DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-216, December 2, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser IMPORTANT NOTE: our hotmail accounts are being phased out. Please do not use them any further, but instead woradio at yahoo.com or wghauser at yahoo.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.w4uvh.net/dxldtd3k.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 1209: WWCR: Wed 1030 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1209 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1209h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1209h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1209.html WORLD OF RADIO 1209 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1209.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1209.rm FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1210: Wed 2300 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2130 on WWCR 9475*** not 15825 WORLD OF RADIO SCHEDULE: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html DX PROGRAMS Nov 30 revision: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html NETS TO YOU [Amateur] December edition by John Norfolk: http://worldofradio.com/nets2you.html ** ALASKA. Another good morning for the North! I was pleased as I nabbed KSLD-1140-Soldotna. KNOM also was in again, but stronger this morning. 1140 KSLD AK, Soldotna, fair to good with Classic Rock music "Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh" and "Wasted World by Allman Brothers Band", into Question of the day on "KSLD", gave 1-800 number, woman DJ from 1032 EST 12/2. Way way over anything else on the channel. New! I am pleased with this. I still need 8 Alaskans to have them all. Drake R8, 400' NNW mini-beverage, EWE antenna, MFJ 1026 phasing unit (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTER UNDER FIRE FOR RUNNING VIETNAM NEWS SERVICE | Text of report by Radio Australia on 2 December Thousands of people have gathered outside the Special Broadcasting Services [SBS] headquarters in the Australian city of Sydney demanding it stop broadcasting news from Vietnam's state-controlled broadcaster. As Peter Hughes reports, the SBS Board will consider the issue on Friday [5 December]. [Hughes] Thousands of protesters called for the sacking of SBS head of television Sean Brown over the decision to run the news service from government network VTV. Speakers condemned it as propaganda. Protester (?Trung Huang) says he cannot understand why it is put to air. [Trung Huang] The communist authority, they are brash, they are rash to loads of people. [End of recording] [Hughes] SBS MD [Managing Director] Nigel Milan told protest organizers, the network's community advisory panel had been looking at the issue. Spokesman Michael Field says they will put the matter to the Board. [Field] The SBS Board will then decide whether we move on this case and whether we change our codes of practice and withdraw the news or not. Source: Radio Australia, Melbourne, in English 0800 gmt 2 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BERMUDA. JAZZ VOICE SAYS HE`D HAD ENOUGH OF RADIO STATION Jazz with Johnson`s departure from VSB`s airwaves has been far from amicable, says the DJ. Leon Johnson hit out after station manager Mike Bishop claimed in this paper last week it had been a mutual parting of the ways. Mr. Johnson wrote to The Royal Gazette to say -- The truth is, after nine years of being under-appreciated, undervalued and consistently insulted by the station management, I quit. The four-hour Sunday evening show, featuring the langerous [sic], deep voice of host Mr. Johnson, was pulled around two months ago, but public reaction has been minimal, said Mr. Bishop. He said: I have had one lady stop me in Triminghams and ask me why it was not on but apart from that the response has been absolutely zero. The bottom line is in the last phone conversation I had with Mr. Johnson he was asked if he wished to continue or not. He said wait a minute, I will ask. He consulted with his wife, I believe, came back and said at this time I would prefer not to go on. If he wanted to continue, he had every opportunity to continue it. Unfortunately when people have a passion for what they believe, thats the only thing that matters in their little domain. In the greater scheme of things we have to be concerned with what the station puts out. He said Mr. Johnson had been unhappy at having his show moved to AM after Hurricane Fabian took down half of a VSB tower and took out the FM service. He said Jazz with Johnson had faired no worse than all the other programmes which had to make the switch and it was planned to be restored to FM when service returned. It was going to continue, it was Mr. Johnson who chose not to continue it (This is a printer friendly version of an article from http://www.theroyalgazette.com Nov 26 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4716.7, R. Yura, Seconding Bob Wilkner`s observations, it appeared this had gone off SW for a while. I've noted a very weak signal in the early evenings recently, but its difficult to get any audio and nowhere near what it was towards the end of Summer (here in the northern hemisphere). (Dave Valko, PA, Nov 28, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4902.2v, R. San Miguel, Nov 28 0925-1008 Spanish talks, La music, slowly drifting down in frequency. Heard on 4902.25 at 0925, down to 4902.02 by 1008; fair (Brian Alexander, PA, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CHU was back on 14670 and well heard at 1353 UT Dec 2, but at this hour not audible on the other frequencies. Anybody hearing 7335 at any hour? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Noted in the CRI Messenger that China is beginning to put in place its plans for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the momentum will increase after the 2004 event in Athens (subject mentioned on CRI). The logo will be a running matchstick man over Beijing 2008 which in turn will be over the 'five olympic rings'. As well of course, Beijing has made much of its success at being the third country in the world that has sent a man into space. The Messenger publishes an average of ten listeners' letters in each bi-monthly edition but there's nothing from the U.K. or from Europe in the Nov - Dec 2003 handout (CHRISTOPHER J WILLIAMS, Dec World DX Club Contact via Alan Roe, DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. Some changes for China Radio International: 1000-1557 Russian ADD 5905 strong co-ch Dem. Voice of Burma Burmese 1430-1530 1300-1557 English NF 13675, ex 13685 [believed Sackville --- gh] 1600-1657 Arabic NF 11730, ex 11750 1900-1927 Turkish NF 9655, ex 9785 1900-1957 Portuguese NF 6135, ex 7265 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Remember Idea Radio, which was briefly active on the 7 MHz band a couple years ago? Here`s an update; seems they are much more interested in TV, but still awaiting government authorization for SW (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) aggiornamento TELEVISTA - IDEA RADIO, BOGOTA-COLOMBIA Ciao! volevo informare di cambiamenti avvenuti a Televista-Idea Radio. Prima di tutto da 4 mesi circa la CNTV ci ha assegnato un nuovo canale uhf ch. 51 (non piu' il ch. 38!) la potenza è cambiata passando a 5 Kw ed anche luogo del ripetitore ora situato sul monte "Cerro Mirador de la Calera" sempre al nord di Bogotà pero con un'altura di 3450 metri, con un dislivello sulla città di circa 850 metri che ci permette una copertura globale della città e paesi limitrofi. La corporazione che dirige l'emittente si chiama "Nova Comunicazioni" dove io sono il vicepresidente. Realmente e' un buon canale, la programmazione è di 24 ore, la regia totalmente computerizzata, e con due sale di edizione no-linear, programmi di interesse pubblico, musicali (solo musica internazionale!) e programmi in diretta dalle 16 alle 22 tra i quali si distingue uno da lunedi a venerdi "dj club" patrocinato da Maurizio Muñoz, una persona molto conosciuta a livello tv in Colombia ed USA, con la sua accademia di dj, rap tecno. (Attualmente parallelamente è propietario di due ore giornaliere in Canal 1 e Canal A, le due reti nazionali di Inravision-Colombia. Da gennaio Televista-Idea Radio, organizzerà una serie pubblicitaria, lanciandosi nel mercato Bogotano (il che non è facile!!) con partecipazione di varie riviste Colombiane. Abbiamo obbligatoriamente dovuto cambiar sede, ora siamo nella nuova direzione: Calle22b n.44a- 13 in Quintaparedes-una a 300 metri dalla Feria Esposizioni di Bogotà (Colferia) ed a soli 500 metri circa dall'ambasciata USA. Siamo diffusi anche nel 40% circa degli operatori cable di Bogotá, questo ci assicura una copertura anche per quelle persone che sono affiliate alla tv via cavo. Per il momento l'attività sulle onde corte di IDEA RADIO è stata sospesa in attesa di una autorizzazione del governo. Queste le ultime notizie radio-televisive. Un cordiale saluto e abbraccio! Ciao! (Andrea Laudicina, Televista - Idearadio, Bogotà, Colombia, Dec 2, via Dario Monferini, Italy, DXLD) ** C I S. Continuing on the subject of "CIS tones": these refer to high power transmitter equipment produced by the former Soviet transmitter plant NPO im. Kominterna in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). In the manuals of this equipment it is advised that these transmitters should not be run with 100% modulation for more than about 5 seconds. That is why a row of short test tones (5-7 seconds each) is aired instead of a continuous tone. It is possible of course to start these transmitters without any tones at all. CIS stands for "Commonwealth of Independent States". It is an organisation initiated by Russia, Belarus and Ukraine in 1991, originally created as a similar body as the British Commonwealth (the choice of name is no coincidence). When the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, 15 independent successor states emerged. 12 of them decided to become a member of the CIS; the three Baltic States Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia chose not to join this organisation. These three states will become a member of the European Union in May 2004. The headquarters of the CIS organisation are in Minsk, Belarus. You can read more about the CIS activities on the organisation's website http://www.cis.solo.by/eng.shtml You may even find some (very) few graphical similarities if you compare to the website of the British Commonwealth http://www.thecommonwealth.org I think what is not seldom misunderstood is that the CIS is not any "new kind of USSR". The CIS is not a state or union of states. The CIS is an organisatory body, without supranational powers. All successor states to the former USSR are fully sovereign countries. Now if we return to the field of broadcasting and to "CIS tones": many transmitter operators in member states of the CIS actually have already chosen to deviate from the "traditional" sign-on procedure for their Soviet-made equipment and are starting their SW transmitter without the typical tones (like Kazakhstan). 73 (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA [and non]. Hi, I've been given an email address for Kofi Anan [sic] and I've heard later from other people that this email address has been bouncing messages (anan@un.org). While I know that the United Nations is embroiled in larger global matters at this time, there's a matter of an institution funded by the U.N. coming into its own crisis for some time now, and it's troublesome to think that U.N. money still goes to things that have been shut down in a possibly illegal fashion. I'm referring to the matter of the University For Peace shutting down the international radio station Radio For Peace International. This infighting between two U.N. funded organizations had already come to critical mass in August; UPaz has had the plug pulled on RFPI for a considerable time now, and yet -- U.N. still pays for both of these? I know this matter pales in comparison to crises the size of Iraq and global aids, but should you still be paying for stuff that's not operating? UPaz is clearly not operating properly, taking upon itself to shut down RFPI, and RFPI simply isn't on the air anymore. RFPI was a station I relied heavily on for significant non-official news/views; it served a critical purpose in the elections of the U.S. in the year 2000 as the only place the world (AND U.S. citizens) could hear the speeches of people running for that office who were neither Democrat nor Republican. RFPI has a significant global role to play in broadcasting such information to the world and it's a public shame to the U.N. itself for both of these U.N. entities to come to such devastating fisticuffs in front of everybody. I know there are other monumentally important things going on in the world right now, but these are seen as an opportunity to commit mayhem by those who think they can get away with it. Don't let the opportunists involved in the outrageous behavior of UPaz think that they have a license to commit actions they don't have to account for (Clara Listensprechen, to Kofi Annan, Dec 1) But message bounced; then re-sent it to inquiries@un.org and got this reply: I don't know where you got the Secretary-General's E-mail address because he actually does not have one. E-mails to Mr. Annan are sent through inquiries@un.org At any rate, you will find the response to your query on RFPI and the University for Peace on-line at http://www.upeace.org/rfpi_eng.pdf If you are unable to access this page, please go to http://www.upeace.org/ then click on Official Press Release regarding RFPI. We hope the above information is useful to you. Thank you for writing to the United Nations (Public Inquiries Unit, United Nations, inquiries@un.org via Listensprechen, Dec 2, DXLD) First I`ve heard of any reply from the UN about this. But that pdf is just the Nov 3 press release already linked here, but not with RFPI`s point-by-point rebuttal to it at http://www.rfpi.org (gh, DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH. Hangman calling --- From the Eastern European Jewish History mailing list at Yahoogroups about the infamous Nazi broadcaster William Joyce. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1069906927978 (free registration required) [...] Prager never forgot (Joyce trying to kill him at the University of London in the 1920's under the mistaken impression he was an Irish nationalist.). In subsequent years he followed Joyce's career as a fascist rabble-rouser in Sir Oswald Mosley's Blackshirt movement, and as "Lord Haw Haw," Nazi Germany's most prominent radio propagandist during the war. Prager was a Bletchley Park radio monitor at the time, and had the dubious pleasure of occasionally hearing Joyce's sneering voice. Joyce was hanged for treason in 1946. To the very end, he remained the enemy in the camp. Joyce may seem a marginal character now, but even 30 years after his execution, Prager had not changed his belief that he was dangerous, and told me so: he was my landlord in London at the time. Yet Joyce is remembered today chiefly as a victim of a legal put-up job: he was American-born, and died only because he had obtained a British passport through fraud. The publication of Lord Haw Haw offers an opportunity to reassess Joyce's career. The British National Archives has started to release previously secret MI5 World War II files, and publish some of them in book form together with commentary from historians. Cambridge University historian Peter Martland does the honors for the Joyce collection. What is new here? We learn that Joyce's extreme views had brought him to the attention of MI5 by the early 1930s, and its surveillance intensified with the rise of the Blackshirts and the gathering of war clouds. By March 1939, MI5 operatives had accurately pinpointed Joyce as "a complete pro-Nazi fanatic, who will go to any lengths to further what he considers to be Nazi aims in this country." And he went to great lengths, escaping to Germany just before the outbreak of war and evading a certain detention order. We also discover that Joyce was not the original Lord Haw Haw, the title being bestowed by a newspaper columnist in 1939 on another Nazi broadcaster with an upper-class accent. The BBC monitor who first identified Joyce's broadcasting voice dubbed him, significantly, Sinister Sam. Joyce did not out himself until 1941. By then MI5 had deduced his identity by comparing his talks with his prewar fascist speeches, but Joyce had already become the "real" Lord Haw Haw to the British public. [...] (via Joel Rubin, Dec 1, swprograms via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Pictures of the Reichenbach transmitter near Görlitz (3 kW on 1188): http://www.peklo.de/reichenbach1.jpg http://www.peklo.de/reichenbach2.jpg And here an ancient one from the pre-1945 days: http://www.schlesien-online.de/radio/Reichenbach.jpg This drawing is from some book, where it is captured quite gracefully: ``Eine neue Zeit ist über die vielen, deren Name nur noch Stein und Erz fünden, hingezogen, aus den schönen Wäldern, Auen und Hügeln des Lausitzer Landes erhebt sich ein Wahrzeichen unseres Jahrhunderts: Der Görlitzer Sender am Stadtrand von Reichenbach. Man hört oft sagen, die Gebilde moderner Technik seien nicht malerisch, häufig ist es so, und doch gibt es Blickpunkte, wo auch solch luftiges Stab- und Gitterwerk in fein konstruktiv berechneter Kurve sich seiner Umgebung angepaßt. Neben der altertümlichen Kirche, den neueren Siedlungen, ragt dies Werk unserer Tage ins Himmelblau, sie alle prägen Fleiß und Beharrlichkeit, das Ringen und das Wahre, Gute aus; möge dieser Zeuge der neuen Zeit dem Sechstädteland bis in ferne Zeiten das Beste fünden.`` At this time the site was called Nebensender Görlitz and relayed the Reichssender Breslau main station. But at least after 1945 there was indeed a studio at Görlitz; in the fifties the very first Sorbian broadcasts where produced there. And the feed continued to be routed via the Görlitz telephone office until the old cable circuits were retired in the nineties (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GHANA [non]. GHANAIAN NEWS IN WASHINGTON DC http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=4763 Starting from January 2004 the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC will start a daily (from 6.30 to 8.30pm) re-broadcasting of radio news, current affairs, music, documentaries, sports commentaries from Ghana to the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Aside these adult programmes, the radio project will also have a children`s flavour that will explain Ghanaian cultural concepts and folkore. This pilot project will air on FM air wave of the America University (WAMU 88.5) and hopefully extend to other States within the United States depending on patronage from Ghanaians. According to Mr. Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Minister Counselor-Head of Public Affairs, agreement has been reached with Direct Community Broadcasting for Multicultural Radio Shows, a Washington, DC based company to make this happen. Participating media companies in Ghana include Joy FM, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Peace FM (which will deliver programmes in Twi). By this, Direct Community Broadcasting will supply short wave radios free of charge to potential listerners and also create an avenue for businesses to advertise. The potential listerners will pay a daily fee of sixty cents. Mr. Agyeman-Duah explains: "One of the things we are trying to do here is create a platform for Ghanaians to get information through a multiplicity of views. Ghanaians in the Diaspora are very passionate about home events and the Embassy either alone or with other existing media channels will want to take advantage of this information - technology age for the good of its people." He explained in a press release to the Africa media in Washington, DC that, if the radio project is basically to serve the interest of Ghanaians in the Diaspora, Africanlife Styles, a TV programme which produces in Virginia with the cooperation of the Embassy and Pax TV (WPXW-TV) on Saturdays goes beyond that. "With a viewing audience of over 2.5 million people, we use this programme to get policy-makers in the U.S. Capitol and congress to be interested in African issues. Since October 28, 2003, when we re- launched it, three African Ambassadors have appeared and we have interviewed other leading lights in Washington." Mr. Agyeman-Duah continues, "Ghana has a good name in the corridors of power here but it is still viewed as a peaceful part of a troubled continent. We will need to get the image right --- that it is still not a total diet of threatened animal species in the jungle, rebel wars, disasters, starving children but other more positive images. We can only court transnational interest and the Foreign Direct Investment they bring when they have confidence in the images and the images are media creation and can be corrected by the same." To help in this crusade or further inquiries-the radio or television projects, get in touch via ghemwash@ghanaembassy.org, annemirian@ghanaembassy.org, iaduah66@yahoo.com, iaduah@ghanaembassy.org Source: GHANA EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, DC. General News of Monday, 01 December 2003 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) I think this might actually be carried on WAMU's SCA. The "short wave radios" are perhaps SCA receivers. I have an inquiry in to WAMU about this. 73 (Kim Elliott, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. V. of Guyana, 3291.26, Nov 28, 0812-0845+, sign-on 0812 with English religious music, 0819 ID and Hindi vocals, 0830 more Hindi vocals, good (Brian Alexander, PA, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. R. Litoral, 4831.99, Nov 29 *1100-1110*, sign-on with lite instrumental music and sign-on announcements with ID and into Spanish religious music; good (Brian Alexander, PA, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. The Vividh Bharathi Service normally noted on 10330 is just now (0400 UT, Dec 1, 2003) observed on 10256 kHz. It`s from Bangalore with 500 kW. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. EXPEDITION 8 CREW A NO-SHOW FOR ARISS ROY NEAL, K6DUE, EVENT OPENING NEWINGTON, CT, Dec 2, 2003 --- Other priorities onboard the International Space Station apparently kept Expedition 8 crew members Mike Foale, KB5UAC, and Sasha Kaleri, U8MIR, from getting on the air to open a month-long special event in memory of SAREX/ARISS Working Group Chairman Roy Neal, K6DUE, who died in August. The sponsoring Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) still hopes to get the event off the ground, however, and ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, says he`s still trying to pin down just what happened. Bauer said the crew had confirmed receipt of the event and pass information, and that Foale indicated he would try to be on the air for about two passes per weekend. More pressing duties rather than a lack of interest on the crew`s part probably was to blame for the crew`s on-air absence, Bauer suggested. ``The Expedition 8 crew are truly die-hard hams,`` Bauer said, noting Foale`s activity during his past shuttle flights as well as Foale`s and Kaleri`s ham activity during their tours on the Russian Mir space station. ``We also have two guys running an entire space station with a large cadre of scientific experiments,`` he continued. ``A year ago, that took three people. So you can imagine that they are quite busy. This makes ISS ham radio more vulnerable when issues occur on ISS.`` Bauer said ARISS has asked if the crew would be able to get on the air for a couple of passes over the December 6-7 weekend. A couple of issues that arose last week on the ISS also may have kept Foale and Kaleri otherwise occupied, Bauer pointed out. One was a peculiar ``crushing`` noise heard last week in the aft end of the Zvezda Service Module --- the crew`s quarters. ``It was speculated that Mike and Sasha might have gotten instructions from the Russian team to scour the Service Module in an effort to determine the cause of this odd noise,`` Bauer said. According to NASA, Foale reported hearing ``a metallic noise`` November 24 that was ``similar to shaking a thin sheet of metal.`` NASA says ground controllers checked all station systems, and the crew used exterior television cameras to inspect Service Module`s exterior but came up dry. Bauer says the noise does not appear to have been a result of a collision with space debris, but he said the ISS international partners have asked the Russian team to investigate further, since the incident involved the Russian segment. The other problem onboard the ISS involved what Bauer called ``serious issues`` with the treadmill the crew uses to keep fit in zero gravity. ``It is understood that Mike put a bunch of time --- his own time --- this past weekend working on this important device that is critical for the crew`s health and well being,`` he said. Bauer again emphasized that ham radio operation from the ISS is ``completely contingent upon the crew schedule and other duties or issues that might crop up`` onboard the space station. ``We are impressed that the crew agreed to support the ISS commemorative event,`` he said, and we hope that they will be on the air in the very near future.`` ARISS has requested special event participants to keep all contacts short. Those contacting the ISS by voice (NA1SS) or packet (RS0ISS) through the end of December will be eligible for a special anniversary event certificate. Bauer advised those working NA1SS for the event to not request a certificate until ARISS releases QSL instructions. ARISS is an international project with participation and support from ARRL, NASA and AMSAT. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. (Canada-non) --- No, Telstar 12 is not an "easy catch" in North America since this satellite is well over the Atlantic Ocean and would only be receivable at sites in the eastern United States with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon (Mike Cooper, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also IRAN ** IRAN. Heard an item about Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Voice of Justice, on WORLD OF RADIO Nov 16 via WRN. Have been listening to these broadcasts, which I find quite interesting: three transmissions in English: 1930-2030, 0030-0130 and 0130-0230 UT, the first with announced frequencies to Europe and the latter two with announced frequencies to North America (up until recently frequencies for Africa were also given for the 1930 broadcast). I receive the three (which may contain some repeated material) via T5/Ku 11830 MHz/SR 20781/H; the 1930 transmission is identified as ``The Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran``, with the other two as ``The Voice of Justice``; all three begin with anthem followed by recitations from the HQ; next is news, commentaries, interviews; there is a mailbag program on the 0130 Monday broadcast. Of course the orientation is Islamic to the core / anti-Zionist but the views of American progressives are frequently heard (w`d think at times I`m listening to ``Democracy Now`` or RFPI). Will hear, e.g. readings from the writings of Texas Molly (love that gal) and the very enjoyable Michael Moore, interviews with American academics, etc. In announcing the frequencies for the 1930 broadcast, the announcer says ``49 meters, six hundred ten kHz``, by which he means 6110 kHz? - - the other frequency is 7320. The frequencies for NAm are 9835 and 6135 --- I think --- tho`, again, that is not clear the way the frequency is given. I`ve heard no VIRI on those, but I hear very little here thru S9 noise levels. VIRI is on the right channel of the stereo sat transmission; other Arabic on the left channel I haven`t tried to identify. As I recall, for many years, VIRI frequencies were 9022 and 15084 kHz. UT Nov 21: VOJ at 0130 presented a reading from Al Gore`s lecture ``Freedom and Security`` critical of the ``Homeland Security``/ Ashcroft approach to making us more ``secure`` by diminishing our rights & liberties. The American plutocracy will be an instrumentality for bringing about democracy in Iraq, the whole Middle East? They make use of concept words like ``democracy`` but are essentially opposed to their real meaning, being concerned only with their own agendas, which are not compatible with true democracy. (Hamilton`s views about democracy quoted on ``Voice of Justice``)/ Nov 23: There was a loss of modulation during the latter part of today`s VIRI/VJ transmission: occurred during a reading of an article, ``Bogus American Democracy``, by Peter Buckley / but was back up when I checked this local morning / VIRI among a bouquet of seven radio channels on Telstar 5, all but two of which carry alternate programming on the left and right channels. This bouquet includes religious channels, Brother Stair among them (left channel), a right wing talk net on the right channel. Unfortunately my ignorance of Arabic prevents me from identifying programming on other channels, but it seems VIRI may be using more than one --- thought I heard VIRI web site being given on one of them. Later Nov 23: According to an announcement during the ``Listeners` Special`` (mailbag) program on the 1930 and 0230 broadcasts, SW transmission to Europe, NAm and Australia is to be discontinued, remaining only for Africa / still to be available via the www route, http://www.iribworld.com and presumably, the Telstar 5 transmission intended for North America will continue, tho` there was no mention of sat broadcasting / And there`s more than one VIRI channel on T 5: actually six, two per channel with programming in various languages (so far as I can tell; others will know) / Can`t tell if VIRI announcers, especially those on the mailbag program, are native or expatriates, but their English quite good / names given on air indicate former / IRIB 2 (TV) in same bouquet as VIRI / news in English (just noticed) at 2225 video quality quite good / brief, about 5 minutes, then went into movie with English subtitles / eight other TV channels in this bouquet: Al Alam, Melli, etc. More reading from Michael Moore on this evening`s UT Nov 24 VJ. On Nov 25, VIRI announcing 9580 for VJ. What on earth is the world coming to when one of my favorite media outlets has become VIRI/VJ? -- Recognizing that some of their utterances are deficient in credibility; a situation not unique to them. & so forth ad nauseam (Loren Cox., Jr., Lexington KY, Nov 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Frequency change for Voice of Iran in Persian: 1630-1830 NF 7580 (55555) UNID transmitter --- no spurs, ex 11520 Tashkent 100 kW / 256 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. U.S. FUNDS IRAQI TV NETWORK IN BATTLE AGAINST 'HOST... By JIM KRANE Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- One of the chief U.S. weapons in the battle to win Iraqi hearts and minds is Al-Iraqiya -- a Pentagon-funded TV station with an optimistic, pro-American slant. Announcers on Al-Iraqiya, which reaches 85 percent of Iraqis, decry the guerrillas attacking U.S. military and Iraqi civilian targets as "terrorists." Problem is, those Iraqis fortunate enough to have satellite dishes consider Al-Iraqiya stodgy and slow on breaking news. They prefer Al- Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, the flashy Gulf-based stations where anti- American fighters are branded "resisters." Recently, condemnation has focused on the Qatar- and Dubai-based networks. The U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council shut down Saudi- owned Al-Arabiya for "inciting murder" by broadcasting a voice said to belong to Saddam Hussein. The U.S. State Department approved of the temporary closure but groups advocating press freedom were enraged by it. Americans and their allies also show little love for Al-Jazeera. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has branded both networks "violently anti-coalition." He said a separate, U.S.-owned satellite station would begin broadcasting next month, aiming to capture Arab viewers from the Gulf stations. But Al-Iraqiya has critics, too. Many see it as a pawn of the U.S.-led occupation authorities. "The whole country is under the control of the Americans, not just Al-Iraqiya," complained one man, a Baghdad candy vendor who declined to give his name. An editor at the station, Kareem Hammadi, said he accentuates positive news "for the good of the Iraqi people." "The most important events are the good news stories: the liberation, freedom, electricity improvements and the capture of terrorists," said Hammadi, the 34-year-old host of a political talk show. Such fare is seen as boring by Iraqis -- and others. On Wednesday, the former chief of Iraq's interim administration, retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, said the United States did a "bad job" of communicating with Iraqis, adding that "the consequence of that is who they got to listen to is Al-Jazeera." An October study by the U.S. State Department showed the Arab channels gaining on Al-Iraqiya. It said 59 percent of Iraqis with only local television depended on Al-Iraqiya for news. By comparison, 63 percent of Iraqis with access to a satellite dish got their news from Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, and only 12 percent watched Al-Iraqiya, the study found. The station's ties to the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority have hamstrung its credibility, said Don North, an adviser and trainer at Al-Iraqiya who later left the network. Al-Iraqiya, run by the Iraqi Media Network that also includes two Baghdad radio stations, gets exclusive interviews with coalition leaders and streams live broadcasts of speeches by L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. official in Iraq. On Thursday, a pair of Al-Iraqiya reporters were the sole Arab journalists to capture U.S. President George W. Bush's surprise visit. "IMN has become an irrelevant mouthpiece for CPA propaganda, managed news and mediocre foreign programs," North wrote in a letter to The Associated Press. Al-Iraqiya does cover attacks -- albeit slowly. The station has bureaus in five cities, but none can stream live video on-air, so crews must drive to Baghdad with videotapes. Al-Arabiya editor-in-chief Salah Negm and Al-Jazeera spokesman Jihad Ballout said they had not seen Al-Iraqiya so they could not comment on its content. Nor would they estimate the number of their Iraqi viewers. The Pentagon is seeking bids for a US$100 million upgrade to the IMN network, adding an all-news channel that would eventually be broadcast via satellite -- in direct challenge to the Arab satellite channels. The winner of that contract will play a large role in shaping Iraq's media. The British Broadcasting Corp. is one of those in the running. IMN and Al-Iraqiya were conceived during the State Department's war preparations and are funded by the Defense Department. After Baghdad fell, the Pentagon sent equipment and media experts from Science Applications International Corp., a U.S. defense contractor whose staff is packed with ex-U.S. military and intelligence officials. SAIC hired 350 Iraqis for the network, which went live May 13. IMN's current chief executive, Shameem Rassam, is an SAIC subcontractor and an Iraqi exile who anchored Iraq's state TV news in the 1960s until fleeing in 1990. During Saddam's reign, TV news was stilted and anti-American, and satellite dishes were banned. Getting Iraq's journalists and TV watchers used to press freedom is a big job, Rassam said. "I hate to be compared with Al-Jazeera and Al- Arabiya," Rassam said. "We're working with people who had no chance to think for themselves for 30 years. And our audience, for 30 years, saw only one thing on TV. In six months, you expect them to believe this institution?" Most Iraqis interviewed said they preferred Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya because of their mastery at covering breaking news. But three men on a central Baghdad street said they were turned off by the two Arab satellite channels. "They encourage the terrorists and they broadcast the Saddam Hussein recordings," said Ahmed Sabri, 22, a laborer from the Shiite slum of Sadr City. But even though Al-Iraqiya was "slow" with news and unduly optimistic about the occupation, the station has Rassam's trustworthy stamp, Sabri said. "All Iraqis like her," he said, thumping his chest. "She was against the previous regime. I feel in my heart she's not lying." Another man said times were too scary to watch the news. "We're fed up with the news. It's all bad," said Ahmed Abdul Khafor, a policeman moonlighting as a liquor store guard (APws 11/29 1950 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) See also UK [non] ** IRAQ. LOSING THE MEDIA WAR Monday, December 1, 2003; Page A22 ONE BATTLE THAT the occupation authority in Iraq has been steadily losing is that of the media. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein there has been an explosion of information sources in the country; more than 200 newspapers are being published, and Iraqis have rushed by the tens of thousands to acquire satellite equipment allowing them to watch Arab and other international news stations. Meanwhile, the coalition's own attempts to broadcast news and information have been woefully deficient. Although it controls Iraq's main broadcast channel, two domestic radio stations and a major newspaper, the authority and its American contractors have failed to capture the Iraqi audience -- news programs, in particular, smack of sanitization. The problem is made all the more serious by the fact that Arab satellite broadcasters are at once more skilled in production, more credible with many Iraqis and wildly biased against the U.S. mission. Last week, with the approval of the Bush administration, Iraq's Governing Council reacted by shutting down the Baghdad operation of one of the two leading broadcasters, al-Arabiya. In addition to setting a terrible precedent for press freedom in Iraq, this will only make the underlying problem worse. Al-Arabiya, like its competitor al-Jazeera, covers Iraq and the Middle East with a slant that is disturbing to Westerners, but typical of the prevailing outlook among the Arab intelligentsia. It heaps attention on violence in the Israeli-occupied territories, and on the resistance to the U.S. forces in Iraq. Both channels sympathized with Saddam Hussein's resistance to the U.S. invasion, and al-Arabiya recently broadcast a statement it received at its Dubai headquarters that was attributed to the former dictator. This last act was the pretext for its shutdown. Yet the channel was doing no more or less than American networks that report smuggled statements from Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden, not because they support them but because they are news. After this fact was pointed out, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld charged at a press conference that al-Arabiya works in league with the Iraqi resistance, which, he claimed, summons it to cover attacks. But he offered no evidence to back this sensational charge. The channel, like other media outlets, covers the aftermath of attacks, but those who monitor it say it has not broadcast them as they occur. If al-Arabiya really were a mere tool of the Iraqi resistance, the U.S. challenge in Iraq would be easier than it is. In fact the channel merely reflects as well as drives common Arab and Iraqi opinion about the United States and the occupation -- which is mistrustful, misinformed and often antagonistic. Censorship will only reinforce such biases while driving up al Arabiya's viewership. The only effective way to attack the problem is to offer an alternative -- or many alternatives -- that give Iraqis and other Arabs access to quality programming and credible information, provided by professional journalists who are independent of the governing authority. This ought to be something that an American administration can get right. That it has not done so, after seven months in power, is an inexcusable failing. (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. ISRAEL RADIO BE'ER SHEVA STUDIO EVICTED FOR FAILURE TO PAY RENT (IsraelNN.com) Less than a year after moving into the industrial park setting in Be'er Sheva, an Israel Radio studio in southern Israel was evicted for not paying rent (Arutz 7, Israel National News 10:55 Dec- 02-03 / 7 Kislev 5764 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ITALY. Frequency change for RAI International in Italian to NAf: 1700-1800 NF 11895 (54444), ex 11725 \\ 9670, 11875, 15250, 15320 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. Winter B-03 schedule for Radio Korea International via Merlin Comm.: 1800-1900 Russian 7235 RMP 500 kW / 062 deg 1900-2000 Arabic 7180 RMP 500 kW / 140 deg 2000-2100 German 3955 SKN 250 kW / 106 deg 2100-2200 French 6145 SKN 300 kW / 180 deg 2200-2230 English 3955 SKN 250 kW / 106 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. Jammer 5015 - not? --- Last couple of UT evenings there's been a jammer-like signal on about 5012-5016 kHz region. It also interferes Turkmenistan 5015. It is oscillating in a slower speed than those Iranian, etc., jammers. I remember once (was it about two years ago) the Madagascar 5010 transmitter was defective and its carrier was oscillating the same way but not as wide spectrum as this one now. On 1 Dec I paid more attention to this. Until 1900 it was hetting against Turkmenistan 5015 and no audio was possible. But at 1900 Turkmenistan has a break and switches transmitter off. I switched to AM with wide filter and it was possible to get some audio from the wildly oscillating carrier. Anthem-like music until about 1903 and then off the air. So I presume this is Madagascar transmitter, off- frequency with terribly oscillating carrier (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [non]. BATTLE OVER WOLFMAN ROCKS 'N' ROLLS By John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News Web Posted : 11/30/2003 12:00 AM http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=1092156 After going four decades without even a postcard to commemorate Wolfman Jack, the howling, black-caped DJ who put Del Rio on the map for rock fans everywhere, the border city now has dueling memorial projects, dueling visions for immortalizing the rock icon, even dueling sculptors. The bad blood between two groups that evolved from a nasty split last spring includes talk of legal action, accusations of profiteering and allegations of a secret, double-agent mole. Wolfman himself might have enjoyed the messiness of it all. Though he started out as a clean-cut, unknown DJ named Robert Smith, he soon became the hip, rasping voice of irreverence — one propelled across half the world by five times the wattage allowed radio stations in the United States. At the microphone of the 250,000-watt station XERF in nearby Ciudad Acuña, Wolfman mesmerized teenagers with his hip playlist, which featured black artists rarely heard on popular radio, and his howling, ghetto delivery. "Get naked, blow da evil weed, kiss your teachers. Wolfman play the best records in the business, and then he eat 'em," growled the mystery DJ, according to the book, "Border Radio," by Gene Fowler and Bill Crawford. Wolfman, who started at XERF in the early 1960s, moved on to work as a celebrity DJ on other high-powered border stations; was host of "The Midnight Special," a late-night television show; and appeared in a cameo role in the film "American Graffiti." He died in 1995. Until the rift this spring, it appeared Del Rio finally was on its way to creating a Wolfman memorial. But now his memory is caught in a tug- of-war. "There has been a subversive effort to dislodge what we are trying to do. A couple of my foundation members spun off and tried to take it on for themselves," said Jay Johnson, a local innkeeper who started the project last year. "If someone comes along and lays claim to what you are doing and tries to discredit you, you either buckle and fold, or you move ahead," he said. Since summer, however, Johnson has lost most of his local support. He also is on the outs with Wolfman Jack's widow, Lou Lamb Smith of North Carolina, who supports the idea of a memorial in Del Rio as long as it doesn't involve Johnson. Smith said Johnson has ignored her cease-and-desist letter, which forbids him from using Wolfman Jack's image, and also ignored her demand for the return of several items of memorabilia. "I guess he had a different agenda. I don't want to start a war, but if he continues, it could be somewhat of a court thing. I hope it doesn't come to that," Smith said about Johnson. Johnson said he hasn't been legally notified of her wishes. Smith lived briefly in Del Rio 40 years ago. It was then, over a six- month period, that her husband transformed himself into Wolfman Jack in nearby Ciudad Acuña. Johnson's group, called the Border Radio Historical Society, wants to include Wolfman Jack in an ambitious museum celebrating the decades when unregulated super-powered stations broadcast from Mexico. The group is working with sculptor Ed Dwight Jr. of Denver, known for his depictions of jazz and blues musicians. The other group, called the Wolfman Jack Memorial Project, plans to place a statue and display in Del Rio's Whitehead Museum. This group, which has Smith's support, is working with Michael Maiden, a prominent Oregon artist known for his wildlife sculptures. Although each sculptor already has created a miniature Wolfman Jack statue, neither group has begun raising the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to make a larger-than-life bronze likeness. Del Rio officials appear perplexed at both the controversy and the sudden abundance of Wolfman projects. They haven't acted on Johnson's request, made last month, for a donation of city land to build a museum. "It's an excellent idea. Nothing else has put Del Rio on the historical map other than Wolfman Jack, but we don't need to get into any type of argument. We don't need the controversy," City Councilman Robert Garza said. "There does appear to be a rift. I would not want to do anything that goes against the wishes of the family. At this point we're approaching it very carefully," he said. Rodney Lyman, manager of radio station KTDR in Del Rio, began as a member of Johnson's board but broke away this summer, earning Johnson's wrath. Lyman now is working with the rival project, and later this year the station will participate in a nationwide fund-raising drive. He said his doubts about Johnson grew when he spoke to Mike Venema, an old friend of Wolfman Jack's who represented the family and was clashing with Johnson. "Johnson was controlling the information. I was trying to get to the bottom of what was really going on. I wanted to hear both sides of the story, and frankly, I didn't trust either of them," Lyman said. "What Mike Venema told me was consistent with what the artist and Lou Smith would say --- and what Mr. Johnson told us was not," he said. Eventually, Lyman said, Venema persuaded him to leave Johnson's board. Since then, he said, almost all the other board members also have left Johnson. Johnson blames Venema, who died of a heart attack in October, for sabotaging his effort. "This guy basically lied to us and tried to scam us. He trashed us for our ignorance and stupidity, and we weren't about to listen to him," he said. "He had no right to put any pressure on me or our foundation. He had no authority. He was nobody to us. We just said, 'We're not dealing with you anymore,'" Johnson said. In a late summer interview, however, Venema said Johnson was all talk and no action and failed to take basic steps to get the nonprofit organization up and running. "The guy is a goof. He doesn't get anything done. It's kindergarten time all the time," Venema said of Johnson. Venema said that during a visit to North Carolina, Johnson pressured Smith to make him manager of Wolfman Jack's estate in an attempt to profit from the project. "He said he was going to make Wolfman famous again, and he should manage the estate and should participate in the financial gain the family will make. I said, 'This is ridiculous. There is no money to be made. Wolf is gone,'" he said. "Jay is a special case and we just wanted to get as far away from him as possible," he said. Johnson, however, said he offered to manage the estate only to help Smith, and he in turn accused Venema of planning to profit from the Wolfman Jack project. "It was money-driven. It turns out he was going to get a typical art commission on the statue," he said of Venema. Ed Dwight Jr., the Denver sculptor who last month made a presentation to the Del Rio City Council, said such nasty squabbles often accompany community attempts to create public memorials. "I make a lot of memorials, and it's always like this. There's no school you can go to to learn how to do a memorial," he said. "Everyone has an agenda beyond memorializing Wolfman Jack." But, Dwight said, despite the bickering, he's convinced the project is viable, that funds can be raised, and that once built, it will be a great draw, a "perfectly natural deal." "You're talking about something that has a worldwide appeal," he said. It certainly appeals to Dwight, a former astronaut candidate who listened to the Wolfman decades ago while stationed at bases in Texas. "I've lived a wild life. I'm fascinated by people who metamorphize. I became fascinated with him as a personality. I heard him a lot and I thought he was a black guy," he said. "To me, it's about Wolfman Jack. It's not about those people down there. I stay away from all the fighting they are doing." (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. DUTCH PARLIAMENT WANTS MORE CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED RNW BUDGET CUTS --- A full session of the Lower House of the Dutch parliament has adopted the motion concerning Radio Netherlands that was introduced on Monday of last week by Labour Party spokesperson on the media Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven. The motion requires that State Secretary Medy van der Laan consults with the Ministries of Foreign and Economic Affairs concerning her proposals for further cuts in Radio Netherlands' budget from 2005, before bringing revised proposals before the House. A second motion, proposed by the Green Left, in which cuts to the budget of Radio Netherlands were entirely rejected, did not obtain sufficient support. # posted by Andy @ 16:24 UT Dec 2 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. NEW ZEALAND IN WAITING, WHILE AUSTRALIA READIES FOR TRIALS --- OUR eFE BUREAU http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=47325 New Delhi: New Zealanders like to think that they are world leaders, according to Radio New Zealand’s Matt Finn. Consider this. In 1893, this was the first country in the world to give women the vote; in 1903, it was again the first country to pass the radio-communications legislation; and in 1937, it established the first universal welfare system. When it comes to technology, New Zealand wants to believe that it is a leader there too. Whether it’s for Ernest Rutherford, Miles Barnett or Richard Pearse, technology has been close to the heart of New Zealanders. But, talk of digital radio technology, and "New Zealand is watching the rest of the world," as Mr Finn puts it. However, there are about 10 radio stations, including public-funded National Radio and Concert FM, on its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite platform. Also, Radio NZ International, the short wave arm of Radio NZ, plans to buy a DRM transmitter within the next two years. It also wants to provide Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) receivers to 15 Pacific stations that are relaying RNZI and simulcast on analogue for five years, till shortwave listeners can buy DRM receivers. As for commercial radio in New Zealand, there isn`t much excitement about experimenting with digital, says Mr Finn. One of the reasons for being low key on digital radio: Lack of adequate funds. In the context of tech application, Mr Finn lists out the pros and cons for DRM, In-Band-On-Carrier (IBOC) and Eureka 147 Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB). "Simulcasting, as with IBOC, and as should be possible with DRM, is critical so that current analogue broadcast can continue with new digital ones added." Significant work has been done in this country to bring two antenna systems into spec for DRM. Another idea that was thrown up by Mr Finn was that simulcasting could allow extra stations, splitting to two formats. Also, going full digital could reduce the number of transmitters required. On Eureka 147, he says that New Zealand’s topography and population distribution is not as suited to line of site technologies such as FM and Eureka 147. "Eureka 147 seems to have finally succeeded in the UK due to the number of programme streams available. The New Zealand radio market place probably can’t sustain many more radio stations," according to him. From New Zealand to Australia, digital radio is in the midst of similar concerns and issues. But, a decision has been taken to start consumer trials for digital radio in Sydney next year. Sydney trials will test the Eureka 147 standard. Trials of other transmission technologies are planned in other markets when they become available, according to Ms Kath Brown of Commercial Radio Australia. In general, digital technology adds new dimensions, to radio, including metadata, simple pictures, animated logos and graphics, integration into mobile devices and interactivity. However, Ms Brown addresses broadcasters and advertisers separately. While speaking to broadcasters, she lists all this. Digital improves sound quality, it provides value adds, it bundles radio into more devices, it will maintain or increase the time spent on radio, and it will add new promotional opportunities. On the other hand, she hardsells digital radio to advertisers, saying "it adds impact through animated logos, scroll-through detail and price points, and consumer involvement in their brands." Listeners, meanwhile, could get audio, video and text on digital radio. Coming to the current scenario, Ms Brown says digital radio is in its infancy overseas. Also, there’s very little data capacity on radios. Another important point is that advertisers can help develop technologies, but little work has been done with them to develop concepts. Specifically in Australia, preparation is on for transition to the digital radio regime. That is, receivers with data capacity are being sourced, advertisers’ advisory panel is being set up, and consumer panels are being established. All to ensure a successful rollout of digital radio in Australia (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. STAMP MAY HONOR RADIO INNOVATOR BY BETSIE FREEMAN, WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER If U.S. postage stamps go up to 40 cents, a veteran broadcaster thinks they should pay homage to a notable Omahan who had a way with the number 40. A commemorative stamp should honor the late Todd Storz, widely credited as creator of Top 40 radio, said Richard Fatherley, a former Storz Broadcasting employee who now is an independent producer, consultant and radio voice. Storz owned Omaha's KOWH-AM in the early 1950s, turning it into the top-rated independent station in the nation. He acquired other stations across the country - in New Orleans, Kansas City, Oklahoma City [KOMA] and Miami, where he moved to in the early 1960s. He died there in 1964 at age 39 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Fatherley is petitioning the U.S. Postal Service's Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee to create a tribute stamp for Storz. He's said he's gotten encouragement from Terrence McCaffrey, manager of stamp services for the Postal Service, and longtime broadcasters. He's seeking more support on the Internet. Where to write To voice your support for a Todd Storz stamp, write Terrence McCaffrey, Manager of Stamp Services, U.S. Postal Service, Suite 5670, L'Infant [sic] Plaza Southwest, Washington, D.C. 20260-2435. He recently submitted his second proposal for the stamp after being turned down on his first. The committee said thousands of stamp ideas are put forth each year. "I resubmitted it with a little more ammo this time," Fatherley said. Several noted broadcasters have written in support of the idea. Fatherley also is tying it to the 40-cent milestone and the 50th anniversary of Top 40 radio. The news-and-hits format caught on across the country in 1954, after Storz implemented it at WTIX-AM in New Orleans and WHB-AM in Kansas City. Fatherley said many Americans have earned a place on stamps for similar career achievements. "They're doing this for all kinds of different personalities," he said. "You name it. Football players, authors, Andy Warhol. Why not Todd Storz? He rejuvenated the radio industry." Bud Connell of Little Rock, Ark., morning man for KOWH in the mid- 1950s, said Storz should be recognized. "He was a marvelously creative individual," Connell said of his former boss. "If Presley deserves a stamp for his achievements as a music artist, then certainly Todd Storz deserves recognition at least on a small stamp for what he contributed to a huge industry - broadcasting." The Storz programming strategy called for stations to sever ties with networks, create station promotions for publicity and listenership, and broadcast spaced repetition of popular music determined by jukebox selections and record sales. First it was the Top 10 records of the day and then the Top 40. His methods swept across the country and survive today. "MTV was an outgrowth of Todd's Top 40," said Connell, now an independent producer and writer. Fatherley was so taken with Storz's story that he produced an audio documentary about the Omahan's career: "Radio's Revolution and the World's Happiest Broadcasters," portions of which can be heard at http://www.reelradio.com. He's urging friends, fans and others impressed with the Storz legacy to write the Postal Service and their congressional representatives. "I'm looking for lots of letters to the right people," he said. http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1636&u_sid=930792&PHPSESSID=225a2e3faa07ddb07f5437a5d058f7f (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. NATIONAL BROADCASTER MARKS 30 YEARS | Text of report by Papua New Guinea Post-Courier web site on 2 December Yesterday, 1 December 2003, marked the 30th anniversary of the National Broadcasting Commission. On that day in 1973, the provincial radio stations operated by the then Department of Information and Extension Services (DIES) merged with the PNG Service of the Australian Broadcasting Commission to establish the new NBC. Both the ABC and the Government Broadcasting Service under the DIES handed over to the new national broadcaster two well maintained broadcasting entities to give the people of PNG a radio service they would regard as their own. The early days saw the commission reach remote parts of the country broadcasting in many languages. To the rural, as well as many urban communities, the NBC was their voice and their ears for news, information and entertainment. In the lead-up to independence [in 1975], the NBC was the voice that brought news about independence. People relied on it almost entirely for the latest from the new government for news about independence. Radio brought the nation together - 800-plus tribes under one flag. Thirty years on, a different story has emerged. Many of the provincial radio stations have shut down because of technical failures with either studio or transmission equipment or simply because of a lack of funds for operations. National governments over the years have not sufficiently funded the commission to do its job properly. The Broadcast House at Boroko, Port Moresby, is completely run down - a far cry from 30 years ago. The provincial government reforms have suddenly transferred funding and political control of provincial radio stations to provincial governments contrary to the Broadcasting Commission Act which stipulates that the NBC, in its entirety, is a state-owned function. The danger of this move is that these radio stations are vulnerable to political interference, direction and control by provincial governments to use as their own propaganda tools. The government needs to improve funding for the NBC if it is going to carry out its charter as the national broadcaster. Source: Papua New Guinea Post-Courier web site, Port Moresby, in English 2 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PERU. Quito 2/Dic/2003 20:37 Amigos DXistas! 5384.23 kHz, Radio Huarmaca, Provincia de Huancabamba, Departamento de Piura, 2/Dic/2003 - 2350 UT. Reactivated Peruvian, you still have a chance to hear them this evening --- the male DJ said they were on the air until 0200 UT. Peruvian music and greetings. Is transmitting on FM and shortwave. Info from "Ventanaperú": 2.- Provincia de Huancabamba, cuya capital es Chanchaque. Sus distritos son: El Carmen de la Frontera, Huancabamba, Huarmaca, Lalaquiz, San Miguel de El Faique, Sóndor, Sondorillo; con una población total de 125,458 hab. You can listen to a recording at SWB within 24 hours: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ NRD 535 – HF 150. MFJ 616 – MFJ 1025. Ant. 1: "Horizontal Sloped Inverted L" 18 meters Ant. 2: "Horizontal Sloped Inverted L" 36 meters + Magnetic Longwire Balun (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA [and non]. Glenn, R. Romania International, December 1, 2003, 9510 kHz approx 0125 UT during the "Listener's Letterbox" segment a listener in Ontario, Canada complained about poor reception (having listened to R. Bucharest/R. Romania Int`l for over 20 years I can verify their claim). The listener also asked about using the Sackville, Canada relay. The reply was RRI is considering Sackville and/or other relay sites to improve reception in North America. Of course, no details or time frame were given. 73, (Kraig Krist, Annandale, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. New schedule for Radio Slovakia International effective from Dec. 1 [one of three transmitters mothballed]: English Russian 0100-0127 No/SoAm 5930 9440 1400-1427 EaEu/As 11990 13715 0700-0727 AUS 13715 15460 1600-1627 EaEu/As 5915 9535 1730-1757 WeEu 5915 7345 1830-1857 EaEu/As 5915 6055 1930-1957 WeEu 5915 7345 Slovak French 0130-0157 No/SoAm 5930 9440 0200-0227 No/SoAm 5930 9440 0730-0757 AUS 13715 15460 1800-1827 WeEu 5915 7345 1630-1657 WeEu 5915 7345 2030-2057 WeEu 5915 7345 2000-2027 WeEu 5915 7345 German Spanish 0800-0827 WeEu 5915 6055 0230-0257 SoAm 9440 11990 1430-1457 WeEu 6055 7345 1530-1557 WeEu 9440 11600 1700-1727 WeEu 5915 7345 2100-2127 Eu/NoAm 7345 9440 1900-1927 WeEu 5915 7345 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) Visitando la página web de Radio Eslovaquia Internacional en su sección castellana, podrán encontrar las bases del concurso sobre los Castillos Eslovacos que comienza mañana. La dirección es: http://www.slovakradio.sk/rsi/ Suerte para todos ustedes. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, Dec 1, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U A E. UAE Radio, 21605, Nov 29 1330-1346 ``Arab-Muslim Institutions`` program in English, 1346 back to Arabic; good-strong, \\ 15395 was poor-weak (Brian Alexander, PA, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. THE BRITISH INVASION --- Many Americans searching for a different view of the war in Iraq turned to the British Broadcasting Corp. Does the BBC offer a more aggressive and complete approach to the news, or a tilt to the left --- or both? By Lori Robertson, AJR's managing editor. The British Broadcasting Corp. can certainly relate to American media outlets in one stark way: The radio and television behemoth has been embroiled in a journalistic controversy that threatens to damage its credibility, change the way it does business and, most likely, result in the ouster of a few employees... http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3503 (American Journalism Review via Kim Elliott, DXLD) This is a very long article and well worth reading! (gh, DXLD) ** U K. BBC TO PAY COMPENSATION TO STARS Owen Gibson, Monday December 1, 2003, The Guardian BBC director general Greg Dyke has told big names including John Humphrys and John Simpson they will be compensated for giving up their freelance work for newspapers but complained that managing journalists was like "herding cats". In the wake of the Hutton Inquiry, the BBC is planning new rules banning of its journalists from writing for newspapers from next month. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph Mr Dyke said presenters would be compensated for giving up their lucrative and high profile columns. John Humphrys earns £100,000-plus for his column in the Sunday Times and its demise will come as a financial blow to the Radio 4 Today programme host. Mr Dyke said he had been uncomfortable for some time about the conflicting loyalties of journalists who work for the corporation and also write for newspapers and wanted to do something about it a year ago. He refused to reveal how much had been earmarked to pay compensation to staff but it is likely to cost licence fee payers at least £2m. "We'll talk to journalists and we will negotiate with them," Mr Dyke said. The amount handed over in pay rises is unlikely to make up for the shortfall in lost freelance revenue but the corporation hopes it will be enough to stave off a major rebellion among its big names. But Mr Dyke also betrayed his frustration in having to deal with errant journalists at the corporation. "Organising journalists is like herding cats. The very qualities that you've employed, that questioning scepticism, actually makes them quite difficult employees," he said. He also criticised the standards of some newspaper columnists, although he did not single out any BBC employees for explicit criticism. "I've increasingly reached the stage about columns that I think there are too many columnists. [People] get to Friday and think: 'Shit, I haven't done the column, what shall I write about?' They pull out a cutting, they write about it. Some of them are very good, and a lot are very ill-informed," he said. Senior BBC sources told MediaGuardian.co.uk last week that senior journalists would be told to give up their columns or lose their jobs at the corporation. "We cannot stake the reputation of the BBC on one or two high profile presenters. If one or two people say 'I'm leaving', we will regret that very much - but we are not going to fudge this, this time round. We are mindful that there are some very big, big names involved, but at the end of the day nobody is indispensable," said one source. At least half a dozen high profile presenters are expected to be hit by the new rules. Simpson writes for the Sunday Telegraph while Humphrys writes for the Sunday Times. Others affected include business editor Jeff Randall, who writes for the Sunday Telegraph; Rosie Millard, who writes about property in the Sunday Times; political editor Andrew Marr, who writes for the Daily Telegraph; and foreign correspondent Fergal Keane, who writes regularly for the Independent. The BBC board of governors rubber-stamped the decision on Thursday but, rather than imposing a blanket ban, ruled that BBC journalists could not write for newspapers about their regular news beats. It was a freelance article by Today reporter Andrew Gilligan in the Mail on Sunday that sparked the Hutton inquiry after the defence correspondent named Alastair Campbell as the man who allegedly "sexed up" the government's Iraq intelligence dossier. In his evidence to the inquiry, Tony Blair said the article - which had gone further than the original Today report - had given "rocket boosters" to the allegation, sparking a furious and protracted row between the BBC and the government. In the interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Dyke admitted that with hindsight he would have launched an internal investigation into Mr Campbell's original flurry of furious allegations against the corporation rather than responding immediately. "When I look back, I wish - on the day that Alastair Campbell launched that attack and demanded answers to a host of questions within a few hours that we'd said: 'No, stop, we'll have a full internal inquiry and the answers to those questions can wait'. That would have been better," he said. MediaGuardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Dan Say, DXLD) Why don`t they let them write whatever the want as long as a disclaimer accompanies, not representing BBC, etc.?? (gh, DXLD) ** U K. CRITICS ATTACK COKE CHART DEAL Chris Tryhorn Monday December 1, 2003 The Guardian Coca-Cola, already embroiled in the controversy over fast food advertising, was at the centre of a new row today after it emerged it had signed a deal that would give it free plugs on the BBC's Top of the Pops and Radio 1 chart show... http://media.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4809646-105237,00.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K [non]. GOOD MORNING IRAQ --- From wartime Algiers to a shipping container in Uum Qasar, British forces' radio celebrates its 60th anniversary this week. Liz Gill reports Liz Gill, Sunday November 30 2003, The Observer British soldiers in Iraq may be heartened by the fact that whatever the dangers and difficulties they can at least start the day with a proper English breakfast radio show. From 7 to 11 they can hear Top 40 chart hits, local news and views, announcements, requests and dedications. They can even take part in competitions to win a T-shirt or a funny hat. In the evening they can unwind with a similar format. All this comes out of a shipping container in the base at Umm Qasar, converted to an air conditioned studio housing the latest radio technology and manned by two broadcasters and an engineer. It is the latest example of the British Forces Broadcasting Services' determination to be on the ground alongside the troops. BFBS, which this week celebrates its 60th anniversary, broadcasts programmes to the Gulf around the clock. Most of them will come from the headquarters at Gerrards Cross but a minimum of six hours a day will be specially created for them in Iraq. Indeed it was one of BFBS's proudest boasts last year that they were up and running there within 10 days of soldiers entering the country. And just a few weeks ago a transmitter was set up in Baghdad to reach the British military personnel now based at the coalition headquarters. "The focus is on morale," says Alan Phillips, managing editor of BFBS UK. "The idea is to give them an entertaining, informative, fun start to their day. We're not gung ho but we're not doomy and gloomy either. And forces' humour is an interesting thing. They know there's a time to be solemn and remember your friends but they also know there's a time to just crack on with the job. When we were in Kuwait during the build up to the war the number one request was The Boys Are Back In Town." When David Crwys-Williams was a young pilot officer in Kenya in the early 60s his then-girlfriend had Younger Than Springtime from the hit show of the day South Pacific played for him on the forces' radio along with her message of undying love. He heard it in a packed mess in Nairobi on a Sunday lunchtime surrounded by his mates and it was possibly, he says, the most embarrassing moment of his life. Despite that mortification, the BFBS remained the backdrop to his career from those early days right through to his role of Commander- in-Chief in the Falklands in 1988/89 and the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. "It played a great part in my life as it does in most servicemen and women's lives. If you're in a strange country miles from anywhere and very possibly lonely, it's a strong link with home. You're particularly aware of it in times of separation and conflict." Today Crwys-Williams is the chief executive and managing director of its parent organisation, the Services Sound and Vision Corporation, and this Thursday he will host a party at the Banqueting House in Whitehall to celebrate the anniversary. From its humble beginnings in wartime Algiers BFBS has grown to a multi-million-pound organisation broadcasting round-the-clock news, music and information to all three Armed Services in 23 countries. Crwys-Williams took the job ten years ago when he retired from the RAF. Like all his colleagues he must be a civilian: although funded by the Ministry of Defence, BFBS remains independent of it. This is in contrast to the Americans whose forces' broadcasts are the work of the military and thus an arm of the Pentagon. "We have total editorial control," he says, "and I know of no incident in 60 years when that control has been taken off us. What other country would do that?" The studios in countries such as Iraq are containers - converted to house broadcasting equipment, computers and air conditioning - which can be taken in on the back of a lorry. Though the satellite link technology is state-of-the-art the fuel supply is often more basic - in Kosovo they ran on a generator fuelled by 50 gallons of diesel a day. This local dimension is a key factor. Although much of the general programming is produced at the headquarters in Buckinghamshire, it is then relayed to stations around the world where DJs and presenters can add in local material: news, views, coverage of social and sporting activities and issues such as pay and conditions, announcements and useful, sometimes vital, information. In Iraq today that may be a reminder to boil drinking water; during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus it was evacuation guidance for both military families and tourists. It also allows broadcasters to modify a programme's tone in the light of losses in combat or other disasters. The set-up makes for a close relationship between broadcaster and audience. As defence and features editor Rory Higgins says: "The immediacy is what's amazing. You do your show, go out of your Portakabin studio and into the mess for breakfast and the chef will start shouting out what he thinks. That's pretty direct feedback. You get quite involved with people's lives. I remember one squaddie in the Falklands whose marriage was in trouble desperately trying to ply me with drinks so I'd play his requests and make his dedications sound sincere." Higgins's other postings have included Cyprus, Hong Kong, the Balkans and most recently Iraq where he was embedded with the Second Royal Tank regiment. "Obviously your reports have to be factually correct but I think your interpretations of situations might be better because you have this military background. After one report a soldier came up to me and said 'you were pretty critical of the military there'. I said 'well, that's the way I saw it' and he said 'good on you.' They don't want propaganda." BFBS broadcasts three networks - Radio 1, Radio 2 and Gurkha Radio for Gurka servicemen and their families. One is a pop and information channel aimed at the younger end; Two is a mix of music, talk, news and sport and includes some BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live programmes: officers are apparently particularly keen on The Archers. With overseas military personnel totalling around 140,000 worldwide the potential audience is the size of a small city. It is also an audience whose characteristics are well-known to the programme makers: Radio 1 knows, for instance, that its listeners are mostly fit, fully employed young men whose favourite programme is the UK Top 40 which goes out every Monday evening at 7 pm local time whether in [Alberta] Canada, seven hours behind GMT, or Brunei, eight hours ahead. Right from its beginnings in World War II when millions of Germans tuned in, forces' radio has always been listened to by "eavesdroppers" - young people often learn English from it - which makes for special considerations in areas which might have, for example, strict views about alcohol or social mores. It is even possible to turn transmission up and down according to local sensibilities: Kuwait is kept low, for instance, to avoid reaching too much of Sa`udi Arabia. During its 60 years BFBS has helped launch the careers of many radio names, among them Raymond Baxter, Gloria Hunniford, Sarah Kennedy and David Hamilton. It remains synonymous with Two Way Family Favourites, a joint venture with the BBC. It drew, at its peak, 20 million listeners and the romance between presenters Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe made them the nation's sweethearts. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenahver, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Winter B-03 schedule for Gospel for Asia via Merlin Comm.: 1230-1330 As lang 15170 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg 1400-1500 As lang 15215 DHA 250 kW / 100 deg 1600-1630 As lang 9785 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg 2245-0130 As lang 6145 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** UNITED NATIONS [non]. Winter B-03 schedule for UN Radio via Merlin Comm.: 1700-1715 French 7170 MEY 100 kW / 076 deg Mon-Fri 1700-1715 French 15495 SKN 300 kW / 125 deg Mon-Fri 1700-1715 French 17810 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg Mon-Fri 1730-1745 English 7170 MEY 100 kW / 005 deg Mon-Fri 1730-1745 English 15495 SKN 300 kW / 180 deg Mon-Fri 1730-1745 English 21535 MEY 250 kW / 342 deg Mon-Fri 1830-1845 Arabic 9850 RMP 500 kW / 105 deg Mon-Fri 1830-1845 Arabic 13775 SKN 300 kW / 180 deg Mon-Fri (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes for Voice of America: 0300-0400 Arabic NF 6095, ex 7125 0500-0600 Kurdish NF 5995, ex 7125 1200-1300 Arabic NF 17765, ex 11995 1430-1500 Burmese NF 11965, ex 11865 1500-1700 Arabic NF 15170* ex 21770 || *co-ch VOA in Bangla!!! 1530-1600 Georgian NF 9880, ex 9770 1600-1700 Bangla NF 11730* ex 9825 || *co-ch CRI in Arabic NF 15170, ex 15160 to avoid RFI in English 1600-1700 Hindi NF 9825, NF 15255, ex 9815, 11730 1700-1800 Kurdish NF 7570, ex 12140 1800-1900 Russian NF 11885, ex 11685 to avoid Voice Int. in English 1900-2000 Russian NF 9750, ex 11685 to avoid Voice Int. in English 2330-2400 Burmese NF 9860, ex 9865 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** U S A. 4846.6v, WBCQ spur, Nov 28, 29, 0330-0400+ English; strong, slightly distorted, wobbly spur, \\ 5105.2 with a clean, stable signal (Brian Alexander, PA, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO TIMTRON WORLDWIDE ON WBCQ Greetings Glenn, Last Saturday evening at 0400 WBCQ was "trimulcasting" Tasha Takes Control on 5105//7415//9330, the latter in place of the repeat of Timtron's show that usually appears at this time on 9330. The Saturday afternoon broadcast of Tim's show at 1900 on 17495 has been clear and listenable the past few Saturdays, as 17495 creeps back into daytime range with the change in seasons. Incidentally, I've discovered a spot in the 7415 schedule that's been filled with interesting programming the past few weeks. According to the published schedule, "A Voice in the Wilderness" is supposed to run from 6 to 8 PM ET Tuesdays (2300-0100 Tuesday-Wednesday). It now ends at 0030, and this half hour is being filled with some really entertaining shows. This week a repeat of "Juliet's Wild Kingdom," featuring a musical tribute to the late Warren Zevon, was played. The past couple of weeks have featured the first half hour of the prior Sunday evening broadcast of "The Pirate's Cove," a retrospective on pirate radio broadcasting hosted by Allan H Weiner, that regularly runs on Monday at 0400 on 5105 as part of the "Area 51" block of programming (Larry Will, Mount Airy, Maryland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. New X-Bander format --- INFINITY's Sports WFNZ-A (SPORTS RADIO 610)/CHARLOTTE is signing on WBHE-A, its Expanded Band facility at 1660 AM, with a partial simulcast. Both frequencies will carry WFNZ's "MORNING SPORTS PAGE" with GARY WILLIAMS, JIM CELANIA, and TOM CAREY, and "PRIMETIME WITH THE PACKMAN (MARK PACKER)" afternoon show, but the stations will split otherwise, with 610 continuing to carry ESPN RADIO in middays, nights, and weekends and the new signal carrying SPORTING NEWS RADIO in those dayparts (http://www.allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, Dec 2, DXLD) I'm surprised nobody else has picked this up in the message-board chatter --- but WBHE 1660 Charlotte NC apparently signed on Monday morning. It's a combination of simulcasts of the local sports shows from sister WFNZ 610, with Sporting News Radio filling the middays and overnights on 1660 while 610 runs ESPN. I believe 1660 is ID'ing as "WFNZ 1660" at all times except the top of the hour. There's a report, as yet unconfirmed, that WBHE's regular-band parent station, WGIV 1600, may already be silent (Scott Fybush, NY, Dec 2, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Radio Única announced it will cease to broadcast and let all 76 operations and programming people go on January 26. I have no idea if the stations will go silent, or simply rerun old programming or what (David Gleason, CA, Dec 2, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. N.H. OWNER FIGHTS ZONING LAW --- SBE SAYS CITY ORDINANCE MAKES COMPLIANCE WITH FCC TECHNICAL RULES IMPOSSIBLE by Randy J. Stine LEBANON, N.H. The Supreme Court for the state of New Hampshire could decide later this year whether a radio broadcaster can build new towers despite a local ordinance prohibiting construction based on concerns for aesthetics and property values. The case has drawn the attention of a national engineering group and could foreshadow a national debate over local zoning issues. Observers think the case is important at a time when television broadcasters, making the transition to digital, and the wireless industry are fighting for additional tower space. Koor Communication Inc. holds an FCC construction permit for a Class B AM station at 720 kHz for Hanover, N.H., and wants to build four towers that require a minimum height of 266 feet in adjacent Lebanon. However, that town's zoning ordinance regulates the height of towers, limiting them to 42 feet. . . http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/nh-tower.shtml Get the DX while you can! (jw wb9uai, Milwaukee, NRC-AM via DXLD) Oh, was hoping it was an update, and not the 2002 link again. What was the resolution on this? (Gerry Bishop, Niceville, FL, ibid.) No resolution on it yet; it's still hung up with the pinheads in the local government, and the odds are that Bob will have to spend quite a bit more dough on a good lawyer (which he does have - Fred Hopengarten is one of the best when it comes to tower and zoning issues) before he can ever break ground. Once he does, don't forget that it'll be 50 kW from some very short towers on some VERY nonconductive granite rocks. WOR's IBOC won't be a factor --- its analog signal dies on the rocky New England soil long before it gets to the Upper Valley. And WQTH will be flea power after dark (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) ** U S A. GROUP PLANS LIBERAL RADIO NETWORK TO CHALLENGE LIMBAUGH Jim Rutenberg, New York Times Published December 1, 2003 DEMS01 A Democratic investment group planning to start a liberal radio network to counterbalance conservative radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh says it is close to buying radio stations in five major cities. The acquisitions would be a major move toward making the network real. After its conception was announced in February, many radio analysts and even some Democratic activists predicted that the network would face too many challenges, including finding stations to run its programming and bucking a historical record replete with failed liberal radio attempts. But executives with the new company, Progress Media, said late last week that if all went as planned they would have the network running by early spring, in time to be part of the public dialogue during the presidential campaign season. Executives would not name the stations they are acquiring but said they reach all radios in five of the 10 largest media markets: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Boston. The group plans to present a daily schedule filled with liberal personalities as hosts of a range of programs, including news analysis, talk shows and entertainment programs in the spirit of "The Daily Show," the spoof news program on cable. Jon Sinton, Progress Media's president, said the company had hired Lizz Winstead, one of the creators of "The Daily Show" (and a Twin Cities native), to oversee entertainment programming. Shelley Lewis, who was recently in charge of "American Morning" on CNN, will oversee news programming, Sinton said. He said Progress Media hopes to have comedian Al Franken (another Twin Cities native) do a daily talk show. © Copyright 2003 Star Tribune. All rights reserved (via Art Blair, DXLD) ** U S A. More excellent reading about Clear Channel in the December 2003 issue of Harper`s magazine in print: BIG WORLD – How Clear Channel Programs America, by Jeff Sharlet, p. 39 SMALL WORLD – Why One Town Stays Unplugged, by Bill McKibben, p. 46+ [Barre VT, WDEV] (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. STATE URGED TO CONSIDER SALE OF MPT Privatization of public television network would save $10.8 million annually, Mandel commission's report says The Associated Press November 26, 2003, 2:48 PM EST http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/bal-mpt1126,0,3825257,print.story ANNAPOLIS -- A commission looking for ways to cut the cost of state government has recommended selling Maryland Public Television, allowing the state to save some of the $10.8 million spent annually on the statewide network and perhaps make some money off the sale as well. . . http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/bal-mpt1126,0,2766026.story (via Current Dec 2 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Re: WGN 720 silent period Nov 30: I'm about 90 miles north of WGN, so they are pretty much impossible to phase or null out, so I was excited about the possibilities to hear something new. I thought conditions were pretty good with 730, XEX, Mexico City, running about S9+10db during most of the test. I had S4 line noise on all antennas except my big 55 ft high vertical, so that's what I used with the Icom R71a, recording on cassette. Clips of most of the highlights below can be found at http://members.aol.com/j999w/DX in downloadable Real Audio format. Any help with the unidents would be greatly appreciated since this is probably my only chance for the next 10 years to get any of these! 720, YVQE Radio Oriente, Porlamar, Venezuela, 11.30.03, 0955z, fair to good with quick ident "Radio Oriente, Porlamar" then into national anthem. WGN off. NEW ! JW-WI 73 and good DX, (John Wilke, WB9UAI, Milwaukee, WI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.66, R. Amazonas, Have been checking this as well, and their equipment doesn't appear to be in the best of shape. First of all, their modulation is rather low. In the mornings it`s so low as to be about 10% readable. One night I could easily hear an increase in distortion over a few hours to s/off. The distortion was so bad, it was nearly impossible to listen to (Dave Valko, PA, Nov 28, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. I've noticed the same as Thorsten did, Tanzania-Zanzibar not heard here in several days on 11734.1 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Dec. 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I can confirm that Zanzibar does indeed seem to be off the air on 11734. Nothing heard on that frequency here in Nairobi in the last few days. But the station is still going on 585 mediumwave, so hopefully this is just a minor hitch with the SW transmitter that will get fixed soon. Regards, (Chris Greenway, Kenya, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What about 6015? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO STAMPS see OKLAHOMA [and non] above ++++++++++++ DRM see NEW ZEALAND above +++ COMMENTARY ++++++++++ QSLing WEBCASTS In the August 2003 DX Times I asked is Logging a station via the Internet/Web really DX and worth a QSL after Adrian Sainsbury of Radio New Zealand International received a reception report requesting a QSL for Reception via the Internet by a person using a Computer. It raised some interesting points and thank you to those that send in some feedback. From Brian Webb, Upper Hutt --- WHAT IS PROGRESS ??? It was only a matter of time before yet another string was added to the bow of DXing. Technical and electronic advances have brought up many ``different`` aspects of interest and now we are faced with this virtual Computer DXing as such. Though not strictly ``radio`` DXing, it could with adjustment provide another avenue for the hobby, even though I fear the lack of actual challenge in so doing by this means. However, such so-called DXing needs to have the parameters of acceptance dealt out, i.e. it is obviously so simple under present technology to log up and submit such a ``reception``. In my own mind this does not conjure up a QSL or verification as we are used to going through a challenge to obtain. So while it may well be like a conventional radio report, it is NOT. Call it `cable` or Internet reception. Challenge or not, there needs to be some consideration of the worth of such a report (other than perhaps a freak-out occasion on satellites or whatever the in-between medium is). It crosses the ethics of what has been tit-for-tat, i.e. submitting a report with some form of assistance for the reply. The example shown is to my mind just wanting a ``gimme`` response and that doesn`t wash with me. As pointed out earlier, it is a courtesy for a station to respond at all and the submitter should be very much made aware of such a fact. Would I submit a report under this system? Nah! I have not the facility for a start and it lacks absolute challenge for any true ``radio`` fan. Robert Park thinks that using the Internet to send a report is a good idea and he hopes to start soon. He thinks that those who do listen to radio via the Internet should be encouraged to become involved in radio (to help address the flagging interest in the Hobby) and suggests that we give them their own special category - Internet DXing, as a means of creating more interest in things radio. Don Steer of New Plymouth says that his reaction is `no programme details` no QSL. And he can`t see any value to the station, apart from a Listener survey. And adds `But it finally will be up to the Broadcaster to decide` Thank you to others who have made similar comments. Something for us all to think about and maybe it can be raised at the next AGM on how to encourage those people who log/listen to Internet Radio to join the League. (Chief Ed) (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES NOVEMBER 2003 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ HF/LF/MF Propagation Outlook As I'm sure many have noticed HF propagation conditions have been pretty good lately. Even LF and MF conditions have begun to improve for the first time in many weeks. We have managed to put together a string of 10 days with high solar flux, high sunspot number, low background x-ray flux and no geomagnetic storming. As a result I've been doing a lot of AM operation on 10 meters around 29000 kc, SSB operation on 12 meters, PSK31 operation on 15 meters and a lot of SWLing on 13 meters and I can tell you that the bands have been wide open. I've also seen DX begin to roll in on 160 meters, the MF AM broadcast band and even the LF broadcast band. Unfortunately though we are coming to the end of our present long run of good and improving propagation conditions. Earlier today between 0940-0957 UTC Sunspot Group #10508 which had already set behind the western limb of the Sun, released a C7.2 proton solar flare from a related solar filament and an associated Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). Fortunately the CME was not geoeffective (Earth facing) so will have little negative affect on the IMF and Earth's geomagnetic field. However the energetic elevated proton event has already surpassed greater than 10MeV (10+o), which will create Polar Cap Absorption (PCA) on LF/MF/HF high and maybe for a time mid latitude propagation paths during the next 48 hours. Also recurrent Coronal Hole #071 will become geoeffective beginning on 12/5/03. As #066 on 11/9-14/03 it produced a Kp of 6 (moderate geomagnetic storm) and I expect at least a Kp of 5 (minor geomagnetic storming) this time around. Overall I expect to see degraded propagation conditions on LF and MF and also on HF on high latitude propagation paths as the week unfolds but not a total collapse as we have seen during the past two months. 160 Meter Amateur Radio Resources & More http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf.htm Daily Solar Space Weather & Geomagnetic Data Archive http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf5.htm HF/MF Radio Propagation Theory Notes http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf8.htm Florida Space & Atmospheric Weather Institute http://www.kn4lf.com/fsawi.htm 73, (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Plant City, FL, USA, EL87WX, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Geomagnetic activity was at quiet to unsettled levels during the summary period. One period of isolated active conditions was observed on 24 November. Brief periods of minor and major storm levels were observed at higher latitudes on 24-25 November due to effects from a coronal hole high speed stream. The coronal hole on 30 November produced no significant geomagnetic response. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 03 - 29 DECEMBER 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to low levels with a chance of moderate level activity. Activity is expected to be at low levels during the first half of the period. Active longitudes are due to return to the visible disk by mid December and may produce moderate levels. The greater than 10 MeV proton event currently in progress has reached flux levels of 85 pfu at this time and is expected to end by 03 December. There is a slight chance of a proton event after 15 December when active longitudes return to the visible disk. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 09-15 December due to a large trans- equatorial coronal hole. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels. A large trans-equatorial coronal hole is due to return to a geoeffective position on 06-13 December and is expected to produce minor to major storming. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Dec 02 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 Dec 02 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Dec 03 130 10 3 2003 Dec 04 125 10 3 2003 Dec 05 120 20 4 2003 Dec 06 115 30 5 2003 Dec 07 110 25 5 2003 Dec 08 110 30 5 2003 Dec 09 100 30 5 2003 Dec 10 100 35 6 2003 Dec 11 100 35 6 2003 Dec 12 100 40 6 2003 Dec 13 105 35 6 2003 Dec 14 120 35 6 2003 Dec 15 135 30 5 2003 Dec 16 140 15 3 2003 Dec 17 145 12 3 2003 Dec 18 150 12 3 2003 Dec 19 150 20 4 2003 Dec 20 150 20 4 2003 Dec 21 150 15 3 2003 Dec 22 150 12 3 2003 Dec 23 145 10 3 2003 Dec 24 145 10 3 2003 Dec 25 140 10 3 2003 Dec 26 140 10 3 2003 Dec 27 135 10 3 2003 Dec 28 130 10 3 2003 Dec 29 120 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1210, DXLD) ###