a room with jagged-edged walls where sound cannot be reflected - Professor Trevor Cox of Salford University precisely recorded the exact sounds that constitute a quack. He then recorded Daisy's quack in a reverberation chamber with cathedral-like acoustics. This generated long reflections, causing Daisy's quack to take on a sinister echoey sound, Professor Cox said. "It proved that a duck's quack does, indeed, produce an echo." The recordings were used to create simulations of Daisy performing at the Royal Albert Hall, and quacking as she flew past a cliff face. The conclusion was that a duck's quack definitely echoes, just like any other sound. However, people could be forgiven for thinking that a quack does not echo because of the way that a duck's call tails off at the end, making any echo difficult to discern. "The biggest mystery is why this myth should have arisen at all. One theory is that the envelope of the duck's quack has a gradual decay, which makes echoes difficult to hear," he said. "A duck quacks rather quietly, so the sound coming back is at a low level and might not be heard," said Professor Cox. © 2003 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd (Via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** U S A. SECOND 9/11 COMMEMORATIVE NET WILL FEATURE ARRL PRESIDENT (Sep 8, 2003) -- The second N2LEN 9/11 Commemorative Net will take place Thursday, September 11. The net will link repeaters across the US and around the world via the Internet. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, will address the linkup regarding the role of Amateur Radio in homeland security and will urge each amateur to develop emergency communication skills. Haynie addressed the first-anniversary hookup last year to thank all amateurs who volunteered in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. As with the 2002 net, this year's cyberspace and ham radio gathering will rely on EchoLink and eQSO Internet software connections as well as repeaters and simplex links around the world. Len Signoretti, N2LEN, says improvements over the past year have made communication even easier and more reliable, and he hopes the second-anniversary net will be an even greater success. The main EchoLink net servers will open at 6 AM EDT on September 11, and the directed net will start at 7 PM EDT. All EchoLink, IRLP and eQSO servers are invited to join. Ken Johnson, KC4YOZ, will provide streaming audio of the 911Net this week through the completion of the net on September 11. An MP3 stream and a Windows Media Player stream will be available [see the main arrl page http://www.arrl.org for links]. For more information, contact Signoretti n2len@aol.com or visit the 911 Net Web site http://www.911net.org/ (ARRL via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi, Chris! I was listening to DXing with Cumbre this weekend and it inspired me to go over to the 69XX kHz range and check if I could hear any pirates. Lo and behold, there were a couple on right then, and another later at night when I re-checked. At 0045 UT Sep 7 '03 "Purple Nucleus of Creation" on 6950 USB with a decent signal, pretty clear and strong. Later re-check of the same frequency at 0100 UT had a much harsher and interfered-with signal; not sure if this was the same transmitter as earlier. The programming at both these times was some uninteresting babble with the speaker affecting a very annoying drawn-out speech style. Still later re-check at 0109 UT had a much fainter signal; programming then was the old Abbott & Costello "Who's on First?" comedy routine, an historical-radio recording. Also on at 0045 UT and later on Sep 7 '03 on 6925 in AM mode, not SSB, was WHYP (an ID at 0100) with a nice and clear signal. Programming was a discussion of downloading music at initial tune-in and then music later. The 0100 ID specifically used the word "pirate". The speaker mentioned that the transmitter had an 8 kHz response range for higher fidelity. Later, at 0110 UT, a parody ad for a "DX Survivor" program, like a combination of the "Survivor" TV program with a DXpedition. By that time, the signal had deteriorated with increasing noise and interference. Much later, at 0645 UT on Sep 7 '03, on 6925 USB, was KIPM with a monologue of much weirdness; typical KIPM stuff -- I've heard them in the past. The speaker identified himself as "Alan Maxwell" and gave a QSL address of PO Box 69, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022. Since this was around 2 AM local, I left it on while listening with headphones and fell asleep, so no idea of when it signed off. Receiver is a Grundig Satellit 800 with an external random-wire about 20 meters long. Location is St. Louis, Missouri inside the city itself in a residential neighborhood. I do listen to Cumbre every week and hear your pirate-king segment. Perhaps sometime you could discuss just how pirates decide what time of day (or usually evening) they choose to broadcast. I'm a program listener on SW and usually have the radio on to hear a specific program, like on RN, the BBC, WBCQ, etc. I tend to not even think of tuning around during "prime time" such as late afternoon or early evening since there are enough other things on the air in various media to occupy my time. I get the impression that pirates tend to broadcast at this timeframe. I would be much more likely to hear them if they were on the air at 0300 UT and later; then there are far fewer competing things to keep listeners away. KIPM has been the only late- night pirate I've heard with any frequency, and I'm impressed with the way they stay on for hours. Have they no concern for FCC repression? As to the others, wouldn't they be somewhat shielded from FCC monitors if they were on the air later, when the FCC's budget limits might mean that there were fewer or no FCC monitors working to catch them? I tend to tune around later at night, and then often do remember to check the 69XX kHz frequency range, but seldom hear pirates then. Wouldn't they be better off broadcasting then? I would also think that that frequency range would propagate well across the US at that time. But, as I noted above, the signals deteriorated over the short time from 0045 to 0100 UT -- does this mean that 69XX kHz is actually optimum in the early evening/late afternoon? Or are the homebrew pirate transmitters weakening and failing after a short period of operation? Well, regards, 73, and keep up the good work! (Will Martin, St Louis, MO, to Chris Lobdell, cc to DXLD) Strangely enough, the same stations are reported here: 6925U, PIRATE (USA), KIPM, 0348-0403, 06/09, Program, "He who Shrank", ID and Elkorn drop. Decent signal, as usual (Barbour-NH) 6925, WHYP. Date: 09/07/2003. Time: 0034-0041+ (UT). SINPO: 4/4/3/3/3. Very good signal from Mr. Brownyard on the bx. Songs included "Rock Me Amadeus" at 0034. Ments of working on transmitter to improve signal. ID at 0041 (G-VG. Wood, TN) 6950U, Voice of the Purple Nucleus of Creation. Time: 0043-0046 (UT). SINPO: 3/4/2/2/2. First log of this station. "Space Music." ID at 0045 with POB 69, Elkhorn, NE 68022, USA given as address along with calls for reports with comments on programming. ID at 0046 (f-g, Wood, TN) 6950 SSB, Shadow Radio Date: 09/07/2003. Time: 0056-0103+ (UT). SINPO: 2/4/3/4/2. Excellent choice of music and programming for this show. The strength of the signal was weak, but it was very readable and clear. Songs included: "Da Do Run Run" at 0056, "Mr. Bass Man" at 0105, "One Eyed, One Horned Flying Purple Eater" at 0116, "Monster Mash" at 0118, "Witch Doctor" at 0122 and others. Comedy routines include: "Who's on First" by Abbott and Costello at 0105 and Red Skelton routines at 0125. ID's at 0058, 0112, 0122 as both "Shadow Radio" and "WSDW." Email address of the_shadow6950@hotmail.com given at 0122 (Wood, TN; all: NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC DELIVERS ULTIMATUM TO rfb By DANIEL BARLOW, Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- Two agents from the Federal Communications Commission told radio free brattleboro on Thursday that it has 10 days to produce a license or U.S. marshals will seize the station's broadcasting equipment. Speaking through the closed door to the station's downtown studio, the FCC agents, accompanied by a Brattleboro police officer, asked station co-founder Larry Bloch to produce a license and allow agents to inspect the broadcasting equipment. Most of the conversation between Bloch, other station DJs and the FCC agents was broadcast live on the air. When station members refused to let the FCC agents into the studio for lack of a warrant, one federal agent slipped a violation notice through the door's mail slot... http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8860~1612358,00.html (Reformer, Sept 5 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) INDEPENDENT BURLINGTON RADIO STATION FEELS FCC HEAT By DANIEL BARLOW , Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- One day before the Federal Communications Commission gave an ultimatum to radio free brattleboro, field agents shut down a similar unlicensed station in Burlington. Two FCC agents accompanied by two officers from the Burlington Police Department shut down Free Radio Burlington last Wednesday afternoon, according to one of the station's DJs. Like rfb, FRB is an independent, unlicensed station that broadcasts at 10 watts from a house in the city. The station has been on the air for two years and covered local news and a mix of syndicated news programs. Patrick Johnson, a station DJ, said the exchange between the FCC agents and station members was civil, but agents issued a stern warning: If the station returns to the air, the agents would return with U.S. marshals. "They didn't have a warrant, but they (FCC agents) lied to us and said they didn't need one," said Johnson. A call to the FCC in Washington was not returned Tuesday. The station has approximately 30 DJs trained in broadcast, said Johnson, and broadcasts on the unused frequency of 87.9 FM. Unlike rfb, the Burlington station has never received a complaint about its broadcast bleeding into other frequencies, he added, and this was the first visit from the FCC. . . http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8862~1622138,00.html (Reformer Sept 10 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. EX-RADIO PIRATES ENJOY WIN AGAINST FCC http://www.620ktar.com/news/article.aspx?article_id=212991&cc=012345 It's been five years since the Federal Communications Commission broke Down the door to Radio Mutiny's pirate broadcast studio in West Philadelphia and hacked apart its unlicensed antenna. Now a group led by Radio Mutiny veteran Pete Tridish has exacted revenge on their old nemesis. Last week, they persuaded a federal court to temporarily block the FCC from relaxing restrictions designed to prevent big media companies from monopolizing public airwaves. The delay will give the group, the Prometheus Radio Project, time to Argue that the new regulations decrease the public's ability to get on the air, a difficulty apparent in Philadelphia, which has no public access radio or television. The ruling also galvanized congressional opposition to the regulations, which would allow single companies to own newspapers and broadcast outlets in the same market, and let an individual TV company reach up to 45 percent of the nation's viewers. The FCC says the changes are needed to help broadcasters compete in an industry changed by cable television and the Internet. The court victory is being savored with some trepidation by the folks at Prometheus, who are battling to convince regulators that there is enough room on the nation's radio and TV dials for amateur broadcasters. "I'm always cautious about getting too excited about court victories," Tridish said. "Eventually, the weight of the system always seems to wind up catching up with you." A dose of pessimism is probably to be expected from activists who named their group after a mythological character who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man, only to be punished by eternal torture. Tridish, 33, was born in New York as Dylan Wrynn but took a pseudonym inspired by the petri dish, a container for culturing bacteria, in 1996. That was the year he became one of the founders of Radio Mutiny, a pirate station that broadcast from secret locations in West Philadelphia. Radio Mutiny didn't last long. The station had been on the air for less than a year when there was a knock on the door. "'FCC, open up,'" Tridish recalled the visitors saying. "The girl who went to the door said, 'Yeah, right,' because there were always people coming to the door and making jokes. But then she looked out, she saw some guy she didn't know and a couple of cops. She told them she wouldn't open the door unless they had a warrant, so they went away." After a few months of political theater, and a protest in which pirate disk jockeys broadcast live from Independence Mall, the FCC got a court order, broke down the station's door and shut it down. After that, Tridish said, he put his pirate days behind him and helped Found Prometheus, a nonprofit group run from an office beneath the Calvary United Methodist Church that is trying to help hundreds of low-power FM stations set up legally around the country. In the past two years, Prometheus has had some success, mostly in rural areas underserved by commercial broadcasters. Last year the group helped build KOCZ 103.7 FM in Opelousas, La., a 100-watt station that plays zydeco music, does some local news and is owned by a civil rights group. It had another successful radio "barn raising" in Anne Arundel County, Md., where it helped found WRYR 97.5 FM. Another station start is planned this autumn in Spokane, Wash. Prometheus staffer Hannah Sassaman, 23, said the startups may be unpolished, but are a relief from a fast-consolidating industry (one giant player, Clear Channel, already owns 1,200 stations) in which she believes it is difficult for people with different viewpoints to get their opinions on the air. "They need to be curtailed in how far they can spread their arms over the countryside," Sassaman said. "It will change the way broadcasting sounds in America if it is all centralized out of the big cities." FCC officials said the ownership rules blocked by Prometheus' suit would do nothing to increase the likelihood that a radio market would become dominated by just a few big companies. FCC spokeswoman Michelle Russo said a series of other rule changes have recently expanded the number of licenses for lower-power FM stations. Prometheus' claims were also rejected by the National Association of Broadcasters. "We don't buy into their claim that radio has somehow lost its local flavor. The reality is that the most successful stations today are highly committed to serving their local audiences," said the association's senior vice president, Dennis Wharton. He said close to 4,000 companies own radio stations, and, while the industry has seen a proliferation of stations specializing in formats unavailable a few decades ago, including Spanish-language broadcasting and business news, it's still the most community-oriented of any mass media. "We're still where you turn for announcements about school closings," Wharton said. ___ On the Net: Prometheus Radio Project: http://www.prometheusradio.org/ Federal Communications Commission: http://www.fcc.gov/ (AP via Mike Terry, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. WNYC TEST SIGNALS A POTENTIAL REVOLUTION David Hinckley`s column in the NY Daily News Sept 3 said that IBOC tests were ``to be conducted next week`` on WNYC, plus the usual hype about HD Radio, allowing stations to split their signals, etc. Never got around to making clear whether this involves WNYC AM (800-810-820- 830-840 kHz) and/or FM 93.9 +\-. What`s the buzz among New Yorkers and tri-staters? Thanks to Bob Thomas, CT, for the clipping (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ATLANTA'S WABE WALKS THE CLASSICAL RADIO TIGHTROPE Pierre Ruhe, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - 8 September 2003 In most American cities, classical music is quietly fading off the radio airwaves. A decade ago, 312 stations beamed Bach, Beethoven and Brahms across the land; today, just half that number play classical music. Many of the survivors restrict it to evenings or weekends, when fewer people listen. Among nonprofit public radio stations, the current battle pits classical music against the news-talk-information juggernaut — and the soft-voiced classics are having an increasingly hard time being heard. The choice has come down to this: Do you want to hear more newsy chatter or more Vivaldi and Mozart? In Atlanta, WABE-FM (90.1) has suffered some erosion of its weekday classical broadcasts in recent years, boosting its news-talk lineup an hour here, an hour there. But Program Director Lois Reitzes declares, "I feel mission-driven to include classical music in WABE's programming. We're one of the only places left." Owned by the Atlanta Board of Education, WABE is managed by a mostly hands-off community board of educators. A big part of its mission is "public service." Yet that notion is only vaguely defined. Reitzes says it gives her autonomy for major programming decisions, with each announcer creating playlists based on a month-by-month framework. As a result, you hear the most popular works, such as Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue or Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, about once a month on WABE. Dubious focus-group research has dictated that weekday hours are divided according to moods — based on how listeners "use" radio. This basic formatting philosophy holds true not just at WABE but at most classical radio stations in America. No one, it seems, sits and listens to the radio anymore. Radio is now a companion to some other activity, and needs to be adjusted to fit our lifestyles. Thus, short, mostly peppy music fills WABE's mornings. Coming on at 9 a.m., just after NPR's Morning Edition, Reitzes' unique sound and on- air manner are an Atlanta landmark. In breathy, low tones, she's part seductive vamp, part prim music-appreciation instructor, slowly ar- tic-u-lat-ing every syllable. As she modulates her speech, her voice gets drier and more crackly in higher ranges. It's an unusual, memorable voice that tends to polarize listeners. Hewing to the formula, the afternoon guy, John Lemley, gets to play more substantive works: full Mozartean symphonies and romantic tone poems. Like Reitzes, Lemley can sometimes sound really eager to make friends with the listener, but his square, schoolboyish voice is pleasant to hear, and he has good background knowledge and pronunciation. (Even in major markets, some announcers mispronounce foreign words and seem out of their depth.) News and talk programs run from 3 to 8 p.m. — Fresh Air, NPR news and various info-entertainment shows — and debate over expanding this chunk of the radio day is the hottest battleground in the music-vs.- talk war. WABE's evening hours, hosted by Robert Hubert, are the time for longer or darker music. Here's where you'll find an emotionally turbulent Mahler symphony. Hubert's cavernous bass voice and solemn delivery make him sound like a Russian Orthodox priest, without the accent. Bucking the trends While the mix of music is par for the national radio course — there's no contemporary music to speak of — WABE bucks a few national radio trends. Vocal music is permitted, usually with an occasional opera aria. Not long ago, Reitzes broadcast a 20-minute excerpt from Puccini's La Bohème. For weekday morning radio, it was a shocking statement of independence. Complete opera performances — in the form of Saturday-afternoon broadcasts from New York's Metropolitan Opera or, in the off-season, WABE's in-house "The Opera With Arnold Rosenberg" — are, for many listeners, an essential part of the week. Yet even the mighty Met, in live broadcasts since 1931, has come under fire at some public radio stations. Atlanta fans will be reassured by WABE's position: "As long as it's available, we'll take it,'' says Reitzes of the Met broadcasts. "For that I am considered very quaint by some of my colleagues in other cities. But I don't feel we have an alternative to having the Met in Atlanta." So while the classics seem safe at WABE — in Reitzes' hands, at least — there's still a general anxiety in the classical music radio business. Some noncommercial public stations, such as Philadelphia's WHYY and New York's WNYC, have gutted classical programming to make room for popular NPR talk and news shows. "It's not been proven that news/talk raises more money," Reitzes says. "That's the judgment call of the program director." 'Dumbing down' It's no secret that the value of culture in America has long been measured in dollars. While Atlanta doesn't have a commercial classical station, for-profit stations nationwide have been moving away from the serious broadcasting of classical music. A decade ago, of the 312 classical stations nationwide, 45 were commercial; the number of for- profit classical stations has dropped to 32. It's all about the money. Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio , a trade publication, notes that among defunct commercial classical stations, "the losses have tended to be in the really large markets, where those FM facilities are worth a lot of greenbacks." He cites several once- classical stations that changed ownership and were switched to pop, including Philadelphia's WFLN, Detroit's WQRS and Miami's WTMI. Then there's the "dumbing down" complaint. Washington's commercial WGMS, the most listened-to classical station in the country, finds success with whipped-cream disc jockeys who serve up excerpts from light classics, film music and perky overtures. In the industry, they call this sort of nondescript music by a pejorative term: "wallpaper." Public radio, following the commercial lead, adopted similar "lite" strategies to attract daytime audiences. But there's an obvious paradox. "The more it sounds like background, the less people will be committed to your station," warns Melinda Whiting, a New York-based radio announcer and editor of Symphony magazine. "After all, you're encouraging them to not pay attention to it; then you ask them to pay for it at fund-raising time. It's a Catch-22. If your strategy is to be as uninteresting as possible, how can you ask for support?" Still, Reitzes concedes, there's no formula for success — or even a working definition of what success means. "It's a dilemma for [radio] programming: This isn't a classroom and it's not a concert hall. We need to please as many listeners as possible while still accomplishing our mission of public service." Again, that ill-defined notion of public service is a moving target. At a May 1 WABE board meeting, open to the public, "some earnest and well-meaning people stood and said they wished to hear [NPR's] The Diane Rehm Show and Talk of the Nation because there's no other place on radio for intelligent talk," Reitzes recalls, adding that the board later stated its support for the current format. Reitzes winces as she relates another suggestion: "Someone else said we should carry more talk radio, and his argument was that if people wanted to hear music ... they could buy CDs." A less draconian solution would involve the other regional public radio service that offers a mixture of classical programming and news/talk. Georgia Public Radio, owned by the state, broadcasts across Georgia. By licensing agreement, however, the GPR signal is barred from overlapping with WABE's — although a few homes in metro Atlanta receive both. In an ideal Atlanta, the ban would be lifted, WABE would boost its classical content and GPR would move heavily into news/talk. But neither organization, at the moment, seems interested in changing the status quo. Public consciousness Many classical music radio fans continue to feel frustrated and embattled. "It's a lot more layered than 'Oh, people don't like classical music anymore,' " says Whiting, the magazine editor. "Classical radio makes money and has more listeners now than it did 30 years ago. It's just that classical can't draw the numbers that the megaconglomerates, such as Clear Channel, generate. And that mind-set trickles down to the public stations." Obviously, WABE plays to different markers of success than commercial stations do. Giant conglomerates such as Clear Channel — which owns more than 1,200 stations nationally (none of them classical), including WKLS-FM (96rock) and five others in Atlanta — are not wrestling with ideals of "public service." But beyond the debate over musical diet — thoughtful programming vs. wallpaper — some people worry that without the free and easy access provided by radio, classical music will recede even faster from the public consciousness. "A classical radio station is vital to the Atlanta Opera," says Greg Patterson, the opera's director of external affairs. "The Saturday Met broadcasts are so important to build awareness for the art form, and good for the health of the opera." Admirably, WABE regularly spins Atlanta Symphony Orchestra recordings and often broadcasts live performances from the ASO and Spivey Hall. It helps build a sense of community among Atlanta audiences and musicians. Among the groups that have felt the power of a local classical station is the all-volunteer ASO Chorus. "The minute Lois mentioned our audition announcement, the phone literally started ringing," says Choral Administrator Jeffrey Baxter. "I told her, 'We'd never have a chorus if you didn't sing our praises over the air.' " For her part, Reitzes is holding the line, determined to keep classical music prominent on Atlanta radio. "Some people," she allows, "might think I'm a fascist in my devotion to classical music." Staff writer Rodney Ho contributed to this article. Copyright 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Andante via Artie Bigley, DXLD) See also NETHERLANDS ** URUGUAY? Dear Mark: I find your LA SW logs quite useful. I wonder if it is possible that I have picked up: 9620.85 URUGUAY CXA6 SODRE, Montevideo [0804-2230](19.60-20.9) Aug 03 B (skd) 24 hrs, 150 watts (r)AM650 CX6 (pasted from your list). It was barely discernible above the noise, playing lush string/piano music of the pop "beautiful music" format, and for about 30 seconds or so, around 0638, was perfectly clear. I did not hear an ID or voice announcement at that time, but around 0641 I could hear faintly a female voice: language undiscernible. Heard on Icom R75, using 350 foot dipole antenna, in San José, California. If I did hear this station -- which I found to be at 9620.6 to 9620.7 as closely as I could tell by zero-beating -- it was slightly higher in frequency than the report given in your log; the ILG Radio database rounds it off to 9620. I believe that I did not pick up CN2 Beijing 2 at 9620, because the female voice did not sound like she was speaking Chinese; the pitch and speed of speaking was much lower and more deliberate than most Chinese that I hear from Beijing, though I don't myself speak that language. If I did get SODRE, it will certainly be the weakest station at the furthest distance I've ever heard, save a few 100 W Hams that I have picked up from time to time (Steve Waldee - retired broadcast station engineer, to Mark Mohrmann, cc to DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Aló Presidente, este domingo 07-09, a las 1750 UT, en 17750, 13750, 13680, 11670 y 11875 kHz. Chávez criticaba la actitud intervencionista del "establishment" estadounidense durante la última mitad del pasado siglo, al recordar el 30 aniversario del asesinato del presidente chileno Salvador Allende (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also CHILE ** YEMEN. IEMEN, 5990, 02/09 0332, Rádio Yemen, Sanaa, música árabe com instrumentos de cordas, locutora em árabe; emissão em paralelo com 9780 kHz, 34333 (Alberto Irigoy, Buenos Aires, Argentina, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. Radio Tanzania Zanzibar making a good appearance here this afternoon with their 10 minute English broadcast on 11734.1 at 1800-1810. September 8, 2003 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4830. A signal with S5-8 but low and bassy audio. Heard between 1625 and 1658 with many tune ins and testing with NES 10-2 digital canceller. Reception was as 33221. Programming as heard was lengthy talks by OM in unID language, 1635 with a multi vocal song that does not have any relationship with Indian music culture as ILG or other logs stated for today (Zacharias Liangas, 8.9.03, Retziki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe Thailand is back? Not sure how late they used to run but midnight there is 1700 UT (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Armónico de la BBC en los 5200.46 kHz, captado a las 0018 UT, el 07-09 y el 08-09. SINPO 2-2. Lo extraño es que la única frecuencia de la cual pueda venir este armónico descendente es la de 15600 kHz (5200 x 3) y dudo mucho de que la BBC use esa frecuencia durante estas horas (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1/3 harmonics are unknown; possibly instead the 4th harmonic of some Caribbean station on 1300 relaying BBC (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ SHORTWAVE RADIOS ADVERTISED BY J&R For those who want some good news about shortwave for a change, J&R Music World in NYC features three shortwave receivers right smack dab in the middle of its ad in The New York Times this past Sunday, on page 36 of the Arts and Leisure section (back page of the first part of a three part special section on the autumn arts season). The three receivers are portables: the Grundig YB400PE, the Sony ICF-SW7600GR and the Sangean ATS818ACS. So, there's still life in the old girl yet --- and in the US, no less (John Figliozzi, Sept 9, swprograms via DXLD) GLOBAL ACCESS RADIO READY FOR MARKET MINNEAPOLIS, MN. -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 09/09/2003 -- NBS Radio Corporation announced today the release of the Global Access Radio, the first tabletop radio able to access international Shortwave radio via Internet streaming audio. The Global Access Radio is the first stand-alone device that lets listeners tune into radio stations via Internet broadcasts around the world. Until now, people who wanted to listen to broadcasts outside the limited reach of AM/FM radios were limited to Shortwave radios or computer-connected systems. The Global Access Radio removes those barriers and puts literally hundreds of worldwide Shortwave and Internet-based stations -- from news, talk shows, and sports broadcasts, to music -- at the touch of a button. "The Global Access Radio represents a unique breakthrough in radio technology, providing the variety and breadth of Internet radio with the ease of use of a standard radio format," said Walter Fields, President of NBS Radio Corporation. The Global Access Radio has the familiar controls of a traditional radio: tuning, volume, favorite-channel preset buttons, headphone jack, as well as high-quality, self-contained stereo speakers. It also provides a full text display that makes it easy to select programs and setup personal preferences. The Global Access Radio features an internal station database that is automatically updated. With patents and copyrights pending, the Global Access Radio uses computer technology for audio stream management. Any level of Internet connectivity is supported -- by standard telephone line, Ethernet or Wi-Fi standard IEEE802.11. Users need only an Internet service provider (ISP). NBS Radio Corporation is a division of NBS Cables, Inc., a world leader in high-end audio products. Founded in 1989, NBS Cables is a privately held company headquartered in Minnesota. Thomas J. McGoldrick Director NBS Radio Corporation (952) 334-2897 nbscable@nbscables.com Picture at: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=57232 73 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) I came across this press release today for this gizmo. http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=57232 Don't know if this will take off but the display panel on the radio is hillarious... GO TO: http://www.nbsradio.com/ I could not help but wonder if the US Interest Section in Habana will be giving these out with next years 4th of July goodie bags. It looks like Radio Marti is the new posterboy for readout displays instead of the usual VOA and BBC (Ulis R. Fleming, swprograms via DXLD) This toy looks exactly like a lot of the high-end audio gear you see reviewed and advertised in magazines like Stereophile and The Absolute Sound. I still look at this stuff, but I was an audiophile back when you could buy interesting equipment for less than your house cost... :-) I did not see an estimated retail price listed, but I suppose, being really a piece of computer equipment, if it becomes a real product, it'll eventually cost next to nothing. I suppose the styling is to encourage people to put it in their audio-equipment rack (Will Martin, MO, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ This sounds like it could be an interesting book. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A COMPELLING LOOK INTO 'MARCONI'S MAGIC BOX' "Nowadays, radio seems like a poor relation of satellite TV or the Internet. But a little more than 100 years ago, the idea of sending signals through the air -- without wires -- would have seemed magical to most people. The magic became real in London in May 1896 when a 22-year-old inventor named Guglielmo Marconi gave the first public demonstration of radio technology. He started a revolution, and the excitement of these early days of radio is wonderfully caught in a new book by Gavin Weightman, " To see this recommendation, click on the link below or cut and paste it into a Web browser: http://www.boston.com:80/news/globe/health_science/articles/2003/09/09/a_compelling_look_into_marconis_magic_box (Boston.com 2003/09/09 via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ NRC DALLAS 2003 We were lucky to have Wally's familiarity with local broadcasting and media-related figures in the area to call on for this year's convention. We were able to see for ourselves at least five of the most elegant and professional facilities in the nation. And I would like to hear from anyone who took the tours that did not gain some insight on what a 'big-league' facility looks like. Now we know where Mickey resides. Our Saturday afternoon tour of the KRLD studios at the Ballpark in Arlington drew many raves, and as our group gathered around during a live news update including traffic and weather, some of us were holding our breath to be quiet. Our host, Eric Disen, Director of Engineering, was most gracious and honest with some very technical questions. Later he told me it was like speaking to a group of his peers. I don't think any convention can satisfy everyone, no matter how hard the hosts try. There will always be a few who complain or come away asking 'why didn't we go here or there'. To remedy that, just let the hosts know what you'd like to see after the location has been announced to give them as much time to work on the request. Then, after the line-up of tours has been announced and you don't see your 'wants' on the list, no one is twisting your arm to attend. But if you do, you can always set out on your own to visit where you want. But you can't take away the camaraderie felt when folks are gathered around swapping stories or relating DX experiences. And as Wally has already said, 'we are like a family'. My thoughts, (BILL in Fort Worth Hale, Sept 7, NRC-AM via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 10 SEPTEMBER - 06 OCTOBER Solar activity is expected to range from very low to low levels during the period. No greater than 10 MeV proton events at geosynchronous orbit are expected during the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 10 – 11 September, 20 – 23 September and again on 02 – 05 October. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. Minor storm levels are possible on 10 September due to effects from the CME on 7 September. A large coronal hole high speed flow is expected to return on 17 – 20 September with major storm levels possible. Another coronal hole is due to return on 01 – 03 October and is expected to produce mostly active conditions with isolated minor storm levels possible. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Sep 09 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Sep 09 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Sep 10 100 20 4 2003 Sep 11 100 20 4 2003 Sep 12 105 15 3 2003 Sep 13 110 15 3 2003 Sep 14 115 15 3 2003 Sep 15 115 15 3 2003 Sep 16 115 15 3 2003 Sep 17 120 35 6 2003 Sep 18 120 30 5 2003 Sep 19 120 30 5 2003 Sep 20 118 25 5 2003 Sep 21 118 20 4 2003 Sep 22 118 15 3 2003 Sep 23 120 12 3 2003 Sep 24 120 12 3 2003 Sep 25 115 12 3 2003 Sep 26 115 12 3 2003 Sep 27 110 10 3 2003 Sep 28 110 15 3 2003 Sep 29 110 15 3 2003 Sep 30 110 20 4 2003 Oct 01 110 20 4 2003 Oct 02 110 15 3 2003 Oct 03 105 12 3 2003 Oct 04 105 10 3 2003 Oct 05 100 10 3 2003 Oct 06 100 10 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ###